May 2013
1 post
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Social Media Church Policy and Legal Issues
Churches need to use social media to connect with the congregation and the community.
This is a summary of a talk I’ve given a few times as part of the High Street presentation on Social Media and the Church.
Having a social media policy is important, and as with any policy it’s best you keep it short. When you create a policy, follow it, or don’t have one. It must be...
April 2013
3 posts
5 tags
It Matters Whom You Marry →
My husband and I were once with a youth group. There were three kids sitting across from us at a meal: two guys and a girl. The one guy was a computer geek with glasses. The other one was a college…
Fame and Pride
Genesis 11:4
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
“Let us make a name for ourselves.”
This is one of the statements made by the Babylonians that caused God to scatter them across the earth with new languages.
This...
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Philosophy of Parenting
These are notes from a recent marriage workshop I taught at High Street.
Model Christlike Living
From this flows all the others.
You’ve heard of “Do as I say, not as I do”?
Reality - most of the time, children will imitate what they see. You curse, they’ll curse. You drink, they’ll drink. You smoke, they’ll smoke. You talk mean to your wife, their mother, so will they. You disrespect your...
February 2013
1 post
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Marriage Workshop Week 3
FRIENDS
Fruitful - Proverbs 24:5-6
Reciprocal - it takes two to be friends;
1 friendly + 1 not = selfish and sad
unfriendly + unfriendly = conflict & cold
Intimate - which describes you?
back to back
shoulder to shoulder
face to face
Enjoyable - life can be difficult, short and full of trouble (Job 14:1) Live joyfully with your wife! (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9)
Needed
God said I will make a...
December 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Negative Splits, Ministry & Finishing Well
Negative splits is a running term. For those not “in the know” about such things, it basically describes what happens when someone runs the second half of a race faster than the first half. This means their time is better per mile/kilometer (or split).
What does that have to do with ministry?
The Apostle Paul gives his perspective on life and finishing well in Acts 20:24 “But I...
5 tags
Teaching Children Religious Beliefs
I recently read a Huffington Post article about how we are “cramming religion down children’s throats.”
There are many issues with such a statement and thought. We must teach our children something. No one grows up in a vacuum. If parents are not to decide what to teach their children, then who should? Government? Politicians! My neighbors? What makes you more qualified than me to teach and...
3 tags
USPS Gets a Bad Rap
The US Postal Service stands to have $8-10 billion in net losses this year. While they are not government funded, they do report to Congress. In effect, they are expected to break even, but cannot be run the “business” they way they see fit. This limits their ability to operate effectively.
Congress currently is opposed to delivery day changes, like removing Saturday or Tuesday...
November 2011
2 posts
Book Review
The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene H. Peterson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Every summer while on vacation, I find a book “by accident.” In 2011, this was the book. I had read other material by Peterson and liked it, but reading his memoirs makes his other works come more alive. Some have complained that there is some repetition, but I think that is bound to happen when you write as much as...
12 Hours and $80 to Go.
In 12 hours I will run a half marathon. This is my first run of that distance in a race. My previous is 10K. For those not “in the know” about racing, a 10K is about 6.24 miles and a half marathon is 13.1 miles.
The run is at Bass Pro and I am running for OneSolePurpose. My goal is to raise $250 dollars to help fund kids in Springfield who need shoes. So far, I’ve raised $170. I...
July 2011
2 posts
Good Article on "Why I am a Pastor" →
by John MacArthur. The last one doesn’t fit me (or most people) but this is a great list for pastors to read.
Cool New Shoes coming from New Balance! →
Click the link for English text and then watch the video (it’s in English). Very cool.
June 2011
1 post
1 tag
WatchI was a Stranger. Taken from Matthew 25:34-40.
March 2011
2 posts
4 tags
Why did God choose Israel (or the Jews)?
Many in my Sunday class yesterday were asking why the Jews are so special, why is Israel so special?
There are many reasons from a Biblical perspective. This morning, as I was reading my Bible, I came across this verse: For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other...
5 tags
Today
Today, my parents left to return home after a week-long visit. As I sit here this rainy Saturday morning, it strikes me that time marches on, always. Every day that has passed is gone.
Years ago, my parents had visits like this from their parents. Today, my father’s parents are “no longer with us,” one of the ways polite society indicates a person has died. I know this hurts him,...
February 2011
4 posts
Why runners usually make great employees. & The... →
2 tags
9 Reasons the Resurrection of Jesus is Real
shared by @Quackendall (Chris Kuykendall); from “Vintage Jesus” by Mark Driscoll.
