Recently, I heard of a pastor saying, “Trying to make the Gospel relevant is like trying to make water wet.”

I agree with that statement and I know where he’s coming from, but I would add something to it.  I would say that the Gospel is always relevant, but our communication of it is not always relevant.

You can communicate something that is relevant in an irrelevant way.

Drinking water is relevant.  Lame, rambling directions to the fountain or long scientific explanations of H20 are not necessarily so…

Based on my message, “Crash: When the Plans Change,” (Acts 27:1-28:10) here’s part two of the playbook for navigating into what’s next:

(Read Part 1 Here.)

6. Develop strong relationships. [Acts 27:1, 3, 6; 42-43] Invest in family, neighbors, friends and community. There’s never a bad time to do this.

7. Share the truth. (Acts 27:30-32)  Share Christ with neighbors and others in your community – there is no “break” from this. The mission is for all Christ followers, not just for church planters!

8. Stay connected to God. (Acts 27:35) Spend daily time in prayer and Scripture, keeping the ‘God lines’ clear.  This is often the first thing to drop to the bottom of the priority list when things go awry. Flip that order around.

9.  Meet your needs. (Acts 27:33-36) Get lots of mental and physical rest, eat right, build financial resources, pay bills, and spend focused time with your spouse and kids. Take time for evaluating and planning.  This is not unspiritual, but sometimes, it is actually the most spiritual thing you can do in the moment. (See 1 Kings 19:1-8)

10. Meet the needs of others. (Acts 28:7-10) Keep volunteering, looking to meet needs in your neighborhood, community and circle of friends. For me,  doing this confirms in me the authenticity of the serving, because I truly have no strings attached…

When in doubt, love God and love people. Work on becoming and learning. Plans and “next steps” will generally follow and flow through that.

Taking a cue from my message, “Crash: When the Plans Change,” (Acts 27:1-28:10) here’s a playbook for navigating into what’s next:

1.  Remember that plans change, but vision remains the same. (Acts 27:9-11)(Thanks, Andy Stanley and Visioneering)

2. Understand that sometimes the plan is out of our control. (Acts 27:11) Unanticipated events, choices of others, and circumstances sometimes take the wheel for a period of time. When this happens, it is now “big picture” time.  Step back, take a deep breath, and try to get the perspective of a bigger view.

3. Acknowledge that the vision for your life is sometimes realized in a different way than you originally thought. There’s nothing that takes God by surprise or that He hasn’t planned for – even our mistakes.

4. Realize that hope and stability can be found in instability. (Acts 27:21-25) Uncertainty provides a powerful and unique opportunity for courage and faith to be strengthened.

5. Strive to obey God more than your plans. (Acts 27:30-28:10) Take you eyes off of your goals for a minute and place them more intensely onto God and His guiding.  “Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ”So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT)

Read Part 2 here.

Side Note: * See & hear my friend and pastor, Brandon Thomas delve into “Plan B:  When Life Doesn’t Go According To Plan” (Inspired by Pete Wilson‘s book of the same name).

Sometimes living in the “meantime” can be a “mean time” financially.  Here are a few things I’ve got cooking that you can pray for us about or participate with us in during the “mean” meantime.

1. One Mad Christmas – Leona and I created this dramatic musical production a number of years ago about people who thought that more money would solve all of their problems. There’s certainly a touch of irony in the fact that as churches license the musical, it helps provide income for us during this time. Great reminders in this musical, though, of what’s really most important in this life.

If you know of a church that is searching for a dramatic musical for this year’s Christmas production or dinner theater, please send them our way: One Mad Christmas.  You can download the preview files here: Preview Files (includes the whole script:  One Mad Christmas Running Script )

2. Ministry – We are actively involved in Keystone Church in Keller, Texas as members, but I am available to serve in a number of ways while waiting for our next ministry assignment.  Obviously, this is the area of my calling and where I believe I can do the most good.

* Preaching – It would be an honor to speak at your church if you have a need.  My background and theology are Southern Baptist, but I’m open to speaking wherever I’m invited.

Examples:

“Clash: Hope For Hard Hearts“ || “Fleeting Glances: Affair Proofing Your Marriage“

“Crash: When The Plans Change“ || “Relationship Connection Breakers“

* Short Term Staff Member – Sometimes churches can’t afford to bring on an additional staff member for a whole year, but might be able to bring someone in for a month or two to start new ministries, strengthen existing ones or fill in as a short term interim.  If that’s you, I’d love to talk to you about how we can make that happen!

