I finished Made to Stick this afternoon. It was definitely worth the time as it is insanely practical and immediately applicable to my context as a leader and teacher. The core of the book is that to make an idea/message stick it needs to be...
It has been a whirlwind 48 hours around here! Here are some reflections as I sit in my family room at 10:40pm on Christmas Day...
Since I finished The Year of Biblically Living last night, I am moving on to my next read - Made to Stick. This is a highly recommended book for people who are trying to communicate new ideas, vital messages, and key strategies. I'll let you know my thoughts once I complete it.
So what are you reading right now? What books would you recommend I read in 2009? I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks!
Since finishing the Bible in a Year challenge, I have been in the mood to read. I just polished off A.J. Jacobs' latest book - The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Jacobs is officially Jewish, but as he puts it, "Jewish in the same way Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant. Which is to say: not very." The description from the jacket cover is an apt one...
"Jacobs's extraordinary undertaking yields unexpected epiphanies and challenges. A book that will charm readers both secular and religious, The Year of Living Biblically is part CliffsNotes to the Bible, part memoir, and part look into worlds unimaginable. Thou shalt not be able to put it down."
As a pastor, I found the book to be one man's authentic pursuit of Biblical comprehension and application. It was an interesting - and much appreciated - view of the Bible and religion in general through his eyes. He has a keen awareness of his behavioral, emotional, and spiritual perceptions during the experiment. He is also well-aware of his own preconceived notions (this became painfully clear in the section on the New Testament).
I think the most unexpected aspect of this book was how much I laughed audibly while reading it - much to the amusement of my wife! Of course...many of these laughable sections involved his wife's sarcastic and not-so-amused responses to this undertaking. Reactions that Karen and I both agreed she would have if I were to pursue something similar.
My favorite episode was the time his wife sat in all the chairs in their apartment knowing that according to Leviticus 15:19-23 he would not be able sit in any of them. (Click on the link if you want to know the specifics...) In the same chapter, he shared some rabbinical teaching on this passage that I found extremely intriguing. I won't post that teaching here as I need to do some more research before stating my opinion on the teaching.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I am confident that I am going to read his previous book - The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World. For that book, he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z - or more specifically, from a-ak (East Asian music) to Zywiec (a town in southern Poland known for its beer).
Ethan and I were on a recent road-trip. He was flipping through a copy of Ranger Rick when the following conversation occurred...
"Hey, Dad...why does a centipede have, like, a million legs?"
"I'm not really sure...I guess because that's how God wanted to make them."
Ethan replies, "Well I know why a tarantula has four eyes."
"Oh yeah," I reply, "Why is that?"
"Because God wanted to freak us out!"
Granted...I live in a small town, but I didn't realize my 2-year old daughter is a minor celebrity in Cortland.
Earlier today, Ethan & I headed to our local library for a Christmas party they were hosting. Morgan and Karen were planning on showing up at the library about 45 minutes later (after naptime!).
When Morgan arrived and walked into the room where all of the kids and parents were watching a movie and doing a craft, almost everyone in the room turned and shouted, "Morgan!" A couple of kids came over to give her a big hug. The adults were all talking about how glad they were to see her.
When did Morgan become Norm on Cheers?
I just closed the book after reading my final pages! I really liked this version of a yearly Bible as it provided some additional commentary at times to explain some of the background of the books, items of cultural significance, political/military climate, etc. Additionally, the editors of The Daily Bible attempted to place the writings in chronological order which added a unique dynamic to the reading experience.
Some key observations after dedicating this past year to reading through the entire Bible...
One of our staff members shared a story this morning about an experience people had yesterday at one of the most popular local movie theaters here in Peoria. This theater is THE place to go to see movies around here. Everybody goes there... okay, probably not everybody, but you get the idea. This is a pretty popular place.
Evidently, a number of parents took their children to see Alvin & the Chipmunks (PG) yesterday afternoon. Expecting to see Dave Seville and his three little CGI chipmunks, they saw something completely different projected onto the screen - the first few minutes of American Gangster (R)!!!
Here's what Plugged In Online says about the opening of American Gangster...
American Gangster opens with [Denzel Washington's character] participating in a man's torture and death. The victim, whose shirt is bloody, is doused with gasoline and set on fire before Frank shoots him several times.
Parents were in shock, kids were crying, excuses were flying.... I would call that a BIG mistake!
gerund (n)
I came across this word in a magazine article I was reading earlier today. I wasn't completely familiar with it, so I looked it up. I found it interesting, so I thought I would share it with you. Don't say you didn't learn anything new today!
My daughter, Morgan (who will be 3 in January), has always been kind of freaked out by the idea of people coming into our house - Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, leprechauns (there's a whole story behind that one), etc.
She recently informed us that Santa will not be delivering her presents this year. Instead, Barbie will be coming down the chimney to drop off her presents! Evidently, we also need to go to Wal-Mart to buy a pink chimney so that Barbie doesn't get confused about which chimney to come down...
Despite the heavy snow the night before, we still had a great turnout for church yesterday. With many local churches cancelling their services, our people were probably as anxious as I was whether we would be "open for business" so to speak. Granted, most people came to the 11:00am service, but what do you expect?!?
This weekend, we collected tons of toys and clothes for 16 needy families identified through Head Start. Our small groups really rallied around this project, and I was once again humbled by the generosity of our people. The best part about it is that the gifts are all anonymous... none of the families will know who they came from. It truly is better to give than to receive!
One of my favorite statements I heard yesterday came from a couple sitting behind me in church. We have been doing an on-going weekly drama to accompany the teaching series. This week's drama ended with a cliffhanger to which the couple responded, "You can't do that to us! This is just like a 'to be continued' in a TV show. I can't wait until next week to find out what happens next...I want to know now!"
WORSHIP
Angels We have Heard on High - Third Day
Joy to the World - Third Day
God of Wonders - City on a Hill
Promise of a Lifetime - Kutless
MESSAGE
Series: Second Chance Christmas
Message: What's Your Weakness?
Speaker: Bill White
Message available later this week on iTunes here...
