C. Gene Wilkes's Blog, page 10

Biking in The Suburbs

I commuted this morning on my bike from my house to a men's small group and then from the group to my office. I met up with Jason along the way, and we made it without major incident from our homes to our destinations on the streets and bike trails of Plano.

The reason I would blog about this is that our town is not really suited for commuting by bike on the streets.  

Suburbs are built for cars, not bikes and pedestrians. Bicycles in this town are for recreation and sport, and walking is for exercise. Anything "everyday" is 99% done in a car. It's designed that way. Yes, the City of Plano is making strides to make motorists aware of bikes  on the streets (See below), but they are still dominated by motorized vehicles and angry drivers.

I recently connected with a virtual acquaintance, Sean Benesh, who lives and commutes in Portland. He muses about such things as being Metrospiritual and creating a "bikeable" church. He has dipped into the cycling ethos of that city to be the incarnational church in that place. Check out his insights here.  After conversing with Sean online, he made me aware of some things that are lacking in both our city and our church facilities related to a "bikeable" environment.

Here are some of those:

When we arrived at our small group meeting spot, there was no bike rack or place to secure our bikes. Plenty of parking for cars, but not one space for a bicycle. We don't have those at our church facilities, either. If someone chose to ride to Legacy Church, what would they do with their bicycle? 

And, when I got to the office the only secure place I had to put my bike and accessories was a storage closet used by multiple groups, including refreshments for the Legacy Cyclists' Sunday rides. What if more staff and volunteers rode to work and serve, what would they do with their bike and gear?

Most of the bike paths and trails (Indicated on the map links above, which we did not follow completely) do not have controlled intersections for major thoroughfares. When you ride the concrete trails, you are left playing "frogger" with the cross traffic.

The biggest downside to commuting by bike in Plano is the weather. It gets too hot to ride to work without showering and changing clothes when you get there. The months of June--September are out of the question if you want to ride or walk to work and walk straight into a meeting. Neither the city or the church can change the weather, but it does contribute to why we don't commute on foot or bike as much.
Yes, Portland is "cool" with its cycling culture. Here's one look if you want to be jealous.

Kudos to the City of Plano who is trying to make our suburb a more bike-friendly place. They have posted signs and designated bike paths throughout the City. Check out bikeplano.org for more.  

Let's make Plano more bike-friendly by getting more bikes on the roads and being drivers who share the road.

Go ahead. Give commuting a try. I've not moved my car from in front of my house for two days. (Yes, we have used our other car.) You'll get both your re-creation and exercise in for the day, and you'll give the environment a break, too.

When a Leader Makes a Mistake

One of the hardest parts of leading is admitting you made a mistake, living with the consequences of that miss-take, and keeping followers on mission after you make it. Leaders are human, and no matter our training, experience, or talents, we can't see everything and we can't be right 100% of the time.
This truth is why I appreciate the story about Joshua in in Bible. In Joshua 9, we read how the leader of Israel was deceived into making a treaty with an enemy whom he would have destroyed. While the cleverness  of the enemy to survive is interesting, the better part of the story is how Joshua exhibited character in the midst of his failure as a leader.
Read the story here.
Here are some leadership lessons from this experience in Joshua's life.Take responsibility for your actions. Joshua did not play the blame game or whine he had been deceived, nor did he get into the politics of blame and point his finger at the elders who ratified the treaty by oath. To lead is to take responsibility for your leadership decisions.Keep your word even if it may be unpopular or costly. Those who followed Joshua did not like what the leaders had done, and they made their dislike known. Joshua could have given into the people's pressure--many leaders do--but he had made a call based on God's ways of doing business, and he would not violate what he had done in God's name. Biblical servant leaders stay the course of following God's mission above its cost or its popularity with those they lead. Your leadership will be more effective on the other side of your miss-take. Joshua's record as a leader who completed God's call was stellar. God continued to use him for the greater good of the mission even though he compromised God's word by the treaty he made with the Gibeonites. Your leadership will improve more after you have lead through your miss-takes than when leading victory after victory alone. Ask Joshua.Joshua is a biblical servant leader who teaches us much about leading a movement of God. Read his full story, and you will learn more lessons than these. But for now, consider learning to lead from your miss-takes rather than from your victories.
You can read more about Joshua and his character in our book Character: The Pulse of a Disciple's Heart, and you can hear my message from Sunday based on this story here.