1. Jesus’ Resurrection was prophesied in advance by 700 years.
2. Jesus predicted his resurrection.
3. Jesus actually died on the cross.
4. Jesus was buried in a tomb that was easy to find.
5. Jesus appeared, physically alive, three days after his death.
6. Jesus’ resurrection was recorded...
3 tags
Device Wishlist from 2003
While cleaning my files, I ran across this wishlist. It described what I was looking for in one device. The iPhone fulfills all of this, except battery life and the obvious OS requirement; I think iOS is better. Not too shabby.
telephone
two-way text pager
music storage/player
file storage
color screen
fits in pocket
voice recording
802.11g/bluetooth and wireless capable
USB/Firewire...
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Is Running a Religion? →
January 2011
4 posts
1 tag
Rules of Running →
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Budget Cuts and God's Perfect Timing
So, some of you have been wondering how the presentation to the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education went. Well, here’s my report!
On January 18, the day of the meeting, Dr. Norm Ridder, Superintendent of SPS held a press conference discussing the 1 million dollar budget cut he had to implement. Because of this announcement, the press was out in full force at the board meeting.
It...
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@HSBC_PowerPacks & @OneSolePurpose
Tomorrow night, I will present to the Springfield Public Schools Board what High Street does as a Partner in Education with Weller Elementary School.
It is my privilege to do this and hopefully more churches will be inspired to be a part of the community.
We are in our 5th year of providing food to kids who don’t get enough on the weekends. We currently provide 180 kids food twice a...
4 tags
“Olympic winners pay a price, but they figure it’s worth it. Do we?”
– Warren Wiersbe commenting on Philippians 3:12-14 (http://esv.to/Pp3.12-14) in On Being a Servant of God. You need your own copy of this book!
December 2010
3 posts
5 tags
Why you should give Anonymously
Sometimes there are discussion in a church about doing something to help those in the community and being sure to call the press so they know about it.
The idea is this - we want to do good and help others so the community knows we love them and care about them. Some might even argue their case from this passage in Matthew (5:16): In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that...
4 tags
Aspirations
I love this quote from Secondhand Lions. Sometimes we need to be reminded if what’s important. My favorite part is ‘loved only one woman with a passion a flea like you could never begin to understand.’ It inspires me to love my wife like that!
“I’m Hub McCann. I’ve fought in two world wars, and countless smaller ones on three continents. I’ve led...
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WatchThis video is amazing! North Point’s iBand with Christmas music shows how much you can do with these devices.
November 2010
1 post
2 tags
Bible Reading Plans →
October 2010
1 post
2 tags
Why am I a "lunch buddy"?
I was recently asked to be a lunch buddy at Weller Elementary. There are many kids who live in difficult home situations and need an adult to show interest in their lives. Spending 30 minutes a week eating lunch with one kid is a way you can make a difference in their world.
Why do I do this? Because it’s the best way to connect with a kid and his/her family. It’s also a great way to...
September 2010
3 posts
To Burn, or Not to Burn, that is the Question.
Media hype surrounds the burning of copies of the #Quran by a Florida pastor and his church. @BarackObama has responded on Twitter with “Burning a Quran is contrary to our values—this country was built on the notions of religious freedom and tolerance.”
As a student of history and strong believer in religious liberty, I am torn.
On the one hand, I believe that church has the right to...
6 tags
Addition & Subtraction, or Legalists & Liberals
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Proverbs 30:5-6 and Revelation 22:18-19
Some who read the Revelation passage would argue that this is talking about new extra-biblical revelation (over against those who believe the gift of knowledge is for today), or those who would use a translation they don’t consider acceptable. For clarification, I am not speaking of cult translations like the Jehovah’s Witness...
4 tags
Hawking Changes Mind on God
Creation came ‘from nothing,’ not God: Stephen Hawking http://usat.me?39958622
What is interesting about this article is that a physicist is speaking about something decidedly non-scientific. Science demands observation and reproducibility. Hawking ignores both aspects of science and simply declares “Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe...
August 2010
2 posts
2 tags
Community Impact
Rick Warren recently said “A biblical church must DO right, not just believe right.God’s story of his church is the Book of ACTS, not book of beliefs!”
High Street is seeking to do that through two ministries we have. Because of our relationship to Weller Elementary, we serve there frequently. Today, we launched a new effort: Dan and Gayla Wells have a burden to see all the...
Want to downgrade your iPhone OS? Here's how: →
May 2010
4 posts
3 tags
Are Christians Communists?
