Everyone likes to be recognized. We like the feeling of being seen, heard, known - remembered.  It’s satisfying to be acknowledged as having merit.  We want to be the hero of the story.  Recognition is an expression of appreciation and we like to feel valuable.

We also like recognition because it makes us feel something of valid or entitled; truly who we think we are (or should be). The problem comes when we cherish recognition from people more than from God.  It also surfaces in the shadows when we accept credit that should be given God. 

Recently, I have entertained the shadows.  But God has a way of offering steadiness to our unbalance.  The story reads in Isaiah 37 of Hezekiah praying to God to rescue Israel in the face of Assyria.  Hezekiah is quick to acknowledge God as maker of heaven and earth, the only true God, and God of all kingdoms of the earth.  Rightfully so, but a little late!  It’s amusing how we recognize God as supreme when we need Him and identify ourselves honorable when we feel deserving.

In Hezekiah’s contempt (Is 37.21-25), God reprimands him for bragging (something we do when we feel entitled).  Hezekiah, pride to march to his own drum, claimed how he climbed high mountains, reached far lands, conquered peaks, explored depths, find water and drank his fill, and emptied rivers with one kick of his foot.  God responds by say “I’ve been behind this all along….this is a longstanding plan of mine and I’m just now making it happen…”(Is 37.26-27). I think John the Baptist put it best; I must decrease so He can increase. 

Summer and I sat in front of five men last week with confidence they would see “super church planters” - recognize us. We walked away with regret, not because they turned us down, but because we felt they didn’t admit our abilities, experience, and talents.  I realize later that I wanted them to recognize me as a church planter - because I already defined myself as much.  “My long resume of church planting should be enough, gentlemen!”  Haha. I didn’t claim to do all Hezekiah did but I shared the same misplaced recognition.

God is the source of my abilities, experience, and talents.  He is the only person I need remembering, but then again His been behind everything. He called me along time ago and it’s been a longstanding plan of His and He is just now making it happen.  I’m glad He is allowing me to play a role.

Confession is good for the soul.

When I graduated from collage I knew I was called to plant churches.  After eight years I’ve learned a lot about myself and my call.  I recognize I don’t have the same skills as others, nor do I want them, and I understand the deep esteem one must have for the art of planting a church.  With that said I realize my biggest fear - missing the point.

I grew up in the mid-south.  Many of the sermons preached with charisma were about Heaven and how I will answer for myself.  So I naturally didn’t want to fail God.  In many ways I still carry that attitude.  I fear as a massager of Christ that I will stand before Him and hear Him say, ‘You missed the point. All you did was use me to make yourself important. You don’t impress me one bit.’ (Matt 7.21-23, Message) 

Starting a place for people to connect with God and others is a huge responsibility, not one to take lightly. Lastly, I’ve read a lot of books about church, theology, mission, and hope - each author with a different posture. Something I read a lot, and I don’t believe they mean harm, but it scares me is reducing “church” to business.  Jesus said, “Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans.  In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” (Matt 7.6, Message)

 Side note about me, something my wife and closest friends know - I rethink myself often.  I think that is why I work best in team, I have the freedom to throw out great ideas and people to help build upon or dismantle ideas.  Every time I finish a book I find myself rethinking our church structure, mottos, systems, etc again and again. I think this will always be an advantage to keep authentic and moving forward as a people of God.  To grow is to evolve and to evolve is to advance.  I hope Graceland is a community that is always growing, evolving with our world, and advancing the gospel. 

Recently I started asking friends to pray for Graceland and this community in Austin.  For the most part we’ve had amazing support and encouraging words from people.  On the other hand, I’ve had a few that turned me down politely.  They don’t loathe me or reject what we are doing.  They turned down praying for us “if” we are Emergent.  I won’t spend our time defining what Emergent is because there are plenty of books and people dealing with that issue.  But none agree to what it really means.  Either you have joined the group who defines themselves as Emergent or you are a church emerging.  Graceland is not apart of the Emergent movement (theological ideas willing to be entertained), but we will be emerging, because I’m emerging (moving up and forward).  I look over my life and I’m not the same person at any level I was ten years ago.  I love that about me, I love that about God. 

I clarify the above because we have decided not to use “Church” in our name.  We actually decided to refer to our community as Graceland People.  I have many reason why, one being people are the church and another being culture thinks of church as being a building and we are family, community, people, inhabitants of Austin - were more than a building.  We clutch the truth we are people of the Kingdom of God and this kingdom is among us.  Jesus was approached in Luke 17 by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you (or among you).  

The people of Jesus day had preconceived ideas of what the Kingdom of God would look like and act.  They were wrong.  Today many believers, churches, organizations have predetermined ideas of what church should look like and how the Kingdom of God rules.  They too are wrong.  I can’t say what Graceland People will look like in ten years, we are still emerging, but I can tell you it will look more like hands raised high then steeples with icons.