When You Can't Run or Ride

My new rock edgingI have been nursing a stress fracture from running for a little over a month. I injured my right foot about a year ago, but I kept running on it and treating it like a bruise that would eventually go away.
After a trail half-marathon, trail full marathon, and 5K on streets this spring, my foot finally said, "Not one more step until you take care of me." So, I went to the doctor, got x-rays, and she put in a boot for three weeks. No running. No riding.
I began to re-learn life without running and went reluctantly back to the pool to swim but excitedly got back on my back after the three-week required break. To add to this complete stoppage of activity, over a week ago a cable on my bike broke, and I have not ridden once during that time. More no running or riding.
As you can imagine, the removal of running and riding from my life caused me to reshuffle my priorities and find different ways to stay active. I slowed way down, and gained about 4 lbs., a runner's nightmare.
I wrote earlier about adding walking to my weekly activities as a way to have more solitude and to slow down while still getting the aerobic work I need. During my recovery, Kim and I walked to places to eat, had a leisurely dinner, and walked back home. We found this to be both good exercise and a great time for conversation. We also ate less because we knew we had to walk home over a mile after we ate! Kim does not run or ride with me, so this is something we could do for exercise and our relationship. I continued to add walking to the office a time or two, and have enjoyed the break immensely.

Last Saturday, (my usual day for a long run or ride, of which I could do neither) I completed three projects around the house I had wanted to do for some time. The most fun--and aerobic--was to replace the steel edging around a small flowerbed with rocks. I had a blast designing, choosing the rocks, matching the edges and setting them. It was hot, and I'm still sore from squatting and standing. It's not a professional job, but it will work for us, and unlike a run or ride, I can see and enjoy the results of my efforts!

I told Kim when I was finished the three projects, "See what I can do when you take away my running shoes and bike." I think she may hide them permanently.

When life brings you injury, illness, or your choices put you on the sidelines, you can still find ways to live that may actually be healthier for you overall. 
My ultra-running friends say that ultra runners are running away from something. They may be right, and, when you can't run any longer, those things catch up with you, and you have to deal with them or find ways to live your life creatively to cope with them. Slowing down has caused me to deal with my adrenaline addiction, and I think I'm doing better with it.

As I age and deal with injuries, I find the wisdom in the ancient call that does NOT say, "Hurry up, be busy, and you will know I am God," but that offers the blessing, "be STILL, and know I am God."

Put on the Pads!

ESPN.go.Dallas
 I had breakfast the other day with a friend, and we shared our stuff and prayed for each other. Part of my encouragement to him was to read and get to know Ephesians 6:10-17 to help him with the spiritual warfare he faced in stepping out to trust God in every area of his life.
As we left, we got on the topic of him playing ice hockey when he was growing up in Michigan, and I just popped off and suggested he translate the Ephesians passage with hockey gear since we knew nothing about armor in Paul's day.
So, he did, and here is how Ephesians 6:10-17 reads to a hockey player:
10- A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power to score. 11-Put on all of God’s shoulder, thigh, knee and shin pads, so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the opposing team.12- For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in heavenly places that have stolen the cup!
13-Therefore, put on every piece of God's padding so you be able to resist the opposing team on the power play . Then after the game you will be able to raise the cup!14- Stand your ground in defense of this holy grail! Tie the laces of truth and put on the pads of righteousness.15- For skates, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16-In addition to all of these, may your goalie represent the shield of faith to stop the fiery pucks of the devil 17-Put on salvation as your helmet, and tape up your stick of the spirit, which is the word of God.
There you have it! A hockey player's prayer. I don't play hockey, but this makes sense to me! Thanks, friend, for opening the Word of God to us in a new way.
Now, put on the pads, and let's get in the game!

