Removing the Mask

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

Integrity is one of those words that’s thrown around a lot. We see it as a desirable trait for leaders, and we teach our children its’ value, but what does it really mean to have integrity? I was thinking about his recently in one of my quiet times and through my fourth and fifth grade small group this past Sunday. The definition of integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. So when we were talking about honesty in small group, we dove into the definition of honesty which is, being truthful in whatever you say and do. All of this is important, and more importantly it’s important to our creator. Why then is it hard for us, including me, to take off a mask that we wear each day? I have this yearning to be sold out for Christ, but then I hear whispers from the enemy saying things like, you don’t really need to spend time in prayer, or you don’t need to be different when you’re around that person. Slowly I slip on the mask, the mask is the persona that can changes depending what you surround yourself with. It is a battle, like most disciplines, it takes time to refuse to put on the mask. It took me a long time to get this right, to understand that God wants us to be true in all areas of life, no matter who or what situations we seem to be around. Two verses helped me figure this out, and I would like to spend the next few paragraphs explaining how I learned to take off the mask and how it is a daily process.

John 8:31-32 says, “If you hold true to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The next verse is Matthew 5:37, which says, “Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no,’ ‘no;’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” These two verses are key in living a life of integrity and honest actions.

Seek truth.

There’s nothing worse than someone who lies right to your face. The hurt runs deep, especially when that person is close to you. So why would we ever want to cause this hurt! We should always run towards what is true and pleasing to God, because in that truth we find life. We should seek this truth not only in what we fill ourselves with but how we act, be true to yourself. God molded you with talents and a personality that will bring him joy, so it’s okay to not fit in all the time. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, so don’t try to be the cool guy or gal, laugh and be goofy sometimes. We should also speak truth, words can be a deadly weapon, use them to bring life rather than death. Always seek truth in everything you do.

Live Freely.

As we step into the truth we are set free, so live that way! You have a purpose that is meant to change the world forever. Don’t be held back by unreal expectations that the world sets, you are a free child of God, he has given you all that you need. Honor the people around you and be generous with your time. In Christ you can do all things, so go out and change the world around you. Don’t live in fear because it has no power over you. You are free and you were designed with a purpose.

Keep the Covenant.

As you live without the mask and fight against ever putting it on again, your actions must match your words. So when Matthew talks about having you say yes and no, you actually mean it. This is where the integrity part comes in, be honest and mean what you say. This also goes a step further, not only should you mean what you say, don’t be passive in speaking out against what you know is truth. This was the hardest part for me when I would wear the mask, rather than speak out and give truth in a situation I did not agree with, I would stand by and do nothing. What I’ve learned through this verse and others is that God hates passivity, he would rather us be all in or all out than be a neutral party. So when you find yourself in a conversation with friends or co-workers that is not life giving, come back with truth and love. This does not mean hit them with a bible and act all crazy town, it means speak up and show love. If that situation continues and you are not received by the others, it might not be a bad idea to leave. We are called to flee from sin and unrighteous things, so live in truth and love. Keep the covenant that Christ made for you.

I hope this helps you as you grow and live towards a life build off of integrity and honesty. This has helped me live as the real me, and it is always a battle that must be fought daily. Life is too short to live trying to keep track of the masks we have to keep up with, live your life as the person that God made you to be. My prayer is that you find the power in seeking truth, living freely, and keeping the covenant. Start living with integrity now and remove the mask.

-Joshua Thomas

Raising Up and Empowering Leaders

May 11, 2015May 11, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

The other day I was reading through Lead Small Culture, and there was a section that basically jumped off the page to me. The quote said, “If you believe the scope of your influence is determined by the success of your leaders it should motivate you to empower the leader so they can lead.” Such a powerful statement about our responsibility we all have as leaders, raising up another to have them lead. After this I began reading in Timothy, which is a book of the bible where this idea is shown again. 1 Timothy 6:11 says, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” The book was a letter written by Paul to his apprentice Timothy, who was essentially being given responsibility to lead the church that Paul could not go to. This relationship is a beautiful picture of how we are to do the same in our own lives, raise up leaders of the next generation so that when we step down, they can take the mantel of responsibility. Now you might be thinking like me and saying I’m too young to raise someone else up because I’m being filled by others. Think through this I came to the conclusion that that’s exactly why we should pour into others! Young, old, extraverted, or introverted, we all can do this. I’d like to share a few of the reasons why we should and its’ value that I think is the reason we should empower others.

We have been called to it.

