Leadership Via Dora part 3

March 19, 2009

Back in January I posted 2 blogs that still to date have been my most viewed posts.

I have talked from time to time about posting a Leadership Via Dora Part 3.

So here it goes!

Have you ever noticed when watching Dora that she is not about her own business?

She continually is looking to serve and help people on every episode. {Okay, maybe there was that one Dora’s Birthday Surprise}.

Every time I watch Dora with my three year old, it jumps out at me that she is trying to serve someone or something. Always trying to bring restoration to a situation, reconcile a relationship, or help someone accomplish a goal.

Sound like anyone you know?

Matthew 20:28

28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

It is amazing that a simple childrens program gets it, but the majority of our society is out for themselves. Our society teaches people to be out for number one.

In our culture we are so caught up with instant gratification,  and securing goods for ourselves that many fail to serve their neighbor. We definitely live in a time and culture that no longer loves their neighbor as thyself or serves others as a lifestyle.

Another interesting fact about Dora is that she is no respecter of persons and even forgives Swiper the Fox for swiping items from her party or adventures. In several episodes Swiper and Dora work together to accomplish their goal like the Friendship 1 hour special.

I know… it sounds like I am obsessed with Dora. I am not.

I am however, very interested in learning from Media how to reach and teach the next generation {and our adults} how to get a hold of the truth God has laid out in his wonderful & amazing Word!

Hope you enjoyed Part 3…please feel free to leave some feedback.

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Even More Blessed Girl

March 13, 2009

By: Ashlee Bradford (Guest Blogger)

When Kevin asked me to “guest blog” a couple of weeks ago I meant everything I wrote. I DO feel as though I’ve come into a new level of contentment in the past year. However, one area that has been difficult has been my struggle with fertility. Our oldest daughter was a very pleasant surprise after Kevin and I had been married a few years…but were still in college and very young. Then because of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) we used fertility medicine (Clomid and Progesterone) to get pregnant with our 2nd daughter.. The process lasted about 2 years and was incredibly frustrating. I remember praying about it time and time again and the only thing I ever head the Lord say about it was that Baby #3 would be a surprise and I wouldn’t have to go through the fertility drug crap again. I was relieved by this, primarily at that time because if there was to be a Baby #3, there had to be a Baby #2!

So, after our second daughter was born I “expected” a surprise. I see some irony in that now. Would I have really been surprised? But anyways, nothing happened. We moved to Wisconsin to plant the church, we bought a home. There were a lot of distractions and I never really had “baby fever” but yet that Word was always in the back of my mind. Finally, towards the end of 2008 I started thinking about really wanting another baby. I struggled with believing what I heard God say and the obvious lack of results. I felt older, and in some ways like we were moving into a different season of life because our girls were getting so big. In December I asked Kevin about going to the Dr., getting Clomid, going through the whole process again. He said, “OK” and I made my appt. Privately; I struggled with wondering if I was giving up on what I heard God say. Tests are done, prescriptions are written.

Before you can start fertility medicine they want to be 100% certain you are not pregnant. So, I took a test on cycle day 28 (as directed) and the test was negative. That was the expected result since my labwork indicated I had not ovulated. I called the nurse to tell her I was going to start the meds. I got the price tag from the pharmacy (over $100/per month). While I was chatting with the nurse she mentioned that it was possible I could have ovulated late and she wanted me to wait until cd 35 and take another test. To be honest, I was annoyed. I felt like she was just putting off my TTC (trying to conceive) efforts for another week. I almost went and picked up the meds anyways and got started. But — I’m a rule follower, and I already had another test so I waited.

Then last Monday (cycle day 34) I asked Kevin if he really wanted to do go through it all again? I wanted to know what he thought, if he resented the expense, or if he was just going along with what I wanted. He expressed some concern over how emotionally difficult it is, but said he was game for a few months. I felt so relieved we were on the same page. I also shared my hesitation because I really believed I heard from God that we wouldn’t have to use the fertility medicine again. He mentioned that perhaps I heard wrong, or what I heard was colored by my emotions, or that maybe it would make sense down the road. I commented that it was one of the clearest words I’d ever had from the Lord, but after nearly 4 years…who knows?

