Dan Gould

Tag: Discipleship

  • Stirring – Character

    “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs 27:19 (NLT)

    Let’s face it, we have learned to play the game. “Fake it till you make it!” has become our motto in life. At a young age we learn to adapt to situations, groups, lifestyles and so on. We even learn to look good on the outside and hide what going on on the inside. Jesus addressed this when he confronted to the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23. Check it out here:

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,[i] and then the outside will become clean, too.” Matthew 23:25-26 (NLT)

    If God is stirring that means He is going after your heart. What is in your heart will eventually be seen in your actions and lifestyle. A person of Character is consistently evaluating the condition of their heart and mind. Their desire is to be like Jesus more and more everyday. Here are some qualities of people who have High Character:

    • They are people of integrity (their public and private lives are consistent)
    • They are truthful
    • They are authentic (what you see is what you get)
    • They stand up for truth, their convictions, and their commitments
    • They are self-controlled
    • They know when to talk and when to be silent
    • Their words and their lifestyle are consistent
    • They are letting God transform them from the inside out

    Being a person of Character simply means doing what is right because it is right. For a Christ Follower, that starts by allowing God to work on the inside, so the inside is revealed on the outside. Please understand that Character development is an ongoing process and doesn’t happen overnight! Everyday we have the opportunity to be transformed. So, with that being said, here’s the bottom line: If God is stirring, and we desire to be used by Him in supernatural ways, we have to become people of Character by allowing God to transform us from the inside out! It starts and ends with Romans 12:1-2,

    “And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

    Today, let’s ask God to change us from the inside out, that we would posses these qualities and become people of character that can be used by Him.

  • Stirring – Accountability

    “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

    When I was 18 this verse was grained in me by my Youth Pastor. He modeled and taught me how important accountability is.  When we look at this verse, it sounds simple!  We all want and have friends.  But this verse goes deeper than just a simple Friendship.  For iron to be sharpened it has to have some kind of friction that make it sharper.  For you to be the person God has created you to be, and then to do the things he is calling you to do, you need to have people in your life that can and will hold you accountable.  These are people you trust. People that love you unconditionally.  These are people you give permission to ask you the hard questions.  You need people that create Godly friction in your life so you will become more like Christ.

    The fact is, we need these people in our life.  Our relationship with Jesus is a personal one, but it’s not intended to be a private one. We need people to help us see the things we don’t see.  We need people to help us own the things that we want to hide.  We need people to hold us up, when we are fighting sin and feel weak. We need people to encourage us with words of life!

    I have been blessed with some great men of God that have held me accountable.  I am in a group right now that is holding me accountable to these 10 things:

    • Have I spent daily time in the Scriptures and in Prayer?
    • Have I had any flirtatious or lustful attitudes, tempting thoughts, or exposed myself to any explicit materials which would not glorify God?
    • Have I been completely above reproach in my financial dealings?
    • Have I spent quality relational time with family and friends?
    • Have I done my 100% best in my job?
    • Have I told any half truths or outright lies, putting myself in a better light to those around me?
    • Have I shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?
    • Have I taken care of my body through daily physical exercise and proper eating/sleeping habits?
    • Have I allowed any person or circumstances to rob my joy?
    • Have I lied on any of these answers today?

    Accountability is risky! It makes you vulnerable!  But it doesn’t work unless you are truthful and ask for it.  I can tell you several stories of people, men and women, who have fallen because of a lack of accountability.  Some of these people even had great, Godly people in their lives, but they didn’t allow anyone to love them, ask the hard questions, and help them become the person God created them to be. But I can also tell you stories of victory.  Where someone seeks accountability and God changes that person from the inside out and goes on to use them in great ways.

    Here is the point, God is more concerned with Who you Are, than what You Do!  Many times we forget this and miss the most important things in being a Christ Follower . . . becoming like Christ ourselves.  We need each other and together we can be the people God has created us to be.

    “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
    Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

    Today, will you be a person that tries to do this on your own, or will you invite others in so you can be the person God has created you to be?

  • Stirring – Perseverance

    “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 (NIV)

    I have to admit, this is hard … sometimes it’s really hard. As I look back on the last two years of my life there have been times I have questioned my faith, questioned my God, questioned my calling, and questioned my effectiveness. You see when things get tough we panic and think something is wrong, therefore we begin asking the “What’s wrong questions?” Questions like:

    • What did I do to deserve this?
    • God, why aren’t you taking care of this?
    • Did I listen to the wrong voice?
    • Did I make the wrong choice?
    • God, where are you?

    Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? 

