“what I'd do differently in a missional community if I could do it again.”

Talk, conversations, statements of intentions, promises; ridiculous and grandiose, if I had my time again I would talk less. I wouldn’t allow myself to feel the pressure to define and decide and declare details and structures that are miles off coming. I wouldn’t blog nor write until I felt I could celebrate and commiserate the real efforts and struggles of a living breathing community.

There are a lot of watching eyes out there waiting to see if the rhetoric matches the reality and their eagerness for real fruitfulness is fair. Moreover their criticisms are sometimes fueled by our insecurities and need to prove something anything to be loved, affirmed and valued.
I would care less what others thought and truly trust God more. I would bag out less the things I don’t like about church and get on practicing and celebrating that which I adore. I would pick my battles more carefully; some things aren’t worth fighting for. I would hope I could realize really early that despite all the talk and longing for change and difference and all the posturing and promises of action-people are people and no change of venue or a new funky name is going to make people reach their neighbors and friends. I would hope to realize sooner that the urge in us to consume and critic the very things we claim to be part of is far stronger than we ever name or confront.

I would risk take more-break from the pack and just care less about what people think. I would try more things, dream more, and hope more. I would take more time to dream and believe the God of mission who goes beofre me is more committed to mission more creative in His plans more controversial in His approach to doing anything to reach people. I would pray more and often and more specifically knowing God will bring and show those in need and then I would hope to act more, serve more and show more of the love of God than I have in the last four years.

<p>I would organically and far more naturally just love my neighbors and friends with more passion and commitment and with consistent action. I would simply share life more often with lost people and let the things of church come out of all of that. I would preach less outside of my community, for a season-this season where we are building a culture that sets the feel, vibe and direction for the community I love for a lifetime.</p>     <p>I would hope I could realize sooner my strengths and passions and work with them more often. I would hope to acknowledge my weakness with ease and confidence that it is Gods church and that He will and has brought the right people around to lead it. I wouldn&rsquo;t feel the need to do it all be it all and pretend to be a leader I am not. I would relax and let God use the gifts He gave me.</p>     <p>Most importantly I would stress far less knowing it is all going to be OK and made sure I laughed more, ate more, learned more and loved more; you can never do to much of any of those things. I would be more generous and grateful for friends, write more cards, hug them tighter and tell them good friends seldom come this often and this good; in one life time. I would apologies more and hope to forgive fare more quickly. I would send less emails and pick up the phone more often, more coffees would solve half the problems we have in our churches. I would listen more and realize people are just like me, they all deep down want to understood, valued and loved.</p>  <p>I would play with my kids more, kiss my wife more and tell her she is beautiful everyday. I wouldn&rsquo;t let the little unimportant things take away from my first and most important community-my family. I would love God more, worship Him more and I would pray and hope to find myself on my knees saying God is good all the time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>