Tonight I found out the unfortunate news that I will not be able to use my intergalactic spaceship to speed through light-years anytime soon.  According to John Hopkin’s physicist, William Edelstein, travelling at warp speed, would kill me (although if I did accomplish this - museums might make an exhibit about me).   And although the truth is I don’t have a spaceship - I must say that this finding brings me some huge disappointment.

First of all I like going fast.  The idea of doing things faster - getting to locations in a faster manner - making faster decisions- makes me smile like a Chesire cat (a little shout out to all the Alice in Wonderland fans).

Secondly, I am a productivity junkie.  Going fast means that I can get more done - which means that I can get more done which means that I have more time to do things…..you get my drift.  At the end of the day if I can check off all the things in my to do list - I am a happy camper.

And so you can see my problems with this finding about the dangers of warp speed.

Although I’m not travelling in space I wonder if the same principles about speedy delivery on earth apply?  At warp speed - we would apparently all die because of hydrogen atoms would collide with us.  These hydrogen atoms are usually not life-threatening but at that kind of speed that would act like bullets ripping through our skin.

When I live my life in such a frenetic manner I wonder if seemingly innoculous objects have the potential to cause me great harm.  Like the driver going 90 in the fast lane.  Or my daughter who takes half an hour to put on a pair of socks.   It makes me question my need for speed.

What do you think?  Can the need for speed and productivity become a dangerous hazard to your life?  How are you combatting it?

Jess

So this evening I had dinner with David Wells, the general Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada,  Bruce Clemenger, president of the EFC, and David Gueretzi, Dean of the seminary at Briercrest.  Obviously, I was way out of my league - but it was great to be at a table with National leaders with broad influence.  I feel like I have so much to learn both as a pastor and a leader and opportunities

Over the course of our, meal we talked about the Olympics and David shared with us about his experience as the chaplain for the games.  As we talked about all the great medal wins and the opportunities for celebration David shared about the doors that were open for him to share Jesus with officials and athletes at the games.  As he shared though - he made this statement that caught my attention, “It’s in situations like these that we can’t push our way - we just have to be present and allow God to give us opportunities”.   And it made me think about all the times when God has done something extraordinary in or through my life - it’s not usually when I am pushing my own agenda - usually it’s because I am just available.

The truth is I’m usually not very good at waiting - I want things to happen now.  Over and over again though I hear the Holy Spirit whispering to me that if I am going to truly leave a real impact on the world - I must be ready but not pushy, hopeful but not haughty and more than anything else I must be willing to do more listening that speaking. I have definitely not arrived in any of these categories but I know that as I made a cognitive choice to recognize my need for patience that I will be able to ride the waves of opportunity that God brings my way with success!

Jess

Some people think that worship is something we do at church when we sing. They define worship as the slow music and praise as the fast and upbeat music.

Being a musician, myself, I once thought that way also. I was reminded by Mr. Clint Brown, a well-known worship leader from the U.S. many years ago, when he said that praise and worship has nothing to do with the genre or tempo of a song. Worship IS what we DO! How we spend our time - are we cultivating our relationships with our spouse, children, relatives and friends? Are we good stewards of God’s resources? etc. In other words, worship is a LIFESTYLE.

Apostle Paul wrote in one of his letters, Romans 12:1-2 ”Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Also, we need to unlearn some of the false ideas or false beliefs we have acquired over the years on what real worship is. I believe God can speak to us through the songs we sing in our church services (which is phenomenal) and it touches the very core of our being – it’s amazing! I think it is important to understand WHY we are worshiping and WHO is the object of our worship. God can speak to us in so many ways. We must always ask God to give us good ears and good hearts to hear Him when He speaks. Every time we obey Him, we become the person God wants us to be.

But the more I know and love the Lord, the more I learn what true worship really is.

Preparing a set list of songs every week is one of my responsibilities at Liberty International Church. I pray that we will hear from God as we express our love and adoration to Him through our singing and playing our musical instruments.

Below are the songs for this Sunday (21.02.10) - take a listen and let me know your thoughts.

“YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH”

“DESERT SONG”

“FIND ME AT THE CROSS”

“BEAUTIFUL”

Blessings!

Junn

So if you are reading this and you are not a Torontonian then you probably have never even heard of TTC chair and once mayoral candidate, Adam Giambrone - but if you live within a 200 kilometer radius of the city - more than likely you have heard his name along with WAY to many details of his personal life over the past 24 hours.

In a way I had been pulling for Giambrone - he was young and seemed smart - even his cheesy you tube video that poked fun at politicians was a breath of fresh air.  And so it sort of came as a surprise that this school-boy looking politician would this morning admit to deceiving the media about having affairs with multiple women.  In his statement to the media he said this - “This searing experience has taught me, I hope permanently, that a public career with integrity cannot survive deceit in your private life,”

The truth is - I don’t know Adam Giambrone - so I’m hardly qualified to make any judgement about his life but what this scandal does remind  me is that the cost of leadership is high. There are rarely second chances when it comes to keeping people’s trust.  It’s true that God is always willing to forgive us when we make mistakes - but being a leader is not a right it’s a privilege that is earned and validated by people following us.

