Would You Consider Supporting Me?

For twenty years God has been trying to get me to open my heart to Africa.  Finally, I have said "yes."  It’s not that I had anything against going to this fascinating continent – I just continued to have plenty of excuses for not going. 

I have recently been afforded an incredible opportunity to join a small team of people on a specialized trip into a closed access region of the world.  This is a historical trip and it has huge implications on the future contact with these un-reached people.

Because of the nature of this trip, I am seeking to create a prayer team of 100 or more individuals who would be willing to pray for us each day of our journey.  I will do my best to send a few updates before and after the trip.  Our efforts will include medical assistance, handing out clothing items, further research on developing a water source for the people and working on some of the area schools. 

I am also seeking several individuals who would be willing to support me on this trip financially.  As you can well imagine, the cost for such an effort will be large for each individual ($2,500) and the team as a whole.  Thus, I am praying for 50 or more people to join me on this journey by providing a donation of $50 or more.  

If you would like to join the prayer team or support this effort financially please send me an email letting me know how you would like to help.  I will then send follow up information.

joedwilson@earthlink.net

Catalyst Day One

This is my second year at Catalyst Conference in Atlanta.  One of the things that I love about this event is the creativity.  They pull out all the stops and this year was no exception. 

I’m here with three other leaders from our church and two from another FWB Church close to our town.  There are just over five thousand churches represented all together and people literally from all over the world - all coming together for some of the best worship and leadership development on the planet!

Our morning in the arena kicked off with a kicking stage production – Fee leading worship and then Andy Stanely sharing from Nehemiah 5:6-18.  He emphasized the importance of our creed aligning with our deed or as he called it “moral authority.”  In layman’s terms – you better live the life if you want others to follow your leadership.  And sometimes it takes time for us to live it out in front of those God has called us to lead. 

For most of us as leaders, all we have is influence and at the end of the day everyone following is a volunteer – thus our moral authority is paramount.  He then challenged us to make sure our moral authority was being lived out in three areas; forgiveness, family, and finances.  What people want to know is do we, as leaders believe what we say – and do we live it. 

What a way to start the day!  It was if God reached down and grabbed my heart from the very beginning. 

Jim Collins challenged us in the area of Good to Great.  He was good as well but I will share two main thoughts from his session.  First, the major difference in a level 5 leader and a level 4 leader is humility.  Leaders at the top of the spectrum are humble – period.  Secondly, too many of us have “to do” list without having “stop doing” list.  Huge point.

Steven Furtick spoke from I Kings and dealt with keeping your vision in sight when you can’t see anything.  God’s had is all over this guy.  His ability to preach, keep the attention of the audience and nail the point down is incredible. 

Brenda Salter McNeil fired me up!  I loved her passion and style as she dealt with shaking things up.  Her text was from the book of Acts and focused on us getting out of our comfort zones and into the world for Christ. 

Seth Godin was great for people like me with ADHD.  He used lots of pictures and was really pretty funny.  Plus, he gave us a free book!  How cool is that.  Now I have to read it to figure out all he was saying today!

Craig Groeschel wrapped things up with Joel 2:12-13.  Three main points – God stretch me – God heal me – God ruin me.  Our prayer should be for God to give us a heart that is broken for the things His heart is broken over.

God seemed to use each aspect of the day from the music, to the announcements, to the speakers, to impact me in a huge way.  My head and heart are overwhelmed by what God is doing in me.  I literally felt His hand upon my shoulder tonight as my heart opened up to Him and He showed me some things that need to be dealt with.  I am broken – I am in awe!

25 Years Ago!

Wow!  Today I celebrate a cool milestone with my wife – it’s our 25^th year dating anniversary.  That’s right, 25 years ago today I asked her to be my girlfriend.  It was a Friday night and we were at a High School Football game.  Sweet!  We were only 15 years old and that decision turned out to be one of the best decisions I have every made.  We are still dating – and I am more in love with her than ever!

Something else happened 25 years ago in my life.  Just before Julie and I started dating – God got a hold of my heart and I returned to my first love – Jesus Christ.  I become a follower of Christ when I was just nine years old.  But during my Jr. High years I stopped going to church and began to live “my” life.  I left God out of everything.  I finally came to my senses when I was 15 and rededicated my life to Jesus.  It’s been an incredible journey ever since.

In Honor of my dating anniversary – I wanted to post some of the amazing things that happened during 1983.  Great memories!!!

