Observation-Conviction-Action

Its true - nobody celebrates 5th place. Nobody throws a party for average. Nobody returns for mediocre. Nobody talks up a storm for, “it was just OK.” Nobody is thrilled to pay money for second-rate. There’s a life principle here:  What is important is done right. The quality of a product always says something about the heart of its producer.


As a man after God’s ways, Nehemiah understood this. He occupied a time in Old Testament history when Israel was a nomadic people, dispersed all over the world after their homeland was sacked by foreign enemies. He now finds himself divinely placed as a servant in the court of the reigning Persian King. He receives words from messengers that some of his fellow Hebrews have returned back to their land only to find their holy city, Jerusalem, and their temple, in shambles.


3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”  (Nehemiah 1:3)
When they found what was important to them “broken down” and “burned” they allowed themselves to be “troubled and disgraced.” In other words, they took it personally as a reflection of themselves, and more importantly, as a reflection of their God. Nehemiah allowed himself to be convicted and it drew him back to seek God for answers.
 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:4)


This was the catalyst that motivated Nehemiah to step up and lead his people back to their land to restore their temple. What is important, is done right. The quality of a product always says something about the heart of its producer. Observation led to conviction; conviction led to action.


Recent staff and leadership transitions have left some things “broken down” and “burned” at BridgePointe which affect weekly ministry. These are in addition to the impact of many years of being a mobile church. Many of our volunteers have been gracious in pointing out things that have fallen short of quality. That’s never easy to hear, but necessary to hear. It says to me as a leader that volunteers at BP want to be proud of their church and the God it represents. They, like, Nehemiah, “get it.” Their observation led to conviction; their conviction led to action.


Here’s how our restoration efforts can translate into action:


•    Be patient as new leaders seek to establish their teams and structure.
•    Volunteer at least once a month in 1 of the 7 areas listed weekly in the bulletin.
•    As a volunteer, be vocal to your team leader about needed changes.
•    Raise the bar as a volunteer with your own efforts.
•    Continue to financially invest in what God is doing at BP.
•    As a volunteer, step up to take a leadership role when asked by your team leader.


We also have some unique opportunities:


•    Volunteers to drive and drop off our trailers on late Friday afternoons or early Sunday mornings.
•    Volunteers to set up exterior directional signs on Sunday morning.
•    We have an opening for a 2-3 day paid role as a Financial Manger. Experience and a working knowledge of accounting required. Please send resumes to: wendy.snyder@bridgepointechurch.org

Travel Agency verses Tour Guides

Several weeks ago some of the Lead Team and myself had the privilege of sharing a dinner with guests who attended the largest Inside BridgePointe event since I’ve been at BridgePointe. At Inside BridgePointe I have the unique opportunity to share how we are fulfilling our singular vision of drawing people close to God. I express our heart-felt desire to seek movement in people’s spiritual life to discover faith, develop faith, and demonstrate faith. But I also share an important principle that partners with it: Personal invites are the most effective catalyst that encourage movement-  connection, growth, and involvement-  at BridgePointe.

As you may have heard me teach before, there is a big difference between a travel agency and a guide. A travel agency is the cooperate side of the trip. It is the formal attendant on the other side of the phone who books your ticket and provides you with necessary information for your trip.  But a guide shares the experience with you. This is the personal side of the trip. In a raft trip, a guide personally instructs you, gets in the raft with you, gets wet with you, paddles with you, eats lunch with you, and then carries the raft out with you. If you have ever gone rafting before, you know all too well that the guide will make or break your experience no matter how great the rafting organization is.

In a similar way, a church is the spiritual travel agency providing the needed information and event registration in a formal way. That’s the cooperate side of one’s spiritual growth. But that will only go so far. It’s the individual relationships at a church where that personal side of the experience “makes or breaks” the movement in one’s spiritual growth.  If you are wondering what that looks like, allow me to give one word: Invitation.

I’m not just speaking about inviting someone to join you at church on Sunday, although that is the most effective way of growing a church. I’m speaking about inviting friends and people at BridgePointe to join you when you attend events and offering to go with them. Invite someone you meet or know who is exploring faith or new to the faith at BridgePointe to attend Starting Point Group, or Equip  (formerly known as Basics) by offering to attend with them. Or ask someone at BridgePointe to join a Life Group with you. “Yes”-  Go with someone. This may mean sacrificing your plans and convenience for the sake of connecting with others at BridgePointe.

You have an opportunity invite a friend at church to go with you to the next Mpact, our men’s monthly gathering every second Saturday morning. Or, consider inviting someone from church to go with you to the Women’s Retreat coming in March, or the Ladies Night Out coming in February. Invite someone to volunteer with you where you help out. You get the point! If we rely on the church to be the spiritual travel agency that grows our church we will have limited and slow results. Or, we could see exponential growth at BridgePointe when we each assume the role and responsibility of being a spiritual tour guide in someone’s life. We can inform others of spiritual growth or share the experience with them. The difference will make or break one’s forward movement at BridgePointe.