Clarity's Only MAMA

This is a special blog shout out to the best new mother on the entire planet... my babe, my sweetheart, my darling, my bride, Jessica McKenzie Kollar. She moved across the country, left her family, left her home, moved to an office floor, and made it all GREAT... all while having a 5 month old first baby! Now she makes a wonderful nursery and play area in our bedroom all day every day for our beautiful nine month old Novi to thrive. She does this all while also keeping me in line day in and day out (a tough job for sure). She is a pillar. She is full of love and selflessness.

Thank you Jessica!!! You are AMAZING... and we recognize that!

The Spiritual Disciplines

These are a gift... a gift by which you can grow in the grace of God. Try one a day to start. If you take root below, you will bear fruit above.

The Spiritual Disciplines

as composed by Dallas Willard

The two categories are important. The first, “Disciplines of Abstinence,” are designed to help us remove destructive and unhelpful things from our lives through acts that force us to stop, wait, remove, or eliminate. The “Disciplines of Engagement” are intended to build the right kinds of attitudes and habits into our daily lives.

Disciplines of Abstinence
Solitude: The practice of spending time without any others or any distractions.
Silence: No noise or conversation. Just you and God.
Fasting: Abstain from food, media, entertainment, or anything else that occupies your time.
Frugality: Use your money for purposes outside your own needs for a time.
Secrecy: Do not allow anyone to know of the deeds you do or the money you give in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations. Only God needs to know.
Sacrifice: Stretch your sense of what you can do without for the sake of those who have less.

Disciplines of Engagement
Study: Memorize Scripture and expand your universe of biblical study helps.
Worship: Engage in corporate worship and include worship in your own prayer time.
Celebration: Practice being grateful and thankful both in your own relationship with Christ and with other believers. Express encouragement and thankfulness to others.
Service: Give your time to the church and/or to others. Ponder tithing your time.
Prayer: Take deliberate steps to pray regularly and with purpose. Praying through the Psalms is a good way to increase your “prayer vocabulary.”
Fellowship: Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Confession: Practice confessing your sins to trusted people who will pray with you and be spiritual allies.
Submission: Submit to the proper people in the proper ways—fight against the sin of pride.

Song and Free Writing

Well, our first performance art Clarity event (experiment) was a HUGE success in my book... and in the teams. We had a great turn out, the message came through loud and clear, and the vibe was excellent.

Earlier in the week I found incredible strength during a time of weakness through the revelation that Jesus literally IS the root of "my tree." (Isaiah 53:2) With Him as the root, I now have FULL access to the Living Water (the Holy Spirit) because Jesus is the perfect conduit. There is no limit the growth of the tree or the fruit that it bears with Jesus as the root! Below I've included the "free writing" (when you simply write whatever comes to mind without stopping) I did as a result of this revelation and the song that was born out of it...

FREE WRITING...

"Amazing sense of God... remembering relationships, experiences, times of drawing close and times of struggle, overwhelmed by a God who is always there and always gracious, always connecting, always pursuing me, why would this be, what is the purpose for this now, why such elation in the midst of difficulty, how is it possible, what is the reason... simply what he delights to do, simply his nature, simply his love and pleasure and sheer joy, like my times of worship and intimacy with my daughter, brings tears to my eyes even as I write this, unity and bonding, can’t be expressed ever, too deep, the union between father and daughter, husband and wife, God and me, why... again, his delight, Lord I’m so thankful and so undeserving... people wouldn’t think it possible to know such peace and security while so uncertain all around, such heaviness, yet with you, none, no unrest, roots deep, Jesus IS the root, deeper than I could ever dream or go, so certain, sure, foundation, hope, strength, power, fearlessness. pure joy that lasts. What is going on, how is this possible, could it really be divine truth is all around me and orchestrating all things, what a moment to be, a time to thrive, and chance to pour out, help, i can’t see, i need this, now, always."

SONG...

