upward & inward

A few comments on the search for a Student Ministries Pastor. I have hired dozens of people in my tenure as a manager and leader. The guiding principles I have found helpful are: Expose the candidate to as many people within the organization as possible. Prepare the interviewers to seek the candidate's experiences in relation to the qualifications for the role. Gather feedback from each interviewer with regard to their observations of strengths/results, yellow flags of caution, or red flags of severe concern. Define upfront the decision maker(s) - preferably only one decision maker. The interview should open opportunities to understand a candidate's experiences as they relate to his/her preparation for the role. What he/she "would" do is secondary to the primary purpose of discovering the level of preparedness. We seek a win-win as we fill the role. We want a candidate to want the role. The candidate wants us to want him/her in the role. The three spheres of criticali

Got a chance to meet with Sherry's Grandpa. Dick is 91 years old - still living on his own and still sharp in mind. I've only know him for 21 years but I've always liked him. He's a good man with a good heart who isn't afraid (even now) to tell me what he thinks ("this is my opinion and it's for free..."). It was great to watch my boys really listen to their Great-grandpa share his stories - so that they can remember him and the wisdom he so readily shares. Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. (Pro 17:6)

On Tuesday last, Sherry and I had the privilege of spending an evening with a small group from our church. Outside of their group time, they also serve together in the church. As we visited with them, we continued to experience a great model for what a small group should be. There was structure and focus on what was important. We studied the Scriptures (this week’s focus was giving thanks to God), prayed, shared announcements, and broke bread (and other yummy stuff) together. One family was missing a husband and a dad because he’s been deployed overseas. I could tell that it wasn’t just his wife and kids who missed him – the whole group recognized his absence and expressed their desire to have him back while also providing strong support for his wife and kids. Other concerns were shared. Encouragement and prayers were offered. God was glorified. Wow. In a previous post, I asked the question “When is the Church, the Church?” A better question might be, "Who is the Chur

Last week, we interviewed our first Student Ministries Pastor. He’s a great guy whom we hope to bring back for a second set of conversations along with his bride. It was good to hear his heart for students and growing them into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. This encouraged the team and me to see how God might use this young man’s experiences, gifts, and skills to change the lives of our students – becoming fully devoted followers of Christ. Keep praying with us as we bring in additional candidates to ensure we're doing all we can to bring the one that God has prepared in advance to serve Him here at Central.

I had a heart-wrenching conversation with a youth pastor yesterday. He had called because he was interested in the open position we have at our church and wanted more detail on the opportunity. When I asked why he was leaving...well, that's where the discussion took a completely different turn than either of us expected. Frankly, the situation in which he has found himself is grim. As he described the scenario, it was clear that he was very much afraid. And, from a human perspective, there are many reasons to be afraid: uncertain finances, doubtful leadership, and swirling rumors that threaten to undermine the stability and unity of the body of believers of which he and his young family is a part. Looking at this as one would look at any other job, it makes no sense to remain at the church. But! This is no ordinary job and he is no ordinary man. He is God's man! He is God's chosen instrument for such a time as this. When we as Christ followers strike out in faith a

In a previous post , I wrote from an excerpt of Craig Groeschel's book "it". "It", of course, is from God - His glory, His Spirit, His Son, Himself. This book challenged me and clearly made me uncomfortable. Why? Because there are times where I focus my time on that which doesn't contribute to, in fact distracts from, what God has called me to do - namely, to carry out the mission and vision of His church. Mission and vision: what am I doing to accomplish the mission towards the vision of God for this church? What have I allowed to get in the way of it? Camaraderie: by whom am I surrounded who I am allowing to distract me from His divine focus? Also, by whom am I surrounded who gets "it" and wants "it" as much as or even more so than I do? Sharing: how often do I share the Lord with others who simply don't know Him or don't care to? Risk: what am I willing to risk in order to prepare a place (in my heart, in my office

