mike adkins | grace•ology

Living In The Sweet Spot

The idea of service conjures bad images in people's minds. And I think I've discovered why. It's because service is synonomous with more activity and more activity is bad. Yes, bad. We have too much to do already. So personal time is at a premium. Service just seems like one more thing in an endless stream of activities that keeps us from our precious down-time.

Here's the rub. Most people want lives that matter. We want to get to the end of our lives and be able to look back and see that our life really meant something. Not just that we were here sucking up oxygen or taking up space. So how can we live lives that matter and at the same time not junk up our schedules?

The solution is simple. Missional living. What? What is that? Most people think that service is something that's an add-on to their everyday life. Consequently, they politely pass on it. Missional living is changing our mindset and thinking strategically about how we can invest in others where we are. Living missionally doesn't mean adding more to our plates; it means asking one simple question, "How can I love other people in what I'm already doing and where I already am?"

Be creative. Think about opportunities to do something nice for someone at work or at home that's out of the ordinary. Here's the punchline. When you do those things in Jesus name (letting others know why you are doing it) that's when God gets glory and you are living in the sweet spot.

Rob Bell At Hard Rock Live

What a great night. Went to see Rob Bell speak at Hard Rock Live last night. Amazing. Truly gifted communicator. But more than that, he distilled the gospel into a talk that could be heard and accepted by anyone. Rob took the message that God isn't angry at you and traced it throughout scripture, which culminated in a mantra that went like this: "You don't have to live like this anymore." Over and over again he reminded us that when we live like we have to please the "gods" who are angry with us we are in essence no longer serving our God. Brilliant! At the core it was a message of grace.

Personal thoughts:
It was a reminder to me that even in ministry my motivation can become skewed. If I do what I do for the purpose of pleasing an angry or disappointed God, then I do it for the wrong reason. My reason for ministry has to be rooted in a desire to call people to the dance, to the party, to the celebration, to the kingdom of God. And that kingdom starts now.

Happy Thanksgiving

My prayer for you over the next couple of days is that you will rest in the hope of Jesus. Spend some time just writing out what you're thankful for. Start small. Just the little things and keep going. Before you know it, you'll be surprised how much you have to be thankful for.

See you on Sunday. I love you guys.

Grace Holiday Worship Schedule

We’ve been publishing our holiday service schedule for a few weeks now, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give you a reminder on the blog since there are so many changes from the norm. Here it is:

• November 25th: Thanksgiving service at 9:30am (one service only that weekend)
• December 1: Grace worship band headlines at Holiday on the Drive
• December 9th: Regular worship at 9:30am; Jingle Jam family service at 11:15
• December 23rd: NO worship services on this Sunday
• December 24th: Christmas Eve Services, Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Margeson Theater, Identical Services, 5pm and 7pm
• December 30th: One service only at 9:30am
• January 6th: New Year’s Prayer and Communion Service and the kickoff of our January series

I'm excited about the new stuff we're doing over the holidays to get out into our community, like having our worship band and booths at Holiday on the Drive, having our Christmas Eve services at a community location in Loch Haven Park, and hosting our first ever huge family worship experience with Jingle Jam on December 9th. I've been seeing the work and creativity that's going into that event and if you miss it you will be sorry! You'll be even sorrier if you don't invite a family to come with you....

When Is Too Soon To Care?

I confess that when it comes to helping others (I mean the big stuff like poverty in Africa or Aids or Orphans) there's a part of me that thinks as soon as I get my ducks in a row then I will help. I act as if God needs for me to be all together before He can use me. I think that's backwards. I think what God wants for us to do is simply to apply for the job. I know I can't fix it all. I know it's a big job. I know I don't have all the resources I need. But, should I wait till I do? Should I wait for all my needs to be met before meeting the needs of others? Smells like self-centeredness!? Maybe it's in the willingness to apply for the job that God will meet all my needs. Maybe not having all my needs met leaves me dependent upon Him.

Leadership Meeting Tonight

We are having a leadership meeting tonight and it's going to be great. I get to share with a bunch of people a teaching by Bill Hybels that changed my life back in 1990. It is the best teaching I have ever heard on the church and it's place in the world. I love the church so much. Christ died for her and asked us to live for her. There is nothing better that we could give our lives to. Do you love the church? I don't mean an institution or a set of beliefs. I mean the dream that God dared to dream for his people. It's a dream that is so dangerous that if followed it could change the world. A dream so real that people for centuries have given their one and only life for it. It is the church. It is the one steward of the message of Jesus Christ. It is the only group that will exist forever. It is the only group that Jesus is the head of. It is the church. It is the church. It is the church. Do you love it?