Living Grace Foursquare Church

Genuinely on Mission
Living Grace 9/2024

I want to begin by saying that it is very fulfilling to be standing here today and sharing with each of you. This church family means so much to me in this life.

When we came here three years ago, you didn’t even know the trauma we were going through, and we were welcomed with open arms—something I am genuinely grateful for.

It is great to have my mom and dad here today. They are getting stronger and better each day.

Today, I want to combine two important concepts and show you how to apply them practically.

As we talk about being genuinely in ministry, let’s take a step back in time. And it would not be me teaching if I did not mention being on mission.

That journey began about 31 years ago when I was 30 years old, and God placed a call on my life at Camp Cedar Crest during men’s camp.

I received the call and would like to say I answered immediately, but that would not be true.

I want to take a moment to reenact my memory.

The Pastor at Camp Cedar Crest spoke a lot about ministry and how when we receive our calling into ministry, we should not expect anything from the church but just answer the call without regard for the details and let God work it out for us.

Then he said, “The Lord is calling some of you into ministry.”

He said, “I want you to raise your hand right now if that is you.”

I looked around in amazement at how many were raising their hands.
I was shocked at the response.

But then, looking around, I realized that my hand was also raised, but I was not consciously doing it myself.

I quickly pulled my hand down, but it was over, and the deed was done.

Everyone had seen my hand. I had answered the call, and my pastors both saw my response.

Later that week, confirmation came, and my Pastor said he needed to share their interpretation of the call on my life with me.


I rebelled against God’s call for quite a while until I finally had the tenacity to believe God when Pastor Greg and Pastor Kristopher shared with me what they had envisioned previously.

It was the promise of a plan for my life and a challenge to step into ministry.

It was a plan for ministry and mission that God had revealed to me, but I ignored it.

This plan was orchestrated by God but confirmed through Pastor Greg and Pastor Kristopher. I could not run anymore!!!

From that day forward, I was driven to follow God’s call on my life.

Though I have tripped and fallen many times on the journey, some were nasty falls that hurt others around me, but the call remained.


Matthew 4:18-20
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.

Well, I believe that for many here today- this is you.
In truth, I hope you understand that this question applies to every one of you.

These guys, Simon and Andrew, were crazy. They answered a call to ministry from a man walking down the beach—someone they did not know—and began to follow Him with all their heart.

I have a question. It was the same question Jesus asked Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.


How many of you are crazy enough to believe that there is a God in heaven who created you for such a time as this and has a reason and a purpose for you?

How many of you here today would accept that God has a call on your life with a purpose and great results?

Now, I will give you a chance to raise your hand as I did—but not yet.

Let’s unpack what this means. The adventure is fantastic, but some may be concerned that I am about to commission you to something that scares you.

Well, maybe, but it is okay. Stepping out in faith is a bit scary most of the time.

We are doing a study in our life group called SHAPE. This study is helping all of my group understand the unique call God has on our lives and why we are unique for that call.

This study demonstrates our SHAPE to each of us.

S – Spiritual Gifts. What am I gifted to do?
H – Heart. What Passions do I have?
A – Abilities. What do I naturally do better than others?
P – Personality. How has God wired me to navigate life?
E – Experience. Where have I been? and What have I learned?

We are discovering a simple truth: God has created us with a unique set of things that determines where and how we fit and can best minister the gospel to others.

If you want to do this ministry quiz to see where you might fit, go to saddleback.com and take the ministry quiz. Or just speak to Pastor Richie or me when he returns, and we can help guide you.


What I have learned in these last 30 years of saying yes and what has turned into 25 years of pastoring and leading is.


1. I get just to be me- it is a requirement- Be genuinely you.

What this means is you get to bring yourself to the conversation. Fully present and accounted for.

In our study, we each did a personal assessment to determine our SHAPE. It was very enlightening.

What we are uniquely qualified and called to do and then to look for methods and outlets to use what God has equipped us with to reach the world.