Character in a Culture that Values Results

In our new book, Norman Blackaby and I state the importance of the topic of character in our society today:
We do not have to look far to see that character is no longer a prerequisite for success in our culture. Politicians, religious and community leaders, business leaders, and individuals have demonstrated that we live in a culture that values results above character. We have segregated our private lives from our public ones, and our faith is a matter of personal conviction and no longer a player in the public square...Character and integrity are optional to the bottom line...We depend on spin, not truth, to clear our soiled character, and we count on sound bites and news clips to be authentic portraits of those we elect to office. Companies hide unfair and unethical practices behind carefully produced advertising campaigns and, sadly, churches sometimes cover up the unseemly messes of their leaders and their spending habits in order to portray a benevolent image to the community.

How do you live a life of godly character in "a culture that values results above character?"  We believe it is a matter of the heart. When we start tromping through the pages of His-story, we see God chose and changed people like you and me--people whose hearts wander from God regularly but who responded when God called them and who let God capture their hearts for His purposes.

This is why when we write about character in our book, Character: The Pulse of a Disciple's Heart, we point people to a heart-realationship with God as the source and measure of our character, not a list of moral rules or hand-picked characteristics. The lifeblood of a disciple, or, follower of Jesus, is a heart filled with God's Spirit and intentions. Our character flows out of our heart's intimacy with God. 

So, rather than insisting you conform to a list of behaviors or characteristics we choose, we invite you to walk with real people in real time with God from the Scriptures. By observing the men and women God chose to join Him in his eternal rescue mission and how God developed their character we believe we can experience the same heart-centered relationship with God as He calls us to a life that makes a difference.

This week at Legacy Church, we will begin walking through the book and what the Bible has to say about character. Join us at 9:00 a.m., follow the signs, and see what God has to say to you about your character.

You can get a free sample chapter of the book here, and you can hear a podcast of me defining character from the book. You can order the paperback from New Hope Publishers directly, or, if you are a NOOK user, you can get a copy now.

Character: The Pulse of a Disciple's Heart

Description and OrdersCharacter matters. We mostly hear about the topic when a leader or someone we know fails morally in some way. We know people should have it, and we are disappointed and confused when someone we respect proves they don't have it, but that leaves us with the question, "What is it, and how do you get it?" From the book, we write,

What determines if a person will live out God’s full potential for his or her life? We believe it is the issue of character. Character is the single most distinguishing aspect of a person’s life. . . . God cares more about character than our skills, personality, or intelligence because, biblically, character is a matter of the ‘heart.’

Character: The Pulse of a Disciple's Heart is a collection of biblical case studies of people God chose for his purposes which can be used for personal, small group, or church-wide study.
Dr. Norman Blackaby and I got the idea for this book from our shared teaching of the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies seminar, Biblical Servant Leadership, at Dallas Baptist University. As we guided the seminar participants through biblical case studies to demonstrate leadership principles and practices in those leaders' lives, we discovered those leaders displayed a certain kind of character God honored. 
We observed that God developed a certain kind of character in the men and women He chose, and those who exhibited this God-developed character made a difference in the lives of others. 
We divide the book along those two lines. We observe how God develops character in the lives of people like Moses, Joshua, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary and Martha. We highlight character that makes a difference from people like Hannah, Barnabas, Philemon, and Ruth. There are questions for reflection and ideas for further study at the end of each chapter.
We believe this book can guide you in the development of your character and be a resource for disciples of Jesus who want to live a life that makes an eternal difference.
If you would like to hear a podcast where I define character and the importance of the study, you can hear it here.
If you would like to download a sample of the book, you can download it here. 
If you are ready to order one or more copies of the book in paperback [ebook soon], you can order one here. The release date is officially May 21.

