Grace Community Church was four years old yesterday. Happy Birthday! We will celebrate it tomorrow by asking our people to sacrifice more and serve the city of Clarksville by offering a third service for the first time. If you do not have a church home join us at 8:30, 10:00 or 11:30 AM at Rossview High School. You can find directions HERE.
One of the toughest jobs in the church must be the role of pastor or minister’s spouse. Recently Cheryl (my spouse) completed a Bible study on her own that she felt was very helpful to her. She believes it will be helpful for other ministry spouses. If her schedule will ever allow it she would love to lead a group of area wives through this study. I decided since it was valuable enough for my wife that I would like to interview one of the authors.
Today, maybe even for just a couple moments, I am reminded that I can take God all my burdens…He can handle them without fret, with complete patience, and without getting angry at my insufficiencies.
I am trying to do a leadership perception survey. I have been in leadership positions for over 20 years, but part of this time I have also had a leader to whom I reported. Recently I have been working with some churches and businesses facing leadership issues and problems. From my observation, many times the problem is the different perception of leadership and what a leader should or shouldn’t do between leaders and followers.
It doesn’t get any better than this. Standing on the streets of Chicago saying goodbye to Nate was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Reading this kind of Twitter reminds me why he’s at Moody.
In the midst of an incredibly huge decision recently I happened one morning to read 1 Kings 12. I love when God points me to the exact Scripture I need at the moment.
As a suggestion from a reader, I am adding more links to my blog. I am using the following criteria
Perhaps you have been trying to “help yourself” so that God would “help you”? Why not be still, do nothing, wait on the Lord, and let Him help you, in His timing and with His plan, just because you are His child! The greatest way you can help yourself, might be to humble yourself before the God who wants to bless you.
Recently I added an online survey to my blog to find out a little about my readership. You can still take the survey HERE. I appreciate all the responses. There was about 50% of the average daily readership to answer the survey; so statistically speaking I feel I have a good cross representation of the readers.
I heard today that Wal Mart is getting rid of paper paychecks. Instead employees will receive a debit card as payment, if they refuse direct deposit. You can read more about it HERE.
A few weeks ago, in preparing a message for Grace Community Church in which I celebrated the victories we have seen in the last year at Grace, God convicted me for my line of thinking. I was preparing to remind people of the strategy of the church, as we do at the beginning of each new fall season, to encourage them to continue giving their time and resources to further the vision. I believe God gently reminded me that apart from Him, we would have no vision and we would certainly have no success.
If you want to get on my good side, one sure way is to brag on my boys. If you want to become my hero, invest in them. Using that philosophy I have two new heroes.
As our staff and church has grown, my role is changing. I spend much more of my day interacting with staff members about their particular area of focus. Lately it seems I am saying a lot of, “Let me connect you with _________â€, as I refer people to another person on our team.
In his day Nebuchadnezzar was a king. He was a well-known King that brought havoc to the Israelites. He was a greatly feared and powerful leader. At his word nations and people’s could be destroyed (except where God intervened of course). As greatly as he struck people in fear and awe in his day, I am not too afraid of Nebuchadnezzar today. The fact is he is dead. No more. Gone. Out of sight. As big and bad as he was then, he is no longer a threat today.
On July 5th I sprained my ankle. Since then I have had a hard time running, but perhaps worse it seems it is even more common for me now to twist the ankle again. A doctor told me it was because I had damaged my proprioceptor, which means I have a harder time maintaining balance and posture, so I almost have to retrain myself to run. In the meantime I miss the exercise I received from running, which is affecting my mood, my energy level and my general attitude.