I was asked this question recently: Some have said if you follow Christ then you are a communist. Why would they say this?
People say all kinds of things about those who follow Christ. To put this in perspective, back in the early days of the church, Christians were accused of being atheists, having orgies at their gatherings and being cannibals.
The first accusation was made because they did...
5 tags
Are you hurting?
Has a disaster happened to you?
Read Psalm 57
4 tags
Excellence
Colossians 3:23 says we should do everything as if we are doing it for God. Recently I was contemplating other reasons we do our best. I came up with this:
Excellence is all about removing distractions so people can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If the only thing people notice is misspelled words, broken microphones, or dirty walls in church, they may miss the most important thing - hearing...
6 tags
The Long Tail and the Church
The Long Tail is a term used to describe the idea that there are more people who don’t buy into the majority position than those that do. This is used in varying areas ranging from sales & marketing to military threat assessment. While reading the Wiki article on The Long Tail, I thought to myself, “How does this apply to the church?”
One former Amazon employee put it this...
April 2010
2 posts
4 tags
Review: They Like Jesus But Not the Church
I’m writing this review mostly for myself, but figured I would publish it.
Review Material: They Like Jesus But Not the Church
Type: Small Group DVD Video material
Author: Dan Kimball
Format: DVD
Leader Guide: Yes (Sort of - seems like a copy of his book was included, not a true leader’s guide)
Participants Guide: Yes
Amazon Link:...
3 tags
Usury in our World Today
The Bible forbids usury, and we understand that to mean excess interest on a loan. That is true, but only a piece of the puzzle.
From a book I’m reading: “In pre-modern times men borrowed money only in emergencies; and the prohibitions were to prevent one man from lining his pockets with another man’s misery. What was forbidden was the cashing-in on the distress of a man who...
February 2010
17 posts
3 tags
“Education will never get you as far as motivation.”
4 tags
Running "The" Race
Last night I decided to enter a 5K race. For those who still only do “standard” measurements, that’s about 3 miles. Forget about the fact that I haven’t even walked regularly for at least 5 months. I’m doing this!
So, this morning, I got up and began what will be relatively intense training. I did Week 4, Day 1 of the Couch to 5K program. For the uninitiated, this is...
5 tags
Book Review: Seven Practices of Effective Ministry
Summary Seven Practices of Effective Ministry targets leaders serving in church ministry. Andy Stanley is named as an author, but the primary contributors are Lane Jones (pastor of Browns Bridge Community Church) and Reggie Joiner (founder and CEO of reThink Group and executive director of family ministries at North Point Community Church). The book is written in the form of a leadership fable,...
4 tags
Wasting Time on YouTube
Until today, I could never understand how people could waste time watching a bunch of videos on YouTube. Then I found these guys: Rhett & Link. Specifically, their video on a “fast food folk song” as they ordered a (large) meal at Taco Bell. After viewing that video, I found their YouTube channel and watched about a 1/2 dozen more. And I laughed. And laughed.
It was funny. My wife...
5 tags
New (to me) App for iPhone
Just downloaded two new apps.
Qik Video - $1.99 in the app store and gives me full video capabilities without having to upgrade my phone!
Qik Live - $0 (as in free), does require a login. Live sharing of videos via qik.com, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube and more. I just happen to have accounts on each of those sites. On the main site (qik.com), live video is streamed as the recording is...
1 tag
“A leader is one who influences a specific group of people to move in a God-given...”
– J. Robert Clinton
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“Church isn’t where you meet. Church isn’t a building. Church is...”
– Bridget Willard
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Accusations
My three-year old son just entered my office and declared, “Emma hit my head, just like this - bang, bang bang,” as he demonstrated with his hand what she did. She informed us (from the next room) that in reality, he was the one who had hit her (with his latest favorite utensil - a spatula, which he alternatively calls a spatula, statue and statula).
Why do I share this story?
...
3 tags
“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
– Golda Mier
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Do You have an Upper Room?
Lessons from the Last Supper as the disciples were prepared for Acts 2. Do you want to see Acts 2 happen in your ministry? Then you need an upper room where you learn to leave behind the baggage that will hinder your ministry. Here are six items you need to lose as a leader:
Self-centeredness (foot washing?)
Overconfidence (
Division (Lk. 22:24)
Insecurity
Hypocrisy (Judas)
Confusion
Which...
4 tags
Giving as taught in Proverbs 3:9-10
The principle of honoring God with all you own is taught very clearly in this proverb. As Americans we are the richest people in the world. How do you honor God with your wealth?
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.” (Prov. 3:9-10 NLT)
