Champion Life Magazine Winter 2015 by Champions Centre

WINTER 2015

life

WE ARE VISIT CHAMPIONSCENTRE.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WEEKLY SERVICE TIMES AND OUR EVENT CALENDAR. BELLEVUE 425.289.1878 TACOMA 253.475.6454 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @KEVINGERALD @SHEILAGERALD @CHAMPIONSCENTRE #ThereIsMore

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FEATURES

8 THE 'S' WORD BY BRANDON STEWART

1 4 SWEET SPOTS AND STRENGTH ZONES TEAM INTERVIEW

2 2 ANCHORED BY KEVIN GERALD

IN THE KNOW 6

Team Spotlight

Champions Foundation Update

IN EVERY ISSUE 3 LET’S TALK 4 YOU TO US 12 CHAMPION FINDS

WINTER 2015

life

ABOUT US Champion Life Magazine purposes to equip people to live successful Christian lives.

26 REAL LIFE CHAMPIONS 28 K. WISE WINTER /15

E XE CU T IVE PU B LIS H E RS Kevin Gerald & Sheila Gerald

E DITO R-IN-CH IE F Jodi Cameron

S E NIOR P ROJE C T MANAGE R ART DIRE C TOR

Carissa Dwyer

Dallas Drotz, Drotz Design

CONT RIB U T ING E DITORS ,

Carissa Dwyer, Kim Ludwick,

Paula McFadden, Jen Mueller, Yolanda Perry, Judi Shackett CONT RIB U T ING P H OTOGRAP H Y

Ross Van Alstine, Ardorlit Photography, Scotty Augkhopinee, Andy Mueller CONT RIB U T ING GRAP H IC DE S IGN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kevin

Venessa Koehn, Mickey Elliott

Gerald, Sheila Gerald, Jamil Alston,

Jodi Cameron, Ryan Cameron, Samuel Deuth, Carissa Dwyer, Stefani James, Paula McFadden, Nichole Moore, Brandon Stewart, Juliana Teixeira, Sue Zimmerman DIST RIB U T ION P RODU C E R

Kim Ludwick

Champion Life Magazine is produced by Kevin Gerald

Communications (KGC). KGC is a department of Champions Centre in Tacoma | Bellevue, WA, a non-profit organization.

TO S U B S CRIB E championscentre.com/magazine Phone: (toll-free) 888-935-6914

TO S P ONS OR

If you are a business who would like to partner with

our magazine through distribution or sponsorship, please contact us at: 253.475.6454 x361.

QU E ST IONS / COMME NTS / IDE AS

Let us know. We welcome your

feedback. Please write us at: championlife@championscentre.com

MAIL Champion Life Editorial 1819 E. 72nd St. Tacoma, WA 98404

Produced by Champions Centre Publishing ÂŠ 2015. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without expressed written permission is prohibited and a violation of applicable laws. 2015 copyright. Printed by Cascade Print Media

let's talk

WHEN THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE appeared to Moses

in the form of a burning bush telling him he was going to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and into the freedom of the Promise Land, Moses asked, “who should I say sent me?” To which God replied, “Tell them ‘I Am’ sent you.” I love this response. It seems so vague, yet at the same time, it’s incredibly powerful and packed with meaning. The thing I find most interesting is that it is always in present tense. Even now, thousands of years later when we read this story, we can gain courage from it knowing that He is still all sufficient. No matter what questions arise, or difficulties we face—He Is. The beauty of it all is that we were created in the image of God, and because He says ‘I Am,’ we can say ‘We Are.’ That may seem like a bold statement; however, in 1 Peter 2:9, we’re told, “. . . we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.” We are chosen. Isn’t that reassuring? Despite being imperfect humans who consistently fall short of God’s glory,

He still chose us to declare His praises and be a light to those around us. There are times we can feel like we don’t measure up, or we pick up some negative labels along the way that God didn’t give us. Maybe we just start to feel weary and overwhelmed with everything on our plates, but remember what the Bible says . . . •

We are the redeemed of the Lord.

•

We are justified freely by His grace.

•

We are new creations.

•

We are the head and not the tail.

•

We are above and not beneath.

Most importantly, we are created in the image of God, so it doesn’t matter what lies the enemy may try to tell us. Our identity is found in Him—WE ARE. We hope you’re blessed by this issue of Champion Life Magazine, and that by the time you’re done reading, you come away with the knowledge that you’re not a random dot in the crowd but an integral part of the Church chosen to declare His praises.

P.S. Tell us your story at championlife@championscentre.com.

BECAUSE HE SAYS, "I AM," WE CAN SAY, "WE ARE. WINTER /15

you to us

I absolutely love receiving the Champion Life Magazine, and I look forward to finding it in my mailbox. There are several articles that I have enjoyed, but my favorite sections are Pastor Kevin’s k.Wise articles and the Real Life Champions stories. It is so amazing to hear people’s experiences and how God and Champions Centre have changed their lives. This magazine continues to inspire and encourage me in my walk with the Lord. —Janine M., Puyallup, WA

I Look forward to getting CLM issues in the mail because it is traditional. The most memorable article for me was Mind Monsters.— Jacqueline C., Tacoma, WA

I love all of the articles, whether written from our pastoral staff, human interest stories, or providing us information on upcoming events or future presenters. I take the magazine and leave it at the hairdressers and/or medical clinic I go to. I also pass it on to un-churched friends. —Pam B., Auburn, WA

