Book Recommendations:

I love sharing stories of life change, and thankfully there are so many to share!  But instead of sharing a story this month, I thought it might be helpful to go behind the scenes and share a few of the additional books that I’ve found helpful in opening people up to the life change that God is already actively at work doing.  (See “Book Recommendations” on the blog for previous recommendations).

I see these books as tools that may help identify and bring better understand around the blocks, barriers, issues, and layers of wounded-ness that keep us from deeper levels of intimate union with God, ourselves and with others, as well as keep us from fully living out our unique purpose in this world and in the kingdom of God.  With an increased awareness about these areas that hold us back, comes an increased ability to receive the Lord’s healing love, grace, and forgiveness in the specific deep places that need it the most for our transformation.

Here are a few more books I currently use with young leaders in the process of their on-going transformation:

Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction – by Dr Mark R. Laaser:
(Founder of Faithful and True Ministries)

“In one study, two thirds of all Christian men [and one third of all Christian women] admitted to ‘struggling’ with pornography.  In another study, 40 percent of pastors surveyed confessed to looking at pornography.  Experts speculate up to 10 percent of the total Christian population in the United States is sexually addicted.  If true, this means that in a congregation of 500 member, 50 are sex addicts.” – Mark Laaser.

If any of these studies are accurate, this topic seems like something we need to be taking a closer look at, and talking about more openly.  With the current easy availability of internet pornography, this is an area of struggle that comes up more frequently in the work I do.  I’d been searching for a good book on the topic that went deeper into the roots of the problem and didn’t simply try to slap behavioral band-aids on a gapping wound, (such as through the use of filters, averting eyes, etc. – all of which are great first level surface changes, but incomplete and non-transformational by themselves, especially when it’s a more serious issue).  So far, this has been the most well-rounded book I’ve found.  In it, the author does a great job of incorporating the teachings of experts in this field of sexual addiction, namely Patrick Carnes, with Biblical truths that are accessible to Christians.  No book is ever the end-all, we still need to do a lot of work with God around what’s brought up over time, but I think this book is a helpful read for anyone struggling in this area…but you have to really work it, not just read about it, and it’s helpful to involve God and other people in the process, even though it may feel very shameful at first.

Healing The Shame That Binds You – by John Bradshaw:

Shame, in this context, refers to the belief that one’s whole self is fundamentally flawed, defective, and unworthy.  There is a nagging sense of inadequacy and worthlessness, of not being      (good)      enough (fill in the blank – not good enough, smart enough, outgoing enough, etc.) or of being too      (bad/much)      for people to handle (fill in the blank – too emotional, too needy, too overpowering, etc.).  There is a critical inner voice telling us we are failing and falling short as a human being, or that we are inherently bad and unlovable.  It seems to be a prevalent problem to varying degrees, and it is a life and joy killer.  I have found this book to be very helpful.  So far, it’s the go-to book on this topic of toxic shame.  Looking honestly at this topic, in the presence of the Lord and with safe non-shaming friends, often bring about an expanded capacity to receive God’s love, and God’s love changes everything.

Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry – by Ruth Haley Barton:
I love Ruth’s writing.  Her language speaks to me so deeply and profoundly, with beautifully crafted sentences that cry out for my highlighter to mark them so I can easily return to them again and again.  We are all leaders in some capacity, even if it’s just in leading our own lives (self leadership).  This book encourages healthy ways of living as leaders while simultaneously caring for our own souls.

There are still many other books to recommend, but that will do it for this update.

Thank You:

Thank you for journeying with all of us.  I know many of you are following along and applying some of the things that you’ve connected with in past updates.  May you become more  aware, redeemed, and transformed as you work through some of these recommended books.  (Note: I’d encourage you to work through them in the context of a loving friendship or community.  We were wounded by people, and God often uses other people to bring about our healing.)

In His Love,
Randy

Affirmations and Blessings for Scott:

In February, I went out to Iowa to celebrate my youngest nephew, Scott’s, 25th birthday (a quarter of a century!), and my eldest sister, Deb’s, “29th” birthday (wink, wink)!

My niece, Emily (Scott’s sister), was very inspired by the idea of the “living funeral” some people threw me last year (See my Christmas letter), which is basically a time of affirmation and blessing (affirmations for what you do, blessings for who you are).

Emily felt motivated to spread her leadership wings and organize a sharing time for Scott, to mark his milestone birthday.  She asked us all to prepare something to say and to also write it down, so Scott could have a record of the words to read afterwards.

We each stood up in front of the group and shared.  It was very moving.

My niece and sister shared beautiful words that were very meaningful.  My dad got teary at the end of his heart-felt sharing, which brought tears to many of our eyes.  Scott’s girlfriend, Ellen, shared very authentically and tenderly about her love for Scott and some of the things she appreciates about him.  We had the opportunity to see more fully into her beautiful soul, and love her even more.

It was great to hear my brother-in-law, Dan, share.  In the work I do I see how important it is for men to receive affirmation and blessing from their fathers, especially when they are young and growing up, but also during the age of transition, like the twenties.

At the end, Scott said, “That was intense!…I’m going to read these later and cry.”

Kudos to Emily:

I was very proud of my niece, Emily, for organizing this event.  I do these kinds of things with friends and Legacy peeps, but for some reason, haven’t done much with family.  It was awesome doing it with family.  It just took someone to lead it, and Emily was the perfect person to get us all to do it.

I love seeing twenty-somethings, like Emily, living out the strengths and talents they’ve been designed with, allowing their true selves to be called out and stepping up to the challenge, making the world a better place even if for only just one moment. 

I’ve seen such moments have a ripple effect that can ultimately change lives.  I think this particular moment had that potential, as all of us who were present are slightly changed and are more likely to remember and share affirmations and blessings more freely with others in the future.

It was definitely one of the highlights of the year so far.

Hopefully the ripples with continue: You invested in some young people, they threw me a celebration, which in turn inspired my niece, who then organized an affirmation and blessing time for my nephew…and who knows where it might go from here.  Maybe it may come full circle and encourage you to take a step that will keep things rippling.

A Challenge For You, To Keep It Rippling - Yikes!:

Perhaps I can issue a challenge here.  The challenge is to think of a way you might affirm or bless someone, and then do it!  I’d love to hear your stories of affirming and blessing your family, friends, and even strangers and enemies.  What might that look like?  Are you willing to do it?  Would you be willing to share your stories with us?

Meeting Melanie:

One day when I was talking to Justin, one of the guys I mentor, he mentioned a woman in Oklahoma City who was doing great work with people in their twenties.  Though naturally gifted and passionate about the work she was doing, she felt the need for more training, equipping, and support.  He asked permission to put us in touch with each other.

It was obvious in the very first telephoneconversation with Melanie that God was at work, so we decided to give this spiritual mentoring thing a try over the phone, long-distance.

That was almost three years ago.  In all that time, we never met in person.  If I had passed her on the street, I won’t have known it was her, though I had seen a picture once.