What's driving my decisions in this year's election? A strong and effective military to make peace for this nation and the world. Compassion for the innocent and downtrodden - this includes the unborn, the poor, the hurting, the disadvantaged, et al. A balanced checkbook - federal, state, local. Reverence and honor for the constitution of the United States . This document was and remains an agreement developed from leaders who were steeped in the Word of God and who bathed it in prayer. Any and all Supreme Court justices selected must be passionate about protecting the original integrity of this historic document. Fair individual and corporate taxation . This encourages and rewards the hard work of every American while discouraging reliance on govermental largess. Solid economic policies which encourage businesses to stay in the US while promoting stability in the marketplace. Energy initiatives which create renewable alternatives and eliminate reliance on foreign ener

The big news that bothered me in these tough economic times was the profit that ExxonMobil announced today that they created in just one quarter: $14.8 Billion! However, looking at their Q3 Form 8-K they have to file to the SEC, there is a more complete story. In MILLIONS... Income taxes (based on a 48% tax rate): $11,327 Sales-based taxes: $9,327 All other taxes: $11,856 Total Q3 taxes: $32,510 Wow. ExxonMobil did make a LOT of money. They also paid a LOT of taxes - $32.5 Billion. What do you think? Is either (profit or taxes) too much, too little, or just right?

My son Isaac has an interesting habit he picked up from his brothers. He will walk into the room where I am and begin whatever he says to me with "...but Dad..." I typically respond with "...and Dad?" He then smiles and corrects himself with "and Dad" before launching into whatever he was going to say. Any conjunction (but, and, however, etc.) implies a previous statement - by either side of the conversation. In Isaac's case, there is no obvious previous statement - and he's getting MUCH better at starting with "and Dad.." No, to me it seems like an ongoing conversation between us. I love that and hope there will always be an ongoing conversation between us regardless of which conjunction he uses. Thinking about this with regard to the Father's relationship with His Son, I wonder if Jesus began in the same way, "and Dad?" Shouldn't we consider our conversations with Him in the same way?

Weeping, Weeping I've blown it again I know You love me but not my sin Crying, dying You've done so much for me May I never forget Your gift upon the tree Who am I that You would give Your Son for me? Now we journey on with me behind You as You lead Let me run as David ran 5 smooth stones in my hand Watch me dance as David danced looking to You and never to chance Only Your face and favor do I seek full of power and so meek. Your thoughts alone are my sole desire to know beyond the depth of my understanding echo the fathoms of your commanding presence Rejoicing, praising I'm at peace again for I know you love me and forgive my sin.

I have said to many this year that I haven't had to schedule my sprinklers to come on at all because it's been so wet this year. Really, I've only manually run the sprinklers maybe 8 times total this season. During the late summer and early fall, as the temps were more reasonable and we could open our windows at night, sometimes I heard a neighbor's sprinklers come on at 4AM. Each time I heard this I wondered why he would saturate his lawn further when we've received so much rain. Well, this morning, I had to go to the church because a fire alarm went off and the firemen needed someone responsible for the property to come on site and reset the fire alarm and a breaker. There was, thank God!, no fire. False alarm. However, the real mystery unraveled when I returned home. As I pulled up, it appeared that my driveway was wet. It was a clear night - so, no rain. I initially thought my neighbor's sprinklers were on, but there was no way that his sprinkler could hav

The year is 1977 - May. I'm wrapping up my freshman year in high school and have spent the school year slowly and unintentionally separating myself from my parents, family, church, friends, and, most of all, God. Approaching my 15th birthday, I take the plunge in the name of "independence" and settle for mediocrity, lies, and selfish lusts and pursuits. True independence, I discover later, is a sin. Why? Because to be truly independent means I am not dependent upon anyone. Period. That is not only impossible, but it's insane. I will be forever dependent upon the grace of God. I'm here because He allowed it. I had no choice in my birth yet I fell in the delusion that I would somehow be able to "handle it from there." What a joke - a bad joke. By embracing mediocrity rather than the mediator of all mankind, Jesus Christ, I pursued what the teacher of Ecclesiastes decried - foolishness and vanity. Since God changed my life, I have often wondered what it wou