I love getting the Champion Life Magazine. It is a wonderful resource to encourage people in their Christian walk. On a recent long plane trip, I took my current issue of CLM and read it cover to cover. The recent article focusing on being Holy versus Happy was one of the best I have ever read in CLM. I hope to read more from this author in the future. I know that the people creating the magazine care not just about feeding our faith but in helping us to lead transformed lives. Keep up the great work! —Al, Burbank, CA

You have a story, and we want to hear it! What is God doing in your life through the ministry of Champions Centre? PLEASE WRITE US AT: championlife@championscentre.com MAIL: Champion Life Editorial 1819 E. 72nd St. Tacoma, WA 98404

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT: CHAMPION LIFE GROUPS

I didn’t let that fear and insecurity stop me, because in that first meeting, Luke 15 changed my life forever. In this chapter, Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep to the Pharisees who are challenging His treatment of sinners,

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT

CHAMPION LIFE GROUPS

IF A MAN HAS A HUNDRED SHEEP AND ONE OF THEM GETS LOST, WHAT WILL HE DO?

WON’T HE LEAVE THE NINETY-NINE OTHERS IN THE WILDERNESS AND GO TO BY PAULA MCFADDEN SEARCH FOR THE ONE THAT IS LOST? AND WHEN HE HAS MY STORY IS LIKE SO MANY OTHERS: I lived life to FOUND IT, HE WILL JOYFULLY get by. I tried not to feel as much as possible, and I put up CARRY IT HOME ON HIS SHOULDERS. walls as fast as people tried to tear them down. Growing up in a Presbyterian church, God felt more like a piece of art rather (LUKE 15:3–5) than the living, breathing God that is capable of moving mountains in seconds.

I did not fully understand what it meant when they said that He loved me. I had never experienced who this Jesus was, so seeing His love was incomprehensible. When my family left our church when I was in the eighth grade, I found myself lying in bed at night wondering whether He was even there, and if out of all the millions of people in this world, He saw me. This went on for several years, haunting me every day. Looking back, I can see now how much I had built a wall around even the idea of God. I had refused to let Him in, but God had other plans. He wanted more for me than I thought I deserved or could handle. Then a couple of years ago, one of my closest friends took a chance and asked me to go to her Bible grub group. This wasn’t your typical Bible study in a coffee shop or a bookstore—places that felt safe to have a study group come together. No, it happened in Chipotles, Paneras, Five Guys, and other random restaurants with the occasional coffee shop here and there. The experience was far beyond where my comfort level was, because I felt that the little faith that I had was on display for the whole world to see. I felt insecure and afraid.

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I read these lines over and over again in my head that night. Later on in the chapter, Jesus says that He rejoices over the one lost sheep that returns.

IT HIT ME: I WAS THE SHEEP. I WAS THE ONE THAT HE SOUGHT AFTER.

T h is is P a u la

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT: CHAMPION LIFE GROUPS

It hit me: I was the sheep. I was the one that He sought after. He rejoiced over me. In that moment, I felt like He was practically yelling at me, “I see you. You matter to me.” It was that amazing realization that He loves me despite all that I have done. He relentlessly searches for me. He cares about every tiny detail of my life. He has always been there waiting for me to turn to Him. I experienced God in the midst of insecurity, doubt, and feelings of insignificance, because someone had the courage to say, “come eat food and read the Bible with me.” The parable of the lost sheep brought me back. It shined a floodlight on the darkness I had been living in. I was lost, and I didn’t even know it. His love was something that I never fully understood, but I choose to feel it, to accept it, to let it soak into my tired soul. I had my One Day in a small group, and the transformation I have experienced since then has been incredibly God-designed.

Before, I was a person who barely spoke to anyone besides my family and a couple close friends. I was the person who took God’s love for granted for most of my life. I hid from His light and found no joy, but now, my life is about connecting with others and helping them experience their One Days. If you take away anything from my story, choose to be involved in a small group, because they are so important to building a strong community centered on having a strong relationships with each other and Christ. If it were not for a small group, I probably would not be at Champions Centre doing life with so many amazing people who understand one simple truth—God loves us.

WINTER /15

THE

BY BRANDON STEWART

WORD LATELY, LIFE AND MINISTRY FINDS MY FAMILY ON THE ROAD QUITE A BIT. THIS MEANS SHARING A SINGLE HOTEL ROOM WITH MY THREE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, ZANE, FOR WEEKS ON END AS WELL AS LONG PLANE AND CAR RIDES ON A REGULAR BASIS. DID I MENTION ALL THE FANTASTIC THREE-YEAR-OLD BEHAVIOR THAT COMES ALONG WITH THIS?

“WHERE ARE WE GOING?” It’s usually within 60 sec-

onds of getting in a car or boarding a plane that we hear this half-bored, half-annoyed phrase come out of our daughter’s mouth. We usually take a minute to explain where we’ll be going and what we’ll see when we get there. No doubt about it, Zane will take the opportunity to let us know whether she is happy about this journey or not. But at the end of the day, she usually gets behind what we’re doing and where we’re going.

SUBMISSION By it’s very nature, it’s a word our generation repels. Our creative, “just be yourself ” generation regularly shows a general distrust and distaste for authority. It’s popular to stand up

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

to the man and occupy a street. So, in a day and age where authority is often self proclaimed, is there any value in the world submission? A pastor friend of mine tweeted a great line— “Leading actually becomes very enjoyable when you yourself are being led. #teachability #mentors #kingdom.” A submitted life is one that has yielded to someone farther along than themself. By its very essence, a submitted heart acknowledges they can’t make it alone, and that’s because we are created to thrive while tucked under the leadership of another. I believe the saying goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.” The posture of our heart determines whether we can be led or if we’ll just go our own way when push comes to shove.

