Fearless Everyday

In the Bible, "do not be afraid" is listed 365 times. This is God's mercy and grace reminding us everyday that fear will come to tempt us and attempt to steal our faith, joy and destiny.

Fear is a spirit. The word of God says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. 

What is fear? Fear is synonymous with stress. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the stresses of life? Do you ever feel you can't control the situation? Do you ever feel the circumstances are beyond what you can bear? Fear is the opposite of faith.

God says he has not given us a spirit of fear but rather he has given us power, love and a sound mind. How do we access this power, love and sound mind?

We receive our power from Holy Spirit. We receive unconditional love from our faithful and loving God. Keeping our thoughts fixed and aligned with the word of God assures we have a sound mind and we are not deceived by the enemy.  The word was made flesh and lived among us in the person of Jesus Christ. Have you connected to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit today? 

Jacob's Limp

Jacob was considered a deceiver, he deceived his brother, his father-in-law and probably himself.

Just before being reunited with his estranged brother, fearful of what Esau might do to his wives, children and property; he camped by himself for an evening of mental preparation. The anticipated reflective evening all changed when a stranger showed up and a battle ensued.  The battle lasted all night and in the morning Jacob got a name change, a blessing and a limp.

What does battling with the Lord or the Lord's angel look like today? It's generally in prayer, it's the discussions and arguments we have with God. It's pouring our emotions, hurts, worries and fears out. It can be messy.

After a gruelling night, the victory came in the morning with a limp. What does a limp look like today? It may be a physical manifestation, or could it be what has been given up? Is it a loss of pride, selfishness, worry, regret or control?

We have all experienced battles. It may have been for our health, relationships, finances or destiny.  In preparation for my health battle, God gave me a new name (Overcomer) with a new identity (More than a Conqueror).  He gave me a promise (by His stripes I am healed) which He needed to remind me often. My limp are the scars that remain after the victory.

What are you battling?
Have you received a new name?
What's the blessing and promise you are holding on to?
Do you have a limp?

This month at C3 Calgary West, our sermon series will be on Hope. Please join us every Sunday at 9:30 and 11:15 to get filled with hope and courage to face your battles.

Fight or Flight?

Have you ever considered yourself similar to Jonah?

Do you tend to fight or move toward flight?
Do you like to choose the people you love?
Do you desire for the most heinous crimes to be vindicated?
Do you sometimes have to experience extreme circumstances before you shift, move or change?

Most of us are more like Jonah then we would like to think...
Jonah refused to give the most brutally violent people group in his time a second chance.
He ran away from God rather than staying and working toward a greater good. It cost him time, his gifts, talents and his pride. Only when he was facing death did he change his perspective and humble himself. 

We can all think of times we ran.

Easter is coming and there are many similarities between Jonah and Jesus, they both:
-spent three days in the belly of a fish and the belly of the earth (Matthew 12:38-42)
-were called to save some (all) people that had lost their way
-submitted their wills to God's purpose and plans

This Easter, March 27 at 9:30 and 11:15 AM, C3 Church will be celebrating Jesus' resurrection, who do you need to love and invite this Easter?

Soften my heart Lord so I can hear who you are calling me to love, and give me courage to love them wholeheartedly.
-

This is not a Day Care!

I have a daughter attending a Christian university. As a parent, my desire is for my daughter to mature and become a light in a world of darkness as well as a contributing member of society. Her contribution could represent a variety of effects. My daughter does not attend the university that is represented in the article below, but I pray she will complete her university career with the mindset of an overcomer, more than a conqueror and the ability to love others because love is not optional. Taking responsibility for our actions, attitudes and destiny is a sign of a mature, contributing member of society. 

This is Not a Day Care. It’s a University!

Dr. Everett Piper, President

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt “victimized” by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love. In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.

I’m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic. Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.”

I have a message for this young man and all others who care to listen. That feeling of discomfort you have after listening to a sermon is called a conscience. An altar call is supposed to make you feel bad. It is supposed to make you feel guilty. The goal of many a good sermon is to get you to confess your sins—not coddle you in your selfishness. The primary objective of the Church and the Christian faith is your confession, not your self-actualization.