* Basic Design & Media – I can provide simple media creation (designs/videos) for churches w/ few financial resources.  My resources are limited also, so I can relate.

Examples:

“The Crossing – TV spot“ (Video)

Designs & Series Branding:

* Miscellaneous – I can assist with outreach strategies, lead worship, lead seminars, retreats, and more

3. Any Job that’s available. – The truth is, I’m willing to work in any capacity to provide for my family during this time.  Hourly wages, one time projects, you name it – I’m open to it.

Thanks for praying for us during the “mean time” of the meantime.  If you know of an opportunity that could be helpful for us or if you could pass this along, my family and I would appreciate it very much.

Contact me at JohnnyLeckie@gmail.com

Now.  How can I pray for you?

By the way:  God is good!  In good times and in bad. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Thanks, Dad.

For being faithful to Mom.

For taking us to church.

For making us laugh.

For playing your 1953 Martin Guitar.

For singing songs to Mom.

For being consistent.

For leading the prayer before meals.

For working hard every day.

For laughing till you cried.

For ensuring that at least one of us had a first name that didn’t end with a “y.”
(Kenneth)

For being my Dad.

One year ago, today, my Dad, Bill Leckie, Sr.,  passed away.  He is greatly missed by my Mom and the other “Leckies of Fulton Street.”

If they become scholarly disciples, I’m ok with that.

Disciples know and do.  They learn and obey.  They follow their Leader.

They become like their Leader.

James 1:22-27 | Ephesians 4:15 | Matthew 18:2-4

“Here’s a bunch of random stuff that’s unrelated but that you may be interested in.”

My résumé is now uploaded and available.  If you’d like the version that contains full reference contact info, just send me an email and I’ll get it out to you.  (JohnnyLeckie[AT]gmail.com)  We are considering a number of possibilities for our next step in ministry, and I’d love to hear from you.

We finally replaced the car that was totaled back in April, and yes, it looks amazingly similar to the one we had before. This one however, is a Nissan Maxima. This was the first time we’ve bought a car using Craigslist, and I must admit, it felt a little sketchy.  It all worked out ok in the end, though, so there you go.

Side note:  I was reminded today how much I hate paying Tax, Title & Registration in Texas…Curse you Perry the Governor Platypus!

I discovered the book, “Hamburger America” by George Motz online, watched the trailer for the documentary, and decided to find it.  Fortunately, I was able to get the book through the Keller Public Library and was happy to find that the DVD of the documentary was included. After watching it, Leona and I just had to go to one of the “150 Burger Joints” covered in the book.

Kincaid’s Hamburgers is reviewed in the book and there’s one just down the road from us, so off we went.  And yes, it was awesome.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it…

Rhett and Link are awesome.  That pretty much sums it up, but if you’re not familiar with these guys, check them out here.  Funny, creative videos and interaction including homemade “over the top” commercials for local businesses.  Enjoy.

I mentioned earlier this week that I would like Steve Taylor’s song, “The Finish Line,” played at my funeral one day really, really, reeaally far down the road.   The last lines of the song describe how I hope my final days play out:

“Off in the distance, bloodied but wise,
as you squint with the light of the truth in your eyes,
and I saw you, both hands were raised;
I saw your lips move in praise,
and I saw you steady your gaze for the finish line.

Every idol, like dust, a Word scattered them all,
and I rose to my feet as you scaled the last wall,
and I gasped when I saw you fall
in His arms at the finish line.”

That’s a vivid picture of 2 Timothy 4:7-8, and an image of how I want to run this race…

My general rule for people who follow me on Twitter is this:  If you follow me, I’ll follow you back. But there are some exceptions to that rule, and here they are:

1. You’ve never “tweeted” anything.

It’s always surprising to me when someone follows me on Twitter who has never posted anything, but who has “followers.”  Thanks for following me but if I “follow you back,” I’m not really following anything.  ..Because you haven’t tweeted anything.  Start tweeting and I’ll start following.

2. We don’t speak the same language.

It’s not personal. It’s just that I won’t understand a word you’re saying.  I know a little Spanish and a little French, but not enough to get by.  I wish I was bi-lingual, but I’m not. But it is cool that you are, since you’re following me.  I may change my mind on this one, but for now I just no comprende’ votre language.  See?  I’m mixing it up, already.

