Okay, okay, I know that my last blog was a complaining rag of discontent...and I am sorry...well sort of sorry. I mean, while there was some anger that caused me to write it because of what a friend is going through at the church where he serves, I probably was too negative...so I am sorry.
Today is a day to rest the mind and soul. I am reading this morning, blogging (obviously), and then getting together with another pastor in town and playing golf. I need days like today sometimes, don't you? I need to relax and let loose a little. Nothing sinful or decadent, just relaxing and not about work. It helps refresh me.
What do you do to get refreshed? I'd like to hear from you.
Well, it's short but that is all I am going to write today.
Take care,
Rod
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Leadership and the church
Over the years serving as Pastor and other times as Elder in a congregation I have seen all sorts of different kinds of leadership. I have seen Elders who have prayed before every decision, humbling themselves earnestly and truly seeking the will of God. Maybe I am a little skeptical, but unfortunately in my experience that is not the normal.
I have served in churches where the men didn't pray, pettiness took top priority, and ministry suffered because of men who had no business being a shepherd in a church. Elder was only a title for some to throw their weight around, criticize, and operate in the flesh. With this kind of leadership, churches suffer, communities suffer, and good men, called to be pastors, are left discouraged and wounded.
Serving the church is hard work, a life's calling and totally worth it. But often, not in this lifetime. A Pastor or Elder has to serve with eternity in mind. Knowing that his calling will have to be answered for someday. When men put their own agenda first, allow pettiness to be a priority, and only serve in fear, God is not served...rather I believe He is disappointed and perhaps even angry. We are supposed to be different than the world. Unity and self sacrifice is the behavior that pleases God. It's a shame that men, who call themselves Christ-follower's and should be living at a higher standard, serve out of the flesh. It makes me want to throw up. I can only imagine what it makes God want to do.
That's my rant for the day...thanks.
Take care,
Rod
I have served in churches where the men didn't pray, pettiness took top priority, and ministry suffered because of men who had no business being a shepherd in a church. Elder was only a title for some to throw their weight around, criticize, and operate in the flesh. With this kind of leadership, churches suffer, communities suffer, and good men, called to be pastors, are left discouraged and wounded.
Serving the church is hard work, a life's calling and totally worth it. But often, not in this lifetime. A Pastor or Elder has to serve with eternity in mind. Knowing that his calling will have to be answered for someday. When men put their own agenda first, allow pettiness to be a priority, and only serve in fear, God is not served...rather I believe He is disappointed and perhaps even angry. We are supposed to be different than the world. Unity and self sacrifice is the behavior that pleases God. It's a shame that men, who call themselves Christ-follower's and should be living at a higher standard, serve out of the flesh. It makes me want to throw up. I can only imagine what it makes God want to do.
That's my rant for the day...thanks.
Take care,
Rod
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Are you ever really sure?
I am a Minnesota Viking football fan (nothing to be too proud of I know). I am following the Brett Favre fiasco and I DO NOT want him on my team, he's a Packer and he always will be. However, he is trying to decide whether he "has it or not" to make it through the whole season. My first thought is that I wonder if you can really "know". I wonder if you can have the kind of confidence it takes to be completely sure you can do it.
I guess that came into my mind because I have those thoughts about all of this church planting stuff. Most mornings when I get up i have the same question. Can I do this? Earlier this week when I was talking with my friend, Todd, he reminded me that I shouldn't take too much of the blame when things go wrong because I might be tempted to take too much of the credit when things go right.
The thing is this, God makes things grow, not me, not you, not anyone besides God. Journey is in God's hand...right? What is there in your life that needs to be put in God's hands?
Take care,
Rod
I guess that came into my mind because I have those thoughts about all of this church planting stuff. Most mornings when I get up i have the same question. Can I do this? Earlier this week when I was talking with my friend, Todd, he reminded me that I shouldn't take too much of the blame when things go wrong because I might be tempted to take too much of the credit when things go right.
The thing is this, God makes things grow, not me, not you, not anyone besides God. Journey is in God's hand...right? What is there in your life that needs to be put in God's hands?
Take care,
Rod
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Now that they are buried...
Over the last few weeks we have seen some famous people pass away. David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Steve McNair and Billy Mays to name the most famous.
I have memories of many of them. Kung Fu, the poster my friends had that my parents never let me own, Thriller, Heeeeere's Johnny, the 2000 Super Bowl, and Oxy Clean. Sadly there are also some other memories, drug abuse, allegations, infidelity and other things that clouded up their lives. These past few weeks I have heard people want to make these people into saints, completely glossing over their flaws and failures and I have hear people wanting to villify them completely ignoring any good they might have offered in their life. Truthfully, much of what was reported and written was...well, sad.
