Swan Songs of Leadership- Part Two

Yesterday I committed to posting Daniel McCollum's email to our lead team after his final Lead Team meeting from Tuesday evening.  Here it is....

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To the Lead Team....

I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to serve with each of you on the lead team. I count each of you as friends, but being on the lead team has been an experience that I am humbly grateful for. I know our plan is to return from Africa in a year and hopefully return back to the lead team, but I realize that God guides and directs in ways that we don't always expect. So, though I would welcome the opportunity to serve again on this team, I don't want to pass on the opportunity to thank each of you for the time we have spent together dreaming, serving, planning, laughing, and shedding tears together. It has been amazing to be a part of a group of people where the sum is greater than the whole and realize how rare this is to find in the body of Christ.

I was up reading "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus this morning and this passage reminded me of our team. He is talking about how Rhinos have bad vision and can only see about 30 feet in front of them. It is the challenge I leave this team with.

"Rhinos moving together at full speed are known as a crash. Even when they're just hanging around enjoying the watershed, they're called a crash because of their potential. You've got to love that. I think that's what we're supposed to be. That's what happens when we become barbarians and shake free of domestication and civility. The church becomes a crash. We become and unstoppable force. We don't have to pretend we know the future. Who cares that we can see only thirty feet ahead? Whatever's at thirty-one feet needs to care that we're coming and better get out of the way.

We need to move together as God's people, a Barbarian tribe, and become the human version of the rhino crash. The future is uncertain, but we need to move toward it with confidence. There's a future to be created, a humanity to be liberated. We need to stop wasting our time and stop being afraid of what we cannot see and do not know. We need to move forward full force because of what we know."

Peace and grace,

Daniel

Swan Songs of Leadership- Part One

Last evening Scott and I met with our lead team for our periodic pow wow. Our lead team's role is to protect the integrity of Watershed's mission, vision and values. As a team, we all share a few passions in common. We are deeply enthralled with Jesus. We love the community of Watershed. And we long to see God use our lives and the movement of Watershed to bring God's kingdom into reality, here on earth as it is in heaven. Oh,...one more thing. We love to have a good time with each other.

There is tremendous chemistry in this group. I respect and admire every single person that sits at this table. We all take it very seriously, but we love to be with each other as well. I guess that's why last night was a little bitter sweat. In a couple of months, Daniel, his wife Jamie and the George's, (another couple from Watershed), will all be leaving Charlotte to spend a year ministering mercy and care to a village in Malawi Africa. At the end of last night's meeting, we prayed for Daniel. It was his swan song meeting before his departure. It's hard to conceptualize a future of sitting at this leadership table without him. He has brought so much into the conversation. He's invested so much into the kingdom and into so many lives at Watershed. Not to mention he's become a good friend, a notable mentor and a great teammate.  Watershed will miss his leadership.

This morning when I checked my email, waiting for me was an email he had sent the entire lead team. It was so heartfelt and meaningful to read that asked him if I could share it with others in my blog. Therefore, tomorrow I will post his departing sentiments towards our lead team and this community. Be sure to dial in.

One Hundred Miles of Hope.

This summer as a brother-sister team, my kids created a project called ONE HUNDRED MILES OF HOPE.  They will be riding their bicycles 100 total miles (50 each) to help provide hope for the children in Malawi Africa.  Sort of like a summer long Bike-A-Thon.  They have been asking friends, families and neighbors to sponsor their ride with a monetary amount for each mile they ride.  Their goal is  to raise enough resources to provide at least 4 High School students in that country with a years worth of education.  To date they've ridden a total of 57 miles.  I run along side of them while they ride.  Usually it's about 5 miles at a time.  It's a total team effort and I'm getting in great shape.

Primary education in Malawi is free, but secondary education (the equivalent of high school in the U.S.) is not. Secondary school often becomes unaffordable for children whose parents are too sick to work or have died. For $150, you can send a Malawi child to secondary school for one year. This includes books, school supplies, uniform and shoes.  

Our kids are doing this through Steve Cook's non-profit organization called Equitas. You can learn more about Equitas and all of its initiatives by going on line at Equitas.cc.   In fact, Steve is in Africa as I type this exploring future opportunities to help the Malawian people.  Click here to see his most current photos.  They are riveting.  

As for my kids, if you would like to learn more about there pursuits to make the world a better place, just visit them on line at maketheworldabetterplace.cc.  If you would like to sponsor Jyoti and Sulley in their ride this summer, email them at matt@watershedcharlotte.com.  To date, they have secured enough sponsors for one child.  One down and three to go.

