Clarkmitchell.tv

Building Consensus

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:19:00 GMT

It seems as though one of the new millenium leadership statements is - "I'm a consensus builder". Okay, great! But what in the world does that really mean?

Does it mean you are finding out what people want, getting in front of them, and taking credit for what they are already doing?

Or, does it mean you are taking a truth into a culture that doesn't even value the truth yet, helping them discover it, showing them how to apply it, and seeing their lives changed for the better?

When I look at our culture I see a lot more people interested in impacting our culture than transforming it. I don't blame them! Impact is much easier and quicker than transformation.

As I look at the life of Christ I don't see him as one that was trying to impact the culture by rallying consensus. I see him as trying to transform the culture by helping people discover, apply, and live into the truth.

Profiling

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:05:00 GMT

In today's culture it seems as though every time you flip through the news stations there is a continuous conversation about profiling. The TSA is profiling. The CIA is profiling. TMZ is profiling. The Republicans are profiling. The Democrats are profiling. The Church is profiling. EVERYONE is profiling! Including you!

So the big question is - who should you really be profiling?

There are a lot of options! It takes about 30 seconds at the mall, or Target, or Wal Mart, etc. and the profiling begins! But here is my suggestion - begin profiling immediately! I did! Whom am I profiling? ME.

Here are some of the tough questions I began with:

1. When people see me, who do they really see?
2. Is my behavior suspicious? Do people see me being nice when I could have been mean?
3. As people eavesdrop on your conversations (and they do) are they intrigued by what they are hearing?

So my encouragment to you is to start profiling today! Put your life against the canvas of Christ and see if there are some comparisons.

Premature Labor

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:23:00 GMT

When Robin was pregnant with Caitlyn she began having contractions at 13 weeks!!! She would spend the rest of her pregnancy on complete bedrest to protect the precious child that God had concieved, and birthed.

As I reflect on my life one of my shortfalls is premature labor. I get so excited about what God is creating, birthing, and doing, that I want to share it with everyone! How can that be bad?

I have found out over the years that it is bad! When you get to heaven ask Joseph how it worked out for him. He was so jacked up about the dream, but he birthed it prematurely. He went running out sharing what God was going to do, and it created some pain.

There is no doubt in my mind that God is doing some truly miraculous things at, and through, Journey. There is no doubt in my mind that God desires to do some miraculous things in you. And there is no doubt that sometimes we run ahead of God and give birth to the dream prematurely.

As I run forward in life I am committing to take the time for the vision, and dreams, that God births to develop. I would rather be patient and make sure the vision is healthy, versus experiencing some kind of handicap, due to my inability to wait.

Don't marry a mean woman!

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:11:00 GMT

Yes, I know the title is probably a little offensive, but it is so true!!!

I can't tell you how many times over the years I have done marriage counseling with people and one of the complaints is, "My wife is boring and mean". Okay, I hear you, but here is my question - was she mean before you proposed or did a devil just jump in her one day and make her mean?

My observation is that most mean people, men and women, are selfish in their teen years. They were probably mean to the Mom, Dad, brother, and sister, but you were the new hero, the love, so they wouldn't dare be mean to you. Selfishness drives their whole mentality and when they decide you are not meeting their selfish needs anymore, watch out! The mean little devil is about to come after you!

My suggestions: Don't marry a mean woman, or man! Don't date them, don't flirt with them, don't think you can change them, simply run from them! I don't care how hot you think they are, don't do it! The hotness turns to flab (look at my body for an example), but the meanness stays!

Look for someone who represents the fruits of the Spirit. Someone who you can commit your life to serving, and they commit their life to serving you!

Last thought: If you already married a mean woman, or man, what should you do? PRAY, FAST, LOVE, and SERVE!!! I have seen many marriages that God has broken through the hearts of people and literally changed their patterns! It doesn't happen by nagging, being critical, or being judgmental! It happens through your faith, serving, love and prayers! (Really probably should fast also.)

PS - I'm so glad I didn't marry a mean woman! I have the perfect wife!

The Waiting Game

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:34:00 GMT

I'll never forget in my late 20's getting so frustrated at older people when they would say, "We are just waiting on God"! It drove me nuts!!! One day I finally had enough of "waiting", so I began to try to figure out what in the world it meant to wait on God. Sitting in the "Mitchell mini-van" at a soccer tournament in Ponca City I looked up Isaiah 40:3, studied the orginal text, and it changed my life forever!

Yet those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

The word wait there literally means to be "interwoven with God", that is what waiting is all about! It's not that we are waiting on God to decide to act, we are taking time to allow Him to interweave every area of our lives with His Spirit. Reality is we probably don't "wait" on God near as much as He "waits" on us!

So the question is - what areas in your life are you holding out on God? I dare you to allow Him to interweave those areas with His ways and watch what happens!

Faith based or Faith in your face?

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:37:00 GMT

I have never been more excited about what God is doing through Journey! Our vision is to see a city transformed, one life at a time — and it is happening every day!