The truth is most of us will spend our lives serving another person’s vision. Most of us will not spend our lives as CEO of a company, leader of a team, or lead pastor of a church. At the same time, I find that many succeed by following what John Maxwell calls the 360 leader. If you thought you had to be the boss and call the shots to be successful, you could end up settling for less in life. Many people have greater success and increased influence because of the leaders they follow and submit to. Submission. The “S” word. This is the article in the magazine we often don’t like to read, as submission is often easier said than done.

WHY I BELIEVE IN SUBMISSION 1. IT’S BIBLICAL. And quite frankly, this reason should be enough. The Bible is clear on order, authority, and submission. God works through the leaders He establishes, good, bad, and ugly.

2. WE AVOID MISTAKES OTHERS MADE. Why relearn the lessons those before you had to learn the hard way? Simple acts of submission, paying a momentary price for selflessness, can often save you and me years of mistakes.

3. WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE US.

4. I FIND MORE JOY IN BEING PART OF A TEAM THAN I EVER DID IN BEING MY OWN BOSS. There’s great life in collaboration and team. There’s great victory in seeing those around you succeed. I love when the team wins even when it wasn’t my idea. Don’t get me wrong. There are people who are called to lead in a number one position . . . lead pastor, owner of the company, etc. But while that is true, the vast majority of us are not. Most of us will spend our lives serving another person’s vision. So, the S word is something that will show it’s face often in life.

THE POSTURE OF OUR HEART DETERMINES WHETHER WE CAN BE LED OR IF WE’LL JUST GO OUR OWN WAY WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE.

Submission is like loyalty. Loyalty and submission aren’t tested until you disagree with a leader. Until that point, all you have is agreement. It’s only when the rubber hits the road and you don’t see eye to eye with someone that’s supposed to be leading you that you have the opportunity to humble yourself and yield to another.

Our leaders went ahead of us to give us something they did not have. The greatest thing we can do is honor them and take the baton where they are leaving off.

BRANDON STEWART: BRANDON STEWART SERVES ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT CHAMPIONS CENTRE, UNDER THE MINISTRY OF PASTOR KEVIN GERALD. BRANDON BELIEVES THE GREATEST NEED FACING THE LOCAL CHURCH TODAY IS STRONGER AND BETTER LEADERS. PASSIONATE ABOUT BUILDING THE LOCAL CHURCH, BRANDON REGULARLY WORKS WITH CHURCH TEAMS, ON BEHALF OF CHAMPIONS CENTRE CULTURE.

WINTER /15

CHAMPIONS FOUNDATION UPDATE CUTTING FOR A CAUSE BY JULIANA TEIXEIRA

IT'S HAIRCUT DAY! What comes to mind? Maybe how relaxing your appointment will be, how beautiful you will feel afterwards, or the impact of a hair makeover. These are all just aspects of what I do on a daily basis. I am a hairstylist. Everyday my goal is to bring my clients’ inner beauty onto the surface.

I started dreaming of a vision where no matter what the individual’s circumstance, they deserved I started hairstyling from the early age of eight-years-old. My mother to feel beautiful, empowered, and encouraged, just is a hairstylist, so naturally, it was in my genes. However, fast forward like any paying client. When I voiced this vision to through being licensed in Cosmetology, advanced training through SasPastor Sheila, she immediately encouraged me to soon's methods, and traveling overseas, I found myself halfway fulfilled create this and make it happen. This year during with my career. Champion Centre's Love Week in May 2014 with the support of Champions Foundation and many All the beauty, trends, transformation in people's lives were not the only volunteers, I launched my first ever haircutting heartbeat to my purpose in hairdressing. I was less than passionate about event at a homeless shelter in Redmond. Partnermy mundane work schedule in the corporate world of hairstyling and ing with Friends of Youth has been incredibly was an outlier wanting to serve more than fast-paced, high-end styles. rewarding. During my uninterrupted haircuts Enter in, the pulse, and my passion...I wanted to encourage any client in with homeless youth, I had my chair and help them feel valued their attention and focus and beautiful. I STARTED DREAMING OF A VISION for 20–45 minutes, which In the seven years of my career, I have gave me the opportunity WHERE NO MATTER WHAT THE witnessed probably hundreds of clients sow positivity into their INDIVIDUAL’S CIRCUMSTANCE, THEY to leaving the salon with their spirits lives. Serving and directly DESERVED TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL, and countenances lifted high. Notes, conversing has opened up emails, and follow-up appointments my eyes to the positive ripple EMPOWERED, AND ENCOURAGED, have all shown me the fruit of my effect I, and many other JUST LIKE ANY PAYING CLIENT. labor. So often in life what we are hairdressers, can have just doing is not as important as to how we by listening. By gaining a are doing it. little trust of others, we can help encourage and bring hope to many. When I started volunteering in the community, I started off by feeding the homeless, donating clothes to shelters, or going to youth centers, Love Week 2014 opened the door for me to explore my such as the Boys & Girls Club. While I was able to serve the community true passion and gave me the courage to walk through through all these arenas, I desired to give back by directly using my skills it. I now partner with other organizations that serve as a stylist. I wondered, “How, when and where, could I use my profession the surrounding communities as well. If you are and volunteer at the same time?” Champions Foundation at Champions interested in volunteer opportunities in the future, Centre became the answer. please email me at JulzHairBeauty@gmail.com.

