I was trying to find my highlight reel moves from open gym last week and thought this was it.
It was similar to this...trust me.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Pastors say the darndest things
I was preaching about Jacob and Esau today...and I was warning Esau about LSD...Little Sibling Disease...where little siblings who are typically viewed as annoying by their older sibling until that one time that the older sibling needs something from the younger sibling...then the younger sibling will leverage the situation for some kind of personal gain (I may have suffered from LSD)
Anyways, my point in recapping this is that I was well aware that LSD was also a very dangerous drug.
One of my young adults pointed out that I said "Esau, dude, your brother has LSD and he's going for your car." He said that sounded like something from MTV...haha...whoops.
Two other honorable mentions I've heard in church services:
-a pastor accidentally (I hope) said my will be done instead of thy will be done.
-I was to lead the congregation into a time of prayer...I meant to say..."Will you pray with me..." Instead I said, "Will you pray for me..."
What's the funniest or most awkward thing a preacher has said in your church experiences?
Anyways, my point in recapping this is that I was well aware that LSD was also a very dangerous drug.
One of my young adults pointed out that I said "Esau, dude, your brother has LSD and he's going for your car." He said that sounded like something from MTV...haha...whoops.
Two other honorable mentions I've heard in church services:
-a pastor accidentally (I hope) said my will be done instead of thy will be done.
-I was to lead the congregation into a time of prayer...I meant to say..."Will you pray with me..." Instead I said, "Will you pray for me..."
What's the funniest or most awkward thing a preacher has said in your church experiences?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Church is Not a Democracy
Generally, most church conflict stems from distrust. When this happens, the congregation doesn't trust that the lead pastor is hearing from God and focusing on living out his/her calling so that the vision and mission of the local church can advance.
When the backbiting, rumbling, manipulation and criticism starts, that is typically when things can really go south. If leaders feel like their wings have been clipped or that they do not have the trust of the people they lead, they will start to accomodate the demands of the people. Mikey throws a hissy fit when there's no altar call, so the pastor tries to accomodate and has an altar call. Laura gets bored during the messages so she wants 8 songs and a 15 minute message. Frank usually maxes his desire out for singing at 3 songs and would really rather hear a 35 minute message from the Word of God. John only wants exegetical messages verse by verse through a book of the Bible. Martha only wants topical messages that have to do with marriages, parenting, and financial management. If I'm the leader, the gossip, hearsay, manipulation and criticism can be a tipping point for me. If the people don't trust me, it will likely be that I will soon not trust the people and I will start trying to accomodate their preferences rather than seeking God out.
Listen. Church is not a democracy. When the people of God have had the opportunity to decide what they wanted, they convinced Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship, they decided to oust God as their king in place of a human king named Saul, and they decided it'd be better if Barabbas got released and Jesus got crucified.
You are not in charge of your church. God is. And you either trust that He has placed the right leadership/staff or you don't. If you don't, then you probably need to find a new church, because the negativity, controlling, and slander is sabotaging what God wants to do in that church through that leadership.
You want your church to flourish? Honor the people God has put in authority over you. (Honor both publicly and privately!) Trust that God is leading them and fight for them to have time to seek out His face. You want to drive your church to negativity and division? Keep grumbling and pretending that the church is mostly about you.
When the backbiting, rumbling, manipulation and criticism starts, that is typically when things can really go south. If leaders feel like their wings have been clipped or that they do not have the trust of the people they lead, they will start to accomodate the demands of the people. Mikey throws a hissy fit when there's no altar call, so the pastor tries to accomodate and has an altar call. Laura gets bored during the messages so she wants 8 songs and a 15 minute message. Frank usually maxes his desire out for singing at 3 songs and would really rather hear a 35 minute message from the Word of God. John only wants exegetical messages verse by verse through a book of the Bible. Martha only wants topical messages that have to do with marriages, parenting, and financial management. If I'm the leader, the gossip, hearsay, manipulation and criticism can be a tipping point for me. If the people don't trust me, it will likely be that I will soon not trust the people and I will start trying to accomodate their preferences rather than seeking God out.