VERSE
Amazing sense of God, as all this grace is falling
In light of my failings, still all this grace is falling
Always connecting, always pursuing
always engaging, always compelling me

CHORUS
And now, it’s rising over my head and I can’t see the end
It’s digging under my feet and I can’t see the end

No ROOT No FRUIT

One of my favorite verses... "... take root below and bear fruit above." (Isaiah 37:31). The BEST way to bear fruit is to take root... no, the ONLY way to bear fruit is to take root. It's like when the flight attendants of a commercial airliner tell the parent to put their oxygen mask on first, then their child's. The best method we have to help and bless those around us is to put our "mask" on first. Focus on YOU growing closer to the Lord and those around you will too.

Here more this Sunday night at "SHI."

My Performance ART this Sunday...

This Sunday night, May 2nd, 7 PM, at Magicopolis theater, I will execute my first performance art piece in LA. This is the first time I will return to some of my early visual art roots in the past ten years. In case you are wondering, here's a couple definitions of what performance art is...

Performance Art Definition 1 - Art form that arose in Europe and the U.S. in the 1960s. The term describes an art that is live but operates outside the traditional conventions of theatre or music. Early examples represented a challenge to orthodox art forms and cultural norms by creating an ephemeral art experience that could not be captured or purchased. By the 1970s performance art was used as a general term to describe a multitude of activities, including happenings, body art, actions, events, and non-matrix theatre.

Performance Art Definition 2 - Although the emphasis in these loosely constructed, multidimensional programs may sometimes be on music, poetry, dance, political speeches, visual art, or other forms, there is something inherently theatrical about them because they are always performed. The very nature of performance art defies strict definitions, but in each case the artist's expression of an idea must take place before a live audience. A painting viewed is considered too stagnant for the genre, but a painting being created is performance art. While many pieces are sociopolitical, outspoken, controversial, and confrontational, there is much in performance art that is personal and intimate. Some involve a “cast” of artists while others are solo projects. The creator of the art and the performer are usually the same person, even if it is scripted in a somewhat traditional manner. And even as such theatrical elements as scenery, costumes, sound effects, lighting, dialogue, and songs may be used, often performance art occurs in found spaces in an impromptu fashion rather than in traditional theatre buildings.

See you there!

How I Learned to Play Guitar and My Singing Daughter

I'll never forget when I was about 14 years old and felt the burning desire to learn guitar, write songs, and lead a band. I knew NOTHING... but went for it anyway. I had heard of something called a "chord," so I made one up. It consisted of playing four open strings in a certain pattern (not a chord at all). As I met some guitar players and bought some books, I began to actually learn some chords, strumming patterns, and picking patterns. The development of my playing has taken leaps and bounds over the past 13 years.

Why should I expect anything different as a husband, father, pastor, church planter, boss, etc. I'm pretty much making stuff up, learning some real stuff, and trying not to lose focus along the way. Remembering my development and a young "fake" guitarist gives me permission to give myself lots of grace and mercy as I grow. You should do the same.

My wife, Jessica, and daughter, Novi have recently given me an even more stark example. The other day, while in the back seat of my mother-in-law's van (on our way to the airport to head back to LA), my wife sang the first five notes of a scale ascending and descending. "La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la." As soon as she finished, my daughter enthusiastically tried to follow suit, but without any pitch, sense of rhythm, or the ability to speak. Then my wife sang again, and my daughter tried to emulate it again. It was absolutely hilarious and adorable. I pretty much cried.

The contrast between the two voices was a perfect picture of the result of continual development. In the next 10 to 20 years of my daughter's life, she will learn to sing just like Mom. This will come from working the vocal muscles, learning from others, and not giving up.

Today, let go of the pressure to be perfect. You may be like the baby trying to sing right now, but you WILL develop into the polished and beautiful vocalist that God has called you to be. The development is not just lifelong, it's eternal.

Outrageous AUDACITY and GENEROSITY from Nehemiah

AUDACITY is the willingness to take bold risks.
GENEROSITY is the state of readiness to give more of something than is required or expected.

*Audacity without generosity leads to pride.
*Generosity without audacity leads to ineffectiveness.

Nehemiah demonstrated both to us.

AUDACITY
He saw a SERIOUS problem and PERSONALLY stepped up (Nehemiah 1:4-11, 2:5), he asked the King for permission AND resource (Nehemiah 2:1-8), he recruited a HUGE and COMMITTED team (Nehemiah 2:17-18, Chapter 3), and he pressed on in the face of MOCKERY and ridicule (Nehemiah 4:1-14).