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

CHAMPIONS FOUNDATION UPDATE

SERVING AT YOUTHCARE BY JAMIL ALSTON

For a young person who is sleeping on the streets, a simple place to be safe, do laundry, take a shower, or just hang out, makes all the difference. Through their drop-in services, YouthCare gives homeless young people an opportunity to get off the streets, take care of their basic needs, and talk to staff about getting help. But they can’t do it without volunteer help, such as what Champions Foundation offers. I consider it such an honor and a blessing to serve with Champions Foundation. The heart of the church is to equip, enrich, and serve with excellence. Preparing meals for the kids at YouthCare has been a way for me to best express my heart for serving others. The opportunity to regularly serve at the Orion Center YouthCare outreach has forever heightened my awareness of those who are in need. The smiles of appreciation and gratitude the children show when greeted by a friendly face and a hot plate of food, to the jubilation, laughter, and contentment on the kids’ faces once they are done eating is what fuels my excitement to return time and time again.

EVERYONE INVOLVED RESONATES

Moreover, I’m thankful for the WITH THE GRACE AND opportunity to volunteer with BENEVOLENCE THAT COMES friends and church family that humbly come together out of FROM A SERVANT’S HEART. desire to make a difference in their community. It’s awesome to see our team work together to create a menu, go shopping, prep, cook, and serve the meals. Everyone involved resonates with the grace and benevolence that comes from a servant’s heart. I treasure being able to use my talents and passion while serving at YouthCare and being able to give back to those in need: a sense of comfort, hope, and dignity that comes from something as small as a hot meal. This has ignited a glowing flame of gratitude and appreciation for what God has done in my family’s life that will never go dim. Through Champions Foundation at Champions Centre, I look forward to more opportunities to give back to those in need and to be a light for others.

CHAMPIONS FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. Our mission is to inspire faith, hope, compassion and education through collaborative partnerships in our community and worldwide. Web: championsfoundation.com Email: info@championsfoundation.com Phone: 253.475.6454 Ext. 108 WINTER /15

CHAMPION

FINDS

ANCHORED In this series, we focus on staying Anchored in the goodness of God. Hebrews 2:1 says "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."

FEAR NOT Don't be held back from God's plan for your life. Instead learn how to respond without fear.

GAINING GROUND Believe in the more that can happen in your life when you choose to gain ground. This message series is designed to help you grow financially with what you already have.

LOCAL 253.475.6454 ext. 361

TOLL FREE 888.935.6914

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

ONLINE kevingerald.tv

CHAMPION

FINDS

The Team Church Network is an extension of Champions Centre and Kevin Gerald, designed to equip lead pastors and church leadership teams. The Team Church Network will be a relational and resourcing network for church leaders.

RESOURCE YOURSELF AT KEVINGERALD.TV Go online to find a wealth of resources, including free videos from Kevin Gerald and MP3s of messages.

WINTER /15

SWEET SPOTS AND STRENGTH ZONES TE AM I N T E RV I E W 14

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

JODI CAMERON

E X EC UTI V E D I RECTOR OF MI NI STRI ES / B EL L EV UE CA MPUS C O- PASTO R

THIS TALK IS ALL ABOUT SWEET SPOTS, STRENGTH ZONES–FLOWING IN YOUR STRENGTHS. Pastor, you did a message recently on “The Same, But Different,” and we wanted to talk about this from a staff perspective of how we have understood the importance of finding each other’s strengths and working through those, celebrating those, having the same goal in mind, and celebrating the differences. Because if we were all the same, in personality and in approach, then we’d have a gap in how to reach and connect people.

PASTOR KEVIN GERALD

LE A D PASTO R

Having a dynamic of “sameness” is very important. I like to use the word picture, or the instruction in Deuteronomy, that God gave to ancient Israel when He simply said, “Don’t plow with an ox and an ass together.” This was practical everyday talk to farmers. The whole point really was that the ass is not a team player. The ass thinks very independently. The ass doesn’t see the big picture. Basically, the ass is an ass. You can have hard workers who can carry a whole lot, but they just can’t work with people. Sameness begins with the whole idea that we have to get on the same page as a team before we can ever really see results. We can be trying to plow a field; but if one’s pulling one way, it just makes it harder for the other one to get anything done. So you’re better to cut the ass loose and let one ox work. In the New Testament, Paul instructs us, as believers, not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. We often use it when speaking to single people now. The reference was back to the verse I just quoted from the Old Testament. We know that in a marriage, one is a man and one is a woman, according to God’s plan anyway. There’s a vast difference, but He’s saying there has to be sameness. If you expect this to work, there has to be sameness. There has to be a context in which we are the same.

JODI CAMERON As we move forward, have that context in mind. Try to celebrate what we’re good at and work through, delegate, or empower the people around us to make up for those weaknesses that are in us. I want to start with Pastor Sheila. Your heartbeat passion is: igniting and illuminating purpose in people. I think it starts with you having conversations, which leads to identifying people’s strengths, and you’re really the one who introduced the StrengthFinder by Tom Rath to our organization. It’s a passion of yours.

PASTOR SHEILA GERALD

C O -PASTO R

The sweet spot of knowing your strength is so important, because you are more confident if you’re walking in your strength. When you are dealing with people that are volunteers, nothing is better than you finding their strength, because it’s going to probably lead to their purpose and why they’re breathing on the earth.

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JODI CAMERON IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU’RE FLOWING IN YOUR SWEET SPOT, HOW DO YOU FIND IT?