Notable Quotes...
"Jesus was born to David's line because God keeps his promises...not because David kept his promise."
"No matter your past, your secret, your weakness...God will keep his promise."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Only 17 more daily readings to complete, and I will have read the entire Bible in 2007! I have been reading a couple of daily readings each day, so I should be done well before Christmas Day.
Now I have to figure out my personal spiritual challenge for next year...any suggestions?
"I believe advertising is the tax you pay for being unremarkable."
- Robert Stephens, founder of Geek Squad
In church leadership, we talk a great deal about the fact that most people come to church because of a personal invitation of a friend or family member. To that end, we attempt to leverage that personal influence through series postcards and other advertising pieces that we put in our people's hands. The hope is that our people will personally give these to other individuals as a means of inviting them to attend church.
Whether you are a church or a business, you will need to spend more money and energy in advertising if you are unremarkable. If there is no buzz about you in the community, and if people do not personally refer you to others, you face the penalty (tax) of having to spend large amounts of dollars and energy in non-personal advertising.
This is not to say that advertising, in and of itself, for a church is wrong. Even the most remarkable churches will not be able to reach everyone through word of mouth. Effective, innovative advertising can reach these people. I think that the problem comes when you MUST advertise because nobody is talking about you. This is the tax for being unremarkable.
There is a story told of two shepherds walking along the same trail while their sheep mingled together into one large flock. As they approached a fork in the road and were preparing to part ways, each shepherd began calling his own sheep. Immediately, the sheep separated into two distinct flocks and followed their personal shepherd down the appropriate path.
John 10:3b-4 "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
Leading a small group is a lot like being a shepherd. You have a distinct voice that your small group leaders know and follow. Over time, they come to trust you and follow your leadership. They know that you will watch out for them, feed them, and guide them safely through the wilderness of life.
As the church grows larger, it is vital that we also grow smaller. As weekend attendance increases and more people become a part of the life of the church, we have to become a church built completely on small groups. Only then will we be able to expand our influence and care to more and more people. This is where the role of the small group leader becomes like a shepherd.
As a small group leader, you are the "pastor" of your flock. It is your responsibility to make sure they are growing in their faith and in relationship with God and each other. It is your responsibility to make sure they are actively participating in the life of the church. And if something happens in their life, it is your responsibility to make sure the entire small group comes around them for support, prayer, and encouragement.
We must grab hold of this role as shepherds for our small groups so that the church can continue to grow and maintain its health. The responsibility for shepherding the church cannot - and must not - fall completely on the shoulders of the pastors. We will fail as a church if we place that burden on the pastors alone. We must challenge and teach our people that when their small group comes around them to help them in their time of need and to help them grow spiritually, they have been shepherded by the church.
How's your flock doing? Do they hear your voice speaking into their lives? Do they feel protected and cared for as a result of your leadership?
There has been a great deal of talk in the Christian circles lately about The Golden Compass. This is the movie version of Philip Pullman's book, Northern Lights which is the first book in a trilogy called His Dark Materials.
With all of the controversy swirling around about the movie and the books, I quickly decided that I was going to make a determination on my own rather than relying upon the words and thoughts of people that I don't know. (This is something I challenge everyone to do - to approach what they read, hear, see with a critical eye in an effort to determine for themselves what is true or false.) So I decided to go to the movies last night...
First of all, let me tell you this movie definitely earns its PG-13 rating. IT IS NOT A MOVIE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. There are several "dark" scenes where animals/people are treated cruelly, and there is one rather graphic scene during the polar bear fight that completely caught me by surprise with its ferocity.
Second, and I have to be honest here, I went into the movie looking for Pullman's attempt to "kill God" as one online article cited. Inasmuch, I cannot provide a completely unbiased perspective. What I mean by that is this - if I were not aware of the controversy surrounding the movie, would I have reacted as strongly about the movie as I did? Would I have made the connections that I did between his characters/storyline and the church? I honestly do not know.
With that said, the following are the connections that I observed between his characters and the church and/or Christianity.
Dual nature - The Bible teaches that we have an old self and a new self. In the movie, this is portrayed through animal counterparts for each human. These animal counterparts are called "demons" and can never be far from their human. In the movie, the demons are kind and friendly and the viewer quickly becomes emotionally attached to them - especially when they are tortured and killed. If either the human or their demon are injured, the other feels the pain.
Church - The church is called the Majesterium and its expressed goal is to eliminate "free will" by having everyone believe what they believe and not question their authority. As Nicole Kidman's character explains, "Not everyone knows what's best for them, so it is our job to tell them."
Sin - Sin is portrayed as "dust" which is channeled through an individual's demon and which allows the individual to discover new "worlds" (i.e. new perspectives, thoughts, philosophies, etc) which need to be explored. The Majesterium is attempting to eradicate all access to the dust - in fact, they cringe at the very mention of dust. Their method of accomplishing this is by kidnapping the children (the next generation of leaders and influencers), brainwashing them, and ridding them of their demon counterparts (since the dust is channeled through their demons, i.e. old self). This is done through a form of baptism...
Baptism - Baptism is illustrated through a process called "intercision" which is accomplished through a technologically-advanced torture device. The device severs the connection between the children and their demon which results in the death of the demon and the "freedom" of the child - although the technology is still flawed and many of the children die as a result of the procedure.
There are so many nuances and messages in this movie (the movie also touches - in a negative fashion - on the role of women in the church/leadership/society and the discipline of children). Obviously I was dialing in to catch them all, so, as I said before, I cannot honestly approach it unbiased. What I do know is that Pullman does a "masterful" job of twisting your perspective to view these things through a different lens. You will need to be prepared for this when you watch the movie or read the books.
As a pastor and an intellectual (that sounds conceited...) and as one who loves philosophy, I completely embrace becoming educated about viewpoints and perspectives that may not be in alignment with the Christian faith and beliefs. I have found that this awareness challenges me to know what I believe and why I believe it. The Golden Compass portrays the church as the exact opposite - having a narrow viewpoint and attempting to restrict all intellectual and philosophical pursuits.
