http://www.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541 Your source for up to the minute action from the thoughts and life of Tim and Melissa AdvancedMinistry Last night I had the privilege of hanging out with Jared - activist and founder of Pocket Change Apparel. You can see their main website here.  Pocket Change is a great example of how one person with an idea and initiative can start to help change the world. If you looking for some new clothes you might want to jump on this train early...things have been going well for them and I think some big things could be in store for Jared and his crew.  http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=13666 13666  So yesterday I was on my way to someplace quiet to prepare for the first Vox Toronto Staff meeting which, btw, was awesome! I'm so excited for what a small group of people can and might do here in Toronto. Anyhow, I was on my way to do some work for this not-for-profit organization we're trying to bring to Toronto - one that's inviting people to care enough to make a difference in our city - and while I was walking I got asked if I wanted to buy a paper.Now, you must understand, getting approached on the street here in Toronto to buy something is not unique. What WAS unique is that I was approached by a homeless person who was actually selling something to try and get some money. With my head in a zone I muttered something under my breath like "not today", put my head down and kept walking......at least for 20 feet. Suddenly the irony of what I'd done hit me and I lifted my head, slowed my pace and turned around. I then met Olga, a kind lady, willing to talk and tell me why she was selling the paper, how much they were and where she got them. It was very pleasant. I gave her a toonie and she shook my hand. It occurred to me in that moment that caring is very easy to claim to do until you're asked to act on it. In other words talk can be cheap. Here I am, claiming to be someone who wants the world to become a bit more human and trying to get people to join me in doing something that moves Toronto in that direction and yet I'm just burying my head and walking past people like Olga as though they don't matter - as if she's not human.I guess that questions I'm asking here is what does it mean to care? Is lip service enough? How far does one have to be willing to go before we really know that they care? I'm interested in your thoughts. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=13633 13633   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12876 12876 It's here! The first day of the rest of our life in Toronto. It has been a busy day (not over yet) but Mel took a few moments of silence this morning and wrote this from our juliet balcony which overlooks Spadina Rd.This morning I'm sitting on a lawn chair surround by paint cans and a few boxes and I just want to pinch myself! Here we are in the Annex right on Spadina Road. After almost 2 years planning we are here and now the work begins. I love our new place! And it'll be our for the next 3 years or more. Can't wait for the stories that will come out of this apartment. All the ways that we'll see relationships formed and a start in working along side some great people in seeing the city of Toronto become better city. Honestly everyone is invited over! Maybe not all at once but we would love to have you here!I'm off to paint and clean!Much, MUCH LoveMelissa http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12829 12829 A couple of years ago I ran across this concept in a book by Dan Kimball called "They Like Jesus, but they don't like the church". The concept was simple, that we as followers of Christ need to be known more by what we're for and less for what we're against. Sadly, the greater majority of the time when the church gets media exposure it's for things like boycotting Harry Potter or Marylin Manson or Target. Sadly all of the good things that the church does like helping fight AIDS in Africa, being the first line of response at Katrina and Haiti and a myriad of other things seems to get drowned out by negative press.I thought about this again today as I read a post by Anne Jackson regarding some people in the church wanting to boycott Craigslist because of prostitution adds on it's site.  The problem is one that should be dealt with for sure and yet I think Anne's suggestions are much more helpful than another boycott and statement of what we're against. Read her post and let me know what you think? Is she on to something? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12505 12505  Noun1.lynchpin - a central cohesive source of support and stability; Let me give you a short education on guitars. There are two major companies always competing to be "the best". Fender vs. Gibson. Everyone else is a second rate guitar company - from a world branding standpoint. These are the big two. It's an interesting battle when you get to know what's going on because the two have such fundamentally different veiws of how to make a great guitar. At Fender every part is replaceable. And I mean EVERY part. No two parts are so joined that we can't swap one out for another. To make my point, the neck is affixed to the body in such a way that if the neck breaks who cares! We just pick up another one, replace it, and start again. How the body and neck are connected is less important to Fender than the quality of the connection. Nothing is indispensable. The Les Paul Guitar is the epitome of Gibson's line. When they set out to design and make this guitar they had a fundamentally different approach. They believed that at certain junctures of the guitars assembly, the neck in particular, the joint must function as much like a solid piece of wood as possible. The result, many people would say, is a better feeling, more resonant instrument. Here's the catch though - if you break the neck it's not replaceable. That joint is indispensable. That joint, on a Gibson guitar, is the lynchpin. Without a solid connection there the instrument losses it's advantage. It becomes less than it could be. It losses what makes it really beautiful.Seth Godin's new book Lynchpin is awesome! Here's the basic premise: you have been conditioned to believe that you belong in a system. A system where everyone has a part to play but nobody is needed or indispensable. It's the factory mentality. It's the same premise on which Fender guitars were built, on which the auto industry and many others work, and on which our schooling is based. Godin says that we're teaching people how to fall in line rather than teaching them how to become remarkable artists and leaders, self-sufficient in their work, ready to tackle real problems with real creativity. Godin suggests that there is something else and something more than what we've been offered. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE!I think this resonates with me so much because it's one of the dreams we have for Montage. That every person would become a Lynchpin in their home, work, and community. That in Christ there is so much more to be had than simply living lives that others create for us. Those of us who follow Jesus NEED to become the recognizable lynchpins in our community. What kind of opportunities would we create for the gospel if we sought to become the indispensable components of community that, much like that solid neck joint, bring a sense of more complete connection between people and an increase in the beauty people experience in life?Right about now people might be thinking "here he goes again - dreaming about these weird and unattainable things". The problem is that when I open the scriptures I find Jesus telling us to ask for and expect weird and seemingly unattainable things. Consider this:He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt 17:20Do you think moving mountains is unattainable? Yeah, me too. But there it is. Seemingly impossible things are supposed to be possible for those who live life connected to Jesus. As I work my way through Lynchpin I'll post occasionally on things I read there. Why? I think it's an idea that needs to be spread. I think Seth Godin is doing a wonderful thing by trying to encourage us all to become indispensable - to become more creative, more integrated and more beautifully connected to one another and to humanity. My goal will be to encourage you away from the Fender mentality and towards the wonder and beauty of the Les Paul....or something like that ;-) http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12451 12451 is my friend and life-coach (an inside joke) Craig McGlassion. Craig is the pastor of Paradox Church in Warren, MI. We spent 6 months with them last year getting to know them and learning about their journey to start a faith community. Craig is not a rock-star pastor but his speaking chops are up there with some of the best I've had the joy of hearing. Take a few minutes to browse the list of podcasts they have on their site and pick one to listen to. I doubt you'll be dissapointed. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12407 12407 I heard this lyric in a Derek Trucks Band song this morning and it resonated with me. Things that are beautiful are often crazy. Consider the following list of people who all either are known for creating beauty or are indeed beautiful themselves and on one level or another are what some would call "crazy": Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Leo Tolstoy, John Keats, Sylvia Plath, and Tennessee Williams,  Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allan Poe, Francis Ford Coppola, Patty Duke, Marilyn Monroe,  Mozart, Schubert, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, James Taylor, Kurt Cobain and on and on and on I could go. (I'll toss Tyra Banks in here....she's got to be completely crazy!) Is it possible that in a society and culture that craves and seeks to produce safe, secure, mundane "individuals" that we've lost so much of what it takes to be interesting and beautiful?  We don't even have to talk about people who are clinically defined as mentally imbalanced to see a certain crazy quality about the people credited with do the most beautiful things. Was Gandhi somewhat crazy to leave India in a revolt through peace, allowing thousands to be abused in the process and urging them never to fight back through physical violence? I've heard people say many times that Jesus must be the Son of God or be stark raving mad. There's no middle ground with this beauty creator. How about Mother Theresa? Do sane people give up their whole lives to live amongst the poorest of the poor or must one be just a bit crazy to produce this level of beauty? What about the guy from the Tiananmen square? You know, the one on this video:   Am I suggesting that we should all hope that we can get a mental disease so that beauty can flourish? No. What I've been wondering for sometime though is whether or not balance and safety are over-rated. Is that really the kind of life that makes a difference or is that a life that we've been made to believe is best? If being a bit out of balance, even crazy, allows me the create even a fraction of the beauty that many of these people have gifted the world with, count me in. I'm willing to lose my security and balance, even my life, to find a life more beautiful and capable or creating beauty.   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12274 12274 I haven’t had much motivation to write since early February. Since Izaak came and went. I don’t really know why…I just know that I haven’t.   