Project Gideon 2014: Notes from the Second Session with Pastor Van Moody

What follows is a transcript of my notes from the second session at PROJECT GIDEON.  The speaker for this session was Pastor Van Moody. 

These notes were taken on February 13th.

------------------------------------------

PROJECT GIDEON

General Session 2:  Pastor Van Moody

--I want to serve you today

--Share from Book, The people factor

--the marketplace is eating this up; business arena

--the children of darkness are often wiser than children of light; they use God's principles

--Teaching from the book

Assignment:  pour a gallon in a cup

Deposit things in your life

Why the Ppl factor?

1. Stats suggest avg American reads one book a year

--leaders in body of Christ--read Word and one bk

--challenge: before May, get and read the Ppl factor

--22 years of preaching and pastoring.  Discovered most ppl have struggle with ppl, not God

--when you peel away the layers, core of struggle, not with God, it's with his ppl

--if it were not for Christians, there would be more Christians --Martin Luther

--in and out of church

--60-80 percent of issues have everything to do with relational issues (not giftings and talents)  Majority in businesses are struggling b/c ppl can't get along with each other

Prove 13:20: He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffer harm

--No such thing as neutral relationship

--every relationship you have infl you in some shape or form

--no such thing as casual relationship

--avg of five ppl you spend the most time with 

--I can tell you where you'll be by studying who you spend the most time around

--you have some kind of relationship with everybody, and all of the relations are shaping, influencing you, lifting you up

--wrong relationships will keep you tethered to mediocrity and derail your future

--you can be gifted, anointing, enamored with the anointing, what is your undoing is your inability to do relationships 

--stunt growth and prevent achievement

--this is church, history, etc.

--Biggest struggle didn't have anything to do with their gifting or talent

--(ted haggard, tiger woods, arnie schwarzenegger, Philip Seymour Hoffman...)

--ppl are not looking at giftings; but at his failures

--permanent blemish, scars due to relationships

--cutting statement:  reporters, to everybody except those who knew him, his death came as a surprise

--everyone who knew him knew he had a death threat

--school, conferences, we arent' prepared for relationships we have to do well

--kingdom of God revolves around relationship; everything in the world; body of Christ; we get vertical aspect; cross

--what we don't well is the horizontal realities of our faith

--Love your neighbor as yourself  it has both horizontal and vertical beam

--reconcile world to God and each other

--hanging between two faiths; nobody shouts right here

--in leadership, frustrated:  struggle with ppl

--just love God, love your neighbor

--not simple; people are nuanced, relationships

--what makes a relationship healthy and /or toxic

--Matt. 16: Law of Constructive transition

--major relations of the past can be stumblin block of future

--petros, upon this rock; get behind me Satan

Peter goes from building block to stumbling block

--sometimes relationships good building aren't good for you as you go on

--Law of True Value:  sometimes the most visible in your life are not the most valuable:  Zipporah;  she was not visible, not valuable;

--we emphasize the front and center, not always ppl front and center

--ppl praying for you, covering you, text message, 

--often, we sacrifice valuable the valuable ppl for the visible ppl

--know diff halfway friends and covenant partners; disappointment:  thought the friend was covenant  partners

--some friends like milk--for a short time and expiration

--I wrote the book I wish someone would have given me 25 years ago

--some of greatest heartaches due to ppl failures; 

--what I craved was someone to teach me how to deal with ppl

--through tears, pain, all I had word of God

--through relationships that hurt and disappointed; sacrificed for; searching scripture

--everything God showed me in his word, I put in the Word of God

--must have a lens to see it.

--The Journey Matters:  Understanding the Process of Great Relationships

Number one:  I gave too much too soon

--ex: a guy that looked good and mishandled everything; he resigned b/c I'm frustrated b/c I wanted pastor to be my best friend, wanted to have exp with pastor; what he wanted all access to pastor; and wanted to dabble in other ministries;  what I learned:

Mathematical Equation

too much + too soon + too freely = disaster

--we are hurt unnecessarily; 

--the journey matters; you've got to go through things w ppl to know who they really are

--relationship only a click a way:  lie from hell today; we need to walk with ppl for a period of time

--great relationships are not born over night, they take time but are worth it.