Listen. Church is not a democracy. When the people of God have had the opportunity to decide what they wanted, they convinced Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship, they decided to oust God as their king in place of a human king named Saul, and they decided it'd be better if Barabbas got released and Jesus got crucified.
You are not in charge of your church. God is. And you either trust that He has placed the right leadership/staff or you don't. If you don't, then you probably need to find a new church, because the negativity, controlling, and slander is sabotaging what God wants to do in that church through that leadership.
You want your church to flourish? Honor the people God has put in authority over you. (Honor both publicly and privately!) Trust that God is leading them and fight for them to have time to seek out His face. You want to drive your church to negativity and division? Keep grumbling and pretending that the church is mostly about you.
Monday, November 22, 2010
New Approach
"If it's a new problem, perhaps it demands a new approach. If it's an old problem, it certainly does." Seth Godin
I absolutely love this quote. If you are stuck in the same old rut, whether it be in your marriage, parenting, devotional life, job, or any other aspect of life that seems to be in a holding pattern, you need to reevaluate and see if there is a new way to go at it.
Stop getting frustrated and angry at the problem and start dreaming of new approaches that will solve the problem!
Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Can I just say that the sacred cows in our lives and in our churches have led us to insanity?
Sports analogy. Browns always seem to start off really solid in the first half. Things work, they build a lead. Then their opponent makes adjustments to stop whatever the Browns are doing that is working. And typically the Browns try to keep using the same approach. And it goes poorly.
What needs a new approach in your life?
I absolutely love this quote. If you are stuck in the same old rut, whether it be in your marriage, parenting, devotional life, job, or any other aspect of life that seems to be in a holding pattern, you need to reevaluate and see if there is a new way to go at it.
Stop getting frustrated and angry at the problem and start dreaming of new approaches that will solve the problem!
Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Can I just say that the sacred cows in our lives and in our churches have led us to insanity?
Sports analogy. Browns always seem to start off really solid in the first half. Things work, they build a lead. Then their opponent makes adjustments to stop whatever the Browns are doing that is working. And typically the Browns try to keep using the same approach. And it goes poorly.
What needs a new approach in your life?
Friday, November 19, 2010
No such thing as perfectly balanced
I'm realizing that my notion of 'shalom' when everything is in perfect balance...when I'm investing in friendships, family, church, community, future, finances all at just the right amounts is unrealistic this side of Eternity.
I think the image I'm resonating with is that of a plate spinner, who tries to simultaneously have all his/her plates spinning on different sticks. Most the time in my life, I can tell when one of my plates is losing momentum. It's one thing to identify it. It is another thing completely to be defeated or consumed by it.
Being defeated is something I preached on awhile back. There is a cycle that we go through (particularly Christians in their devotional life.) We feel guilty about something (like maybe I'm not reading my Bible as much as I want...or maybe I am not praying enough...or I'm not spending enough time with Shaina)...so we vow to try harder...and we get up earlier to pray and study or set aside date nights...as we try harder in our own strength, we get tired/burnt out...so then we tend to give up...then after awhile we feel guilty about giving up and the cycle starts all over.
Being consumed will lead us to an early grave. I look at the plates that I have to keep spinning from here until the end of the year, and there is a temptation to be consumed with it...to stress out...frantically run from plate to plate.
Here's the deal...God didn't give the Israelites a miniscule amount of manna...that they had to frantically go around trying to collect for fear that it would run out. He gave them exactly what they needed. You couldn't store the manna...for it rotted overnight. He wanted His people to know that He would provide them with exactly what they needed. If we need bread, he won't give us a stone. He's a good God. You have exactly what you need to be fine today. Quit throwing in the towel and quit being high strung and just get r done.
I think the image I'm resonating with is that of a plate spinner, who tries to simultaneously have all his/her plates spinning on different sticks. Most the time in my life, I can tell when one of my plates is losing momentum. It's one thing to identify it. It is another thing completely to be defeated or consumed by it.