I'm reading an older book, "America's Christian History: The Untold Story" by Gary DeMar. The book is well documented and aggregates historical records, quotes, and commentary to make a pretty solid case for the assertion that: A) most if not all states in the union were developed upon commonly understood biblical principles, B) the federal government, being a collection of these biblically based states, also reflected a reliance on God and His Scriptures. C) though a relatively recent development, the courts, text books, and media have effectively whitewashed over historical truth so that most U.S. citizens are under the delusion that God had nothing to do with the founding of this country. Here are some facts I found interesting: Words of Jefferson (3rd President) upon his memorial: God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? In deed I tremble for my coun

I was hired (after some 33 interviews) by Hewlett-Packard in 1988 right after finishing school and marrying my bride, Sherry. My "corporate" experience up until then was nothing like the experience I was to enjoy at HP. I learned so many lessons and was shaped in so many ways during my time there. It's nostalgic now to think about it. After Dave Packard died, the HP media talked and wrote much about him - even his flaws. One of the more memorable writings, though, concerned his 11 simple rules. Although you can go here to read them officially at the HP site, I offer them in this posting, too. 1. Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be "a breeze." 2. Build up the other person's sense of importance. When we make the other person seem less important, we frustrate one of his deepest urges. Allow

Reading Tim Stevens' blog posting on charitable giving was interesting. I'm not sure what disappoints me more: the lack of charitable giving by our leading candidates or the lack of media attention on this matter. Be sure to read the comments from this posting and the initial posting referenced specific to Mr. Biden. Again, interesting perspectives. Another bit of information on this subject: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/hbc-90003001 . Question: is charitable giving something to be considered when deciding to vote for a candidate?

Thoughts on quality and excellence... At Hewlett-Packard, there was a contest to caption a picture of several yellow baby chicks and one gray chick. The winner? "Paint it yellow and ship it!" This was NOT the HP-Way because also at Hewlett-Packard, co-founder David Packard was known to take ethics (including quality) very seriously. He was rumored to say that if anyone put profit or deadlines ahead of the right thing to do with regard to ethics and quality, he would personally have him fired. Both Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard took quality seriously, to be sure. A long time ago, I received some liberating teaching. Mainly, it is this: Don't seek perfection - seek excellence. The remaining challenge? Balance and definition. What ceases to be a quest for excellence and becomes a campaign of perfection? Indeed, what is excellence as opposed to perfection? One of my favorite choral experiences was in the Male Chorus at Anderson University. The director at the time, Dr. Gene M

Wow. Great teaching on the danger of self-centeredness but also on how the Father sees all of what we do - and values us so!

Dr. Emmerson and Sarah Eggerichs came to Central on Oct. 4 and 5 to present the Biblical approach to marriage based on Ephesians 5:22-33 - namely, that Love AND Respect are to abound in marriage. Here are some further thoughts and discoveries from the conference: The way men and women interract is not wrong...just different. The crazy cycle: When wives feel unloved, they respond disprectfully. When husbands feel disrespected, they respond unlovingly. Husbands breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel disprespected. Have I done or said something unloving to cause you to respond in that way?" Wives breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel unloved. Have I done or said something disrespectful to cause you to respond in that way?" Jesus is fixated upon each of His believers in every little thing accomplished for Him. This means that although we may not feel like treating our spouses well - husbands loving wives, wives respecting husbands - it