If football is played in heaven....

So this morning as I was preparing to post my latest blog, I received an email from Taryn Hofert referencing this powerful story from ESPN.  Usually, the phrase ESPN and Taryn Hofert are not found in the same sentence.  Hence, my curiosity was immediately peaked.  And I'm glad it was.  I love a great story.  Especially one that has shadows of heaven being present here on earth.  This is a story that's worthy of your day being interrupted.  Check it out.  

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They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.  It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down.  For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

"I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHER PARENT TO TELL SOMEBODY TO HIT THEIR KIDS. BUT THEY WANTED US TO!"

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

Click here to read the remainder of the story....

3 REASONS I loved yesterday!

What an incredible Sunday @ Transit!  It was the first weekend of a new series called, "Cash; life or debt".  It's always exciting to begin a new conversation at Watershed.  Especially one that is so central to questions our society and world are asking.  I think all of us could agree, that money, finances, debt and wealth so often become overwhelming in our lives.  I look forward personally, to being challenged in my own life and perspectives in all these categories.  (Scott Hofert!  I'm ready to hear what you have to say this weekend.  Bring it on!)  

This weekend was also invigorating at that announcement that in Transit, two weeks from yesterday, Sunday, June 28th, we will unveil an initiative  that we are certain will reshape the landscape of Watershed's future.  I know this is generating all sorts of nervous excitement and questions.  Some of you are going nuts attempting to figure out what we are getting ready to do.  No doubt, you are the sort of person that wakes up at 4am on Christmas morning to stare at the unwrapped gifts under the tree.  (Yeah, that's me too!)  I look forward to the curiosity and momentum building towards this weekend and I challenge you to be there on the 28th to see for yourself what all the hoopla is about.

Finally, this past Sunday we prayerfully commissioned Steve Cook for his trip to Malawi Africa with Equitas.  Over the next two weeks, I'm going to be reading his blog and utilizing him as a guest writer.  I anticipate his experiences in Malawi, (hopefully with photos), to be gut wrenching and invigorating.  Here's one he's written as he flies out of the country today.  Check it out!  

"I leave for Malawi, Africa on June 15. "

My international trips are always preceded by several days of excited anticipation, and as my date of departure draws near, time seems to move rapidly at an exponentially quickening pace. Nothing puts your life into perspective like walking among the poorest of the poor. I find myself getting very emotional as I prepare myself for the faces of those who literally have nothing at all, yet display a contagious spirit of joy and kindness.

While in Malawi, I will be observing several recently-drilled clean water wells, potential sites for new wells, community gardens and irrigation systems, and orphan daycare centers. I clearly have an agenda and have many items I need to accomplish. But even more important to me is the time I will be privileged to spend with these wonderful people, enjoying the experience that can come only from doing life within a culture other than my own. I hope to play football with the children and listen to the stories of mothers and fathers as we sit and watch the African sun go down together. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow me at twitter.com/stevorevo. I will be tweeting from the villages, so you can keep up with what I’m doing.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Africa, it’s that she does not need to be saved. Africa simply wants to share her heart and abounding love for humanity with me. When I travel to Africa, I do not look for ways to save her inhabitants. I look for ways to join them on their journey, and in doing so, hopefully, we can save each other along the way.

Steve Cook, President and Founder of Equitas

"Pure Torture!"

Tomorrow night is this month's Movies in the Park. A big thanks to Taryn Hofert for pulling this years Watershed-Movies in the Park video together. Every year she surpasses her creative genius from the previous year. Hope you can make it out to this event tomorrow night.  August Rush is the movie.  By the way, my favorite line in this video is Eric Nunez's "Pure Torture!"

Greatness

Greatness

1 Chronicles 17: 19 O God, out of the goodness of your heart, you’ve taken your servant to do this great thing and put your great work on display. (msg)

During my message prep time this afternoon, I ran across this blog from Stephen Brewster on Greatness.  Hope you enjoy.

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"I am inspired by GREATNESS. When you see greatness you can identify it right away. Greatness should not be confused with goodness, greatness lives on a different level.  Jim Collins wrote an entire book on being great. He stated the biggest enemy of great was good. I tend to agree.