Recently we had the opportunity to meet in person for the very first time.  It was surreal.  I feel like I know Melanie really well, yet it was a whole new experience seeing her eyes, smile, and gestures.  It was a complete delight.

I feel so blessed to have the honor to meet with Melanie and the other amazingpeople I get to meet with.

Thank You:

Thanks so much for your on-going love and support.  

It’s fun to watch the unique ways God guides people to this ministry.  Numerous new people have been coming my way recently.  I’d love your prayers for discernment about who to take on.

I hope you feel encouraged by some of the things that God seems to be doing through your prayers and generosity.

Please send me your stories of affirmations and blessings.  I’d love to hear them.  If you feel bold enough, perhaps you might post them to this update, as I’m sure others would love to hear them as well.

In His Love,
Randy

Finishing Well:

At the very first meeting I have with people, one of the things we talk about is the ending of our season together and what it might look like to finish well.  I have found it helpful to talk about the ending at the very beginning to set proper expectations that lead us both to finishing well, which ultimately enhances the whole experience.

What finishing well means to me is that neither of us will be taken by surprise when the ending comes.  It will be something that we have discussed and processed with each other as one or both of us prayerfully senses our season together coming to a Spirit led close.  Thankfully, it is usually a mutual knowing and sensing, that simply needs to be acknowledged, accepted, and sometime grieved.

Finishing Well also means that we end our time in celebration to bring satisfying closure to our wonderful season together.  In preparation for our very last meeting, I ask people to think about, and be prepared to share, the many ways they have seen themselves grow during our time.  I do the same, noting the growth I’ve seen in them.  We spend time remembering, reminiscing, and recounting some of the amazing things that happened and all that God did during our season together.

I also ask them to think about, and be prepared to share, any affirmations or words of closure they would like to share with me.  I do the same.  We end with a time of mutual affirmation, saying the things we want to say, so there are no regrets later for words left unspoken.

Doing this puts a wonderful capstone on the whole experience and leaves it on an uplifting and loving note.

This past year, my time with Chad Fors came to a conclusion.  We’d met for just over three years, while Chad mentored and passed it on to others.  For our last meeting he shared his thoughts verbally, but he also wrote out what he wanted to share and later emailed it to me.  Here’s what Chad wrote:

How Chad Grew:

“When I first began meeting with you, I was stepping into a mentoring role with Axis, and I had no idea how to do it.  I was pretty fresh coming off of my Dare To Soar experience, which was life changing for me, but I still had much to wrestle with, much to discover about myself and about God, and much to learn about how to help others in their journey.

“From the first meeting, you spoke my language, showing me three different models that describe the purpose and role of mentoring.  I LOVE models!  The Transformational Triangle Illustration was the one that stuck with me the most.

“You soon introduced me to the great writings of David Benner (“The Gift of Being Yourself” and “Surrender To Love”)  I learned about and was able to confront my shadow/false self.  And even though I am not fully rid of him, he does not rule my life like he has in the past.

“I learned about the strengths that God wired in me (Connectedness, Ideation, Adaptability, Restorative, Analytical) and grew in my ability to put them to work in my relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and those I began mentoring.

“I was able to see a clearer mission for my life:
Created to humbly lead others toward connectedness and restoration in relationship with people and with God by loving them in their weaknesses, helping them discover their strengths, and pointing them to the beauty of authentic community.

“I picked up many tools along the way that I use in mentoring others: enneagram, clean talk, genogram, transformational triangle, intentionality target (Jesus model of disciplemaking), to name a few.

“You walked with me into the darker parts of my soul, sat with me at (and even under) ‘the wall’, and showed tremendous love and patience as I struggled with God at various times along the journey.

“You showed me how to float in the river of God’s will, not tread water, which I am apt to do.

“You loved me when I felt unlovable, which has given me healing and allowed my love for others to grow as well.

Affirmations for Randy:

“You have shown me so many things.  One of the things I love about you is how well you listen.  I remember you describing mentoring to me as always having one ear toward the person being mentored and one ear to God.  You are a master at this!  I hope to be able someday to do that as well as you do.  It is quite a gift.

“You also are willing to ask the difficult questions and to do so in a way that is bold yet loving.  Never threatening, but prying.  Some days I didn’t want to go there, but when we did, I experienced growth, and for that I am thankful.

“You are one of the most courageous men I know.  Even when a ministry door was closed and your time there was cut off, you did not react with bitterness, but processed that well and reacted with grace and love.  I admire your character and your integrity through that difficult time.

“Because of our time together, I am better able to love myself and others.  I have been able to pass it on to numerous people under my care.  My impact with them is your legacy!  You truly have assisted God in holistically developing me in love and for love!  And for that I am eternally grateful!

“Thank you!  With all my love as a brother and a friend.” – Chad

Thank You:

Thanks for investing in Chad.  He is an amazing man and gifted mentor.  He is leaving a legacy.  I anticipate cool things continuing to happen in the lives of those he rubs shoulders with.

In His love,
Randy

Merry Christmas!

 Most of my life seems to be lived in the ordinary, day-to-day.

Here are some of the unordinary things that happened this year:

My Living Funeral:

In January, a group of young people I’ve mentored surprised me with my own “living funeral”.  What’s a “living funeral”?  The idea comes from the book, “Tuesdays with Morrie”, which tells the true story of Morrie, who was terminally ill. 

After attending a funeral, Morrie commented that it was such a waste for people to say all those nice things about someone when they aren’t there to hear them. 

 To remedy this, Morrie decided to throw his own funeral early, while he was still alive.  At his “living funeral”, people shared the things they wanted to say, and Morrie did the same.  His “living funeral” was a huge success.

So a group of people gathered to celebrate me and to tell me publicly the things they wanted to say to me.  It was really special.  I feel very blessed to be surrounded by such quality people.

Wait, a “living funeral”?  Like in “Tuesdays with Morrie”?  Do they know something I don’t?

The Blizzard of 2011:

Sno-pocalypse!                 Sno-mageddon!                  Sno-lapalooza!

Snowly Cow!

Need I say more?  That was a dump load of snow!

Couldn’t it have drifted on my lawn where it wouldn’t have caused me any trouble?  Nope, it had to drift up to 31 ½ inches in the center of my driveway.  Oh my aching back!

Milwaukee Visits:

I had numerous visits to Milwaukee this year: the Wisconsin State Fair, free tickets to Ten Chimneys (the summer home of a couple past Broadway stars), but the highlight destination was the Lakefront Brewery tour.  They got the crowd liquored up before (and during) the tour, rather than after, which made it possibly the smartest, funniest, and best brewery tour ever!  Plus our guide was hilarious…or was that the brew?

My Poor Windshield:

In September, I was driving North on 53 going about 60mph (the speed of traffic.  I swear), when an SUV in front of me ran over a log that was on the road.  I’m sure the driver of the SUV didn’t see the log or have much warning it was coming.  There is no way anyone would have driven over a log that big if they could avoid it.  The SUV’s back tires kicked the log up into the air, catapulting it straight at my car. 