The 2008 Car Show, co-hosted by Central Community and the South Winds Corvette Club, was a great event. With 339 registered cars and nearly 100 more "host" cars on the parking lot, it was quite a sight to see. The US flags were flying across the front of the property framing 2 rows of Corvettes. Vintage cars, custom cars, hot rods, and novelty vehicles (like the "amphibicar") filled in the remainder of the west parking lots as many newcomers to the church enjoyed a picture perfect day. We prayed for good weather and glory to Him which He receives it all. This benefit event supported various kids organizations such as the Wichita Children's Home. For next year, I hope for more intentional praise to God for lives changed as we bring in those who have given themselves fully to Jesus and encourage them to share their stories.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to help out with the Parking Ministry and rode around in a golf cart giving rides to folks who had some distance to walk from their cars to the church building. Then suddenly, I had to be careful not to be hit by those leaving the church parking lot after Sunday School. This leads to my question: If folks go to Sunday School but do not attend one of the larger congregational worship opportunities, are they fully a part of the church? While these folks typically attend faithfully and serve regularly within the constraints of their Sunday School class, here are some of the reasons offered for their departure: The time between the end of Sunday School and their preferred style of worship (more traditional) is over 30 minutes and, for some, it's physically too long to sit. Their preferred worship service is often longer than the planned 75 minutes and therefore releases sometimes closer to 12:30pm. While their preferred service is described as

In June and July 2007, my family and I were blessed to visit my daughter, Katharina, in Germany to attend her high school graduation celebration. It was great fun and an experience none of us shall soon forget. When we left, we had to say goodbye to Katharina. What made it even more sad was that we had no idea how long it would be until we saw each other again. Looking through some pictures recently, I came across a snapshot my sister took of me and Katharina as we shared those last moments together, saying goodbye to one another. Given that Katharina has been unable to come visit us due to her university and work schedule, this picture not only captures those moments but reminds me again of how much I miss her. Sweet girl, come see us soon!

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are just three of the precious metals that are found in most catalytic converters . For those who don't know what these are, they help reduce the toxicity of chemicals that come from your cars and trucks. Because of the rise in commodity prices of these and other metals, there are thieves that look for isolated vehicles - especially SUVs and trucks with a lot of ground clearance - and with a battery-operated sawzall - remove the device and sell it to scrap metal dealers who won't ask tough questions. Thefts of these devices are nationwide and occur outside residential homes, in shopping mall parking lots, and at churches! Early one morning this past week, a team of thieves stole 3 of our vans' catalytic converters - thus costing the church money we did not plan to spend. Working with the Wichita Police Department, here are some things we all can do to avoid these thefts: If possible, get your vans and trucks inside the garage. If the vehicle

According to Wikipedia, the phrase "benefit of the doubt" means: A favorable judgement given in the absence of full evidence. "Absence of full evidence." Isn't that faith? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen - Hebrews 11:1 (KJV). One of the lessons last month (indeed, the previous 46 years) and remains today is that we each should give each other the "benefit of the doubt" whenever and wherever we can. Do you find that difficult? There are times when I do. While working with a team of German engineers at HP in the late 90s, we went through cultural training to help us understand the differences between the way the typical German professional works and communicates as opposed to the typical American professional. One key difference was along these lines. For example, to an American, receiving no news must mean bad news. In other words, if I haven't heard anything from the other part of our international te

Great post by Mark Batterson on Imitation is Suicide. Quoting Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic in LA, Mark writes: He said something that was so profound. Really made me think. "I think a lot of pastors have a dream that matches the life of the pastor who is the living the dream they want." Wow. This really got me thinking and I'm thankful for Mark's posting for two reasons and two responses: As a fairly new executive pastor, I occasionally find myself looking at the seeming successes of other executive pastors or administrative pastors and, frankly, questioning my call - am I the right guy in the right seat on the right bus? Or, am I just warming it up for someone else? While in some respects this is healthy humility which allows me to keep sharp and relying on God, it can foster into an insecurity blossomed from a reliance on myself rather than God. Bottom line - I don't have to look very hard to see God's hand upon Sherry and me in bringing us to this place