But to me the saddest comment I heard was from a family member spoken to Michael Jackson. His parting comment was "May Allah bless you Michael." Got to tell you, when I heard that a shiver went up my spine. Whenever someone famous passes away my first question is "I wonder if they knew Christ as their Savior". Sometimes that gets answered at the funeral.
My point is that I don't always allow the mistakes and failures of their lives to be their judgment of whether or not they are in heaven because it ALWAYS comes down to Jesus. Not Allah, not the way they helped the poor or the needy, not the foundations they started, not even whether they are black or white...just Jesus.
Take care,
Rod
I have memories of many of them. Kung Fu, the poster my friends had that my parents never let me own, Thriller, Heeeeere's Johnny, the 2000 Super Bowl, and Oxy Clean. Sadly there are also some other memories, drug abuse, allegations, infidelity and other things that clouded up their lives. These past few weeks I have heard people want to make these people into saints, completely glossing over their flaws and failures and I have hear people wanting to villify them completely ignoring any good they might have offered in their life. Truthfully, much of what was reported and written was...well, sad.
But to me the saddest comment I heard was from a family member spoken to Michael Jackson. His parting comment was "May Allah bless you Michael." Got to tell you, when I heard that a shiver went up my spine. Whenever someone famous passes away my first question is "I wonder if they knew Christ as their Savior". Sometimes that gets answered at the funeral.
My point is that I don't always allow the mistakes and failures of their lives to be their judgment of whether or not they are in heaven because it ALWAYS comes down to Jesus. Not Allah, not the way they helped the poor or the needy, not the foundations they started, not even whether they are black or white...just Jesus.
Take care,
Rod
Monday, July 6, 2009
Plan B's
This past weekend we had 2 booths at the local July 4th celebration. One of the booths was a Baby Changing Station. It was a big success. Moms really appreciated the rockers, fans, baby changing table, and extra diapers and wipes. Not to mention that they didn't have to walk all the way back to the car and change the baby there. Great idea that came from my friends at Stadia.
The other booth was to be a cool down tent with free water, fans, and chairs to rest from the heat and all day walking. The tent was a big success except that we never received our 5000 bottles of water that had our logo on the label. So Friday night and Saturday morning we were running to Wally world and buying small bottles of water, misters to spray at people to cool them down, and squirt guns to shoot at the kids. We had a bowl of those Dum Dum suckers and
81/2 x 11 name tags for the kids. It was a last second change and it proved to be a great way to meet people and we received a number of compliments on both of our booths.
Now I got to say that Friday night I fought my desire to really get angry and fire off some nasty e-mails to the vendor I used for the water. I wanted to scream into the voicemail at their company because it was July 3rd and no-one was there. I read the email confirmation I got during the early part of the week that we will receive our water by Friday, no later, over and over again. I was pretty stinkin' angry. But I prayed and prayed about the day and asked God to bless it even though my great idea wasn't going to happen.(sarcasm). And guess what...it was a GREAT day!!! Friends helped out, my family was awesome, and the day was just a fantastic time of getting the name of Journey Community out there. When I told my coach, via text, about the water not showing up his response was, "welcome to church planting". (he planted his church 3 years ago).
I found out...church planting is full of Plan B's.
Take care,
Rod
The other booth was to be a cool down tent with free water, fans, and chairs to rest from the heat and all day walking. The tent was a big success except that we never received our 5000 bottles of water that had our logo on the label. So Friday night and Saturday morning we were running to Wally world and buying small bottles of water, misters to spray at people to cool them down, and squirt guns to shoot at the kids. We had a bowl of those Dum Dum suckers and
81/2 x 11 name tags for the kids. It was a last second change and it proved to be a great way to meet people and we received a number of compliments on both of our booths.
Now I got to say that Friday night I fought my desire to really get angry and fire off some nasty e-mails to the vendor I used for the water. I wanted to scream into the voicemail at their company because it was July 3rd and no-one was there. I read the email confirmation I got during the early part of the week that we will receive our water by Friday, no later, over and over again. I was pretty stinkin' angry. But I prayed and prayed about the day and asked God to bless it even though my great idea wasn't going to happen.(sarcasm). And guess what...it was a GREAT day!!! Friends helped out, my family was awesome, and the day was just a fantastic time of getting the name of Journey Community out there. When I told my coach, via text, about the water not showing up his response was, "welcome to church planting". (he planted his church 3 years ago).
I found out...church planting is full of Plan B's.
Take care,
Rod
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