    I have asked these questions and many others.  But here is what I have learned, and trust me … I am still learning, when a situation arises, I need to ask these question, but I also need to decide who I am going to trust.  I can either turn to God and trust Him, or turn away from God and not trust Him.  I can either worry and live in fear, or I can worship and live in faith. But ultimately, the choice is ours.

    I understand that when bad things happen, we are at a loss and begin asking some major questions! I can’t tell you how many times I have had a teenager ask me, “If God is a loving God, why do bad things happen to good people, even Godly people?” That’s a great question and I answer with John 10:10, where Jesus says,

    “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 (NLT)

    We must remember, that we have an enemy.  He is determined to steal, kill, and destroy anything good that God wants to do in our life.  He want’s to steal our joy, so we don’t talk about God’s blessings, He want’s to steal our peace so we question our faith, our God, and our effectiveness, so we don’t talk about God’s faithfulness.  He wants to destroy our confidence, our influence, and our testimony for Christ so it kill’s our ability to be impact others for God’s Kingdom.  Basically he is out to make our life hell on Earth.

    So, the next time a problem arises, ask the right questions, seek the Lord, and trust that He isn’t absent.  Turn the Worry into Worship, the Fear into Faith and let God do the impossible.  Pray Ephesians 3:20 which says,

    “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

    You never know …  your greatest challenge, greatest obstacle, or greatest question, could be the very thing that God uses to show His greatest impact through you.  It could be Gods Refining Fire, that is burning away the impurities from your own life so He can maximize your influence for His Kingdom. Be Faithful!

    Today, Let’s seek the Lord, Trust Him, and turn our Fear into Faith and our Worry into Worship! Let’s press through the tuff time and stay faithful to the Lord!

  • The Revolution Begins

    Tonight, Stephanie and I are hosting a group of students that have been meeting together for the last 11 weeks on Sunday Night and doing a daily study from a work book called Max Q.  I know, the title is riveting!  But when you understand what Max Q is, the title makes sense!  11 weeks ago we had an open call to any student that was willing to take on this challenge and be a student of influence.  Here is what we introduced to them 11 weeks ago:

    MAX Q
    Becoming a Student of Influence
    Week 1 – Introduction

    Christ is the strongest, grandest, most attractive personality ever to grace the earth. But a careless messenger with the wrong approach can reduce all this magnificence to the level of boredom. ~Jim Rayburn

    The real problem of lost teenage America is not a lack of evangelism but a lack of substance in the Christian students who live, study, and play among them. ~ MAX Q

    As we begin this journey together our desire is that your Character would be stretched, encouraged, and challenged.  At Fusion, we believe we begin to develop students of influence only as we choose to put our focus on the character of our students rather than the charisma of our environments.  The breadth and power of our students’ influence on their unbelieving friends are directly proportional to the depth of the content of their character.  And the effectiveness of our ministries in influencing the unbelieving student culture is absolutely dependent upon the character of our core students.  Our goal in this process is that each of you would take the steps to become what we call core students.

    Why Max Q?  Max Q is a term used in the space-shuttle program at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  You see, roughly one minute after launch, a space shuttle must withstand a condition of extreme force called “maximum dynamic pressure” – “Max Q” for short.  This is the critical point in flight from an aerodynamics perspective.  It’s when the most stress is placed on the vehicle.  It happens just after the shuttle goes supersonic, at an altitude of 25,000 to 35,000 feet (5 -7 miles up).  Mission success demands that all systems on the space shuttle perform at the highest level.  When designed properly, prepared carefully, and executed perfectly, the shuttle and its crew safely reach orbital velocity of 17,600 miles per hour at about 8½ minutes after launch.

    Our role in your development is difficult, yet so significant.  We (your leaders) must create  ministry environments that develop students who can withstand intense pressure.  Students who can be light in dark places. Students who will not waver from their faith while they passionately pursue relationships with their lost peers.  Students who know how to gain influence and earn the privilege to lead.  That’s our desire as a ministry and the question we ask you before we go any further is this . . . Are you willing to be that type of student?

    If the answer is yes, here’s where we have to start.

    1. It has to start with us your leaders!  Our leaders must make a commitment to model, lead, challenge, encourage, correct, and hold you accountable to the things of Christ so you can be the person of influence God is calling you to be.
    2. It starts with you! You have to be willing to be stretched, lead, challenged, encouraged, corrected, and held accountable to the things of Christ. It is going to take some work, there will be times it may be hard, to be honest, they may be times that you want to quit or disagree with the process … but I promise in the end, God will use this process to teach you what it means to be faithful, what it means to be a person of Character, what it means to be a person of influence, and what it means to be a person that is used by God.