I do not want to encourage or discourage you from watching this film or reading the books and making up your own mind about it. What I would say is that if you allow your children to watch the movie or read the books, do not be personally uneducated. Be intentional about watching/reading it with them. You will need to talk with them about it...
In the end, this movie and these books are simply an attempt to do what thousands of others have done throughout history. And yet Christ still remains standing when the dust settles. Are there problems within the religion of Christianity? Absolutely. Are there problems with Christ? No way.
I'm so bummed that I had to miss the second week of the Second Chance Christmas series yesterday. The freezing rain and treacherous road conditions kept me from making the journey down.
I heard the drama went very well and that everyone loved the children's worship team leading worship. I wish I could have seen the adults doing all the motions! I'm looking forward to downloading Bill's message from iTunes this week. You can get it yourself here...
If you've been following my blog, you know that my accountability partners and I have been reading through the entire Bible this past year. I am close to being finished. I read the entire New Testament in the last few weeks, but I still have to read the end of the Old Testament before I can say I'm done.
This morning I read the entire book of Revelation before I went to church. Want to redefine your worship experience before church next weekend? Read chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation before getting in the car. Within these two chapters, we see concentric circles of worship...
I thought I would share some pictures from Ethan's recent birthday.
Remember the cheesy eggs that Karen made for him? What a Mom!
"Achieving strategic alignment is a major undertaking for any organization, but it is worth the effort."
- Jim Bolt, founder, Executive Development Associates
This is a quote from a recent article in Fast Company. This is a great magazine for leaders to capture an overview of current best-practices in business & leadership, future trends, and rising leaders/companies to watch out for.
As a new employee at Great Oaks, I have been working hard to obtain a global perspective of the church by understanding each area of ministry, the relationship between various strategic components, and the vision for the future. I think this is vital before implementing new programs/efforts in the area of Adult Ministries.
I am looking forward to our upcoming Leadership Retreat on January 5th when the pastors and key volunteer leaders will spend several hours making sure we are all on the same page with our strategic plan, assimilation path, and vision for the future. It is a major undertaking, but it will be worth the effort!
I had the pleasure of taking Ethan to school this morning. His love language is quality time, so I love to spend time with him like this - just the two of us with uninterrupted time to talk.
At his school, all of the kids play outside and then line up when the first bell rings. The school sent home a note recently to make sure that the kids are dressed to play in the snow - snowpants, boots, gloves, hat, etc. (Anytime I get the kids ready to play in the snow, I can't help thinking about the little kid in A Christmas Story!)
So we pull up to the school, and I see kids going in the front door of the school rather than around back to play on the playground. I begin to wonder if the kids are supposed to go straight inside because it is so cold. Since there aren't any teachers/administrators outside giving instructions, I decide to walk around back with Ethan to double-check. Sure enough...no kids on the playground, so I take him back around front and send him into the school. I even directed a few other kids back to the front because they were heading back to play.
Wouldn't it make sense to put somebody outside to greet parents & kids to let them know of the change in plans? What if I had just dropped Ethan off? He probably would have figured things out after a little while, but how long would that have taken?
It made me think about how first-time guests who come into our churches feel. Do we have adequate signage to explain where to go? Do we have enough volunteers waiting to greet guests and guide them where they need to go? Do our volunteers focus on new people or are they distracted talking to their friends and small group members?
I'm proud to say that at Great Oaks, we do a pretty good job of this. There will always be room for improvement; we just need to make sure we are constantly evaluating our First Impressions for new people. The longer we are involved in a church, the more we forget what it was like to be a first-time guest. Perhaps we should occasionally visit another local church to remember what it feels like...
I just got done meeting with Bill this morning to plan the Big Ideas for each week of our February series on sex. I am really looking forward to this teaching series!
Churches have avoided this topic far too long. It has become almost taboo to talk about in church. As a result, people - even Christians - don't understand that God designed us as sexual beings and that there is so much more to sex than just a physical act; it is spiritual and emotional and physical all at the same time.
The culture has been the primary spokesperson about sex for too long now. Let's see what God has to say about it. It's time for a Sexual Revolution!
Today is Ethan's 6th birthday! Karen made him his favorite breakfast - cheesy eggs and chocolate milk. She even laid the eggs out in the shape of the number 6. She's an awesome Mom!
I cannot believe how quickly Ethan is growing up. It makes me think of how little time I have left to be the primary individual to speak beliefs and values into his life. God allows us to be "in charge" of these little miracles for 18-22 years before He asks us to place them back into His hands. I hope and pray that I can give Ethan & Morgan the foundation they need to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
Parenting is an awesome (translated - big, huge, ginormous) and wonderful responsibility. It is also challenging and exhausting and frustrating! There are days when I want to shirk my responsibility, but I know that would not honor God or prepare my children for the future.
I have to remind myself frequently that my primary responsibility as the spiritual leader of my family is to lead and shepherd them in the faith. As a pastor, my family comes before my church family. It is my primary small group in the church. What good is it for me to lead and shepherd other families at the expense of my own?
It seems like there are phases where I do better as the spiritual leader than others. The key, though, is to pursue continually the vision that God has for my family by searching out the next step that He has for us as a family and for each of us as individuals.
Just some thoughts that are going through my head this morning...
WORSHIP
I Am Free - Jon Egan
You Are My King - Passion Band
Holy Night - Default
No More Pretending - Scott Krippayne
MESSAGE
Series: Second Chance Christmas
Message: What's Your Secret?
Speaker: Bill White
Notable Quotes...
"Our secrets cause us to fear God and withdraw from Him. We do not need to fear God; He wants to extend mercy, grace, and forgiveness."
The following article by Blair Waltman, a sophomore at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, really got me thinking this morning...
**************************************
Java God
by Blair Waltman
I am a coffee kind of girl. Everyone has their little morning things, their routines. Little fingers play with Cheerios. A mother’s creased and floured hands make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - with the crust removed, of course. A bachelor defrosts a breakfast burrito and watches ESPN highlight reels. Someone opens up shop for the day. And I have coffee.
