Rick Warren and the BGCT (day one)

I made it out of Austin – barely – on time this morning. Who knew that Monday is THE big travel day for Austin and Monday morning is the worst… Now I know.

I met with Marty Mosher and got my Church Planter Assessment done for the BGCT. It was a totally different experience from my earlier assessments. It was actually fun looking back on what God has done and has been doing in me, my ministry, and the people around me… However, we met for a couple hours and it was very exhaustive.

I ate dinner with some friends (who paid :) ) and I ran across my childhood pastor, Jim McCurley. That was very, very cool. This was the guy who pastored our church from the time I was born until I was 16. Talk about a man that influenced my life! His son, Craig, and I were also inseparable, best friends. I spent a lot of time at their house and have so many memories of his ministry to our family and me. It was cool to see him and reconnect.

I waited around for the final speaker… Rick Warren. Papa Rick. Daddy Purpose. – He gave an incredible message. I was touched deeply. Here were the highlights:

If you want God’s blessing, then be care about what God cares about.

There are 5 great giant, worldwide, unsolved problems:

1. Spiritual emptiness
2. Self-centered, egotistical leadership
3. Poverty
4. Preventable disease
5. Illiteracy

Jesus’ ministry – and the job of his followers – solves these problems.
(He uses the acrostic PEACE)

• Jesus promoted reconciliation (Love God – Love your neighbor)
• Jesus equipped servant leaders (He focused on three: Peter, James, and John)
• Jesus assisted the poor (There are over 2000 verses on poverty – God loves the poor)
• Jesus cared for the sick (He had a two-fold ministry: Teaching and Healing)
• Jesus educated the next generation (The kingdom of God belongs to the children)

Comments

[Jonathan Dodson]

Glad to hear things went so well. Who did you do assessment with previously?

Hope to visit Phoenix one of these days...

[charles Whitmire]

JD,

I was assesed by Glen Smith before. He did an awesome job, and we discovered that I just wasn't ready. Too much needed to get settled first... Warren is fun to listen to - Amarillo... lots of dirt and cows :)