Saturday, January 31, 2009
Can a Leader Remain Selfless?
The Power of Being Available
Friday, January 30, 2009
Your Present is Your Purpose
"And he was a successful man..."
"And God gave him favor..."
"And found favor in the sight of God and man..."
This really emphasizes that our purpose is to handle our present well. Sometimes we think that our "purpose" will simply mysteriously arrive one day. Instead I think our purpose comes as we are excellent in our present. If we can capitalize on our crappy situations (like Joseph in prison) and make them better, then when we are in a good situation (like Joseph becoming 2nd in command) we will be able to make it into an amazing situation.
Our present is our purpose.
Brokenness
It is a shame that Christians feel like they can't be honest. I get caught in this trap also. It is a vicious cycle that goes like this: I have a struggle in my mind with something, I don't want to act on the struggle, so I share it with someone, they don't know what to do with honesty, the conversation is awkward, we quit sharing, we keep pretending, we continue to act like things are fine, we never have a healthy outlet for the struggle, it grows internally, then eventually we act upon the struggle, people are shocked, but we are not. Somewhere in this cycle has to be some people who are genuine, caring, confidential, bold, and loving. Help me be that person. Send me those people.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thriller on Broadway
You can read about the new Broadway show here
Oh goodness!
This verse resonated in my soul this morning. I firmly believe that we are, and will continue to see, the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. We don’t have to wait until heaven to see the goodness of God. I have seen the goodness of God several times this week:
-friends who are adopting 4 children from Ethiopia
-college students who volunteer to tutor younger students who couldn’t afford to pay for tutoring.
-college students who are teaching a group of ladies how to set up a sewing business so that they can produce a sustainable income.
-I witnessed a group of homeless friends pull together the little bit of money they had to help someone else.
-A young lady in Uganda is nursing several children back to health after finding them abandoned.
I promise this list is of things that have happened so far this week! The goodness of God is evident all around us. Amazing!
Monday, January 26, 2009
are people talking about you?
The way to win is to make things that tiny (or large!) groups want to talk about, or care about, or engage in. That's the story that spreads.
So many things that I have attempted in ministry simply weren't inspiring. They didn't make people talk.
You can read the entire post quoted above here.
Whoa
Lil Wayne and Garth Brooks
Argyris' intervention theory
Saturday, January 24, 2009
TED talks
check it.
www.ted.com
Sermon Series
www.selahfbc.com
Really Cool Story
Friday, January 23, 2009
Our Gotcha Day!
A couple of videos..
1. This first video is of the church where Dosen was abandoned. He was left on the front stoop of this church when he was two months old. Going to this location was very emotional for us.
2. This is just a short video I shot on my phone this morning. One year ago Dosen didn't have very many smiles for me:) But now he is totally my boy...
Psalm 12:5
5 "Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
completely random but definitely "rad"
For some absolutely unknown reason I was tempted to use the word "rad" today. That made me think about the movie Rad. I was obsessed with this movie back when I was 9. I would watch it and then go outside, hop on the redline dirt bike, and rip up some rad moves. Okay, so maybe my moves weren't really that rad in reality, but in my head they were totally rad....
I also had an airbrush t-shirt that was white, no sleeves, and had the words "totally awesome" on the front.
Man, I wish I was still cool.
So terribly excited
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
In 1982, Mother Theresa was asked to come and help rebuild a children's hospital and orphanage in war-stricken Beirut. After convincing the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas to temporarily cease fire, she agreed. When her plane arrived, the heads of government and thousands of people showed up to see her and her entourage begin their mission. They'd expected Mother Theresa to bring an army of volunteers, equipment, and supplies to rebuild the war ravaged area. They'd organized dozens of vehicles and security personnel to escort Mother Theresa and her crew to the hospital. Instead, to everyone's surprise, she walked off the plane alone. She met the heads of government and immediately asked them to bring her to the site where the children were being kept.
When she arrived, 37 wounded and mentally handicapped children lay in a tent near the ruins of their former orphanage and hospital. With a crowd of hundreds looking on, Mother Theresa ran up to one of the children, held him in her arms, and began praying and rocking the child back and forth.