--since the beg of time, he's used same 2 things:  His Word and a person

--you can't find a great moment in your life that a person wasn't involved

--partnership between God's word and the person

--Significance of doing relationships well; God will bless you with someone in your life to bless you and elevate your life

--Jacob through Isaac

--God used ppl to promote, bless, lift

--intentional

--things required of you--not get anything for free; there are requirements for that kind of access

--God has put you in other ppl's life to help THEM.  They need to know not to take relationships with you in a casual manner

PROTOTYPE FOR A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Elisha and Elijah

We come to PG as role of Elisha

see from the vantage point of both sides

--qualification process they must go through

--on both sides, important to understand

--God wants to bless and promote you through ppl

--for that elevation to happen, relationship has to be healthy, not casual, not false pretenses, no pockets of disrespect, pure solid deep and full of integrity

--so many ppl have missed God's best b/c we don't get it.

--Failed to build the right relationships with right ppl the right way

1 Kings 19, 2 Kings 2--interaction between prophets

--relationship that blesses Elisha's life required some things from him. 

1.  Require you to prove your commitment and respect

Elisha: I want to inherit double portion; if you see me when I'm taken, otherwise not. If you commit to this relationship long enough, go through the highs and lows of ministry and you're still there after all of that, when I've made you mad, after others walk away; 

--stop giving your best to ppl who don't deserve it

--Elijah's been through too much, depths of depression

--he has been through too much

--fly by night ppl; some ppl want mantle they're not ready to wwear

--sometimes we want mantle we are not ready to wear

--Samuel's mom: made coats based on how much she knew he should grow

--healthy relationships will demand a high level of commitment

--staying in difficult relationships

--beware of lack of commitment in this generation

--commitment; respect

--you can't disrespect your Elijah's and expect to receive from them

--disrespect cancels benefit

--disconnect from disrespect

2. GREAT RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE YOU TO WANT THE BEST FOR THE OTHER PERSON

--elevations and promotions happen figuratively; we must be able to handle that

--unhealthy relationships will crumble under promotion, it's surface

--healthy relationships thrive in seasons of promotion

--you can't take them with you:  Paul and John Mark; how you know when a relationship has run its course, personally or professionally

--dominate theory from jewish and Christian scholars:  Paul and john Mark:  Acts 11; Barnabus and Saul Barnabus and Paul; early journeys; Acts 13; Paul and his companion; theory John Mark couldn't handle elevation that Paul went from understudy to leading the church

--I liked you when you were under somebody

--The moment God opens door and opportunities, some ppl can't handle it; stop investing in those kinds of ppl

3.  REQUIRE YOU TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SOMETHING POSITIVE

--learn to celebrate others

--you can't sit around and wait until the ship comes in 

--you need to be actively engaged in something positive

--Elisha is engaged in plowing a field; ppl called to greatness summoned to it while working

--anointing hits a moving target

--movement; keep moving; God's favor connected with positive

--Anything multiplied by zero is zero

--are they doing something positive with what they already have?

--Is your life even worthy to make a deposit

--you've got to be productive where you are; if you aren't productive on the level you're on, who's going to  give you a bigger stage; opportunity for bigger mess?

4.  DEMONSTRATE CAPACITY FOR HEALTHY INTERACTION

--best indicator of future behavior is past behavior

--if not working hard now, why would you expect different work ethic at different level?