So here’s my advice:

If you want the chaplain to tell you you’re a victim rather than tell you that you need virtue, this may not be the university you’re looking for. If you want to complain about a sermon that makes you feel less than loving for not showing love, this might be the wrong place.

If you’re more interested in playing the “hater” card than you are in confessing your own hate; if you want to arrogantly lecture, rather than humbly learn; if you don’t want to feel guilt in your soul when you are guilty of sin; if you want to be enabled rather than confronted, there are many universities across the land (in Missouri and elsewhere) that will give you exactly what you want, but Oklahoma Wesleyan isn’t one of them.

At OKWU, we teach you to be selfless rather than self-centered. We are more interested in you practicing personal forgiveness than political revenge. We want you to model interpersonal reconciliation rather than foment personal conflict. We believe the content of your character is more important than the color of your skin. We don’t believe that you have been victimized every time you feel guilty and we don’t issue “trigger warnings” before altar calls.

Oklahoma Wesleyan is not a “safe place”, but rather, a place to learn: to learn that life isn’t about you, but about others; that the bad feeling you have while listening to a sermon is called guilt; that the way to address it is to repent of everything that’s wrong with you rather than blame others for everything that’s wrong with them. This is a place where you will quickly learn that you need to grow up.

This is not a day care. This is a university.

Changing Organizational Structures

The structure of your organization might need to be changed. The rule of thumb, according to Tom Morris, is keep it as simple as possible for as long as possible. 

When do you know you need to add another level of structure to your organization?

Here are the three tell-tale signs it's time to add structure:

1)   Bottlenecks and back-ups- Are there bottlenecks & back-ups in the system? Do leaders need to jump through so many hoops to implement an idea, that they become discouraged and stop trying all together?

2)  Burn out and burden carrying- Are there people in your organization that are burning out? They appear to have lost their passion and have no more energy. Do they look like they are carrying around the weight of the world with no hope of change in the near future? They arrive late for meetings, they no longer stay late because they love their job, they stay late because they are less productive.

3)  Broken communication and busted relationships- Broken communication can be as simple as the words we use. You will hear "I" instead of "us".  The fallout of busted relationships hinder the ability of people to work together. Leaders begin to step back from leadership without an explanation; it is easier to walk away than be honest and strain the relationship any further.

When it is time to make changes, the changes should provide clarity, accountability and exceptional performance.

S

4 Steps in Creating Value in Non-Profit Communication

One of the most difficult aspects of communication in the non-profit arena is creating value.
Organizations can be extremely good at communicating the facts of how, what and when but when it comes to the the why we fall short. The "Why" is where value is created. Here are four tips in creating value:

1) identify a clear vision and purpose for your communication. If you don't know the outcomes you desire, neither will others.

2) establish the benefits for the consumer. No matter your industry, people always want to know what is in it for them.

3) use words that inspire and create. People want to participate in something that is bigger than themselves. Use words to describe the vision and purpose both factually and emotionally.

4) be clear on how you would like people to respond. Always give clear instructions on the invitation and the response needed to participate.

Great communication is like silver and gold; the rest is worthless.https://twitter.com/JoCannon

God doesn't change like shifting shadows

'...the Father of the heavenly lights...does not change like shifting shadows.' James 1:17

The Rise & Build Gala theme for 2013 is Treading on New Heights. I love the imagery, the sun the moon, the planets and stars. Unlike these most powerful elements of nature, God the Father doesn't change.  

Did you know we are considered His "firstfruits"of creation? We are made in His image, if we are made in His image, surely we too are called to be consistent. 

Consistent: Unchanging in achievement or effect over a period of time.  Are you unchanging? Do you shift like shadows when times become difficult or challenging? There are times when we all experience fear, anger, frustration and ineffectiveness; but in our weaknesses the Lord makes us strong. When we can come to Jesus and admit our changing ways, He alone is there as a constant reminder of who he is and what he has done; rather than reflecting on who we are and what we have done or left undone.

Join us for a memorable evening of reflecting on His unchanging love for us, His church-on Sept. 28, Saturday at C3 Church Calgary West-91 Commercial Court, Calgary, AB at 5:30 PM. For tickets please call 403.686.0608.