The great commission was to make disciples of all nations, that means lead others to Christ and empower them to lead. If you eat a good restaurant, most likely you would tell everyone you know to try it. So why don’t we do that with our faith? We have something that blesses us like no other, we need to share it! That’s the first step, and after as you spend time and see their potential, empower them to lead. Everyone has potential, no matter how young or old, they have been made in the image of God. They were made to do great things. That’s why we have been called to raise leaders, so that there can be a continuous cycle of creating leaders to create more leaders. As you empower leaders, it will spread like a virus (in a good way) to those they empower and so on. You have been called to raise leaders.

We won’t last forever.

This is the weird one, but trust me, it’s the truth. At some point in our lives, we will not be as influential as we once were. It’s a hard truth, but it’s also not saying you will be irrelevant, you will still matter. Our ability to influence the majority on the other hand, will start to dwindle. Raising leaders of the next generation will tap into that influence, they are more in touch with the current majority and will have fresh ideas for the church and just general leadership. You will still be influential to those leaders, but you will step out of the spotlight and make room for the next generation of leaders, all while helping them do what you know they can do. When do you begin to fall away from the high level of influence to the majority? I don’t know, I am currently twenty years old, I am a young leader who is still growing himself. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe God has given me discernment to see what will happen to myself as a leader, which is why I am mentoring students and I believe they will become great leaders as I move away from the spotlight. Don’t wait to raise leaders when you feel like you are losing influence, start today.

We will help build the kingdom.

This is the last and most important reason, raising leaders will build and strengthen the kingdom of God. This is so important leading back to the great commission that Jesus called us to, we need to build the kingdom by raising up leaders and mobilizing them into their lives to share the word. That’s the mission we all have, to share with others how Crist has moved and shaped our own lives. As a small group leader in both elementary and high school next gen ministries, I love helping students take the next step in their faith. Whether that means beginning a relationship for the first time, getting involved with serving, or even just learning how much God loves them, all of it drives me to be the best I can be and help them in any way. You can help the people around you take the next step that God has set out for them. It will take courage and wisdom of Christ’s word to do it, and you will see the effect it will have.

I hope this encourages you to look at those around you that you have the ability to influence and empower. Some first steps to doing this would be leading a small group or mentoring someone that you think has potential to do something great. They don’t have to be students either, that’s the ministry that I have been called to. For you it could be your children, a new co-worker, or a friend from church that looks up to you. Remember that we have been called by God to make disciples of all nations, I am thankful for the people that believe in me and mentor my walk in leadership, people like my dad or Seth Tanner. Even the people who guided me in the past like my middle school pastor Marshal Johnson or my eighth grade small group leader Mikey D, all of these people led or are leading me in my walk into leadership and ministry that my heart yearns for. It was simple things and the fact that they go out of their way to speak life into me. That is why we need to empower others, because they will change the world, and they will change it because they are made in the image of God.

-Joshua Thomas

What I Learned at Orange Conference 2015: It’s Just a Phase.

May 4, 2015May 4, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

This past week I was able to have the opportunity to go to the Orange conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference was all about next gen ministry and empowering leaders with new ideas and tools to help them be effective in every area of next gen. The theme for this year was, “it’s just a phase, so don’t miss it.” The theme encompassed the idea that each area of next gen ministry, pre-school through high school, think differently and can be easy to miss. The focus of the week was to share how each ministry functions and stages. The stage of pre-school is to embrace ideas, tell the kids how God made them and he loves them. Then we have the elementary stage, which is the engage part, where we begin to answer questions and help kids learn what it means to have the relationship with Christ. The middle school stage is the affirm part, where we speak into the students showing them that they have a higher purpose for their life. Finally, the high school stage is the mobilize phase, where we equip students to move out and prepare them for their future journey. Each phase is important and each phase can be easy to miss. So don’t miss it!

The conference was very empowering for me and my journey into next gen ministry. My passion is directly tied to all areas in next gen ministry because I believe they will change the world. I want every kid and student to know that they are made in the image of God and what that means for their life. Each phase faces danger, and we need to be aware of the struggles they face. As a leader for high school and elementary, I need to be aware of the real struggles they face, because I face the same struggles. I need to be bold and brave to go first, so I can empower them to do great things. The conference was incredible not only for my ministry, but in my walk with Christ as well. I’d like to share a few points that stuck with me, and communicate some of the wisdom I received from great leaders.

God uses broken hearted leaders.