SAMUEL DEUTH

C H A M P IO N S C E N T R E C O LLE G E D IR E CTO R

For myself, I’ve noticed that if I’m trying to figure out what it is l self-evaluate: What do I enjoy doing? What’s natural? What’s my “go to”? Mostly, I’m going to look for what other people encourage or praise about me. What do other people instinctively keep saying, to me, that I do well? We have to be ok with allowing people to speak into us. Another thing, when I'm reading the Bible, I allow the Word of God to reflect back on me. A lot of times I’ll read something and the Holy Spirit will say to me, “That’s you. That’s what I want you to be.” So, I allow the Word of God to tell me who I am and remind me of those fundamentals. Lastly, I try to focus more on mission than exact function. I think sometimes if I focus too much on what I do as a job description versus realizing who I am at the core, I get attached to the title. When it comes to gifts in the Bible, I’m an encourager. Now I can be a janitor and be an encourager. I can be a youth guy. I can be in college. I can be in finance. I can do anything within reason, and do it as an encourager.

JODI CAMERON YOU WORK A LOT WITH NICHOLE, AND YOU BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES, AS WELL AS VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

NICHOLE MOORE C HA M PI O NS C EN T R E C O L L EG E ACA DE M IC DI R ECTO R

I think the awesome thing about Samuel and I working together is that we are so different. I admire Samuel so much as my leader, because he is not a selfish leader. There are times he will say to me “Nichole, I think that whatever we’re moving forward in is something that is really in your strength, and you would do a better job at this, so I would like you to cover this area or do this.” I really appreciate that about him, because he’s allowed me the opportunity to grow up a little bit in my own strengths.

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SAMUEL DEUTH I have so appreciated working with someone like Nichole. We’re very different, but one of the things I’ve learned from Pastor Kevin...even though he’s an incredible, brilliant leader, he also has really allowed himself to be open to feedback and input. I have known that I’m not the smartest person at the table, by far, and that’s ok. So, I’m looking to somebody like Nichole. I know she’s smart; she’s an incredible leader; she’s an incredible communicator, educator; and she’s very talented. I would be absolutely foolish to not acknowledge that. It’s about mutual submission. I’m here to learn as much as I am here to lead. The more I can elevate your strength on the team, the more successful our team can be.

NICHOLE MOORE With mutual submission, if it’s in an area where I see Samuel’s really strong, I yield myself to that as well and say, “can you help me with this? This is what I’m facing. This is where I’m going. I need some input. I need to have some perspective, and I think that you’re so great at this. Maybe you can help me.” Not that I’m dumping my responsibility onto him, but getting his insight and his perspective really makes us a strong team.

JODI CAMERON ANOTHER QUESTION: HOW DOES FLOWING IN YOUR STRENGTHS HELP YOU AND THE TEAM?

STEFANI JAMES

LE A D ST U D E N T M IN IST R IE S PASTO R

It was very interesting coming from a Fortune 500 company into ministry, because I am a work-horse in structure; where you don’t deviate from my plan. Then God rocked my world and flipped it upside down ten times. What I’ve learned is that everyone brings something different to the table. Our team wouldn’t be our team if everyone wasn’t uniquely themselves. For instance, Jon is one of our student ministries’ pastors, and he is passionate. His heart is what makes him who he is but he’s not the most organized person on the face of the earth. Everyone loves Jon because he leads with his heart. It’s recognizing what people’s strengths are and encouraging them to stay unique, not trying to be something they’re not.

PASTOR KEVIN GERALD We try to accommodate the strength without crushing who they are.

JODI CAMERON WE ALL GO THROUGH SEASONS WHERE WE NEED TO STRETCH OUR STRENGTHS. MAYBE THERE’S A NATURAL STRENGTH THAT IS OCCURRING IN OUR LIVES BUT HOW DO WE STRETCH EVEN FURTHER? HOW DO WE ENLARGE CAPACITY AND GET BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONE OF STRENGTH. HOW CAN WE PUSH OURSELVES AND OUR TEAMS TO DO THAT?

Being pushed into new territories may be unfamiliar, but focusing on how you can add value helps to navigate unfamiliarity. Even if it isn’t ultimately your greatest strength, no matter where you start if you’re adding value, you’re always going to be put in a place of strength. We must continue to say I’m going to add value. I’m going to press through, and I’m going to take what’s in my hand and use it to the best of my ability. Also, continue to receive feedback. That’s a constant part of our world. We’re encouraged to be in natural strength zones in our life while being allowed to make mistakes in the process. Don’t get offended if your leader comes in and corrects you. I look at it like this: if they didn’t love me, they wouldn’t be correcting me. I think it has been cool to be on a team where we’re allowed to get out, make mistakes, walk in some of our strengths, and get better through the process.

RYAN CAMERON

E X E C U T IV E D IR E CTO R O F E X PA N S IO N / B E LLE V U E CA M P U S C O- PASTOR WINTER /15

JODI CAMERON HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO A TEAM MEMBER WHOSE STRUGGLE MIGHT BE IMPACTING OTHERS? IN THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT THERE CAN BE A LOT OF THINGS.

