top 5 blogs (part 5 of 5)

i'm a good liar   4/29/09

 

I've become excellent at not being transparent but appearing to be so.

 

It is an art. 

 

It is taught at Pastors conference (maybe not directly, but it is).

 

It is the best way to become a successful pastor, leader, employee, spouse, parent.

 

Contemporary Churches have become environments where this is rewarded.  We love to hear some one's confession of  sin, some one's story of growth.  We don't actually want to investigate how they are doing today.  We don't want to look someone in the eye and sincerely ask them about sin.  It may involve more time, prayer, friendship.

 

We like the label of "authentic" without the work that comes with sincere authenticity.  

-will I truly be accepted if people know ____.  

-what will people think of the fact that I ____.

-I really don't want people to use ____ against me.

 

Let's what call it what it IS.

 

We are a culture of liars and typically we are a church of liars.

top 5 blogs (part 4 of 5)

 an audience                  3/23/09

 

Earlier today, I was thinking about how I am so amazed at what God is doing in my life and the life of the church I pastor....

 

......my first thought was to twitter.....

 

......then to blog, what I am blogging right now......

 

not just to praise God for His goodness.

 

I worry sometimes that having this constant audience via the web replaces me talking to God. (Yes, I realize by blogging about this I am doing the very thing I am concerned about.) 

 

I had a great time with an audience of one this morning. 

 

Hopefully our twitters and blogs flow out of our personal communication with God.  

top 5 blogs (part 3 of 5)

philosophy from Barry Manilow              2/4/09

"success comes when preparation and opportunity meet together."  

 

I heard this quote last night out of the mouth of none other than Barry Manilow!

 

This sums up what life is all about.  Opportunities are going to come, but what happens with those opportunities is all about what we have done to prepare ourselves.  

 

This applies to our jobs, our marriages, our financial opportunities, sharing the message of Christ, and pretty much everything.   

 

If I can teach my son one thing in this life, it would be to live his life in preparation for the opportunities that God will put before Him.  

 

Proverbs 16:1

to man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.

 

I think we can all apply this principle from Barry Manilow.

top 5 blogs (part 2 of 5)

where is the feedback?                  11/21/08

 

I was wondering why a lot of people say they read my blog, but no one comments on it. Maybe my readers are just not good with words, maybe their too lazy to comment, or maybe they just don't get technology. Then I was advised by a friend of mine that I had to change the settings because it was currently set to only let registered blogspot users have a say. What a simple thing I was doing to disconnect people from my blog.

 

I think this sums up most churches today.

 

They have a great message, but no one is responding to it. They figure out all the reasons in the world why people are not getting into what they are doing; a liberal culture shift, young people's attention spans, money, etc. They are completely unaware of the fact that they have shut the world out and are only interacting with those "inside". It takes some simple adjustments to change from being a gathering of people focused on self to being a living body that reaches out to a world in need. The message they have is compelling, it is what people are born to hear.

 

The question is whether or not the Church is ready to respond to the world's response to the Gospel.

 

As a blogger I am now ready for your comments. As a follower of Christ, I am ready to see you respond to the message of Christ!

top 5 blogs (part 1 of 5)

responding to criticism        posted on  7/28/08

 

When someone begins to criticise me or an issue arises in a relationship, there is a simple process that I follow in order to make things right.

 

Step 1: I evaluate my life. I check to see if there is something related to the issue that I need to get in line with God. Usually there is.

 

Step 2: I evaluate (not judge) the other person and see if there is any black/white issue that shows they are clearly not following God.

 

Step 3: I ask someone that I trust about the issue. They usually point out something I can work on as well.

 

Step 4: I pray about resolving the issue.

 

Step 5: I attempt to resolve the issue. Start with you heart! Tell them where you desire the relationship to be.

 

This has been very helpful to me over the past year. I encourage you to follow this or come up with a process to handle relationship issues in your life.

anniversary

It has been about one year since I started blogging.  In honor of this (and since I am on vacation) I  will be posting the top 5 blogs that I have received feedback, comments, or encouragement about this week.  I will post them in chronological order.

because i.......

I read someone's comments about the book "Jesus wants to save Christians" by Rob Bell today.   This person said that they thought Rob Bell was wrong about his opinion on something because their church was doing things differently than what Bell said is right.  

Just because you are doing something doesn't mean it is right.  

In fact, just because most people are doing something doesn't mean it is right.  

Right is usually right, wrong is usually wrong.  

I realize sometimes there are different methods, styles, preferences in life that we have freedom to choose from.  But if you are making the point that someone's opinion is wrong, please don't say; they are wrong because i  have..... or because i'm doing.... or because i'm going to....

Tell us why it is right or wrong.  Or just say it is a matter of opinion....

it is ok to be unsure of things from time to time.

no blogging

My lack of blogging is not intentional but is a result of the way God has grabbed ahold of my mind and is causing me not to think clearly.

I need to be slow to speak (or in this case write).

I will blog again, when I can get my thoughts together!

an audience

Earlier today, I was thinking about how I am so amazed at what God is doing in my life and the life of the church I pastor....

......my first thought was to twitter.....

......then to blog, what I am blogging right now......

not just to praise God for His goodness.

I worry sometimes that having this constant audience via the web replaces me talking to God. (Yes, I realize by blogging about this I am doing the very thing I am concerned about.) 

I had a great time with an audience of one this morning. 

Hopefully our twitters and blogs flow out of our personal communication with God.  

four blogs that annoy me (part 4 of 4)

the continual response blog

What I did this week probably is annoying to some bloggers out there.  Imagine if my blogs were like this all the time.  What annoys me more than anything is a blogger that only blogs when attacking what other people have blogged about.  

It is like they don't have anything to say but they want to be heard.  

A lot of people are like this in life as well.  Pastors who have no vision but love to criticize Pastors who are actually doing something.  People who don't have courage to follow their dreams, but make fun of others who chase after theirs and fall short.  Unhappy people trying to tear down people who are happy.  

Come on now.  I would love to read your blog, but I want to read YOUR thoughts.  

Love and respect others.

Live your life to the fullest, and if you have the time...

....blog about it.  

four blogs that annoy me (part 3 of 4)

the "please leave me comments" blog

If you have enabled comments people get the point that you would like responses to your blog, so stop begging everyone to comment.  

If you have a survey or some specific question for people I understand that you are communicating that...

but... if you are just posting your thoughts, you don't need to remind everyone that you would like their opinion.

Do you all agree?

(get my point)

four blogs that annoy me (part 1 of 4)

the wanna be pastor that lectures pastors

I am tired of seeing guys blog about how to be a good pastor, that have never pastored ever!

Now, I am a pastor, but you don't see me telling pastors how to be effective.  

I love sharing my experiences and I think it is great for each of us to challenge each other on Biblical leadership principles

but stop regurgitating something you have heard Craig Groeschel, Andy Stanley, Steven Furtick or someone else say......

You haven't experienced leading a church to reach people, you don't have the scars to prove that you have been there and done that!

Blog about things that you actually know about, blog about what is going on in your life.

Leave the Pastoral advice to people who know what they are talking about.

We are inexperienced, maybe we should take this time to listen!

WARNING: 4 types of blogs i am tired of seeing

I haven't been a blogger for that long and I usually do not do stuff like this, but this week I am going to blog about 4 types of blogs that I am tired of seeing (yes seeing, because I usually don't read them).  

I am not singling anyone out and I am not trying to be mean.  I just hope to inspire some people to start something great........to start not blogging about the things I mention!

I will begin tomorrow.