• Greatness recognizes the moment, and maximizes it.
• Greatness is a choice.
• Greatness costs you major passion.
• Greatness requires uncommon commitment.
• Greatness finds a way through any condition.
• Greatness does not settle, ever.
• Greatness encourages others.
• Greatness raises the bar.
• Greatness will never be achieved without an amazing amount of hard work.
• Greatness requires strategic preparation, a commitment to execution, and a willingness to go above and beyond.
• Greatness requires you dig a little deeper, push a little harder.
• Greatness never quits.
• Greatness is in YOU.

BE GREAT!"

Stephen Brewster

Movies in the Park .... This Friday Night.

Click here for parking suggestions and movie titles.  

The road to Hell is paved....

We are a "marrying" culture these days at Watershed.  No surprise given our demographic.  I love it when God seems to bring two people together in a season when their wholeness and centering in him makes way for a marriage that is whole, healthy and longevitious.  Unfortunately, that's not always the drill.  "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" and all too often, couples move towards one another for reasons that may seem noble and sensical, but in the end are irrational and dangerous.  

In the world of Twitter, I'm still attempting to get my "Tweet" on, so to speak.  And in doing so I've subscribed to a handful of organizations and leaders that I have found to be interesting, useful or enjoyable.  One that falls under all three of these categories is something called imarriage.  It's managed by Marc Payan.  I'm not quite sure who he is, but his tweets always send me to thought provoking articles or blogs on marriage.  The most recent one that caught my eye is this one entitled, "5 Right Reasons and Wrong Reasons to get married!"  Hope it strikes a cord for those of you contemplating this decision.  

What I appreciate about our staff.

I have never been challenged the way I am challenged as a Co-Pastor at Watershed.  It is the most difficult job I've ever had.  But it's a difficult job that exists in an environment that has the best chemistry and the greatest people I have ever had the privilege to lead and serve with.  In essence, so many of our leaders at Watershed are high end people with great hearts and tremendous gifts and passions.  However, our paid staff, Scott Hofert, Matt Shaughnessy and Scott Miller, are the guys that, everyday, wade through the trenches in order to navigate this church.  Without these guys, I'm shudder to think how much we would have missed out on in chasing after God's heart for this city over the past 4 years.  I truly have grown to appreciate them as leaders, teammates and friends.  So with that being said, I thought this post, I would mention how specific ways that I appreciate our staff.

1. Our Uniqueness.  None of us on staff are alike in personality, style, gifts and interests.  I'm glad I don't work with 3 other leaders like myself.  I'd either be bored out of my mind or ready to take a hostage.  I love the fact that these guys are cut from a different mold and have ways of thinking and living that are outside my comfort zone.

2.  Our ability to dialogue.  We've been at it now as a foursome for over 2 years.  Our times together have been fun, exciting, sorrowful and intense.  Yet, in all the ups and downs of wrestling with the future callings and prompting of God for this community, the conversation and dialogue has always been full of life, respect and sincerity.  I've been a part of staff's that do not disagree well.  Staffs where someone takes it personally when their perspective is not the winning perspective.  This sort of personality  kills chemistry and damages the community as a whole.  Our staff, to date, has continued to navigate, sometimes very difficult conversations well.  It is a testimony to the maturity, commitment and heart of our guys.

3. Our chemistry.  Chemistry happens, (I believe) when two or more people respect, honor and appreciate one another in tangible ways.  I have never felt disrespected, dishonored and under appreciated by our staff.  In fact, other than my wife, these guys are the most encouraging voices in my life.  I appreciate the chemistry this creates for our team.

4.  Our potential.  I am the elder statesmen of this crew at 43.  Hofert is 39, (but looks older than me right?).  Miller and Shaughnessy are barely 30.  We are a young team and a young church.  Every month and every year, we learn something new about ourselves, about how God is shaping this community and the unrealized potential of Watershed as a collective force in a hurting and broken world.  I can't believe how far God has carried us in such a short time.  Yet in looking at the incredible giftedness of our at-large community, as well as the untapped potential of our guys on staff, I continue to be convinced that the best days of Watershed are yet to come.

There are 10 other things I could list that I appreciate about our staff.  But that's enough to get us started.  One last thing.  These guys work their brains out every week, often in ways that go unseen or unrecognized.  They are not looking for pats on the back or high fives.  That's not why they do what they do.  However, you have to know, it means so much when people from Watershed go out of their way to show their approval.  So as you feel lead to, I would encourage those of you that are a part of our community to express your gratitude and appreciation for their leadership, servitude, sacrifice and passion.  Your gestures help expand a culture of gratitude here at Watershed making us a healthier and "more alive" community.  Not to mention they are worth their weight in gold for our guys.