I’m at one of my favourite places (the Orange Conference) with some of my very favourite people. (If you’re not at Orange, catch glimpses of it online here).

Conferences are often places for information and ideas.  And I’m a strategy wonk for sure.

But what I love about Orange10 is that this year, it feels like God is trying to do something in us.  This conference has felt even more personal than usual…more like God was trying to speak to me and in me.  Which is so helpful.  Often we just want God to do something through us. But God usually won’t do anything through us until he does something in us.

One way I know where I’m at spiritually is how I feel when I sing the words to a worship song.  This year, I’m not only singing the words, I’m feeling them.  There’s a sense of awe and wonder that’s returning to my heart and life that is so refreshing. I’ve had those moments where I think "If only everyone could get this"!  Inspiration is the rocket fuel that propels action, and when you are actually inspired, it can bring life like nothing else. 

So…Orange leaders….what’s your experience been?  What is God doing in you?  What’s been your biggest "God is doing this in me" experience so far?

I’m so grateful for my Calvinist background.  One of the Calvin quotes I think about regularly is that the human mind is a perpetual factory of idols. 

What this means is that we continually invent new ways to crowd God out of our lives and worship something else.  For some of us, that may mean other religions.  But for many of us who follow Christ, it just means something other than Christ.  

The surprising thing is that so many of the idols we might struggle with today are ordinary things.  Some are even good things.  Here are some idols I’ve seen…some in me…some around me:

• Success
• Family 
• Children
• Money
• Achievement
• Health
• Coolness, fitness or looks
• Style 
• Cynicism (Cynics love to be right about everything and down on everyone)
• Technology
• Possessions
• Pride (that’s when we put ourselves ahead of God and other people)
• Sports
• Hobbies
• Career
• Emotional Pain (people can grow more fond of their sad story than the healing Christ offers)

It’s not at all an exhaustive list. Basically, anything that would compete with Christ as first place in your life and mine is an idol.  Even your family.  Even your kids.  

So how do you know it’s an idol?  This is what I’ve been working on.  Two thoughts:

• If I worry about it a lot it might be an idol.  Worry demonstrates an absence of trust in God and shows I want it more than I want Him.
• If I fear what my life would be like without it, it’s probably an idol. 

That’s part of my God dialogue.  I’m working hard on this because I have a book release coming up this week.  I want no anxiety around it.  And if it doesn’t sell a single copy, I want to be at total peace with that.  The funny thing is, I think I am. Time will tell, but positioning yourself ahead of time can be helpful.  I hope that’s where I am. If I can hold it very loosely, it becomes something God can use – not something that can become god.  

The side benefit of losing your idols is that it actually brings joy.  If your idol was to disappear, you’ve still got contentment, because you’ve got who really matters.  

How about for you?  What do you think some modern idols are?  What would you add to the list? 

So it’s tempting as we head into the weekend to say things like "so stoked about Sunday" or "so pumped about our next (fill in the blank for the service or event here). 

But why are we stoked?

Are we excited:

• because we’re speaking?
• because we organized the event?
• because we’re trying to get or we have momentum?
• because we’re trying something new?
• because we did a killer job planning it?
• because we just like the things we create?

I know that’s a tad cynical, but honesty is a good policy.  Many of us who have led ministries or events have had some of those thoughts (or all of the above). Personally, I think I’ve been guilty of all of the above.  

There is one reason to be stoked about Sunday: because Jesus Christ is risen and interacting with people He loves.  

You can phrase it differently, or maybe even better.  But the bottom line is the same. He is the one who draws people to Himself. 

Now I’m still excited about a great band, some intriguing video, and a message that I hope inspires and helps people. There’s nothing wrong with that. 

But Jesus is the deal.  The only deal.  The only One worth doing this (or anything) for. 

The more I keep that front and centre, the more there’s actually something to be stoked about.