Memorable Quotes from Dead Poets Society (1989):

John Keating: This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could be your hearts and souls. "

To Discover You Haven't Lived

Memorable Quotes from Dead Poets Society (1989):

[Quoting Henry David Thoreau.]
Neil: I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life ... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

What Will Your Verse Be

Memorable Quotes from Dead Poets Society (1989):

John Keating (Robin Williams): We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, 'O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless--of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life? Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.' That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

What is Christianity?

I'm preparing to do another membership class for our church. The material always seems so dry. The section on salvation, which assures both the member and us that they are a Christian, always seems too sterile.

Here are some thoughts I had. They may not be right. They are in development.

Three ways you can tell you are a Christian. All three of these should play out in your life. If they aren't, I suppose you may still be a follower of Christ, but you are certainly missing out. We miss out because we afraid to test (to trust, to stand on) my faith.

Christianity should force you to live out an heroic life. Why are all the heroic stories in the Old Testament? Why does Jesus say He came to set the prisoners free? Did he mean in court or in battle (maybe both)? Did He not call us to the same mission? We often settle for martyr instead. Heroes can be martyred. But we often just sacrifice ourselves with no attempt at a valiant rescue. Heroes are courageous. Heroes are full of passion. Heroes are usually humble. Heroes inspire others. We were created in the image of God for significance. Why not a hero? It isn't that hard to be a hero at least to somebody.

Christianity should fill your life with joy. This is elusive for most of us. Most of us are stressed. Most of us are sapped. But the Bible tells us that followers of Christ are filled with joy. This isn't happiness or comfort. Joy comes from the victory of heroes. Joy comes from the comaraderie of journey companions, thrilled with each other's progress and accomplishments. Joy comes from the realization that the King Leader (Jesus) pointed us in the right direction to miss much of the suffering that was possible.

Finally Christianity Sees Results. The Bible is full of "fruit" stories. You can tell a Christian by the fruit of his/her life.

These are just unprocessed thoughts that I wanted to record. You might ask, what does the above have to do with Salvation.

Let me add these thoughts.

You are saved when you start following the Risen, Living Son of God, Jesus Christ, through life. To do this, you have to recognize who He is. You have to stop being selfish because you want be able to follow Him if you are following your desires. Those are two different trails.

Is it possible to follow Jesus, turned away from selfishness, and then when you see Jesus acting in someone else's life to simply turn away and wait till He's done? Not act heroic? Not be filled with joy? Not participate in the results of a changed life? I suppose. Why would you want to?

S-Video Signal Amplifier

S-Video Audio to 3 RCA (PRO)

Looking for a long S-video solution

Radio Shack RCA® to S-Video Signal Converter

We are not what we seem

You see this thoroughout Scripture: a little boy will slay the giant, a loudmouthed fisherman who can't hold down a job will lead the church, and a whore with a golden heart is the one to perform the deed that Jesus asked us all to tell "wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world" (Mark 14:9). Things are not what they seem. We are not what we seem. -- Waking the Dead, p 33

Do you want to see?

Neo takes the red pill; Lucy steps through the wardrobe; Alladin rubs the lamp; Elisha prays that the eyes of his servant would be opened; Peter, James, and John follow Jesus up to the Mount of Transfiguration. All of them discover that there is far more going on here than meets the eye. The film The Matrix is a parable, a metaphor - and though a dark story, it is far closer to reality and to your life than you probably have been led to believe. (I am referring only to the first film in the trilogy.) And the question Morpheus asks of Neo is a question the Scriptures ask each of us: Do you want to see? -- Waking the Dead, p 21

Remember the Poor

I just read this from David Ruis, church planter, author of one of my favorite songs "Let the River Flow".

Cutting Edge, Winter 2003 - Vol 7, #1

I distinctly remember sitting in my study, surrounded by books, videos, seminars, Fuller church growth courses and demo-graphic studies—up to my eyeballs in church planting material. I had just finished reading Galatians 2:10, where Paul and Barnabas were being sent out from Jerusalem as the very first church planters in the history of the church. The only requirement from James, John and Peter was that they "not forget the poor." And it just hit me between the eyes—I remember thinking, "In all my years of study and a degree in theology, nobody had ever given me that piece of advice." And yet here in Scripture, it was the only requirement of the very first church planters in the history of the church was to remember the poor.