A Cultural Fair and The Church

Legacy Church hosted our 5th annual World Cultural Fair this past Sunday. Lue Kraltchev, our English Language Program Director, brought a new look and a graduation program to the event.

I love this event because we see how God has allowed us to truly impact the lives of people around the world simply by opening our doors to our neighborhood and meeting a need.
When I was growing up I got the idea missionaries gave up everything and moved to some remote corner of the globe never to be seen again except every four years when they came home with their native dress, artifacts, and slide show of their work. 
At Legacy Church, we challenge people on mission with us to be missionaries in his or her own mission field. That means if we are planted as a church in a mission field of internationals, we will be God's missionaries to them.

This means that wherever you live there is a people-need that can be met in the name of Jesus. This need is your bridge of influence to be a missionary where you live. You'd be surprised what can happen if you will trust Jesus to lead you into the mission field.
Along with providing free Bibles in over 20 languages for those who attend, (every student receives a Bible in his or her own language when registered for a class) Lue and her team provided prayer cards for each country displayed. We asked people to take those home to pray for that country, and the cards said to those from those countries, "We are praying for your home."
The smorgasbord of prepared foods is always a hit. I tell folks that it is my favorite stomach ache of the year! I try every dish from every country and remember what I ate late into the night. Food reminds us of home wherever we are, and sharing food is sharing one's life with another.
Lue, the teachers, and the student volunteers did a fabulous job of honoring the students, celebrating the "world in our backyard," and lives changed by Christ through the relationships built during the year. I am proud to be part of such a group of God's-love-in-action people.
Here are some of the class pictures of those who completed there English Language course this past year. You can see more pictures of the event by going here. 

Community Impact Weekend: The Church in Action

CIW@LegacyLast weekend, Legacy Church, partnered with six other churches and the City of Plano's Love Where You Live Service Day and Block Party to be "salt and light servants" in our community. Markus Lloyd of Legacy led us into the mission field of our neighborhoods to serve in the name of Jesus.

This weekend highlighted one of Legacy's core values, "We are most like Jesus when you serve." 

Meeting the needs of others motivated by Christ-like love and borne on the message of that love is the lowest position of human status yet the highest expression of following Jesus.

Partnering with six other churches has built within our fellowship the value of what we call Big "C" Church, the reality that the local church is an expression of the larger body of Christ that spans a community and the globe.

We are not arrogant enough to think we are the only Christ followers or that we can complete Christ's mission on our own.

Jesus calls his followers to be the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world." (Matthew 5:13-16) We are to do "good works" so people will honor "our Father who is in heaven" and who has empowered us with His love.

Being salt and light does not mean staying in our designated buildings and patting each other on the back for our goodness. It means getting in the streets to add savor to tasteless lives and light in dark places.



I am grateful for a fellowship of Christians who love to demonstrate the love of Christ in tangible ways. My prayer is that we will continue to partner with the larger body of Christ in our community to be "salt and light servants" in the name of Jesus.





We continue our Christians and the Common Good series this week. Join us if you are in the area. I'm leading the dialogue this week, you will enjoy the fellowship and be challenged by the discussions.