This idea hit home as the past few months have been very hard for me and those close to me, I have dealt with loss and heartache like never before, and I need to listen to that. Andy Stanley spoke about how when Nehemiah’s heart broke for the people, he listened, and paid attention to it. As a leader, we should pay attention to what breaks our heart because it is part of our divine design. My heart breaks when the next generation loses sight of what they were made for, I will pay attention and do all that I can to disciple them into the people they were made to be. We need to act on what breaks our hearts because we have no idea what is hanging in the balance if we don’t embrace the burden God has placed on our hearts.

We need to be ready for the unexpected changes in our lives.

In one of my breakout sessions, I was able to hear from Carey Nieuwhof about preparing ourselves before we get blindsided in our lives and ministry. He focused on four issues that can cause our ministry to become stagnant and eventually fail. Cynicism, burnout, irrelevance, and ineffectiveness, these four issues can crumble everything we work towards. It’s easy for leaders to become cynical when you project past failures onto new situations, it prevents moments that can bring life to someone. We need to embrace curiosity and get rid of the cynicism. Burnout comes over time and we need to avoid the dangers of self-medicating that come from it, we need to embrace self-care. Irrelevance is a danger that the church as a whole faces, because we need to embrace change. Churches that don’t embrace change become museums for another era. Finally, the one that stuck out to me the most is the danger of ineffectiveness. Ineffectiveness comes from when we begin to love the method more than we love the mission. Carey Nieuwhof said, “Your competency will only take you as far as your character has been developed.” This quote is such a revealing idea that we all need to take hold of. Our skill is nothing unless we continually seek reinvention and renewal of our spirit in Christ.

Failure is part of our spiritual journey.

I want to leave you with this final thought from my time at the Orange conference. Somehow the church has fallen into the trap that opening up about our failure is taboo in church culture. This issue directly affects the next generation, and is the reason why students leave the faith. They are afraid to expose their own weakness because they have been told that a Christ follower never struggles. This is a lie. We need to teach them that failure is part of the spiritual journey, and in order to do this, we must be open with them. We need to be more intentional about admitting our own weakness. As we do this, we open up a line of communication and can help students find healing in the power of Christ.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I was able to have by winning a ticket and being able to experience the Orange conference. It was so empowering to hear from great leaders and visionaries share about the importance of next gen ministry. I learned a lot and was able to have fun at the same time. I loved being able to go with friends and family who serve in the next gen ministries of Daystar Church and see their passion for elementary and pre-school ministries. I can’t wait to see how God will use me to impact the next generation. Thanks for reading.

-Joshua Thomas

Bonus: I got to meet Reggie Joiner and take a selfie with him, which was pretty nuts.

Treasure Every Moment

April 27, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / 1 Comment

With the stress from upcoming exams or whatever life begins to throw at me, I find myself focusing on the next task or what tomorrow looks like. In moments like this I forget that I need to be present in where I am now, not where I will be. Where I will be is unknown, I don’t know what life will be in the next year or the year after and so on. So why do I and so many others get caught up in what will happen next, rather than live in the present situation I am in? A week ago, I was sitting with my Tuesday small group when one of the people in the group, Anthony, said one simple thing that caused me to think about this question. As we were enjoying laughing and eating pizza, he said that this is what we should be focused on, little moments we spend together. He said that life is too short to be worried about what’s next. This stuck with me and I absolutely agree with the sentiment. I began to read in Matthew, which spoke directly to this point. In chapter 6 verse 25-27 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” And later on in verse 33-34 it says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This verse reveals some very key aspects about how we should live our life each day, in order to be effective and honor God.

God will provide.

It’s easy to worry about our lives each day. Finances, school, work and more always pile up in our minds, filling us with this stress and constant fear about what will come in the future. This is one of my biggest struggles, it’s difficult to see that in all things God will provide for me, yet over and over again I am blessed in ways I would have never guessed. The main problem is that I don’t want to fully trust in him, to give up what I think is best and let God lead. It’s something that I believe most people struggle with, to not be in full control of our own lives. I have to remind myself each day that God is in control, that I give complete trust in him and let him lead me. Once I do this, my fears and worries seem to be so small, because I know that I am able to face all things with Christ. God takes care of the birds, and he will take care of me.

Struggles will still come at us.

This verse doesn’t say that once we trust God for today all our trouble goes away, I wish that were the case. We will still face it, but we should only face what we must each day it comes our way. Essentially trusting God with the small bricks and not focusing on the castle that is life. Everything takes time, we don’t complete a large task in one day. We must face our problems each day and trust what God wants us to do in order to grow in wisdom. Strive towards what is good and gives life, and avoid the temptations that the enemy uses to distract us from our purpose. Take hold of every moment in your day, using every opportunity to pour into someone else and fill yourself with things that please Christ. Trust him with all of your struggles and they won’t seem so big.