Original Glory

I daresay we've heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman long to be beautiful? Why does a man hope to be found brave? Because we remember, if only faintly, that we were once more than we are now. The reason you doubt there could be a glory to your life is because that glory has been the object of a long and brutal war. -- Waking the Dead, p 14

Counter

I added a counter underneath the left column on this blog. Supposedly, the number shown there is unique visitors, which would be counted I assume by unique IP addresses, meaning at least how many individual computers have accessed this blog.

So I have three computers so that would be three visitors. If some of you are accessing the blog at work and at home, that would be two. But the number, at least as of right now, is 59! That seems pretty high.

I'm wondering if it isn't that accurate. It is at least pretty cool to look at the stats and see what hours of the day people access the blog. I think you can access the stats by clicking on the counter.

Spencer Burke on starting Church

Via Coop

He is part of his journey

As far as program goes, we don’t have one and you know what? I’m okay with that—well, not really, but I’m trying. Although some would say we’re taking the easy way out—planting a church overnight with no set plan—I’m actually finding it extremely difficult. I mean, where I come from, planting a church means months—if not years—of planning, 50 families and at least $25,000 in start-up money. At the very least, it means filing a 501C3 and declaring yourself an official religious organization. And yet, we have none of those things. In fact, we’re breaking pretty much every conventional church-planting rule I know. Why? Because we want to be ministers of the gospel, not “add-ministers.” We want to be of service, not just a service (i.e. Sunday event). But I’d be lying if I said it was easy to let go of the program; it’s not.

It’s funny, the other night we talked about giving. Would we take up an offering? Would we have a church bank account? In the end, we decided against these things and instead, determined that we would all just give to people when we saw needs. So a few days ago my son was out playing and decided to give away the five coins that were rattling around in his pocket. He saw a need, I guess. He literally gave his offering to another kid. He didn’t make stewardship the responsibility of the church administrator or some committee; he just did it.

Friday Five

1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)? I like some fiction, especially Tolkien and Clancy, but for the most part I read non-fiction Christian books that look for depth in life -- some favorite authors are Leonard Sweet, Brian McLaren, John Eldridge.

2. What is your favorite novel? I remember my mom reading Charlottes Web to me as a child. That is a favorite memory among many. I remember enjoying the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov (in college). Whether I would like it today I don't know. I recently read The Lord of The Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien and really loved it.

3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!) No. I don't.

4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read? Some classics like Pride and Prejudice. Some classic Christian stuff like Brother Lawrence or Augustine.

5. What are you currently reading? I am currently reading two books -- Postmodern Pilgrim by Leonard Sweet and Awaking the Dead by John Eldridge.

NorthWood Church

Here is the place: Church Planting - NorthWood Church

Obsessed With Mothering

BGCT - Communications - Light Up Texas:

Bob Roberts, pastor of NorthWood Church in Keller, spoke frankly about his own growth from being concerned about the 'kingdom of Bob' to being obsessed with the kingdom of God.

Roberts said he has learned that the kingdom of God is internal first, then external. 'We have to be concerned with the quality of what we're producing,' he said in reference to making disciples. 'We cannot cry success until we change the world with disciples.'

The church often is 'obsessed with conversion and not transformation.' Roberts said. The reason the gospel holds so little power is that people are not being transformed. 'I think we've got to be concerned about transformation, ... radically from within.'

Kingdom ministry also is about being 'missional,' Roberts said. It's not just about sending money for missions or going on mission trips. He talked about NorthWood's efforts in an unnamed Asian country and how it has taken hold of his life and influenced his ministry.

Believers, he said, should be 'more obsessed with church mothering, not church planting.'

Obsessed With Mothering

BGCT - Communications - Light Up Texas:

Bob Roberts, pastor of NorthWood Church in Keller, spoke frankly about his own growth from being concerned about the 'kingdom of Bob' to being obsessed with the kingdom of God.

Roberts said he has learned that the kingdom of God is internal first, then external. 'We have to be concerned with the quality of what we're producing,' he said in reference to making disciples. 'We cannot cry success until we change the world with disciples.'

