I’ve got to say it. I’m over the whining. I got an email from a pastor today that lit my fire a little. I’m tired of excuses from guys who are more concerned with job security than reaching people. Sometimes we spend more time complaining about what we can’t do than actually pursuing what God created us and called us to do.
I continue to be amazed at the number of pastors and leaders who criticize Bill Hybels and Willow Creek for the Reveal Study. In my opinion (which I am fully persuaded is correct 
) many of these don’t have the guts to honestly evaluate how their ministries are doing, but are more than willing to take aim at someone who does it differently, even if that someone is achieving results that many never have.
It seems to me Bill is willing to risk what you and I might think of him because of his apparent desire to truly reach people and help those who desire to do so. He understands that those who are both critical of his results and impotent in reaching people themselves are simply not his audience. Also, the very existence of the study “reveals” a desire to grow and change and learn more.
I remember years ago a lunch I had with some of the senior adults in our church. One lady tossed out (like it was the atomic bomb), “Are we a part of the Willow Creek Association - just tell us the truth”? There are so many things wrong with that statement and thinking, which came from a biased and ignorant perspective. At the time we weren’t, today we are.
The following quote is from Bill Hybels… it hopefully it will cause us to think and pursue loving God and loving others rather than to simply figure out how we can position ourselves to look better to other pastors and churches and church people.
Perhaps if more pastors had more courage, more people would know Jesus.
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It is the DNA of C3 to impact the community. So, one of the things we’ve done for the summer is to sponsor family movies each week at Regal Cinemas - we help underwrite the cost and families can come for free!
This has been a huge opportunity to reach people with info about the amazing movement called C3.
However, with each opportunity there are always a few “smack whack” people willing to show their stupidity.
Last week at the theaters one lady went into hysterics saying the money from C3 was stolen from children?!?… (the fact that lies are told never has surprised me - it’s what Satan’s been doing for generations - but the fact that they are so easily believed by some still does).
Also, another lady was incredibly rude to one of the children who was helping us. This lady used to help one of the ministries in our former church - maybe it’s time to actually put into practice some of those verses you’re so proud of memorizing.
Then, I heard of a lady who was yelling at some of our students about the destruction of a church. Please! You’re not a victim - the only thing we destroyed was the elite club mentality that some religious people have.
See, in life you and I will constantly deal with first class knuckle heads. It’s just a reality. When I think about this, I’m grateful.
- I’m grateful none of these people go to my church, or represent it. They now represent other churches.
- I’m grateful that our culture has changed so much that these people do no damage to us.
- I’m grateful that churches like C3 are making such a difference that messed up religious people don’t harm the reputation of church to the level they used to.
These events struck me because it’s just not our reality anymore. I don’t miss it. Thank you God for delivering us from what was, and bringing us into what is and is to come.
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C3 is the church I’ve dreamed of my entire life. Much of the vision God birthed in me for C3 is a direct result of growing up in “church.” I’ve dreamed of a church where all people are really welcome, a church where the Great Commission is more than cheap talk prostituted to the highest religious bidder, a church where love drives decisions, a church where the vision is not for sale, a church where the person coming for the first time, with real needs, is just as valuable as the small business owner - a church that is simply… a church rather than a club.
What God is doing in the life of C3 is a miracle - it’s the story of a movement that couldn’t be stopped. Today, hundreds of C3′ers, and those soon to be, converged upon Moss Park and took it to C3 level! It was an amazing day. And… the story is still young. One family I met today couldn’t believe a church would do something like this for the community - they were blown away, and we’ll see them on a Sunday real soon. The history of this movement will be about so much more than it’s cost. It is a story being written everyday as more and more lives are transformed with the deep, abiding, unconditional love of Christ and a people who are crazy in love with him… so they’re loving others. It’s a story that’s being written not in a brick building on a “plantation”, but in hearts of lives of the community - it’s a story not just for Sundays but for each and every day. It’s the reality of the church - the called out of God impacting the community in huge ways. Jesus said we would do greater things than he did - if the church is not, why not?
Recently I finished the final edits of my first book, “Barbaric Grace” (being released in a few days). The process of writing and editing brought back many memories - many of them of the many battles. I didn’t fully realize early on that it was the battle for the soul of a church. Remembering made me even more grateful for the grace of God and how he has prevailed - and always will. It has made me more humbled and grateful for the opportunity to pastor the greatest church in the world.
The baptism in the lake was awesome also! The last guy I baptized today flew in from NC from a business trip and was flying back out this afternoon to Dallas on another business trip. He flew back home to Orlando to come to C3 just to be baptized - God’s done an amazing work in his life and his future is full. Tomorrow I’ll throw up some pics of C3 Day at Moss Park - until then, thank you C3 for being the church I’ve always dreamed of - the church God had in mind. It’s the C3 Reality!
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Comments on my blog like this one are such an encouragement to me and our team. C3 really is a place for all people, where all are not just welcomed, but also wanted. The following comment from a C3′er was added to a previous post.
“Byron as an African American woman who has attended this church since 1989 - I could not have said this better!!!! I always felt like the “fly in the Buttermilk” when I attended church but was compelled to stay because the word of God was always preached. I knew that someday someone would see the light and open the door for all people of all races to be welcomed and be a part of this great church and you have done that!!!!. My heart just overflows as I now sit in the audience and see the diversity all around me. Bless you Byron and the wonderful team that we now have at C3 - I know it has not been easy but oh it is sooo worth it.
Keep pushing forward.” - Rhonda Rosa
This Sunday who will you invite to this unique community of faith - the movement known as C3? Invite today!!!
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About a month ago I spoke with a pastor who told me, “I’m transitioning my church.” He contacted us asking some huge questions. As we talked, I began to realize something significant.
Let me say, I hear pastors say all the time “We’re in transition.” In saying this, what they often go on to describe is more changing the look than true transition. You can put the most expensive clothes on a dead dog and it’s still a dead dog. Transitioning is not about the choir no longer wearing robes (but hopefully wearing something - have you seen most choirs!?), the pastor not wearing a tie - or if he’s really kickin’ it dropping the suit. Why is it we so often focus on the symptoms rather than attacking the root cause? I know guys who invest so much sideways energy, then wonder why their not further down the road. Transition is not just about style, it’s more about substance. If you’re in “transition” and the only things changing are the superficial outward things - that’s not effective transition - that’s change without true purpose that’s only going to confuse people.
The hard reality is every church is transitioning - you’re either transitioning to your final days or your brightest future. You’re either becoming more inwardly focused, or growing a love for others. An effective transition involves a church that sees a need and is willing to sacrifice the comfortable to meet the need. Yes… at C3 we transitioned our style, but we also transitioned our philosophy of ministry (others instead of us), our structure (Biblical rather than “congregational” - by the way, have you ever noticed that people who know nothing about how to run a church sometimes feel they are experts at it. Why are their so many church people who are the authorities on how to pastor and lead churches, but they… don’t?), and our focus (creating a culture that is contextualized in our culture). It’s also important to note what we did not transition - our message and mission. Those are rock solid in scripture. The difference is now we have a strategy that accomplishes the mission.
So, if you think leading through transition is about changing your clothes and your tunes… that’s just convoluted and polluted and will end up diluted! (I just can’t help myself).
Hey… EASTER’S coming - who are you bringing?!
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