Value the simple moments.

We were not made to be worrisome or fearful people, we were made to enjoy the creation that God made for us. So enjoy it! We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so focus on the relationships you have during your day. Speak life to others, use your influence to change someone else, be the light to others. We should always prepare for the future, but don’t get lost in your thoughts about it. Grow in your relationship with Christ, live in full community with others, and trust in God.

Remember to enjoy what you have now and trust that everything has a purpose. So the next time you feel like you are too busy to spend time with a friend, or are too embarrassed to have some fun, remember that we aren’t promised tomorrow. Does this mean make foolish decisions? Of course not! Living life to the fullest doesn’t mean make poor decisions, it simply means to take hold of what we have been given and enjoy the Gods’ creation. Have some fun, and always place your trust in the one who has the big picture in mind.

This week I will be attending the Orange conference which is all about next generation leadership. I am very excited about this opportunity and the fact that I won a ticket to the event! I will talk next week about what I saw and heard and can’t wait to share with you all that I have learned. I plan on enjoying every moment and taking hold of every opportunity that may push my comfort zone. What will you do to take hold of life? Thanks for reading.

-Joshua Thomas

Purpose in the Midst of Redirection

April 20, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

When I was in elementary school, my dream was to become a professional Lego designer. My world revolved around the idea that I would grow up and I would run the Lego Company and get free toys forever. As I got older, this passion kept getting farther away as I became interested in it less and less. My Purpose was beginning to change, and it still is. That’s a simple example of a bigger idea about the dreams that many of us have in life. My elementary world revolved around this, but as I got older my dreams changed. Life brings change whether we are ready for it or not, people around us change and we begin to find love for new things. Sometimes in life we have a dream and pursue it with all of our strength, but the doors shuts, and we are lost. I know many of you have faced this because I face it. There’s a terrible feeling you get when life seems to be aimless and without direction. I know this feeling because all through high school I felt it, I had no purpose that I was trying to pursue. It seemed like every door I would run to would be shut just as I was about to go through. It seems to be a thing that everyone goes through, no matter how old or young you may be. In times like this it’s easy for us to blame God, when in reality, he is moving us toward something better.

I am moving towards a purpose that God has slowly been moving me toward for a long time. The reason it takes long is because I get in the way of what he really wants to move me towards. I focus on what I want and not what he wants. As I have been reading through James, I have been learning what I should be doing when it feels like life keeps blocking my direction. James 1:19-22 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” I love this because it is so honest about what we do as humans and how we should react when life gets tough.

We must listen to what the word says.

All of us want to get our way, which is tough when God’s plan conflicts with our plan. God’s plan can often be harder and tougher to reach, especially when it is a different plan from the one that I want it to be. God wants us to trust in in all things, every aspect of life, we just need to stop trying to do it by ourselves. That part about being slow to speak and slow to become angry means that before we get all defensive when the scripture conflicts with our lifestyle, step back and think about the wise choice. What will happen if I go my way? It’s most likely not going to end well, sorry to break it to you. If we read the word and listen to what it says, receiving council from people we trust, our life will be directed towards our true purpose.

We need to cut out the things that hold us back.

It wouldn’t make sense for me to drive a car blindfolded, yet that’s essentially what we are doing when we cling to our worldly desires. I can listen and read the word, but unless I cut out the junk in my life, I will continue to wander. For me this means, don’t spend hours watching Netflix, instead fill that time with reading and growing spiritually. This looks different for everyone, and no matter what it is, it might be a challenge to get rid of it. Don’t let the junk in your life direct the purpose for your life. Run after God’s purpose, and when life gets hard, turn your trust to him and you will find life.

We need to do.

Take action. Don’t just read the word and think about the things that you should do, actually do it. Change doesn’t just magically happen, it happens with hard work and over time. Is it going to be easy, sadly no. I guarantee that it will be worth it, more than anything else in this world. As you have doors close in front of you, don’t stand passively, move to the next opportunity and give it your all. Even though it may not be the end of your purpose, your testimony will grow and you can lead others using the wisdom you have acquired. Take action and pursue God, that is your purpose.

My journey isn’t over yet, I am still learning and growing. I am not a perfect person, I will stumble and make mistakes, but that’s ok. We all do, and we all learn from them. I will pursue Christ in all I do, in all of my dreams. I will follow my dream of raising up leaders and impacting the next generation, but if God redirects that dream, I will still follow him. I don’t know the end and to be honest I don’t want to know it. All I need to focus on during this long journey is to trust God in all things and he will guide my path. I will listen, I will remove the junk, and I will take action in my pursuit of Christ.