The church often is 'obsessed with conversion and not transformation.' Roberts said. The reason the gospel holds so little power is that people are not being transformed. 'I think we've got to be concerned about transformation, ... radically from within.'

Kingdom ministry also is about being 'missional,' Roberts said. It's not just about sending money for missions or going on mission trips. He talked about NorthWood's efforts in an unnamed Asian country and how it has taken hold of his life and influenced his ministry.

Believers, he said, should be 'more obsessed with church mothering, not church planting.'

Phone Number

This is from 1998, "Church Planting Conference: Growing High Yield Churches is an annual conference at Northwwod Church led by Pastor Bob Roberts Oct 19-21. If interested, call Mike Lumpkin, (817) 431-2088

Church Planting Machines

From Easum:

The ones with X have good assessment tools they have created. Several of these are partnering with one another.

1. Northwood Baptist, Keller, Tx (Dallas) Bob Roberts is the pastor. Andy Williams is the person in charge of planting. They have a regional plan for planting churches as well as doing it globally. So far they have planted around 40 churches and are not doing about 10 a year. They also offer an internship program. X (2002)

2. Spanish River Presbyterian has a 501 c3 called Acts 29 in Boca Ratan, Fl. They do mostly postmodern plants. They work in conjunction with Mars Hill in Seattle and have planted globally.(2002)

3. New Heights Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington has Northwest Church Planting run by Dave Reynolds. They do global planting. X (2002)

4. Antioch Bible in Redmond Washington, Ken Hutchinson. A multi-cultural church that plants ten churches a year and is also international and is a teaching church in church planting. (2002)

5. Xpansion Church with John Reaves in Atlanta. Reaches mostly younger adults in university towns. Plants 7 or 8 a year. (2002)

6. Southern California Evangelistic Association (Christian) in Danapoint, CA. Mike Maxim. X (2002)

7. New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Wayne Cordiero is the pastor, has planted 32 churches. X (2002)

8. Redeemer Presbyterian in NY, NY with Tim Keller. Plants churches around New York City and internationally. They have some limited internships. (2002)

9. North American Missionary Society with John Schuller in North Carolina. Mostly oversees postmodern plants. (2002)

Church Planting Factory

Gil, we forgot to note we want to go see this place.

From Steve Sjogren

I am getting stoked about an upcoming speaking engagement at Northwoods Baptist Church in Keller, Texas. Northwoods is a dynamic church that is led by Bob Roberts -- a man with a tremendous vision for church planting. To date they have planted some 50 churches around the globe. It's an amazing vision they have and are carrying out.

Secret Sauce

From John

Here are some of the ingredients that make up Cranium's "secret sauce":

Have a clear sense of mission. Make it relevant, easy to understand, and something that people are passionate about - and that they can rally around.

Create a culture and celebrate it every day. What makes your culture and organization special? What is the culture that can bring the mission to life? Reinforce that culture. Make it your own.

Don't be afraid to change the rules. In fact, encourage it. The best way to win a game can be to change how it is played. Support and celebrate well-calculated risks.

Hire for smarts and rent experience. Identify candidates for how they think, not what they know. We need folks who can adapt and change quickly. The best idea wins.

Focus on your core competencies. Know what you're good at. Don't burden or blur the organization's focus.

Your customers are your sales force. Cranium's success has been built on word of mouth as a marketing vehicle. Craniacs fuel our growth, and every interaction they have with the company must result in a sense of delight, enthusiasm, and pride.

Beware of the giant hairballs. Identify the issues and dynamics that could crater your business. Anticipate them and mitigate surprise.

Be a company with a heart. Give back as your company does well. The Cranium fund has given more than $700,000 to after-school arts programs for at-risk youth.

Lead by example. I try to lead with speed, passion, and a sense of discovery. Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license. Give employees the freedom and empowerment to embrace and apply those qualities.

Midwest Planting Percolator

I spent all day yesterday and most of today with some church planting guys thinking, dreaming, and planning how we can plant some churches.