Being defeated is something I preached on awhile back. There is a cycle that we go through (particularly Christians in their devotional life.) We feel guilty about something (like maybe I'm not reading my Bible as much as I want...or maybe I am not praying enough...or I'm not spending enough time with Shaina)...so we vow to try harder...and we get up earlier to pray and study or set aside date nights...as we try harder in our own strength, we get tired/burnt out...so then we tend to give up...then after awhile we feel guilty about giving up and the cycle starts all over.
Being consumed will lead us to an early grave. I look at the plates that I have to keep spinning from here until the end of the year, and there is a temptation to be consumed with it...to stress out...frantically run from plate to plate.
Here's the deal...God didn't give the Israelites a miniscule amount of manna...that they had to frantically go around trying to collect for fear that it would run out. He gave them exactly what they needed. You couldn't store the manna...for it rotted overnight. He wanted His people to know that He would provide them with exactly what they needed. If we need bread, he won't give us a stone. He's a good God. You have exactly what you need to be fine today. Quit throwing in the towel and quit being high strung and just get r done.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Genesis
I'm writing curriculum for our lifeWorth Groups for January. We are wrapping up John in the next week or two and then in 2011 we will tackle Genesis. My day today is completely devoted to getting sections of this done. In honor of that and to give me some inspiration 1980's pump up music, I'm rockin' out to this song...by former Genesis band member, Phil Collins. This concert would've been sweet to see live. So pick up your Bible, grab a cup of tea, crank the volume and rock out.
Monday, November 15, 2010
so close...
Browns gave me high blood pressure yesterday.
4-5 with 3 straight wins sure does seem better than 3-6. I think there were a few key plays that were pretty costly:
Cribbs taking it down to about the 5 yard line on a catch and run. We had it first and goal and should've been able to punch in for 6 rather than kicking for 3. Plus Cribbs got hurt and that limited us offensively for the rest of the game.
Chansy Stuckey's fumble. Yes he lucked out and they ended up missing the field goal on that, but it stole a shot at a field goal from us to win it.
Hayden's hail mary pick. That single play may have cost us the game. If Hayden bats it down, we force a punt and have a chance to at least start at the 20 or get a big return. Instead he makes a great play on the ball and comes down with it at the 4, pinning us deep in our end of the field. I'm not blaming Hayden. He made the right play...ending New York's chance to score, it just ended up being costly.
With Baltimore and Pittsburgh both losing, it would have been a huge win in gaining ground in the division.
Now we play Jacksonville (winnable), Carolina (winnable), Miami (winnable), Buffalo (winnable) and Cincinnati (winnable). If we could rally off 5 winnable games, we'll be sitting at 8-6 and have Pittsburgh and Baltimore to end the year. (Perhaps I'm a bit drunk on optimism haha.
But for the record.
Browns > Saints > Steelers
Browns > Patriots > Steelers
ergo, Browns are two times better than the Steelers.
4-5 with 3 straight wins sure does seem better than 3-6. I think there were a few key plays that were pretty costly:
Cribbs taking it down to about the 5 yard line on a catch and run. We had it first and goal and should've been able to punch in for 6 rather than kicking for 3. Plus Cribbs got hurt and that limited us offensively for the rest of the game.
Chansy Stuckey's fumble. Yes he lucked out and they ended up missing the field goal on that, but it stole a shot at a field goal from us to win it.
Hayden's hail mary pick. That single play may have cost us the game. If Hayden bats it down, we force a punt and have a chance to at least start at the 20 or get a big return. Instead he makes a great play on the ball and comes down with it at the 4, pinning us deep in our end of the field. I'm not blaming Hayden. He made the right play...ending New York's chance to score, it just ended up being costly.
With Baltimore and Pittsburgh both losing, it would have been a huge win in gaining ground in the division.
Now we play Jacksonville (winnable), Carolina (winnable), Miami (winnable), Buffalo (winnable) and Cincinnati (winnable). If we could rally off 5 winnable games, we'll be sitting at 8-6 and have Pittsburgh and Baltimore to end the year. (Perhaps I'm a bit drunk on optimism haha.
But for the record.