-Joshua Thomas

Finding Joy in All Things

April 13, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

This past weekend was one of the biggest rollercoasters of emotion I have ever been on. I attended a funeral, a wedding, and a going away party in the span of two days. Not a typical weekend for me as I’m sure you can imagine. I went to the funeral of one of my friends who I have known ever since I attended that first small group that changed my life (See previous weeks post). It was unexpected and devastating to hear, the kind of thing you never think would happen to someone close to you. It didn’t feel real when I found out, but it was. On Saturday morning, I went to the church of the funeral with my brother-in-law, and said a final goodbye to a dear friend. About an hour and a half later, I was sitting in my home church for a completely different reason. Two people who are close to myself and my family, Becky and Jeremy who are basically a part of our family, were celebrating their marriage through a beautiful ceremony. Weddings are such a beautiful picture of commitment and how Christ laid down his life for the people he loves. It was such a great time. The next afternoon I went to a surprise going away party for another close friend who I have known ever since I can remember. My friend Ben is going into the Marines and his family set-up this surprise to show how much he is loved and how much his friends and family are supporting him in prayer. Three events, two days, and one big rollercoaster of emotions.

It’s easy to be joyful during the wedding of two of my friends and to be joyful about the places another is headed, but what about the lowest times in our lives? I have been struggling with this idea and wanted to know how I can find joy, no matter how hard the situation is. I began to read James 1:2-4 which says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” A few verses later, James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” I think these verses really outline how to possess joy in every situation, good or bad, that we walk in each day.

You will face trials.

Really encouraging statement right? As much as I’d like to believe that everything will be good all the time, the reality of it is, life gets hard. We face addiction, anger, loss, and a multitude of other struggles all the time. This stems from the fact that we live in a fallen world, but there is hope. The first part of the verse in James says to consider it pure joy when we face the hard stuff in life, because it will grow us. That’s my own paraphrase version, and it’s true. The scripture doesn’t try to dance around the truth, it simply says that we will struggle, people will say things to hurt you, you will fight against temptations, but this will lead to perseverance. Essentially, finding joy during the trials that we will all inevitably face, will make you stronger and build your faith even more.

You must be patient in the growth.

Having joy in all things will take time. We can’t speed through the growing process that the persevering brings. I want to have full joy in every situation, but I can’t expect to have this ability in an instant. The second chunk of that verse says that we must let this process finish if we want to be fully mature and not missing anything. I don’t like this concept because I want everything right away all the time, that’s basically how we have all been told to live through society. But in order to grow spiritually and have joy during hardship, we must be patient. The only way we grow, is if we are continually striving for more and spending our time reading and meditating on Christ’s word. Joy takes time because growing our faith takes time, but the reward is so much better than we can imagine.

You will be blessed when you persevere.

As we choose to say I will have joy in this situation, this brings praise to Christ and he blesses our perseverance. We face trials and grow our faith, and Christ gives us so much more than we could have ever imagined. He gives us a testimony to help others. He gives us wisdom to walk through future situations that we find ourselves in. He gives the leadership knowledge to be effective and show others the way. As we follow Christ, we are able to find life and live out its’ full potential. We were made to praise and worship our Savior, and through the perseverance of all trials, we can bring honor to his name. Does this mean life gets easy, no, what it means is that we get stronger and more equipped to take on future trials that will arise.

This past weekend was like being on a Ferris wheel, experiencing the great lows and the great highs that life presents us with. I will take the highs as a blessing and cherish the friends and memories past and present, being joyful in them. I also choose to have joy in the lows, seeing them as a growing part of my life that will give me a strong testimony. I will remember the times spent with my friend and brother Seth seeing them as a blessing, just as I will remember the day Becky and Jeremy became one, and the celebration of Ben pursuing his dreams in life. I choose to find joy in all situations, no matter how high or how low. I choose joy.

The Value of Community

April 6, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

Life is hard. We go through some of the toughest trials imaginable, whether it be a loss of someone close to us, heart ache from the hurt others have done to us, a lack of vision over our lives; we have all been through these. Sometimes it is hard to understand how to get through it all. This caused me to think about one important element in my own life and walk with the Lord, community. As humans, we are built to crave community, without it, we physically and emotionally cannot grow. This then led me to ask myself, why is community such an important element to not only our physical well-being, but also to our spiritual walk? To be honest, I have never really looked at the reasons why it is so beneficial, I only knew that I like to be in community with others. Sounds funny right? How can I enjoy community and not know the reason why we need it. As I was thinking about this, I searched for scripture that deals with this idea. Two verses kept coming back and was a perfect of picture of what community is. Hebrews 10: 24- 25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” As well as Proverbs 27:17, which says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” While praying over these verses, I believe there are three reasons why community is so vital to our journey in Christ.