Some new (and old) lessons from August. Ongoing administrative excellence is hard. Period. It takes constant tweaking and adjustment...and a whole lot of leading. Pray for the best as you prepare for the worst. People don't resist change, people resist loss. My bride's laugh remains contagious and refreshing - at the very same time. I am blessed. Believe it or not, there are 4 other candidates for president. Can you name them? The power of example is more noble than the example of power. (a variation of line that Former President Clinton used in his speech at the DNC) Man's plans are at the mercy of God's power (Republican Convention and Hurricane Gustavo) Good leaders seek order in the swirl of issues. Getting the right people in the right seats makes a HUGE difference in a ministry. When we focus our attention on anything in place of God, He is grieved. From the Love & Respect book I'm reading: Husbands crave respect from their wives. Wives crave love from the

From the previous 3 Digging Deeper postings we now have: * The selected text (Acts 1) * 16 Content items * An outline of 2 summarized text divisions From these, we get to create a subject sentence and a lesson aim. Subject sentence. Keeping it simple, a Subject Sentence is a complete sentence of 10 words or less whereby a reader/listener with moderate Bible knowledge will have a reasonable idea where in the Bible the text can be found. I usually mix the content summary divisions together in order to produce the subject sentence. In this example, for this text I wrote the following subject sentenct: Jesus gives last instructions and apostles choose Judas’ replacement. So, why bother? This forces us to think critically about where we are studying in the Bible and to be succinct in our descriptions. If someone asks what the lesson is about, the answer can be short, sweet, and to the point. The aim of the lesson. If you are teaching (even if it's just yourself), the aim of the lesson

The Shack, by William P. Young, challenged me in many ways. And, although I probably need to read it again to fully grasp my reactions to it, I offer these thoughts: The tragedy upon which the book is based was really hard to for me to deal with. I understand how the tragedy must be so very tragic, because of it's importance in the rest of the book as the father's anguish over the event is addressed. Still, this "Great Sadness" was at times overwhelming for me. The Trinity is presented in a very unique way, to say the least. And, because the Trinity is, for me, difficult to understand, much less describe, I hesitate to criticize. Regardless, however, anthropomorphisms (applying human characteristics to God) are always difficult when trying to represent the Spirit or the Father. With Jesus, it's more clear, of course. The unity of the Trinity, clearly represented in the book, is most comforting and appealing. The book's cover quote from Eugene Peterson equa

From the previous installment of this Digging Deeper series, we have 16 content items to work with from our selected scripture found in Acts 1:1-26 . The next step is to separate the 16 content items into 2-4 meaningful sections. Why do this? Helps us develop the lessons, truths, and applications with more clarity Forces us to again think through the Scriptures with a bit more rigor If we use this for teaching or leading a discussion, then we can arrange the lessons in manageable chunks. How do we describe the sections? Using as short a sentence as we can, simply summarize the story or events of the section. It's that simple. Don't get hung up on perfection. Effectiveness is sufficient. Here is how I divided the 26 verses into 2 sections: Jesus gives instructions to His disciples and is then taken up before their eyes (v1-11) Matthias is chosen by lots to replace Judas the betrayer (v12-26) Next step: The Subject Sentence and overall Aim of the lesson.

After the first step of defining the scriptures for study , the next step to digging deeper is to develop a list of content items. Here are the attributes of content items: Content items boil down the Scriptures to pure facts Must be personally meaningful to the studier No more than 20 total Try to keep the content item brief to one line - abbreviations are okay, as long as you know what they mean. Content items can cover a part of a verse or multiple verses or chapters In our example, Acts 1:1-26 , I have developed 16 items: Author refers to former book about Jesus’ works, teachings, and instructions (v1-2) After Christ’s suffering, He showed Himself to many and continued teaching (v3) Once while eating: ‘don’t leave Jerusalem; wait for gift of Holy Spirit’s baptism (v4-5) Apostles asked: are you going to restore kingdom to Jerusalem? (v6) Not 4 u 2 know; rcv pwr fm Spirit, witness in Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, ends of earth (v7-8) Jesus taken up before their eyes and they stared at Hi

Today is my parents anniversary. 57 years ago, they began a journey together in which they're still progressing. Happy Anniversary, Bob and Marilyn Smith!!