It was almost like a 3D movie where everything went into slow motion for a couple seconds as I saw the log flying at my car, with no time to prevent it, as there was a car on either side of me.  Then everything went back into fast motion as the log crashed loudly into my windshield and roof on the passenger side.

 A protruding piece of the log penetrated the windshield upon impact, sending glass flying inside the car.  The main part of the log broke off immediately and went flying over the car, leaving a chunk of wood hanging out of the windshield, as you can see in the photos.  Thankfully, there were no cars behind me, so the log didn’t continue to do more damage, and no one was hurt.  I’m glad I didn’t have a passenger at the time.  It was crazy!

Oddly enough, only a few months before, in June, I was driving on 53 when a semi kicked up a rock that chipped a hole in my windshield.  Within an hour the chip became a crack and spread across the windshield.  So I had just had the windshield replaced three months before when the log came flying at me. 

What is going on out there on 53?  This wouldn’t have anything to do with the “living funeral” would it?

I Own an iPad!:

One of the guys I mentored, and his wife, bought me an iPad this year!  It was a complete surprise!  I was blown away.  So far I’m loving it!  I use it every day.  I’m so hi-tech!  I’ll miss you Steve Jobs.

Kelly’s Getting Married:

My niece, Kelly Sherlock, plans to marry Erich Neugebauer in January, 2012.  They are currently deep in the planning stage.  I look forward to celebrating their wedding.

11/11/11 in Iowa City:

When I was a freshman in college around thirty-two years ago, I made a crazy commitment.  The day was either November 11th or the time was 11:11pm on a different day.  A small group of newly found friends at the time (I don’t even remember who was all there) were walking back to the dorms from downtown.  Triggered by either the date or the time, someone mentioned that someday it would be 11/11/11. 

After some playful banter, I think it was my friend, Amy, who came up with the idea that we should all meet again on 11/11/11 at that very spot, the corner of Clinton and Market, in Iowa City.  Someone else added that we should meet at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11.  As I recall, we all agreed. 

At the time, I remember thinking, “Wow, I’ll be 51 years old!  I wonder what my life will be like then.”  It seemed so far away, a lifetime away at age 19.

I don’t think most of the group took the whole thing seriously.  I may not have either, if it wasn’t for my friend, Amy, who kept the dream alive with me throughout the years.  She was the only one I remember ever mentioning it again after that night.  We would sometimes mention, “Eleven, eleven, eleven,” as a phrase like, “I’ll see you again someday”.  Amy was the only one from that group that I thought might actually show.

A few days before the fateful day, I found out that Amy wasn’t going to make it.  It was completely understandable, though it was still a bit disappointing.  It seemed like such a cool idea to actually meet after all these years, on that day, at that time.  I hadn’t seen her in probably eight years.

I wrestled a bit with whether or not I should still go.  I felt melancholy about showing up with no one else there to meet, yet I had made a commitment that I would be there, and it’s important to me to live up to my commitments as best I can.  This was one I could easily keep.

So, thirty-some years after making the commitment, I found myself standing at the corner of Clinton and Market in Iowa City at 11:11:11am on 11/11/11!  I did it!  I went!  And it was awesome!

No one else from the group showed up, but I had a great day.  It was a day of celebrating my life, reminiscing on the past, experiencing the present, and wondering about what the future might hold.  I felt very grateful throughout the day.  And although no one was there with me physically, I did feel like someone met me at the corner.

A couple days prior, while I was wrestling with going and feeling blue, I sensed what I interpreted as God’s Spirit communicating to my heart an invitation, “Come. Meet Me at the corner.”  I sensed that I should definitely go on this pilgrimage.  I wouldn’t be there alone.  He planned and wanted to meet me there.  I felt His presence with me at the corner and throughout the whole day, celebrating me and the life I’ve been given.  We had a great day together.

My friend, Amy, and I tried to connect that day via cell phone and FaceTime.  Who knew thirty years ago there would be such technological advances?  Back then, I had a rotary phone in my dorm room and typed my papers on a portable typewriter.  That was hi-tech!  Unfortunately, my cell phone carrier didn’t have service in Iowa City and the University wouldn’t let me bum off their internet connection at the corner to use FaceTime on my iPad.  I guess technology still has room for advancement.  Though we tried, Amy and I weren’t able to connect that day.

I had lunch with my niece and nephew, Emily and Scott, who currently live in Iowa City.  Who would have guessed that I’d have a niece and nephew, and that they’d live in Iowa City when 11/11/11 came around?  That too felt like a piece of God’s provision for me, having people to meet in Iowa City after all.

Someday I would love to write a couple n0vels.  (Some of you may feel like this Christmas letter has turned into one!).  One of the novels in my head was birthed from the pledge we made during freshmen year, the idea of two people meeting again on 11/11/11 at 11:11:11 o’clock in Iowa City after 30 years and all the things that had happened in their lives in between.  It would not be the story of my friend and I; that was simply the seed that sparked the story in my head.  It was great to be there that day to experience the sights and sounds of the day, in case I should ever attempt to finish writing this fiction story.  I’ve felt somewhat inspired to write since then, so Lord willing, Oprah’s Book Club list, here I come!  Cha-ching!

I drove back home the same day and stayed up and celebrated 11:11:11pm in my living room, which has become a safe haven for so many people, including me.  It was like a meaningful closing ceremony, bringing the day to the perfect end, bringing both my past and my present together in one special day at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11.

Merry Christmas:
During this celebration of Christ entering the world, may Jesus lovingly enter into the ordinary and unordinary circumstances of your life.  May He meet you at a corner where you might need to be met.  May He help you deal with the heavy burdens and unexpected obstacles that may come flying at you.  May He celebrate and bless you while you are still alive.  May He shower you with gracious gifts, bring you love, and help you experience playful moments on this tour of life.  And may He draw you into deeper intimacy with Himself in a way that you’ll sense in your inner being somehow mysteriously saves you.

Merry Christmas!  And Blessed New Year!

In His Love,
Randy

Dave’s Journey:

“Like many of us, I have experienced many struggles in my life.  Sexually abused at a very young age by adolescent boys, bullied all throughout school, a very abrupt passing of my loving father at age 12, my mother remarrying an in-disguise drug-addict three months after meeting him, emotionally and verbally abused at home throughout my teen years, and other numerous stories of challenge.

“While I count myself very fortunate to have known Christ since an early age, a lot of rage, bitterness and insecurity had built up in me over the years.

“I found myself newly relocated to the Chicago-land area, in a job I absolutely despised.   My son and wife were struggling and being wounded in their new work and school environments.

“I came to a breaking point.

“It was then I was able to meet with Randy for the first time in a long time.  I knew him through a mutual friend, and now that I was living in the Chicagoland area I was able to visit him.

