Creativity

Just read a post by Brad Lomenick about the most creative people in business. As I read through the list I realized I only knew a few of the names. It also made me think that we as Christ-followers should be the most creative people on the planet because we are believers in the Master Creator. It bugs me to think that we as a subculture are always following--we can't even come up with our own original t-shirts! We should be the ones starting trends and creating culture, but we can't do that if we are constantly trying to "maintain."

I realize this is a generalized post and not all Christ-followers fall into the uncreative category, but most do--including myself.

How can we reach our communities, or cultures if you will, in ways we never have before?

Just a brief, random thought to start my Monday.

ST

Nine or One

This is my first graduating class here in Indiana. I've been here long enough to see this year's grads go from jr. high all the way through to high school, and I can't help but ask myself, "Did I do my job?" They are all going their separate ways--college, military, jobs--but will they be part of the 9 or the 1. Statistics show that 9 out of 10 high school students graduate from God when they graduate from high school.

I can't help but feel that I haven't done all I could to prepare them. I should have spent more time with them, invested in them, and taught them more. Ultimately the choice is there's. That sounds like a cop out but it isn't. I can't want something for them more than they want it for themselves.

God, guide them, keep them, use them.

ST

What Jesus Didn't Teach

As a church, Hope's Point has been focusing on reaching others for Christ. We've focused our talks, sermons, small groups, and even our website around being "salt and light." So today I was catching up on some blogs and came across this (read the entire post here):

When Jesus began calling the first disciples into ministry, he used this phrase:

“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

For whatever reason, I started thinking about what Jesus didn’t say to those first disciples.

He didn’t say: “Come, follow me, and I will teach you spiritual insights!”

He didn’t say: “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to worship together!”

He didn’t say: “Come, follow me, and I will gather you together in a home group!”

He didn’t say: “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to pray!”

He didn’t say: “Come, follow me, and I will make you members of the church!”

Gave me a new perspective on what our mission and focus should be. Thanks, Tony.

ST

Most Important Thing Today

I was extremely busy today and actually got most of my to-do list accomplished. I started off by updating the church's website and editing Pastor's sermon in order to upload it to the site. I then had a meeting discussing security/emergency procedures for the church (Sunday's incident in IL was a wake up call). Ran some errands before beginning premarital counseling with a soon-to-be-married couple.

All of these things are important and essential to the ministry I do here, but the most important thing I did today came when I got home.

As Rachel was cooking dinner I took Trent outside to ride his tricycle, which he normally pushes Flintstone style. Today I was able to put a new feather in my "Daddy" hat. I taught him to pedal his tric! As my chest puffed with pride and my grin widened by the second I realized that all the important things I do throughout the day take a back seat to my role as daddy to a little two-year-old boy. I choose to play the role that no one else can play over the role that anyone can play.

ST

P.S.

Photos will soon follow.

Raising Your Kids In A Fishbowl

I just read a great blog by Craig Groeschel about Raising a PK. Having been one I can really relate to what he wrote, and now that my son is a PK I want to be very deliberate and conscious about how we raise him. Here's his post:

Ministry can be very hard on pastor’s children.

• Your kids will hear you criticized.
• Your kids will watch you hurt.
• Your kids may see you wrongly strike back.
• Your kids might see your hypocrisy up close.
• Your kids might reject the church because you’re always there.
• Your kids may enjoy the extra attention when they are young and despise it when they mature.

No matter how healthy your church is, a pastor’s kid will likely feel a different sort of pressure. Here are a few things we do to help our kids grow up in the fishbowl:

• We put the kids’ activities ahead of the church calendar. If my girls have a piano recital on Saturday night, either I pre-produce the message or have someone else speak.
• I rarely work evenings. The evenings are family time. I also try not to compromise my day off with church needs.
• I don’t talk about my kids in a sermon without their permission.
• Amy and I work hard not to talk negatively about the church.
• We don’t make our kids go to church every week. Every now and then we let them stay home or do something else so going to church doesn’t become a legalistic chore.
• We live our private lives with personal devotion to Christ. We pray and talk about spiritual things with our children regularly.