The church holds a gifts seminar once a year to help us discover our strengths. Then, we must put those strengths into action to build up the kingdom of God.

We should concentrate on what motivates us, not what makes us crazy.

We have a couple of people here in the church who are pursuing this right now.

They have recognized a calling God placed on them and asked for pastoral commissioning to begin a Celebrate Recovery in the church.

It is happening. It is in the formation stage, and it is so exciting.

We also have others who have recognized a calling to outside agencies to become volunteer child advocates and hope chaplains.

Then there are the amazing Melba and Ricky, who help men transition back into life on the outside.

Or people who have become advocates for people experiencing homelessness and work in their passion to help the people on the streets of Las Vegas.

Seeing people answer the call on their lives and run after that revelation with all their might is so exciting.

We are still praying for those who will discover a passion for the church’s children and youth and employ that passion in the children and youth ministry.

We pray for those who will discover a passion for hospitality and tech to step into that.

Right, Dale and Thomas????

We are praying for more of us to discover the passion and heart for the lost—people who will begin to serve in short-term and, ultimately, possibly long-term missions.

I want to caution you to find the ministry that fits your SHAPE and will bring you joy and not dread.

My dad always told me to do what you are passionate about and that I would never work a day in my life.

I know he did not coin the phrase, but that does not make it any less true.

One of the many problems in the church of Corinth, among many other problems, was people trying to be who they were not. It was people forgetting to be themselves.

Remember, God uniquely knits us together, and trying to be someone or something you are not does no good.
1 Cor. 12:12-27
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so, the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now, if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not, for that reason, stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not, for that reason, stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now, you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

So, your main search is to figure out how to be genuinely you. The closer you can get to simply being that which God has asked you to be, the more this life will make sense.
In my strange life, this means that I get to Pastor in this great church, work in Disaster Relief as a first responder when people are at their worst, and Chaplain several hundred officers, scientists, and CSA people through some of the most horrific things imaginable.

I will spare you the details, but you cannot even imagine what I see and help others through. I can just say I see many of the most horrific things you can imagine, filled with a massive amount of death and destruction.

It is not something anyone can do. God has uniquely made me to do this.

2.My most confusing times always came when I looked around and tried to be who and what I was not.

I am thinking of proving this point by singing an opera for you. Dale, are you ready with the music?

I’m just kidding; I will spare you. Believe me when I say I should stay in my lane.

It is one thing just to tell you to be genuine- but I want to give you a couple of ways to discover this.

· Area of Influence
· Self-Efficacy

When you walk into a room, ask yourself, “Why does the Lord have me here? “What might he have me participate in? “
· Listen
· Bring Life
· Be a Lighthouse

Romans 12: 12-18
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people in low positions. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

As I ask who will say yes to Jesus’ call on their lives, one of the first things that happens is that we compare our lives to others.

Side note: this is one of the problems researchers are finally discovering with Social Media. On Social Media, everyone and everything is perfect; it gives a sensational look to everything that young people especially compare themselves to. Super dangerous and what is significantly contributing to low self-esteem and even suicide.

· We have much to discuss if you don’t respond and hide because you think God could not use you or that he somehow made a mistake. I made this mistake, and it was not good!

· But if you respond because you think somehow God cannot do it without you, there could also be some things for us to talk about. You are uniquely qualified for something, but He will get it done if we do not speak up. An excellent example is when Jesus replied during the triumphal entry to the religious leaders, who rebuked the followers for celebrating his entry into the Holy City.

· Jesus said in Luke 19:40, “I tell you the truth, if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.” Jesus will get the job done with or without us.


Pride & Humility come into play at this moment.

First, agreeing that you are wonderfully made is NOT prideful; you just believe in your creator. He said it, so believe it.

Second, the only real difference we can ever make in this world that has a lasting positive impact is that which is inspired by and empowered by the Lord.


3.My experiences should never hold me back but give me a greater perspective.