“At the end of our visit, Randy posed the opportunity to meet with him on a regular basis for the purpose of spiritual development/mentoring.  It was a prayer waiting to be answered for a very long time.  I enthusiastically agreed.

“Today, a little over a year now of being mentored, I find myself, literally, a new man because of the work the Holy Spirit has done in me.

“It’s really not fair to put into just a few words all that God has done in me through this experience.  I know that I may have never experienced the breakthroughs in my life without the investment this ministry has made in my life.

Examples of Some Breakthroughs:

“1. Although I am still in the early exploratory stages of this process with God, I am shedding layers of shame.  This has granted me greater freedom: to not chastise myself, to not feel as deep a need to always achieve perfection in order to fill some internal void, to have a greater recognition of what I need/want, and to voice my needs/wants when appropriate.

“2. Throughout this process of recognizing, addressing, and correcting various sins and triggers in my life, God is granting me greater self-control and Truth over those things; they are rapidly losing their power.  I can now readily distinguish between my true self and my false self.  Because of that, I’m now better able to see in advance why I am reacting to different “triggers” in my life and am better able to cut them off at the pass and limit their damage.

“3. Because of the growth and healing God has empowered me with, through Randy’s guidance, I’m now more fully embracing my identity as a beloved child of God.  As a result, I now have better relationships all around and am also being challenged in the fruit of the Spirit, as the Holy Spirit matures me.

A Shout Out For Randy:

“Randy’s gifts and passions are as powerful as they are clear.  I know that because of the out-of-this-world insights he brings to my life every time we talk, the way he genuinely hears me out but also challenges me to take bold steps of faith and growth, and also treats me with dignity and friendship.

“I praise God for his care to not leave me the way I was/am and to do that by using Randy and Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc.” – Dave.

An Update On Dave:

Though Dave had many challenges in his life before I met him, I saw from the very start that he had a ton of potential just waiting to be unleashed. 

I deeply believe that our gracious God is passionate about redeeming things (especially us) and then using them (us) for unexpected good.  It’s been a joy and pleasure to have a front row seat, watching God use the difficult and unjust struggles of Dave’s past to transform Dave into a new and glorious creation.  One who is better able to be the image of Christ in a hurting world.

Today, Dave no longer works at a job he despises.  Instead, through a journey of liberation, he serves on staff at a church where he helps people make a positive difference in their lives through sports.  (I don’t want to communicate that being on a church staff is more important, impressive, or a higher calling than serving anywhere else.  Ministry is everywhere.  It’s important to flourish where God leads us, and to use our gifts wherever they are needed.  The church just happened to be where God led Dave in this season of his life).  I don’t think this position is his final destination, but for him, it is a very positive step on his journey toward discovering his true vocation. 

Thank You:

Looking back over these past updates, it seems clear that God is doing something profound here.  These young people are doing amazing things through Christ, as they more fully live out their true vocations and purposes in this life.  As they do, they are now better equipped to listen, love, and then lead.  I’m so glad we’ve all gotten to be a part of it.

Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity.  You have helped make all of this possible.  And it seems like this is just the beginning.  I dream of and envision multiplied impact, results, and life-change  in the future. 

This being the close of my year-end support-raising initiative, I’ll make one final unashamed year-end ask, because I believe so strongly in what’s happening here:

Will you please partner financially with me in this life-changing ministry?  And will you please support this ministry in prayer throughout the year?  You are needed.

The workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the harvest field.

May God bless you richly, whether you partner with me or not.  Thanks for reading these letters!  I hope you are enjoying them.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In His love,
Randy

Note:  The photos are from Flickr – Creative Commons.

As some of you may know, I come from a long line of German farmers.  One thing I learned from growing up in that culture is that, in general, German farmers don’t want to be served up a plate of fluffy nonsense with little substance, they want meat and potatoes!  You can keep your fancy-schmancy theological theories, existential exegesis of ecumenical eschatological ontology (Ach Du Lieber!), and all those other words most people don’t understand (including me)!  Just give them something practical that works; that fills them up; that helps them know and love God, and others, more deeply.

That cultural background has served me well in many ways.  As I meet with people, I try to keep things as practical and experiential as possible.  I love to share illustrations and exercises that I have found helpful and practical and life-changing, if taken to heart.  Below, Danielle shares a couple you may want to try:     

Danielle’s Story:

“My name is Danielle Squires and I have been meeting with Randy for eight months.  

“I am currently leading a small group in Student Impact, the high school ministry at Willow Creek Community Church.  I have served as a women’s small group leader in Axis, the 20somethings ministry, as well.

“On the first day I met with Randy, I had written in my journal, “My hope for this season is to better understand who God has designed me to be and how I can bless others through what I have learned.”

Renewing Her Mind…and Heart:

 ‘Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2 ).

‘Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent of praise. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me.”  (Philippians 4:8,9).

“The truth of these scriptures has been something I have learned on a deeper level, not just in my head but in my heart.

Danielle’s Struggle:

“I have always struggled with being fearful and with feelings of inadequacy.

“God has revealed cures for these fears through some of the illustrations and exercises that Randy has shown me.

Top Ten Lies Exercise:

“One spiritual exercise that helped me understand the verses in Romans and Philippians the best was writing down the Top Ten Lies I hear most consistently.  [Lies like: “You’re not good enough”, “You won’t be accepted if people know about your past”, “God won’t do that for you”, and “You won’t be able to make a difference in this world”.]  Followed by writing down the truths, from the Bible, that God has to say about those lies.

“I’ve found that there is healing when I write down my thoughts. When it comes to lies, it takes away the power from the words.  When I pair up the truths of scripture to my lies, the truths become that much more powerful. 

“Through this exercise, I began to hear the whispers of what God says about me and could recognize easier when a thought wasn’t of Christ.

Don’t Compare or Label Exercise:

“Another exercise that I connected with is practicing not labeling everything as good or bad, and being able to see things for what they are. 

“I have always been able to see the good in others. I started noticing that I would compare and label myself as bad because I didn’t have what they had. The enemy would whisper that I wasn’t as good as them and I would feel defeated being around certain people.

“God doesn’t want us to condemn ourselves for what qualities we don’t have. He wants us to embrace the gifts and strengths he has wired us with. We are all uniquely made.

“Through this exercise, I have been able to transform my thoughts to admire the beauty in others and not have to feel like I am not as worthy as them because they have something I don’t.

The Impact of Mentoring:

“Meeting with Randy has changed the trajectory of my life. This experience has made me realize how powerful meeting with someone can be.  It’s impossible to express it in print.  The wise counsel that I have received has given me a new perspective of who God is and how crazy in love He is with me.

“Learning about the strengths that God has created within me has rooted the idea of how much of a responsibility I have for developing those strengths to further the kingdom.   God has put it on my heart to share everything he has been teaching me to anyone who will listen, and has especially given me a heart for high school girls.” – Danielle Squires

Concluding Thoughts:

Studies have shown that when we learn something new, if we don’t put it into practice within 72 hours, we lose it.  So I encourage people to put things into practice immediately.  I ask them to share what they are learning with someone else; give it away.  Not only does it help the new learning sink in more deeply into them, it may also bless someone else.  Love gets multiplied.