4 Things I Learned in 25 Years of Ministry

This past Sunday, Legacy Church blessed my family and me by celebrating our 25 years of ministry with the church. We were humbled by the kind words and gifts, but most of all we were reminded of how good God has been and that people are the why behind the what and how.
So, what have I learned in 25 years of ministry with one church? There are too many lessons to write about now, but here are four big ones.
1. God is faithful to those he calls to serve. (1 Cor. 1:9) Never once in 25 years of service have I doubted God's faithfulness and presence. His call for me to serve in full-time ministry and his specific call to serve with Legacy has never wavered. I have questioned the circumstances I thought he allowed, and I have made messes I wish I had not created, but I am convinced that no matter what, God does not abandon those he calls on mission with him. Trust him.
2. Relationships matter most. While I lean more to tasks than people in my ministry style, I do know without a doubt that relationship is the most important word in the dictionary of faith. From personal spiritual growth to leadership of people, relationships are key. Jesus came to rescue, restore, and release people, not buildings, budgets, and projects. My relationships with God, my best friend/wife, Kim, my family, friends, and those the Holy Spirit gathers and scatters as the church are the foundation of my life and ministry. Friendships count more than your resume.
3. A remnant is my hope. During the days of change and chaos caused by others or by me, one of the ways I kept going was to know there was a remnant who "got it." Just as the Old Testament prophets pointed to a remnant of Israel who represented God's promise (Jeremiah 50:19-20), through the years I have kept a list in my heart of those who "got" God's mission and vision for Legacy Church. Those who came to trust Jesus as Rescuer and Leader and who lived out God's call on his people to be "missionaries in his or her own mission field" kept me going no matter the circumstances. Look for the remnant. They are your hope.
4. Success is not by the numbers. There was a day when I labored under the guilt of having been the fastest-growing, largest church in the area and then not wearing those labels at the associational meeting, but that is not the case now. Whatever the number of those who consider themselves Legacy Church, the biblical measures of success for God's leader are "faithfulness, fruitfulness, and finishing well." (Neil Cole, Organic Leadership) God will judge me on my faithfulness to his mission call on my life and his people, the fruitfulness of my work (personal and in the lives of others), and whether or not I finish my life and ministry well. The church is larger than those who show up on your campus each week in a given hour. Lives, not bodies, count.
God has blessed my family and me with a loving, caring fellowship of people called Legacy Church who have lived out God's mission and vision and with whom I know God is pleased. I won't be at Legacy another 25 years, but my prayer is that this quarter-century of ministry has laid a foundation for the next one.

Christians and the Common Good

Book DescriptionLegacy Church has begun to partner with other churches in our city to address needs that are impossible to meet without the cooperation of other churches.
For example, on April 27 and 28, we will join seven other churches to partner with the City of Plano in order to serve our community. We call it Community Impact Weekend .If you live in the Plano area, please feel free to join us. You can sign up to serve here.
Another aspect of partnering with the Big "C" Church to meet needs in the name of Jesus, is creating a dialogue around how our faith intersects our public lives. In order to start such a dialogue, three pastors and three churches have joined together to discuss this important topic.
Father Bruce Bradley, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Community, Rev. Dr. David Batchelder, West Plano Presbyterian Church, and I will host community dialogues at the three churches around the topic raised in the book, Christians and the Common Good by Charles E. Gutenson. (Read a description of the book here.)
In an election year, we wanted to provide a community forum to discuss the issues raised by being a people of the Book and a people called out to be salt and light servants where we live, learn, work and play. We also wanted to move beyond the narrow boundaries of political ideology to seek a biblical perspective on how we live our lives as Christians in our community.
The schedule of dialogues:

Thursday, April 19 Host Church, Legacy Church, Speaker, David Batchelder

Thursday, May 3 Host Church, St. Elizabeth Seton, Speaker, Gene Wilkes

Thursday, May 17 Host Church, W Plano Presbyterian, Speaker, Bruce Bradley

These will prove to be exciting and stretching experiences for those involved. Please make an effort to join at least one of the dialogues. I believe the experience will truly help you form  your own understanding of how to live out your faith in your community.
In running news:
I ran the Seton Soles 5K last Saturday, which raised funds for The Monsignor Henry V Petter Endowment Fund that supports Peace and Justice in Collin County. The course literally was in my neighborhood. I walked out my front door and down the street to the starting line. Ran in my Altra Zero Drop Instincts. Scott Peek and team put on a great race. Here are the results.