One element that came out is that we want to form a movement by creating a culture that can't help but plant churches. The institutional model is to search for someone who has already has a desire to plant, give them money, and let them plant. Our model is to create a culture that desires to plant, watch the dynamic of the culture infiltrate people's and church's DNA, and then watch the reproduction happen more naturally.

At this point, we are just talking about it, but we decided to bring more people together this January to let the process begin. This is really exciting to me. Thanks for a great couple of Percolating days guys!

Wireless Video

This could replace our video cable at church for $80.

First Alert - 2.4GHz Wireless Video Sender - FAW-901: "First Alert 2.4GHz Wireless Video Sender "

Odd Products for Sale

This has to fall into the odd Christian product of the year category. Buy one for all your unsaved friends!

You might also want to check out their "Unsaved People Suck" line of products and their ever popular Uber Creepy Verses section.

This link shows all their products. Warning: You will find some of this offensive. Obviously this is some kind of joke, which instead of being offended by, we should learn from.

Exercise Tape

This however is not a joke.

Many of you are probably looking for something to listen to while you exercise or commute. Here is a recommendation from Christian Classics Ethereal Library

A New CD is available: The Audio Greek New Testament. This CD has the entire Greek new Testament, narrated, in MP3 format. Listen to the New Testament in Greek while you exercise! "

Calvin's Commentaries

Not Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes, although that would be excellent, but John Calvin's commentaries are all online at Calvin's Commentaries.

Calvin on Women's Clothing

John Calvin, not Calvin Klein, commented on 1 Timothy 2:9-10: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

He intended to embrace the opportunity of correcting a vice to which women are almost always prone, and which perhaps at Ephesus, being a city of vast wealth and extensive merchandise, especially abounded. That vice is -- excessive eagerness and desire to be richly dressed. He wishes therefore that their dress should be regulated by modesty and sobriety; for luxury and immoderate expense arise from a desire to make a display either for the sake of pride or of departure from chastity. And hence we ought to derive the rule of moderation; for, since dress is an indifferent matter, (as all outward matters are,) it is difficult to; assign a fixed limit, how far we ought to go."

He goes on to say,

Magistrates may indeed make laws, by means of which a rage for superfluous expenditure shall be in some measure restrained; but godly teachers, whose business it is to guide the consciences, ought always to keep in view the end of lawful use. This at least will be settled beyond all controversy, that every thing in dress which is not in accordance with modesty and sobriety must be disapproved.

Deos Sepnllig Metatr?

I thought this was really cool!

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. (From Scott Galloway)

Friday Five

1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why? U2's Bono. I like the sound. I like the lyrics of which he writes most (all?). I like his authenticity and how he has tried to live what he believes.

2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why? Snoop Dog is getting on my nerves. It seems like exploitation of women is his only theme. But I'm not a Snoop fan so maybe I'm misunderstanding his stuff.

3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person? Yes, though I suspect his passion would make him brash.

4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show? Not so many. I don't know that I've seen a concert that knocked me out.

5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from dowloading free music? I think downloading music apart from what is legal is illegal. That is pretty simple thought. But it would irritate me if I wrote a book and everybody downloaded it instead of buying it.

As far as the RIAA is concerned, I'm not sure that suing downloaders isn't the only way to stop it. But it should transition into a "pay to download" deal, which would be great for me. Many times I want a song for church or for some media piece and I don't want to buy the whole album and I also don't want to leave the house.

Church Planting Media Idea

The current thinking in video media for church planting has been "show people transformed lives." Show people telling the story of how a church plant changed their lives. I agree that is good.

How about this as another option? Show church planters talking about their dreams. Working with Midwest Church Planting, we have four networked churches and our goal is to get each them to daughter healthy reproducing daughters and in that start a church planting movement.

What if we videotaped each pastor of the networked churches and had them share their passion for planting a church, how it would look, who would lead it, where it might be located, how it would be supported and linked through it's mother church.

What if we put these tapes online on our website for others to get excited?

What if we sent short versions of these tapes to existing established churches who might want to come alongside and support one of these pastors with their vision with finances, prayer, or other resources?

What if we showed these tapes at our regional denom meeting in June (or is it July?)? What if we had a special "breakout session" for learning more about how you can help us daughter churches?

