The Big Ask

I have been thinking lately about the importance of learning how to make the "Big Ask." So much of leadership and life is learning how to ask. Over the last year we've had to make alot of "asks!" We had to ask God to lead us in the process of starting a new church. We had to ask alot of churches to believe in the vision God gave us and come alongside financially and through prayer, we had to ask families to move across the country, we had to ask Hope Church to takeover Breakthrough so we could transition out of Texas, I had to ask my professors to let me pass so I could graduate from school :-), lots of asking. Now, since we have moved out here I will continue to make alot of asks. We will have to ask people to help us start the church. We will have to ask people on our team to contribute with their time, money, and energy. We will have to ask people to follow Christ with their life, and then ask them to get engaged in the vision of South Bay Church. As a leader and a pastor you don't do well if you don't learn how to ask with humility and with confidence. My confidence in asking comes from two places: first it comes from the fact that I know God has lead us to start this church. If I can stand before God with complete confidence knowing I am doing exactly what he has asked me to do, then I should be able to stand before everyone else I know and ask them to join what God has asked me to do. Secondly, there is no one else aside from God who is more passionately, emotionally, physically, sacrificially bought in to this vision. It is easier to ask people to sacrifice as a leader when you have already sacrificed yourself and you know that you are not asking people to do something you are not willing to do yourself. So I have learned that God provides through us learning to ask. Asking Him and asking others.