Not sure why God has me writing this at the moment, but I haven’t blogged in a few days – and this is what is weighing on my heart.

Being a disciple doesn’t come easily
The past few months I’ve started to speak out a bit more about the local monthly (free) gatherings that are starting to take place across the globe via the Digital Disciples network. Some people respond by saying “I wish there was a group in my city…..it sounds so cool” or ask “could you stream your monthly gathering in Columbus live over the internet so we can sit in on it from the comfort of our couch”. Obviously paraphrased from responses I’ve heard!

I’ll be honest. I know there are some people who “have heard” about Digital Disciples. They feel like they should get involved, but they didn’t start it. They’d rather stick to the ministries that have their name on them, like living the Christian life is all about knowing who’s doing the most good. That’s what I love most about this discipleship network that is growing. It’s completely grassroots. No funding, no business plan, and honestly no measurement of what the world would call “a success”. Find a coffee shop or location that works, get together once per month and watch God move.

The way I look at it, it’s already a HUGE success. I get to meet with a fellow disciple tomorrow for lunch. Someone that’s been placed in a tough position, but has as much tech skills as the rest of us that meet here in town. What an honor!

The challenge for us all
Do you enjoy growing in your understanding of technology or creativity and have a passion to follow Christ? Are there at least two more individuals in your city who could meet with you on a monthly basis? Imagine forming a group where the sky is the limit to both your tech / creative understanding and in the transparency of your life of faith / spiritual growth! I think it’s time we realize just how important people are, and stop focusing on “what we can do” or the “services we have to offer”.

How about you? You spend time listening / giving lately? Or does everything you touch involve receiving only? The feet of the disciples had to move. If they were still alive on earth today they wouldn’t just be creating online ministries. They would be living them.

God has a great thing going with Digital Disciples. It’s been almost too much to handle alongside of my daily web / graphic design services to be honest. And that’s where I stand today. I feel compelled to put as much time and effort as I can into making the network / local gatherings the best I can for the Lord. But on the other hand, I have to put my best time into serving clients and paying bills. Being in the bill-paying mindset can take its toll and even be unhealthy at times. Challenges like that sure make us learn, even if they are uncomfortable! But I’m not one to tell God that He shouldn’t have me here at the moment.

God knows what’s best, but I also know that He can use great people (like yourselves) to assist me as I move forward. There are now four cities where local gatherings are taking place on a monthly basis. We now have a weekly chat at 9pm EST on Thursdays (add me or visit here then). And even though winter isn’t here quite yet, I can feel the snowball getting larger and moving more quickly as time progresses!

I’m going to record a video for you in the next few days that sums all of this up, but I’ve never been here before. My friend Chad and I met today for lunch, and he hinted that this is what we get for being pioneers! I don’t have the money to pull this off. Whether that comes from sponsors, donors, grants, etc…….I have no clue. Who helps me figure this out? Do you have thoughts or answers that might help me?

I’m struggling. Mentally. Trying to figure out what it means these days to be a leader and still serve as a result of Christ’s example. I want to write a blog so badly on this, but I’m going to play nice and just shut up until God tells me when it’s right to speak out. At the same time I’m excited for the path God’s given me to lead together with other Digital Disciples around the globe. But at the moment, I’m going to pray that God lets me actually serve the least of these before getting so wrapped up in asking others to do the same.

I’ll leave you with a question – maybe you can help me on this one! Maybe some of you are more ready to speak on this one than me? Is it a disservice to the Lord if our ministry looks like a success, while the intention of our heart (the individual) has never been to lead the least who need us to guide them most?

Returned home from the Cultivate and Story Chicago conferences (more on those in a few days) and saw that Twitter Lists are now a reality. If you’re not familiar with Twitter, until now you just had a long list of friends. They weren’t divided into their areas of expertise or interest. But that has changed. Rather than write a long review, I thought I would just post a few reasons why these lists seem to be a good idea. If you haven’t seen them yet, click here to check out the lists that I’ve been added to or click here to see a list I am forming of those that are interested in Digital Disciples local gatherings. Would love to hear your thoughts as well!

A few thoughts on Twitter Lists:

• Let you quickly see what people think of you. You can’t hide from that, right?
• Like TweetDeck and other apps, they now let you focus within the chaos.
• Chances are you’ll find those you should be in contact with more quickly.
• I don’t see them replacing the hashtag for organized discussion
• Should be helpful in connecting those interested in your product / service together

About two years ago they started.
They weren’t nightmares! And they weren’t necessarily all taking place in my sleep. They were dreams. Dreams of what life would be like if God stepped in and made a miracle happen in my life. Another miracle added to what God is already doing in lives through salvation and the cross, grace through forgiveness, and purpose through restoration. As if those weren’t enough, I was ready for God to knock my socks off one more time. He knew my passions, but could He connect my passion with a purpose? Was He really interested in taking new requests, or is He that boring God some “religious people” believe is just concerned with church budgets and whether or not our Sunday facilities are breaking down?

And He was! After a few bumps in the road, He has turned a dream into a mission.
You can see the mission taking place by glancing over the map on the front of http://www.DigitalDisciples.net. The past few weeks – and days – God has turned the dream into a mission. He’s given myself and the others listed on the map the same nudge He gave disciples many years ago. Go! Enjoy creativity and technology. Connect frequently with people you might have never met, or that you’ve only connected with online. Share what God is up to with some that have never heard. And in 2-3 weeks we have seen around 10 new disciples stand up and be a contact point / part of that dream. And a second group is having their first gathering in Charlotte, NC on Monday!

I honestly believe we each have a dream like this in our life.
It could be a new start from scratch, or linking together with another that God’s given the same dream to. One thing I do know – dreams like this don’t just come true. They take a God that is able to turn them into reality and a mission. If God could take the world you live in and open a door that you never thought possible, what would that be? Could the world we live in really be changed by your dreams? I’d be thrilled to hear about your dreams, so feel free to comment outside the box – write whatever comes to mind!

PRAYING for the dreams that God is ready to give you. PRAISING Him for giving us a freedom to dream BIG, and not leaving when we think we might be asking too much!