Danielle is one of those people who continually shares things with the women around her.  She frequently comes back with stories of how the women, she shared with, related to what she has been learning.  Some even began applying the lessons in their own lives with positive results. 

Each person we’ve invested in through this ministry lives out what they’ve received in their own unique way, which is a beautiful thing.   Danielle is someone I could envision doing something similar to what I do someday, walking alongside younger people and being a spiritual shepherd and mentor.

I think the world is and will be a better place to live because of Danielle and the work God is doing in her life and through her life. 

Don’t let anything hold you back, Danielle.

Thanks:

Thank you for your prayers and support, and for investing in young leaders like Danielle!  Transform a leader and you hopefully transform a whole group, a neighborhood, a community, a state, a country, a continent, and perhaps the world.  It all starts with one, with ripples into eternity.

If you haven’t already, I’d love to have you partner with me in this life-changing ministry.

Your contributions are tax deductible.

Happy Thanksgiving!

                                                                                                          In His Love,
                                                                                                                      Randy

Imagine not having clean water to drink and watching the people you love die from diseases caused by contaminated water.  This update highlights a young man, whom I’m currently mentoring, who is trying to do something about this issue.

Matt Creates Project Living Well:

Matt Johnson is 29 years old.

 A year ago, he left a lucrative job in wealth management to follow a calling he sensed to help provide access to clean drinking water to under-resourced people around the world who are physically thirsty, and simultaneously provide meaningful opportunities to those in the U.S. who are thirsty for purpose in their lives.  He formed an organization called Project Living Well.  

Here’s what Matt had to say:

The Need:

“There are 1 BILLION people in the world that do not have access to clean water.  Of that, 2.2 MILLION people die each year due to drinking contaminated water.”

“Without water (the most basic need), the more ‘advanced’ steps in society cannot exist, such as sanitation, health, education and a functioning economy.  Without a functioning economy, there simply aren’t resources available to just ‘dig a well’.” – Jodi Mohney, Living Water International.

Digging the First Well in Nicaragua:

“We scheduled our first trip to Nicaragua, the 2nd most impoverished country in Central America.

“After two days and 115 feet of drilling, our team (who had never been on an international trip like this before) hit water.  The well was less than 20 feet away from a school [for 110 children].  The children came out of their classrooms and swarmed around us to watch the water flow out of the pipe.  Within minutes, our team began splashing one another with the cold, refreshing water.

“Before we knew it, the entire school of children jumped in on the action.  Children began lining up in front of the pipe waiting for the next gush of water to come out.

[Wait for it!... ]

[Bam!]

“There was so much laughter, happiness and joy.  It was like we brought a water-park to a small, rural community in the middle of a 3rd world country.

‘These children had never before seen, touched or tasted clean water.

Living Well in Our Own Backyard:

[One day in downtown Chicago] “As we headed towards the train station, we saw a homeless man, all bundled up to stay warm.  I happened to have some change in my pocket, so I dropped it in his cup.  His head stayed down as he said… ‘Thank you, sir’.

“I stopped, turned and extended my hand and said… ‘Hi, I’m Matt.’

“The homeless man looked up with this big old smile on his face, set down his cup, took off his glove and extended his hand… ‘Hi, my name is Anthony.  It’s so great to meet you Matt.’

“As I shook his bare hand, I physically felt something inside of me warm up.  I can’t explain it.  It didn’t happen when I dropped change in his cup.  It happened when I physically engaged.  When my colleague shook Anthony’s hand, he felt chills.

“The entire exchange was over in seven seconds.  We said farewell and headed towards the train.  Then it hit us like a ton of bricks – we don’t just have to travel to third world countries to engage with people in need and feel that spark inside of our hearts.  It can happen here, right at home, right in our backyards.

“We knew we needed to do this again - to engage with homeless folks.  So [on another day] we headed back downtown with no agenda, just a backpack full of PB&J sandwiches.  It was a beautifully imperfect experience.

“To quote our new friend Dave, a homeless Vietnam veteran who’s confined to a wheelchair,… ‘It’s nice when people put money in my cup.  But what makes my day, is when people… people like you…stop and talk with me.  I love that.  Thank you for stopping and talking with me.  It means so much to me.’

[Since then, Matt and his team have invited others to join them.  Once they put an invitation on Craig’s List.  Five random strangers from different faith backgrounds joined them to be with the homeless.  Each felt a desire to do something more with their lives.  On another occasion, an atheist joined Matt and his team.  Sharing these experiences together opened up natural conversations about faith, love, and service.  The atheist later returned by himself to bring new socks to one of the homeless men he connected with.  Something amazing happens when we get out of our comfort zones and engage the poor in meaningful ways.  These encounters inspired the team to add a Challenge to the T-shirts and products they sell...]

The T-Shirt Challenge Project:

[The Project Living Well Challenge:]

“Your t-shirt comes with a ‘Challenge‘ that you get to create.  In order to get your t-shirt, you need to determine one thing that you will do to help someone in need.  It could be with a local organization… in your community… through your church… at your school or work place…  It’s a chance to help everyone involved begin Living Well.

[Recently, a potential contributor issued a challenge to Matt and his team.] “The challenge was to sell 100+ t-shirts we had in stock by the end of the next day, and they would help fund our project.

“Within hours (of complete chaos and extraordinary events) every t-shirt was sold.  For the first time, we had a glimpse into the potential this project has… People desire to engage with those in need, to do good.  They simply lack the invitation and encouragement to do so.  As one man said, ‘I’ve been meaning to serve in the inner city for a long time.  I am now going to go do it!’

[This picture is of a wall in their office showing some of the challenges people promised to take.  If you accepted the challenge to help someone in need locally, what would you do?]

A Trip to Guatamala:

[Their second trip was to…] “…Guatemala City where we provided clean water to 23 families living in the city dump.  The trip was made possible because of the countless individuals who purchased our limited run ‘Never The Same’ t-shirts and accepted the PLW challenge: to begin Living Well by helping someone in need.  A portion of each sale went directly towards funding water relief efforts with our partners in Latin America.

“We came away from the trip inspired with an audacious goal for this project: to inspire 1 million people to begin Living Well by engaging with those in need locally, while providing access to clean water to 1 million people who lack access abroad. 