Looking for a Handout

I had a denominational colleague tell me this week that "Since I have my hand out, I should be more tactful in my communication." I should start by saying that he was right about the tact part. It was a specific instance and I was tactless. We need more people that are willing to tactfully coach less tactful people like me.

But I had to ask about the "having my hand out" part. He said that "we all have our hand out." Anyone looking for money from denom apportionments or even trying to raise direct funds from denom churches has their hand out. It wasn't a negative thing. It was just true.

But that is where I take exception. I don't have my hand out. I'm trying to accomplish a mission for the denom by planting churches. The attitude should be, "We want to give you xxx amount of money because this is who we are and this is what we want to do."

My parents didn't give me a handout to go to college. They wanted me to go to college.

This may seem like semantics to some, but I think it is the very heart of the institutional culture that makes people with passion feel like their passions aren't shared. There is a feeling of "we gave you xxx amount of money so you should be supportive of all that we do." The money creates obligation.

My parents didn't want money back. My parents didn't want me to move in next door. My parents didn't want me to do anything except succeed at life. Now at the same time, I want to serve my parents. I want to help my brothers. I want to serve my cousins. Why? Not because there is obligation. Instead there is a culture that I want to be a part of. I like my parents. I like my brothers. I like my cousins. I want to participate with them.

This is the problem that is driving young churches away from denominations. I love our churches. I want our denom to have the best impact she can have on the kingdom of God. She will have to change. I hope she can. She will have to encourage success without the yoke of obligation. That will frighten her to death. But it is the only option that will create what she is truly looking for.

Joan of Arcadia

This came from our denom exec Wayne Boyer in his weekly newsletter. This new show is on primetime this fall.

Barbara Hall, the creator of the series Joan of Arcadia gives a basis for her program’s theology by listing her 10 Commandments:
1. God cannot directly intervene.
2. Good and evil exist.
3. God can never identify one religion as being right.
4. The job of every human being is to fulfill his or her true nature.
5. Everyone is allowed to say no to God, including Joan.
6. God is not bound by time this is a human concept.
7. God IS NOT A PERSON and does not possess a human personality.
8. God talks to everyone all the time in different ways.
9. God’s plan is what is good for us, not what is good for him.
10. God’s purpose for talking to Joan, and to everyone, is to get her (us) to recognize the interconnectedness of all things, i.e. you cannot hurt a person without hurting yourself; all of your actions have consequences; God can be found in the smallest actions; God expects us to learn and grow from all our experiences. However, the exact nature of God is a mystery, and the mystery can never be solved.

Heaven -- The City of Hope
 
As Christians, we seem inappropriately preoccupied with being blessed now! We aren't the first. The Bible is full of people who wonder when God was going to "make things right."  

The prophet Jeremiah felt way:

Why do you always forget us? Why do forsake us for so long? -- Lamentations 5:20 (NIV)

The church has led us to believe that you can experience all the blessings of God right now, right here. The Bible seems to tell us the same thing:

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. -- Psalm 128 (NIV)

That sounds good, and yet it feels more like we are only getting a taste of that and not a complete meal. So instead of longing for God, we long for more blessings.

It also strikes me inappropriate that we spend much of our time talking to non-believers about hell. "Hell is a place of incredible suffering," we warn them. Do you know what they are thinking? "Can't be much worse than this."

We have forgotten heaven. We have forgotten the end of the story. As I have read through the book of Revelation this month, besides being confused at moments, I was struck mostly by two parts of the story that I completely understood.

(more)

Speaking of bring men back to the journey

WAH - Boot Camp

"Wild at Heart Boot Camp
2003 Wild at Heart Retreats

We just couldn't offer this in a church setting. Or in the basement of a hotel. No, in order for a man to get his heart back, he's got to take a journey. One that involves risk, and danger, and a point of no return.

The Wild at Heart retreat is a four-day quest into the recovery of your masculine soul as outlined in John's book, Wild at Heart.

The Sacred Romance

Yesterday I finished the Sacred Romance. I've been reading it very slowly over a year or more. It is pretty good, but it is books like this which really get at the heart of the matter which I can't seem to read straight through. This is a classic. Puts the journey into perspective.