I’ve thought about writing a fair amount though. Why should I write? What do I want to write about? Does my writing add anything of value to the world or does it just make me feel better and like someone is listening to me?   Honestly I think that sometimes my writing is mostly for that last reason.   Confession: I can be a narcissist.   I think I’m ready to get over myself – at least in part.   This blog is going to take on a new face and a new purpose. Maybe it’s just going to get around to what it should have always been about – love.   Jesus of Nazareth said that “Greater Love has no one than this, that they lay down their life…”. Maybe in modern terms we would say that we should lay down our blog. That’s what I’m feeling anyhow.   I don’t want to spend so much time promoting myself. I want to promote others. I want to promote the best of Toronto. I want to promote ideas that would help you become all that your unlimited potential offers you.   So from now I hope you’ll find less of me and more of others. Come on by to see what some incredible people are doing, how the world is being changed for the better and maybe pick up an idea or two that you could benefit from. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=12216 12216 I've had this post on my mind and heart for a long time. I really hope it comes out the right way. I've been putting it off out of fear but today of all days seems to be the right day to say it.    It's Good Friday - the day that people who believe the Jesus was the Son of God remember and celebrate (yes, celebrate) His death. For those people his death means life. Jesus did not only promise life after death but said that he came to give us life to the full - here and now.   The narrative told to us in the Bible says that Jesus was God's son. So God was Jesus' Father. The message is clear - God's love for humanity was so selfless and so overwhelming that he chose to freely send and give his Son to die for the salvation and hope of everyone who lived, was ever alive and would ever be alive after that time.    Here's the thing: I wouldn't have done it for you. I don't love you enough. If I could have choosen to give you hope or keep my son I think I would have kept my son. I love Izaak more than I love you. I'm not big enough, strong enough, compassionate enough, selfless enough, or loving enough to give my son for you.    That's why it had to be God. His love is bigger, stronger, more compassionate, and more selfless than the entirety of human history could ever be or show.   What is your concept of who God is? What is the preeminent picture you have in your mind about Him? Think about it. The next time the concept of a higher power crosses your mind I'd encourage you, stop and personalize Him for a moment. Get human about the whole thing. The relationship God had with Jesus is at least the same as you have with your kids, your niece's and nephews, or those adorable kids your friends and neighbours let you get your weekly cute kid fix with. If God was someone that you knew, someone with kids, and he somehow expressed his love for you through them, how much more would that endear you to him? How much more then could the concept that he gave his son for the betterment of humanity endear you to God? Can you let that resonate in and with your soul for a minute? I think it's meant to.   Maybe this just seems crazy to you. Maybe not. I hope that this is helpful on your spiritual journey, wherever it is. I know that my son has taught me so much on my own journey and I'm pretty sure that he's able to help you on yours if you'll let his short life speak words that I believe God gave him to speak. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11964 11964 I saw this video today on my friend Jason's blog. Jason and I have been friends for a long time now and I love how much respect he has for people and their creativity. He's challenged and pushed me over time to see creativity outside of the traditional boundaries and to include even things like software as deserving creative respect. His blog focused on artistry but I wanted to talk a bit about story telling. As I watch this woman write her song I'm reminded of how powerful story telling is and how those who learn to become master story tellers are some of the most powerful members of humanity. I think it's one of the gifts Jesus had and one of the most magnetic parts of his human nature. When I read the scriptures his stories draw me in and make me think on a deeper level. It's my hope and prayer that as we are in Toronto, a place full of cultural story tellers, that God will use Montage to influence those story tellers towards relationship with Jesus. Just imagine how much different our country and culture would be if we were all (not just those tuning into Christian programming) hearing stories on TV, the radio, at the theatre, and on our iPods that were told by story tellers who's lives were given to Jesus and yet living out that faith and salvation amongst the population?  Keep in mind that we're all telling stories even if we're not artists. What can we learn from this thoughtful process that applies to the careful thought we could be giving to our stories as we anticipate opportunities to share with and engage those around us?   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11641 11641  What I’m learning during Lent  Day  31 – Peace By Melissa  Don’t you wish there was a recipe for life.  Add this, this and this and your results are an easy life.  As we know we are not promised an easy life.  And I don’t believe that if you simply follow a set do’s and don’ts you’ll have results that equal a pain free, easy or simple journey.  I notice something interesting as I read a section in Philippians today.  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”  Peace. We long for it don’t we. We stress and we worry. We have ulcers, migraines, and heart attacks all caused by stress. Peace, the whole world is in search of it. We have retreat centres, world forums,  books, podcast all about how to achieve this elusive peace.  It seems like it runs, it hides from us. What if there was a recipe for peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding.  Paul gives us this recipe in the book of Philippians.  4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Did you catch there? Read it again…..   Here it is the recipe for Peace:   1.     1.Rejoice  - always 2.     2. Be reasonable 3.     3. Do not be anxious 4.     4. Pray 5.     5. Request   Okay so it’s not the simplest recipe. But just think what if you approach that stressful situation you going through with these 5 ‘steps’.   Paul says pretty clearly if you do this things that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  So gut check for Melissa.  Where I am falling short in seeking out the peace of God. What am I not rejoicing in? What am I being unreasonable about? What am I worry about? When am I not going to to God in prayer?  What am I not requesting with thanksgiving?  Today my list feels long. But as least I know where to start. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11527 11527  What I’m learning During Lent Day 41 By Melissa   Do you have JOY that goes beyond your circumstances?  What determines your JOY?  Where is your JOY found?    A few years ago I was in a drama at our church and a line that still stands out me is “Joy is Choice Joyce”  (the character’s name was Joyce)  That line will replays in my head often. It’s a reminder to me that I can have a choice of how I respond to the circumstances that are going on around me.  That I can choose joy even in dark times. This line of thinking of course has been challenged over this past weeks.  But I can still choose joy. I can choose it because I can look at my life:  I see my husband, an amazing man of God who makes me laugh and loves me so deeply, I can see my daughter who smiles and giggles and hugs me so tightly – I could make a list probably a 100 pages deep of things that bring joy.  However what if like Job these things were taken away? Can I still choose joy and hope?  Could I say “though he slay me, I will hope in him” Job13:15.  Only if your trust, hope and JOY is found in Jesus can your joy go beyond your circumstances.  So my continual challenge is choose joy in the everyday living. When I feel overwhelmed, or when the guy in front of me cuts me off or when my toddler is throwing fit at the mall – can I still choose joy.   NOW  what I’m not talking about it fakeness – forcing a smile and pretending everything is okay when your broken inside.  But it is in those broken times, frustrating times, ugly times can you still choose that inner joy that goes along with a hope found in Jesus. If you can, this joy and hope will help to pull you though.   Easy to write, harder to do.  Let’s see how it goes as I choose to really focus on this over these next few days. JOY is choice Joyce!  http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11352 11352 At my house, the Olympics are on 24/7. We just love the stories and the competition. It's amazing to me how close most of these competitors are to one another. Take the downhill skiing events. More than fifty competitors race and the entire field is separated by less than four seconds! Amazing! Olympic athletes understand that every second counts.  I believe my son had the same soul as an Olympian.  Izaak had roughly three hours on this planet. Based on the outpouring from people, the goodness he has brought out of people and the lessons our family is learning through his life he used every second of his life to maximum effect. I want to live my life using every minute for the maximum good. I know I haven't always done that. I've wasted too many minutes and hours, even days, in my life up to now. It's easy to do that. There are so many things to "waste time" on: Video games. Television. Sleeping in. The internet. Those are some of the ones I waste time on.  Paul, one of the early followers of Jesus, encouraged those coming after to him to understand life like an olympic athlete does when they compete. Every second counts! 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. I sometimes wonder how different my life would be when it comes to the things that really matter, like representing Jesus to those who don't yet believe, if I took this seriously. What if I took my job as a follower of Jesus as seriously as an olympic athlete takes their competition? If I spent the vast majority of my time working as hard as I can to be the kind of person who is ready to represent Christ is every situation with honor, integrity and determination that I pray God would be pleased to use for his purposes? Following Jesus IS like a competition. There is a prize and how we train and compete DOES matter. What a message for me to hear! This is the second lesson I feel like God is speaking to me as a result of Izaak's short life. In honor of my son I am going to work increasingly towards this end. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11344 11344 What I’m learning during lent Day 44  Love can be tricky, can it?  I mean just look at all the songs written about it (don’t believe pick up the new John Mayer album).  The past 2 days I’ve tried focus on being more loving.  It’s been hard… I can’t believe how many times I’ve lost my temper in these past 2 days. I would stop in the middle of it and go “crap, I’m suppose to be working on loving more and I’m suppose to blog about it!”  I read 1 Corinthians  13 and I’m realizing that  this is the prefect love  and that I fall short of this perfect love. However God does not.  