Browns > Saints > Steelers
Browns > Patriots > Steelers
ergo, Browns are two times better than the Steelers.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
"If you have $4 and you spend $7...that's dumb"
Yes, debt is dumb...but our aim in communicating this must be grounded theologically and biblically.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Reprogramming your systems and your life Part Two
So you learned about my TV remote problem here.
But the story isn't finished. The remote was fixed and everything worked. I could channel up...channel down...get the little tv guide to come up. But then I tried to turn it off after the Browns game. It wouldn't work.
At about the same time Shaina and I's garage door openers stopped working. We changed the batteries...still nothing.
So every day if we want to watch tv, we get up press the power button and then go sit down. We finish watching tv, we get up press the power button and leave.
Every time we pull out of the garage, we get out of the car press the garage door button inside the garage and then go back to the car. Every time we pull in, we get out of the car, open the door and press the button and then pull into the garage.
I know it seems silly to mention these minor inconveniences, but when we let our lives and our systems get out of whack like this, it is much more costly.
You need to quit doing routines that are life draining rather than life giving. Some of the things you do in your personal life and in your job are not working.
Sometimes you need the drastic change (get a battery out and do something very different. However, minor tweaks are sometimes what make systems run more smoothly.
But the story isn't finished. The remote was fixed and everything worked. I could channel up...channel down...get the little tv guide to come up. But then I tried to turn it off after the Browns game. It wouldn't work.
At about the same time Shaina and I's garage door openers stopped working. We changed the batteries...still nothing.
So every day if we want to watch tv, we get up press the power button and then go sit down. We finish watching tv, we get up press the power button and leave.
Every time we pull out of the garage, we get out of the car press the garage door button inside the garage and then go back to the car. Every time we pull in, we get out of the car, open the door and press the button and then pull into the garage.
I know it seems silly to mention these minor inconveniences, but when we let our lives and our systems get out of whack like this, it is much more costly.
You need to quit doing routines that are life draining rather than life giving. Some of the things you do in your personal life and in your job are not working.
Sometimes you need the drastic change (get a battery out and do something very different. However, minor tweaks are sometimes what make systems run more smoothly.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I can't believe I forgot about this
I love how somehow basketball and ninja warriors mix in this video to make one of the best songs into one of the best music videos.
Just got done playing 2 and a half hours of bball. After a brain zapping day of problem solving, nothing beats it.
Reprogramming your systems and your life Part One
Its been about 4 weeks since my tv remote fell down into the couch during a browns game. I was going in and out of consciousness and didn't notice. Apparently the remote, when buttons are pushed it for a long period of time goes into a protection mode where it shuts down. I got the manual out to try to figure out what to do and no matter what I did, I could not revive the dumb thing.
I called the cable company who supplies the remotes and the slick tech guy knew my consternation within seconds. "Alright bud, here's what ya gotta do. Take one batter out, hold down these two buttons, wait for a light, press this button and if this happens press this button...but if that happens then press this button."
I did everything he told me...and voila a working remote!
I'm pretty sure that if I had 5 years of trial and error problem solving to try to revive that remote on my own, I would never have figured it out...Take out one batter? seriously?
Here's the point...some of us spend way too much time stuck in a system or a lifestyle that isn't turning anything on...its powerless. And the longer you wallow in the broken system, the more frustrated, angry and hopeless you will get (Shaina would not have been too drawn to me during my 'remote control rant'.
So if you call for help (prayer), He will give you the solution (revelation) and you can get out of the brokeness. The problem is, that He may be telling you to do something wild with your organization's systems or your life. And you have to decide whether you're willing to go outside the box to get outside the mess. He may want you to take a battery out and push some random buttons...and the major issue will be do you trust the instruction giver or not?
I called the cable company who supplies the remotes and the slick tech guy knew my consternation within seconds. "Alright bud, here's what ya gotta do. Take one batter out, hold down these two buttons, wait for a light, press this button and if this happens press this button...but if that happens then press this button."
I did everything he told me...and voila a working remote!
I'm pretty sure that if I had 5 years of trial and error problem solving to try to revive that remote on my own, I would never have figured it out...Take out one batter? seriously?