I’m ritualistic about it; any dedicated drinker is. It’s taken a certain way - sugar and no cream, and dark. Flowing, steaming, ebony streams. I’ll curl up on the couch, wrap myself around a mug, and while away the morning hours. Time becomes unimportant.
So, as tradition dictates, every morning I wander into my tiny kitchen, dig blindly in the cabinet for the medium roast grounds. I measure off the teaspoons and heat a old chrome percolator, a castoff I inherited from my brother that, in my opinion, really tastes better than those plastic machines.
Like any creature of habit, I’m not a fan of my ritual being disturbed. Unless there is some demanding circumstance, say, for example, a fire in the apartment, I tend to get grouchy if I cannot get my morning coffee.
It’s not the caffeine charge that compels me - at this point I think I’m nearly immune. But I enjoy the flavor, the smell, the withdrawal from the rush of life in slow sips. If I miss it in the morning, the day feels a little off. Skewed. It bothers me for my first few hours of the day.
Earlier this week, as I began the 7:15 am tradition, my mind wandered. Most people, at this point in their day, are thinking about sleep. If they’re thinking yet at all. But my mind curled and swept through random venues, a leaf in a river. All the time my hands moved independent of me, not requiring the mind to directly dictate movement. They know what to do.
I thought, as my mindless hands opened up the coffee grounds, that I hadn’t read my Bible the night before. I’d been so tired. And as I poured heaped spoonfuls of medium blend into the percolator, I realized I hadn’t spent much real time with God that week at all. The week had been hectic, and I’d pressed Him somewhere in the dusty back corners, along with phone calls long needing a return and laundry. I realized, as I put the coffee pot on the lukewarm burner, that it was easy for me to do this - to put Him in the back of my mind. There was initial guilt, of course, but it didn’t effect my day. I could go on completely oblivious to it. I wouldn’t even notice.
As I poured out the kohl-colored liquid into a green mug, I had one more thought:
I would notice more if I didn’t get my coffee than if I didn’t spend time with God.
This isn’t limited to beans and drinks. I think maybe we all have our coffees - something that, if we went a day without, we wouldn’t function. We’d be upset. The day would not be a complete one. We’d be aggravated and moody without it. It could be a boyfriend or girlfriend; television; Internet; sports, whatever. Usually it isn’t God. Maybe we’ve got God in our heads as something we can pick up and put on the shelf when not in use, and we can use it when we will. But its absence isn’t a disaster.
None of these things, not coffee or boyfriends or video games are inherently bad. But does it seem a little off that we would be more upset about missing them for a day than God?
I poured my coffee down the sink. All of it. I had none that morning. And you know what?
I didn’t miss it.
According to Ethan, we have been waaaaay behind on getting our house decorated for Christmas. We decided that this weekend would be as good as any to get a tree, unpack all the boxes in the basement, and set out our myriad snowmen.
Last Christmas, I attempted to tie the Christmas tree to the top of the van. Since I didn't have a roof rack, I thought it would work to just run the twine through the interior of the van and close the doors. As we're driving back home, I hear Ethan in the back, "Hey Dad! The tree is falling off the roof!" Sure enough, the twine had come undone, and we almost lost the whole thing going 55 mph down the highway!
This year I just tossed the tree in the back of the van. It was a lot easier!
The kids had fun decorating the tree and setting out the rest of the decorations. I love going back through our ornaments and remembering the history of each one. My favorite is the moose that reads - Merry Chrismoose!
Anybody else watching the Cowboys/Packers game? What a great game so far. I can't believe how well Aaron Rodgers is doing as backup QB for Brett Favre.
Personally, I am enjoying seeing TO mess up so often! I'm still rooting for Tony Romo, though, since we went to the same school. Go EIU!
I met with several members of my new small group this evening. We had dinner together and spent some time getting to know each other. Half of the couples have never been in a small group before while the other half has extensive experience. We are also varied in age and life-situation. It looks like it will be a great group to lead!
We are going to meet for one more meal in December and then begin in earnest in January. The plan is to meet the first three Sunday evenings of each month. The 1st & 3rd Sundays will be study nights without kids, and the 2nd Sunday will be a potluck meal with the entire family invited.
WORSHIP
Let the Praises Ring - Lincoln Brewster
Open the Eyes of My Heart - Paul Baloche
Arise - Paul Baloche
Like A Child - Jars of Clay
This Little Light of Mine - Luke MacDonald
MESSAGE
Series: n/a
Message: Grow Up and Act Like a Child
Speaker: Jason Rea, Pastor of Student Ministries
Notable Quotes...
"Spiritual maturity is believing that God's way is the right way."
"As a child of God, I can count on an available, patient, and passionate Father."
"God's patience is displayed in his continual forgiveness of our stupidity."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Over the years, Karen & I have had several conversations about the "love languages" that we each speak. If you are not familiar with this terminology, Gray Chapman wrote the book on it called The Five Love Languages. He states that there are five most common love languages that an individual will "speak": Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service & Physical Touch.
Oftentimes, a husband and wife will speak different love languages, and the challenge in marriage is to make sure you speak your spouse's love language not your own. For example, my love languages are Physical Touch and Words of Affirmation while Karen's are Quality Time and Acts of Service. I have to make sure I speak Karen's love language to her, and she has to speak mine to me. If we don't, there is potential to make the other person feel unloved.
Have you ever thought about the fact that your children possess unique love languages as well? I think it takes time for them to develop, but they are definitely there. I have discovered that Ethan's love languages are Quality Time and Physical Touch. He loves it when Karen & I spend time with him reading, playing games, etc. He also loves it when we snuggle with him while watching a movie and when I wrestle or box with him.
Here's a question you can use to discover your child's or spouse's love language...
"What is it that I do that makes you feel loved?"
I got an early Christmas present today from my mother-in-law. I had told Karen earlier that I was wanting to save up some money for a kayak. Mom called to let me know that various stores were having sales the day after Thanksgiving.