“It’s a huge goal. But it’s already begun…

Email:

“This was one of the emails we recently received that left us speechless…

‘Dear Matt and team, I’m a 17 year old girl living in TX.  I was web surfing and I came across your blog.  I just wanted to say how inspired I truly am.  I often contemplate the mysteries of life, and finding a purpose in this world is something that I’ve searched for my entire life.  My heart dropped as I read your blog, because I know now that this is my calling.  I want to make a difference and do my part.  This has shed light onto my future.  I finally feel like I have a sense of direction.  I am a Catholic.  I’m slightly detached from my church and the religion itself.  I do believe in God but I don’t have ‘that’ relationship with Jesus that you talk about, but it does seem amazing.  I’m open minded and willing to explore that part of my faith.  I hope that I could have that understanding of him, that you do one day.  One of my favorite quotes that I want to share with you is that:

 ’I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  I will not let what I cannot do, interfere with what I can do.‘-Edward Everett Hale. 

‘ Maybe when I graduate in 2012, I will come and try to be a part of the team.  That would be amazing! – Danielle’

“Incredibly, messages like this one from Danielle are becoming more and more commonplace for us.  We’ve found that people of all walks of faith are seeing what we are doing and it is challenging and inspiring them.” – Matt Johnson. 

How you can make a difference:

One of the many hopes of this mentoring ministry is to continue to identify, develop, equip, and support the next generation of difference makers, like Matt, so they may better live out their unique redemptive purposes and bring more love, grace, truth, and life to the world. 

While you consider your year-end giving, would you please consider investing in the next generation of Christ following leaders?  What would the world be like without them? 

Contributions are tax deductible!

Thank you so much for joining me on this amazing journey.  You are making a difference.

In His Love,
Randy

You can contact me at randy@legacyshepherding.org

20Something Leader’s Retreat:

I was recently given the opportunity to lead a session at an intimate retreat for eleven leaders of Axis – Willow Chicago (Willow Creek Community Church’s ministry to twenty-somethings in the city).

The topic they asked me to address was “Soul Care”.

Ideally, with proper Soul Care, I believe our souls could continually be so lavishly and extravagantly filled up by God, to a point well beyond overflowing, that they couldn’t help but gush and spill God’s abundance and blessings onto everything and everyone around us.  Everything we did for others would come out of the abundance of the overflow, without even really trying.  We simply couldn’t contain it.

Though I haven’t yet attained the ideal, over the years I’ve learned some beautiful lessons on how to care for my soul in ways that have helped me live and serve more fully and consistently from a well-nurtured place of abundance and overflow, which has allowed me to serve on a long-term basis, as opposed to living and serving from a slowly draining, neglected place that may ultimately lead to scarcity, weariness, apathy, and/or burn-out – a flash and crash basis.

I still don’t always effectively apply these Soul Care lessons to my own life, or allow what’s inside me to lavishly spill over onto others, but I’m continually learning what disciplines, experiences, relational connections, sacred rhythms, and pace of life work best for me in my unique design and with the specific limitations God gave me.

It was nice to be able to share some of the principles I’ve learned with this group of young leaders.  Hopefully it will benefit them as they continue to discover who God designed them to be and as they possibly discover and live out their redemptive vocations.

The Place:

The retreat was held on the beautiful property of a couple who live near Harvard, IL.  From what I’ve heard, this couple has a vision and heart for providing leaders and small groups with a place to go for much needed getaways to be refreshed.  They have created a wonderful environment for spiritual and relational connections to happen.

On their property they built a building separate from their house, perfect for a group of about twelve people to stay.  In the middle of the building is a living room, dining room, kitchen, and screened in patio.  On both sides of the main living area are bedrooms designed in a row like a motel.  Each “motel room” has an exterior entrance under a covered outdoor walkway.  Each room also has a sliding glass door leading out to a patio.

The grounds are landscaped with paths leading around the grounds and down to a lake.  There are benches and places for solitude and reflection.

I’ve never met these people, but I am inspired by the environment they’ve created as a way of living out their vision and passion.  It’s so cool to see people intentionally living out their callings, even when it goes virtually unnoticed.  So many unnoticed things carry huge impact behind-the-scenes.

Imagine what the world would be like if everyone contributed their energies, giftedness, and resources to loving others and making the world a better place, in their own unique way.  Way to go people I don’t know and may never meet!

Student Impact Retreat – Sand Blast:

Student Impact, the high school ministry at Willow Creek Community Church, recently had its annual four-day camp called “Sand Blast”.  This summer they had more than 1,000 students and 300 adult leaders attend!

I currently mentor five young leaders who serve in that high school ministry – one staff member, one house group leader, and three small group leaders within the house group system.

While at camp, one of the women I mentor had the privilege of praying with a high school girl in her group to receive Christ into her life.  It was the first time this young leader ever had that joyful opportunity.  She was very excited.  The entire weekend was a blessing for her and an all-time ministry highlight.

Over the course of the weekend, over 100 high-school students committed their lives to Christ for the first time.

One of the young men I mentor, who doesn’t regularly serve in this ministry, filled-in as a small group leader for the four days.  He was given a group of guys who had a bit of a reputation for goofing off and creating distractions.  Upon meeting them, this young leader immediately discerned that these guys really had a desire to make the most of the experience.  They wanted to connect deeply, grow spiritually, and goof off!  They just needed intentional guidance in balancing it all so they could accomplish everything they desired.  As he described how he handled the group and various situations, I saw incredible growth in this young leader.  He handled things beautifully.  One guy told him that he was the best leader they’d ever had.  So they all had a blast!  And grew!  Awesome!

Way to go, everyone who served at this event and who serves on an on-going basis!  What a blessing you are to the future leaders of the church, the community, and the world.

5K Run/Walk for Africa:
On another note, if anyone is interested in what’s going on these days around the horn of Africa, you may want to get involved in a 5K Run/Walk on the morning of August 27th.  Check out more info at: (click on photo)

Thank You:
Thank you for all you do, even when it goes unnoticed.

In His Love,
Randy

The Ripple Effect:
One of my on-going hopes for this ministry is that people will pass on what they have received and bless others in the process.  Hopefully they will pass it on in such a way that others will be equipped to do the same, so that more and more redemption and love are passed on.  It doesn’t have to look like how I do it.  I don’t want anyone to be me.  I want them to be their own true self, shining their unique redemptive reflection in this world.

For the past five years, I’ve met with the current senior pastor of South Park Church.  Eric Flood has continued to shine more and more brightly each passing year.  Over that time, he has implemented numerous things that we’ve discussed on our times together, which has been a great source of encouragement and joy for me.

In last month’s update, I mentioned sharing with his staff some of the things I’ve learned about Spiritual Mentoring.  In that meeting was a woman named Renee Gerstmayr.

Renee has been on staff at the church, in the position of Executive Administrator, since 2008.  She began formally mentoring women in their 20′s as recently as this past spring.  It was both her personal experience of being mentored and the church’s mentoring initiative (Shout outs to R.A. and Becky!) that encouraged her to take the next step toward mentor others.

Here is what Renee wanted to share about a recent mentoring experience she had.  She entitle it “Serendipity”:

Serendipity:
“Serendipity is defined as the occurrence and development of events ‘by chance’ in a happy or beneficial way.  [Quotes added].

“Serendipity is a word that accurately describes what I have tangibly and consistently experienced throughout a current mentoring relationship.