Here's the point...some of us spend way too much time stuck in a system or a lifestyle that isn't turning anything on...its powerless. And the longer you wallow in the broken system, the more frustrated, angry and hopeless you will get (Shaina would not have been too drawn to me during my 'remote control rant'.
So if you call for help (prayer), He will give you the solution (revelation) and you can get out of the brokeness. The problem is, that He may be telling you to do something wild with your organization's systems or your life. And you have to decide whether you're willing to go outside the box to get outside the mess. He may want you to take a battery out and push some random buttons...and the major issue will be do you trust the instruction giver or not?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Leadership Dilemma
Parable of the Sower...Matthew 13:1-23.
I have lived in tension in trying to know how best to use my time as a leader. Biblical leaders need to make kingdom investments. They need to strategically orient their day so that God can leverage them for His impact.
So then I read about the parable of the sower. And He, (God) sows seeds in all types of soil. The Word of God is thrown into thorns, paths, rocks and good soil.
So, if I model that, then leadership ought to mean that I am investing in all types of soil rather than looking for the biggest yield or return on investment. I don't know how to balance this tension. According to the parable, I should spend time pouring myself and my leadership into people who don't give the slightest rip about their faith and are content with mediocrity as well as invest in people who will actually receive the love and teaching and be unleashed to further the cause of Christ into the world.
Honestly, my issue is with the Sower...Why would you throw seeds on the rocks? Why would you throw seeds on the path? Why would you throw seeds in the thicket? I'm no farmer but it seems like theres a pretty good strategy in investing your seeds where they will actually yield return.
But then I keep reading in Matthew 13...and it goes from the parable of the sower to the parable of the wheats and the tares...and how the two grow together...because quite frankly they are identical until they flower! We can't separate the wheats and the tares because the two are indistinguishable for the majority of their growth. So if some of the people who seem to be 'out' are really 'in' and those who appear to be 'in' are really 'out'...then you better bet that it is a wise investment to sow in unlikely places. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!
If God wasn't an irrational sower, I would have never been wrecked by the love, hope and forgiveness of the cross. I was the thorn infested soil, with a hardened heart and a selfish soul.
And he risked the seed on my behalf...And he did the same for you too...Repent and Believe the good news of Jesus Christ and his empty grave!
I have lived in tension in trying to know how best to use my time as a leader. Biblical leaders need to make kingdom investments. They need to strategically orient their day so that God can leverage them for His impact.
So then I read about the parable of the sower. And He, (God) sows seeds in all types of soil. The Word of God is thrown into thorns, paths, rocks and good soil.
So, if I model that, then leadership ought to mean that I am investing in all types of soil rather than looking for the biggest yield or return on investment. I don't know how to balance this tension. According to the parable, I should spend time pouring myself and my leadership into people who don't give the slightest rip about their faith and are content with mediocrity as well as invest in people who will actually receive the love and teaching and be unleashed to further the cause of Christ into the world.
Honestly, my issue is with the Sower...Why would you throw seeds on the rocks? Why would you throw seeds on the path? Why would you throw seeds in the thicket? I'm no farmer but it seems like theres a pretty good strategy in investing your seeds where they will actually yield return.
But then I keep reading in Matthew 13...and it goes from the parable of the sower to the parable of the wheats and the tares...and how the two grow together...because quite frankly they are identical until they flower! We can't separate the wheats and the tares because the two are indistinguishable for the majority of their growth. So if some of the people who seem to be 'out' are really 'in' and those who appear to be 'in' are really 'out'...then you better bet that it is a wise investment to sow in unlikely places. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!
If God wasn't an irrational sower, I would have never been wrecked by the love, hope and forgiveness of the cross. I was the thorn infested soil, with a hardened heart and a selfish soul.
And he risked the seed on my behalf...And he did the same for you too...Repent and Believe the good news of Jesus Christ and his empty grave!
Dr. Hawk and the OT
On Saturday we hosted Dr. Dan Hawk for a leadership seminar on the Old Testament. He had the lovely challenge of unpacking a foundation for the Hebrew Scriptures in about an hour and a half. He did fantastic. Here are just a couple of nuggets that I took away from the talk.