--Elisha:  doing what needs to be done; committed to work; here's a person who doesn't need PR for self; you have to learn to be comfortable in their shadow

--Elishas mustn't need applause; not about sharing the stage; God entrusted YOU, not them

--they didn't earn the spot light; they haven't been where you've been

5. NOT MIND GETTING DIRTY

--Elisha's plowing behind oxen, driving; he's comfortable, working and walking through mess; walking working and dealing with mess

--healthy relationships are not perfect, ppl not perfect; mess will be there; challenges, misunderstandings, crises; working through those difficulties that makes relationship strong

--ppl who will walk with you through most diff seasons

--we abandon relationship and throw ppl away b/c they get on our nerves (problem with this generation)

--notion of abandoning them when diff

--prob: that's not the Nature of God

--God has a habit of playing in the dirt

--God's hand in mess, grabs, shapes, gives breath of life into mess

--why so afraid of mess in relationship

--Luke 13;

fig tree with no fruit; dig around it and let me put mess around the victory

--mess is fertilizer for your growth

--mess can help you grow

--we get this pastorally, but not relationally

--we can be trusted with their mess, 

--every relationship not neat and pretty and in box

--messy at first; produce fruit long term;

--great relationships 

6.  WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR SOMETHING NEW AND BETTER THAN YOU'VE EVER KNOWN BEFORE

--Elisha: let me kiss my parents and then come

--Elijah: 

--we are a limited resource; can't have one foot in this relationship here and one there; intentional and strategic when it comes to having prof relationships

--refuse to have more relationships than you can maintain: Bishop

--can't spread self too thin

--at best, surface relationships

--try too many ppl: become parasite, no deposits

--Elijah:  What have I done to you?  Is this relationship valuable enough to you to sacrifice; not one foot in one relationship, one in another

--stop trying to build relationships with ppl all over the place

--the price/degree of sacrifice determines its value

--ppl want you to cater to whim

--bring a gift every time I see Bishop; relationship is valuable enough to sacrifice something for it

--get it for him first

--we want everything, but we're not willing to sacrifice 

--bring a gift

--this transfer, impartation

--he says more on accident than ppl do on purpose

--sowing seed; what you value is determined by 

--if God moves through you to sacrifice, 

--God brings ppl to us

--I sent word and person

--Willing to sacrifice for it; your willingness to sacrifice

--don't leave this house without giving something to the Man of God; valuable relationship

--God, I see what you're doing;

--Do more in one moment than I can try to make happen in my own life

--Not tool of manipulation or oppressiveness

--Anybody in ministry is going to be overworked and underpaid

--If you're doing this for money, wrong line of work

--IN your marriage

--Love is spelled SACRIFICE

--God's principles

--jewish proverb;  Life is to be lived as a man or woman in rowboat; 

--not motorboat; motor behind you and facing where you're going

--Row boat:  face where you've been and move in direction where you're going

--most people take hurt pain etc. of bad relationships and put behind us and put to where we're going

-reason you need ppl factor; learn the lessons of past; use that as motivation to row into the future; where He's taking you/us

--Get the wisdom and direction; fuel for where he's taking you in the future

--speak:  the rest of your life will be the best relationally

Project Gideon 2014: Notes from the First Session with Bishop Jake

What follows is a typewritten transcript of our morning session at PROJECT GIDEON this year.   I know they need a little work, but I wanted to get them posted so others have access to these powerful notes.

The first session began on the morning of February 13th.

-----------------------------------------------------------

PROJECT GIDEON

#ProjectGideon

FB/Twitter

General Session 1:  Bishop Jakes

Last year, I gave you an assignment:  Bring me a Giant's Head

What have you mastered in this past year?  What have you overcome?

There's something about First Blood conquering

NOTHING is impossible to him who believes

Time to CHK your homework.  Groups of 10

This statue?  Reminds me that giants come

I have killed a lot of giants to be where I am

Nobody's gonna GIVE you Goliath's head, you've got to work for it, go for it

Groups of 10--nominate one

Draw 5 names, tell what happened

Bishop Jakes

--every generation has to start at Level Zero

--no true success unless there is a successor

--imp. to share with the next generation; so everyone doesn't have to start at zero

--mentor;  but when we get into unchartered areas

--when you pioneer scrape bruised, try to figure your way out

--I want to pass on the tools you need; I assume you are going to do great things.