The thought that has been reverberating in my mind is that if I am going to lead to my full potential then I have to make sure that my internal life matches matches my external life.  And while this is easy to write about it is always harder to live out.  If I am going to lead for the next couple of decades of my life - I have to do daily check-ins with myself - checking my motives, my speech, and my actions.

You know it’s easy to judge someone like Adam Giambrone - to wonder how someone in such a public office could live with such a lack of integrity.  But I am hoping that this scandal would not just be water cooler gossip but a wake-up call to leaders everywhere that what happens in our lives when no one is watching is as important as our public leadership.

jess

With another year behind us it’s time to celebrate!  Each year the staff at Liberty takes some time out to let our Volunteers know how much they are appreciated.  It goes without saying that with only 7 staff members it would be impossible to do what God has called each one of us to do without the dedicated volunteers that make it happen week after week.  Our team is looking forward to throwing a party for our volunteers that have spent many hours over the past year tirelessly giving of themselves to serve others!

To have over 70% of our church members actively involved in a ministry exemplifies the sense of community that Liberty is all about.  The passion that each one of our volunteers serves with is an absolute amazing testimony of how through Christ people from every different walk of life can truly come together for His glory.

When was the last time you volunteered?  Not the kind of volunteering that is done out of guilt, or because you owe someone a favour.  Volunteering is really about giving - doing something to benefit someone else, with no expectations of anything in return.  When those are the reasons behind why you volunteer, you feel blessed.  So if you haven’t volunteered (for the right reasons) lately, find somewhere to get connected and make the most of the experience.  If you’re interested in volunteering at Liberty we’d love to have you on our team, so click here to sign-up now.

Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough sometimes, but I’ll say it again “Thank You” to every volunteer out there that is doing their part to make a difference!

Nina

So over the holidays we thought it would be a good practice for our family to take a Sabbath from all things computer based.  It was a nice break for us not to have our laptops attached to our legs - but I have to admit after 2 weeks of not being in touch with the cyber world I am glad to once again get back at it.  

Today we started to put details and dates to all the events and message series in Liberty’s 2009 calendar, and I have to admit I am really excited about this year.   In the next 12 months we are going to meet our community’s needs in ways that I might never have imagined five years ago (you are not going to believe what the team has planned for Easter Weekend!) and I believe each one of us is going to have the opportunity to grow spiritually at an exponential rate. 

As I was driving home tonight though I was thinking about the fact that only reason this is going to be our best year yet (and I absolutely believe this) - is because of YOU.  Your comittment to reaching people in our country astounds me every week - and I am honoured to serve with every single one of you!  Thanks for inspiring me when I am tired - thanks for reminding me that their are millions of people in our city who need to be reintroduced to church that is relevant and thanks for serving even when your life is extremely busy. 

Sitting here on my couch I am feeling quite nostalgic… and although I am so thankful for the past I am tremendously excited for future that God has in store for the community at Liberty.  I am sure that this time next year - I will be sitting on my couch and feeling even more grateful for you whom I have already grown to know and love AND for the many, many new people that God will have added to our circle!  

Peace, 

jess

Laughing Beth

It’s been a wild ride! I’ve learned a lot about myself and others. My eyes have been opened to old and new experiences, time management, stress, hair pulling and even how to sit back, relax, read a book or two, and sip on a starbucks chai latte!

Here are a few things that I have learned:

    1.  I have learned a lot about myself when it comes to time management and work environments. It isn’t always easy buckling down and getting work done when my office is my bedroom – but I’m learning self-control and good use of time. It isn’t always easy juggling many different tasks at one time – but we make lists and feel a sense of accomplishment when we can check something off our list. I’ve learned that small tasks can get done quicker than I thought possible. Overall, I’ve learned time management is a discipline and essential so I must become better at it if I’m going to succeed in life.

I am blessed and honoured that I was able to work with such a great team – Pastors Dave & Jess, Nina, and Pastor Alex! I appreciated your willingness to welcome me in, teach me, correct me, talk to me about life issues, have fun, and push me. None of you are afraid of constructive criticism and didn’t hold anything back, but instead taught me what a leader is and how I can work effectively in different team dynamics. You pushed me to do things I wouldn’t normally do and held me accountable. Each of you is passionate about God and what He is doing in the church – it’s infectious! Who wouldn’t want to be on a team of individuals who love God and love the community? I really appreciate the experience and wouldn’t take it back for the world.

This really is only a few thoughts of everything I have learned – if I kept going I could probably write 10 pages…but I’ll spare you the agony!  

Bethany Tozer

|Bethany Tozer is currently studying at Masters College and Seminary, working on her degree in Youth & Children’s Ministry.  She has been giving of her time and passion over the past 3 years and her internship experience has come to a close.  Thanks for your passion for people Beth!  Pastors Dave & Jess|

The Abbreviated Version

I don’t know what else to call it except for what the title says, “Prayer Birthing.”  This experience has left me exhausted and yet overwhelmed by the answer that I received in intensive prayer.  I guess prayer birthing is a statement that can explain what has just occurred in my life over the past 12 months.