SUE ZIMMERMAN

EXEC U T I V E D IR E CTO R O F C R E AT IV E S

There’s a lot that goes along with the Creatives Team. Creatives personalities are passionate, but they can be moody. So working with that and really bringing a cohesive team together is sometimes a challenge. Everybody has a lane, and everybody is so necessary in what we do as a Creatives Team. I value what everybody brings to the table. But sometimes when there’s an undercurrent, I found that, first of all, I have to identify that there’s a problem. If you don’t know that there’s a problem, you can’t fix it. And, you really cannot just sweep it under the rug–it will come back. You really have to be able to get to the root of the problem. How I do that is I listen to my team. I’ll just listen and try to pick up little things. If the same name keeps coming up in the same light, that’s a good clue of where I’m going next to find out if there is something there. I also listen to my leaders, because sometimes there’s things that I just don’t see. Pastor Kevin or Pastor Sheila have come to me before, and they’d ask questions like, “Well what did you think about this?” I’ve learned to pick up on that and really hone in on something that I may have missed that we really need to start looking at. I would also say be quick to confront. That’s also not easy for creative people. Most times, they’re the fun people. They’re the “I” personalities, and they don’t like confrontation. But I’m quick to confront either with specific questions or just asking leading questions in order to help them verbalize or even realize what’s going on in their world and how it’s effecting the rest of the team.

STEFANI JAMES Just sitting back and observing is really good, because you learn so much about people. Be careful not to let them know you’re observing.

JODI CAMERON For directors, team leads, or even lead pastors, we have a very walkable management culture. Pastor will walk through the offices unannounced. And there’s that confrontive culture, doing it out of love and doing it with the best interest for the vision of the House. TO HEAR THE FULL AU DI O R EC O R DI NG , V I SI T T EAM C HURC HNETWOR K. C O M A ND SEA R C H " SW EET SP OT S"

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CONNECT THE DOTS

— EPHE 1:11

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We are all familiar with warning signs. When we see our gas lights come on in our cars, we know that we are being warned that if we do not stop to get gas, we could end up on the side of the road. When we get a notice in the mail that our insurance premiums will go up, we know that we need to reevaluate our spending budget. Even our bodies give us warning signs like when we are walking alone at night, our hearing becomes hypersensitive, our bodies tense up. We all have a natural tendency to react when we see warning signs come up in our lives.

BY KEVIN GERALD

CHAMPION LIFE MAGAZINE

he author of Hebrews gives all of us a warning where it says in chapter two verse one, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

We are warned that the unanchored soul will drift . . . into disappointment, into discouragement, into negativity, and into worry. The implied result of what happens to a boat that drifts away is that it will end up where it is not meant to be. A lot of times we get so caught up in what’s pulling us in all different directions that we forget to drop our anchor in the strength and wisdom of God. Later on in Hebrews 6:19, the author writes, “We have this hope as an anchor for our soul . . . firm and secure.” We have this hope—something that holds us in place, something worth holding onto in the worst of storms. The definition of hope is the expectation of good, but in the context of this scripture, we focused the definition to say for us as believers that in reality, hope is the expectation of God’s goodness.

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and certainty of God’s goodness even when it’s not evident in our lives. Everyone knows that the sun is in the sky even when it’s not evident that it’s there. Even in the Pacific Northwest where it is temporarily blocked by clouds for most of the year, we all know that the sun is still there. Although we may not see it directly, we can see its light as evidence that it’s there. It’s the same way with God’s goodness. There are times where we may not be able to see it directly but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. In fact, sometimes when God’s goodness is least visible it’s functioning at its highest and best on our behalf. When we don’t get the job we wanted or the person we were dating breaks up with us, we’re often quick to assume God’s goodness has bypassed us . . . but in time, we come to realize that God was actually doing us a favor. Maybe that job offer did not come in the right timing or that person was not the right one for our lives.

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and certainty of God’s goodness even when it’s not evident in our lives.

Some people may wonder: how can I believe in or have hope in the goodness of God when there’s evil and hardship in the world? There is evil and hardship, hurt, pain, injustice, disappointment in this world, but you don’t have to explain why evil and hardship is allowed to exist before you can acknowledge the goodness of God. There is obvious, visible, undeniable daily proof of God’s goodness in the world every day. You can know that life is hard and also know that God is good. Then other times, what we hear about God seems too good to be true: that he loves us like we are—our faults, our baggage, our issues. Because of this, we try to reason with ourselves as to why it can’t be true, so we tend to drift back to a more reasonable, conditional love. I’m writing to warn you: don’t drift back from all that God has for you in your life. In Hebrews 11:1, the author encourages us to remain confident in God’s goodness where it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

This is where hope in God’s goodness becomes the anchor of the soul. We can remain confident in knowing that even though we may not see it ourselves, God is moving in our lives. Don’t let your feelings and emotions get in the way and allow you to drift away from God. Don’t let problems and hardship or what you don’t understand move you. Don’t let your past or the environment you work in or what others say move you. Don’t let bad theology move you. God is good no matter what. There is an excellent example of this in the Bible that comes from the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph was hated and betrayed by his own brothers, who sold him into slavery where he ended up a slave in a foreign land. Let me be clear. Joseph never did anything to his brothers that would have ever deserved being sold into slavery. He was someone just like you and me living his normal everyday life when a storm blew through and took what he thought his life would be away. In Genesis 39:2–4, however, it says: The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became

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his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. In the middle of these extreme circumstances, God was doing something good, but it was hidden by a season of struggle and adversity. By staying in place and believing that God was by his side, Joseph was strategically moved into position to be the most powerful leader of the land. What we can all take away from Joseph’s story is that he didn’t just sit around wondering why it had to happened to him. He still lived, worked, and believed, and God continued to show up in his life. Hope begins when we stop wondering and start watching for God’s goodness in our lives. Joseph stood strong on the promises of God like in Jeremiah 29:11, “‘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.’”

of poverty and see ourselves struggling and never getting ahead. But with hope, our minds will search for reasons to hope. Instead, our internal search engines focus on examples of progress, opportunity, and strength, which literally draws in God’s goodness in its various forms. We are more opportunity minded where we see possibilities in almost every situation. We are more solution minded, seeing the problems but focusing on finding solutions. That is how every single one of us can draw in God’s solutions to the dilemmas we’re in. I want to share with you a story about my parents, who at the last minute before my daughter Jodi’s wedding found out that they couldn’t make the trip. They had purchased tickets. They had bought a new suit and dress for the occasion, but the doctors had told my mom that she could not travel due to a heart condition. The best thing we could do is webcast the ceremony to their living room, and it wasn’t until a week or so after the wedding that a family friend told me what happened that day.