So Tuesday morning I woke up, and was rushing about to get our youngest ready for her dance class when I remembered I needed to take another test before I ran to Sam’s Club to pick up my meds. I’m so frugal it was the old fashioned 2 lines sort of test… I was totally expecting only line to appear, so I thought I was seeing things when a second line appeared. I ran downstairs to ask Kevin if he could see it (it was SO faint!) and he confirmed that he did see it but wanted me to calm down and go for a blood test. I dropped Kevin off at work, rushed to the clinic BEFORE the dance class and had the test done. By the time her class was over I still hadn’t heard the results from the clinic so I went to Walmart and picked up two of the digital tests. I honestly screamed when the word “Pregnant” came up on the tiny little screen. I don’t think I will ever purchase a test with lines again. I took both tests (just for fun, I guess) and then the doctors office called with the same result. Because the hcg levels were really low I had to go back in on Thursday for a second test but everything had doubled perfectly!

How amazing is God?! I do not think there could have been a day in the last 3 ½ years I would have been more surprised…and we never used fertility medicine…the plan was to start that very day! He is so faithful to keep His promises to us and His love NEVER fails us! To say I am excited is the understatement of the year…I’m ecstatic! We don’t care girl or boy…I love being a mom to girls and think having 3 girls would be awesome…yet having a boy would be something fun and different too. I’m very happy with whoever God blesses us with! I hope this encourages you…if you have a word that you have been holding in your heart for a long time…God has not forgotten it.

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Posted by kevinjbradford

The Word

March 6, 2009

I heard an interview today and it got me thinking.

I have been preaching some hard core foundational stuff lately, and prior to that some inspirational, challenging sermons.

Recently God has had me preach on the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus. It is a story from the New Testament that has drama and a provacative discussion between the two involved. That sermon had real fruit.

You see the Bible is full of messy situations, violence, sex, back stabbing, drama, and family feuds. That is just the Old Testament. The NT is also full of drama, back stabbing, love, service, and redemption.

The description above sounds like a best selling romance, action novel or even a new drama developed for NBC.

Yet church is boring! We preach from this thing called the Bible and somehow we pick out the clean cut passages, leave out all the provacative topics available, and PLAY CHURCH.

Our culture portrays the Word of God as a nice and neat wrapped up piece of wisdom and literature.

It is time the church quits being the nice and neat boring place you’re dressed up for and spend money at on Sundays!

Life is messy, we are flawed, and we have drama. We need the action, life and redemption that the Word of God presents on the pages of the Bible.

Here is my challenge to you today!

Find something you have not read or at least not in a while, or something interesting to you in the Word.

Read it and ask yourself, “How does that apply to my life and those around me?”

I am positive that in the messy, flawed lives of those in the Word and the inspirational life of Christ you will find that it is far from boring, and it is life changing!

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Tuesday Night Reflections

February 25, 2009

Here are a few thoughts before I head to bed!

  • On Thursday I took the girls to Milwaukee for the day, and to have Adalee’s tooth fixed.
  • We decided to go to the Betty Brinn’s Children’s Museum with the kiddos.
  • The museum was a lot of fun and the girls had a blast in the hands-on areas.
  • It makes me wonder why the church does not step up their game. Many of the things in the museum were not that detailed. The church should have a vision to WOW kids as they enter the children’s area.
  • I am excited that Overflow is having a new website developed. I got a sneak peak at it on Friday, and it looks amazing. Thanks Nate!
  • Our Saturday Night Life Group launched on Saturday night with 10 people attending. I was very excited about the turn out.
  • The feedback was that everyone enjoyed the group. We also heard from a couple of people they were stretched.
  • Continued preaching through the Gospel of John on Sunday morning with “The Message Part 2:LOVE”.
  • The message really emphasized the love of the Kingdom and the Father through the passages in John.
  • There are some things beginning to take shape here at Overflow.
  • We need to pray for a location to facilitate our growth.
  • Please continue to pray for those far from God to be reached through our ministry.
  • I am still praying for people to join our team.
  • I am looking at some universities to continue my studies. I want to work on a Master’s in Ministry Leadership or Master’s in Transformational Leadership. God is calling me to take this step, to prepare for parts of my vision that are starting to take shape even now. I need to be prepared for those things fully.

