Peeling the Onion

Some receive our ACG Newsletter but other readers of my blog do not so I added this article. If you would like to receive the newsletters go to the ACG website at www.achosengeneration.org



Several years ago a person made a comment to me regarding the “vision” that I had given their pastor. My ego wanted to pat myself on the back and tell me what a great job I had done serving the Lord. It seemed only to be nano-seconds before God awoke me from my self-indulgent dream.

Before I could even thank the person for the intended compliment, I said to the person, “I never gave your pastor a vision.” I went on to explain that the vision for the “InterGenerational church” was planted in the pastor’s heart by God and I was given the privilege of “peeling the onion.”

When that was said, the person had a perplexed look on their face. I went on to tell them that what brought me to the church was the trust of the pastor because he knew in his spirit that I shared the same vision that God had given him.

I have come to realize that God has trusted A Chosen Generation with a clear understanding of vocabulary, definitions and strategies for the restoring of the InterGenerational Church.

There is a part of that trust and favor for this message that can be paralyzing or empowering. With God’s trust comes enormous responsibility. I have chosen to be empowered.

God has allowed ACG to help some incredible pastors “peel the onion.”

When God entrusted A Chosen Generation with a message for the InterGenerational Church, He also gave me some very clear guiding principles that I have worked hard to follow from the very first day.

1. Never hold a pastor hostage. Having spent a couple of days in Special Operations during my 23 years of military service I thought I understood “Hostage” but it took me time to understand what God was telling me. Over time I understood God to mean that if we withheld truths, training, equipping and resources that God has given ACG from Pastors, we would hold pastors hostage to this ministry and that was never God’s intention.

2. Never out price the small church. This has been foundational from the very beginning. I believe that God desperately loves the small church and sees it as just as important as any “mega-church.” The reality is that much of what God has given ACG is best implemented in smaller churches that best represent family. That is not to say that we cannot help larger churches. It is merely to say, “If it is of God and good for His church, it should be good for ALL His churches.”

3. Be open and operate with integrity. We have worked very hard to be open, honest and with full integrity.

In the 20/20 Vision for His Vision for 2020, it is very clear that it will require resources. We must shift from doing the ministry to training others and trusting them to carry the message. We must lock arms with many other organizations and ministries. This will require us to travel and attend conferences and meetings that are expenses and not direct revenue producing. Over time we will be able to see these types of events and training as investments for ACG and the churches we serve.

From the very beginning, I have known that God is our provider, not men or churches. His resourcing of A Chosen Generation will come through faithful churches as well as men, women and families who are obedient to God’s nudging. God is going to use the obedience of many others who He has trusted with Kingdom Resources to resource A Chosen Generation.

In the past, I believe that I have lacked boldness to talk about money or resources. I have no good reason for that except to say that I believe the work God has entrusted to A Chosen Generation is Kingdom work and can be part of God’s greater plan of raising up “World Changers.”

It is critically important for everyone to know that I am not asking you for just financial support. I am inviting you to join A Chosen Generation on an incredible journey; a journey that in the next ten years will reach over 5 million people with message, strategies and resources to restore the InterGenerational church in His Kingdom. We are devoting our energy to helping pastors “peel the onion” of a vision that God has to them.

I am inviting you to become part of something that in 10 years you can look back and tell your children and grandchildren, “I was obedient and God let me be a part of something amazing.”

My prayer is not that you will donate to ACG. My prayer is that you will earnestly pray, seek God’s heart and then to be obedient to what He tells you.

A Vision for InterGenerational or Just a Slogan

Very often I am with leaders who talk about “InterGenerational” ministry as if it is already happening in a powerful way in their church or organization.

Many times, a closer look reveals that InterGenerational ministry is being given “lip service.” The term is being woven into messages and documents as if that is all that is required. The problem is that many churches appear to believe that InterGenerational ministry can be accomplished by a slogan or including the word in a mission or vision statement.

When InterGenerational is left to a slogan or vision statement and there is no clear strategy to accomplish goals or implement actions, it does not take very long for most of the people to see “the Emperor has no clothes.”

The Holiday Season is a very important time for churches and families. It is a season where the church has an incredible opportunity to bring families closer together and not farther apart.

It is not too late for this year!!

I want to suggest that as churches and families, we look carefully at the activities of the season. I think that we can divide activities into three basic groups.

1. Family activities where we all do something together. We must be sure that we
intentionally plan these types of activities- - games, caroling, events.

2. Activities where one part of the family watches another part of the family do
something. This can be a part of the evening. Things such as children’s Christmas programs can be followed by some family time.

3. Activities where one part of the family does things separate from the rest of the
family. Small Group parties that do not include our children are a good example. Also, time for mom and dad to have a dinner alone is very important.


Like a good diet, our spiritual life must have balance. I like pizza, but not for every meal. I want to do things with my children and my grandchildren. I also want some time with friends and with only my wife.

Churches should take a close look at the diet they are presenting to the church family. There should be balance there as well.