Also see Ransomed Heart, the book's website.

Now Discover Your Strengths

I bought this book a while back after hearing of Ginghamsburg church saying they were going to use it to help place people in ministry. Just lately, I got interested in personality tests and took this out and gave it a read.

You take the test here. But you have to buy the book to take the test. I thought it gave some good ideas of how to manage people with different strengths and it encouraged people to take positions/jobs/volunteer spots that fit their strength talents.

I'm going to try and slowly implement it into my leadership use.

Need a new vacuum cleaner

Upright Vacuums Product Reviews and Reports by Consumer Search - ConsumerSearch.com

Wal-Mart

Social Justice

I read this interview with Jim Wallis in Cutting Edge, Winter 2003 - Vol 7, #1.

What would you say to an evangelical church that is beginning to think about moving beyond charity, such as feeding the poor, and to actually working for justice?

I would tell them, "You can’t just keep pulling people’s bodies out of the river without sending somebody upstream to see what or who is throwing them in." When Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about being the conscience of the State, I think he meant, "Don’t just be the servant of the state, meaning that you will clean up the mess caused by bad social policy. Don’t just put a band-aid on the sores of society. Don’t just be service providers—be prophetic interrogators." Why are some of the people shopping in food banks and soup kitchens as a way of life? Those are supposed to be a temporary solution. Why are working moms with children living in shelters as their permanent long-term housing? It’s supposed to be temporary. Domhild DeCamera, the wonderful Brazilian archbishop, said, "When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a Communist."

Wow.

Friday Five

the friday five

1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed? Yes, it is the same.

2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be? I offered to take my wife's last name when we got married. I just didn't think it was fair that she had to change her name. But she took mine. That was her choice.

3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?) Boring. They just liked the name.

4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why? It frustrates me when someone has a name that is hard to pronounce so you feel stupid when they tell you their name and you have no idea what it was. But that's culture and life and my diminished hearing.

5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com accurate? How or how isn't it?

The first name of Brian creates a shrewd, aggressive, business nature, intent on personal gain. The desires for independence and financial success have been strong motivating forces from early in your life. You are capable of logical and analytical thinking along practical business lines, and could excel in financial fields, law, or politics. Your judgment is seldom swayed through your feelings. You have definite executive and leadership abilities, however others may find you to be rather forceful and uncompromising. More congenial business and personal relationships would result from being more tactful and more aware of the needs of others. If you sacrifice too much for material ambition, there may result a lack of harmony and balance in your personal life.

Mmm.. well... some of it. But not all of it. I wouldn't do well in politics or law or finance. The fact that people are irritated by me, maybe some. Need to be more tactful, that happened in 1996. (I don't know I just picked a date. My friends might disagree! :) )

Something Different...

Well, I achieved different alright... If you missed, it wasn't a big loss. Ychh. But we learn from our mistakes.

Barna Research

One thing I use this blog for is to flag things I want to remember to read when I have more time. This is one of them: Barna Research Online Home Page

Why are small churches small? Why are large churches large and more likely to grow? These are some of the factors explored in this week’s report. In that summary you will discover:

Small churches have a higher proportion of downscale adults, who tend to be less aggressive, less inclined to assume leadership, and less oriented toward institutional growth.

Larger churches attract a greater proportion of conservative adults, who tend to prefer knowing acceptable boundaries and working within them. Church-going conservatives substantially outnumber church-going liberals.

Baby Busters are more likely to attend a small church than a large church. They have energy but they are less interested in numerical growth, have less leadership experience and fewer resources to invest in a church.

CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Do You Believe In Angels: A Panel Discussion.
Aired August 8, 2003 - 21:00 ET


I saw part of this discussion. I was most interested in how Max Lucado, a Christian minister widely accepted as doctrinally sound, would interact with non-Christians (at least some not considered doctrinally sound) on a spiritual subject. Here are Lucado's first words on the show.

KING: What is an angel Max?

MAX LUCADO, CHRISTIAN AUTHOR: Well there a verse in the bible that says that angels are ministering spirits sent out by God to render aid to those who will inherit salvation. So, like Sylvia said, they're part of God's ambassador team sent out to encourage and to bring strength and to bring comfort. And they are spiritual beings. They are created by God. They are not made of flesh, though in scripture, they did appear as humans, but they are by and large spiritual and...