After extensive research on the various brands for sale, we picked this one up at Dick's Sporting Goods for 1/2 price. It is a Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100. According to the reviews I read online last night, it is a great brand for beginning kayakers...and for big guys since the cockpit is larger than most other models. It is designed for rivers and lakes and up to Class II rapids.
I can't wait to get it out on the water in the spring!!!
I'm taking some time out this evening to just sit in a corner of The Blend to reflect on life and catch up on some reading. I'm still trying to get through the Bible-in-a-Year with my accountability partners - only 6 more weeks left!
Most of you that track my blog are aware that I recently resigned from Fox Valley Christian Church after being a member/employee for the last 11 years - most recently serving as the Executive & Teaching Pastor. I am now working for Great Oaks Community Church as the Pastor of Adult Ministries.
There are some unusual paradoxes I am experiencing...
If you know me very well, you know I couldn't talk about myself without talking about food! Here goes...
61-70 :: Food
61. I like food...a lot! It is one of my biggest vices.
62. Pizza is the perfect food...bread, fruits & vegetables, meats, dairy...it's got it all!
63. The best biscuits & gravy I've ever had were in Newton at a place called Chub & Sylva's. Chub was the owner and head cook...and his physical description fit his name! Unfortunately, the restaurant shut down when I was younger.
64. I've always wanted to enter an eating contest...pies, hot dogs, whatever. I've never done it, though.
65. I feel really out of place in fancy restaurants. I once ate at Emeril's in Atlanta, and I couldn't wait to get out of there.
66. I've started eating at only local places when I travel. Some of the greatest food is found in non-franchised places. The best pizza I've ever had was in Fayetteville, WV at a place called Pies & Pints. Of course, it could have been because I was with the "boys" getting ready for a whitewater rafting trip the next day!
67. I hate any food that requires work to eat it (i.e. peel-and-eat shrimp). The big guy wants his food easily accessible!
68. I know I shouldn't eat at them, but I love buffets...especially Chinese buffets!
69. Chili's is one of my favorite places to eat - great burgers, fajitas, salads, and all-you-can-eat chips & salsa (with queso!).
70. When I was in college, I didn't have enough money for hamburger, so I would just have Helper with tater-tots.
Here comes a theme my cousin, Kari, came up with after I included the comment about owning a Dairy Queen. She asked me, "How many people know you owned a Dairy Queen?" Without further ado, here are some things you need to know about my employment history...
51-60 :: Employment History
51. I grew up in Central Illinois farm country, so my first few jobs were focused around agriculture. My first paid job was walking bean fields picking out weeds with a long-handled scythe-like knife. I was 12 years old.
52. My second paid job was baling hay. It was hot, hard work, but water never tasted so good.
53. I've never de-tassled corn, and I don't want to!
54. I worked one summer as a "tire buster" - changing, patching & rotating tires and doing oil changes.
55. I worked in three different factories during college summers - making wiring harnesses for Ford; working a collator in a printing factory; and assisting at a saw in a cabinet factory.
56. I worked at McDonald's in college for 1 week. Then I got a job at a local radio/television channel that I held for three years of college.
57. My wife & I were owner/operators of a Dairy Queen the year after graduating college. It was a great opportunity and a huge financial blessing early in life.
58. I worked for a company called Productivity Point International doing in-office computer training for major companies. I enjoyed the teaching aspect but hated having to wear a suit & tie everyday.
59. I worked for two years in a local high school as a teacher's aide in a self-contained special education classroom for students with behavior, learning, and emotional disorders. I taught the Math & Science portions, but I served mostly as a "bouncer" to keep the kids in line.
60. When I worked at Hardee's in high school, I had a fly get slathered onto a sandwich when I was adding the mayonnaise. It was a lunch rush, so I just picked the fly off and served the sandwich.
In Proverbs 30, we find the sayings of Agur. To be honest, there is very little known about this man. We can infer from his opening comments that he has a healthy respect for God and, as we discover later in the chapter, a keen awareness of the world around him. Two attributes that we should all pursue...
The passage that I was drawn to this morning was his prayer in verses 7-9:
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
I think we would all benefit from praying this simple prayer. How different our lives would look if we constantly pursued honesty & integrity in all our relationships and actions, and if we became truly content with what we need rather than pursuing what we want. In fact, this prayer bears a remarkable resemblance to another prayer we all know...
"Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:9-13)
Here's a theme that was inspired from one of the blogs I track...
41-50 :: Things I Don't Do Well
41. Fix or build anything...I just can't do it.
42. Sit still.
43. Drive in crazy, busy traffic...I tend to "talk" to the people around me!
44. Wait patiently for things I want.
45. Golf...but I really enjoy the game!
46. Play first-person shooter games (or any 3-dimensional games). Just give me two-dimensional Super Mario Brothers.
47. Have mercy/compassion for people who don't support the vision of the church.
48. Come up with things I'm not good at...just kidding!
49. Remember the birthdays of my extended family.
50. Draw or create anything artistic. (But I think Ethan is going to be awesome at this!)
Alright, so I've taken some time off from the 100 Things You Need to Know About Me. I've been traveling...spending time with my family...attending conferences...getting things done at Great Oaks. I've been busy...give me a break!!!
I'm still looking for some input on themes for the remainder of the list. Let me know what you want to know about me.
31-40 :: Trips and Travels
31. One of my favorite vacations ever was a week-long cruise with Karen the year we owned the Dairy Queen. The only downside was when Karen was offered drugs in Jamaica.
32. My other favorite vacation was my honeymoon...enough said.
33. I have a wish-list of places I want to go including the Grand Canyon, Ireland, Machu Picchu (there is a great 3-day backpacking trail that leads to this amazing city), Europe, the Swiss Alps, Glacier National Park, Alaska, and the New England region of the United States (in the Fall).
34. I have to stop often for bathroom breaks when on road-trips. More often than Karen or the kids...
35. I used to make my peace with God before every flight.
36. On a flight with my son, a friend of mine who is an air-traffic controller was able to get the captain to personally say "Hi" to Ethan over the intercom.