After 10 minutes, a weeping woman ran up to Mother Theresa and told her that she would bring the child into her family and raise it as her own. Mother Theresa then ran to the next child and did the same thing. Within an hour and a half, ALL of the children had been adopted into loving homes. She had done what she went there to do. She was driven back to the airport, and within 3 hours of her arrival, she departed having rebuilt that community. We all know Mother Theresa for being a woman who was on a mission. What we need to understand is that she WAS the mission. She lived by being an example to us all.
You can read the full post here...New Sermon Series
www.selahfbc.com
God is in the mundane
10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place…. 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." 17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Verse 11 says that Jacob came to a “certain” place. In other words he came to no place in particular, a common place. He wasn’t at his destination, it just happened to be some random place that he decided to stop and sleep. In the night, however, he had a vision from God. When he awoke he said (my paraphrase), “Wow! I didn’t even know God was here. I thought it was just some random place. I wasn’t aware that God was here in this ‘certain’ place and it turns out that this is the very gate to heaven.” This struck me because I think our days are similar. Most days are simply common, ordinary days. I wonder how often our mundane days and ordinary places could be transformed into the very gate of heaven. I am glad that God will at times show up in the “no certain place” and transform it into the “very gate of heaven.”
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
I want to become a hope peddler
my wife rocked this post
http://thestums.blogspot.com/2009/01/cant-help-it.html
The art of acting stupid
I recently read a quote by an insanely smart leadership expert (Argyris), "“one should advocate one’s not-knowing, becoming a learner and trying to get others to do likewise, thereby diffusing responsibility for learning; and ‘the process of learning must ultimately be made part of the [organizations] culture." This is a really fancy way of saying what my friend said. Whew, so maybe it's okay to act stupid.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Superstar of Dance
What are you going to do with your life?
Do you want to know what to do with your life? How to find the sweet spot? How to thrive? I read a great article this morning addressing some of these questions. I will give you two options: if you will take the time to read the entire article click here to go to the fast company website now and don't read this entire post (caution, it does contain some rough language). If you won't take time to read it, you can read some highlights below...
These are all direct quotes from the author, Po Bronson
Your responsibilities are not keeping you from your purpose, they are part of your purpose, often the very most important part. Envisioning your responsibilities as being outside the circle of "purpose" will lead you to make bad decisions about your life. (Page 1)
Mostly, crappy opportunities come along, and in the meantime, you make the best of them. But that skill and habit, of making the best of your situation, is essential training. Because one day, a good opportunity will come along. And if you make the best of it -- if you're good at making the best of things -- you will turn it into a great situation. A "calling" is not something you know, the moment you see it. For real people, in the real world, a sense of "calling" is something you grow into, over the course of your life, by having an impact on your organization and the community around you. (Page 2)
7. Don't tell me you don't know what you want from your life. Don't ever say that, don't ever fool yourself into that stupor. Of course you know what you want -- you know the feeling you desire -- fulfillment, connection, responsibility, and some excitement. The real problem is figuring out how to get it -- how to find a path that doesn't suffocate those natural feelings in you. Which is hard. Of course it's hard. It's supposed to be hard. If it weren't hard, you wouldn't learn anything along the way, and thus you would never get there. If you don't know how to make the best of a bad situation, you will never get there. If you are not willing to put up with some [crap] work, you will never recognize that a good opportunity is staring you in the face. If you are not willing to be humble and repeatedly be a beginner in new areas and learn the details faster than the next guy, you are not capable of transformation. (Page 3)
I may not say it exactly the same way, but these are some powerful thoughts. I also may not agree with these statements in every scenario. I think there are some people who have a "calling" and know it instantaneously, but it hasn't worked out that way for me so this was encouraging.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
afflict the comforted
"And Lord, would you comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable?" Maybe that is a prayer that is prayed often, but I have never heard it before. It has stuck with me. Sometimes the comfortable need some affliction. We all seek and strive for comfort, but the absence of comfort cause us to grow, change, and stretch ourselves. Great thought. Way to go rural preacher dude- whoever you are.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Woot Shirt
peep it
http://shirt.woot.com/
what's cool; what's not cool?