God's ultimate goal since the fall in Genesis 3 (and the continued rebellion since) is restoration...Shalom is the ultimate end and shalom is almost untranslatable into an English context. Dr. Hawk's attempt at defining it: "Everything as it was created to be."
The Western Christian tradition ends the Hebrew Bible with Malachi...who leaves the tension of one named messiah that is yet to come. The Jewish scriptures ends with 2 Chronicles with the goal to evoke remembrance from the Israelites that their God is bringing them out of Babylon and into the Promised Land.
We understand Jesus as fully Divine and fully human. We would do well to understand the Bible in the same way. It is fully Divine in that it is God inspired. It is fully human in that humans wrote the text with their own aims toward a specific audience.
The Hebrew Bible is not first and foremost about LAW...but about RELATIONSHIP. The Law was given to enhance relationship.
Man was not given dominion over creation...that's poorly translated...Humanity was given management and stewardship over creation.
It was a rich day. And I love the Bible. If you are looking to start an in depth study of the OT, join us in January for our lifeWorth Groups as we begin a study of Genesis!
God's ultimate goal since the fall in Genesis 3 (and the continued rebellion since) is restoration...Shalom is the ultimate end and shalom is almost untranslatable into an English context. Dr. Hawk's attempt at defining it: "Everything as it was created to be."
The Western Christian tradition ends the Hebrew Bible with Malachi...who leaves the tension of one named messiah that is yet to come. The Jewish scriptures ends with 2 Chronicles with the goal to evoke remembrance from the Israelites that their God is bringing them out of Babylon and into the Promised Land.
We understand Jesus as fully Divine and fully human. We would do well to understand the Bible in the same way. It is fully Divine in that it is God inspired. It is fully human in that humans wrote the text with their own aims toward a specific audience.
The Hebrew Bible is not first and foremost about LAW...but about RELATIONSHIP. The Law was given to enhance relationship.
Man was not given dominion over creation...that's poorly translated...Humanity was given management and stewardship over creation.
It was a rich day. And I love the Bible. If you are looking to start an in depth study of the OT, join us in January for our lifeWorth Groups as we begin a study of Genesis!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
some quotables
Some good quotes over the past few months...
If business as usual is running your organization into the ground, then why do you keep doing it? (Reggie Joiner)
Found people find people. (Perry Noble)
If you hate the Church, you hate God's wife and yourself (Eric Mason)
If business as usual is running your organization into the ground, then why do you keep doing it? (Reggie Joiner)
Found people find people. (Perry Noble)
If you hate the Church, you hate God's wife and yourself (Eric Mason)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Fellow Americans...
Here is how this political season and most others like it goes...
*I tell you that I am for jobs and for less taxes. I show you the guy I'm running against is the spawn of Satan and that when he says he is for jobs and less taxes, he is a liar. Then I tell you some fabricated half truth...or quarter truth...to demonstrate why this other person is the Spawn of Satan and then I tell you I approve of the message.
*If I am running for a seat in the house or the senate, the costs I will incrue are well over $675,000 for the house and $3,765,000 for the senate. And then when you elect me, I realize that its not as cut and dry as I'd anticipated and coming in to create jobs and cut taxes isn't as easy as we'd thought. So instead of creating jobs we create taxes and instead of cutting taxes we cut jobs and then I tell you in 4 years that my opponent is the brother or sister of that spawn of Satan I beat 4 years ago.
HERE'S AN IDEA...IF YOU'RE CLAIMING TO BE FOR JOBS...TAKE THE 3.75 MILLION DOLLARS YOU WANT TO SPEND TO TELL US ABOUT SATAN'S OFFSPRING, AND USE IT TO PROVE YOU REALLY ARE FOR JOBS!! START A BUSINESS OR A MOVEMENT THAT PROVIDES JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR KEEP A LARGE FACTORY UP AND RUNNING TO KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED. SHOW ME YOU ACTUALLY DISLIKE UNEMPLOYMENT!