While it the vision is lived out everyday through the church, we have some pretty big thoughts on some things in the future that will help shape the culture of communities. They are thoughts that are so much bigger than anything we could pull off in our own strength, but they are thoughts that we believe were birthed by God. They are thoughts that will take months and years to unfold, but every moment of patiently waiting will be well worth it!

That being said, as we begin a separate non-profit to chase these dreams, we have stated the goal that it will all be "faith based". As I have thought about that statement it has challenged me to begin define what it really means. While I don't have the complete definition, I do know there is a big difference in "faith based" and "faith in your face".

For me, I'll pick "faith based"! I want our faith in Christ to be the very foundation of everything we do! I want people to experience the presence of God and His power transforming their lives! I want God to move! But, I don't want to be one more religous zealot condemning our culture. I want people to experience Christ because of the love, hope, and encouragement they feel! I want people to "see" something different in these environments! Not to read it on the wall, but to read it on the face of those working there.

Organizations that are truly "faith based" are transforming the culture from the bottom up. Organizations that are "faith in your face" are trying to transform the culture top down.

In all of our future initiatives we are choosing to be "faith based"! And I believe that as we do, the world will take notice, with all glory going to Christ!

Question: Are you living a "faith based" life or a "faith in your face" life?

Environmental Awareness

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:01:00 GMT

Everyday I read the news and there seems to be a story about being "Environmentally aware". Some say that Global Warming will cause the earth to cease as we know it, and others say that the earth is cooling.

My stance: I have know idea!

But here is what I do know: Everyday I spend on planet earth I need to be environmentally aware!

I need to be aware of the environment that I create at home. I need to be aware of the environment that I create at work. I need to be aware of the environment I am creating in our community. I need to be aware of the environment that I create in our church. I need to be intentional about the environments I influence.

There is a good chance that we will never know all the truth about global warming, or cooling. There is a good chance we will never know all the truth about how we, as humans, affect the "environment". So in the meantime, let's focus on the truth that we do know: we influence the environments around us everyday! Let's be "environmentally aware" and create the greatest environments possible!

When do you say, "Thanks"?

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:47:00 GMT

Last week I was having a conversation with someone about some of their needs in life, when all the sudden the question popped out - when do you say thanks?

I think we would all agree on gratefulness as a character quality, but the question is, when do we use it? Especially with God.

My observation: Most people like to thank God after they physically see Him do things that enrich their level of comfort. We ask, knock, and seek for Him to do those things that make life easier on us. Our response to Him after he does is a simple - Thanks!

My question: Is gratefulness a response to what has been done in your life or an act of faith of what God will do?

For me, I am trying to make gratefulness an act of faith instead of a response to the selfish things I want God to do.

Haiti update

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:21:00 GMT

Here is some info we got from the medical team in Haiti. Grab your kleenex!!! Commit to pray! I am so proud of our church!

Pretty big first day. All the medical people are busy at the mission--a lot of patient care. A person died today in the ward that my mom is working in. I have jumped in the ambulance all day. We went into Port au Prince. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy! I saw hundreds of amputees today, so sad. I'm in the ambulance right now.

I am just helping when I'm needed. I help move/carry people-I wish I could do more, so much of the day has just been me being available to be an extra hand. We have a Haitian guy with us too--a driver and translator."

On the way in to the MOH they had driven past two of the huge mass graves where they have been burrying bodies. Ruben said that they contained nearly 100,000 bodies. They also passed through many "cities" that had been set up by not tents, but sheets as the only covering for shelter. He said that everything on the trip in went very smoothly and he was very grateful for the missionaries in the DR that helped them to the hotel and bus. A true God send!! He also gave Ruben the computer last night and tried to explain about all the people that had been involved in making that happen to let him know how many people love and care about him (including some of you). He said that Ruben was very grateful and excited. The mission is a more than likely permanent hospital now where almost 250 patients are seen a day compared to the 50 that were seen before the earthquake. They say that there are many car accidents, maintenance visits, amputees, children, orthopedic surgeries, etc..

What a week!

clark.mitchell@journeychruch.tv — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:00 GMT

This past week has been an absolute blast with all that God has done!

First, and most importantly, a lot of people (I don't have the count yet) gave their lives to Christ yesterday!!! The 11:30 at the North Campus had hands everywhere! Really cool!
I had a blast yesterday kicking off the series on the Holy Spirit!
The First Impressions team yesterday was rocking on all cyclinders! Way to go Courtney!
The EC (East Campus) had a huge turnout yesterday! Record turnout in the kid's area!
Working with the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was fun, and interesting, this week.
I am so proud of the Journey Team for the way they rallied over 5,000 toys for the Skaggs Toy Foundation!
What was really cool was how the team involved the whole community! They did a great job!!!
Personally, I had fun watching the production team set up in our auditorium. It was remarkable to see how they do things!
My favorite people were the Executive Producer, Director, and Asstitant Director. Really nice guys who genuinely care about the family!
Coolest of all though - Xzibit! I met him at the back door and he wouldn't come in until I found him a hose to clean his shoes so he wouldn't get our floor dirty! Loved hanging out with him back stage for a few minutes. Class act guy!!!