I cannot think anymore. I am exhausted, and about to relax a little before hitting the sack. Research and writing will come at 5.

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Blessed Girl

February 19, 2009

Blessed Girl by guest blogger – Ashlee Bradford

This blog has been brooding in my spirit for a few days, and I’m not really sure I can adequately express what is in my heart…but honestly…God is so good! We have lived in Wisconsin for over 3 years now. The first two years were miserable — we were in the wilderness — confused at what exactly God was doing, attempting to be obedient, and struggling. I think I grew up more in those 2 years then any other time in my life. We could have turned away from ministry entirely and to be honest, I’m not certain anyone would have cared that we were throwing our destinies away. But, we pursued God anyway. It was so hard some days. We talked incessantly about what we felt God calling us to do in this region. We didn’t feel released to move forward. Then in Aug of 2007 after we went to The Call in Nashville at Titan Stadium we started the Flood House of Prayer and shortly thereafter our Life Groups. In June of 2008 we started having regular Sunday services. We are still small, but God is bringing shape to the vision he gave us and bringing us the right people in His timing. Sometimes I’d like to rush things along but I think God is building our church, carefully…with thoughtful preparation. I used to be so jealous of those who seemed to be handed ministry on a platter…that was all they had ever done. On the other hand, Kevin has been bivocational for so long…and sometimes gone to school at the same time as well…and at times it’s been a challenge. But, in retrospect (and Kevin is still bi-vocational as I write this) it’s grown us up too, made us more passionate, made us more appreciative of the authority and opportunity that God gives us. At times, we’ve had chances to walk away and take the easy way (a full-time paid ministry position) but God always answers with, “Is that what I’ve called YOU too?” I’m so thankful we have stuck the course, because I see God doing something awesome and had we left He would use someone else here. I’m sure eventually Kevin will leave his “day job” as we call it, but in the meantime God has brought contentment. Sometimes I worry about how hard it is on our kids, but Kevin is so intentional to spend quality time with them that I think they actually get MORE attention then many kids whose parents only have one job. On top of it, I’m home with them during the day, doing school, hanging out, playing games, etc. I’m so thankful we chose to home school as well, they are learning, growing, and changing everyday…and I don’t miss a minute of it! A little over a year ago, I read a book called Dangerous Surrender by Kay Warren. It really changed my mind in regards to how I think about a lot of areas of my life. Since putting some of my previous attitudes in check, it’s amazing to see what God has done. It seems that with my attitude in the right place (not being terribly concerned over material goods, free of jealousy, etc) God has really opened up the floodgates of heaven. We have been paying off debt. We have a nice home, van, and moped. In January we got new furniture…and last weekend we were finally able to buy the girls a new play set for the backyard. We now have the extra cash for fun things like getting my hair done, taking the girls to the girly salon, going on a date, etc. God has been extraordinarily faithful! You cannot out give God! Lately, over and over again I am so awestruck by God’s goodness. How much He has grown us up, how blessed we are, how excited I am to see what He wants to do in Appleton! It’s not that there aren’t needs, questions, and struggles — there certainly are — but I have a calm confidence that God is working it out and that He is bringing His Kingdom here! Praise God!

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Tuesday Night Reflections

February 18, 2009

A few thoughts from the last week.

  • Thursday Night I took the family out to Disney on Ice.  It was a blast. We went to dinner at Margarita’s in Green Bay before hand. The entire experience was a lot of fun, and my girls were so excited and cute.
  • Saturday was filled with errands, building jewelry boxes with the girls, and birthday parties.
  • Our service Sunday was powerful. Many people were ministered too, and several people were responding throughout the message.  In the end three people gave their life to Christ, and a couple renewed their commitment to Christ.  Amazing!
  • God has continued to bless our family with some amazing stuff the last several days. We have been able to buy gifts for people we care about, pay for the things we needed, and put some money in savings.
  • God is still pouring out revelation at a rate faster than I can find places to preach or teach it.
  • Our House of Prayer “The Flood” was very powerful on Monday Night. The best night of prayer and intercession this year hands down. God really showed up. Two women in particular were ministered to in a very personal way.
  • I still cannot believe we have a new sound system, a worship pastor who plays guitar (she did not 3 months ago),  and some partners becoming more committed.
  • I have been begging God for some Young Men and Women to join our church that were already walking with Him, to help round out a team for growth. I believe God is starting to do that very thing.
  • We have a young man that is quitting his day job, and heading to Appleton to help us advance the Kingdom. YEA GOD!
  • Some young couples that have become interested in Overflow, and some high school & college students will be attending Life Groups for the first time this week.