The tricky part of this calling is that it also has an adventure attached to it.
An adventure that:
· Includes other people
· Includes my mistakes
· Includes my success
· Includes wounds and trauma
· Includes attitudes and expectations

So, figuring out how to take our growth seasons (Good and Bad) and then bumping into other people’s growth seasons (Good and Bad) causes baggage.

At this juncture, we have another chance for confusion. If we take these experiences and display them for all to see, we will distract from God’s purpose and confuse others.

We must take these heavy and uncomfortable souvenirs and find the right place for them.

As part of our foundation! Imagine me taking this load of life’s good and bad and placing it on the foundation of grace and mercy provided by the Lord.

It immediately lightens the load of my life, allows me to have a new perspective, and gives me the right attitude toward my seasons of learning (good or bad)

Picture of my mom right here.

She was honored by a couple of my female Captains for paving the way for women in the Las Vegas Metro. She did not allow the negative she experienced in the early days of Las Vegas Metro Police when the men did not want females on the streets to distract her from the call she had to become a cop.


4.Be on Mission

Well, here it is. You all know I could not speak without bringing in mission.

Now, here is where it all comes together.
· If you are genuine
· If you stayed in your zone of proximity
· If you avoid allowing baggage to weigh you down and hinder you.
· But if you have no understanding of mission, then there is no purpose.

If you stood up right now and shouted for everyone to hear that you have a calling but no direction and do nothing with it, what is it all for?

Why are you still here?

How many of you have been on missions outside these walls with Living Grace?

This is great, and I hope to add more to your resume. For the rest of you, I have my eye on you!

Mexico was my first venture.
Poland
Costa Rica
Nicaragua
Panama
Jamaica
Honduras
El Salvador
St. Vincent Islands
Guatemala
Belize
Dominican Republic
Turkey
Amsterdam
Haiti
New Orleans- Katrina
Houston
Galveston
El Paso
Biloxi

And soon, I hope South Sudan and Uganda
And, of course, Las Vegas with LVMPD, Project Giveaway, and many others.

You see your calling as a Christian. Make no mistake about it is to be on mission. There is no exception to that calling for any of us. The calling may look different, but it does not change your calling to mission.

I was talking to someone in my Life group about finding your calling. We must discover the calling that fits us and where we can thrive.

But it is not a license to not try anything new. We still must go, but we all go to different places and spaces differently.

I have so many fond memories of these trips I took and remember all the people I have served and served with over the last 28 years.

There will be many in heaven, and I am sure that they were introduced to Jesus by one of the teams I was able to serve on.

But I also want you to understand that this mission I am speaking about is directly in front of you!

This mission does not necessarily require a flight, a bus trip, or even a step… It begins with you surrendering and deciding if you will answer the call.
It comes with acknowledging these truths.

· God’s kingdom is more important than yours
· God’s direction is better than your plans
· God’s strength is better than your own

The following scripture can be applied once we say yes to this.

Matthew 28:16-20
Then, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The word go is actually as you go and refers to wherever you may find yourself.

If you read in scripture, all of Jesus’ greatest miracles happened as he walked out of his adventure.

So when we walk through our day, look for those moments.

Surrender is the first step to truly understanding God’s promises and partaking in the great adventure.

So, I was in my 30s, and there was a question. All that proves is that age must have nothing to do with it.

Will you begin exploring your Shape?
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences

Will you do this to find your passion and abilities and then genuinely reach out to find a place in the mission to the lost that can and will make a difference for eternity?


It was a question I said yes to.

I am standing before you today, asking if you will say yes.

Ready- I will quote that Pastor speaking at camp that day!

Some in this room today are called by God into a specific ministry.

Would you stand now if you are willing to accept that call?


A call to genuinely be a minister of the gospel in whatever capacity that God calls you into.

As a matter of fact, if you have not taken that first step of surrendering to Jesus’s Lordship, then I hope you pause and make that decision: Do not try to make disciples for your kingdom but for His kingdom.