Evangelicals seek ‘creators of culture’ role -

This is good to see...

Link: Evangelicals seek ‘creators of culture’ role -

Focus on Faith - MSNBC.com

.

the gods aren't angry tour

We got our tickets. You should get yours.

Link: the gods aren't angry tour.

Motivation is overrated

So I've also been reading through John Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You this week.  I found the following quotes particularly striking and somewhat counter-intuitive...

• "Too many people want to feel, then take action.  This never works"

• From a sign in a doctor's office:  "We have news for you.  Motivation is not going to strike you like lightning.  And motivation is not something that someone else--nurse, doctor, family member--can bestow or force on you.  The whole idea of motivation is a trap.  Forget motivation.  Just do it.  Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever.  Do it without motivation.  And then, guess what?  After you start doing the thing, that's when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it."

• "Instead of saying to our kids, 'Get a grateful attitude,' we ask them to give one compliment to every member of the family each day.  As this becomes a habit in their lives, the attitude of gratitude follows."

I found this refreshing to read as I am finding it is more and more true in my own life.  Granted there may be an initial moment of motivation, but it is the discipline that sustains and then leads to greater motivation.  I am finding this in my waking up schedule, Bible reading, YMCA (though slacking a bit as of late), etc. 

I think there is part of me that wants to rail against discipline at times because it can seem so formulaic or legalistic, but I am finding that is really not the case.  I feel the best when I am most disciplined.  I actually feel more free and in tune with how God wants me to orient my life.  Obviously disciple can become legalistic, but that seems more of an abuse of discipline.  It's a tricky balance, one that I am learning. 

Honey Rock Camp

It's hard to believe, but this time 12 years ago (Fall of '95) Heather was preparing to leave for her semester studying at Honey Rock Camp up here in the great Northwoods!  Honey Rock is the Northwoods campus of Wheaton College.  We had the enjoyable time of driving over to the camp this morning to "stroll down memory lane" and show the girls around.  Very surreal for Heather.  I've added a few pics from our little camp visit under "Eagle River"--the girls saw where Heather lived, studied and hung out.  It was a fun morning.

We definitely feel old though.  Can't believe college was that long ago.  Weird.

Eagle River Update

Still having a great time in the Northwoods, although little Mackinley is a bit under the weather.

UPDATE: Mackinley is feeling much better and actually got in the lake yesterday!  New pics have been added to Eagle River (Friday, July 27)

 

Wildlife update:  Saw a Bald Eagle yesterday right off the boat house.  Very cool. 

Book update:  reading The Emotionally Healthy Chuch...been very challenging.  The guy is very honest about his struggles in ministry and how he finally started getting healthy.  I'm thankful for books like this as we head into the next season of ministry, that will be full of new challenges.  The book tries to bring some balance to Orthodoxy (right belief), Orthopraxis (right action) and Orthpathos (right emotions).  He argues that Evangelicalism emphasizes the first 2 to the detriment of the 3rd.  It's all about triads (i.e. John Frame).

Picture update: New pics have been added under "Eagle River"

That's all for now, as Sydnie is tearing up the coffee shop we are in.  Dad has been on the computer too long.  What's new.

Peace.

Greetings from the Northwoods

Well we made it all the way up to Eagle River, WI yesterday.  The girls did remarkably well on the plane, with only a minor meltdown by Mackinley.  This place is absolutely beautiful.  Very remote.  We are staying in this little 2 bedroom cottage on Sunset Lake.  I've posted some pics in the "Eagle River" photo album.  Not many people shots (yet).  This is our final trip before beginning the church planting apprenticeship.  It has been so nice to have a mini-sabbatical during the month of July.  Very needed.  Very relaxing. 

Related trip aside...we told Sydnie we might see a bear up here, not thinking it would actually happen.  Sure enough, a black bear ran out in front of our rental van yesterday enroute to the house.  Really cool.  Nice to be in the car though. 

I'll try to post more throughout the week.  Peace.

'Church Squared' 2007

Interesting article by Ed Stetzer.

Link: 'Church Squared' 2007.

New Pics

Just fyi, two new photo albums have been added. 

June 2007

July 2007

Back in Boone

Since Heather and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary on the same day as Mackinley's first birthday, while also starting our new apprenticeship role, we decided to party a little early.  Though we thought of being more creative, we instead opted for familiarity and headed up to Boone, NC yesterday.  Yesterday was definitely weird for both of us, since we don't have the kids.  We have completely forgotten what it is like to not have them.  We obviously miss them, but it has been a nice change of pace with just the two of us.  We feel like we have all this time on our hands.  No nap schedules.  No set meal times.  It's 5:30 right now and we're at a coffee shop, and we don't have to leave at any set time. 

We did a great Grandfather Mountain hike this morning.  It was a new one for us and it was beautiful.  We also had one of the most amazing sunsets last night off the deck.  Check them out below.  More than anything it is great to spend this time with Heather.  We love and miss our kids but we also know this time together has to be part of the rhythm of our life together.  It's been so fun just talking and dreaming together as we head into this next chapter of our story together.  Pretty cool.  Very thankful for Heather.  She's amazing.

Eavesdropping

Whilst pretending to be hacking away at my computer, with headphones on, I listened in on some Starbucks employee training.  It is fascinating to me.  Good on so  many levels.  The woman passionately shared the core values of the company.  She knew why they did what they did.  She felt an ownership.  She seemed to live and breath this stuff.  It seemed like more than a job.  She spoke highly of the leadership, particularly the founder.  She expressed a sense of responsibility, even when she was off-duty or at another Starbucks.  She spoke affectionately about her regular customers.  She seemed to take nothing for granted.  Very intentional in their employee development.  Told the new employee they were not in the coffee business, but the people business and had stories to back that up.  Meaningful experiences matter.  They want Starbucks to be the highlight of someone's day.  They know they are being watched as members of the community, and try to set a high standard outside of work. 