"You can drop anchor by choosing hope in and through every situation and circumstance." Imagine if we all stood on that. How much more could we start to see of God doing good in our lives? Knowing this is how we become anchored in God’s goodness. I’m not wondering if God is good. I’m not drifting in uncertainty about God’s goodness. When life is hard, I’m not questioning God’s plan to give me a hope and a future. We can be in a life is hard chapter and know that it’s just a chapter—it’s not the story. Because we know that in all things, God works for our good. When we enter the place of knowing, we exit the place of wondering, and we start watching for God’s goodness in our lives. Without hope of God’s goodness, our minds will search for reasons not to have hope. Our internal search engines focus on problems, despair, weakness, and struggles. We tend to be trouble minded, seeing trouble everywhere. We slip into frustration easily and seek reasons to be frustrated. We think from a place

She said on the afternoon of the wedding, she received a call from my dad asking her to pick up some flowers and a corsage for my mom and to order some food brought to the house. When she came to deliver them to their home that day just before the wedding began, my folks came out of the bedroom wearing the clothes they were meant to wear at the wedding. My dad carefully pinned the corsage on my mom. He pulled chairs up next to her in front of the TV screen, and they celebrated a big day with us. When things don’t go as you want in life, you don’t have to sulk in self-pity. You don’t have to feel sorry for yourself. You don’t have to drift into questioning God’s goodness. You don’t have to go along with the tug and the pull of an unanchored soul. You don’t have to let the winds push you and pull you around. You can drop anchor by choosing hope in and through every situation and circumstance.

KEVIN GERALD Known for a ministry that imparts practical, Biblical principles that equip people to live successful Christian lives, Kevin and Sheila Gerald are the Founders and Lead Pastors of Champions Centre (Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington), one of the largest congregations in the Pacific Northwest. In leadership and life, Pastor Kevin purposes to locate and communicate wisdom, and those who know him value him for his relevant, practical approach to ministry. 24

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Real Life Application BY NICHOLE MOORE ACADEMIC DIRECTOR FOR CHAMPIONS CENTRE COLLEGE

We talk a lot about one day stories here at Champions Centre, and I would

like to share a one day experience that I will never forget. I can remember the date specifically: July 3, 2008, because we were getting ready for our Fourth of July plans. My husband told me he needed to talk to me about something important. We were standing in our bedroom about to leave when he proceeded to tell me that his business was completely out of cash. We no longer had any source of income, and not only that, our house, the one we brought all of our kids home to, was gone too. Nobody can prepare you for that moment. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. In complete shock, I remember asking questions, like how did this happen? What do you mean we won’t have an income? What about the house? Our first house? The one we have put hours of time into fixing up? The one that we had sacrificed for and is almost paid off? My first reaction was to be angry at my husband for letting this happen to our family. In my emotional turmoil, I did not consider that men and women process loss differently, so when I saw him carry on as if nothing had happened while I was in a heap on the floor sobbing, I became even angrier. I wondered if he even cared that his business loss was costing me when I had done nothing to deserve it. Then I got angry at God. I cried out to Him: don’t you care? How can you say you love me yet let this happen to me? I have done everything you have asked of me. I gave my tithe faithfully. I give my talent to serve at church, often times sacrificially. I took him at His Word, and I believed Him when He said He would throw open the windows of heaven that there would be such a blessing that I could not contain it. What had happened to God’s windows over my life? Were they broken? There seemed to be some sort of blessing shortage for the Moore family, and I was mad at God, at my husband, at everyone.

to eat, who still needed to be cared for, I couldn’t find the strength to get out of bed and face the days ahead. We can reach a state of hopelessness when we allow something or someone to disconnect us from the goodness of God. Maybe your situation is different than mine, but maybe you too have experienced an impossible situation that left you feeling hopeless. After everything my family went through, we found three ways to get our hope anchored again in the goodness of God. The first way is to get into God’s Word and to allow it to remind and renew our thinking to the good promises of the goodness of God. The second is to live in community. We are reminded that we were never meant to do life alone in Hebrews 10:25 where it says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- there is strength, encouragement, and hope begins to stir when we come together.” If I had not been in community when my impossible situation happened, I would have been completely lost and at the mercy of the enemy, which is why now no matter how busy our schedules get, church is always a priority in our house. The final way to find our way back to hope is to trust God’s character in His good nature. Maybe you are reading this, and you have prayed. You have believed. You have cried out to God and still can’t understand why he has not removed the situation from your life. We may not get the answers we have hoped for, prayed for, but we can anchor our soul in the hope that the character of God never changes.

I found myself for the first time in my life without hope. I was facing an impossible situation . . . with no apparent way out.