37. I have always expected to run into somebody I know in an airport. It has never happened until leaving from O'Hare this past Sunday. Bill & I ran into a member of Great Oaks who was leaving for a trip to Brazil.
38. I don't fit in most airplane seats. As a result, I get really frustrated when someone in front of me leans their seat back. On really long flights, that doesn't make me a happy boy!
39. While in Boy Scouts I took a week-long canoe trip in Boundary Waters. It was one of the greatest wilderness trips I've ever done.
40. During a 2-week solo trip, I ended up in Washington D.C. and was threatened with arrest by a really angry police officer.
After the conference was over yesterday afternoon, Bill and I sat down outside of a Starbucks for a couple of hours to reflect on the conference and to dream about the future of Great Oaks. We put our heads together on some upcoming teaching series and special events and walked away with some God-sized plans for Great Oaks in 2008.
We'll share in more detail in the coming weeks/months, but I'll give you a sneak peek on some things...
Teaching Series
We had several speakers on the second day of the Exponential Conference including Rick Warren, Allen Hunt, John Ortberg, and several other pastors from various churches around the country. Here are some thoughts from their talks...
Joe Stowell is the former president of Moody Bible Institute and is currently teaching pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows. Here are some thoughts from his presentation...
Chuck Bentley is the new CEO of Crown Ministries. Here are some thoughts from his presentation...
Rick welcomed us to the conference and shared a few thoughts. He will be speaking at length during the first session tomorrow morning. Here are my thoughts from his opening comments...
Bill & I have been enjoying the Exponential Conference at Saddleback. The speakers have been humorous, poignant, and challenging. The worship led by Lincoln Brewster has been amazing!
When we arrived, we walked into the auditorium to find hundreds of round tables set up throughout the multi-purpose auditorium. After walking among the tables for a little bit looking for someplace to sit, we sat down with two other pastors towards the back of the room. I introduced myself by my first name and asked them where they were from.
"Peoria" one of them replied.
"IL?" I said.
"Yeah...you know of it?" the other one replied.
"Yeah...we are at a church in Germantown Hills. Where are you guys?"
"Faith in Washington!" one of them said.
We travel all the way to California to sit down at a table with two pastors from a church just five miles away from ours...God has a sense of humor!
I'm going to post some thoughts from the various speakers in following posts...
Bill & I are heading to Southern California today for the Exponential Conference at Saddleback Community Church. I am looking forward to finally seeing this church for myself. I'll keep you posted on take-aways from the conference...
WORSHIP
Lord Reign in Me
No One Like You - David Crowder
Unchanging - Chris Tomlin
He Is Exalted - Shane and Shane
I Will Boast - Paul Baloche
MESSAGE
Series: What's In Your Wallet?
Message: Living Within Your Means - Part 2
Speaker: Chris Genders
Notable Quotes...
"We need to build financial margin in our lives so that we are prepared for emergencies and for when God calls us to action."
"How we handle our finances is a spiritual issue."
"If we mishandle our finances, we rob God of the worship He deserves, and we rob ourselves of the blessings we deserve."
"We are to give our first and best to God. To give anything less is to dishonor and devalue God in our lives."
"If we wait to save money until we have eliminated our debt, most of us will never save any money for the future."
"We are the managers of God's resources, and He cares deeply how we spend all of our money. His concern doesn't stop at Giving and Saving."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
21-30 :: Being a Pastor
21. I never intended on being a pastor.
22. If I weren't a pastor, I would be a high school math teacher.
23. I get annoyed when I meet new people who find out I am a pastor and then change their behavior, language, conversation, etc. I want people to feel like they can be themselves around me.
24. I am sometimes not myself around church people. (Yes...I am aware of the irony/conflict between #23 and #24!)
25. There are a lot of Christians that I wish would never tell people they are Christians.
26. I think people are too dependent upon the church to "feed" them. The church needs to teach people how to feed themselves.
27. I wish we didn't have to refer to the Old Testament as "old"; it makes people think it is irrelevant. How about Part 1 and Part 2 instead?
28. Being a pastor is oftentimes lonely. This is why I highly value my relationships with other pastors.
29. I don't like doing weddings, funerals, and hospital calls. I know they are a part of the job; I simply don't feel like I know what to say or do.
30. I wish more Christians would tell people what God is for rather than what He is against.
The Blend - my favorite local coffeeshop - has recently updated their website. Check it out here...be sure to look at the pictures.
Can't you just picture me settled into one of the booths with my laptop, Bible, and journal as I prepare an upcoming message? (I've also done quite a bit of blogging from these booths!)
I was at The Blend this morning working on my sermon for this coming Sunday. While I was there, I ordered today's special - Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Imagine my surprise when I'm reading the blogs I track, and I find that Perry Noble, Pastor of NewSpring Church, recently shared some interesting perspectives on evangelism as a result of having this very drink at a Starbucks in Atlanta's airport. Check it out here...
Continuing in a blogging tradition, here's the next grouping of 10 things you need to know...
11-20 :: Movies
11. I cry almost every time I watch the hospital scene in Remember the Titans.
12. One of the greatest lines in a movie is said by Kurt Russell in Tombstone after slapping Billy Bob Thornton - "You gonna do something or just stand there and bleed?"
13. I absolutely hate Hope Floats and Mrs. Doubtfire.
14. I can quote too many lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The ones I most often say are, "T'is but a scratch" and "I got better."
15. I think everybody should watch The Princess Bride at least once...okay, a dozen times!
16. I will watch any movie that stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Vin Diesel.
17. Make fun of me if you will...but any time The Princess Diaries is on, I stop to watch.
18. I saw the first showing of Transformers on opening night with a bunch of friends. The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd had everyone shouting and clapping out loud. It was awesome! We almost stayed to watch the next showing.
19. I didn't want any of the Lord of the Rings movies to end. I loved Tolkien as a kid, and I could not wait for each movie to come out.
20. I secretly wish I was Neo.
I read on African Banter that a blogging tradition is that you have to write 100 things about yourself once you've made 100 posts. Since I am at a new church, this will be a great way to introduce the people of Great Oaks to some things they don't yet know about me.