This video is a really "cool" monologue from Granger Community Church. The monologue takes up the first 4-5 minutes. The rest of the video is a song by their worship team. The monologue is worth watching...
Songs that ispire Obama
» The Fugees- "Ready or Not"
» Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"
» Bruce Springsteen - "I'm on Fire"
» The Rolling Stones - "Gimme Shelter"
» Nina Simone - "Sinnerman"
» Kanye West- "Touch the Sky"
» Frank Sinatra - "You'd Be So Easy to Love"
» Aretha Franklin - "Think"
» U2- "City of Blinding Lights"
» Will.I.Am - "Yes We Can"
cedar of lebanon or seed of mustard?
18 So He was saying, "What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? 19 "It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and THE BIRDS OF THE AIR NESTED IN ITS BRANCHES."
Brilliant verse here. Many scholars think that Luke is playing on a metaphor that was common among the religious crowd of his time. They compared themselves to the great “cedar of Lebanon” which was a large tree that would house the large, beautiful birds. The symbolism was that they would become a great and powerful nation made up of powerful rulers. Jesus re-defines this metaphor by saying that his kingdom is more like a mustard seed. Jesus’ uses the metaphor of a tree that has a small beginning, grows slowly, spreads and overtakes everything around it, and is shelter for the ugly, unwanted birds. I am tempted to make this connection and describe what all I think this means for us Christ followers, but I will leave it open ended for now for you to give it some thought.
Friday, January 16, 2009
when consensus is bad
1. It embraces the status quo.
2. It gives the malcontents an equal voice in your decision.
3. It short circuits the radical ideas that lead to the biggest breakthroughs.
4. It leaves unresolved conflict on the table.
5. It discourages people from dreaming big dreams.
He has much more to say. Check it out here.
Robbie Seay Band
http://www.robbieseayband.com/
Flight of the Conchords
Are you pulling your weight?
I think that I do this sometimes too. These leaders were expecting their followers to carry a heavy burden of law keeping. They were expected to keep the law at every point. At the same time, these “leaders” weren’t doing anything to help them keep these laws. This verse also implies that the followers were expected to keep laws that the "experts" would never consider keeping.
Lessons from this verse:
1. As a leader I fear that I expect a lot from people, but may not really help them achieve these expectations.
2. I can't expect people I am leading to do things that I am not willing to do myself. I can't expect the people I lead to be people of prayer if I am not a person of prayer. I can't expect them to care for the poor if I don't care for the poor. etc......
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Jodie Meeks can't shoot
"Coming out of high school, they said he couldn't shoot," Orestes Meeks confided.
"Who said that?" a reporter asked.
"You'd be surprised how many people," Orestes said.
Hopefully none of them is a college basketball coach.
I am glad that Meeks didn't let those words define him. Have you been told that you were no good at something, but it is the very thing that you want to be good at? Marcus Buckingham defines strengths as something that makes you feel strong, not necessarily something that you are good at. You can improve an area if it makes you feel strong.I have had this experience when people have told me that I wasn't a "great communicator." This devestated me because that is precisely what I feel strong doing. This story about Meeks lets us know that people's assessment of us should be taken to heart, but not allowed to define us. If he had given up he would have never dropped 54 on the Volunteers of TN.
The power of spoken word
FYI- As I have been thinking about this I have revisited some old school rap. I am actually listening to a little Eric B. and Rakim right now. Rakim was a great lyricist/spoken word artist. This duo was popular in the late 80s so many of you won't remember them. If you have rhapsody check it out here...
I am boring....
If the marketplace isn't talking about you, there's a reason.If people aren't discussing your products, your services, your cause, your movement or your career, there's a reason.