--I assume you are not here to be mediocre

--If you are going to be mediocre, quit

--If you're not going to do it in the spirit of excellence, then you shouldn't be doing this

--"I wanted to discover what was in me"

--ppl as me "why"--because it was within my reach to do it

--Are you just going to do what you've seen done?

An encore of what you've already seen

--are you serving leftovers again

--Are you going to be unique

--First of your kind will be criticized

--You have to be silling to have backbone

according to power that worketh in you

--CUTTING TO THE CORE, GETTING TO THE ESSENCE

cut through influence, culture 

our family, our community, our education

peel past, get beyond cultural limitations

get past your ideas of faith defined by dead men

still living in what the dead ppl have told you

if we only do what our fathers did

somebody has to get out of the box

MAximize who you are

--scrape past cultural; gender, sector of faith, environment 

--how VAST the body of Christ is

--get past the groups

--body of Christ BIGGER than the churches you have spoken in

--emerging churches: 

--look around this room

--your circle is not the world

--decide:  are you called to your circle?  are you equipped to go into all the world when all you see is through your circle?

--your circle is too small for your God

--you do yourself an injustice to limit yourself with narrow perspective

--God wants to do something amazing in you

--shatter circles

--how foolish to think that your idea of fashion governs the whole world

--through the eyes of Americans

--alot of things you hold to be truth

--ignorance of poor exposure; laugh at wrong time; point at wrong ppl; make --rules out of tradition and worship at shinrene of your own opinion

--who says God is not going to anoint you you to go where all your eggs get scrambled

--who says God spks to you and 

--does he say all the world or all the hood

--IF we could ever wash culture out of your Christ...

--what you're used to...

--Most of church culture is learned behavior

--God didn't follow the rules I was taught; he used ppl I didn't expect

--God is bigger than what I was taught; he colors outside of the line

--release my territorial boundaries and be ready to recognize another form

--disciples always got in trouble when he came in another form  (ghost)

--are you broad enough to embrace him

--peel past all the things that have influenced you.

--if your generation is not the generation to cut to the core

increasingly irrelevant church

a church in over its own self

--when you walk away from the stage, is anybody pregnant or did you just have a good time

--your goal:  must impart

--critical mass:  impart some LIFE in them

--not about who shouts, dances, who bought the tapes

--when you sit down, is anybody pregnant?

--Less than 20% of Am regularly attend church

Half of early posters

--tired of being stimulated and not having anything meaningful imparted

--examine ourselves; what has happened to us

--so hungry ppl look to TV personalities to do what we were called to do

--we'd rather scream at the darkness than light  candle

--bankruptcies in churches; churches using chapter 11

--Church has business component; have equity in building; big deficit was the death of creativity from the leader

--death of creativity of leadership

the church is going bankrupt from lack of creativity

--concluded:  churches greatest asset is not the building.  It's you.

--they don't come to see your light show or dancers

--secular professor:  greatest asset of church?  YOU.

--if you understand who you are, you can do it in a tent.  They will come from all over the world 

--we put more effort in to stuff than we do into us

--put your efforts in the right place

--you guys saw the summer of my career; you didn't see my spring

--we were confused; you have more titles than members

--cart before the horse; not about bling;  clothes; CORE MUST BE RIGHT

--get the core right; all these things will be added to you

--if you are the greatest asset your church has, are you bankrupt

--banks understand that the building doen't make the loan; it's the pastor

--the bank understands your significance, do you?

--do you understand you beyond your package?  do you have any content?

--Q: what's in your box?