Community increases our individual growth.

In my walk with Christ, small groups played an enormous role in my life. Back in my ninth grade, I felt outcast. My old church was not a healthy growth place for me, and yet I did not seek to change. When my parents first went to Daystar, I wanted nothing to do with any of it, I was done with youth groups. One day my mom told me that a youth small group was going to be at my house, and that I would be at it. I didn’t want to be there, but I was forced (I know, forced to be at a small group that would change my life, oh woe is me). The first night was incredible, it was the first time I had been able to talk to people that were real in their faith, they didn’t wear masks to save face, they were open and honest about their struggles. I was changed forever. After that evening I kept going, got involved with serving, made friends who I will love for the rest of my life. I now serve with the next generation in elementary and high school, I intern with the youth ministry, and I truly own my faith. I say all of this to show how that community was the catalyst for my spiritual growth, and without it, I don’t even know where I would be. That line in Hebrews says how we spur each other on, I am now able to help others grow in their walks and create life change. I am so thankful for community.

Community increases encouragement.

For myself, and most likely many of you, I need encouragement. As I said earlier, life gets hard, and people say words that can cut us to our core. Whether it is said as a joke, a sarcastic comment, or a purely malice deed, words hurt us. People don’t realize the power of the tongue, and people act carelessly with that power. This is why we need a community that gives encouragement. I am so thankful for my family, they have always supported me through the toughest times in my life. My parents will always listen and speak life giving advice and encouragement that helps me grow and be wise in my walk. I am so thankful for that, I love them for their words. I have been around “friends” that just speak death, and maybe you have these people in your life and are thinking of them now. My advice on that is, get rid of them. Show these people love, but don’t invest in them if all you receive is hurt and pain. Surround yourself with a community that provides support and encouragement. Trust me, you will live with so much more joy. This is the importance of the last line in Hebrews, find people that you can receive encouragement from.

Community gives wisdom that you can give to others.

I want to state the verse in Proverbs again, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” That verse sums up the final aspect of community. As you grow and receive encouragement, which is the sharpening of iron. The second, states that so one person sharpens another. That person is you. That person is me. We aren’t made to just receive and receive over and over, we are to give back to those in community around us! Our human nature is to be selfish, but Christ tells us to live selfless lives. Share with those around you, speak to those you care about. Earlier I talked about how I was in a small group that changed my life forever, and now as time has passed and I have graduated, I lead a small group. I want my students to see how valuable they are in life, how they should run after their dreams, and pursue Christ in everything they do. I do this because I was told these same things, and I am so grateful for that! Speak life to those around you, I always try to encourage my family because they continually encourage me. I want to be careful with my tongue because I know what it feels like to be told by others that you aren’t worth it, or that you will never reach your dreams. Those are lies, the truth is that we are children of the one true God, and we should act like that towards everyone. Sharpen others just as you have been sharpened.

This is the picture of that first small group that I was in, some weren’t in this picture, but these were the people who first taught me about community. I hope you see just how vital community plays a role in our lives. Not only do we need it in order to grow in our own spiritual journey, but we need to be intentional about those who we are in community with. We shouldn’t just receive, but give because we have been poured into so much. A simple conversation could change a person for the rest of their life. That is the value of community, community is the place where people are loved, where people find peace in their trials, and where people find wisdom from the people that care about them. Be intentional about your community, speak life to those around you, encourage one another, and sharpen those around you.

-Joshua Thomas

Taking Hold of the Vision

March 30, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

One of the biggest fears I have, is the question of am I moving to the place that I’m supposed to be. It’s the classic case of a kid wandering around and trying to see what their purpose in life is. I am definitely in that stage, a college kid with big dreams, ones that seem crazy to achieve. So, when I start to get fearful and over-think everything, I have to step back and look at what the vision for my life is. A vision for life is not a road map with a destination, but more like a guideline for the trip. It’s essentially how we are to live as we walk in life. I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of what my vision for life is, and more importantly what does Christ say my vision is. If you’ve read the last few posts of mine, you have most likely seen that I have been reading through Romans. I have loved reading it and thinking about what it has said, but all things end sometime, and I finished reading through it this past week. I say this because the last bit of it deals with what I think is the vision for our lives. Romans 15:5-7 says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” From this, there are three key elements that show us how to live under the vision of Christ.