The reason is that you're boring. (I guess that's what boring means, right?) And you're probably boring on purpose. You have boring pricing because that's safer. You have a boring location because to do otherwise would be nuts. You have boring products because that's what the market wants. That boring staff? They're perfectly well qualified...
You don't get unboring for free. Remarkable costs time and money and effort, but most of all, remarkable costs a willingness to be wrong.This post is simple, but very true. I can tend to be lazy and plain ole boring at times. Who knew that being boring could be so detrimental? I believe that we (Christians) have the greatest story every told, but we represent it in such a boring manner sometimes...
Here is a link to the post I quote above...
overcoming impurity with charity
We underestimate the power of serving others. Sometimes we think, “I can’t serve others because I am so jacked up.” But in actuality it could be that serving others could help us not be so jacked up. I think that selfishness is more ugly than any of us can imagine contaminating us from the inside out. I also think that selflessness is more beautiful than any of us can imagine purifying us simultaneously from the outside-in and the inside-out.
How can you "give that which is within as charity" today?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
100 best songs of 2008?
Google Reader
Tell a great story, do great things
I want to direct you to this great link which is a pastor's recap of Seth Godin's book All Marketers are Liars. This short post has some great thoughts on the idea of "story."
Big Impact takes Big Energy
1. When you try new things, people want to help. It gets them excited too, so allow them to carry the load. I always fear that I am going to ask too much of people, so I seldom ask. This may be the case if we are simply doing the same old stuff. But if it is something that is actually making a difference, they really want to help so I need to let them.
2. I have also been reminded of my days working construction (4 months of torture). I did learn a lesson though that there is ALWAYS something to do. I wasn't allowed any "down time" because small things could always be done. I have to use my time wisely in order to make things more excellent.
3. I don't have time NOT to pray. I have to stay connected to God. I have to practice intentional spiritual disciplines. Anne Jackson is coming out with a book next week that speaks to the epidemic of burn-out in America (specifically with church staff). I don't want to be in that category.
Let's all be more excellent this year and increase our efforts to make a positive impact in our world.
I like big crowds and I cannot lie
29 As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation;
Ahh, this is one way that I am not like Jesus at all. This little phrase convicted me terribly. When Jesus saw the crowds growing he says, “you are all wicked.” This is probably not the way I would respond. I can tend to allow numbers to define my success. I hate this about me, but it’s true. I try to think of things to say to make the crowds bigger. Francis Can borrowed a line from Sir-Mix-A lot (two of my favorites☺) when he said, “I like big crowds and I cannot lie.” Sometimes I am even compelled to speak a “bold” message and I water it down because of fear that some of the crowds won’t return. Wow, I need to be more like Jesus!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
little white liar
Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. 12 "Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;”
I, unfortunately, identify with this verse. Abraham is caught in a lie. When confronted he tries to justify his lie. He says, “well it wasn’t REALLY a lie because technically she is kind of my sister (weird).:" I find myself sometimes jumping through truth hoops also. I will think, “I can phrase this in such a way that it isn’t completely false.” I can tend to be a little white liar like Abraham. If I was always completely honest then there would not be a need to tell half-truths. God- help me be completely truthful.
A blind guy who has vision
Okay, you may have to forgive me for the length of this post. It could be a little longer than most. I just had breakfast with a modern day hero. Steve Morgan (pictured left) is a friend of mine who may be the most inspirational person I know right now. He was diagnosed with MS several years ago. Three years ago around Christmas he lost his sight over the period of a week. He was faced with a sudden stark realization that he would not see his girls grow up or ever see his wife again on this side of heaven. The cool thing is that he didn't throw in the towel. Since then he has been on two international trips helping the blind, he has killed a deer (long story), and has inspired hundreds of people, and is preparing to go to Africa in two weeks.
We had a "dream" session this morning about ways we want to impact our world this year. These are some quotes from Steve-
"Jake, I have found my sweet spot. This is the best of season of my life."
"Our family, including my two teenage daughters, decided at Christmas this year that there is no way we would go back to when I could see because we have grown so much closer to each other and to God in the last three years."
"I can hit a golf ball so much better now because I am not so worried about how far or which direction it is going, I only care about connecting with ball."