Rather than listing out 100 things in one post, I thought I would post in short bursts of 10 (each with a theme). Here we go...
1-10 :: Historical
1. When I got married, I was 6'4" and weighed 215 pounds. I'm now 6'4" and weigh 275 pounds. (It's all muscle...)
2. I played flute from 4th grade through 8th grade.
3. I played the piccolo my 8th grade year.
4. I played on the girl's volleyball team my 6th grade year. (Sixth grade was a rough year...)
5. The house I grew up in was heated solely by a wood-burning stove. I'm really good at splitting wood!
6. The house I grew up in wasn't on a well or city water. We hauled water 2-3 times a week from town to fill a cistern.
7. I once went frog gigging with a 12-guage shotgun. There wasn't much left...
8. When I was in college, I climbed a TV tower at 3:00am with three other friends. Those red lights are really bright up close!
9. I used to pretend the be asleep in the car when we would get home from long car trips. I loved it when my Dad would carry me into the house.
10. My little sister used to be really afraid of the "monster under the bed". Right after she got over her fear, I hid under her bed and grabbed her leg when she came to bed. I got grounded for two weeks, but it was worth it!
WORSHIP
Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfall
We Fall Down - Chris Tomlin
I Give You My Heart - Delirious
You Are Holy (Prince of Peace) - Michael W. Smith
MESSAGE
Series: What's In Your Wallet?
Message: Living Within Your Means - Part 1 (Debt)
Speaker: Bill White
Notable Quotes...
"It's not about knowledge; it's about application of knowledge."
"Even if you pay off your credit card at the end of each month, you will still spend about 23% more than if you just used cash."
"God is more concerned with your character than your comfort."
"Debt is a cancer."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
I took Ethan to a follow-up doctor's appointment in Geneva this afternoon to make sure there weren't any lingering effects from the croup last week. He checked out just fine and was extremely glad when the doctor said he couldn't get a flu shot today because he just finished a round of scripted steroids.
After the doctor's appointment, Ethan and I went over to Karen's parents for a visit. The four of us ended up in the backyard raking leaves into a huge pile for Ethan to jump into. It was a great afternoon of relaxation and connection with my in-laws and my son. (I would post a picture, but I haven't figured out how to get them off of my cell phone!)
I love the Fall because of moments just like these. And, yes...I jumped in the leaves too!
As many of you know, I love to network with and track other Christian leaders from around the country. You also know that I love to read. So when I came across a recent post from Craig Groeschel, Senior Pastor of Lifechurch.tv, offering a free copy of his recent book for people who blog about it, I couldn't resist!
The book is called Going All the Way: Preparing for a Marriage That Goes the Distance. I've read that some pastors are utilizing the book as their foundation for pre-marital counseling while others are using it for material during teaching series on marriage. I honestly don't know much more about the book than what I've read on other blogs, so I will let you know my thoughts after I receive my copy.
I have been learning from Craig for some time now, and I have been inspired and challenged by his teachings and writings. I've got two other books written by him, Chazown and Confessions of a Pastor. The first time I heard him speak was his presentation on the multi-site movement during the 2006 A2 Conference. I can honestly point to this talk as the turning point for me with regards to the multi-site movement. I also recently listened to his talks about "exponential innovation" and "practical atheism" from the 2007 Buzz Conference. Great talks that I highly recommend checking out.
Enough for now...I'll let you know if I get a free copy of the book...they only had 40 left...
Karen was talking with Morgan, my soon-to-be 3-year old, about trick-or-treating later tonight. To make sure she understood the "process" Karen asked, "What do you say when you ring the doorbell?"
Morgan quickly replied, "Ding Dong!"
Here's a great Chinese proverb on the importance of leading by example. I found it in a comment on lifechurch.tv's blog...
“Not the cry, but the flight of the wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.” - Chinese proverb
So last week Ethan was in the hospital overnight with croup. This week Morgan is diagnosed with strep throat. Pray for the Genders' household!!!
I can't wait to say the famous movie line, "This house is clean." (Although I know it won't sound nearly as creepy as Zelda Rubinstein made it sound!)
A big thanks goes out to all of you who were able to attend the leader's meeting yesterday. Personally, I think our first meeting went very well. There is a lot more we need to discuss, but I didn't want to overload my leaders with too much information at once. If you attended the meeting yesterday, post a comment below to let me know one or two take-aways from our conversations.
For those of you that weren't able to make it, here is a summary of what we discussed...
TEAM-BUILDING
We utilized our Jimmy John's boxed-lunches to build devices that would hold a raw egg and keep it from being broken when dropped from the balcony in the auditorium. The take-away was that we are to create small group environments where people are cared for and protected as they grow in their faith and knowledge.
WITH or OF...
I shared that we need to become a church OF small groups rather than a church WITH small groups. In the latter, small groups are simply one of many options for people to get involved in. In the former, small groups become the foundation for spiritual growth and connection within the church. The goal of the church is to move people from our weekend worship services (foyer) to medium-sized gatherings such as MarriedLife Live and Starting Point (living room) and eventually to small groups (kitchen).
However, small groups are not the end. They are simply a means to the desired end which is helping people become fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ. This is critical to understand because we don't want our success to be defined by the number of people in small groups. We want our success to be defined by how much people are growing and how healthy the church is becoming because of doing life together in small groups. (Read Acts 2:42-47)
DUAL OBJECTIVES
We reviewed the two primary objectives of small groups - spiritual growth and authentic community. As leaders, we need to establish groups where people experience a high level of discipleship and caring. If we lean too far one direction or the other, we miss the mark. (Read Ephesians 4:1-6, 11-16)
PURPOSE DRIVEN
Another important part of our structure for small groups at Great Oaks is to balance the five purposes within the context of small group life. We discussed the idea of identifying individuals within each group who would champion one of the purposes. We also highlighted the fact that you will not experience all five purposes in a single gathering, but they should all be evident and balanced over the life-span of the group. (Read Matthew 22:37-40; 28:19-20)
WORSHIP
Because of Your Love - Paul Baloche
You're Worthy of My Praise - Charlie Hall
You Are My King - Passion Band (Bethany rocked on this song!)
