DAN GOULD

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Author: dgould77

  • Family Update 1.17.11

    I am in the process of rethinking my blog & noticed that its been over a year since I posted something about the family.  So here’s an update!

    This past weekend we had the privilege of hosting the 7th grade boys during Fusions ONE Retreat! Our boy’s loved is maybe more than the 7th graders.  Jackson definitely gave them a run for the money when it came to energy and Josiah just hung out like he was in 7th grade.  I’m sure that going to come back to haunt us later when he actually is in 7th grade.  It was a fun weekend, but it wasn’t a seizure free weekend.

    While I was at the church, Steph was home with the boys playing Wii “Just Dance 2” when Jackson had a seizure.  No matter how prepared we feel we are, seizures are still VERY frightening! Steph knew just what to do and by the time I had gotten the message and called, Jackson was sleeping from exhaustion which is normal after a seizure.  When I got home later Saturday Night with the boys, Jackson seemed to be back to himself.

    Jackson seems to have 1 seizure every month in a half.  At first it was something we were told he would grow out of, but now his seizures have taken a different spin leaving doctors a little puzzled so it seems.  I’ve learned from his birth this seems to be the way Jackson likes to roll!  He is a miracle child that keeps his mom and dad on edge but trusting God with the details.

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 2

    “For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.” v.2

    Wow, what would this look like on a daily basis? What would it look like if we saw people based on what Jesus Christ has done for them instead of what they have done for themselves! How would it change the way we treat people, the conversations we have, and or the things that we do?  I don’t know exactly what it would look like, but I think it would radically change the way we live, how we talk, how we see others, and how we serve!

    Jesus saw everyone in the same way, sinners who needed a savior. Every encounter, regardless of who they were, He addressed sin and then revealed an opportunity to be loved and forgiven by God. He stayed focused on His purpose and didn’t get side-tracked by their situation. In this He was able to offer them what they really needed instead.

    Today, will you focus on Jesus and let everything flow from your relationship with Him.

  • Creating a LOW 2 NO budget Retreat with Maximum Impact!

    This past weekend was our second year to host ONE Retreat for our Fusion Students.  All of the prayers, recruiting, planning, and dealing with last-minute changes all came together when that first student arrives with a huge smile on their face excited about the weekend. As a leader, it can be challenging to offer a life changing event, let alone, a retreat, when money is tight.  However, it can be done.

    Here are a 3 things I have learned over the years:

    1. STAY LOCAL!
    The temptation is always to go somewhere else and not utilize the facility and people who are within your own church. Students don’t mind grabbing a sleeping bag and crashing on the floor of someones house, they just enjoy the time together. But this not only creates momentum in your group, it allows others within your church get involved in the weekend! This creates a church wide vibe about the Student Ministry.

    2. USE YOUR OWN LEADERS!
    The temptation is to bring in known speakers, worship band, and even professional leaders. However, doing so, limits the ripple effect from the weekend! The speaker will leave to speak somewhere else, the worship band will lead worship somewhere else, and the professional leaders, more than likely Student Pastors you may know, will return to their Students within their Student Ministries. The only people who remember details of the retreat are the students and a handful of leaders.

    When you use your own leaders, it allows what happens at the retreat to affect other areas of your ministry. It brings the student and their leaders together because they have shared in the same experience. Conversations can be deeper, laughter can be richer, and commitments can be stronger.

    3. USE RESOURCES WISELY!
    The temptation here is to be over the top! However, over the top cost a lot of money and limits who can afford to go to a life changing weekend. A lot of cost can be sucked into facilities, transportation, food, housing, equipment, print materials, and personalities. Much of this can be minimized by using resources wisely!

    With today’s technology you can use a podcast of some of the best speakers in the church today at the click of a button. There are people/parents of teens in your church that would open their homes for students to stay in over the weekend. There are other volunteers in your church that would be willing to cook some meals for individual groups, or participate in a large cooking team for each meal. Parents, Leaders, and other Church Members can provide transportation to & from the Church to the Host Home and an afternoon activity if you choose to have one. When it comes to facilities and equipment, they are already set up because you use them every week!

    These are just some things that I’ve learned over the years as we try to maximize our resources to create life changing events for students. Please note, having low to no budget, or using any of these steps doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality. You just provide high quality with minimal cost and more participation!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 1

    “The Message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” v.18 (NLT)

    The Cross! A symbol people wear around their neck, on a t-shirt, or as body art. It a symbol that has become a fashion statement adorned by believers and non-believers. But the cross is so much more than a fashion accessory.

    Over 2ooo years ago, the cross was a symbol of death.  It wasn’t something worn as a fashion accessory, but something carried in the final hours of someones life.  It would be much like an electric chair today.  So the message of the cross has always centered around death.

