Revival Starts Here

re·viv·al  
/riˈvīvəl/
An instance of something becoming active or important again.

Someone said to me the other day, "It's been awhile since we have had a revival at Victory"

Of course what they were looking for was a specific type of meeting. A good, old fashioned, tent meeting style event where a special speaker comes in for several evenings.

The services are long.
The gifts are flowing.
The spirit of God is palpable.

These are all good things. But there is more than one kind of revival.
I'm talking about a personal revival. More specifically, a revival of your personal ministry.

Too often we wait for revival to happen to us. We live life out of routine. We do because we have aways done. Our ministry can become stagnant and we default to what is comfortable.

There is no life in our work.
Standards drop.
Passion fades.

We have all seen this happen around us.
So what do you do if you find yourself in this position?

The first step may seem obvious: Pray.
Only Jesus can truly bring revival to your life and ministry.
In Him there is newness.

In Him there is life.
In Him there is passion.

Secondly: Look.
Look at what other people are doing and find a way to improve it and make it your own.
Find another artist who does what you do, but does it exponentially better than you, and let their work inspire you and push you.

Thirdly: Move.
Get out there and do it.

Do something in your ministry that you have never done before.

Do something genuine.

Do something that makes you nervous. 

Lastly: Repeat.

When you feel like you are simply repeating the things you have always done, remind yourself of these principals. None of us are immune to passivity.

Including me.

Sometimes I need to be reminded.
I need to not be afraid to try something new.
I need my passion to become active again.
I need to remember the importance of my mission

You don't need to wait for someone to set up a tent before life can come back into your ministry.
Revival can start anytime.
And it can start with you.

But it doesn't have to stop with you.
When personal revival begins in you, it spreads. It can't stay contained. It spills over onto those around you. When personal revival begins to spread, corporate revival is inevitable.
It waits just below the surface.
Unavoidable.
Unstoppable.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ...all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

-Colby

Glo 2012

As we sat in our first Glo planning meeting in the early part of July, I knew this was going to be a long process.

I have been present at every single Glo performance (except Friday night of 2011) since it started in 2007. I have photographed every year and last year I helped with some of the video shoots. Even still I had no idea what all went into it.

For months we planned.
Dreamed.
Created.
Recorded.
Re-planned.
Re-created.
Edited.
Printed.
Re-printed.
Built.
Photographed.
Added.
Rehearsed.

I lost track of the number of meals I ate at my desk and the number of 13 hour days I and many others worked.

Then it came. December 12th. Premiere night.

Lights. Music. Photography. Crowds cheering.

And then in a flash it went. 6 months of work finished in what seemed like one frenzied moment.

6 months of planning.
Shooting.
Editing.
Long days.
Late nights.

Was it worth it?

Sunday, December 16th, 11:35pm. I read these numbers: 5369 attended. 680 salvations.

I can not describe, nor will I ever forget, the feeling of knowing I was a part of that.

Performing the work of the ministry is so much more than worth it. It is an immeasurable honor that cannot be described or explained.

It's 3:36 on a Thursday afternoon. There are no click tracks to synchronize, no overflow room to set up, no 30 minute countdown to export a 6th version of. Glo 2012 is already a distant memory and I will be leaving in a few minutes to go home and see my family.

But in the back of my mind remain two irrevocable truths.

The work of the ministry is never done.
And it's worth it.

-Colby


Ephesians 4:1
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

Something Real

It's 11:14pm.

I'm trying to sort through the 1742 topics in my head I want to write about running solely on a Starbucks salted caramel mocha from about 2 hours ago.

Should I say something artistic and thought provoking? Inspiring? Slightly condescending, but with an encouraging tone at the end? What clever name can I come up with for this post that will grab your attention?

Maybe I should just write something real.

I think sometimes we forget to be real. 

In my last post I talked about fixing our eyes on Jesus. Is there anybody who is more real than him? He wasn't trying to sell anything. He wasn't trying to be trendy and he wasn't afraid of being too mainstream. He was Jesus. 

Not agreeable Jesus.

Not Patronizing Jesus.

Not Marketing Jesus.

Not Hipster Jesus.

Real Jesus.

"If you over analyze, over think & over produce art, it becomes soulless & appeals to no one." -Nathan Young

We have to be genuine in what we do. We have to be real. Real Human hands, eyes and voices using Real God given talents to make a real difference.

But the reality starts with our passion. 

Passion is found in Jesus.

Passion is found when we stop trying to make sales and live for the one who purchased us.

Passion is found in realizing what that redemption cost. 

Passion is found in letting go of you and clinging to Him.

If you don't really believe that what you are living for is worth dying for, it may sell, but it will lack the transforming power of Christ.

Art can lack perfection, but it must never lack passion.

I don't know if this is helpful or inspiring. I just wanted to post something real.

And I think that will be my title.

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God."

Colossians 3:3

-Colby

→Jesus

The ministry is full of challenges.

Whether you are a staff pastor, or the person who puts the tithe envelopes in the back of the chairs, there are jobs that must be done, protocols that must be followed, and attendees that must be considered. Nothing we do can be on accident.

One of those challenges is remembering the reason behind everything we do. 

Jesus.

Everything we do is meant to point people to him. When they come in contact with the people of God, their experience should be something like this:

Welcome to church, our greeters are really nice.

And...Jesus.

Check out our awesome music.

By the way...Jesus.

Look at our graphics, they are modern and cutting edge.

And also...Jesus.

The reality of what we do is that on our own, we are powerless. If we are not pointing back to him, it means nothing.

But when we focus on Jesus
Joy comes.
Healing takes place.
Fear no longer exists.
Hope rises.
Faith grows.

We are mirrors to reflect him.

And by the way...Jesus.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…" Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

-Colby