Church and Target

I realize I haven't blogged in a long time, in fact, I almost didn't remember my password, but I came across Tony Morgan's blog that really got me thinking. Mainly because it hit close to home. I decided to post it here, but if you want to check out more of Tony Morgan's musings you can check it out here.

Tis the season to shop for Christmas gifts, so I recently made a trip to Target. I love Target because I don’t have to spend a lot of money, and I avoid going to Wal-Mart.

After spending a little bit of time in the store, it struck me how different Target is from most churches I’ve visited in the past. That led me to wondering how Target would be different if it operated like the typical church. So, with that in mind, here’s my initial list:

What if Target Operated Like a Church?

• Instead of having men’s and women’s clothing departments, they would be called clever names like Impact and Embrace that are completely meaningless to new shoppers.
• Each department in the store would have its own logo to go with their clever name. And, of course, all those logos would be different than the logo on the front of the store.
• The workers in each department would all have their own t-shirts and flyers to promote what’s available in their departments. The youth clothing department would, of course, have the best flyers.
• The store manager and his wife would be pictured on the front page of the website.
• You wouldn’t actually be able to buy anything from the website, but each department would have its own page explaining why they are such a great department and the the information would be several months out-of-date.
• If you are in the shoe department and have a question about flashlights, the shoe department employee has no idea how to help you because it doesn’t have anything to do with shoes.
• Shoppers would be able to start their own departments so that they can buy the items that they want to buy. Don’t worry…that means there will certainly be a clothing department for singles.
• Shoppers would also be able to appoint their own store manager and then serve on committees and boards to tell the store manager what to do.
• The store would only be open one day a week between 9:00 a.m. and noon and on the first Wednesday evening of every month.

Hope this makes you laugh. And, maybe it also challenges some preconceived notions. After all, churches are sort of notorious for worshiping methods and traditions whether or not they actually produce results.

ST

What I Do All Day

The running joke around here is that I only "work" one day a week and the rest of the time I play solitaire all day. Well, after being asked all the time as to what I do, and thanks to Josh Griffin's blog, I came across this list of things I do.

Here are some examples of what I do: pray, study, read, keep up culture (not very easy to do), preach, teach, share, text, email, facebook, twitter, administrate, organize, make phone calls, return phone calls, conflict resolution, plan activities, confront, encourage, get frustrated, strategize, buy new tools for ministry, edit video, clean up, talk to parents, support my pastor, go to meetings, travel, meet new people, raise money, balance my time with my family, go to school events (concerts, games, …), develop leaders, update website, share life with others, stay up all night, drive a van and go out to eat!

That's my life in a nutshell.

ST

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

Movies

Ok, Ron Foster posted this on his facebook so I thought I'd do the same thing, mainly because I have no original thoughts. Here goes...

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own Facebook account, and paste this as a note.

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show

(x ) Grease

(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 7

(x) The Princess Bride
(x) AnchorMan
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 13

( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 13

( ) Harry Potter 1
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Harry Potter 5
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 14

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
( ) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
Total so far: 18

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
(x) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
(x) Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(x) KING KONG
Total so far: 28

(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 31

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 34

( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
(x) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 38

(x) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Seven
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 46

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
(x) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 52

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 61

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 70

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(x) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 74

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 80

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
(x) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 82

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 85

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 89

( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 90

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 95

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Total so far: 99

ST

Only Me

I know some people would consider me accident prone but I would have to disagree. I just happen to have strange things happen to me! Those of you who have known me for a while now what some of those "strange" things are, but I'm about to add one of the strangest to the list.

Sunday night we had our yearly kick-off for The MiX Student Ministries by having one of our famous gym nights. One of the games we played was Musical Chairs of Death (check the link for the rules). In the process of the game I tried to throw a very light ball very hard, which of course is nearly impossible. As I launched the ball with the purpose of inflicting pain on a teenager, I felt a pop in my side and the pain was inflicted on myself instead. 

As far as I can tell I'm the only person who cracked a rib playing musical chairs!

ST