Dan Gould

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 6

    “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” v 9-11 (NLT)

    This is quite the list of sins and lifestyles that are not pleasing to God.  Sadly we live in a sex saturated society where lines have been blurred and lifestyles have tried to be justified.  This isn’t a new thing, these addictions and lifestyles were addressed in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  But they are just that, addictions and a lifestyle that is opposite of what God desires!

    When we ask Jesus to be a Lord and Savior, we surrender everything to Him.  Everything includes everything we were, are, and going to be! Everything means that we face and repent from who we use to be, Confess who we are and the struggles we have, and allow Him to transform us into the person that is more like him.  This may be difficult, you will have to face temptation, but Jesus has the power to take replace all of these desires that cause us to be addicted to these lifestyles, IF we are willing to seek Him completely not holding anything back!

    Today, what are you hanging on 2? May verse 11 truly be said of us!! No more games, no more hiding, no more justifying, Jesus we need you!

  • 5 Signs your team has Synergy!

    One of the challenges in working with a team (especially in the church) is creating momentum that produce life change!  I have been on a couple of teams. Teams that seemed to create, experience, and maintain momentum, as well as teams that just dreamed and talked about having momentum. But there is one thing that I have found to be a catalyst in momentum and that comes from the synergy of the team you are apart of.

    Synergy is the ability of your team to come together to stack hands and achieve thing together that’s bigger than what each of them could have done on their own.  It’s something that takes work to develop and protect, but once you have it, hang on for an incredible ride.  Here are things that I have seen from teams that have synergy.

    Authentic Leadership – There is nothing more engaging than being on a team where authenticity is modeled!  From the platform to the one-on-one conversations an authentic leader allows others on the team to see them from the inside out.  Nothing catapults a team more than being able to see the heart behind the leader and leaders they are stacking hands with. I believe this is where synergy starts.

    Celebration – Now I’m not talking about celebrating to the point that it looses its meaning!  I am talking about recognizing the work that’s being done by the efforts of the people on the team and by the people they lead.  Learning how to recognize the small victories encouragement to see bigger ones down the road.  Also, don’t limit the celebration just to work related things, celebrate the personal things also.  This communicates to your teammates that you care about them as a friend not just a co-worker.

    Spending Time Together – We have all heard the saying, “Love is spelled TIME!” Teams that have synergy simply hang out together.  They have learned the value of doing life with the people they work with.  It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but times spent with each other at work and away from work, goes a long way!

    Trying New Things – Teams that seem to have synergy are not afraid to change/challenge the status-quo. This allows for the team to talk through strategy, express creativity, and achieve something together.  You may not need to create new things, but evaluate what you currently do and talk about how it might be done differently. Some people like to manage while others like change.  Learning a balance here is very important.  Timing is everything and can create or kill the synergy with in the team and the momentum of the organization.

    Laughter & Learning – One of the greatest ways to establish and protect the synergy of a team is when it’s filled with both laughter and learning.  Create times where you learn together from God’s Word and other leaders.  You can do this by reading a book together, watching something together, or attending a conference together. It’s important spending time learning together, but it’s also important laughing together.  Create times where you simply hang out and enjoy being with each other, no agenda, just creating memories as a team.

    These aren’t the only 5 things that can gauge synergy. But I’d be willing to bet if your team isn’t experiencing synergy and moment, one, if not more, of these 5 things are missing!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 5

    “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.” v.12 (NLT)

    This is a difficult passage to read not just be cause it talks about sexual sin, but because it points out how we are to deal with those that claim to be Christ-Followers but continue to live in sin. Sin is serious and we can’t avoid it or it will run wild through our lives and if it’s not addressed it will run wild in our church causing our church to lose its witness in the community.

    This is challenging because we want to be accepting of all people, and let’s be honest, confronting someone of sin is difficult.  However, it may be the very thing that God uses to convict and correct their behavior and in the process grow you to greater maturity.  Remember, the goal is always to point people to Jesus and to challenge believers to become more like Him. Before you look outside at others, make sure you have looked inside at yourself. If you are struggling in a sin talk to someone who can listen to you, pray for you, encourage you, challenge you and hold you accountable. In this, is the authentic community that Jesus Rescued!

    Today, what do you need to confess and who do you need to challenge?

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 4

    “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” v.20 (NLT)

    Ouch! We have all heard the phrase “Talk the talk and walk the walk!” It’s a phrase used to remind us of the importance of putting our words into actions. For many non believers, they look at people who claim they are Christians with words but then contradict those words by their own actions.

    A true Christ-Follower lives by God’s power! Think about that for a moment! Are you living by God’s power? We unleash God’s Power in our life when we spend time in his Word weather by reading, hearing, or participating in the Word. But the Super Natural Power of God flows when we Meditate on His Word, Evaluate our lives according to His Word, and Activate our faith in the Light of His Word! When we do these three things, it brings His Word to life! This allows us to live by His Power in a way others can see Him more clearly.

    Today, lets live by God’s power so others can see that being a Christ Follower is not just a title but a way of life!

  • Leaving a Legacy

    Today, I attended a memorial service to celebrate the life of a man I never met! However, after hearing the testimony of the life he lived, I wish I would have had the opportunity.  Story after story, people shared of his life, his commitment to Christ, his love for his wife, kids & grand-kids, his generosity, his integrity, and his knowledge of scripture. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just a man who said he was a Christ-Follower, this was a man who lived every day for Jesus! The evidence of his relationship with Christ was seen and heard by the testimony of the people in the room.

    As I listened I was challenged, convicted, & encouraged to think about my own life & the legacy I would leave behind.  Would my boys be able to stand as his sons & daughters did today to tell about how their dad lived everyday for Jesus & challenged them to also? Would people be able to see evidence that I loved my wife as Christ loved the Church, & would others be impacted for Jesus by my influence?

    These are all questions that we need to ask ourselves from time to time.  These are the very things that will define who we are, who we live for, and who we touch with our life. It is the legacy that we will someday leave behind.  We don’t know how or when that may be, but lets live with no regret, taking advantage of the day and living it as if it were our last!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 3

    “Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.” v.18

    Sometimes I am my own worst enemy! It’s easy for me to deceive myself by looking at my life and thinking that I am doing pretty good.  I can see sin, call it sin, but then justify it if I indulge in it.  There are times that I try to fix things on my own, serve on my own, and simply live in the way I want to live. I can have knowledge of a lot of things and still be foolish. But I don’t want to live like this!

    I want to experience the Power of God that raised Christ from the dead, healed the sick, made blind men see, and the lame walk.  This can only be found when I step away from everything I know, and experience the unknown by putting my faith Christ.  Until I am willing to truly step out in faith, I will be trapped by my own knowledge, good works, and pride!

    Today, think about the areas where you deceive yourself. Are you willing to face the known and unknown and truly put your Faith in Christ?

     

  • 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?