Just thought I’d process a few retreat thoughts.

It’d be so much easier to stop growing and stay the same Growth = Complication. But it’s a good complication. The reward in the parable of the talents wasn’t an early retirement or extended vacation. The reward for good work was more work The faithful servant had more to manage.

The coffeehouse complicates our lives. Adding new locations complicates our lives. Adding new staff and new retreats and new outreaches and new leaders complicates our lives.

So thank God for complications

I definitely felt a little overwhelmed on our retreat. But Nina Schmidgall, our children’s coordinator, helped me get a handle on it. She likened it to the first day of school when you get all of your class syllabi You feel the cumulative pressure of everything you have to do That analogy really helped me process the way I’m feeling. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you thinking about everything you want to happen in the next year. When you add up the decisions to be made and things to be done it equals overwhelmed! It reminds me of the passage in I Corinthians where Paul asks the question: “Who is equal to such a task?” I know I’m nothing without God’s anointing. And I’m grateful for an incredibly talented and committed team.

As the Lead Pastor of National Community Church, I feel the cumulative responsibility for everyone and everything that happens at NCC. Sometimes it feels like an awfully big load. I honestly wouldn’t want it any other way But I think I’m a little low on margin and high on dreams right now

Having said that, I’m totally excited about next year. John 1:50 is one of my theme verses. Jesus said, “You will see greater things than this.” Jesus was talking to Nathanael, but I think that is true for every follower of Christ.

The best is yet to come.
We haven’t see anything yet.
God has bigger and better things in store for us!

A little overwhelmed, but looking forward to 2006