Andrew Wilson

Registered Trademark

I'm going to join a gym...no, serioulsy, I am. And yesterday I went to spy out the new gym I'm considering joining--Planet Fitness. I was blown away by some stuff that they're doing at PF (yes, I'm alredy referring to them by their initials). Here's what's on the homepage of their website and is unmistakably communicated in their space from the moment you walk in:
"Planet Fitness is known for a lot of things...most of all perhaps for our Judgement Free Zone® (yes that's a registered tradmark...more on that later) philosophy, which means members can relax, get in shape, and have fun without being subjected to the hard-core, look-at-me attitude that exists in too many gyms." Wow.
PF gets the fact that a huge reason people don't go to gyms isn't because they're lazy (probably a close second) or financially incapable, but because they don't want to be subjected to the judgmental glances of the chiseled adonises that lord over most neighborhood gyms (if you've ever experienced it, you know what I'm talking about).

Please, please listen to me here. I can't stand the idea of Planet Fitness outpacing the church when it comes to this issue. They get the fact that people don't want to go to a neighborhood gym and feel like they're being judged for their flabbiness. And the church needs to get the fact that people won't go to a church when they feel like they're being judged for their spiritual flabbiness. People need to be given a license by the church to begin a journey towards spiritual health and wholeness. And what happens when we don't give them that license to begin that journey? They just stay away. It's that simple. They won't picket in front of your church, they won't start a petition or email their senator. They'll simply either never show up or never come back.

So, create a culture of grace. Maybe you don't lead a church, but you're probably a person of influence at work or at home or in your neighborhood. Let grace be your registered trademark. Give people a license to be themselves around you and then partner with them on a journey towards spiritual health and wholeness in their lives.

Grace-the registered trademark of the church.

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4)

The "In Crowd"

I just got back from an incredible evening with about 30 Journey leaders as we dreamed together about the ridiculously bright future that is ahead for all of us. And an inextricable part of that future becoming reality is Life Investments. LI is the vehicle that's going to help us accomplish our dream of maximizing our current campus (check), hiring staff (check) and preparing to move to a new and better place (a conspicuously missing check).
A number of generous givers shared tonight why they are giving and will continue to give big towards Life Investments. The repeating mantra seemed to be "we're giving and will continue to give because we're in. We get the vision; it's been clearly communicated. Make no mistake about it: we're in."
And their rationale is shared by Amanda and I as well; we're giving and will continue to give because "we're in". Our hearts and our treasure are tied (with multiple knots) to a local church that is bursting with potential and promise.
This week, dozens of families and individuals will be praying for the Holy Spirit to instruct them regarding what they are to give towards LI. And then on Sunday we'll gather and make a pledge to continue to give or pledge to give for the first time. Whichever category you're in, I'll be praying for you. I'll be praying that you'll catch this vision and I'll be praying for it to catch you. If you're not a sojourner with us, then I'd humbly ask that you'd pray for us this week. Pray that God would lead us in our act of obedience and generosity and that his kingdom would grow and people would experience the salvation and grace that only Jesus affords.
I'm in the "in crowd." I'd love for you to join me.

Fall40

Have you ever been around someone who just really knew how to connect with God in prayer? And when you heard them pray, something in you wanted to pray like that too. That’s how the disciples must have felt when they heard Jesus pray, because they asked “teach us to pray.” So, Jesus says "pray like this" and then he prays the prayer that's commonly known as the Lord’s prayer (found in Luke 11). But it’s what Jesus says after that prayer that I think is often overlooked when it comes to how we approach our heavenly Father in prayer.
Jesus tells the story of a man who needs bread. And this man goes to his neighbor in the middle of the night and asks him for what he needs. The neighbor is at home and in bed and (understandably) doesn’t want to be bothered. But the man who needs the bread keeps knocking. Here’s how Jesus concludes the story: “But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
I love this story, because this isn’t how I would have expected Jesus to describe his heavenly Father. Jesus is basically saying that God plays the role of the reluctant neighbor when we’re in need and that sometimes God gives us what we need for no other reason than our shameless persistence.
So, during this Fall40, how shamelessly persistent are you being? Are you asking God again for what you need? And again? And again? Don't quit praying, because He might be putting on his slippers and getting ready to open the door and finally give you what you need.
And we’re being shamelessly persistent in our prayers for the future of The Journey. Almost a year ago, we began a three year journey of giving big towards the dream of Life Investments. With persistence we prayed that God would help us maximize our current campus to better reach and connect people. The result: a beautifully renovated campus where people are being reached and getting connected. Then we persistently prayed that God would allow us to hire staff to empower members for ministry. The result: full and part time staff have been hired and are empowering Journey members for ministry. Now we’re praying that God would help us prepare to move

to a new and better place so we can continue to grow. And because we’ve learned a little something over the past year, we’re going to pray that God would help us with what we need. Would you join me in persistently praying that God would help us prepare to move? And then would you pray again? And then again?

Below is a song that captures the essence of moving forward. Let it set the tone during your prayer time.

New song

I went to Catalyst last week in Duluth, GA. And for two days I and 13,000 other next gen leaders listened to preachers and communicators inspire us to make our mark and to do something great for Jesus' kingdom.
But preaching wasn't the only thing that was on the Catalyst menu for those two days. A big part of the Catalyst Conference was the amazing and dynamic worship that we experienced.
We sang along with Steve Fee and Aaron Keyes among other gifted and anointed worship leaders and bands. And many of the songs were songs that I've known for years, but there were others that were entirely new to me. And as we, the crowd turned choir, lifted up our voices, I realized something about singing, and more specifically about singing a new song.
I realized that when I sing a new song, replete with fresh & sacred (not a paradox) language and lyrics, that my concept of God is expanded. Conversely, when I get stuck in singing the same songs (praying the same prayers, reading the same books, etc.) the parameters around my concept of the greatness of God become frozen.
6 times the Bible instructs us to "sing a new song" to God. Why is that? I think it's because when we robotically (via human nature) sing an old song (that was new at one point in time), passion and perspective can't help but bleed. We can sing an old song with fresh passion and perspective, but it's hard. When you sing a new song, passion and perspective come more easily because it forces you to think about God in ways you haven't previously thought about Him. When you use words that you hadn't previously used to describe God, your evaluation of his greatness actually expands in real time.
So, are you singing a new song?

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. (Psalm 96:1)

One Prayer

Next Monday we'll kick off a 40 day prayer initiative at The Journey called Fall40. It's an annual thing we do and this year our tagline is: "Pray it Forward". Why "Pray it Forward?" Because we know that without prayer there may be movement, but with prayer ultimately there is forward movement .
So, I was wondering: if you could pray one prayer for The Journey right now, what would it be?
Comment on this blog or email me @ andrewwilson@yourjourney.tv and let me know what one prayer you'd pray (or are praying) for The Journey this fall.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)