We need to own our faith, and live it.

The first part of those verses is Paul telling the Romans that God has given us essentially everything, and that we are to have the same mindset of Christ Jesus. We need to own our faith, meaning we need to not just know what the word says, but we need to live it. It’s easy to have an attitude where we know what it is we should do, but when it comes time to getting a little dirty in order to live our faith, we shrug it off and walk away. That’s not what we are called to do, we are to claim our faith. This means worshipping with all that we are, when no one is around to see. It means we read our bible even when we don’t Instagram it. It means talking to God in the good times and in the bad. Too many Christians make a show out of their faith, we need to make it personal and let our actions lead to the open doors for people around us. In order to live into our vision, we have to own our faith.

We need to come together as the Church.

Community is essential for humans. There is no worse feeling, than being lonely. When we are alone, no matter how solid we are in our relationship with Christ, we will fall, because there is no accountability. This is why it’s so vital to be in a church, serving, and proactively attending a small group. We should surround ourselves with people running after Christ, being open in prayer and helping our brothers and sisters in need. Finding that tribe to stick with will help you in your life tremendously. I’m so thankful for the close friends and mentors that have guided me through life. My family has been a huge part of my growth and I love all of them tremendously. My brother-in-law Tim, has been a great friend in my life, he’s the guy I wanted to take care of my sister. He has been someone that I can talk to, and he can talk to me. We both have struggles, because that’s a whole part about being human, but as we walk in life together, we can step away from our sin and step into our purpose. Tim is my friend and brother, I love him and his heart. People like Tim are the kind of people we need to surround ourselves with, that’s where we will have community.

We need to share our heart.

The final part of the verses in Romans say that we not only live our faith and have community with fellow believers, but we need to share our heart with those who don’t know what God can do for them. It would be crazy for us to keep the joy and the purpose we have found to ourselves, so why wouldn’t we share it? There are different answers to that question, but the main issue for me is fear. I’m afraid of what people will perceive me as or what they might say, but it’s silly to think like that. It doesn’t matter what happens, the best outcome is that they find that relationship and change the world, and the worst is they may just say, “No thanks.” Even then, I have planted a seed for Christ to start moving in their heart. Honestly the fear is a lie from the enemy, the lie may be something different in whatever your situation is, but it is a lie. We can do all things through Christ, we don’t need to be afraid of anything! We should share our heart at every chance we get, and never hide the joy we have found.

To bring this together, our vision is the way to live our life. This doesn’t mean we will figure out exactly what we should do with our lives, it’s simply the way to live as we move forward. Do we feel lost? Sure. Do I feel lost at times in my life? Absolutely. But, I know that God has a plan for me, he takes my crazy dreams and will turn them into even bigger ones. I may not know where I’m headed, but I don’t have to be scared. I am living out my life through this vision, and by doing that, opportunities will show themselves and peace will follow. I hope that you live out this vision in your own life, and remember that you don’t have to fear anymore.

-Joshua Thomas

Being a Sacrificial Leader

March 23, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

As I continue to walk in faith and pursue a deeper relationship with Christ, I am always wanting to learn more so that I can in turn do more for the kingdom. So when I read through Romans 12 this weekend, I was enjoying every part of it. It has a very simple idea, we are to be a living sacrifice. A sacrifice is an offering to Christ, and when Paul says we should be a living sacrifice, he means that we are to offer ourselves up. Pretty simple, but then I started to wonder, what it looks like exactly to put this into practice. The chapter has two main ideas with one overarching theme. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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.” Which immediately targets the first focus that every leader has to have if they want to be a sacrificial one.

A sacrificial leader works on their own heart first.

It’s easy to tell other people what they need to fix before we take an honest look at ourselves. What that first part of chapter 12 shows, is that we need to first work on our own focus and attitudes. The first step that we need to take if we want to lead sacrificially is to transform all of our mind. Not some of it, but all of it. God doesn’t want a leader who is still clinging to something that can only bring death. Now do we all have struggles? Well duh we’re human, but this verse is saying that we need to work towards living a pure life. So if you struggle with anything, don’t feel like you can’t ever be a leader, just don’t let that sin take over your mind. Seek council, listen to wise words from people who have gone before you, take the necessary steps to guard your heart from things that only bring pain. Step into freedom. Earlier I said there was an overarching theme with the two points, and that is the action of love. As you change your mind, practice showing love to others and good leaders that are around you will show you love. Transform your mind, step into freedom, and show love to those who help you get stronger. Then we see the second main way to be a sacrificial leader.