Penn State beats Georgia in Sugar Bowl for college football title

Tony Dorsett sets NFL record with 99-yd rush, Dallas vs Minnesota

Reagan ends U.S. arms embargo against Guatemala

10th American Music Award: Kenny Rogers

"A-Team" with Mr. T premieres on NBC

Hulk Hogan pins Iron Sheik for World Wrestling Federation title

40th Golden Globes: Gandhi, ET and Tootsie win

Superbowl XVII: Washington Red Skins beat Miami Dolphins, 27-17 in Pasadena Superbowl MVP: John Riggins, Washington, RB

U.S. Male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton

1st female secretary of transportation, Elizabeth Dole, sworn-in

"Weird Al" Yankovic records "Ricky" and "Buckingham Blues" debut LP

Donald Davis runs 1 mile backwards in 6 minutes 7.1 seconds

Hindus kill 3000 Moslems in Assam, India

25th Grammy Awards: Roxanna, Toto IV, Men at Work wins

USFL New Jersey Generals sign Heisman winner Herschel Walker (3 years-$5 mil)

Dow Jones closes above 1100 mark for 1st time

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album goes to #1 and stays #1 for 37 weeks

Final episode of M*A*S*H; 125,000,000 viewers

OPEC cut oil prices for 1st time in 23 years

U.S. president Ronald Reagan introduces "Star Wars" missile defense plan (SDI)

45th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina State beats Houston 54-52

6th space shuttle mission, Challenger 1 launched

President Reagan signs $165 billion Social Security rescue

Alice Walker wins Pulitzer Prize for "The Color Purple"

Suicide bomber kills 63, at U.S. Embassy in Lebanon

San Antonio spurs beat Denver Nuggets, 152-133 in NBA playoff game

18th Academy of Country Music Awards: Alabama and Willie Nelson

37th NBA Championship: Philadelphia 76ers sweep Los Angeles Lakers in 4 games

"Trading Places," "Ghostbusters," and "Gremlins," premieres

Hurricane Alicia, kills 17 in Texas

Joseph Kreckman sets record of 2,215 clay pigeons shot in an hour

Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes a U.S. citizen

Vanessa Williams (NY), 20, crowned 56th Miss America 1984, 1st black

Last hand-cranked telephones U.S. went out of service as 440 telephone customers in Bryant Pond, Maine, were switched over to direct-dial

Baltimore Orioles beat Philadelphia Phillies, 4 games to 3 in 80th World Series

Suicide terrorist truck bomb kills 241 U.S. personnel in Beirut

1st live telecast of Christmas Parade

 

Things I'm reading

I've not written any blogs this week.  Instead I have been spending my time trying to get ahead on sermon writing since I will be out of the office 3 days next week for the Catalyst Conference.

Here are some things that I have been reading on blogs, etc.

• Carlos Whiteaker is one of my favorite bloggers - today at 3:00 pm he started a 3 day fast from technology.  Good for him - bad for the thousands of people who love his blog including me.  I look forward to his return to the super highway!
• Tony Morgan mentioned a great article on this post.  "Thats-quotable-guy-kawasaki"  This article is a great read for anyone who has to speak in public or prepare a speech.
• Ed Stetzer did a cool interview with one of my favorite pastors - Perry Noble.  You can read the interview here.
• While I'm sharing some of the blogs I've been reading this week I would like to share a post from another pastor - Chris Elrod and his blog on what blogs he doesn't read - it's well done and sure made me think about what I read and what I write.  You can read it here.
• Sometimes I drive people crazy with my drive for excellence in all we do for Christ.  I've even been accused of wanting perfection or being so structured that I wouldn't know it if the Holy Spirit moved.  Steve Furtick has a great post that explains why some of us want to strive for excellence - after reading his post I want it even more!  Good-enough-isn't good enough for me.
• Perry Noble has a powerful post here - dealing with vision.  I will be speaking on vision the last Sunday of this month - can't wait!
• I served as a youth pastor for the first ten years of my ministry - one of my favorite youth guys out there is Joshua Griffin at Saddleback Church.  He wrote an extremely helpful post here for other youth guys and us old grown up pastor guys who still like youth ministry stuff.
• Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" is rocking my world and kicking my butt - seriously, ever follower of Christ should read this book.  Just beware - God will use Francis and his huge love for Jesus to stretch you!
• And finally, my favorite blogger on the planet is my wife - Julie.  She's so amazing and she writes about my favorite things - our girls!

The important thing is to always keep reading and learning.  If you ever think you have gotten to the point that you know it all - you are dead wrong.