He doesn’t always remove the painful circumstances of our life, but He shows us His goodness by comforting us, by walking with us through the struggle, by consoling our hearts and giving us hope.

With no job, no money, no house, a marriage hanging on by a thread, three kids ages six, eight, and ten who still needed

No matter how impossible the situation may be, we can anchor our soul in the hope that God is good, even when life is hard.

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REAL LIFE could. I felt that in serving, I was getting closer to God, but what I came to realize was that He was pushing me to get closer to more people as well. I began to heal from everything I had been through by becoming connected and serving in His house.

y parents taught me growing up that no one was going to take care of me and that I couldn’t depend on or trust anyone. Because of this, I was always determined not to rely on anyone. The thought of asking someone for help was unimaginable. For most of my life, I was very independent, stubborn, willful, and unwilling to rely on God, which led me to be more isolated and antisocial. Before coming to Champions Centre, I was in a dark and isolated place. I was questioning my very existence, but someone took the time and suggested that I start volunteering on a team so that I could get connected. I started greeting. It was scary at first, because for the first time, I was stepping outside the box I had built around myself. I had to give up my isolation—my antisocial comfort zone. Shortly after I started greeting, I met someone who was in charge of hospitality for the connections team. She took me under her wing and started training me on how to set up Volunteer Headquarters. Before long, I was looking for ways to serve in any way I 26

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I had this complete transformation, because by showing up, I finally realized I can depend on Him no matter what. Where there was no hope, He gave me hope. Where there was darkness, He gave me light. When I didn’t think anyone loved me, He showed me He loves me. When I didn’t have the strength to live anymore, He gave me His strength and the desire to live. When I gave up, He never gave up on me. When I thought things were impossible, He showed me that through Him, all things are possible. When I couldn’t forgive myself, He forgave me. When I had no peace, He gave me His peace, which surpasses all my understanding. When I didn’t think I belonged anywhere or to anyone, He told me I belong to Him. My heart was broken . . . but He mended my heart. When I was lost, He found me. When I fell down, He picked me up. When I thought I was invisible, He saw me in my invisibility. I have made peace with and have forgiven myself. I know I am not just a child of God but also a woman of God. I am no longer ashamed to say that God created me. He loves me unconditionally. I thank the Lord for making me who I am today and that I am no longer chained to the past. I have been redeemed. I know that He is guiding me on a path that is drawing me closer to Him . . . a path that He wants me to take.

C A R O LY N D E V I N S

CHAMPIONS My love for greeting for weekend services translated to the Celebrate Recovery program. As I began to heal, I found compassion for those I saw hurting. I just wanted to go up and hug them to let them know that everything was going to be okay. This is something I never felt before. So I knew change had happened within me. God used Champions Centre to transform me from an isolated person to someone who is deeply and forever connected to the life of His church. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limit myself to just one area of volunteering. I am constantly searching for ways that I can help, because I truly love to serve. I used to consider Champions Centre to be my second home. . . but it is clearly now my first. I just have such a strong desire

"I THANK THE LORD FOR MAKING ME WHO I AM TODAY AND THAT I AM NO LONGER CHAINED TO THE PAST" to be here. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of any place I would rather be. I love serving and being here. I love who I am now that I am here. I bring light where there used to be darkness and serving is what brought that light out of me. I walked into this place as a wall . . . and now I feel like a flower. The wonderful thing is that God is not finished with me yet.

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BY KEVIN GERALD

WHEN LIFE BRINGS ITS CHALLENGES, GOD WANTS US TO HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS A SURFER HAS TOWARDS THE WAVES: WHAT OTHERS RUN AWAY FROM, THE SURFER RUNS TOWARDS. 1. ANTICIPATE THE WAVES. Don’t be surprised that life has challenges. Jesus even warned us in John 16:33 when He said, “In this world, you will have troubles . . . but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.” Everything in life occurs in cycles. By anticipating that they’re coming, we can stay on top and ride them out.

3. POSITION YOURSELF TO RIDE THE WAVES. We don’t control the winds. We can’t calm the waves, but we can mentally and physically position ourselves to ride them. The mental position of a wave rider is to be teachable and confident. The physical position of a wave rider is to be planted in God’s house, surrounded by other wave riders. The most successful people are those that position themselves to take on challenges.

4. PADDLE HARD. Be proactive. Be in the game, and let God use you right where you are.

5. POP UP. In this world, you will have troubles . . . but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. —John 16:33

2. PICK THE RIGHT BOARD. Choose in advance what you’re going to stand on when the wind blows and the waves roll in. Proverbs 3:5–6 encourages us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” People who really trust in God don’t need to know all the details when they know they’ve chosen the right board to stand on.

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Wake up everyday lifting yourself into an overcomer’s state of mind. You can’t always wait for someone else to encourage you. In 1 Samuel 30:6, the author shows us how David even when greatly distressed would still delight himself in the Lord his God. A cheerful heart won’t just happen—we have to put effort into popping up.

6. KEEP YOUR BALANCE WHILE RIDING THE WAVE. When riding waves, the object is to keep adjusting your feet on the board. Always stay flexible and adaptable to ride out the challenge. Although life will have winds and waves, God promises that He will always give us strength and grace to ride out the waves and face the challenges of life.

“SUCCESS IS EMPTY I F Y U A R R I V E AT THE FINISH LINE AL NE. T H E B E ST R E WA R D I S T GET THERE SURR UNDED BY W I N N E R S. S U C C E S S I S A LWAYS S W E E T E ST W H E N I T ’ S S H A R E D.” — H OWA R D S H U LT Z