3. You’re obviously SPAM, or misrepresenting yourself.

I don’t mean it’s a problem if you’re a parody tweeter like “The Bronx Zoo’s Cobra.” That’s awesomeness.  I mean it’s a problem if your profile pic is a stock photo and your tweets are fortune cookie sounding statements interspersed with links to the same product that is “amazing.”  Wow, really?  Not following.

4. You have no information about yourself.

Who are you?  If you have absolutely nothing about yourself listed in your profile, my first thought is that you’re #3 above.  Even a simple, “I’m just a guy who likes TV” is better than nothing.  If you’re following me and you’re not telling me who you are, you’re kind of creepin’ me out.  Me no follow.

5. You have a risqué profile picture.

If you started following me dressed like this in real life, I’d probably call the cops.  You are absolutely the last thing in the entire world that I need in my life.  Please go away or the person “following you back” will be my wife. And trust me – you don’t want that.  Let’s all just back away calmly now and avoid all the blood that will inevitably be on the carpet if this continues.

Haha – I’m just kidding.

Haha – No I’m not.  Back away.

6. You are a social media expert.

Actually, I might follow you back if I don’t get the impression that I’m just another one of the thousands of people you “follow” for the purpose of having a high number of “followers” so you can tell people that you are a “social media expert.”  You’ll need to tweet a little harder to get my “follow back,” if that’s you.  But don’t worry.  You can do it – you’re an expert.

Get out there and tweet well, people.  Tweet like the wind.  But Twitter rules are kind of like real world rules.  Be real, be engaged, be helpful and don’t be obnoxious.

If I know you, follow me.  I’ll follow you back. If I don’t know you, follow me.  I’ll follow you back.  But if you fall into one of the “exception categories” I’ve just described, don’t think that if you just “tweet in my ear” I’ll follow you anywhere.

How about that look in my eye?  Haha, you sly dog, you.

I was almost 23 when I married Leona.  That was  23 years ago.  Give or take a few months, I’ve lived half of my life married to Leona, and I can honestly say that the second half has been better than the first half.

So how’d we do it?  What’s the secret?

It’s not magic.

It’s not a feeling.

It’s not luck.

It’s a covenant commitment.  Marriage is a covenant commitment between a Man, a Woman and God for life.  

When it seems like more curse than magic.

When it doesn’t feel good.

When it looks like bad luck.

A covenant commitment that we work on every day creates a love that feels like magic and makes us feel like the luckiest people in the world.

Happy Anniversary, Leona!  I love you more today than I did on that special day.

I’m thankful that you’re even more beautiful now, and that I still have that sly look in my eye….

“Here’s a bunch of random stuff that’s unrelated but that you may be interested in.” 

My son, Michael, has made some great videos in his “Audio/Video Production Class.”  His latest is a funny music video of an old Backstreet Boys’ song.   He did a great job of directing and editing it.  It’s goofy and fun and you can view it here:  ”Larger Than Life – Official Shoe Version”  Yes, we’re proud of him, too.

(Click the image above for animated fun.)
Our first LiveStream Video Chat went pretty well.  The second, not so much…   But we’ll be doing more in the weeks ahead, anyway.  In the video we talk about how “One Mad Christmas” is a “Retro Relevant” stage play. (This musical also helps fund our next steps in ministry.)

This map (PDF File) has been on my mind a lot, recently.  It’s from the North American Mission Board‘s new “Send-North America” initiative.  Not sure what it means for us, yet.  Exploring…

Recently discovered via Netflix :  ”Sherlock” is a cool set of  ”Made for TV” movies produced by the BBC.  It’s a series about Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson’s adventures re-imagined in 21st Century London.  The BBC callls it “A thrilling, funny, fast-paced contemporary remake of the Arthur Conan Doyle classic.”  Incidentally, Martin Freeman, who plays “Dr. Watson” is also playing “Bilbo Baggins” in the upcoming “Hobbit” movie…

Besides coffee, we’ve been enjoying Celestial Seasonings “Country Peach Passion®” Herbal Tea, lately.  According to Charlie Baden, Celestial Seasonings Blendmaster Since 1975, “The sweet, juicy peaches chosen for this delicious blend bring to mind a decadent Southern delight – peaches and cream.”  I can safely attest to the fact that it does indeed do just that… Yum.