Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
MARK • JUAN • E
Go. Shine!
I speak blessing over you…
May you be blessed above all others;
May you be esteemed by those closest to you;
May your feet be anointed;
May you be secure all your days.
There is no one like our God.
He rides across the heavens to help you,
across the skies in majestic splendour.
The eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
You will live in safety, security, and prosperity.
You are blessed!
Who else is like you, one saved by the Lord Jesus?
He is your shield and your sword!
Your enemies will cringe before you,
and you will kick their butts!
(Based on Deuteronomy 33:24-29 NLT)
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
My Legendary Manifesto
I believe that it is the foremost task -and responsibility- of our generation to re-imagine what church is and what it can be. It is my personal mission to inspire ordinary disciples to live legendary lives. I want to help create a world where disciples of Jesus are at the center of culture and on the edge of change; and where church is not a monumental institution but a redemptive movement for Jesus Christ.
I see a world that is becoming more and more hopeless. But I also I see a redemptive movement of disciples who will bring joy and meaning to people’s lives wherever they are.
I see a world that is becoming more and more hostile to Biblical truth. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who defend the truth by being living proof of it.
I see a world that is becoming more and more fragmented. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who will bring the Kingdom of God to every sphere of life.
I see a world that is becoming more and more androgynous forcing men to be feminine and women to be masculine in the name of equality. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who will restore true manhood and womanhood one person at a time, one marriage at a time, one family at a time.
I see a world that is becoming more and more ambivalent to the commitment of marriage. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who cherish their wives, honour their husbands and live in lasting covenant with one another.
I see a world that is becoming more and more disconnected to the next generation. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who will turn their hearts to their sons and daughters and realize that they are their first disciples.
I see a world that is becoming more and more idolatrous worshiping many gods both ancient and secular. But I also see a redemptive movement of disciples who will demonstrate the one true God’s presence, power, and wisdom in the name of Jesus Christ.
It’s time for the disciples of Jesus Christ to “care more than others think wise, risk more than others think safe, dream more than others think practical, and expect more than others think possible.”
It’s time to re-imagine discipleship. It’s time to be legendary.
And no matter what I do in order to realize my vision, I am guided by these 7 key principles:
- Be Jesus centred.
- Be inspiring.
- Be relational.
- Be simple.
- Be practical.
- Be playful.
- Be helpful.
To realize my vision:
I write about disciples as influencers and church as a movement.
I speak to inspire disciples to bring the Kingdom to their culture.
I create resources that train people to live legendary lives.
I mentor leaders who in turn influence other leaders.
WHY I STOPPED BLOGGING AND TWEETING
I haven’t posted on my blog for almost 4 months.
When I was in the Philippines last January, I posted several videos on my Facebook timeline about my trip to Aldersgate 2012. When I look back on them now, I don’t think they were really any good or of any real value to anyone. But it was a good way for me to get used to using my HD Flip camera.
During my trip, I was fully intending to start a new video blog on my Tumblog. I was also going to provide people who were interested with a new resource I wanted to write on provocative evangelism based on one of the messages I preached at Aldersgate 2012. I also wanted to create an online community based on my compelling mission. This would have included signing people up through an opt in form on my personal website. A series of follow up emails were to follow providing regular inspiration.
But when I got back to Canada, all of those good intentions turned into inaction. I designed a new Tumblr blog called Amplify! I turned my personal website into a landing page where people could opt in. And then…nothing. I stopped.
Why?
I could say that I got really busy with ministry and family obligations. I could -and did!- say that I was busy redesigning my website and that something would come out soon.
But the truth is that I ran out of steam. I lost my inspiration. I was known to be the passion guy…the dream big guy…but I had lost my passion. I had stopped dreaming.
This happens sometimes. Some might call it burn out. Others might call it a slump. Still others would say it’s writer’s block. At worst, some unkind religious folks might judge me for backsliding. But the real reason is much simpler and more complex than these.
I lost sight of my personal mission…my inspiration…my Big Dream.
How did that happen? I don’t know.
It could be that I was simply going full steam ahead for too long a time. Giving too much for too long.
It could be that I was overwhelmed with the demands of ministry. I could have felt like I was obligated to be inspiring.
It could be that a new ministry model/vision eclipsed my personal creativity. I could have felt like I was living out someone else’s vision rather than my own.
It could be all of the above.
So I stopped blogging and tweeting. Except for Facebook, I dropped offline for almost 4 months. But that’s changed.
Just in the past couple of weeks, I’ve rediscovered my fuel. I can’t say that I’m back to my old self again. In fact, I hope not. Rather, I hope that this is a new beginning for me.
What happened that helped me rediscover my fuel?
I discovered my personal mission or my calling or whatever you want to call it.
Then I wrote it down in a manifesto.
If you are a follower of my tweets (@Mark_Juane) or if you subscribe to my Tumblog or if you signed up from my website, I ask for your forgiveness. This is a new beginning. I promise to put useful stuff on the site soon.
For a start, if you want to see my personal manifesto, I’ll post it here after I post this. It’s also on my About page on this site.
If you want to stay connected or just send a message, please make a comment, send a tweet, or shoot me an email. Let me know you’re out there. I promise to work hard to inspire you to live a legendary life.
FACEBOOK | www.facebook.com/markjuane
TWITTER | @Mark_Juane
EMAIL | markjuane@gmail.com
SMS | 6475880966
Just landed in Toronto. Suddenly 99% of my allergy symptoms have disappeared.
It was a very fruitful trip! Praise God!
If grace is water then the Church should be an ocean.
Worship from the 2012 Aldersgate Renewal Conference in Baguio City, Philippines.
I can’t believe that the movie Accepted made me cry! What’s the matter with me?
Working on a free resource on doable evangelism for the rest of us. eBook or video + worksheets?
