Dusty White is transitioning onward from CCC

The following is an email that I sent out on Friday, February 19th, 2010. It was primarily sent to Journey Group leaders, and a few others. Due to the JG Leadership blog having technical errors right now, I am posting this email here as well. Read it like you're a leader and you'll get the scoop...

I hit "send" with mixed emotions as this email traveled to hit your inbox.

After seasons of prayer, attempting to listen to whispers from the Holy Spirit, lots of discernment, and many conversations, I have decided to leave Christ Community's pastoral staff team at the end of March.

Over the last couple of months Jaci and I have been leaning into Jesus in deep and fresh ways. As a follower of Christ, as a husband, as a father, and as a pastor I want to consistently be living my life in great obedience to God and his pathway for my personal transformation and the transformation of those that I lead and shepherd. As a result of that long obedience, I have accepted a position at Coram Deo (www.cdomaha.org) Church, where I will be leading the discipleship movement with a Gospel-centered focus on spiritual formation and mission. I will be developing many things in this context: premarital and marital approaches, small group communities, counseling situations, and more.

The future of CCC is bright, clear, and strong. We have not made this decision because of strong discontent or a lack of future leadership opportunities at Christ Community Church. Rather, as followers of Christ, we must be willing to trade in our comfort for calling, our current focus for His mission, and our plans for His future in all things. If we trust Christ, we must go through life that way.

As your Journey Groups Pastor it has been an honor to lead and serve alongside of you. Your affirmation, trust, and faithfulness are among a few of the characteristics that I have cherished during our time at CCC. Your efforts are an asset to the kingdom, to Christ Community Church, and to those that you intentionally engage with for God's advancement. Please keep leading well, engaging your people in discipleship, and assimilating well into what the future holds for CCC discipleship efforts.

Although transition is healthy, it creates extra work and discernment for those involved. Please be praying for the Discipleship Team. Pray specifically for Mark Ashton and Tim Perry as they trust God in provision of future leadership. Pray for Reid Brown, Lisa Brown, and Bonnie Borgum. You all know that these people carry a heavy load for the discipleship of CCC. I have been and will continue to pray for your future leader. I look forward to meeting him and partnering with him as we all labor together for God's glory.

Although I will be taking some vacation time at the end of March, I am clearing my calendar to meet with you and others at CCC. All the way to the end, I will be giving my best days to God-centered conversations, helping CCC leaders determine strategies going forward, and assisting the ministry efforts as deemed necessary.

If you would like to grab coffee or lunch, don't hesitate to email me. With 180+ leaders I won't be able to make "all the rounds" but I will do my best!

As my Pastoral efforts transition, I echo the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:2-5, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

Thank you again for your partnership in the Gospel and for allowing me to serve you.

STOP shopping for infidelity and man up

This morning I awoke with my kiddos, read a few chapters in the book of Acts, and couldn't stop thinking about the disturbing "news story" that I saw on the 10 o'clock local news last night.

A married man, Noel Biderman, who admittedly says that he would be devistated to see his own wife shopping on it, has created an online business (ashley madison) marketing infidelity. We all know that the pornography industry has raped many minds, but for some reason this took it to whole new disturbing level for me. Noel Biderman claims that, "we were all created with DNA, and in our DNA we were created non-monogamous." A person doesn't have to get too far beyond the table of contents of their Bible to realize that we were created monogamous and that sin entered the world to reek havoc on God's intent.

The slogan is blatant, "life is short, have an affair." The entire target audience is for married folks who want to date - ON PURPOSE! What?!?!

According to the news story that I heard last night, this crazy thing was created in 2007, it is currently boasting approxiamately five million accounts and of course, just like the rest of our world's sin patterns - growing.



Of those 5 million accounts, here is the local heart-breakdown:

• 27, 874 accounts in Nebraska
  
• 8,479 women in Nebraska
  
• 19,375 men in Nebraska
  
• an increase of 110% from last year

Of those interviewed, some of the gals said that it is obvious that some of these (men) are looking to get caught so that they have an excuse for divorce. I don't know why I'm surprised, but this isn't ok. This just gives me another war cry for men to "man up!" Instead of getting the quick fix via the affair option, the world and the church desperately need men to put in the hard work that restoration requires. "Getting caught" so that you can have "license for divorce" is the opposite of leadership, husbandship, and hard work. Marriage is work - not boring (therefore, an affair). Come on!