I mentioned previously that I was going to share a Bible Study approach that I had been taught. This approach, which I had always called "homiletics" (with the result called a "homiletic"), has for years helped me prepare for preaching, leading discussions, teaching classes, and even generating a list of questions for others to review before discussions in a group setting. However, as I looked at the origins of the word, homiletics seems to be focused primarily on preparation for the delivery of a sermon (also called a homily). When viewed this way, I believe this limits the approach to just preaching as opposed to the benefits of personal application. So, as yet unnamed, I will attempt to describe this Bible Study approach simply as a way to dig deeper into the Bible in order to uncover lessons and truths before (finally) applying them in our everyday lives. To begin, we identify the scriptures we are going to study. This can be an entire book of the Bible or just

A buddy of mine asked in our weekly conversation for suggestions on how to be more faithful about Bible Study. For me, I told him, I tend to stay in the Bible better when I know I'll be discussing it with someone who has an expectation that I'm prepared to discuss it with him/her/them. This led to the discussion about adding a discussion point to our weekly conversations: 2 truths and an application. What is/are "2 truths and an application?" This isn't as simple as it looks. However, its simplicity lies in the expectation and focus with regard to Bible Study. While I believe strongly that the Bible is as relevant and accessible as the local newspaper, devoted Christ followers have a responsibility to look deeper to uncover the Spirit-led revelations we each need to grow "in Christ." The complexity remains in the manner in which the revelations of truth and application of them are (or aren't) accomplished. So, over the next week or two, I'll try

Yo!

Just read a reaction from Craig Groeschel's presentation at the Leadership Summit from Mark Beeson ( long posting ...). I'm planning to get Craig's book and was struck by an interesting Franciscan blessing that Mark shared from it: “May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and the exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, and starvation, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.” I found myself feeling uncomfortable after services this weekend. I couldn't put my finger on the reason for this discomfort then, but

Here is one church's video testimony on what they expect of their church. What do you think? What is your expectation of your church? Does this resonate with you? Or not? Why or why not? Favorite quote: "I want to change the world." Stated by a boy, maybe 10-11 years old...

I wrote in an earlier post about my response to the recent movie, Dark Knight. Since then, I've spoken with others of their reaction, specifically, to the character of the Joker. It's easy to minimize this character as an anarchist or even a sociopath or psychopath. However, if we seek to understand our lives as that which is lived on a spiritual battleground - battling for our souls and the souls of others - then maybe we can this opportunity to learn from this character as much as we can about how we are to be aware of and react to that which is evil. What prompted this post was two reactions that tested my reaction to the movie. One of the folks on staff and my oldest son observed that they found themselves liking the Joker. The testing for me came with my deeper response that I, too, found myself wanting to like this guy. For example, in one scene, the Joker painted this picture of an abusive father who scarred a smile upon the Joker's face. However, later in another

Yet one more announcement was made this past weekend. Effective August 3, Terry Allred joins our team as the Director of Connections. In this role, Terry will provide well organized processes and environments in which volunteers may become the living sacrifices we are all called to be. Additional responsibilities include great first impressions, Celebrated Recovery, and Christ-focused Athletic ministries. His wife Norma, and daughter Emily have also been an active part of our church family for over 6 years. In addition to bringing decades of organizational and leadership experience from the business world, Terry has served Christ in His church in a variety of ways. Serving at Central and in other church communities, Terry has been a part of church boards, finance committees, while also teaching adults and students, leading small groups and mission trips, and greeting. His wife Norma serves at Via Christi Health Systems in their IT department and daughter Emily is transferring to WSU th