    The students that are coming over tonight desire to be used by God.  They are a work in progress and some of them will move on to mentor the next group of students that will take Max Q in the spring.  Some will retake Max Q because of their lack of doing the daily study or missing too many sessions.  Regardless, tonight marks a starting point for our ministry to begin developing student leaders.  In the Spring, I will offer this to our adult leadership team. We will meet at the same time as the students.  Josh Harris who has been shadowing me in these last 11 weeks and will lead the next class of students through the material while I lead the adults through the materiel.  (by the way, I think every adult should go through the class, these principles aren’t just for students, they are for anyone that wants to be influential.)

    I am so proud of the students that took this serious, didn’t give up, and are seeking ways to be an influence in the arena of life that God has placed them.  I am excited to see what God does through them and He uses them to advance His Kingdom!

  • Stirring – Surrender

    “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”John 3:30 (NLT)

    It’s not about me! It never has been about me and it never will be about me.

    I have to be honest, this is something that is easy for me to read, and even say, but in the depths of my heart, I am still very selfish! It’s easy for me to say, “It wasn’t me!” or “It wasn’t my fault!” when things go bad, but when things go good, something changes.  All of a sudden I want the recognition, the praise, the hi fives, and what ever-else you want to give me … I want it all.

    But this word surrender is so deep, honestly way to deep to write about in a blog, but if God is stirring on the inside of me, there has to be an act of surrender that happens also, and it has to happen in these 4 areas for sure:

    • A SURRENDERED HEART!

    This is the first step.  Without a surrendered heart you will remain focused on yourself and miss out on the things that have Eternal value.  If you have never trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have never really surrendered your heart.  A surrendered heart breaks for the things that break the heart of God, and stirs within us the desire to be transformed and used by God for His Kingdom.

    • A SURRENDERED WILL!

    This is the outward expression of a surrendered heart.  This is where our actions meet up with our beliefs and our words.  I believe this is what James is going after when he says,

    “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:22 (NLT)

    Jesus knew this well also.  We see this in the garden when he is talking with God asking if there is any other way to redeem man from sin.  Look at what he prays,

    “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42 (NLT)

    A surrendered will is where follow-through happens.  It’s what allows others to see Christ in us.

    • A SURRENDERED PLAN!

    It’s easy for us to claim this verse in Jeremiah,

    “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”’ Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

    We like this verse because it makes us feel good to know that we have a purpose.  But it says that God knows the plan for us … what if His plan is different than the plan we thought it would be?  What if his plan is different than the plan we have seen in some of our mentors? This is where I have to remember, that God made me to be me, not a carbon copy of someone else.  Therefore, God’s plan for me may be different than the plan He has for someone else.

    Please don’t hear what I am not saying, I feel many times we do something, believe something, and act a certain way based on what we have seen and learned from someone else.  We look at what God is doing in them, how he is using them, and think to ourselves, I have to believe, say, or do, this or that, to have God use me effectively. Don’t get me wrong,  you need Mentors and Godly role models, but remember, God uses these people to help point you to what HE wants to do in you, and through you, not for you to be a mini me of them.  God’s plan may be radically different than the plan that he has/had for the influences in your life. This doesn’t mean that there is a conflict or contradiction. It simply means that God has used someone to influence and encourage you to be who God created you to be and now its time to step up and surrender to the plan God has for YOU!  God may be doing something different in you, don’t be afraid of that, but seek the Lord in that.  Remember what He says in Isaiah,

    “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

    • A SURRENDERED LIFE!

    This is the ultimate goal, that every aspect of our life is surrendered to God.  I believe we live out Romans 12 1-2 when we surrender to these 4 areas.  Let this be our goal today,

    “And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

    Today, who will you surrender to?  The fact is you will surrender to something or someone.  For me, I am working on these 4 things, will you join me?

  • Stirring

    “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

    Have you ever had this feeling that God was about to blow you away?  I’m not talking about striking you down or writing you off.  I’m talking about blowing you away by something He does in you, around you, and possibly even through you.  Has it happened before?  Could it happen again?

    Every time I see this verse I am blown away by Gods ability to use a person like me to advance His Kingdom. I mean, he knows all my failures, the things I wrestle with, and despite all these things, he uses me.  This in itself is a miracle.  However, I believe it is the desire of Gods heart to move through his people and do what we think is impossible.

    Luckily for me I have had some great people in my life that have challenged me, loved me, encouraged me, and held me accountable.  God has used these people in huge ways.  But just like God has used these people in my life, He wants to use me in another persons life.  This is where the stirring begins to happen.

