Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 1:56 pm by Josh Burcham

We complicate things. We take a simple message and add and add until we get to a point where it becomes difficult to find that original message. Jesus came to this earth and left us with a simple command. Love God and Love People.

Over time we have taken this simple command and complicated it. Creating our own commands to help us keep original command. Loosing focus of Jesus on the way. We’ve started to focus on the command, instead of the reason Jesus gave us those commands.

Mark talks about the perception problem that Christianity has. “We are better know for what we are against than what we are for.” He talks about that problem not lying with our churches, but within you and me. We’ve lost focus on the greatest command of Love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and strength.

We need to stop being just okay with the Great Commandment and become great at it. We need to stop focusing on Christianity as a religion and focus back on Jesus. We need to get Primal about our faith, we need to get back to basics.

Primal explores the four elements of Great Commandment: compassion, wonder, curiosity, and power. Moving us from just people that have beliefs to a people that want others to meet Jesus. As primal moves through those four elements, we find ourselves going primal and rediscovering Jesus’ heart within us. Becoming compassionate for the things that break God’s heart; discovering the raw wonder that is beyond logic and words, the place where we step back in awe for God; developing a curiosity that isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions; and experiencing the power and energy that only God can grant.

This is a must read for any Believer or those searching for more to their lives. Take the journey and go Primal with your faith. Get back to the basics and become great at the Great Commandment.

Visit: The Primal Movement

About the Author: Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. NCC was recognized as one of the 25 Most Innovative Churches in America by Outreach Magazine in 2008. One church with eight services in four locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations. Nearly 70% of NCCers are single twenty-somethings.

Monday, November 16, 2009 @ 9:53 pm by Josh Burcham

Now these aren’t Red Letters (they didn’t come from Jesus’ mouth), but I recently read these in Corinthians and wanted to pass them on to you. I think they do a great job at describing a life worth living. Paul was writing to the Corinthians asking them to expect them into their fold, but whether he was asking for acceptance or not the lifestyle that they have, that gives them the ability to make these statements is the lifestyle I want. I want to be able to make this statements about myself:

We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,* and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 2 Corinthians 6:3

What do I need to change in my life and heart to not just imitate this lifestyle, but to live it?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 @ 10:06 am by Josh Burcham

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 @ 8:48 pm by Josh Burcham

This album is rocking my world! Thank you God for blessing Chris Tomlin with these songs! Buy this album. It rocks!

Monday, November 10, 2008 @ 2:28 pm by Josh Burcham

Warning: the following has a very good chance to make no sense to you. I just needed a open place to share my heart. Bare with me.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple of weeks. With a lot of things I held onto in my life being removed this week, it’s given me plenty of time to process and evaluated. About a month ago I decided to not plant Ridgepoint. I decision that wasn’t easy for me to make, but the right decision. Ridgepoint is going to go into my book as a failure (which isn’t a bad things). We can’t grow as followers and leaders if we aren’t willing to fail. Mark Batterson suggests that the cure of failure is not successes, but small amounts of failure. We have to fail to get us to the place God wants us to be. The place where His power is truly shown. I took a risk, as we all should. A risk that I believe God could of blessed, but I got in the way. In hindsight, I’m glad I made the decision when I did, because it would a been too much for me to handle if I was still planting and had a week like I did last. I don’t know how I would of reacted. I would of been two pre-view services in and dealing with life. It would of been hard.

Why do I think Ridgepoint failed? I couldn’t carry the weight of the church on my shoulders and as a church planter you carry that weight. My heart was for the existing church. Northwest Valley has plenty of churches. I got too focused on the church and not on Whom who called me to plant one.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve learned a lot this year. My heart has changed toward non-believers, the church and my God. I wouldn’t change this last year for the world. As hard as it was at times, I love the outcome of it. A new me. I don’t look at life the same way. I still have a long ways to go, but I’m on the right path now. I’ve learned how to be crazy in love with God and with others. I still miss ministry and ask God daily to give me a place to service in my passion, but I trust His plan and hold onto that hope.

Someone asked me this week if I made the right decision to leave Arrowhead. My answer was this to them: Yes! I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I stayed. Nothing against Arrowhead, I’m back there now, but God had to get me uncomfortable to take me on this journey. I was happy and comfortable at Arrowhead and God never moves when you’re comfortable. He moves when you’ve decided to get uncomfortable and do whatever He is calling you to do. I got uncomfortable, took a risk and God blessed that. I would make the same decision again.

My prayer: God, give me an opportunity to be reminded every day that You are God and You are Holy. That Your thoughts are greater then my thoughts and Your ways greater then my ways. You are the God of this universe and I stand in awe today. Push me to become the man you’ve called me to be. Bring people around me to love on me and challenge me in my love toward you and the people you bled for. Remind me that You are always there and Your plan is always perfect. Even in the times I don’t understand and beg to know why. Father, give me a place to use my talents and knowledge. Father, guide my path and give me opportunities to be dicisplined toward your purpose. God remind me that I am yours. Thank you father. Thank you God. Amen.

Side note: pray for two guys God has laid on my heart. Pray that God would keep opening doors and giving me boldness to plant and water seeds. Thank you God for speaking!

Thursday, October 9, 2008 @ 12:06 pm by Josh Burcham

Mila Kunis.Nuff said!

Thursday, October 2, 2008 @ 10:44 am by Josh Burcham

My mom isn’t a texter; so it made this text that much sweeter. It’s been a rough couple of weeks for me and I was drained and then I got this text.

Friday, September 26, 2008 @ 3:52 pm by Josh Burcham

So far the Avs are 1 – 1 this preseason. With a lost in shootout to LA on Wednesday and a win over Dallas last night this are looking good. Avs played their second string last night to give the seniors a break and they played well. Looks like we will be competing this year.