Well that is all I have for tonight, probably much more I should include, but…

Leadership Lessons Via Dora 3 coming in the next couple of days, along with a special guest blogger.

In His Favor

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Mustard Seed Church

February 17, 2009

In early January when I was in Texas, I began to process and pray through what God had planned for Overflow in 2009. While I was there I had the opportunity to hear someone preach a sermon on The Parable of the Mustard Seed.

During that sermon and the following days, God began to speak to me about Overflow Church, our 09 goals and vision.
Overflow Church is a Mustard Seed Church.

Matthew 13:31-32
31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

In Luke 13:18-19 it says that the mustard seed turns into a large tree.

The principle here is that the Kingdom of God starts out small and insignificant, but it does not stay that way! A Mustard Seed Church is one that has the kind of faith, that you have the faith for the big when only the small is visible.

I believe that Overflow Church is a mustard seed church. We are a small church but have faith in the Kingdom. If we have mustard seed faith then we are not going to stay small, we are not going to stay the same. We will grow and become more significant!

I do not believe that we have to be a mega-church to do something significant, or have a major impact on a community. We will expand and spread to cause something significant to happen in this community! It is this passage that God used to speak to me about our 2009 goals and vision, and that is why I am so excited about 2009 for Overflow Church, and for our future as we continue to grow!

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Inadequacy

February 12, 2009

Inadequacy is the sudden feeling I got Tuesday afternoon setting in my office thinking about this coming Sunday’s service.

Over the past week I have posted a little about this Special Sunday.  I was processing through all of the things that must be done, accomplished, put in place,  and finalized in order to make Sunday successful.

Suddenly, without notice, a feeling of inadequacy washed over me. I got nervous, became flush, and even started to think, “man what am I doing.”  Have you ever had that sudden feeling of inadequacy. The feeling that you have jumped in over your head? That feeling that if God does not come through in a real and relevant way this whole thing is going to be a wash! Those were the feelings that rushed around in my mind for a few minutes. My anxiety level began to rise, my blood pressure was rising, my thoughts were getting quicker and quicker to the point I could not concentrate.

Then, as quickly as the feelings of inadequacy rushed in to my mind, God began to speak to me about I was right where he wanted me. He wanted less of me, so there would be room for more of Him.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A few moments of rattling this precious scripture around in my head created a thankfulness in me. It’s not that it was not already there, it was more like a reminding, a gentle nudge in the right direction. So I began to thank God for all of the opportunities I have in my life and in our church.

As I was thanking God for this Sunday and for the grace to deliver a powerful, life changing message and reach people imploring them to be reconciled to Christ Jesus.  The thankfulness and gratitude that I am allowed to even pastor a church in the Kingdom of God, the fact that God has honored me with such a opportunity to change lives is so amazing, and I am so thankful.

You know, His grace has brought me this far, and His grace has been sufficient for me up to this point, and it will be sufficient for me this weekend, when I am weak, He is strong!

In what areas of your life do you feel inadequate?

In what areas of your life has God’s grace been sufficient for you to achieve what you thought was impossible?

2 Comments | Challenging, God, Inspirational, Jesus, Life, Overflow, Random Thoughts, The Message | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
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The Message!

February 10, 2009

I am very excited about this Sunday’s Celebration Service here at Overflow Church!

We have some special things going on this weekend, and I have been pumping this service to our Life Groups and our friends around the area. One of the things I have been doing is casting the vision that this particular Sunday will be pivotal to us reaching our goals & vision for 2009! The team and the people in our Life Groups have caught that vision.

We are a church of 20 people! We have approximately 24 vocal commitments to attending this Sunday’s Celebration Service titled “The Message”.

Those numbers are right. This Sunday at church we will have more visitors in our body than we will partners in our church! PRAISE GOD!