    But when Jesus was nailed to the cross, death and life collided.  Because the message of The Cross is good news to all of mankind. The Cross reveals the Greatest Expression of Love and Devotion. You see without the Cross, we are held responsible for our sin. The Bible says, “that the wages of sin is death.” Because God punishes sin, the Cross was the extreme punishment for sin. The Cross was the place where sin collided with God’s wrath & judgment!

    But, because God is a loving God, the Cross is the extreme expression of God’s love!  Jesus took on God’s Wrath and Judgment, when He was crucified on the Cross.  The Cross stands between God’s wrath and God’s love! It reveals both a God that seeks Justice and God that provides Love.  Therefore, it’s through the cross, where we experience the love of God and are able to love Him and others!

    Today, when you think of the cross what do you think of?  Has the Cross just become a symbol to be adorned or has it become the place where you surrender everything you are, for everything He is?

     

  • Bible Challenge – Philemon

    I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. v. 4-5 (NLT)

    There are two things that stand out to me when I read this passage! One is probably more obvious than the other but they are both challenging.

    First, you see the commitment and testimony of Philemon. Paul says he hears about Philemon from time to time and how the Lord is using him in the lives of other.  Philemons reputation is going before him and his influence is gaining because people are talking about him in positive ways.  This encourages not only Paul, but all the others that are carrying the name of Christ.

    Second, you see the commitment Paul has as a mentor.  This is not only a letter asking for help with some instructions, this is a letter of encouragement.  Paul was stating the things that sometimes never get said or leave people wondering if they are making a difference.  He was able to do this because he kept up with what was going on in Philemons life even tho they were in different areas serving.

    It’s a short book with 2 great challenges for each of us to question. First, has to deal with our reputation, testimony, and influence.  Could others say the things Paul says about Philemon about us? Why or Why not?

    The second challenge for each of us to question is this, Do we have someone we are mentoring? Is there someone we are challenging to be more like Christ, serving with, and capable of passing the baton to if God calls us somewhere else or something happens to us.

    These are the things that challenge me, and I hope they challenge you also. Let’s not just talk about it, Lets be About it!

    Today, ask yourself these two questions, “What type of reputation is my lifestyle producing?” and “Who am I mentoring and challenging to be more like Christ?”

  • Bible Challenge – Titus 3

    “But—’When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.[a] 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.’ 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.” v. 5-8 (NLT)

    This is another big BUT that changes how we live.  The fact that God, through Jesus, would step out of Heaven to provide a way for us to have a relationship with Him still blows me away.  But God chose to provide for me not based on my good works or my own righteousness, but with the nailing of His own Son to an old rugged cross.

    Its at the cross where the wrath of God and the Love of God collide.  Because God is just, he has to punish sin and because God is love, He provided a way to deal with sin for us!  This means I can never be good enough for God to earn Gods forgiveness or love!  But it also means that I can never be bad enough to keep God from loving me.

    Now don’t think that gives us permission to do whatever we want and just ask God to forgive us.  One day we will be held accountable for the things we have done, both good and bad.  Because of Gods generosity toward us, we should be compelled to live life in a different way, trying to learn and become more like Jesus everyday.

    Today, think about the difference God has made in your life.  Thank Him for stepping in and changing you from the inside out and providing a way for you to have a relationship with Him.

  • 8 ways to Maximize your Influence!

    Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the opportunity we have to influence others for the sake of the Gospel.  However, I wanted to share with you 8 things that will help you maximize your influence as a Leader, Mentor, Small Group Leader, Disciple Maker, or what ever title you want to give yourself.

    Be Yourself
    Let’s face it; there is always a temptation to try to be someone we’re not because of the insecurities with in us.  Things like, feeling like you don’t know enough, or that you’re not cool enough, or that you have to lead just like so-and-so to be effective. When we buy into these ideas, it cheapens who God has made us to be and limits how we allow God to use us! Don’t get caught up in the temptation to try to be someone you are not, be yourself and let God use you in the ways he has wired you to be used.

    Be Led by the Holy Spirit
    Because people are different, every conversation, every activity, and every situation is unique! It is vitally important that you are spending time with the Lord on a regular basis so you can be ready for anything. Remember, we lead out of the overflow of our own relationship with Jesus.  If we haven’t spent time with Him, we will try to lead out of our own power instead of being led by the Supernatural Power of the Holy Spirit.

    Be Prepared
    Let me make something clear, being led by the Holy Spirit is not at the expense of being prepared.  Before meeting, spend some time thinking about what you are going to teach and how you model it with your life. If you’re not modeling it, begin to model it to establish credibility, integrity, and accountability. Being prepared enables you to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit more clearly because He has already been leading you to the defining moment.

    Be Transparent
    None of us are perfect! Let me say that again, none of us are perfect! Leaders who act like they have it all together and never share their struggles, challenges, and learning’s, can cause others to struggle with sharing struggles, challenges, and learning’s.  But when a leader uses wisdom and shares appropriate things with the group it can ease the tension and allow others to share the things they are dealing with also. This may be the greatest risk as a leader, but it also has the greatest return when it comes to developing genuine community.