A sacrificial leader works with a team.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from people who have led me, is that we can’t live life alone. Romans 12:3-5 says, “ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” A leader values the people they lead, and a sacrificial leader knows that they need people to carry out the mission. I have never met anyone who was unimportant, all of us have something to contribute to one another. Each week I serve alongside a fantastic team, everyone with a special skillset that makes them a vital member of the team. In Daystar Kids team at the New Garden Campus, Beth leads using this formula, encouraging us all, and empowering us to be the best we can be. Every area of ministry is like this, it’s the reason I love serving. So naturally, as I find myself in leadership positions, I want to do the same. A sacrificial leaders empowers their team to be the best they can be. As I thought more about this a great example came to mind.

The X-men exemplify what it means to be a team of sacrificial leader.

Now before you roll your eyes at me, let me explain. I have always loved the X-men comics because it’s a great example of being a part of a team a leading wherever you are at. The X-men are all mutants with supernatural abilities, who are socially outcast because they aren’t understood by the rest of society. Instead of hurting others, the X-men defend the world from bad guys, each using their special skills to be the most effective as a team. It’s such a great example of how to be an effective sacrificial leader, working together to accomplish a common goal. In the body of Christ, the same is true, we work together using our gifts and talents to build the kingdom.

To bring it together, a sacrificial is one who is pursuing Christ each day, and uses their talents to serve within the body of Christ. A leader is not someone who sits above others and barks orders, they are people who are willing to step into what they know God wants them to do. I want to be a sacrificial leader, I want to step into what God has for me, and I want to do all of it with an attitude of love for those who need it. I hope that this helps you be an effective leader no matter where you are in life because, you are special, and you have so much to offer.

-Joshua Thomas

All Things

March 16, 2015 / Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

Have you ever had a week where you thought nothing else could get worse and then suddenly it got worse? Well I sure do, it was this past week. It started off pretty normal, then out of nowhere a sucker punch knocked me on my feet. I found out something that happened to someone very dear to me and my family, and for that reason I am choosing to not to share the personal details of the situation. When I found out, nothing really set in, like I was numb to what was being said and explained. My mind began to race, not out of anger, but out of confusion and fear. Why is this happening to me? Why does this happen to the people close to me? What good can come from this? I know of several friends that have been dealing with similar situations, situations that shake reality. Things that make ones heart ache like no pain ever before, my heart aches like it never has before. It feels as if nothing can come out of this, but that isn’t true.

There is hope.

During the past few days one verse has helped me to stay above the waves. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I just kept thinking about this verse over and over in my head, even now as I sit here, it keeps me calm. The thing that makes this verse so real to me is the two words, “all things.” It doesn’t say, in the times of really happy fun times, or in times when it feels like God is so close to me. All things. Times when we feel alone, when we feel hurt, in times when we feel like we can’t take it anymore. When I look at it this way, it changes how I read the verse, “I (Joshua) can make it through this pain and hurt through Christ who strengthens me.” It will look different for everyone who reads it and how it applies to your circumstance, but the truth stands firm.

We have a mighty Father.

A good father cares for his child, our God is a father who loves and wants guide us in life. He wants to equip us and lead us through our darkest times, no matter how bad our situation is, He will give us strength. That’s such and encouraging part of that verse, not only is God with us in all things, but he strengthens us. Alone I don’t feel very strong, but when I trust God, I feel like I could fight a thousand armies and never grow weary. I want you to know that I’m not telling you this because I have it all figured out, trust me, I am telling this to you because it is helping me in a time where I feel weak. Our Father wants us to rely on him, not on our own flesh. Our flesh is weak, but in Him, we are strong.

Good will come.

This week has been tough and my heart still aches, but I have also seen the good that our Father can bring. I was able to help on a shoot for a Daystar bumper video, I was able to hang out with the family of a student in my small group, I was able to mentor another student, and I was able to pull off a Vert event with the help of a great team. I am surrounded by people who care, people striving after the kingdom, people who showed me love, even when they didn’t know how crazy my life was becoming. My family is finding healing and hope for the future, and never giving up on each other. I am so overwhelmed by how God is moving all around me, and even when I feel hurt, He brings healing and joy. I say all this to encourage you and to tell you that our God is good, in him I forgive, I find joy, and I find restoration of relationships. I wish it was easy and I wish that I could prevent anyone else from being hurt, but I don’t have that power. Our God has that power and no matter what you’re going through, I say this with tears in my eyes because looking silly in Geeksboro, He will keep you strong in all things.

With a thankful heart,

-Joshua Thomas