You see we have been working diligently to get this set up and ordered the way that God has been speaking to us about. Last week we set up our NEW Sound System (first one actually). We have now have a full audio/video package working with the projector, and the wonderful audio components in place.

I am very excited about this weekend, and it will be one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, messages I have every preached! Hence, the title “The Message”!

This will be a very powerful kingdom-minded presentation of the gospel. I believe that it will touch/rock those people that are far from God, or simply do not attend church for one reason or another that will be attending.

If you are in the Appleton area your invited to Overflow Church’s presentation of “the message”. If your not from the Appleton area, and you believe prayer changes things, it changes everything, then please pray for the Holy Spirit to move in power and love during this week of preparation. Please pray that all those who answered yes, will come and bring friends and/or family. Please pray that the Holy Spirit really blows through our service on Sunday in a wonderful, awe inspiring way.

4 Comments | Appleton, Family, God, His Kingdom, Inspirational, Jesus, Life, Overflow, The Message, Vision | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
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Lessons Via Parenting

February 9, 2009

Glad to be back after a few days preparing for Design for Life 1.3 (final message in that series…God Rocked it out on Sunday! Praise God!

About two weeks ago my youngest daughter (Addie) was sitting in her recliner (a child sized one for 50 lbs or less) talking to me about random things. Then she heard Ash and I start to discuss dinner.

So Addie said, “We have enough food, right?”. I said, “Yes sweetie”. She said, “We always have enough food, right?” Again I said, “yes, God takes good care of us”.

Third times, a charm. She says, “Dad, we have enough food right?”

So I walked over to her recliner and knelt down to rub noses with her, and said, “Sweetie, come over to the couch and chat with me.” So we walked over to the couch and I pulled her up into my lap and rested my cheek on the top of her head. As I did this, I began to explain that mommy and daddy discuss how much money we want to spend on things, because we want to be a good steward. I then explained that God blesses us by taking care of our needs. Finally, I spent a few minutes building her up and praising her for how good she has been doing in dancing, cleaning her room, and learning new things. Then as I was putting her back down on the ground I told her beautiful and smart she was, and that God had such a wonderful destiny for her life as she grew into a smart, intelligent, beautiful young women! She said, “When I get bigger, right?” (A common discussion at my house)

Well, later that day I was in my office talking with God about something’s. That is when God reminded me of my discussion with my daughter earlier that morning. I immediately, was reminded specifically about how the conversation ended. It ended with me speaking life over my daughters future, and her receiving it without question. Well, she did question if it was when she got bigger, sort of. (She ends 80% of things with ,Right? )

During this time, I just began to understand that God wanted me to accept somethings He had been explaining to me in the same way Addie accepted my words of live over her future. I was supposed to accept it without question, not knowing when or how, but the fact that FATHER said it. You see Addie does not question if I am right or not, she simply wanted to know is this now or the future? “When I am bigger, right?”.

Jesus describes this type of situation in Mark 10:13-16
13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

Jesus is describing that we should receive the Kingdom of God in the same manner as a child. Not that we should become like Children, but that we should receive the Kingdom of God like children.

Sometimes God wants to sit us in His lap and just tell us about His plans for us, and to listen to Him talk about His Kingdom. Basically to act like a 3 year old girl listening and reacting to her Earthly father, when our Heavenly Father is speaking to us. Here are the things God showed me through Addie.

  • Trusting that what is being said is 100% true with out doubt!
  • To be straightforward with our questions. Addie did not care about money or cost, she just wanted me to tell her there was enough food. Sometimes we get carried away with the why and how. Addie did not care about that, and when Father God tells me something, I should not be either.
  • Addie obeyed my every word fully. When I called her to me, she ran expectantly to sit with me. It started though with me getting down on her level and rubbing noses. You see Father God is trying to pour out His love on you. Are you rubbing noses back or turning away?
  • To live life with a sense of Awe and Wonder! You see, Addie was tuned into every word I was saying. She was in awe of the words I was speaking. I was speaking life over her, and she was taking in what her daddy was saying for all it was worth. Are you?

My final thought is this: I expect my children to act this way when I want to speak with them to speak life over them, why should I think that God would expect anything less of me?

Is there something God is trying to teach you through your children?
Has God taught you something recently through a child’s eyes?

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