Transformation

In about a week and a half (7/22) I will be speaking at Evergreen Community Church in Pine City. This is the church my family and I spent 18 months with preparing for and ultimately launching in September of 2006. Our commissioning ended on Memorial Day of this year and we've been back at New Hope in Cambridge (where I'm on staff) since. This will be my first time back there on a Sunday morning since the end of May and I'm excited to be going back and sharing what is on my heart.

I will be talking about Transformation and what that looks like (and what it doesn't look like). Way too often we think of a "Christian Transformation" as something that happens to create a really nice and friendly (yet passive aggressive) person. As I've been pondering what my message will be, I am landing on the fact that each one of our lives is like a song that we write the music and lyrics for and ultimately perform. Our songs have different styles, rhythms, and lyrics and typically are performed for ourselves or the world around us. I believe true transformation is when we write and perform our life song for God. You'll have to show up or listen on line if you want details, but the point is not about changing the style of the song, but instead getting a better understanding of our audience. Transformation that occurs from following Christ does not look like wearing a suit, carrying a Bible, covering the tattoos, taking out the nose ring, becoming soft -- instead following Christ looks like living life to the full (John 10:10) which means loving God and others and having a life that reflects the fruit of the spirit, including a whole bunch of Joy! I want to let my life song sing to God in a way that reflects His joy in all of His creation; in a way that makes people glad to be around me; in a way that focuses on the good news of the gospel (freedom) rather than the restrictions of the law. OK, now I'm preaching... I better wind 'er up. Thanks for listening....