I am so thankful that God looks at me and looks at you and says I love you like this:    4”Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”   This gives me a guide, a goal to work towards. And I’m glad that I can look towards one day being able to give perfect love as I receive it.  http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11314 11314 I ran across this site this morning. It's the kind of thing I wish I was smart enough to dream up. I'll still with dreaming of a transformative faith community and leave this to the folks over at A Beautiful Idea. This is certainly the kind of thing though that I'd love you to check out and if you've got skills consider donating them for a good cause. HOW IT WORKS: Artists partner with A Beautiful Idea and create a product. They sell it and donate the money to our current charity in A Beautiful Idea’s donation center. It's that simple. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11265 11265  What I’m learning during lent- By Melissa Day 46 Last year I did a blogging series through out lent. I had decided to fast from watching television. It was honestly an amazing time of growth in my life.  This year I’ve decided that I would participate again in lent in my own unique way. So instead of fasting I’ve decided to add something into my life.  Over the next 46 days I’m going to focus on the fruits of spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Nine in total.  Every few days I’ll switch over to another fruit and work through what God might be saying to me and about my character through each of these.   You’re invited to come along, join in if you want. From February 17th to February 21st  I’m going to focus on the first fruit of spirit –LOVE. I love God’s sense of timing. This morning Layla climbed up on Tim’s lap and want to read what daddy was reading which happened to be the Bible. So what should Tim happen to read out loud – 1 Corinthians 13 – the chapter all about Love. So I think that’s where I’ll start my journey today. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11264 11264 Just after Izaak passed away I started running the first verse of a song I like through my head. Although John Mayer wrote it about a romantic love that's gone wrong and the pain that often accompanies that life experience I couldn't help but wonder what it will be like when I dream about Izaak. Will I ever have a picture in my mind of him as older? Will I ever see with my minds eye a day that we might have spent together? I don't know - but I imagine if I ever do have a dream like that it will feel something like this: When you're dreaming with a broken heart  Then waking up is the hardest part  You roll outta bed and down on your knees  And for a moment you can hardly breathe  Wondering was he really here?  Is he standing in my room?  No he's not, 'cause he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....  I went out this morning to get a coffee and forced myself to listen to this song just so that I'd feel something about it. I think the weirdest thing about this grief is that when I feel good I feel guilty for feeling good. Sometimes I just want to feel more of the weight of our loss so that I dont forget so easily what a gift my son is to me. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11263 11263  So I’ve decided to be honest during this whole blogging experience. I would be easy to simply say fake words or false thoughts. But I as much I do all of this for myself I also do this for others.  If I look for this experience just change me that would be selfish, I want my son’s life, as short as it was, to help others.  So honesty huh? Well I thought it was suppose to be easier as time went along.  And there are parts of the grief that are easier. However I was surprised this weekend by the anger and frustration I’ve been feeling over the past few days.  There is this part of me that wants to move forward now.  I want to be about something other then just grief (although I know that will be apart for me for awhile). However the simple things that I did before like putting my daughter down for her nap I can’t do because I’m still physically healing. And this has made me so frustrated over this past couple of days.  I know it may seem silly. I mean most of the time I would love a break.  I shared this all with Tim yesterday and with one of my good friends Kate.  Tim reminded me that these are difficult times and that’s okay.  It’s okay that I’m feeling frustrated, angry and all the other emotions that grief bring. It’s how I response to these emotions. Do I give in and allow them to simply over take me? OR do I stop, realize the reasons I feel this way and learn the lessons that God has for me in all of this. Today I feel better. I started my day by tickling my daughter and with a good cup of coffee. Taking delight in the small things that God blesses us with everyday. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11251 11251 Let me start this post by saying again how much Melissa and I appreciate all of the notes, flowers, meals and prayers we've received in the past 2 weeks. Today marks 2 weeks since Izaak came and left our family and after we spent the last week away resting I wanted to tackle this week with a project that I determined to do when we got back. As my wife did last week I'm feeling compelled to write some of my thoughts about our experience out. I think it will be helpful to me in creating a lasting memory of our short time with Izaak, will help me grieve and most of all I hope that it will help others who may be going through or will go through something similar in the future. I remember thinking on Tuesday, Feb. 2nd, the day after Izaak passed away that one of the great ironies in all of this is that my son will end up teaching me so much more than I had the chance to teach him. Father's want to teach their sons things. It's one of the great joys of parenting and for father's I think it's so close to our hearts. So, to think that I'll never have the chance to do that with Izaak is heartbreaking. I always expected that Izaak would teach me things as we did life together - I just never expected I'd learn so much from him in only 3 hours of life lived together. So what do I feel like he's been teaching me? Well I guess first I should say I think most of this is what God is teaching me through Izaak.  One of the first things that hit me is this: You never know who's hurting That same Tuesday, Feb 2nd, I had to run a few mundane errands: pick up some medicine and pijamas for Melissa and go to Swiss Chalet. It was nice to do some normal things that day - to kind of zone out and just go through some motions while being surrounded by people. As I was doing this the thought occured to me - I wonder if anyone else is wandering through Wal-Mart with the same amount of pain and grief I'm carrying?  The reality is Melissa and I aren't the only ones how've experienced pain and grief. It happens to all of us eventually, right? I wonder how many people I've passed in my self absorbed manner, acting as if I were the most important person, frustrated at those moving too slow or seemingly off in space and not realizing the immense pain they are in? Man did that hit me like a tonne of bricks! So here's the question I've been pondering: What if I treated everyone with the kindness that I'd treat someone who I knew was grieving and in pain? When I said a few words at Izaak's memorial service I spoke of a father's desire to be proud of their son. I feel like I can be proud of Izaak. He brings out the best in people! The generosity, kindness and beauty of humanity has been displayed in people because of him. That makes me PROUD of my son! What if everyone acted like that all the time? Wouldn't that be a world you want to live in?  Furthermore, what is keeping us all from living that way? I'd put forward that nothing but ourselves keeps us from living like that. Jesus once said that "the world will know you are mine by the way you love one another". I don't know where you stand in relationship to Jesus but imagine the beautiful picture of humanity that he was trying to paint. Can you see it in your mind's eye? Imagine all of us living the lives of compassionate love and selflessness that Jesus imagined for the world. My son is teaching me to see other's with a different perspective and I believe if we lived that way the world would be a far better place to live. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11239 11239 I’m a big fan of the Olympics. For the next 17 days there won’t be much else on our television at home than these 21st Olympic Winter Games. I love the stories of humanity that emerge from them: stories of leadership, perseverance, triumph and unity. They truly are a beautiful event.   I always look forward to the opening ceremonies. It’s glorious how we take time not just to compete but also to create culture before the games happen. The fusion of music, lights, dance and story are so often breathtaking. I felt that way while watching the opening ceremonies last night. From the aurora borealis to orcas with spouts coming out of the floor (how they heck did they do that??!!) it was a marvelous spectacle.   Perhaps the most intriguing event last night was K.d. Lang’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.   It’s always shocking to me when something overtly “religious” makes its way into a show like this. My jaw literally dropped wide open she started singing it.   Undoubtedly the Christian community will have wide and varied thoughts about whether this was a good or a bad thing. I don’t know where you currently sit on the scale right now but here’s what I think about it.   I think it was terrific.   The original composer, Leonard Cohen, describes the meaning of the song like this:   Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means "Glory to the Lord." The song explains that many kinds of Hallelujahs do exist. I say: "All the perfect and broken Hallelujahs have an equal value ."   The song is an overt praise to God. The fact that 1 billion people heard it and were possibly caused to think anew about their relationship to and with God is amazing and encouraging to me.   I can imagine though that some people might be wondering “yeah, but they didn’t mean it that way did they? Couldn’t this be considered blasphemy? Is this taking the Lord’s name in vein?”   Maybe. I’ll concede that this might be true. I’ll also put forward that whether it’s blasphemy would highly depend on where the Hallelujah comes from. We must ask ourselves what the origin of this song being used was. Who put it in the ceremony: God or man?   One possible answer would be that it originates with people who don’t know God and so therefore qualifies as using the Lord’s name in vein. It’s false worship and therefore detested by God.   This could be true. I think though that to accept this we would need to believe that the only way God speaks is through those who believe in him. I don’t think we can come to that conclusion. I’d put forward that God has and still does speak in, with and through the world.   God has often used people who don’t believe in him to deliver messages about Him. He’s also used inanimate objects when no humans could be found to deliver his message – he used a donkey, a burning bush, and Jesus assured us that if his people don’t rise up to give God the praise he’s do he’ll resort to using rocks to make sure he gets praise:   40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."   