The simple fact is that economies like this cause all companies (and churches) to get better, refine what they offer, or close. The organizations who survive will be stronger and better, creating real value to the economy through jobs, local investments, owner equity and long-term growth.
This clip is hilarious and shows the power of editing. Apparently John Maxwell’s okay with this.
A journalism student at Ohio University, Ty Komjati, asked to interview me for a story he was writing on the state of marriage and divorce. I decided to share my answers here:
Guess what? I don’t’ know everything. I don’t know everything about the Bible, about God, about life’s problems, about death and the afterlife, sometimes I don’t even know everything there is to know about me. (Actually that happens many times.) In fact, sometimes in my church I’m the last one to know anything. Sometimes people avoid telling me things either because they think I already know or they don’t want me to know.
This year, instead of another card that someone else wrote, I decided to make my own Happy Mother’s Day tribute. My mother is one of the greatest women I know. I am blessed to have her for a mother. She is the picture of a Proverbs 31 woman. She is strong, hard working, loving, and kind. Here are 20 random things I love about my Momma:
Twitter works well for me because it allows me to express my thoughts as they occur, which are also why they appear so random at times. Extroverts need to understand that even though an Introvert may not say anything, it doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say. When I have a thought, I can quickly express it in a 140 characters or less through Twitter, which automatically updates my Facebook page. Longer thoughts can be expressed on my blog. Twitter gives me an outlet I didn’t previously have to express myself, without invading my need for introversion.
This is not just good advice for business leaders. This is good advice for pastors, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers….well, pretty much all of us. In fact, some might argue that those three words are necessary for one to become a believer in Christ. I must be willing to admit I’ve messed up before I can recognize and believe the gift of Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf.
Recently as I have thought about our sustainability as a church, I’ve been reminded of the hundreds of people who are in our church today that never experienced our first year as a church plant. We have new people coming all the time. They need the benefit of fully understanding the vision we have set from the beginning of who we really are as a church. To instill this vision into them we must continually find new ways to repeat our vision.
One resource helpful for assigning and evaluating responsibilities for a specific task or ministry is the RACI Matrix. It forces the organization to assign specific responsibility and understanding to a project. This eliminates confusion, helps insure projects have the people resources to be completed and provides for accountability.
I’m excited about an upcoming concert in Nashville called Rock Your Community. The event will be held Friday, May 15, 2009 at Brentwood Baptist Church beginning at 7 PM. More details are available at the website: http://www.rockyourcommunity.com/ This event is sponsored by Community Outreach Ministries, which “strives to model the love of God and to meet the needs of the broken and wounded of Williamson County by providing a spiritual and pastoral presence in the community.â€
I work with lots of church plants and young ventures. I love the enthusiasm and momentum an organization has early in its life. I hope to always be a part of starting something. As I’ve gotten older, however, I’m equally as concerned about sustainability. The right energy and vision will create growth fast, but building an organization that lasts requires having a plan for maintaining viability.
Do you need reminding that change is coming and there is a purpose to life?
It is interesting to watch Republicans organize attempts to reclaim their party. As one who has usually voted and supported conservative candidates, I generally agree with the philosophies of government held by the leading Republicans. In recent years, however, I have been less enthusiastic about parties in general, not completely feeling that either major party completely represents my values.
Please know this, God will allow times of struggle greater than YOUR ability to handle it. He allows these times so that you might learn to fully and completely rely on Him. Apart from Him you and I can do nothing. When you and I learn that principle and live accordingly we will be free to experience His power, which is perfected in our weakness.
My friend Tony Hill sent me this email this week asking me about our experience with church planting: (Tony is the mastermind behind my blog design.)