    Being aware that the creator of the universe, loves me, has a purpose for me, and  desires to use me, is the stating point for you and I to see God do the impossible.  It’s the starting point to see Him do infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Have you come to this awareness?  If so, how are you responding?

    I feel that God is on the verge of doing something big in my life, I have no idea what that might be, I just know that He is stirring my heart and my thoughts.  Yes there are times it’s scary.  Sometimes it’s going to be scary because I (we) have to rely on His voice, His power, His wisdom, and His provision.  Peter was scared to step out of the boat, but when he did, he walked on water. Here’s the lesson, if I (we) want to see God sized results, it must not be about me (us) it has to be about Him, and I (we) must keep my (our) eyes on Jesus.

    Over the next couple of days I want to break down some of my thoughts and desires on what God is stirring on the inside of me.  If it can be an encouragement to you, great!  But to be honest, this may be more for me than for you, but you are welcome to join me in this journey … who knows, maybe God is stirring you in the same way He is stirring me.  If that’s the case lets take serious this verse and ask God to prepare us for to be blown away by what He Chooses to do!

    Today, lets ask God to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

  • Weekend Review

    What a bust week into a busy weekend.  However, I feel like we have made some great progress in a short amount of time.  Last week I e-mailed every students that attended our weekend service and filled out a communication card, to let them know I am praying for there request and to follow up on some decisions they were making.  Several of our Students indicated that they wanted to grow spiritually but admitted that they didn’t necessarily have a plan to accomplish that.  Here is what I sent them,

    1.    Find a consistent time and place to meet with Him. I spend time with God early in the morning, but I used to spend time with God late at night before I went to bed.  The time doesn’t matter, what matters is that you find/make the time.
    2.    Read the Bible and Pray. When you read the Bible God speaks to you, when you pray, you speak to God.  Many times the question is where do I start, and how much do I read.  Even if you don’t like to read (I don’t like to read) its important, so start small.  Here is what I encourage:

    o    Pray – Ask God to forgive you of sin and to guide you as read His Word.
    o    Read a Bible you understand – NIV or NLT are great translations.
    o    Read 1 Chapter a day – A great place to start is in 1, 2, 3 John, James, or the Gospel of John, from there you may have developed a stronger habit and can pick a book from the Bible you would like to read.
    o    Highlight verses that impact you or seem to jump out at you.
    o    Think about what you read.
    o    Pray – Ask God for help, thank Him for the things in your life and lift up concerns to Him.
    o    Think about what you read throughout the day and begin to apply it to your life.

    3. Don’t Give Up! – If you miss a day, it’s going to be ok, just pick up where you missed and start there.  It will take a while for this to become a habit.  There will be days that you forget, or even days that you don’t want to read.  In those days still try to read but admit to God that you are tired, or feeling lazy, or stressed and ask Him to give you the strength you need to meet with Him.  It’s ok to be honest with God!  This will get easier the more you begin to have consistency, I promise!

    The services this weekend were awesome.  Great worship, the talk seemed to connect on personal levels and the Illustration about the family really allowed us to see the way it was supposed to be, and James a 9th graders shared his story and brought it all together.  It was so powerful.  Following the services we went to celebrate baptisms with three families.  It was awesome seeing Dads baptize their kids.

    Last night I was able to connect with Connor and Nick at Chili’s.  I learned a lot about them and had a great time hanging out.   Dash from “The Incredibles” (AKA Josiah) was there also!

  • Got one down!

    Josiah is starting to memorize scripture with me.  We have been in a series called HABITS on the weekend with our students.  One of the HABITS that has been weak for me is memorizing scripture.  So, I asked Josiah if he wants to do memorize some verses with me, of coarse he said yes.  He is so good he already has our first verse down.  Here is his translation of Hebrews 13:8

    “Jesus Christ is the same the other day, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

    He is doing so good and it is cute that he says the other day instead of yesterday.  I am excited to see how far this goes for both of us!

  • Small Groups

    Believe it or not . . . in fact ready or not, they will be here before we know it. Out of all the years of ministry I have been a part of, I have never been more excited for small groups to start as I am this year. I really feel like this year is going to be an amazing year at Fusion! All of our groups are meeting in homes and each home consists of a Coach, 1 guy and 1 girl Small Group Leader, 1 guy HS Intern 1 girl HS Intern, (interns are HS students) and of coarse students. Here is our calendar and the curriculum each small group will use this school year!

    small-group-calendar-08-092

    I am still thinking through this concept that I pitched to a community of youth workers when it comes to small groups. You can read it HERE! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!!!!