--invest in that perspective of who you are

--world drawn to you and walk away

They shake the box and nothing in it

backslidden: in orignial content; mule sits back on haunches, crouch down and back slidden;

--if you crouch down and get comfortable

--waiting for someone to hand you something instead of plowing

--obstinte; is your bitterness coming from the fact that no one is bringing your corn that you haven't sown

--God wants you to eat in relation to what you plow

--you shouldn't eat any better than you plow

--I look for work ethic; you can fix an outfit

--lazy spirit, entitlement, that's got to go; that's bankruptcy

--you cannot mak ppl slaves to your vision while you're drinking tea

This is not your season to rest; this is your season to plow

--Bishop:  you see me now?  You're seeing the last season!  You missed me me on a ladder painting, putting rent money in the church; fry chicken and cater to get money to get pulpit chairs; you missed when we slept on the pew between sunday morning and evening

--if you don't put anything in, you have no right to get something out

--core and motives must be right

--calling you into introspective, a time of

--evaluate what you have.  If you are greatest asset, catalyst of change, point of reference, how much do you know about you?

--Study you, help find your core

--"I was clear about my purpose.  I knew what I was called to do."

--ambiguity of "I was called to preach"--"preach" is transportation to what DESTINATION

--what is your purpose?  what is at your core?

--you're a preacher:  so what?!

--1,000 ppl that can wear clergy shirts in any given Sunday

--why?  special seat, you get water

--what did God get when he got you?

--When you walk in a room, what do we get when we get you?

--if you join my church, what asset did we get

"I got your back"--in what way?  what does that mean?

who are you?  do you know?

--you will mimic others, copy, assumed so many characters you never met yourself

--you become whoever comes to town preaching; sound just like them

--if future of church rests on you, what happens to church

WHAT DRIVES YOU?

WHAT TURNS YOU ON? (ppl don't know)

never stopped to learn their own equipment

what drives you

what stimulates your creativity

spiritual:  where does your energy come from

what drives you?

working with homeless?  teaching? training?  

What drives you:  trying to get to the core

Make it your business to watch your reactions so you can understand what you are best at?

WHAT DISTURBS YOU?

you've appointed ppl who aren't disturbed by what you're disturbed by

if you don't have a passion for it, what distubs you to give you power to fix it?

WHAT DO YOU DISTURB?

what moves? runs?  in your anointing and presence?

Leadership is determined by impact

Q:  are you the rock thrown in the pond, with no ripples

what are your core values?

what do you value?  Me?  Loyalty. Betray me, you're done.

SHIRLEY:  POSITIVITY

You don't know your core values, you surround yourself with ppl who frustrate you

Bishop:  I am creative 24/7.  I need ppl near me who are available 24/7

You work til the job is done, until it is finished

You can never build a team around you until you know.  

Great morals but LAZY as all get out

--deep need for ppl to be spiritual and holy--anointed but not equipped for jobs

--core of what is you

--David/Goliath:  your presence too important to be 

you are the light of israel.

if you are the mouthpiece, then we must make sure you are authentic.  Does the body look like the head?

--If you know God's ways, you know Him

Are the ways God put in you, are they flowing through those around you?

--you cannot have authentic organization if you are not authentic

--If you keep changing, how can ppl follow you

--Vast diff between great preaching and great leadership

--How can someone that can preach that good--50 members

Preaching and leadership are two diff things

You have to be both; if not, you have to hire a leader

Plan, Structure, Goals

--being a great preacher isn't enough.  YOu have to be a great leader.

--How effective is your leadership?  Does your staff reflect you?

