PING PONG ISN’T LEADERSHIP I used to see this one all the time where people getting paid to do ministry just played games all day. I’ve even shared at a conference once where a guy tried to justify it. Listen, people are going to hell and if you think that games are going to save them you’re stuck in 1983 orange carpet fellowship hall youth ministry. Study the word, build teams, preach with everything, go door to door, get on campus. Some old lady tithed her social security check so you could have a job.

IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T RUSH TO FIX IT If you take over a ministry that’s successful don’t change things just for changes sake. Don’t immediately brandish a new mission statement, redesign teams, or state a new vision because by doing that you’re imposing a quick detour on the thing so many loved. There’s nothing wrong with implementing your new vision but be careful how quickly you do it. On the flip side, if it IS broke FIX IT QUICK! Don’t hesitate to blow something up and start from scratch if it wasn’t changing the world.

CHURCH IS FOR COOL KIDS TOO One of the biggest Next-Gen Leader tendencies is to ONLY invest in the kids who are hurting, broken, and needy. While this is great, don’t forget that influencers need your love too. And if you invest in the influential young adult you’ll be investing in someone who can then in-turn invest in those he/she contacts. In the end, the more balanced you are in discipleship the more balanced and explosive your ministry will be and the broader your pyramid for attraction. You attract who you are, so be thoughtful and prudent in where and why you invest your energy.

P.S. This one is just cause it hit me. BRANDS DON’T MATTER. If God’s working, the brand will only enhance who you already are but trying to constantly change your name in the hopes that it’s a magic button is a waste. Study hard, work hard, invite hard, pray hard, and get better… then your ministry name will mean something because it’s obvious Jesus mean’s something!

- Couldn’t believe that 150 people & 30 kids showed up for a family gathering! Got me real excited, to begin actually promoting in the community and for the actual church launch come February!

- I honestly figured people would be nervous to worship (new setting, new people, new band, etc) but it was the opposite. Passion, hands raised, the King honored! No better foundation!

- The Visioneering, CDF, Stadia, Provision offices were beautiful.

- Loved seeing old friends I haven’t seen in years! Taste of heaven being reunited! It’s Wally’s birthday! Happy b-day from your Moment family bro.

- Set-up teams, tech, and others were in the building Friday, Saturday, and 6 hours today. We’ll streamline it but THANKS to all who gave up their precious weekend for the King! (you know who you are)

- We recorded the morning and will be sure to make the message available online if you want access. Also, the children’s experience rocked thanks to Kim and team!

- Join me in praying about who we can invite next Sunday and we’ll do it again in 6 days!

Personal note for everyone planning to attend Moment this Sunday. Address here.

This Sunday I’m going to try peaching for a while from underneath a blanket. It may be the worst idea in history especially since it’s our first gathering and I now have hair but, hey, we can all spend 40 years laughing about it.

I don’t want to give the concept away but the premise is pretty simple and stems from an experience I had with Ethan last week. I realized the past few days that our church and our lives is NOTHING if we don’t understand THE most basic principle on earth and heaven. So, we’re going to talk about it and I’m going to challenge you to start “peeking out”.

Excited to begin this journey together in two days. Oh, how HE loves! Let hope rise!

-Tony

Noah wasn’t sure when a flood would come (for 100 years).

David wasn’t sure how he’d eventually sit in a palace.

Moses didn’t know if he could speak correctly.

Abraham wasn’t even sure where he was walking.

I just made a mental list of a few things Bre and I didn’t know or don’t know about this journey towards Moment Christian Church and it made me smile because I realized we don’t know a thing. We planned as best we could but end of the day. Squat! Nada! Zero!

We didn’t know where the church would end up.

We didn’t know who would help.

We didn’t know where we’d meet.

We didn’t know why anyone would want to attend.

We didn’t know where our family would live.

We didn’t know how we’d pay for anything.

We didn’t know where to have vision meetings.

We didn’t know our way around Orange County (without an iphone).

We never did and still don’t know much about church planting.

We don’t know what building we’ll call home.

We don’t know the amount of our paycheck next week.

We don’t know how to get conditional use permits or do TI’s (no clue).

All we’ve come to know for sure is that we get to meet with our new church family on Sunday at 10am AND that God is faithful, opens doors, answers the prayers of His own, orchestrates what He originates, holds the world and our hearts, gives us friends we’d die for, is proud of those who follow, loves all who live, leads when we’re lonely, purifies the pitiful, beautifies the broken, brings community when there’s calamity, favors the fearful, and embraces those who embrace uncertainty.

If you’ve been contemplating doing something bold but “don’t know.” I say Good! Dare you to step out and realize that not knowing is the beginning of really knowing.

Tomorrow morning the Mom’s of Moment have their first play-date and its well deserved! Hope you can join as this will be a great chance for kids to meet other friends with similar values.

If you’re in Orange County, change diapers, need sanity, and want to connect with some new women in your life-stage it will be a relaxed morning of fun. I’ve listed location and contact info below. Katrina Sanchez who put this all together, Bre, and others are excited to meet you! You can email Bre here or Katrina Sanchez here if you have questions.

10am – Sweet Shade Park, Irvine CA

www.ci.irvine.ca.us/cityhall/cs/commparks/nparks/sweet_shade_.asp

John Mark McMillan wrote a song that is quickly becoming a counter-cultural treatise on God’s revealing love amidst mankind’s innate tragedy. According to John, “How He Loves” was written for those “desperate to say what’s real, not what they think everyone wants to hear”.

Genuine. This Sunday as Moment soft-launches I couldn’t think of anything more important to talk about that this beautiful love. I’ve been so moved by the song and a simple study of John 3:16.

“For God so loved the world…”

(That line, by itself, stands as a testament to so many things.)

Amidst tragedy, how He loves.

Amidst economic failure, how He loves.

Amidst my mistakes, how He loves,

Amidst being abandoned, how He loves.

Amidst being addicted, how He loves.

Amidst never being loved back, how He loves.