    Be a Good Listener
    Many times people aren’t looking for an easy answer; they are simply looking to be heard!  Remember, God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason.  A Good leader knows when to listen and when to talk.

    Be Aware
    Because we live busy lives, spending a lot of time together can be challenging.  However, with social media being the way it is today, we can keep up with each other through Facebook, Twitter, & or by reading a Blog.  We can leverage our influence with a simple encouraging wall post, message, or comment!  This allows you to stay aware of what’s going on in their life and show them that you care.

    When meeting together, watching body language, attitudes, and hearing the things said and seeing the things not said, can allow you to gain great insight to what is going on in their world.  Simply taking the time to be aware will allow you to have a greater relationship and greater influence with the people you are leading.

    Be an Example
    Nothing is more damaging to a group of people than witnessing the fall of a leader or having a leader that says one thing but then does another.  The reality is this, people may not remember everything they hear you say, but they will remember what you do, how you act/react, and how you live. Invite them into your life and be the living example that they need to see in-order to be more like Jesus!

    Be a Friend
    Your greatest influence may not be in a teaching or within a small group gathering. Your greatest influence might be gained more effectively through the casual conversation that happens when you hang out as friends.  Take advantage of the everyday things and invite people to participate with you as you watch a game, eat some food, or go to a movie!  You don’t have create new opportunities, just take advantage of the things you will do anyways and invite them along to have fun and simply enjoy hanging out with each other.

    God has given you the opportunity to lead and influence others. I hope these 8 things will help you maximize your influence as you challenge others with the truth of the Gospel.

    “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7-8 (NLT)

  • Bible Challenge – Titus 2

    “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” v.7

    We kind of example are you? We often know what kind of example should be and want to be, but sometimes the everyday things keep us from being that type of example.  Regardless, we are living examples of something.  Being an example of what it means to be a Christ Follower is a privilege, but it also comes with a high responsibility.  People are making judgments about Jesus by looking at our life as an example of what it means to be a Christ Follower!

    Just like a mirror reflects whatever is put in front of it, our life should reflect the changes Christ has made in us.  We will never be the example to others we need to be, and the example they need us to be, until we allow God to have complete control of the day-today and spend time with him consistently.  It’s gonna take work, but if we are going to be the example we are called to be its time to man up, stop making excuses and get serious about the things of God, so you will be an example to anyone that see’s you from a distance, or get to know you personally!

    Today, determine in your heart to be the kind of example worthy of the name of Christ! Don’t settle for being good enough, but challenge others to live for Him boldly by your genuine, authentic, and transparent example!

     

  • ONE Retreat – this Weekend & we NEED YOUR HELP!

    As you know, ONE Retreat is this weekend!!!!  We have a great weekend planned for our students, but we also have some very urgent needs as we head into the weekend.  Because we take registration up to the last minute, we are in need of some Host Homes for Friday and Saturday Night. 

    If you would be willing to let students sleep on your living-room floor, have spiritual conversations in your home, as they draw closer to God, and some even surrender their life to Jesus, then we need your help!!!! We will do everything we can to make this a positive experience for you! If you can help by opening your home, please e-mail Helene Millsap ASAP!

    Secondly, Steve Adkins is looking for some help providing Breakfast on Sunday Morning for all the students that will attend this weekend. He has it down to an art and would love to have you help and participate in what God will do in Big Ways this weekend.  If you can help cook on Sunday Morning please e-mail Steve Adkins ASAP!

    Lastly, because this is such a big weekend, will you join me in praying that God would convict, correct, challenge, & change our students and adults from the inside out!?! We want this weekend to be life changing as we focus on different aspects living in an “Unstoppable” way!

     

  • Bible Challenge – Titus 1

    “Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.” v 16

    This verse is pretty clear that there will be many that claim to be Christ Follower, but when you look at their life, their words and their lifestyle seem to contradict each other.  These people say one thing and then do another.  Some of them even go to church every Sunday but live like they don’t the rest of the week.  Sadly the world watches and make decisions about Christ based on how they see these people live.

    However, it’s easy to want to point the finger at other people and say things like, “They are such a hypocrite!” or “They call themselves a Christian?!?”  Yes, it is easier to look at others and find faults with them. But we have to understand that by the same measure we are looking and judging others, others are using that same measure to look and judge our life.

    Therefor, it’s important that our words and actions align! That our love for God transcends into our love for people, and we live a life that points people to Christ, not away from Him. We can’t control what others do or don’t do but we can set an example by living out the life Jesus has restored.

    Today, when people look at your life, who will they see?  Do the people around you see a person that is different, or do they see a person whose lifestyle and words seem to contradict each other?