--preachers who fuss are out of control; not emotional

--leaders beating on the pulpit, working out stuff in the pulpit--you're nto a man:  don't whip 100 ppl

--dont hide it in the sermon; have testicular fortitude

--taking up feeding time to do what you need to do in the office

--buck up and say what needs to be said and feed the flock of God

--distractions are hindering you from your destiny

--putting it off not getting any better

--ignoring it will not make it go away; confront it

--if you don't deal with it, it reproduces and spreads

--desired:  uniformity with the core

--churches have personalities

--uniformity to the core, get streamlined, distractions out of way; certain amt of pride to be a part, from top to bottom

--anytime you've got a well oiled machine, ppl are proud to be a part of it

--machine:  who you put around you

--imp:  how you pick your team

--Moses did all of his miracles with his staff

--stretch forth your staff; your miracles are in your staff; and if your staff can't do it, they're not the right pl

--your armor bearer is administrator, 

get a consistent brand, managing your brand; this is who we are, what we do; cannot be jumping from assignment to assignment

Road flourish while church suffers or the other way around

Your kids can't be like there if you're never there

Stop being 10 ppl

--some of you have not invested and your returns reflect your investment

--Little in, little out

--you cannot build your team with text

--the sheep will never know the voice or smell through Twitter

--you cannot do this on the run

--you are losing your ability to comm without it

--you cannot text into ppl what I'm talking about

--learn how to communicate when hurt, frustrated

--dangerous to have leader who cannot communicate

--Bait and switch; you promise love but you're not loving; we came because we thought we were getting one thing;babysitters did something else

--takes a decade to do something major; make a working machine

--it takes time

--be deliberate about the turns you take

--takes time to get it right

--you give up too easy; if it doesn't work out, you're ready to throw it away

--you're leading ppl

--bigger the thing you lead, the longer it takes to move it.

we want to see your authentic self is identified in you, reaching through your team, then reaching out to group and then world

--every component of church should be on same page, same brand

--mixed messages to public?  won't follow you.  Give ppl whiplash when you keep changing

Matt 16:13-18:  Jesus:  who do ppl say that I am?  (test question)

I'm going to build the church on revelation knowledge

Elias, Jeremiah

Don't run from controversy; you will be controversial; rumors about you; let the rumors ride; waste of time chasing down rumors

God didn't call you to convince ppl you're nice

--juvenile thinking

--ex:  man who wanted to know why bishop wouldn't place his book in the church bookstore

--now you like me?  what does that mean to me

--let me save you trouble:  STOP MAKING THEIR OPINION YOUR TROPHY/SUCCESS.

--you're not a politician.  BE WHO YOU ARE. NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY.

--PETER'S ANSWER.  The silence of the 11.

--the silence glares more loudly.  How dare they be silent?

--watch out for the silent of the 11; when you are under attack, nothing said in your defense

--Look into the text   Look at the inobvious

--That indecision is problem of leadership

--indictment--how many ppl around you are silent about who you are?

--always watch for those who say nothing; their silence is more damaging than affirmation of your friends

--1/12 spoke up:  thou art the Christ, son of true and living God.  I can build with that one

--if you can find one person, you can build house

--don't worry about 11 who don't get you

--Gates of hell won't previl!

--Don't worry about 11; tend to the one

ALL YOU NEED IS ONE

--BUILD ON SOLID, STABLE, IMMOVABLE, UNBREAKABLE

--anchor those ppl around you who get you; don't spend energy managing attitudes and expectations of ppl who are supposed to be on your side

--My father has revealed this to you--before the cross

--God show them who I am: This should be our prayer; REVEAL MY HEART TO THEM; HELP THEM SEE WHO I AM CALLED TO BE AT MY CORE, LEST I SPEND ALL MY TIME STRUGGLING IN A URSERY BABYSITTING IMMATURITY, SETTLING FOR MEDIOCRITY BECAUSE THEY NEVER UNDERSTOOD ME AT MY CORE

Ex:  green apple; I think it's an orchard; you think its an apple because you look on outside; if you can ever get down to the core, you will never see the potential of the apple til its cut to the core; somewhere in the cutting proces; eventually i will get to core; when i see seed/potentil , life-giving part of you.  I want to get you down to the core.  This is what gives life.  Outside does not give life.  

--God has been cutting you down to the core; and everythng you lost, you didn't need; everything you cut away will not mater; at end of the day, you have at your core all you need to rise again

--though he slay me, yet will I trust him