There is so much I can learn from overhearing that conversation.  I can only hope that our new church embodies much of what I "heard" yesterday. 

Strengths

If you get the chance, I would highly recommend reading the book Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckinham.  I found it to be extremely insightful and very counter-intuitive.  The premise, if you are not familiar with his work, is that we should discover our strengths and then spend the majority of our time working on and cultivating them.  We should never emphasize making our weaknesses into strengths.  He believes this is impossible and futile anyway.  This isn't a book to tell which career to go into, but rather how to utilize your unique giftedness in the context you are in already.  I don't know where Buckingham stands in regards to Christianity, but I can't help hearing Paul's words for us all to utilize our spiritual gifts for the advancement of the Kingdom.  I believe this book, and this concept, are tapping into how God has designed things to be in the world.  God wants all of us playing our unique role, in our particular context for His glory. 

A related aside...the book will come with a code that will allow you to take the online assessment test.  It will give you your top 5 areas for potential strength.  Very helpful.  Worth the price of the book.  This gives the book a very practical element instead of just a nice theory.  Check it out.

Great dinner

So this past Monday, Heather and I had the opportunity to go out to dinner with Chan and Stacy Kilgore.  Chan is the lead pastor of the church I will be apprenticing with starting in August.  Heather and I left that night feeling very encouraged and excited about the future God is leading us into.  It was so helpful to hear the Kilgore's story--both the good and bad of church planting.  I feel like I haven't been very "future" oriented lately since the past month or so has been focused on finishing well at Orangewood.  It feels nice to be freed up to now focus on this future work. 

Two things I am most excited about right now:

1. Beginning to realize that when God called us to plant this church it isn't just about our future, but also the doors He is opening for those who will join up with this new work.  Both in terms of people coming to faith and others who will help lead and serve at the outset.  Cool to see this as something bigger than just what Heather and I are doing next. I really pray it's the catalyst for change in many people's lives, just like it has been in ours.  It's also pretty cool (and somewhat overwhelming at times) to not know who any of those people are yet.  It'll be fun to see who God brings.



2. A venue/meeting space possibility.  Big meeting on Thursday afternoon.  I'll keep you informed.  It could be really cool though.

Peace.

Getting rid of pretense

So I've recently subscribed to two new podcasts, which I will link below.  Both feature Steve Brown.  One is interview focused, which has been fantastic.  You really should have a listen.  Don Miller, Anne Lamott, Dave Goetz, John Eldredge, etc.  I've heard these people interviewed before, but none as good as with Brown.  Check it out.

The other is the Scandalous Freedom podcast, based on Brown's most recent book.  There's a lot I want to comment on, but for now this is the thought that has been bouncing around in my head the most.  In the second session, he talked about "losing our witness" as Christians.  He argues that we lose our witness the most, not when we act hypocritical, but when we act with pretense.  Let me explain...though Christians are criticized for being hypocritical, this is never the issue, because ultimately everyone is a hypocrite.  The bigger issue is when we wear the mask and put the pretense that we have it all together.  People want us to be authentic.  They need us to be authentic.  We need more confession booths (Blue Like Jazz reference).  What would it look like if I gathered my neighbors, extended hospitality, and then proceeded to repent of all my junk.  Might be a way to start a church.  We'll see.  I'll probably chicken out. 

The Brown Sessions (interviews)

A Scandalous Freedom

Steve Brown etc.

2 Helpful Church Planting Resources

1.  A helpful display of statistics related to the great need for Church planting-- click here to watch the presentation.

The above resource comes from Drew Goodmanson.

2.  A great explanation of the WHY behind church planting, written by Tim Keller, click here.

Always be prepared...

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...
--1 Peter 3:15

So I started reading this book today and it has been a good and convicting read thus far.  I readily admit that I haven't been great when it comes to evangelism.  It is something I want to be far more intentional about.  Part of my struggle, or perhaps the majority of my struggle, is not with the "be prepared to give an answer", but more with how does one even get to a place where someone is asking.  Does that make sense?  This verse strikes me as more reactionary (in a good way) than intentional.  Obviously if someone asks me for the hope I have, I need to tell them.  I want to tell them.  But what if no one is asking?  Do I steer the conversation?  Do you "force" these types of conversations/discussions?  A big part of me rails against canned, programmatic ways to share the Gospel.  Yet there is at least an intentionality that I often don't have.  For instance, the other night at Olive Garden with Heather...the gentleman at the table next to us handed the waitress his payment along with her "free pass to heaven."   He was very gentle about it.  He was respectful.  However, she hadn't asked.  I can get critical when I see that, yet that's probably to just cover up my lack of boldness at times. 

Well this has all gotten very stream of consciousness style...guess that what happens when you're a full time blogger.  Peace.

Restraint

All I'm saying is that it's been out for 3 days now and I haven't gone to see it.  That's got to be some kind of spiritual discipline for a mac geek like me.

Mackinley's Baptism

Well Miss Mackinley got baptized this morning at Orangewood.  We've posted a little video for your viewing pleasure.  She was definitely animated.  She went from extreme happy to extreme meltdown.  Pretty funny.  Reggie Kidd did a great job as well.  All in all it was a pretty fun day. 

Though I don't believe baptism is an issue worthy of division (infant v. believer), I really like the communal, covenantal aspect of infant baptism.  We really do hope Mackie grows up to love and serve Jesus.

Peace.