The boys and I went to see Dark Knight, the new Batman movie. If you haven't seen it, you may not want to read this as I might give too much away. Having warned you, here are my observations: Lewis, who had already seen it, warned me that it was a dark movie. He was right. The Joker, most excellently played by the late Heath Ledger, epitomized the evil described in Romans 1 where God allows us to wallow and drown in our sin such that our calloused hearts increasingly know no bounds with regard to selfish desires. Like most action flicks, it stretches credulity beyond reasonable doubt. Batman's struggle to keep his moral compass steady was strongly evident and reminded me that we never know how easy it is to let the storms (or pleasures) of life tear away our moral moorings, if we're not careful. One of the more interesting quotes was from the Joker to Batman: “madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.” Taking that quote and bending it a little, I

So, it's hot. The high for the day reached at least 100 degrees. On the Tahoe, the temperature read 107 at one point, but I'm not sure how accurate the gauge is when the truck is just sitting on asphalt. Tomorrow, the predicted high is 103! I'm thankful for: Air Conditioning! Homes/church buildings which hold in the coolness... A rotating earth on the right axis that will eventually get us past August and into cooler months. Green trees that throw shade on the house, lawn, cars, and us, too. Breezes that move the trees and the air to provide some relief when we're outside. My Father in heaven who makes weather work right...even if it's a little uncomfortable at times. That June and July wasn't like August (although I'm told it can be some years...)

Check this blog posting from Tim Shraeder. This really resonates with me. While I am a big proponent of communicating early and often (although I'm still improving on this front...), the worship folder takes time and energy that we may not be spending wisely. According to Tim, the pro's of removing the regular "bulletin"? the budget savings... we cut our monthly printing budget 75% going this route the environmental savings… we’re not killing as many trees. It’s a “green” choice and one that people in our church would rally behind. in terms of our organization, it forced our ministry leaders to plan out their events way in advance and caused them to be more organized instead of waiting to the last minute… which tended to be how we did everything. it forced us to prioritize and condense. We went from publishing everything to being careful to choose what would further the mission and vision of our church. And we had to do so in a few sentences versus a whole paragraph.

This week, I had the privilege of spending time away at a lake in Oklahoma with my boys and bride. We had a great time and I'm glad we were able (through the generosity of the dwelling's owner) to have a great place to unwind. Did I unwind? My first concern was that I would be distracted by the responsibilities (and blessings) I have this weekend. However, with exception of some time spent yesterday preparing, that hasn't been a big deal. No, the larger consumption of my conscious thought was from a project that had to be finalized this week thanks to a material discount that we were able to use only by the end of the month. I had hoped it could wait until next week, but emails, project cost calculations, and approvals all had to be accomplished. I'm NOT complaining. However, I am realizing that time away requires planning, too. Identify what requires completion and what can wait. Delegate (with authority) all that is appropriate to do so. Document, document, document -

http://view.break.com/535445 - Watch more free videos Do you text and drive? (Thanks to Tim Stevens for sharing this video...)

I did not coin that phrase. I got it from Kathy Guy, Director of Community at Granger Community Church . Nearly all who attend church are Steppers - that is, they are taking steps toward Christ. However, there can be, regrettably, those who stalk the Steppers. Church security has become a big deal. Look no further than the recent headlines in Tennessee and Colorado Springs for tragedies among the trusting. Difficult decisions need to be made as we seek to balance Christ's mandate to be innocent and shrewd with regard to the ungodly. I am meeting with a very experienced volunteer who continues to help the staff, me, and the rest of the church understand what we need to do to encourage as much "stepping" toward Christ while repelling those with ill intent toward the Steppers. There will be more postings on this as we learn more. Until then, we pray for God's continuous protection and guidance so that we enable the steppers as we protect them too.