I don't necessarily agree with not making your kids go to church each week, but the rest are really good. 

What are your thoughts?

ST

What Do I Do?

I was just catching up on a friend's blog when I came across this post. It's very timely considering some of the conversations I've had over the last few days both in person and over the phone. I'll post it here but I'm giving him credit. Thanks, Steve.

Sometime this past week, I had to go to church for a leader's meeting.  I was in the evening and Evan, my 6 yr. old son, asked "why do you have to be in the meeting?" I said, "because I'm one of the bosses there."  He responded with a grin on his face, "cool!"

Being a "pastor" is certainly cool and it does have it advantages, but it isn't a walk in the park.  I suppose most people have no idea what a "pastor" or those in leadership do or think or spend their time on.  The joke for many is that pastors only work one day.  Although it's a joke, many believe it.

Some think that pastors know everything about the bible and religions in the world.  Some think the pastor gets paid from magic money falling from heaven.  Some think pastors should get paid nothing.  Some think there's no reason for pastors.  Some think it's the pastors job to initiate and carry on every project, program, study, discussion, idea, or movement.  Some think they're not special enough to do ministry.  Some think only pastors can pray to God.  Some get upset when they find out that the pastor isn't perfect (but doesn't what anyone to know how they aren't).  Some feel relieved knowing the pastor isn't perfect.

And I would agree that one of the responsibilities of the pastor is to motivate, to teach, to come along side, to train, to comfort, to pray with and for, to study, to understand, to do, to create, to initiate, to organize, to encourage, to proclaim, to rally, to lead, to challenge, to call others to live a life for God (and that's just for himself and his family).

Most will never understand what great responsibility and pressure pastors experience everyday in doing the work God has called them to do on this earth.  Certainly the work of the Holy Spirit in Christians is a plus (that's assuming many listen to the HS and don't "push him away").

I have great respect for pastors, but I do think that sometimes, pastors fail in leading the church to a deep, initimate, devoted life to God in everything people do.  I think sometimes, we as Christians, fail ourselves by buying into and expecting and waiting for the pastor to do everything for us and get upset when they don't meet our "expectations."

What assumptions do you have about those in ministry? or those in Christian leadership?

Is it right?

ST

Ok, ok...I'll do it. 25 Random Things

25 Random Things

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I'm a twin (No, we're not identical).
2. I'm the youngest of five kids (My twin brother is 3 minutes older then I am).

3. I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina (By the way, that's in South America).

4. I've had a driver's license in four different states.

5. I've been called metrosexual by most people who know me.

6. I would one day like to see a World Cup game live, visit New Zealand and see where LOTR was filmed (What? They're great movies!), see Mt. Everest (not climb it), see all the Civil War battlefields, go back to D.C., and some other things I can't remember right now.

7. I wish I had been more of a reader when I was growing up.

8. I believe soccer is not a sport; it is a way of life.

9. I've broken six different bones in my body of which I am aware and have had at least 3 major concussions...that I can remember.

10. I have a knee that is only 2.5 years old.

11. Fatherhood is a daunting responsibility and it freaks me out when I think about it.

12. I love being a dad.

13. I hate the spotlight but like recognition (Yes, I know that's both vain and lazy, but I'm working on it).

14. I know I'm not as cool as I like to think I am. In fact, I'm pretty much the biggest dork you'll ever meet.

15. I do what I love and I love what I do.

16. Rachel and I have just adopted our son Trent.

17. I'm allergic to cats and wasp stings. Found out about both of them the hard way.

18. I pegged my pants for way too long after it was cool (If you don't know what that is, don't worry about it).

19. I crave familiarity.

20. I'm a neat freak, and like to have things organized.

21. My favorite styles of music right now are Euro Rock and folk (I told you I was a dork).

22. I love my red hot, smokin' wife, Rachel, and my crazy cool son, Trent. (I'll probably be in trouble that I didn't put this at #1).

23. I've just come to the realization that "interesting" is a relative term.

24. Some people seem to think I can sing.

25. I thought these types of lists were only filled out in jr. high.

After filling out this thing I realized I could have written a LOT more!

ST