I think it’s very clear from a reading of the scriptures that God has and still does often speak in, with, and to the world.   So, is it possible, that last night we did not witness blasphemy but we witnessed God speaking in, with, and to the world? Is it possible that because God’s people do not have the relationship and cultural influence to give God praise in the context of these opening ceremonies that God initiated praise to Himself through someone that doesn’t know Him or love Him but who still is a part of God’s sovereign plan for this world? Is it possible that God was more concerned about 1 billion people being stirred to think about Him than he was who sang the words that caused these actions to occur?   What do you think? Does God speak in, with and through the world or does he only speak through the church?   Is it possible that God is trying to wake up His people through actions like these?   Do you think there is hope that in the future we could actually see God’s people singing His praises at events like this? How would we move towards that preferred future? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11226 11226 By Melissa  I don’t have a university degree hanging on my wall or a corporate job to dress up and go to everyday. My job is a full time mom, my attire is causal and my “office” has Cheerio’s on the floor.   So I write from my story, from my experience.  Some may look at my story and just see the sorrow. I’m trying to look at my story and see hope and grace.   I feel God beckoning me to share this story. In 2010 how do you share a story? Through your blog. So for those of you who read this and may not know me or who do and only know pieces of what happened let me share what happened on February 1, 2010.    I was sitting at an uncomfortable 29 weeks pregnant with our son Izaak.  After a weekend of not feeling well Tim and I decided that Monday morning I should go to the hospital just have things checked out. As we were making arrangement for child care for our 19 month old daughter Layla my water suddenly broke. We rushed over to the hospital, which is thankfully three minutes from our house.   Once admitted, I was hooked up to monitors, given a steroid to help with Izaak’s lung development and an IV drip. The doctors soon realized that Izaak was in distress and I was rushed in for an emergency c-section. After a very difficult c-section Izaak arrived with a weak heartbeat which stopped shortly after her was born. With an amazing staff that rushed up from Sick Kids Hospital they revived Izaak and Tim was able to see him about 10 minutes later.   When Tim saw him his heart was beating on it’s own and his colour had improved greatly.  The doctors had a positive report on his condition. However that would quickly change . Due to many complications we had to make a choice; to keep Izaak on life support in a vegetative state or to let him go.   So before I had chance to hold him, Izaak was held, face to face, by God himself.   “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4   This is why I blog about all this. That through our sorrow maybe someone else can be helped or comforted. Maybe through writing about this I, myself can be helped as work through loosing my son.   At Izaak’s memorial service our dear friend Bryan said that “God did not just create Izaak for 3 hours, he created Izaak for eternity.” Today I hold on to this. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11190 11190 For some reason the only thing I've ever done that's gotten a fair amount of attention is wearing white shoes. I've blogged about them before so I won't go into it but I've done a fair number of weird things and I swear these shoes get way more attention than anything else. Sad - is this who I am? Is my ultimate value to people only those shoes and the hilarity they seem to bring? Seriously, I've been wondering lately if people notice where I buy things and what I wear. As I was walking through the mall today I suddenly had the urge to look at shoes. I'm going to need a new pair in the spring so I figured now's a good time to start looking. The problem was I couldn't really get myself to go into any of the big shoe stores. I just kept thinking about Tom's Shoes. If you aren't familiar with them then I'd encourage you to click that link and do some browsing. In light of the good that can be done by buying my next pair of shoes through Tom I can't really bring myself to even look at shoes from others right now. I guess I'm wondering whether it might also serve a great purpose - beyond placating my personal conscious do people actually notice what we wear? I've been buying a lot of stuff from The Gap and their (RED) line lately and I wonder if people notice that or if they're just cool t-shirts with a quirky saying or funky picture on them? What do you think. Do people notice? Does it matter? Is it just mostly a ploy by big business?  http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=11004 11004 What is the church? It's kind of a common question being asked today - you can't go to any church conference right now without people tackling that subject. I certainly don't have the answer to that but I think one of it's primary roles is that of a gift. I was reading 1 Cor 12 this morning where Paul (a follower of Jesus) is trying to help a new group of believers know what to do with the new identity they find themselves adopting. Part of that new identity is the realisation that we've been equipped for life by God long before we ever knew God. There are latent talents, spiritual gifts the Bible calls them, that are given to each person and the people of Corinth aren't sure exactly what to do with them.  I think they were falling into the temptation that many of us fall into - to use those talents for our own gain. They were trying to get prestige or to be noticed through the gifts they were given. Paul comes back to them and says "hey guys, it's not about you. Those gifts were given to you so that you can give them to others". The exact words Paul uses are "for the common good" you've been given those gifts.  Common good means the good of everyone - the good of humanity. So when asking "what is the church" I think part of our answer has to be a gift. A gift to humanity. The things that we enjoy from our community are not just for our benefit but for the benefit of all. Just as Jesus was given because God loved the world so His body is given to the world. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10947 10947 Yesterday I stumbled across the following tweet: RT @willmancini: 1993-2000: 104% increase in spending on church buildings; 8% pop. growth; 8% decrease in church attendance - 100% for 0% . That just kills me. We spent 100% more on buildings and saw a net gain of 0% coming into the Kingdom. Something is wrong with that!  This breaks my heart and feels like basic stewardship being thrown out the window. It's like the parable of the talents - what we're given is be used to multiply the impact of the kingdom and if we don't we won't gain the approval of the Master. Well the same gentleman who tweeted this yesterday followed it up with a building project that seems to me better positions to multiply its impact. Read about it here.  This to me seems like missional thinking at it's best. The church is here to engage the lost and help them come to a saving faith in Jesus. We need to create environments where relationships can be built, trust can be re-established and the Gospel regain a natural environment in which it can be spoken. If you're going to build a building, build it not for just a place to meet but a place to engage and a place that will help us tell the story that needs to be told. BTW - if the term Third Place is foreign to you read this.   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10913 10913 Yesterday Mel, Layla and I went for a drive through some of the neighbourhoods in the city that we've got our eye on. It's becoming a habit - we did the same thing last Saturday as well. Right now we're just trying to get a view of what's going on in The City and how each neighbourhood is unique in it's own right. We're trying to discern where we might best fit in and where the soil is being tilled for the planting of a faith community. Some of you who have been tracking with us for some time might be thinking "I thought your target was the Annex". And it was - from our vantage point outside of the city it seemed like a good place to start. However, we're not closing ourselves in there because the more we get to know about The Annex the more we realize that it might not be the best place for us to be. So for now, we're keeping this open and looking for where God is directing us. Our touring took us to three places yesterday: The Beach, The Distillery and West Queen West. Here are some thoughts about each one. The Beach: The Beach was a very interesting place. Definitely the kind of place where people live. By that I mean it's not a place where people go to work but rather where people's homes are and where they come to spend their free time. Located on East Queen St. the heart of this area is filled with shops, restaurants and parks. Lake Ontario is also less than a KM from Queen St. here in the city - thus the name "The Beach". The Distillery: A district filled with Third Places . This could be really good for gathering people into groups and rallying them to serve the city - third places make a natural choice for meeting spaces so this is a great opportunity. However, the challenge is that ALL of the housing here in is condos which don't tend to promote personal interactions and relationship building. West Queen West: This is the art & design district. Obviously culture pubs are a natural fit here. The Question that we need to feel out more is whether our family can do life here. I'm not suggesting an answer to that yet. One interesting thought I had was trying to land in an area that borders on several different places to launch into at one time. The Beach and Distillery are very close to one another - does it make sense missionally to land there because one can both touch into the family life of the Beach as well as the Third Place life of the Distillery? OR - does it make more sense to be right in the epicenter of cultural creation? These are the kinds of mission focused questions we're asking in these early days on life in the GTA. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10897 10897 Hey Friends, Here is another post about Haiti. Melissa and I are currently discerning how to get involved in a helpful way. My twitter and facebook accounts have been inundated with seemingly good options. Sometimes it's hard to know which agency to get involved with. Do I go with the most visible? Sometimes their administration fees are too high and not enough money goes to the right people. Do I do what's easiest like giving via text message? Sometimes they don't forward money until my bill is paid and so money won't get there for 1-3 months! If you haven't began to consider how you'll respond to this crisis I urge you - consider it now! A few good options I know of for giving funds are through Compassion Canada (Mel used to work for them so I trust them implicitly but you can read on their site that 100% of donations will go IMMEDIATELY to relief). I also know the CNBC is getting involved. Another fantastic avenue would be to call your local church and ask what they're doing to help.  