Praise God we are to the last day of this politicking mumbo jumbo. The whole political process needs to be rethought.
My name is Ben Thompson and I approve of this message.
*I tell you that I am for jobs and for less taxes. I show you the guy I'm running against is the spawn of Satan and that when he says he is for jobs and less taxes, he is a liar. Then I tell you some fabricated half truth...or quarter truth...to demonstrate why this other person is the Spawn of Satan and then I tell you I approve of the message.
*If I am running for a seat in the house or the senate, the costs I will incrue are well over $675,000 for the house and $3,765,000 for the senate. And then when you elect me, I realize that its not as cut and dry as I'd anticipated and coming in to create jobs and cut taxes isn't as easy as we'd thought. So instead of creating jobs we create taxes and instead of cutting taxes we cut jobs and then I tell you in 4 years that my opponent is the brother or sister of that spawn of Satan I beat 4 years ago.
HERE'S AN IDEA...IF YOU'RE CLAIMING TO BE FOR JOBS...TAKE THE 3.75 MILLION DOLLARS YOU WANT TO SPEND TO TELL US ABOUT SATAN'S OFFSPRING, AND USE IT TO PROVE YOU REALLY ARE FOR JOBS!! START A BUSINESS OR A MOVEMENT THAT PROVIDES JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR KEEP A LARGE FACTORY UP AND RUNNING TO KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED. SHOW ME YOU ACTUALLY DISLIKE UNEMPLOYMENT!
Praise God we are to the last day of this politicking mumbo jumbo. The whole political process needs to be rethought.
My name is Ben Thompson and I approve of this message.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Danger of Assumptions
You know the adage about people who assume right? I won't spell it out for you.
But here is the deal...we have assumptions that we operate by every day that greatly shape our role and perspective.
For instance...in our churches we have a good deal of assumptions about the head pastor. Some assume that he or she is going to be at their bedside when there is illness or surgery.
Some assume that if there is a wedding or a funeral that needs done, the pastor will make it happen.
Some assume that the pastor ought bring a message that inspires and informs them so that they can be better Christians.
Some assume that the pastor does nothing significant other than attend a few meetings and talk for 25 minutes on Sunday.
Some assume that if the pastor misses a meeting or a promise or a phone call or a visit, that they don't truly care.
Some assume that the pastor has it together spiritually...in the Word daily and praying consistently.
OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE FREQUENTLY THE PRIMARY BLOCKADE TO AUTHENTICITY. I used the pastor as an example because its an easy one that people have unending assumptions and expectations on how he or she should act.
But the truth is that every relationship you have is strained, sabotaged and fractured because of your assumptions.
If you assume great things from those around you, often you are disappointed and feel a gap in trust develop.
If you assume the worst about people, a culture of negativity seeps in that has a way of festering and many times you block off authentic connection with people because of your own distrust.
The challenge is to move from assuming to believing...If I believe in someone...then I tend to root for them...they don't pull through like I want...that's ok...because I'm still in their corner...they do things that I don't support, that's ok, because I am still hopeful that God will work in them.
So...in application...if you are in leadership in a company or a church and there is a continual culture of assumptions amidst the leadership, this is where derailment happens. You frustrated with an organization, a family, a church situation? Start infusing hopeful belief and optimism where negativity, assumptions and entitlement are permeating and watch what happens.
But here is the deal...we have assumptions that we operate by every day that greatly shape our role and perspective.
For instance...in our churches we have a good deal of assumptions about the head pastor. Some assume that he or she is going to be at their bedside when there is illness or surgery.
Some assume that if there is a wedding or a funeral that needs done, the pastor will make it happen.
Some assume that the pastor ought bring a message that inspires and informs them so that they can be better Christians.
Some assume that the pastor does nothing significant other than attend a few meetings and talk for 25 minutes on Sunday.
Some assume that if the pastor misses a meeting or a promise or a phone call or a visit, that they don't truly care.
Some assume that the pastor has it together spiritually...in the Word daily and praying consistently.
OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE FREQUENTLY THE PRIMARY BLOCKADE TO AUTHENTICITY. I used the pastor as an example because its an easy one that people have unending assumptions and expectations on how he or she should act.
But the truth is that every relationship you have is strained, sabotaged and fractured because of your assumptions.
If you assume great things from those around you, often you are disappointed and feel a gap in trust develop.
If you assume the worst about people, a culture of negativity seeps in that has a way of festering and many times you block off authentic connection with people because of your own distrust.
The challenge is to move from assuming to believing...If I believe in someone...then I tend to root for them...they don't pull through like I want...that's ok...because I'm still in their corner...they do things that I don't support, that's ok, because I am still hopeful that God will work in them.
So...in application...if you are in leadership in a company or a church and there is a continual culture of assumptions amidst the leadership, this is where derailment happens. You frustrated with an organization, a family, a church situation? Start infusing hopeful belief and optimism where negativity, assumptions and entitlement are permeating and watch what happens.
Church and Medical Emergencies
I was in worship at our contemporary service yesterday and a 93 year old lady became ill. She was sitting in the row behind me. She was nonresponsive. Here's my advice in these types of circumstances.
1. Stop the service. The pastor was in the middle of his sermon, but guess what, if you've got people tending to a medical emergency in the middle of your service, chances are you're not going to retain the attention of the people in the service...they will be watching the emergency.
2. Drop to your knees and Pray. We just started a series on God being enough...even in the midst of our nightmares. So while medical attention is wise and can be the way God answers prayers, that doesn't mean we should not call upon the Lord. Our pastor did a great job of being attentive to prayerfulness in these moments.
3. Once that person has been tended to, continue to roll with the service. It may move us toward different directions which we have to be able to discern, but even though people will have divided attention, God's Word needs proclaimed all the more.
STOP. DROP. AND ROLL.
I have seen two medical emergencies in worship services. The one from yesterday just happened to have a retired nurse sitting next to the woman and an EMT across the aisle...God provides and within 5 minutes the ambulance was here and she had regained consciousness.
The second instance was at a church near Jackson. They were doing a sermon series on the Chronicles of Narnia and the Sunday Shaina and I visited, the theme was on Turkish Delight...a candy made famous by the book/movie. On our way into the service, each person received a bag of turkish delight. During the message, there was a medical emergency and a nurse, who was still in her scrubs and had come to church straight from a shift ran to the man's aid and discovered that he was in diabetic shock. She shouted out, "does anyone have any sugar?" And lo and behold, we had a few hundred bags of Turkish Delight to offer her and the man was able to walk out of the sanctuary to be further attended to. Coincidence?
1. Stop the service. The pastor was in the middle of his sermon, but guess what, if you've got people tending to a medical emergency in the middle of your service, chances are you're not going to retain the attention of the people in the service...they will be watching the emergency.
2. Drop to your knees and Pray. We just started a series on God being enough...even in the midst of our nightmares. So while medical attention is wise and can be the way God answers prayers, that doesn't mean we should not call upon the Lord. Our pastor did a great job of being attentive to prayerfulness in these moments.
3. Once that person has been tended to, continue to roll with the service. It may move us toward different directions which we have to be able to discern, but even though people will have divided attention, God's Word needs proclaimed all the more.
STOP. DROP. AND ROLL.
I have seen two medical emergencies in worship services. The one from yesterday just happened to have a retired nurse sitting next to the woman and an EMT across the aisle...God provides and within 5 minutes the ambulance was here and she had regained consciousness.
The second instance was at a church near Jackson. They were doing a sermon series on the Chronicles of Narnia and the Sunday Shaina and I visited, the theme was on Turkish Delight...a candy made famous by the book/movie. On our way into the service, each person received a bag of turkish delight. During the message, there was a medical emergency and a nurse, who was still in her scrubs and had come to church straight from a shift ran to the man's aid and discovered that he was in diabetic shock. She shouted out, "does anyone have any sugar?" And lo and behold, we had a few hundred bags of Turkish Delight to offer her and the man was able to walk out of the sanctuary to be further attended to. Coincidence?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)