“It began in early May.  A college student in her early twenties was planning on mentoring a few young girls.  She wisely committed to being mentored herself before solely mentoring others.

“She was expectant that God would work through a mentoring relationship with me.

“I, on the opposite end, wasn’t quite as expectant.  After all, I know me…and I’m supposedly the “mentor”.  I prayed that God would somehow, in some way, use me just a little.

“The first meeting allowed us to get to know each other, our histories, and our journeys.  Through that casual lunch and conversation, I was able to see where she desired to grow most.  We set an appointment to meet in a week.

“I started the next meeting out with the broad question, ‘Who is God?’

“Words like creator, protector, all powerful came to the front.

“Then…serendipity…she said, ‘I understand and can say all of this stuff, but I truly can’t even imagine being made in the image of God.’

“I looked in the ‘lessons’ section in the middle of the Serendipity Bible that I’ve been using as the primary resource in mentoring thus far, and there it was…Made in His Image: See Psalm 139.

“We read Psalm 139 silently to ourselves.  She followed it up with, ‘David is praising God for making him…I would never be able to do that.’

“ ‘Let’s do an exercise,’ I said.  ‘If I asked your friends about you, what would they tell me?’

“The words began to flow: gentle spirit/presence, patient, peace maker, insightful perspective, rational, grace-giving, just, examiner, relational, likes to laugh, a light, dependable, loyal, faithful, a good listener, safe, and prayerful.

“We paused a moment and I suggested we turn our focus to God.

“ ‘Are these words that would describe Him?’

“We went through every last one, and discovered they were.

“There was a look of awe in her eyes.

“ ‘That’s how you are made in His image!’ I said.

“A broad question, a simple statement, and God’s word allowed the Holy Spirit to work in one of His children so that she could begin to believe and know in her heart that she, in fact, is made in His image and is His beloved.

“If that isn’t an occurrence and development ‘by chance’ in a happy and beneficial way, I don’t know what is!

“We’ve continued to experience serendipitous revelations since then, however, not always on that scale.  Each week we both pray expectantly that His Spirit will guide us and each week we walk away a little closer to God and a little closer to each other.

“This young woman admits that the intensity in which she is now compelled to grow is much deeper than she anticipated.  Her experience in being mentored goes much deeper than the one-on-one Bible Study that many think of when they are first introduced to mentoring.

“Serendipity.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, I believe that ‘by chance’ is really the activity of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.” – Renee Gerstmayr

Questions to Ponder:
What words would your friends use to describe you? 
In what ways have you been made in God’s image?

Thank You:

Thanks for supporting the on-going ripples, through your prayers and financial support, so the ripples may continue to flow and make a difference in the lives of those they touch and impact.  Your generosity has made a difference in my life, in Eric’s life, and indirectly through the ripple effect, in Renee’s life, and more recently in this young woman’s life.  I’m very grateful for your prayers and support.  You are making a difference.

In His Love,
Randy

Ripple photos are from Flickr compliments of: robin24/5554306438, airosan/2252207105, and clearlyambiguous/25303234.

This update will catch you up on a few things that happened over the past month and a half.

A Training Opportunity:
Periodically, I gather some of the young people I spiritually mentor together to go over the bigger vision of Spiritual Mentoring/Shepherding.  Recently, I gathered eight people together who weren’t around the previous times I shared this information.

We looked at things like:
1) The three main goals of Spiritual Mentoring (so in the midst of the process we stay focuses on the target and have a tool to assess whether or not we are accomplishing what we’d hoped to).
2) Possible character qualities to look for in the people we are considering investing in, and
3) The seven stages of faith development that may be helpful to consider when spiritually mentoring someone (so we meet people where they are at and with what they need).

This small group will probably meet a couple more times over the summer or fall to dive deeper into the practical aspects of doing spiritual mentoring in intentional ways, and to practice on each other.

Please pray for us. We plan to meet again the last Saturday in June.

A Sharing Opportunity:
Last month, I had the privilege of sharing an overview of Intentional Spiritual Mentoring/Shepherding with ten staff members and two elders of South Park Church in Park Ridge. 

They have a growing desire to do more spiritual mentoring within their church.  Recently they held a six-week workshop on the topic.  Over sixty people went through the training!  Since then, there has been a lot of excitement around the potential opportunities.

With the growing interest, the head pastor (Eric Flood) wanted the staff to receive an overview on Spiritual Mentoring from my perspective and learn about some of the specific processes and tools I uses that I’ve found work well.  He invited me to share with them what I’ve been learning.

It was a true joy being with them.  They have a great group of leaders, with teachable and humble hearts.  I felt warmly welcomed and could sense their openness to what I feel so passionate about.  I’ve continued to be impressed with the things they have implemented at their church over the past years, and with the quality of their staff and elders.

From what I hear, there have been many inspirational stories unfolding as some staff members and lay people have been putting into practice what they’ve learned about spiritual mentoring.

Please hold them in your prayers as they continue to implement Jesus’ model for impacting the world with God’s love, by investing in individuals who will pass it on.

A Men’s Retreat:
For the third year in a row, I went on a summer retreat weekend with a couple guys; one a previous small group member (Praveen) and the other a young man I currently mentor (Dave), who recently accepted a full-time position on a church staff. 

This year we returned back to a Catholic retreat center called Christ in the Wilderness.  The center has three hermitages (single person dwellings) on 80 acres of land designed for solitude and renewal.  We took over the place for the weekend.

Our retreat was a nice combination of solitude and group activities.  We usually each prepare a session to lead the group through – whatever God has been teaching us over the year or has been putting on our hearts specifically for our time together.  We try to make our sessions very experiential, rather than teaching, incorporating the outdoors when possible.

Our time together this year had some powerful moments of honesty, releasing things that God wanted us to let go of, relational connection, and fun.  There were many occasions over the course of the weekend where the question arose, “Why can’t life be like this all the time?”

One evening after dark, we sat out on the deck at my hermitage and watched thousands of lightning bugs putting on a light show across a grassy meadow and even high up in the trees.  I’ve never seen that many lightning bugs in one place, shining their unique and brilliant designs in the darkness.  It was a magical moment – beautiful, awe-inspiring, and surreal.

Thank You:
Thank you for your prayers and support.  May God bless you for your faithfulness.

In His Love,
Randy

Neil in Full-Time High School Ministry:

Neil Sternberg and I have been meeting for about ¾ of a year.  During that time, Neil left a job in the financial world to take a church staff position in Student Impact, the high-school ministry at Willow Creek Community Church, a ministry he’d been volunteering in for many years.

Last month, Neil and his wife, Kaitlin (who I also meet with), led a trip to the Dominican Republic with seventeen high-school students.

It’s thrilling for me, seeing people go on trips like this, knowing the impact trips like this can have on the ones who go.  Something life-changing happens when we get out of our comfort zones and interact in meaningful ways with the poor.

