by Sam | Oct 23, 2018 | Reflection
An insecure leader is one of the most destructive forces in the world. Out of their own fears and hurts, they harm those around them. I know from experience by serving under one. It was a difficult season, yet one where I learned so much. Some of the greatest leadership lessons I’ve learned were during this time, and the most profound lesson that I learned was how not to lead. No matter what capacity of leadership you might be in, here is how not to lead. LEADING FOR APPROVAL Every single person was created for approval and affirmation from God and from others. Yet if we are not secure in who we are and approved by the Lord first, we will soon abuse our position to gain praise from people. We can’t effectively lead those who we desperately need to like us, because we are actually following their opinions rather than the voice of the Lord. As a leader, you will have to make the right decisions even if it’s difficult and unpopular. If Moses was leading for approval, he would have led the Israelites back to Egypt the moment they complained. He wasn’t leading for approval, but as a man appointed by God. Only then can you faithfully honor God and serve your people. LEADING WITH AN AGENDA During that time of my life under an insecure leader, I was asked to do things that honestly didn’t make sense. It didn’t align with our purpose as a ministry, and it was proving to be ineffective as well. When I asked the leader why we were doing it this...
by Sam | Sep 25, 2018 | Guest Blogger, Inspiration, Reflection
by Koob Vang “Wilderness” is a word we often use to denote rough seasons in our lives. It’s sometimes a journey of loss and sorrow, and other times, a journey that’s weird and confusing. We find ourselves in agonizing pain and excruciating heartbreaks navigating through an endless tunnel. Something God has been really teaching me through the wilderness is to value the intimacy and the life that can only come while being in the wilderness. I’ve been overseas for over a year now and some days, it’s been a wilderness. There are only a few people I can fully express myself to. I’m limited by the language barrier. I can’t simply go down the street and buy something without struggling. I can’t pay my own bills without depending on others. And I can’t find any clothes that comfortably fits me (but this is totally my fault being American-sized). I wish there are times where I can just drop everything, be a student again, and take a summer vacation back to my parents’ place. But that’s not reality; I have to face the wilderness I’m in. There are two sides to the wilderness though. One that takes life away and the other that brings life. The Bible speaks of the wilderness as a place that is mostly dry, barren and filled with roaming wild animals. The prophet Jeremiah calls it “a land of desert and pits…drought and deep darkness…that none passes through, where no man dwells”. It is also called “arabah”, which may be translated to desert, wasteland, or pain. A few years ago I went to Israel and...
by Sam | Sep 4, 2018 | Inspiration
Summer is coming to a close, which means fall is just around the corner. Fall means the weather gets a bit colder, the leaves start to change, and football gets underway. Wins and losses don’t matter until the actual season begins, but there is a purpose to the pre-season. That’s when teams finalize their roster and athletes train for the grueling season ahead. They are willing to endure pain and pay the price so that when the season does begin, they are ready to go. They run up hills and do exercises that stretch them in the pre-season all because the real season matters. Ultimately they are training in pain in the pre-season so that they can play through the pain in the actual season. In the same way often times sowing is hard and painful like that of a pre-season. Why? Because actually reaping during the harvest season is going to be backbreaking labor. Sowing is hard because harvesting is harder, and we need that training. I believe we are on the verge of entering into a new season. So much of what we’ve been contending for and sowing into and watering will come to fruition, but currently we are in that pre-season time of preparation. One of the themes God has been speaking to us has been about new wine and new wineskins. (If you haven’t listened to the sermon from our most recent gathering by Janet, go listen to it now!) I believe this message isn’t just for our team or our ministry or even our region, but for the body of Christ at large. Recently...
by Sam | Aug 28, 2018 | Guest Blogger, Reflection
by Andre Choi A few things I’ve learned about art is that it’s subjective and never objective. It’s personal and never indifferent. It’s filled with emotions and passions, yet never without an opinion. Art is tangible yet abstract. Art is organic and never forced. We can see art, create art, admire art, but can we ever define it? I believe this is why art is so attractive. Art is all about the chase and never about the possession, the moment an artist believes they made it or “mastered” it, lost the essence of it. The purpose of art is not to master it or to figure it out, but to enjoy it. We love art because it’s beautiful, and art is beautiful because it represents the very unique heart of its creator and by doing so it connects with people across gender, race, age, socioeconomic background, religion, and so much more. As of lately, God has been placing a phrase in my heart that reads: “The Art of Jesus”. I’m not sure what this means but I do know it has the same connotation as when a sculptor talks about the art of sculpting, or when a photographer speaks about the art of photography, or when a master storyteller shares about the art of telling stories. It has to do with what an individual is passionate about as his obsession captivated his heart. I know that it’s personal and unique, and just as art is everything I mentioned above, it’s the same with our relationship with Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is subjective and never objective, organic and never...
by Sam | Aug 7, 2018 | Reflection
Recently I had the privilege of ministering at a summer camp for junior high students in Detroit. It was such a joy to see 10-13 year olds dance, laugh, worship, and pray together. There is nothing quite like seeing precious young people make a proclamation of faith and encounter the Holy Spirit for the first time. Although our ministry at Pursuit NYC is geared towards young adults, God is no respecter of age and shows up just the same. And God showed up in Michigan! You would have been moved to see lifted hands and tears streaming down the faces of these teens. It’s in settings like that when the presence of God shows up that people start to get a passion for God. My spiritual father has always said that passion for God can’t be taught, it must be caught. Events and programs can’t impart passion. They can help, but can’t replace the need for a personal experience with God. When leaders lay down their lives to create a culture and atmosphere for encounter, young people catch that love for the Lord. I believe with all my heart that God wants to set a generation on fire with passion for Jesus! Why? Because it’s passionate disciples that follow the Lord beyond their youth group days. It’s passionate disciples that go to the nations and serve. It’s passionate disciples that impart that passion to others. So the question then is how do we help young people catch that passion? HOPE NOT HYPE To be honest I like hype. When it comes to sneakers and even events. But if we...