He made a statement from the Bible, then linked his statement to agreement with Sylvia Browne's previous statements.

I haven't read the whole transcript but he used this basic method for all of what I saw and never made a statement of disagreement.

Larry King Live Transcripts

CNN.com - Transcripts

What It’s All About, September 8, 2003

This is my weekly (ha!) e-mail newsletter. This beginning excerpt sounds like I'm boring you with details of how I read the Bible, but it has a point if you read far enough.

Earlier this year, I started a Biblical journal. Every day I read about four chapters of the Bible, usually one chapter from the New Testament, two from the Old Testament, and one from the Psalms (which yes, is in the Old Testament as well). Hopefully, prayerfully, a a Scripture or two (or possibly more) will "pop out", and I will write it down word for word in my journal. Then the context of the Scripture is noted (the bigger story that envelopes the line of Scripture that was written down).

After I have finished reading and writing down the Scripture that moved me, it is time for reflective prayer. God says that He will teach us. So I ask Him to speak to me about His Word. I write down what I hear Him saying (sometimes it is very clear, other times I just have more questions, and even other times, I feel totally blank). Each journal entry is finished with a written prayer. My prayers usually say, "God help me to do what You told me!"

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Vince Gill - Go Rest High Tabs

All Guitar Tabs - gill vince - go rest high on that mountain - guitar chord

Etabs

YOUR GLOBAL RICH LIST POSITION

Look! I made the Global Rich List

You are in the top 1.71% richest people in the world.
There are 5,896,824,512 people poorer than you.

Oh, and in case you’re interested you are the 103,175,488 richest person in the world.

Woo Hoo!!

The Friday Five

Here is my friday five, a little late, but nevertheless.

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most? Cleaning the bathroom.

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing? I don't mind laundry or dishes.

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed? I'm building a routine. Now that Danelle is working full-time, I'm trying to find how it will work for me.

4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules? I don't think so.

5. What was the last thing you cleaned? My office.

New Stuff at Off the Map

I need to check this out: Off The Map Home Page

For Your Visual Pleasure

I saw this linked from David Hopkins' blog. I don't know. Just thought it helped me to get along through life. He reminds me of one of the swing dancers my wife thought was weird.

For those who need something more profound, David wrote at 12:12 in the morning:

Three options:
1. Remove all desires
2. Get everything I want
3. Apathy

I know I'm missing something. Oh yeah...

4. Be content

Idealist

Just for fun, I tried answering the questions for my 8 year old daughter. I don't put much stock in my answering for her. I watched my wife take the test and couldn't have answered for her.

Alyssa might be an idealist:

"Idealist types search for their unique identity, hunger for deep and meaningful relationships, wish for a little romance each day, trust their intuitive feelings implicitly, aspire for profundity. This is the 'Identity Seeking Personality' -- credulous about the future, mystical about the past, and their preferred time and place are the future and the pathway. Educationally they go for the humanities, avocationally for ethics, and vocationally for personnel work. "

Guardian

Danelle is a Guardian, probably an inspector.

They are proud of themselves in the degree they are reliable in action, respect themselves in the degree they do good deeds, and feel confident of themselves in the degree they are respectable. In search of security as they are the "Security Seeking Personality" -- trusting in legitimacy and hungering for membership. They are usually stoical about the present, pessimistic about the future, fatalistic about the past, and their preferred time and place is the past and the gateway.

Artisan

My friend Tom Toner took the test and said he was an Artisan:

Artisans are proud of themselves in the degree they are graceful in action, respect themselves in the degree they are daring, and feel confident of themselves in the degree they are adaptable. This is the 'Sensation Seeking Personality' -- trusting in spontaniety and hungering for impact on others. They are usually hedonic about the present, optimistic about the future, cynical about the past, and their preferred time and place is the here and now.

This surprised me about Tom but it probably shouldn't. Tom surprises us both with the fact that he is a pretty good public speaker. (He was very timid as a youngster.) I think he does sales for a living. He absolutely loves music. Very cool Tom.