GENEROSITY
He did not see his position as a means of gain for himself (Nehemiah 5:14-18), and he used what he had to do something about injustice. (Chapter 5)

HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH AUDACITY AND GENEROSITY?
What problems are around you?
What need is there?
What injustice is there?
What is needed to do something about it?
Who is needed to help make it possible?
What may opposition against this look/sound like?
How can you press on in the face of opposition?
What can you gain with your position and how can you avoid using it in selfishness?

If you would like the full teaching, write me at nathan@claritylife.org.

FOUR Event Reflections from Last Thursday Night

1. People will always respond to the Word... for better or for worse. The evidence demands a verdict (I made that up, haha). If you proclaim it, people will notice it, and hopefully heed it. The Word is so powerful. The Gospel is so good.

2. Those that say they are not down with Jesus, but love being around the Clarity community, actually are down with Jesus, but don't fully understand it yet. It's only a matter of time and prayer. We are seeing this now. EVERYONE that we meet is brought our way on purpose.

3. We are so in need of being in God's presence. Music is a great tool that God has given us to assist in this process... we should not neglect it.

4. A great team is still imperfect, but is intentionally improving in an environment of grace. Each member must be honest about how they feel, or there will never be full "buy in." Healthy conflict is needed.

The Romans Road - FIVE Steps

This is a good method of sharing with people why Jesus had to come and die, and why we put our faith in Him alone... (courtesy ofgotquestions.org)

THE ROMANS ROAD

The Romans Road to salvation is a way of explaining the good news of salvation using verses from the Book of Romans. It is a simple yet powerful method of explaining why we need salvation, how God provided salvation, how we can receive salvation, and what are the results of salvation.



1. The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives.

2. The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23, teaches us about the consequences of sin - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!



3. The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up where Romans 6:23 left off, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:8 declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins.



4. The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, "for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

5. 

The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 teaches us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

3 Reasons Private Faith Does Not Exist and You MUST be Scattered

1. A man can no more possess a private religion than he can possess a private sun and moon. --Chesterton

2. Martin Luther called Christians wanting to only be with other Christians a betrayal of Jesus Christ.

3. Zechariah 10:9 says that God will scatter His seed among the nations so that distant lands will remember Him.

We must dwell in the dark places in order to be a light. The hope of this world is the people of God strategically positioned by God throughout this world. Reject the comfort of spending all your time with those who already know God. Embrace the uncomfortable life of dwelling in distant lands for the sake of those who do not know God.

God loves YOU and has called you, Jesus has walked before you, the Holy Spirit will lead and empower you, so take courage and be a light that stays in your community.

F.A.C.E. It!

I heard this method of how to face impossible giants the other day. It helps remind me how to think and act in the overwhelming moments when I lose focus.

F - Focus on God, not the problem. (Our default is to forget about the attributes of the ALL powerful and loving God, while zooming in on our impossibilities and fears... don't do that!)

A - Act on Biblical principles, not your feelings. (Our default is to do what feels rights to us and forget about the guaranteed eternal truths of God's Word... don't do that!)

C - Confront it, don't run away from it. (David ran out after Goliath! Our default is to practice the ministry of avoidance and shrink back from the very things that God wants to give us as a victory to draw people in... don't do that!)

E - Empower others by your example. (You are the representative of Jesus. There is a lid on your leadership and influence... you.)

So face whatever it is... offense, impossible situations, hurt, anger, family problems, fear of what God has called you to do, mockers, haters, doubt, depression, worry, addiction, whatever it is... God wants to KILL that thing through you. FACE it.

Why I CAN'T lead from REASON alone

Whether it is some statistic, a community leader's opinion, or historical evidence... it seems that arguements for why a new church can't be launched in the west side of LA are building up around me more and more every day.

As a leader, I can't base my decisions on those facts alone. I do value them and CAN learn from them, but they are not my guide.

So the launch of Clarity will be a work of faith... based not on what stats reveal, but on what God has revealed.

If I led from reason alone, I would quit now. But I don't. Join me.

MISSION and VISION that changes everything!