sig·nif·i·cant ADJECTIVE: 1. Having or expressing a meaning; meaningful. 2. Having or expressing a covert meaning; suggestive: a significant glance. 3. Having or likely to have a major effect; What makes you and I significant? It's so easy to "feel" insignificant. Perhaps, you're suddenly alone. There is no one present to encourage you. Or, if you've just made an unwise decision that affects those you love - and you're dealing with the shame and guilt of that decision. Or, no matter God's blessing or how good things really are, you just "feel" that way - insignificant . Please recognize that even a cursory read of the Bible reveals that our "feelings", although important, take a backseat to the truth of who God is and what He has done (and still does) with regard to how He feels about you and me. There are so many stories in the Bible where people endure hurt, shame, persecution, and even death - yet recognize their significance to God.

This weekend, we are announcing the arrival of Dr. Jonathan Grubbs to our staff here at Central. Effective August 10, Rev. Jonathan Grubbs joins our team as the Pastor of Spiritual Growth. In this part-time position, Pastor Jonathan will focus on the godly success of leaders and participants of adult Sunday school and small groups in fostering spiritual growth – becoming fully devoted followers of Christ. After serving as Senior Pastor of the Springfield (IL) First Church of God, Pastor Jonathan, his wife Mindy, and their four daughters Gabrielle, Rachel, Hannah, and Charis moved to Wichita last October when Jonathan accepted the position of Program Director of Christian Ministry with Tabor College School of Adult and Graduate Studies. Jonathan has also served pastorates in Ohio and Indiana, and was ordained in the Church of God in 1992. He is a graduate of Anderson University, completed a master of Religious education and master of Divinity from Anderson School of Theology, and a doct

“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32. The Bible continues to tell us, in story after story, that God wants to give us what we need. Yet, in practice, even His most faithful followers find themselves in fear – anxious about what they don’t know or understand about others, about themselves, about the future and, even about the church. We use words in casual conversation like: “I’m afraid…”, “that worries me…”, or “that scares me…”. Worse, we can demonstrate our distrust of what God is doing in our lives (note the “we” – I’m in the list, too) by even allowing worry to rob us of sleep. If the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (and it is), when will we wisen up and fear Him alone? If we are supposed to be like Jesus, when will we be able to sleep like He did in the midst of the storms? How do you struggle with fear and worry? How can we glorify God when we can't sleep?

In the movie "City Slickers", Jack Palance plays a ranch hand that gives a city slicker played by Billy Crystal some odd advice. Basically, the advice is to pick your most important priority and stick with it. Well, readers, this is hard for me. It's real easy to get distracted and lose focus and, well, just lose - time, energy, opportunities... Distractions can even cause us to lose much more - our relationships, health, jobs, reputation. By the way, distractions come in all shapes and sizes, both good and evil. They remain, however, distractions from that "one thing"... I spoke with someone recently who reminded me to take seriously my priorities as I reminded him of the same thing. So, with hat in hand, I come to the Lord and tell Him what He already knows about me... Lord, I give You my life, such that it is. It's really not much to speak of without You. You have made it wonderful, so it's not even mine to give, but I give it nonetheless. This is a f

Got this blog from Bryson Butts who was quoting an article by Gerald Harris discussing 5 things that can cripple a church. Wow. Here it is. The Lord Jesus loves the church and has given Himself for it, and he obviously wants the church to be healthy and vibrant. The devil hates the church and since its inception has been hurling all the weapons in his diabolical arsenal in an effort to cripple its witness and its effectiveness. Here are five things that weaken the church and minimize its effectiveness. Scandalous Leadership. When immorality bred by lust or greed is found among the leadership of the church the results are devastating. That is precisely why pastors, church staff and lay leaders such as deacons must have lives marked by physical chastity, moral purity and spiritual integrity. I have pastored a church that was marked by a staff member who was guilty of immorality of the worst sort and the results of his sin had a devastating impact, not only upon him, but also upon his fa