Mother Teresa said, “Christ is hidden under the suffering appearance of anyone who is hungry, naked, homeless, or dying.”  In the poor, we see Jesus, in his distressing disguise.

When I’ve taken trips like this in the past, I not only experienced Jesus in new ways, I came back seeing material possessions in a new way.  I often started out feeling sorry for the poor people we served, for what they lacked.  I came back feeling sorry for us, for what we’ve lost by having so much.

It’s wonderful for high-school students to experience being with the poor at such an early age.  Hopefully, it will change their perspective for a life-time.  I’m so glad Neil and Kaitlin helped facilitate such a trip.

Neil Shares About His Dominican Republic Experience:
“It was an incredible experience being a part of another culture, seeing people in a different part of the world worshiping God, and getting the opportunity to create experiences with seventeen high school students, alongside two other leaders.

“God worked in powerful ways in all of our hearts and lives over the eight days we were there.

“My perspective has shifted towards the way I celebrate people, the way I worship, and my heart for those in poverty.

“One specific lesson God taught me while we were there is that it really isn’t about having more or less materially.  What matters is that you build the foundation of your house on a rock.

“You will see in the video a woman named Felicia.  We helped build her a house that is smaller than most of our bedrooms.  It was tough to see people living that way.

“I’ve struggled with the questions my entire adult life: Is it okay for us to have nice things when so many people don’t? -or- Should we sell what we have and give more away to the poor?

“As we helped build Felicia’s house, we were gathering rocks and large stones to lay as the foundation within the walls of her house before the cement could be poured over them.  We separated the rocks and stones from sand, dirt, and trash.

“As we were doing that, God gave me insight into the questions I had been asking.  It was a different answer then I expected.  The answer was to build my house on a rock, on the foudation of God at the center.  The focus is not on what we have (or don’t have), but on what we put our trust and hope in, as our foundation.  Out of the heart condition that a foundation with God at the center will produce, I can answer the questions of how I should live and how I should steward my resources with more clarity.

“This trip has marked our lives in a significant way and I believe God used us to make a significant impact in the Dominican Republic.” – Neil Sternberg

A Video About The Trip:
“Check out the footage from our trip” – Neil:

Mother Teresa Quotes:

“Get to know the poor in your country.  Love them.  Serve them.”

“If you have a sick or lonely person at home, be there.  Maybe just to hold a hand, maybe just to give a smile, that is the greatest, the most beautiful work.”

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.”

“There is a terrible hunger for love.  We all experience that in our lives – the pain, the loneliness.  We must have the courage to recognize it.  The poor you may have right in your own family.  Find them.  Love them.” – Mother Teresa

Thank You:

Thank you for all the ways you serve the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, and imprisoned.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” – Jesus (Matt 25:40)

I hope you encounter and experience Jesus through the ways you love and serve others.

In His Love,
Randy

Mission Church Information Night:

I recently attended an Information Night for Mission Church – a church plant that will be officially launching on October 2, 2011.  The lead pastor of this church plant is Jon Peacock, a thirty year old who previously led Axis, the 20something ministry at Willow Creek Community Church.

I had the privilege of walking with and mentoring Jon during the years he led Axis.  Planting a church like this has been a long time dream of his.

I’m very excited to see a number of Legacy Shepherding alums and mentorees (Jon, Kelly, Brian, Jodie, Mike, Rob, Charity, and Casey) getting involved, following what they sense is God’s call, and even more fully living out their unique designs, purposes, passions, and belovedness through this pioneering endeavor.  No doubt, they are going to grow incredibly as they leave the familiar behind and step out into uncharted territory.  My hope is that it will draw them, and everyone around them, into an even deeper intimacy and humble dependence on God.

The Vision of Mission Church – per excerpts from Jon:

“Chicago land is 3rd on the list of most un-reached cities in the U. S.

“God has given us a dream.  We are convinced that He has invited us to plant a reproducing church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago—a church committed to seeing those far from God become redeemed and restored.

“He has downloaded a vision into my heart that grips me daily, a vision of seeing the Church re-claim it’s sent-ness, the Church becoming dangerous again, the Church truly living out the Jesus mission.

“God has invited us to take the Church into our culture, to be the Church on the move.

“We dream of the day when ‘The Ten’ (the towns of Bloomingdale, Itasca, Medinah, Roselle, Wood Dale, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Addison and Bartlett) are transformed by the planting of a reproducing church; an epicenter of Hope and Redemption that brings change to these neighborhoods.

“ ‘The Ten’ is an area of over 262,000 people who are not in need of another church, but in need of a movement of people who live and love like Jesus.

“With Jesus as our consistent example of leadership, we recognize that if we desire to be a movement our leadership style will be different than if we are trying to lead an organization.

“In a movement, the goal is to release leaders;
in an organization the goal is to retain them.
In a movement the dream is transformation;
in an organization the dream is sustainability.
In a movement leadership is messy, unpredictable, and always changing; 
in an organization leadership is fixed, clean and predictable.

“This is not a Sunday morning dream—we are committed to living it out daily.

“We will begin by recruiting and building a launch team. In May of 2011, we plan to launch Life Groups, which will be a collection of people living on mission to serve and impact the communities around us.  Impacting these cities by living out the gospel in a tangible way is what fuels the dream within us.  Each weekend we will come together as a church body to celebrate all that God has done in our communities in the past week and be encouraged and challenged for the week ahead. The weekend Celebration Services will launch in October 2011.

“I dream of a day when Chicago Land is covered with hundreds of Missional Communities.

“We are convinced that this is not only an opportunity, but a call.

“Come dream with us!” – Jon Peacock

Love Thy Neighbor:

Recently Jon and Kelly bought a house in the area they feel called to serve and love.  As the weather warmed up a bit, Jon decided to move his fire pit from the backyard to the front yard, along with some chairs – yep, he’s got some red-neck in him!  The first night he sat out there alone.  The second night the next-door neighbor came over and sat with him.  They called another neighbor from across the street over to join them.  The three hung out until around midnight.  As the neighbor across the street left, he told them that he had lived alone in that house for the past sixteen years.  This was the first time he’d ever hung out with a neighbor.  I would guess that there are going to be many more hang out nights this summer.  It seems like something Jesus would do.  Hanging out with a wide variety of people, serving the community and the world, meeting tangible needs, doing life together, loving God and others as best they can, bringing healing truth and redemptive presence right where people are at – the other six days of the week.  That’s the kind of church they hope to build, the kind like Jesus modeled.

Mission Church will initially meet in the Bloomingdale area.

For more information, check out:

Peacock Journey

You can see more photos on Facebook, at Mission Church.
A church website will be coming soon.

Thank You:
Thank you for journeying with me on this adventure.  It’s impossible to describe all the fruit I’m seeing in a monthly newsletter.  Extraordinary things continue to happen.  Your investment is multiplying.  I think we are investing well in the next generation and in the future Church.

In His Love,
Randy