Here are the snap shot phrases we landed on and will rally around. They will enable us to keep doing what enhances the vision and stop doing what divides it. I explained what each snap shot reminds us of...

1. Our Unmixed Mission
CLARITY LIVES FOR JESUS AS A COMMUNITY CLEARLY REFLECTING THE GOD OF THE BIBLE

This mission reminds us that Jesus is God, the Bible is all about Jesus, and it's Jesus that we live for. It reminds us that the church is a community that has met in the temple courts and in homes since its birth over 2,000 years ago, and we will do the same. It reminds us that we are the living word of God and the glory of God is to reflect off our faces. It reminds us that our world needs a clear reflection of the God of the Bible for health and life. It reminds us that the God of the Bible is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that there is no other God beside Him. It reminds us that we live by the new and living way found in the Book... no other. It reminds us that we do not trust our own hearts and minds, rather, we look to the plumb line, God's Word.

2. Our Focused Vision
THAT OUR CITY WOULD BE FULL OF LIFE IN CHRIST AND EMANATE THAT LIFE TO ALL

This vision reminds us that it is those who are in our city that we are called to reach. It reminds us that most of those who are here are far from God, and need to be full of life in Christ. It reminds us that ALL we do is centered around a righteousness that is not found through the law, but by faith in Jesus... the Gospel. It reminds us that the early disciples flipped cities upside down, and so will we. It reminds us to attempt such ridiculous things that God has to step in for success. It reminds us that we must disciple those in this city and teach them to do the same. It reminds us that this WILL ultimately go into all the world.

Powerful... I'm so excited to be a part of this!

In Christ, it has ALWAYS been YES!

In 2 Corinthians 1:15-20, Paul writes about how his plans to visit Corinth had to change. He explains this was not his intention and that he did not mean to operate the way "man" typically does by saying "yes" and "no" in the same breath. He then goes on to brag about how consistent the "message of Jesus" is, despite our human inconsistencies and uncertainties.

"But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not 'Yes' and 'No.' For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God."

I love it! In Him, it has ALWAYS been yes. Some imagine Jesus telling us only what not to do. That could not be further from the truth. He tells us what we CAN do, unleashes us from sin, gives us life-saving boundaries, and empowers us to go!

The TOP FIVE Post Kick-Off Event Reflections

The Kick-Off event on Thursday evening was truly amazing! We had many friends and pastors there (heroes of the faith), lots of excellent volunteers, and 10 visitors... about 45 in all! It was certainly EXACTLY what needed to happen. Below I have listed some highlights, some challenges, some things we learned, and some areas to grow in.

1. The Clarity volunteer staff absolutely killed it! It was like going to war and walking away victorious with a pizza party celebration at the end. We learned what it takes to pull something like this off, and we learned that we can do it. It took hours and hours of prep, focus, and perseverance. We have a mega debrief meeting this Monday that will certainly challenge us and enable us to evaluate and grow.

2. I realized about halfway through the evening that I was literally surrounded by the heroes of the faith that gave time, resource, energy, and encouragement over the past year and enabled this vision to happen. These are the ones God used so profoundly in our lives. God has placed them around us as a shied and a sword. I was very emotional as I pointed out each person and spoke about their impact. I didn't even preach the message that I spent about ten hours preparing.

3. JR Mahon shared for a bit and blew me away. Sarah Kelly sang and lead me to tears. Our team lead some songs and totally rocked it. I spoke about the stories represented in that room, the love of our Father, and shared the vision for the next few months of Clarity.

4. No kids showed up, but we had five extra volunteers from Teen Challenge Ministry Institute who totally got it.... that if we pray for rain we should hold an umbrella. So we spent about $1,000 to create a nursery, a Clarity Kidz room, make materials, and an awesome kids program! It was an act of faith for the kids to come! I'm super proud of Dan and my wife, Jessica for pulling it off.

5. I've already found myself second guessing many things I did and said over the course of the night, but I've realized this habit is VERY unproductive. I'm convinced that EXACTLY what needed to happen did happen and that EXACTLY what needed to be said was said. God is the author of this thing. It belongs to Him. One friend said that we have now waged the war... it was indeed a prophetic act. That is to say that we mean business, and we are prepared to commit and see it through in obedience to God.