by David Docusen | May 10, 2012 | Uncategorized
I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days last week with a group of church planters from across the country. While we were kicking around some conversation about vision, one of the guys said, “the problems arise when you run out of ideas before you run out of money.”
The point of this story was that we, as leaders, always need to carry the vision. And we need to be getting that fresh vision from God on a regular basis. One of my mentors always pounded this into me: resources follow vision. It’s never the other way around. Get a big dream from God and watch him provide.
When we run out of ideas before we run out of money, we get bored. We spend wastefully trying to manipulate momentum by purchasing the next great “thing” that lacks any value because there’s no conviction attached to it.
Let’s get a vision from God. And then let’s watch him provide for his plans.
by David Docusen | May 8, 2012 | Uncategorized
While reading Psalm 133 this morning, I came across this beautiful prayer from Charles Spurgeon. I was so moved by this plea for unity within the body.
O for more of this rare virtue! Not the love which comes and goes, but that which dwells; not that spirit which separates and secludes, but that which dwells together; not that mind which is all for debate and difference, but that which dwells together in unity.
Never shall we know the full power of the anointing till we are of one heart and of one spirit; never will the sacred dew of the Spirit descend in all its fulness till we are perfectly joined together in the same mind; never will the covenanted and commanded blessing come forth from the Lord our God till once again we shall have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Lord, lead us into this most precious spiritual unity, for thy Son’s sake. Amen.
Our relationship with Jesus leads us into perfect unity. The call of Christ to love the Lord with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27) is one that leads peaceful relationships (James 3:18).
Could we be a people of unity, peace and joy? The choice is ours. And the enjoyment is for all to share.
by David Docusen | April 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
There are so many incredible testimonies across our community of what God has been doing recently at Center City Church. If God has done something powerful in your life recently, shifted your perspective or set you on a new course, I want to hear your story. Sharing your story has a way of solidifying a new thing that God has done and helps you to process it on another level.
If you have a story to tell, shoot me an email at [email protected].
Don’t be shy…brag on God and let me hear your story!!
by David Docusen | April 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
One of the great themes of the Bible are the men and women that found the resolve to place their hope in God when all hope was lost in their circumstances. In 1 Samuel, we find the story of a shepherd named David that has been called and anointed to rise to the most powerful position in the world during this time period – the King of Israel. But his time had not yet come and the current king, Saul, was paranoid, afraid and breathing murderous threats against David. So this king-to-be is forced to run into the wilderness, sleeping in caves and constantly live in survival mode as he tries to escape the assassination attempts of King Saul.
It’s in this context that David writes these words:
**Psalm 141:4 – I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will come help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it? Sounds a lot like you and me. When we feel that everything around us is crashing, it is easy to believe that no one is there for us. But even in this moment of despair, watch how David finds hope:
**Psalm 141:5-6 – Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”
Hope filled despair. That’s what kept rolling through my head this morning when I read this. The key to David’s perspective shift was to take his eyes off of his circumstances (which are always changing and extremely volatile) and onto the unchanging reality of God.
“Then I pray to you, O LORD.” That’s the key. We find hope in the midst of despair when we allow God into the conversation. If you are walking through a season of despair – you feel all hope is lost – take your eyes off of the circumstances, fix them on God and declare with every ounce of faith you have, “You are my place of refuge. You are allI really want in life.”
As you pray, remember this: God is listening and fully capable to respond. He is our hope in the midst of despair.
by David Docusen | April 23, 2012 | Uncategorized
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/40837571 w=450&h=253]
James 2:14-26 – Show Me Your Faith from Center City Church on Vimeo.
True faith naturally results in love and service to others in our community and around the world.
by David Docusen | April 22, 2012 | Uncategorized
I guess a month of non-blogging is long enough. Time to jump back into a rhythm of blogging. I like to view my blog as a digital journal that everyone can see. I have another journal that includes lots of personal, intimate, moments along with some griping, complaining and screaming in all caps. You don’t get to see that one. But this blog is a way for me to share our journey.
I also think it’s fun a few times a year to look back on the previous years of things I have shared on the blog. It’s like mile markers along the way. Pretty cool. All that to say this: I’m back in the blogosphere. Here’s some bullets from the past month:
– We identified and appointed seventeen volunteer positions within our church and are actively looking to grow that list. It’s time for the people of Center City Church to really rise up and take this thing into the next season. As everyone rises up in their giftings, I am released more and more to do what I’m good at doing (which is directly related to me NOT doing the things I’m terrible at doing).
– We came thisclose to miraculously getting a property for Ebenezers Coffeehouse. We had a man in our community put in an offer on a building for us that would have been absolutely incredible. And after he bought the building, he was going to give it to us RENT FREE for the coffeehouse. That is the single biggest gift we have ever been almost given 🙂
– I learned a ton through that delay in this vision. I only stayed down for about thirty minutes, because I realized that the dream to see this accomplished keeps getting closer and closer. It will come to pass. But it will happen in God’s timing. I don’t want it a moment before God’s perfect timing.
– I’m blogging from our new office. So blessed to be able to say that. I was preparing a message a few weeks ago and I just had this little prompting in my spirit that it was time to go look for an office. Two hours later, a woman in our community offered me office space at an amazing, 100+ year old house that has been converted into offices at an incredible rate. God opened the door. And now we have an office for our team to gather every week as we seek God on how we’ll change the world. Check out the pic below. Great things are coming. I’ll keep you posted as we go. Thanks for sharing the journey! To God be the glory for all he’s done and all he’s about to do in and through our community!