He is dreaming to start an organization that ministers to the blind. Many people in the world are blind, but could be cured with simple medical procedures and/or medication. He wants to help give people their sight back by raising money to have proper medical care for people in that situation. And in situations where people's sight can't be restored, he wants to help them adjust to life.
He said, "Jake, I have more vision now than I have ever had in my life."
Now that is a story that inspires. If you are a church leader, you should have Steve come speak to your church/organization.
Awesome website
http://producten.hema.nl/
Monday, January 12, 2009
I am not in the mood to make a difference today
Passive Racism
It isn't always the vehement racism of the 60s and 70s, but it is a passive racism. It can be detected in statements like I overheard yesterday at church from a young person who was raised in church-- "It doesn't matter if that Mexican gets arrested, he needs to be deported anyway." It is the idea that there is an "us" and there is a "them" and the "us" is in any way superior to the "them."
God forgive me if I have any form racism within me. Help us honor and respect everyone in the same way we expect them to honor and respect us.
The Commodity of Safety
5 "Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs."
Few things in the Bible compel God to action like hurting people. He responds to the plight of the oppressed. This verse communicates that God arises on behalf of the devastated, afflicted, groaning, and needy. That he desires to set him/them in the safety for which he/they long. We should desire the same. People in our communities and around the world are desperate for safety. When we adopted our son from Ethiopia, one of the thoughts that occurred to us several times was that finally he was safe. He was safe from famine, abuse, and abandonment. Each of us should arise and help provide "safety" for people in whatever capacity we are able.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Next Frontier
"Own your Zip code. The next frontier is local."
This really struck me. I am constantly dreaming of new initiatives that will make an impact on the world. I seldom dream of ways to impact my zip code. Pretty convicting thought for me. Maybe this year we can dream of ways to "own our zip code" and make a positive difference right where we live.
You can check out the post here.
Friday, January 9, 2009
trend watching
Peep it...
http://www.trendwatching.com/
Just a thought
Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
This verse is great. I love this thought. They did go out to preach the gospel but they also healed everywhere they went. I would love for that to be a goal of mine; that everywhere I go this week I will attempt to bring healing with me. Could be coffee with someone lonely, some time with one of my homeless friends, or just going out of my way to show kindness... How about you? Up for the challenge?
the beat boxin brothers
The next barry white
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God's timing
Genesis 15:13-14
13 God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 "But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions."
This is part of the "promise" that is made to Abram. Basically that he will be fine, but his people will be enslaved for FOUR HUNDRED years. It seems that God's concept of time is much different than ours. Did it really take that long for the children of Israel to deserve deliverance? Of course I know all the traditional answers, but sometimes I think it is good to simply ask a question without attempting to provide an answer.
This verse does place some perspective on times when I have felt like God was taking too long to answer a particular prayer in my life!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Article
http://www.churchsolutionsmag.com/articles/balancing-ambition-with-contentment.html
message in hand
http://www.messageinhand.info/
Table Fellowship
Now for the convicting question... How many of us will have people at our dinner table in our homes this year who are hurting, poor, weak, marginalized, of another race/culture, or of a different religious perspective? We can't get around this by saying that we give money to others who are doing this ministry. May we all be challenged this year (including my family) to have our guest list more resemble Jesus' on several occasions!
What would someone pay you to do?
What is it that people are most likely to pay you to do for them? Which of your abilities are most marketable?
Some great questions to consider.
Fermi Project
www.fermiproject.com
Ethiopia Guest Home
www.ethiopiaguesthome.com
Selah
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Levi...the baby compassionate genius
http://ourunveiledfaces.blogspot.com/2009/01/blessed-are-your-eyes.html
Kanye West
Music
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/pc_article.php?id=7706
Blog Recommendation
It is the journey of a young girl from TN who is doing some absolutely amazing stuff in Uganda. Most of you know that one of my passions is to motivate young adult Christians to creatively express their faith in practical ways. Katie is a great example of everything that I admire about her generation.