Everlasting God - Todd Fields
MESSAGE
Series: What's In Your Wallet?
Message: Are You Trustworthy?
Key Scripture: Luke 16:1-13 (Parable of the Shrewd Manager)
Speaker: Bill White
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Deadly Viper Character Assassins gives leaders a no-holds barred look at the topics of character and integrity. Jud Wilhite (Central Christian Church) and Mike Foster (co-founder of XXXchurch.com and the Creative Principal at PlainJoe Studios) unite to share their personal insights and experiences with some of the top character assassins that leaders will encounter...
While I was at Loren & Deanna's last night, I got two voicemails from Karen letting me know that she was going to be taking Ethan to the emergency room because he couldn't breathe. When I called her back, she had E in the bathroom with the shower running so that the steam could help him breathe better.
At the hospital, the doctors had Ethan do two hour-long breathing treatments, gave him some sort of steroid (he's buff now!), took a chest x-ray, and did some blood work. The doctor came back to let Karen know that E had pneumonia. About fifteen minutes after she called to tell me this, the doctor returned to the room to let them know he had read the wrong x-ray!
It ended up that Ethan had the croup, but it was serious enough to keep him overnight for observation. They sent him home this morning with instructions to take it easy for three days, eat lots of ice cream, and try not to talk. I'm not sure how the not-talking thing is going to work...he is my son after all!
Obviously I felt frustrated being so far away from home and not being able to help Karen and comfort Ethan. I think I was more worried than she was during the whole incident. I've said it before, but I'll say it again...my wife is an awesome woman!
I can't wait to get home tonight to give her a break from taking care of the kids. She definitely needs and deserves it...
Loren & I headed out to Zion National Park yesterday for a day of hiking and mentoring. There isn't anything better than some road-time and trail-time with a mentor and friend to draw out the conversation. And there isn't anything better than being in God's creation to draw out the inspiration and majesty of the Creator. If you have never been to Zion, I highly recommend it. I am planning on coming back some time to hike Angel's Landing Trail and The Narrows.
I met Chris Trethewey for lunch today to catch up and talk leadership. As always, it proved to be a great conversation. The more time I spend with Chris, the more I am impressed with his leadership knowledge and application. He and I have similar personalities and perspectives; we just have different contexts in which to practice our leadership. We usually end up bouncing ideas off of each other and gaining the other's insights into current dynamics and situations.
We talked at length about Central: Uncensored to discover what worked well and what needed to be adjusted for the future. Following this debriefing time, we talked about numerous other leadership issues. Here are some personal take-aways from that conversation...
Today was spent talking exclusively about small groups. We had a great round-table discussion with small group pastors from Nevada, California, Colorado & Texas. Don't worry, I did Illinois proud!
The group was small - just 8 of us - so the conversation was deep and intimate as we talked with Jon Bodin (Executive Director of Ministry Development for Central) about the joys and struggles of small group ministry. Following the round-table, I had the privilege of taking Jon out for lunch for some one-on-one conversation. This proved extremely beneficial as it gave us extended time to talk specifically about Great Oaks.
After lunch I sat in the Small Groups office and connected with three other small groups pastors for about 30 minutes. On Wednesday, I will be connecting with Chris Trethewey, Executive Director of Family Ministries, and Kyle Costello, Small Groups Pastor for Young Couples. I am really looking forward to these two conversations. Chris has always proven to be a great counterpart in leadership discussions, and Kyle is a new networking contact for me.
Here are some thoughts from today...
My time in Vegas has been both relaxing and informational. Saturday was spent with my mentor and his family watching their granddaughter's soccer game, eating Mexican for dinner at the District in Henderson, NV, and having Dairy Queen for dessert. Loren and I finished the night watching Illinois lose to Michigan.
The conference began this morning with a tour of Central Christian Church. We were able to get an overview of the various ministry environments and talk with key leaders and volunteers in each area. Having been here once before, I had seen many of the areas, but there were some new things I got to see. We even got to be backstage while Jud Wilhite (Lead Pastor) was speaking on stage. (I thought about peeking my head out from behind the curtain...)
We attended the last service of the morning (they have two services on Saturday evening & three on Sunday morning at the Henderson campus and three services on Sunday morning at the Summerlin campus) where they were launching a new series called sex: the naked truth. It was one of the best sermons I have ever heard on sex...and it was in Vegas! Check out the video here; if you would prefer the podcast, you can find it through the same link.
After the worship service, we gathered together with a number of key staff members for lunch and a couple more presentations. Jud did a presentation on creating a culture of uncensored grace, and Mike Bodine (Executive Pastor) did a presentation on key strategies and structure.
Key Thoughts...
I thought I would share some success stories (Wins) with you from some recent small group gatherings at GOCC. I have asked my small group leaders to submit a Win Sheet after each gathering. It will take some time to fully catch on, but it will become a valuable tool in monitoring the progress of our groups.
Win #1: I received a phone call a couple of weeks ago from a woman whose husband was concerned about getting involved in a small group. As a local business owner, he was apprehensive about opening his life to other people. Last week they decided to take the plunge and join a group, and they are now hosting the group each week at their house.
Win #2: At the first gathering of a Mommy & Me small group, young mothers were relieved to learn that they are not alone in their struggles with parenting pre-schoolers.
Win #3: A young couple are going through some rough times in their marriage. Their small group is coming alongside and encouraging them as they work through some tough issues.
Did you notice the theme? It is all about connecting with other individuals to help each other grow spiritually and relationally. We cannot do this Christian life on our own...we need others to walk alongside of us. This is why small groups are so important.
Life is better lived together.
Interested in a new on-line Bible study tool? Check out www.youversion.com.
It isn't fully-functional yet, but it looks like it will be a useful tool even as it gets developed. At this time, it allows you to search multiple versions (although not the NIV or TNIV), maintain a private journal, and collaborate with other people around the world on specific verses through text, image, and video posts.
Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think.