The word prayer has a whole bunch of ideas associated with it, but most of us understand what prayer is all about.  It’s a means of communication to God whether you’re looking for an answer or just trying to convey your thoughts to Him on a daily basis.

The though of birthing for those of us who don’t give birth (all men included) comes with a whole new set of understanding and possibly a weak stomach for others.  My definition for this purpose is simply the delivery of a promise.

Now for what I’m attempting to explain here prayer birthing is simply a need that has been presented to God which has gone through a period of time then finally a delivered promise comes forth.

So let me explain to you my most recent prayer birthing experience.  It has been over a year now since we have been searching and praying and seeking God to provide us with some direction and answers in regards to church strategy.  Part of the answer for our growth strategy is that God would provide some new staff members to help us strengthen our efforts in the community.

This may sound like a simple task- go and find someone that will fill the current need, there, done!  Problem is, there is no one qualified in my opinion to help us accomplish what needs to be done in our unique setting in the city of Toronto.  We looked high and low, (and sometimes felt very low), we looked north and south, and finally went east and west, then that’s where it happened, east.

So for a number of months now we have been in contact with a young couple with a passion to reach people with the message of Christ in the city of Toronto.  This couple does not live in the immediate area, in fact they are currently residing in Hong Kong (far East).  This task to be honest seemed kind of daunting and a bit challenging to take on- however, we have found the right fit!

After meeting with our new friends Junn & Tet for three weeks in the summer of 2008 we knew and they knew this was a God appointment.  The fun part occurred in acquiring the visa paperwork that is required.  After doing everything the officials told us we must do in order to process their paperwork we applied and then were rejected- my heart dropped!

What in the world is going on?  Didn’t you approve this God?  What about all the time spent in prayer, did it not mean anything?  These are just some of the thoughts that I had when this happened.  After catching my breath and seeking legal counsel, we recognized this sort of thing was to be expected as we realize that what we are doing is bigger than any one of us, but this is God’s deal and He’s going to make it come to pass.  Anyway, sometimes easier said than done.

So after spending some time in prayer, I really felt God speaking that this process was going to be similar to a birthing process (oh great I get to give birth, thought that was just for women).  The answer to our prayers was given, we just needed to wait until the mature time to see His answer come to fruition.

It’s been 12 months since our first discussion with Junn & Tet, and they have finally been approved to come to Canada!!!! Hooraaaaay!!!  We are anticipating their arrival very soon and look forward to what God has in store for us as a revolutionary group of people trying to impact the world we live in with God’s transformational power.  (that’s a mouthful!)

Please continue to keep the DeLeon family in your prayers as they seek to serve Him and humbly do what God has called them to do in the city of Toronto.

Prayer Birthing, not an easy task but then again who said it would be easy?

Do you have a prayer birthing story to share?  Go ahead and post a comment.

Dave

Read Dr. David Yonggi Cho’s book: The Fourth Dimension on this concept of prayer birthing.

In January 2009 we are excited to be launching Liberty Learning Groups – six week DVD courses that are designed to help us grow as individuals and as a community. In deciding which courses we will offer first - we want your input. The following is a list of course topics that are available.

Please pick your top five favourites and write them in the comments box. Watch the website for more detailed course descriptions.

We know that these courses are going to be life-changing. Please stay tuned for more information and registration dates. Oh and by the way - don’t feel like you have to be a member of Liberty to enroll in any of these courses.  We’d be more than happy to have you join us!

______ John Maxwell - Leadership Gold Training

______ Financial Peace Course

______ In the Dust of the Rabbi (Ray Vanderlaan)

______ Healthy Lifestyles

______ Door of Hope (overcoming abuse)

______ From Anger to Intimacy (marriage course)

______ Making the Most of Marriage

______ Freedom Begins Here (sexual health)

______ Single Parenting That Works

______ Value Packed Parenting

______ Raising Teens

______ Peace & Harmony to Blended Families

______ Learning to Pray (Jim Cymbala)

______ Nooma Series (Rob Bell)

______ God is Closer than You Think (John Ortberg)

______ Bondage Breaker (Dr. Neil T. Andersen)

Who Put the Dys in Function?

New insights into the team dynamic as we train with World Vision and the Free Form Program.  It’s been some days now since our first session on team development.  The good news is that we have a strong team, the bad news is we are small, we’ll grow and things will change.  

As we wrestle with some of the issues in Patrick Lencioni’s book “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” we realize growth for any organization can be a painful process. Listed are the 5 dysfunctions of team as Lencioni describes:

1. Absence of Trust

2. Fear of Conflict

3. Lack of Commitment

4. Avoidance of Accountability

5. Inattention to Results

Experience tells us that any one of these dysfunctions that are present in your team dynamic will offer some great challenges to overcome.  

To simplify things, make sure you have the right people on the bus, (Jim Collins, ‘Good to Great‘). Truth is teams are complex, interesting, and a huge source of fun.  

I got to tell you I love the team I work with, but it takes work to ensure that it is functional.  Take a minute to get the ‘dys’ out of your functional team.

DD

What do you think?