Maybe this is old news to some of you since this entreprenuer endeavor was created in 2007, but I'm not stomaching it very well in 2010 and going into the future. Here are a few reasons why...

Before diving into some principles on marriage, the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthian church to FLEE sexual immorality. "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" 1 Cor. 6:13. Later on, in 1 Cor. 7:4, "For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."

In Colossians 3:5 we're told to "put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passions..." At the top of a long list, sexual immorality is at the top.

In Ephesians 5 there is a tall order for husbands and wives. The leadership and to do list for the husband is a bit longer for the husband, contrary to the higher stats for Nebraska male accounts on the ridiculous website. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of wather in the word..."

NOWHERE in Scripture does it say, "if you get bored in your marriage, find a website, create an account, find someone else who can relate, and create an affair."

Although the news is new, the war cry is the same - the world needs Jesus! Only the sanctifying work of God can turn such statistics and intents upside down. Only the Spirit, all powerful as He is, can do His work in people. Jesus Christ can be the Redeemer for a world lost in infidelity, and for the entrepeuners creating more accounts for it. Jesus also needs husbands, not men who happen to be married. There is a big difference. Husbands ask, "what does my marriage need today and how do I need to lead my wife in the sanctifying love of Christ." Men who happened to be married don't ask these types of questions and websites of infidelity target them. Such sites are stealing the marriage bed. And according to the recent stats, they are winning.

Pastors and counselors will stack up one appointment after the next to try and sort through these issues, but the reality is, with businesses and internet access into the future, the church is losing ground and the power doesn't come with man, but with God. My hope is that you can't stomach this well either and that something in your soul causes you to pray and intercede.

I'm not against entrepruners. I'm against infidelity - especially when dudes are shopping for it.

Are You in Need of a Relational "Tune Up?"

Are You in Need of a Relational "Tune Up?"

In order for our cars to optimally perform for the duration of their design, we need to periodically give them a tune up.  For many of us who began our group in the fall, we have arrived at the mid point of the year.  Just like our car, our group may be ready for a "tune up."

Among the many ways you could "tune up" your group, there is one you cannot ignore. Relationships are very important to the depth of disciple making that occurs in Journey Groups.  Our lives are extremely busy and full, yet we need to encourage the kind of relationships that help foster spiritual growth and transformation.  Advancements in technology encourage many of our relationships to be based on 140 characters or less.  It is much easier to invest in shallow relationships than in deeper ones.

Take the three question assessment to see if you are in need of a relational tune up this year:

How easy is it for you to name (first and last) every member in your group without looking at a list?

If you struggle, this is the place to begin.  Make it your goal immediately to memorize their names and facts about them.   You don't want to be the one who spends nine months in a group and not know everyone's name.

Okay, a little more challenging one.

Do you spend time with each other outside your group time?  When was the last time you did something "fun" with someone from your group?

It is okay to hang out every once in a while with a person from your group.  Obviously, it best for guys to do something with guys and gals with gals.  But if the only time we spend with each other is in your group time, you miss out on developing the kind of relationships that involve the mutual exchange of knowledge, kindness, service and celebration.

Lastly, what do you talk about when you are with each other?  Is it all about news, weather and sports?

The single best tool for helping move relationships beyond a superficial level is the asking of carefully thought-out questions and receiving honest, sincere answers.  Here are some examples of the type of questions a RISKS taking follower of Jesus would ask.  Give them a try next time you hang out with somebody you know by name from your group.

R - RELIES ON GOD
Where are you in your spiritual journey?
What are you talking to God about lately?
Who in your life are you close enough to that you can share your spiritual questions with?  (Be honest with - no ambiguity)

I - INITIATES INTEREST
How do you move intentionally towards spiritual conversations?
How are you praying specifically for non-believers?
When is the last time you had a non-believer in your home?

S - SERVES PEOPLE
How do you see yourself using your spiritual gifts?
What area of service do you feel pulled towards?
Where are you currently serving?  Do you sense that is a good fit for you?

K - KINGDOM INVESTOR
If time and money were not an issue what would you do?
Do you think investment of finances or time is the most difficult?
How do you think you can leverage your talents for God's Kingdom?

S- SHAPED INTO CHRIST-LIKENESS
How is your life reflective of how Jesus lived out his life?
What does being shaped by Christ look like?
How are you living out your faith with others?