Inventor

I found more info on my personality type at eNTp:

As the Inventors' engineering capabilities increase so does their desire to let others know about whatever has come of their engineering efforts. So they tend to take up an informative role in their social exchanges. On the other hand they have less and less desire, if they ever had any, to direct the activities of others, doing so only when forced to by circumstances.

As engineers of function Inventors wish to exercise their competence in the world of people and things, and thus they deal imaginatively with social systems as well as physical and technological systems. They are very alert to what is apt to occur next-under certain conditions, if certain criteria are met-and they are always sensitive to possibilities.

Inventors are also endlessly inventive, and are the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that is the way things have always been done. They characteristically have an eye out for a better way, always on the lookout for new projects, new activities, new procedures. Inventors are confident in the value of their interests and display a charming capacity to ignore the standard, the traditional, and the authoritative. As a result of this innovative attitude, they often bring fresh, new approaches to their work and their lives.

I would have to say that is rather accurate.

ENTP

I'm guessing my personality is ENTP. This website gives the middle two letters of your personality inventory.

According to the test, I am a Rational.

Rationals are very scarce, comprising as little as 5 to 7 percent of the population. But because of their drive to unlock the secrets of nature, and to develop new technologies, they have done much to shape our world.

Oooh, I'm scarce!!

I'm assuming I am an E, which is Extrovert. And the P is Perceptive as opposed to J, which is judgment. This would then describe me as an Inventor, as opposed to a Field marshall, if I was a J.

Newsreader

I'm looking for a good newsreader. This site: NewsReaders.com: Windows newsreaders seems to list them all. But I don't want to try them all.

Leadership Quote

"Everyone is equally important to God but not everyone is equally strategic to God." -- Mike Slaughter from Ginghamsburg Church

Men Not in Church II

This has been an intriguing post. I had a woman whose husband does not enjoy church come up to me Sunday and ask, "Can we start serving breakfast before church? Men love to eat. Maybe it would help my husband." She was unaware of this conversation. Food is good I agree. I'm not sure our agreement with Ramada will let us bring in food from home or cook it at the hotel.

My wife and I helped her dad host The Glenn Miller Orchestra in Casey last Friday night. It was a fun night. I took tickets at the door. I forget that I get a kick out of interacting with people like that. Anyway, the interest to this post was a comment my wife made. There were a handful of people who came to the concert to dance. The most exciting dancers were the Swing dancers.

My wife's comment was "Wow, I love the swing dancers. I would love to hang with them... if only they weren't so weird." First of all, they looked weird. They were dressed odd. But I'm a cultured person, I understand that they were only dressed like that because they were in "swing dance" dress. Actually, no... they were weird. We talked with a few of them. Odd.

This is what I think many men feel about the church. "The God thing is really cool. I'd like to hang out with those who believe as I do... but they are so weird."

How do we connect with men? How do we connect with what is important to men?

It struck me this morning that I often use a book by Willard Harley called His Needs/Her Needs. He lists the top five needs of a man.

1. Sexual fulfillment - The Bible attests to this truth about men.
2. Recreational Companionship
3. Attractiveness of Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration

We can't help much with #1. But #2 we could give a lot more thought to. #3 we've actually helped when two of our beauticians did a makeover night. Trying not to be shallow, they did some pretty cool stuff for some of our women. #4 maybe can't help. #5 absolutely.

There is one couple that I really want to come to Crossover. They have come a couple of times. But it seems like after every time they come, I go over and talk with them, and she immediately starts reading me a laundry list of his faults. "Fix him please." How embarrassing. If I were him, I wouldn't put myself in a situation like that very often.

Maybe we should have "Respect Month" once a year. Not sure how Biblical that is, but the Bible tells wives to Respect their husbands.

The End of a Nation

I've been playing Nation States for a while now (I wish I knew exactly how long). It was an interesting experiment, first to see how I would decide on daily issues and how those decisions affected my nation and second, to interact with those in my region. The most interesting person in our region was a 14 year old from the Netherlands.

But for me, the game has played itself out. It is an unnecessary distraction and as I'm going into a busy fall with less time, I'm ending my game. My nation will self-destruct in 28 days of inactivity.