One of the things that my home church does regularly is the shaping of Communion to be a family time. Often we are given the elements and told to hold them and gather with our family. That simply act draws our family closer together.

If we do not look at our activities at this time, InterGenerational can become just a slogan.

Vision – To Dream by Day

Over this past weekend, I read a great amount on visions and dreams. It seems that many characterize dreaming as that done only at night. Visions are given during the daylight hours.

I love the quote by Edgar Allan Poe in “Eleonora.” “Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”

I have translated the real meaning of the quote to state, “Beware of those who dream by day, for they are the truly dangerous ones.”

Some may call it a vision, but I have asked God to allow me to sit in His presence and “dream by day.” When one truly understands the implications of this, it can never be confused with “day dreaming.”

I have come away from this weekend with a different twist on this idea. It all came down to a very significant thought – at least significant to me:

Do I live a life that God can trust with His dreams by day?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:1, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Here is the bottom line -- during the rest of this year, I am going to use this blog and our newsletter, OneGeneration to share the vision or my dreams by day.

The theme for the vision for the next 10 years for A Chosen Generation is
“20/20 Vision for His Vision for 2020”

If you do not receive OneGeneration, the newsletter of A Chosen Generation, you should go to our website at www.achosengeneration.org; and there is a link on the home page where you can sign up for the emails.

All I can tell you is to get ready. I am more excited about the next 10 years than I have been about any other time in my life.

Be seated and make sure that your seatbelt is tight across your lap, your seatback and tray table are in the upright and locked position. Please turn off all electronic devices and focus. We are ready for takeoff and I hope you are as well. This is going to be a great ride.

Get ready to dream by day.

It is Not Enough to Know Where You Want to Go

Very often leaders believe it is enough just to know where they want to go. The fact is that "the where" must be accompanied by a clear "how to get there."

The Reverend Billy Graham tells a story of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach. Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was Located.

After the boy had told him, Rev. Graham thanked him and said, “If you’ll come to the Church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone about God and how to get to Heaven.”

“I don’t think I’ll be there,” the boy said. “Can you really get me to heaven, mister, if you don’t even know your way to the post office”

I am a believer that God-sized visions need to be combined with God-sized plans and men and women of God who are willing to work. I mean really work - God-sized work.

I love Isaiah 32:8. "But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands."

I also want to caution leaders from getting the false idea that we are to seek God for the where and then figure out the how on our own, as if we were really that smart.

No, God is in the where and the how.

Some leaders use the term of being "aligned" with God's vision and plans. I want to be painted on them. I do not want to be alongside aligned. I want to be painted on so well that to remove me from God's vision and plans someone will have to work hard to scrape me off. I want my life to be one and the same with God's vision and plans for me to serve Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer 29:11,NIV)


So, it seems fairly simple - - Get a vision and get to work. Or, as Pastor Mark Batterson stated as one of the NCC core values, "Pray like it depends on God and then work like it depends on you."

Our Vision - A Chosen Generation

Yesterday I wrote about vision. I am sure that many wondered if the vision of ACG can be seen with the eyes of the heart and mind.

Here it is for the world to know.

ACG Vision: To see an explosion of dynamic intergenerational churches reproducing among God’s people.

I love the idea of being a part of something that is "God-size" and not "me size."

Close your eyes and picture your church as a place where all age-groups matter - a place "where everyone serves and gets to be served." Picture your church pouring into the lives of people of all ages in communities and churches in your community, city, state, country and even around the world.

Picture the families of your church worshiping, growing and serving together.

Picture all that and you will know why I think God created me and what I believe God wants me to pour into with all my energy and strength.

I am loving the journey.

Seeing the Vision

Yesterday I attended one of the services of National Community Church (NCC) in Washington D.C. Having read several of Pastor Mark Batterson’s books and followed his blog, I have wanted to visit NCC for quite a while.

Sitting in the Loews Theater in Georgetown, the Service had a different feel to it. It was very comfortable and it still felt very much like “church.”

I had read on Mark’s blog that NCC was opening the 6th location in September. In addition to the various locations for weekend services, the ministry “atlas” listed over 60 small groups that meet all over the area. It was impressive and very accommodating.

In his message, Pastor Mark (re)cast the vision “20/20.” I do not believe it mattered if you were hearing it for the first time, such as in my case; or if you had been a part of the church for a long time - - When you heard it and you could immediately “See it.” I knew instantly what he meant and my mind instantly started to see the other locations. It took no explanation. Twenty locations by the year 2020.

How clear is the vision of your church or organization? Can you state it clearly? Does it stick?

Vision is a color portrait of an achievable future that is painted on the heart and mind.

A vision must be seen with the eyes of your heart as well as the eyes of your mind.

Here is an easy test - - Ask 5-10 people within your organization or church if they know the vision. But first, can you repeat the vision without referring to your notes? Can you see it?

Before people will follow you, they need to know you have a vision for where you are going.