Maybe you've already given and have a terrific group you'd recommend people give through. Please feel free to post the link here so we know of all our options! Pray for Haiti. Pray for Haiti. Pray for Haiti! http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10800 10800 Last year one of my favorite reads was "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" (winner of most poetic title of 2009) by Mark Batterson. This morning, mark reposted what he calls the Lion Chasers Manifesto. I really love this as it helps to summarize much of how I'm seeing a life devoted to Christ these days. If you're still searching for your 2010 motivation I'd highly recommend this book to you. It might just be a shot of divine energy for your soul.   Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Criticize by creating. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10757 10757 There is no such thing as a major city. Cities are just a whole lot of smaller communities stuck together. As we've been looking for a place to live this fact is becoming reality to me. Every little pocket of Toronto has its own vibe. The context changes every few miles. Ministry has to look a bit different every few blocks. Maybe that could be discouraging...but I find it compelling! What I see as we drive around this city is that every gift given by Jesus to humanity has a purpose and a mission in the context of this city. Do you have a dream? Is there a task God has given you to do? Consider bringing that dream to the GTA - I'd be honored to  help you find a community that needs it and a way to bring it to life! http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10662 10662  What would 2010 look like if you resolved to be...   Poor in Spirit Mournful Meek Hungry and Thirsty for righteousness Merciful Pure Peacefilled PERSECUTED Would 2010 be more like the life Jesus has in mind for humanity? Just wondering what you think as I read Matthew 5 this morning. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10633 10633  Since it seems all cool bloggers do this so I figured I'd start off 2010 by listing my most veiwed posts of 2009. I'd love to know which of these you found most interesting or if they were all useless to you ;-) 5.  Montage - a community of faith in the city of Toronto  4. My Mind is Bent - the Day After Culture Pub Training 3. Vision Clarity  2. Marks of a Disciple 1. I Disagree with John Piper     http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10581 10581 I'm curious. Tell me your plan if you've got one. I've been thinking about this the last few days. One thing I'm sure of is that I need to have a plan. If I don't I doubt I'll spend enough intentional time growing in my relationship with Jesus through the Scriptures.  The balance I'm trying to strike right now is between reading too much and reading too little. I think trying to read through the Bible in a year doesn't afford me the time to meditate on particular passages. I feel like when i miss a day or two I'm so far behind that then reading is a chore not a joy. However, if the passages are too small then I can just sit down, zip through them and move on with my day. I'm thinking 1-2 chapters per day would be the best idea for me but I want to follow some kind of routine with it so that I'm held accountable to something. So again, do you have a plan and if so what is it? If not, is there anything holding you back from making a plan? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10553 10553 Merry Christmas Everyone, As Melissa and I get closer and closer to being on the ground in Toronto I'm trying to read more and more about the city and what's happening there. It goes back to a post I made a while ago about being a student of your city.  Well, my efforts include reading the CTV Toronto News Blog which lead me to an interesting article today on the 10 Fresh Ideas for Toronto. There's some great stuff in there but number three, written by Annie Kidder of People for Education really caught my eye. Here's what it says: 3. Community-school partnerships Annie Kidder, People for Education One way to renew Toronto is by building stronger links between our city and our schools. We have to think of schools as assets that affect families and children, and not just through education. Every neighbourhood has a local school that can become a true hub of the community, with a rich variety of programs. Community agencies and public health offices could be located in our schools, sharing costs and helping to fill empty space created through declining enrollment. There could be a local coordination office with representatives from different groups, including schools, public health, and housing; and staff positions at schools to foster school-community links. Everyone should feel that the school down the street is a place to find the support that they need. The school board and the city, by working together, can make better use of the rich resources within Toronto's schools, and provide accessible support for the families who live here. My immediate thought, especially when reading the bolded line, was "this is what the church should be...and used to be". Sadly though it's another stark reminder to me that we have lost what we once had - that is the trust and favor of society. How great would it be if a few churches began a grassroots movement with this goal in mind? What if we just substituted the word "school" for "church" in that paragraph. Re-read the paragraph again with that change. What a vision this makes! One way to renew Toronto is by building stronger links between our city and our churches. We have to think of churches as assets that affect families and children, and not just through education. Every neighbourhood has a local church that can become a true hub of the community, with a rich variety of programs. Community agencies and public health offices could be located in our churches, sharing costs and helping to fill empty space created through declining enrollment. There could be a local coordination office with representatives from different groups, including churches, public health, and housing; and staff positions at churches to foster church-community links. Everyone should feel that the church down the street is a place to find the support that they need. The churches and the city, by working together, can make better use of the rich resources within Toronto's churches, and provide accessible support for the families who live here. My vision for The Church is that we re-engage with culture to such a degree that we win back the trust we've lost so that a paragraph like this can even be remotely possible. Today I don't believe it is. So the question is, how do we begin to make steps towards this? How do we begin to win and build trust again? Do you think this is a dream worth pursuing? Why or why not?     http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10524 10524 Man this is brilliant. Below is a post I read at Church Marketing Sucks and It's so cool I needed to pass it along. These kinds of efforts warm my heart and I think are the kinds of actions that speak most loudly to our not-yet-following friends.   The good folks at The Chapel in Chicago have come up with an interesting idea to spread the word and the warmth this year. It's called Yule Log 4 A Cause, and here's what they have to say about it: Many people in Chicagoland will go through this winter without coats, scarves, gloves, etc. Let's do something about that. Here are 4 ways you can take part. Those four ways? Members of The Chapel have offered to donate a quarter for each unique site visitor, so you have already given by visiting, and you can keep giving by recommending the site. Also, they give information about dropping off coats and scarves at their church as well as making a one-time donation. It's encouraging to see a church getting creative like this to address a problem in their local community. These sorts of sites have been popular in the past--FreeRice and The Hunger Site are two such examples. But it's a great way to develop your church's identity as a group who cares about local issues and putting an end to the pain in your city. As of this writing, they've donated $331.25. Let's go ahead and help them get that number a little bit higher. Plus, who doesn't want to curl up in front of video fire. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10501 10501 Merry Christmas friends! I was driving to an appointment yesterday morning, looking around at all the brown grass and thinking how un-Christmas like it looked here in Warren, MI. This morning though, there is a light, fresh blanket of snow covering the ground. It's really helping me to feel the warmth of the season (ironic, I know!). It's also helping me to remember the God's mercies are new every morning - one of the most outstanding promises in scripture! It's a promise Mel and I are experiencing day after day. In my last email I told you all how our Visa is not coming in time here in Warren and we're off to the GTA long before we meant to be. This is still true. However, as new as the fresh blanket of snow, is this development. We've been offered an opportunity to continue our time of residency with a site of our partner church, The Sanctuary, in Pickering, ON thus giving us a chance to land a bit more softly in the GTA before heading out to begin the full time work of planting Montage. We're really grateful for this chance and for all the mercies God shows us day by day. While in Pickering, we'll complete our residency curriculum, work with them on some exciting evangelistic work that church plant is doing and also begin to lay some of the groundwork, till the soil as it were, in the downtown area. Dan Collision, the lead pastor in Pickering is currently planting his third church so the chance to learn from his experience is going to really add to our experience, just as learning from Craig McGlassion has these past 5 months. There of course will be more details coming your way as they come to us and right now I have one request to make. The question of where we will living in Pickering is still lingering. The church there is currently searching their contact base for an option that will suit our family, including the addition of our son in April. We feel we need at least a 2 bedroom residence, furnished or not, to accommodate our needs. At this time, Melissa and I are still searching for another $700/month in support and this does not include our rent as it's been and was going to be free here in Warren for the remainder of our stay. Obviously a free place to stay would help greatly in our move to Pickering. Perhaps one of you knows a snow bird or person with extra residency options in that area and that would be amazing! There may also be some of you who have been considering how to give at the end of the year for tax purposes. If that's you please consider us as an option - you can now give to the Sanctuary and receive tax benefits for your gift. Anything is helpful and I will be sending the specifics on how to send those resources in early next week. We so appreciate all the love and support you've shown us this year! More than anything we want you to know what a blessing you all are and how loved we feel. Our God is magnificent and his mercies will continue to be new even as any of us look towards challenges in 2010. We are so excited to see what God will do through Montage to make his glory and presence known more and more in Toronto. I hope you will all remember that you are as much a part of this work and his plan as Melissa and I are. Let's press on together in the work he has given us! Much Love, Tim, Melissa and Layla http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10459 10459 I was conversing with a friend today about the life on mission and ways church planters can make inroads into places where real human beings live, work, and have their being. He told me about two new initiatives that I hadn't heard of before. The Awaken Group Temple Handbags I wanted to highlight these not because of who founded them but because of the mindset they represent. These are dedicated followers of Jesus asking themselves how can we have influence and relationship with, and add value to sectors that most pastors or Christians don't think to see as a mission field. I've thought for a long time that most high capactity church leaders would mix well with the corporate world. In fact, perhaps to our missional detriment in the end, many of the best executive and senior leaders in churces come out of the corporate world. I am thrilled to see people asking the question "how can we put these people back in the marketplace"? It's a question I think all of us need to ask ourselves. What has God given me that I can use missionally in the marketplace? Could we reimagine what it means to serve as a member of the Church so that we free up our people to be missionaries rather than run programs? Are there services that our church could offer the community that would add value to the people around us AND put living temples, the re-presentatives of the Image of God in close contact with the very people we hope will come to see the light of Christ? I'm wondering if anyone out there has ever a dreamed a dream along these lines? Have you thought of some way you can put your talents to more use with God's mission in mind? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10456 10456 I was reading this post today and it reminded me of the first time I read it. I was reminded of how inspired I felt when i read it and how Mel and I both determined to adopt this as a mantra. There are so many things we can buy but the truth is none of it is nearly as important as the experiences and memories we'll make. At the end of my life I want to feel rich in experiences rather than stuff. How does this resonate with you? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10314 10314 Last night I had the extreme privelidge to hang out with 3 of my closest friends. Brendan Waters, Justin Kudding and Nate Northridge were all members of the Country Hills Community Church music team with me and later we all played in a highly talented and under utilized band (a whole other storey). Music is just a part of who we all are and inevitably when we get together our conversations center around Jesus and music - admittedly not always in that order ;-) I took a chance to ask them what is exciting to them and how they feel God is speaking to them right now and I've got to say I'm just pumped for what God will do through these guys in the days to come. Nate and his wife Christina are at a church here in Calgary called C3 and Nate is hoping to work closely with them next year in getting a music production company set up. Awesome! Justin and Brendan are feeling God call them to be actively engaged in expanding the worship communities musical horizons here in Canada. They see a gap in our community in that most of what is coming from the group right now is very cookie cutter. The industry is just trying to pump out the next Chris Tomlin and not really exploring new musical territory or taking any risks. These guys are phenominal musicians and God has blessed them with some amazing contacts and I believe he will do some awesome thing through them. As they described what they wanted to do with music they talked a lot about intergrating some more jazz oriented chord voicings and syncopated rhythms into their worship music. I heard this song a few weeks ago at Paradox after the service (thanks Tom!) and thought it would be the kind of music Brendan and Justin will be making. I hope I'm not putting words into their mouths. The Studio Cut The Live Version (so you can be sure he hits EVERY one of those notes live - awesome!)   Isn't that just awesome??!! Can you imagine what God has in store for us through people who are willing to take creative risks for Him? The thing that gets me is that when I hear these guys articulate their vision it excites me for them and it motivates me to be as clear and compelling about what God has given me to do as I can be. It also fills my sails with the desire to help people fulfill the dreams God has given them. I wonder if anyone else has a dream out there they need to begin to get out into the world? Something God has uniquely called and gifted you to do? Maybe it involves risk or challenging the status quo. If you do, I'd love to hear about it and for you to let me know if there is ANYTHING I can do to help you make it a reality - seriously, anything! http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10272 10272 Hi friends, If I had to summarize what the experience of church planting has been up to now I'd say "unpredictable". I've heard someone say before that if you want to make God laugh just tell him your plans. I think we're becoming living proof of that. I guess some people might look at uncertainty as reason to be stressed or nervous but for us it has been nothing but completely exciting! Every time God throws us a curve ball he proves to us again that it's Him who is building the Kingdom and Montage - and its not us. All that preamble to let you know that once again something completely unforeseen has happened. Melissa and I have discovered that we will not be given the R-1 Religious Workers Visa we need to stay in Detroit for the last 6 months of our residency in time. As such, we will be leaving the United States on January 4th and likely we will be heading straight to Toronto to settle into the life God has called us to there. There's a really big part of us that is sad about this. We've been so blessed to spend these past months to get to know the people at Paradox and we've learned so much from Craig McGlassion and his crew. I want to thank them for all of the ways in which we've been grown through their leadership and friendship. I know our relationship will in no way end here and that there is much more influence they will have over us in the days to come. At the same time we know that what is happening is exactly what God has always had in mind and so we're excited. We can look back and see how God has been marking out this path for us to be ready to take on this challenge at this time. Through our friends at Vision 360 Detroit (who are now official partners with Montage, btw) God has provided us with a plan by which we can engage the city and begin to build the relationships necessary to see an indigenous faith community rise up out of downtown Toronto. He has provided The Sanctuary and the CNBC family of churches for us so that we won't be showing up in Toronto alone. The Sanctuary will also be sure that we have another coach to help us work through the rest of our residency curriculum and so we will continue to learn through that process the same way we would if we were still in Detroit. All the way along God has also been providing the resources needed for us to be in Toronto. Although we will continue to look for more partners we now have 4 organizational partners helping with the resources needed to start Montage as well as a series of friends and family supporters who will still be a crucial piece of making Montage come to life, to God's glory. Just to be really clear, this doesn't change our need for the support funds that were pledged for this time and on over the next 3 years. These generous gifts have always been a very important part of the way in which Montage can get up and off the ground and this doesn't change that - in fact it likely makes them more crucial given the expense of living in downtown Toronto. There is so much more that could be written but this will catch you up to date for now.  Our plan is to begin meeting with groups of people to share the vision and plans for Montage in detail. We want you all to know where things are at and begin to answer your questions in person. As soon as we can book the venues for these meetings we will be sure to let you all know so that you have the chance to come and hear. Thanks again for all you mean to us, for your prayers and support. We're thrilled to be living this life with all of you :-) Tim Things to pray for: 1. Melissa's health as we move and she continues to carry our unborn son. 2. That all of the details of moving won't bog us down or distract us from the people we still can care for. 3. That we'll find suitable housing and the resources will be there to move smoothly. 4. That God would begin to work in the people and relationships we'll begin to build as soon as we get there. 5. For Paradox, that this move won't interrupt the good work they're doing. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10254 10254 I really believe that people following Jesus have to be engaged with and knowledgable about the issues facing our world today. At the top of the list of hot topics in our day are the topics of global poverty and climate change. One of the ways I keep up with these events is by subscribing to ONE.org's newsletter. This morning I got this letter and I thought I'd draw some attention to ONE.org and this issue by posting it here. My hope is that all people following Jesus take a greater interest in globabl issues, regardless if you agree with this post or not. The planet was given to man through God and we should continue to be the ones who steward it most and best. Dear ONEers, The Copenhagen climate change summit is now underway. It is imperative that the necessary decisions and actions are taken. Key among these is to allocate adequate additional resources to enable the developing countries, which with inevitable unfairness are worst affected, to cope with the effects of climate change. Please click here to sign ONE’s petition to the Danish Prime Minister to take the lead in doing so: http://www.one.org/international/actnow/copenhagen/o.pl?id=1345-3332545-YfVnB_x&t=3 Last week I was back in Ethiopia, and the question I’m always asked is, of course, is it all worth it, what’s changed in Ethiopia and in Africa as a whole? A great deal, I answer – for both better and worse. On the positive front, economic growth has boomed; indeed, next year Ethiopia is expected to be among the top five fastest growing economies in the world. Education enrolment has been doubled, malaria death rates halved and HIV/AIDS is on the decline. Mobile phones are spreading and rural roads are linking remote communities to markets and health and education services. Above all, though too many people are still reliant on food aid, famine will be avoided this year as it has for the last 18 years, as distribution and early warning systems have improved. Certainly, the government could be more transparent, but on the whole this is a country making progress, in a continent that has been doing likewise. Then there is the negative change—that of the climate. Increasingly erratic rainfall has forced farmers to radically alter their systems. Some communities we visited in Tigray have had to rename the months of the year because the names were based on the seasons. They’ve now given up as the pattern of the seasons has changed so quickly. People told us how reduced rainfall has cut their income from farming. This in turn strains the social fabric. Thefts are becoming more common, and the children are having to go to work instead of school. The tension between the positive and negative changes in Ethiopia is palpable. Which direction wins depends on the choices Ethiopians make, and to some extent upon us. And it’s not all about us having to make sacrifices; there are opportunities too. There’s an inevitability to the way our own economies are adapting – and an economic rationale for us to buy into this change. The inefficiencies of the hydrocarbon economy will be replaced by clean renewables; carbon finance trading will be a major industry in the near future, and ‘green’ jobs are the fastest expanding new source of employment. Growing trees to capture carbon could become a new cash crop for African farmers if the right framework is agreed in Copenhagen. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, Africa’s lead negotiator at Copenhagen, told me wearily that he is sceptical about the international community’s “funny money” and double accounting. We talked about the promises of new money for agricultural investment made by the G8 at their summit in Italy last summer, money to tackle the global food crisis. We talked about the possible pledges of funds to help poor countries adapt to climate change that could come out of Copenhagen. He fears both may well involve money already pledged elsewhere. He has every reason to be jaundiced. You can help prevent this by signing the petition: http://www.one.org/international/actnow/copenhagen/o.pl?id=1345-3332545-YfVnB_x&t=5 Petition text: As part of the Copenhagen climate agreement, please ensure: 1. That existing aid promises are kept. 2. That additional costs borne by people living in poverty caused by climate change are paid for by additional money. 3. That countries are transparent about how much development aid is being reallocated to fighting climate change. Twenty five years ago, the story was one of Africa starving. Now, in spite of ongoing food shortages in some regions, there is a new story. It is a story backed by hard statistics, of an Africa rising. The last continent to be developed, with a burgeoning middle class and 900 million producers and consumers, Africa is where some of the best returns on investment will be made in the next few decades. We must partner as we have promised for the sake of our global economy as well as our global environment, because in another 25 years we may just need them more than they need us. Thank you, Bob Geldof, ONE Campaigner http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10247 10247 Well I'm writing you from the kitchen table at my in-laws home. Here it's Christmas Day. Well at least to us it is. We've done all of the things we'd normally do on Christmas Day, even digging the vehicles out after a severe snow storm (one of Calgary's less endearing qualities). Of course the biggest Christmas Day event in most homes is the gift exchange. We're no different but for some reason a new perspective on the exchange hit me today. As we unwrapped gifts I noticed how much care my in-laws gave not just to get us gifts and be generous but how they really were very personal about nearly everything. Layla's favorite show is "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and so nearly everything she got was related to Disney and Mickey. My in-laws got me several pieces of running parephernalia, the treats were all sugar free, both gifts related to my desire to lose more weight (or lose it again - *sigh*) as well as a book about Wayne Gretzky and some great wine accessories and steak knives - nearly all my likes were represented. The same with my wife's gifts. The point? I don't know about you but so often I give so that I can get. In other words, I buy something that I think the other person will like but my goal isn't to invest in them or bless them so much as it is to give something to get something in return. Perhaps every one of you are better human beings than I am and don't suffer from this temptation but, in case you are, let me encourage you as I encourage myself. See this season not as a time to get things but to invest in others. When you buy gifts, make it your goal to bless people beyond what they expect. Pour as much as you can into the gift buying process. Show people how much you've been paying attention to what matters to them. Bless them as Jesus has blessed you and the rest of humanity in his coming. The further I go down this journey with Jesus the more I think investing in others is a crucial and yet overlooked aspect of what it means to be His follower. I wonder if anyone else has a story to share about the impact a really personal Christmas gift has had on you? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10222 10222 Thursday afternoon I had the chance to meet again with someone who has become a good friend of mine. His name is Mike Harris. Mike is a church planter and works part time for an organization called Vision 360. Some of you may be thinking right now "I thought you were working with 360 already". Yes, they've been part of our coaching network in Michigan but up to this point it's only been a coaching relationship. On Thursday the nature of the relationship changed. See, Mike and I met about 360 becoming official partners with Montage which means they will have some level of financial committment to Montage and in turn, us back to them for future church planting ventures. This is increadibly exciting and makes sense for a number of different reasons. 1. Vision 360 and Montage both believe in the importance of Cities: As we have seen Toronto as the place where a nationwide change could begin so has 360 seen many world cities as strategic to the re-alignment of our world to the purposes of God. It's awesome to have friends who just get what you're doing. 2. We see the future similarly: Vision 360 believes, as we do, that the church needs to begin to think differently about ministry in Canada and North America. This has become clear to me as I have listened to Mike and his new boss, Alex McManus, talk about church planting. Again, we simply get one another. 3. Vision 360 will help with our financial needs: It takes money to plant a church. It's helpful to have people like 360 come along side us and in a very tangible way say that they believe in us and will help to see God's vision for Toronto come to pass in part through Montage. I hope this excites you as it does me. We now have 4 invested partners in Montage - ELI, Paradox, The Sanctuary/CNBC, and Vision 360. Momentum is building and I'll tell you why this is exactly the right timing on Monday. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10217 10217 Have you ever spent time looking at one of those confounding pieces of art work - you know the kind that people tell you there is supposed to be some secret image in it but no matter how long you stare at it the image never seems to pop out? Its frustrating isn't it? I mean we try everything, squinting, crossing our eyes, opening and shutting them really fast and in the end it can feel like all we're doing is amusing the other people standing around us who are able to see us make a fool of ourself. But you know, if you stick with it, if you change your perspective enough times then you really can see the image emerge. It's a gratifying experience, isn't it? The truth is though without all of that thinking and perspective changing you would never have seen what was there all along. The fault did not lie in the picture, the fault was with us and our perspective. I've recently become convicted about my perspective on those outside of the church. See I grew up believing that if God was going to speak he was going to speak only through those inside of Christendom. I believed that anything worth hearing came from inside of a building with hymnals, bibles and a steeple or cross on top. As such, I didn't put much value on what those outside of the church were saying. After all, they weren't prophets or evangelists or apostles, right? Why would I listen to them? Then my perspective began to change. Jesus is in the business of redemption. We as people are slow to change the fundamentals of who we are. I do mean the things we believe or the object of our worship - that changes as Jesus reveals himself to us. I mean the things that have been put deep in our souls by God. Things we cared about even before knowing or acknowledging Jesus as God. See, being that we're made in God's image we all have pieces of the divine in us. Things that God has put in our souls that MUST be done. I don't think those things change when we come to Christ - they're not meant to. They were given to us even before we knew where they came from and Jesus is seeking to redeem those things back for his glory. This is a huge shift in my thinking - cause it means that even before people come to love Jesus there are divine messages hidden in their souls that we need to hear and help bring out of them. There are not-yet-redeemed prophets, evangelists and apostles all around us. People through whom God is giving us warnings about the future, messges that should direct us back to Jesus and people who are going to save the world who aren't yet followers of Jesus but none the less are speaking messages to the world from God.  Do we have examples of this in the bible? Examples of God bringing a message to his people from the outside? Sure we do. Melchizedek was the first one. This Prophet of God who was not Hebrew coming to deliver a message to God's chosen people. In the New Testament we read about Cornelius, the man who saw a vision and went to Peter through whom God showed Peter that his gospel was not just for Jews but for the whole world. See God is speaking in, to and through the world and I have often missed it because of my perspective.  What do you think? Does this sound totally off the deep end to you? Is it a huge leap for you to think that God is using the world to speak to the world about himself? Is it possible that we as followers of Jesus need to begin to look outside the walls of the church for God's message in, to and through the world? If so, what does our role look like as interpreters, supporters and shapers of the message? Remember, the message and messengers still need to be redeemed. The question here is how and in what fashion do we need to change our thinking in order to become effective at this? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10131 10131 Maybe it's no surprise that my writing this week has me reflecting on Tele and our choice to give him a new home. To be honest it feels harder today than it has yet. Anyhow - despite the sadness I still now its the right thing for us to do - even if it feels like the most difficult thing in the world right now. Here's the text I gave to Lon: Have you ever felt like the fates are conspiring just the right way to align the small coincidences of your life into a web of deeper meaning? Like the mystical forces of the universe are trying to, through seemingly unrelated circumstances, whisper a subtle yet profound message into your ear? Yeah me either. Well, except in this case. The fact that I’ve gotten the chapter on pragmatism at this point in my life seems to me to be just the right topic for me to read. You see, in the near future my wife who is currently 19 weeks pregnant with a baby boy, 18 month old daughter, and myself will be moving into the heart of downtown Toronto. We’re really excited about that and yet, for anyone who knows me and my family, that description of who is moving to Toronto is incomplete. You see there is a very important, well loved, member of our family who we are not able to take with us and to be honest it’s ripping my heart out slowly every time I think about it. Tele is our 6 year old purebred Siberian Husky and he is as much a part of our family as any of the rest of us. In almost every way he is the perfect dog. Melissa and I bought Tele the year after we got married to celebrate our first anniversary. We saw him in a pet store and he stole our heart – perhaps especially mine. Melissa worked as a flight attendant during the first 4 years of our marriage and so she was away a lot. Tele became my company when she saw gone. He slept at the foot of my bed at night and kept me company if I had a night alone at the house. He’s come on countless runs with me, lived in 3 different cities with us and is generally the best friend a boy…I mean man could ask for. Despite all of my emotional attachment to Tele I know that bringing him into an urban environment and adding that as another chore for my wife to deal with is not a wise choice. My wife knows this – she knows that amongst the business of our schedules, a new baby who needs a lot of her time and a 2 year old that won’t understand why she’s not the only one who needs attention any more that trying to help walk and feed a dog will just be too much. Knowing is not enough some times though. I think one of the things we love about women is how deeply they feel. And yet, I think in the end her emotional ties to this much loved member of our family would probably lead to a less than optimal decision in this case. Women and men make such a perfect pairing for many reasons not the least of which is how they help us to feel more and how we sometimes balance a purely emotional response with our God given pragmatic minds and grit. This situation with Tele is where the rubber has hit the road for our family when it comes to the need for a strong father to have pragmatism and grit. Tele is my boy. I love him to death – probably more than some people would think sane or healthy. But logically I just can’t see how he’ll fit into our new life in Toronto so it’s up to me, to use my pragmatic brain, and summon the internal grit to give him to another love home where we will miss him like crazy but ultimately where both he and us will be more happy for the long haul. I can’t personally relate to the examples the author gives in this chapter – images of broken homes needing mending and such. I can however relate to her overall theme. One friend said to me regarding our choice to give Tele away “you’ve got much larger cojones than me to give up man’s best friend”. I don’t claim that to be actually true but men – your families, your daughters, need you to have the grit and pragmatism, the cojones if you will, to make tough decisions and ground them when necessary. I really appreciate the author for affirming this often demeaned part of a man’s role in his house. I am fully in support of equal rights and yet I also realize there are some roles best suited to one gender or the other. I think this is one area that MUST be stepped into by Fathers. I think if you take time to read the pages of this chapter you will feel encouraged and empowered to do so. I can’t think of a better end to 30 minutes worth of reading.   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10092 10092 When God called us to plant a church I knew we'd have to give a lot up. I expected to give up comforts and rights, freedoms and individualist dreams but honestly I never thought I'd have to give up my dog.  It's become increasingly clear to Melissa and I that Tele will not do well in Toronto. Not because he's a bad dog or won't make the move but because with two kids and a full schedule with no backyard a 90lb husky will not be well exercised or loved as he should be.  I've put this off for a long time. I can't procrastinate on it any more.  So - in all seriousness, does anyone have room in their home and heart for what might be the world's greatest dog? He has all of his shots up to date and as far as we know is the image of health. All of our vets and pet store groomers believe Tele to be about the best behaved husky they've ever seen. He does have one major downside - he sheds like mad twice a year and sheds all the time anyhow. You need to know that before you get him. That being put aside he really does love people. He's an indoor dog and WON'T make a transition to being an outdoor dog. I'll save you that headache ;-) He's the best canine friend you could ask for and I'd be entirely grateful if someone gave him a wonderful home. Please contact us if you're interested. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10050 10050  Today's review comes from Sam Radford. Sam and his wife Rachel are a couple Melissa and I had the pleasure of meeting just a couple of short weeks ago. They are from Sheffield, England, a place where only 2% of the population attends any kind of church (Catholic and Anglican included) and are exploring new ways of living a Jesus centered life in their local context. It's exciting and challenging to talk to people like them. I hope you appreciate his insights and humor as you read his post here http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10039 10039  There are 2 more Strong Fathers posts for you to read over at www.solarcrash.com  Here are a couple of snippets: Pt 2:  I’ll admit my experience is limited – my daughter is barely three months old. But anyone with a blog has an opinion. And I know the co-ordinator here, I ain’t afraid to ask to be in on it. So here goes.   Chapter 2 establishes how to be a hero to our daughters. Show leadership and authority in protecting her. Persevering and staying on course when times, and wives, and daughters, are tough. One of the key takeaways for me was when Meeker cautions, “remember that when she pushes hard against your rules, flailing, crying that you are mean or unfair, she is really asking you a question: Am I worth the fight, Dad?… Make sure she knows the answer is yes.” Am I worth the fight? It’s a question humanity asked Jesus and that cost him his life. It seems it’s a question that will be asked of us. And I so want to say yes, yes, yes.   and part 3: My girls are still young. The older two talk about boys occasionally, but more in the abstract “we’re supposed to like boys” kind of way. They obsess over the Jonas Brothers and we don’t even have cable, so they might have seen the show once or twice. I know that a time is coming, though, when talking about boys will shift to actually liking (and eventually loving) boys. With that in mind, the introduction to this chapter was incredibly encouraging. I am their first love. No matter who else is in their life or how cute they are, I am still the one that they will compare them back to (hopefully not the cute part). Except that means that I am also the one who is setting the standard for how they give and receive love as well. And while that, too, adds a bit of boost to the ego, it is also a bit challenging and frightening. Meeker talks about five things that dad’s need to do/focus on to help their daughter’s get a healthy dose of and view of love. http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=10006 10006 Have you ever been in a situation where someone prematurely judged you? Someone meets you, spends a few minutes or hours with you and maybe didn't even really try to get to know you or listen and suddenly they've got this negative opinion about you? They never came back to get clarification, they never assumed maybe you had a bad day or moment, they just judged you. Isn't it just about the most awful feeling in the world? I mean your mind is racing, trying to figure out what you did wrong, what you said or did, how it could have been different. You feel this internal tension and sometimes the thought runs through your mind "you made you judge and jury over me?". Right? Can you relate to this? Maybe share a time where this happened to you and how you felt... I think this is one problem people have with the church. In our zeal to get people to know that their behaviors are not approved by God we in the church often resort to casting judgement down on others. The problem is that this is not nor ever was our job. Jesus is the one who ultimately judges but oddly enough he hasn't yet. So why should we? This month I've been reading through the book of John. I love John's writing style and the unique spin he puts on Jesus' life and teaching. Because of the uniqueness I think certain aspects of Jesus' mission and purpose become more clear to me as I read these pages.  One of the things that has really struck me is how often Jesus says "I did not come to judge". What? Yup - it's there. Several times. Read it. Let it soak in. I DID NOT COME TO JUDGE.  Our job as Christians is to reflect Jesus to the world. To bear witness if you want the churchy vernacular. If Jesus didn't come to judge, why would we want to judge?  There is a day of reckoning coming and I believe we need to tell people that. Sin is a part of life that should be eliminated. I won't ever say that those things are not true. But is there not a difference between proclaiming truth and casting judgement? Between pleading with people to see the light and taking secret pleasure in knowing we're safe from hell but our enemies will burn in eternal damnation?  There are a lot of things I want Montage to become. Among them is this - I want Montage to be a community free of human judgement. A place where GRACE abounds. A place where people are encouraged to come as they are...and then to become more as a result of their interaction with Jesus and those who follow him.  In your mind's eye, what would this look like? Can you articulate some things or ways a faith community could be more grace filled and less judgemental? http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=9970 9970 As I mentioned last week I'm doing a group blogging project. Today is the first day of the project and I'm happy to bring you the first post. You can find it here. This is the intro Lon gives on his blog: The Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters Group Blogging Project begins today!  The next three weeks an awesome group of guys will be chronicling their chapter-by-chapter reflections through the book.  If you’re a dad at any stage – keep tracking with us here. Chapter One – Today’s post is brought to you by Marty Schmidt – an awesome friend and church planter in Iowa. I hope you'll all follow along and post in the original thread as well as leave your comments here. Perhaps we can all learn from one another over the next few weeks.   http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=9944 9944 Earlier this week I gave a shout out to my friend Lon Wong. Lon has organized a number of bloggers to join him in a 2 week review of the book "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters". He asked me if I'd review a chapter on November 27, and I will, but the blogging starts next week. I will be linking to those posts each of the next seven days. I'd really encourage anyone who is a dad or even wants to be a dad one day to read these posts. I think you'll get some really great insights from Christ following fathers that might be helpful to you as the book has been to me. Also, through the process, you'll get to meet several young leaders who are living lives on mission for and with Jesus.  Just a heads up! http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=8791&mid=25&blogid=2541&comments=9893 9893