Here is a little update from Andy Stanley on North Point Community Church’s Be Rich Campaign. They had a goal of $1 million that would go to four specific causes. The second part of the campaign besides simply raising a bunch of money was for their church to serve a ton of hours all over the world. Check it out and marvel at what happens when God’s people get together to do something only God can do through them. Wouldn’t it be amazing if these kinds of things would happen in YOUR community too? I think it could happen…if we took the Bible and the Holy Spirit seriously about what we are truly called to be as the Body of Christ.

Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

I am currently in a coaching network and feel like I am drinking out of a fire hydrant right now with all I am learning. One of the big ideas over the last month or  so is on stewardship and specifically the idea of a Christmas Offering. Many churches are in the process of gearing up for their annual Christmas Offering and North Point Community Church is no different. They have been doing their “Be Rich” campaign almost from the beginning of the church. It is based on the scripture out of 1 Timothy, where Paul tells us to “Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

I “went to church” on Sunday night after NEEWOLLAH online and watched the message as they kicked off this year’s “Be Rich” campaign. It is great to see the passion to reach people starting there in Atlanta, GA, where they are located and then that passion spreading all around the world. I really like the way they have settled on 4 main issues that they are going to focus on with the offering: Sickness, Hunger, Poverty, and Children At Risk.

We are gearing up for our new budget year and it is astounding what could happen if we would all do our part to share with others. Here is a great promo video for their campaign with a great song written by Eddie Kirkland as its theme.

Here is a slideshow of pictures from last night’s outreach party we had at church called NEEWOLLAH. I am so thankful for a great group of volunteers who love Jesus and love this community. You will get a chance to see some of the great people who make up this great community in the Glades.

BTW, the camera adds 40 pounds! Actually, I need to lay off the Southern food and sweet tea! Also, there are several of Taylor’s football teammates in the pictures wearing their red Bears jerseys. There is also a sighting of Keith Stone as well.  Enjoy!

Really excited to see the Extreme Makeover that is happening in Joplin, MO with SEVEN houses built in 7 days! The project manager is a friend and former classmate of mine, Sam Clifton. We went to the same church together and were in high school band together as well. He is also the mayor of Nixa, MO.

Sam has been building homes for many years now and this is actually his second build with Extreme Home Makeover. What a good guy and what a great cause! Here are some video interviews from the Springfield ABC affiliate KSPR. Can’t wait to see the episode when it comes out this year!

Ran across a couple of stories that are “close to home” for me. One in my former home of Joplin, MO and another in my current home of Belle Glade, FL. The first is a story of hope from ESPN’s Outside the Lines. It is truly amazing what has happened in Joplin since May 22nd and how the community has been so resilient in the face of adversity.

 

The second football related video is of a local standout named Kelvin Taylor from here in Belle Glade. Taylor’s father is former NFL running back Fred Taylor that spend the bulk of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kelvin is truly a chip off the old block and an amazing talent…and a great young man as well.

I tweeted on Saturday that I was listening to David Platt’s message at the 2011 Desiring God National Conference. The sermons are now up on the web now and are well worth your time to listen to/watch. Some of my favorite heroes of the faith are all there! Great stuff indeed!

Here is one of my favorites of all time right here!

If you know me very well, you know I have a bit of a man crush on Louie Giglio! Ha! I had my youth groups follow him all across the country for Student Life Camp every year. A huge part of my growing as a Christian has come under his teaching.

Video and Audio from the 2011 National Conference – Desiring God.

Ran across this yesterday and think it is a really cool concept! I love to watch these great stories of how someone was a blessing to another person. What I love about it is that they are seemingly small acts of kindness that make a lasting impact. I know that we have been the beneficiaries over the last several months of many people who simply gave to us no strings attached. I hope that we can do the same as we get our financial feet under us and be a blessing to those around us. I believe that generosity is the antidote to greed and I know that I want to be able to kill that greed my own life and teach our boys how to live a generous life.

On the same topic, I watched an amazing sermon last night from Andy Stanley and their series “Recovery Road.” Absolutely nailed it. He challenged every believer to use what we’ve been entitled, to bless and serve those around us.

He challenged every believer to use what we’ve been entitled, to bless and serve those around us.

Spot on…hit me like a ton of bricks. I am going to go back and watch the entire series (I don’t think yesterday’s message is up yet on their site) because it was such a powerful message at such a poignant time for America as well as here in Belle Glade. We talk a whole lot about entitlement up in here, but we don’t often talk about using that entitlement to serve and bless others with that entitlement!

All of these things (coincidentally, because God surely isn’t trying to speak to me about my greed;-)) dovetail nicely with what I am learning in my coaching network as well as several books on missional living that I’ve been reading. There is a pastor in Springfield, MO that always says that “we are blessed to be a blessing” AND that the Church is “in the blessing business.” I hope that I can apply these principles in my own life and the Kingdom will be positively impacted because of Christians getting out and blessing others around them!

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

(John 13:12-17 ESV)

About | I Like Giving.

This looks like an awesome documentary from John Piper that goes alongside his new book Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian. I really look forward to reading the book as well as watching the entire documentary when it is released. Here is the trailer. Praise Jesus for the Gospel!

Great article from Rick Warren! Not earth-shattering, but definitely things I needed to read this morning to be more organized and motivated for ministry!

1. Put your plans on paper.
2. Break big tasks into small steps.
3. Decide where you want to start.
4. Establish check points to track your progress.
5. Start on the task whether you feel like it or not.
6. Remind yourself of the benefits of completing the task.
7. Do a small part right now.
8. Be optimistic.
9. Establish an action environment.

I really gleaned a lot from number 7 and especially number 9 (if you’ve every seen my desk and office before!).

He talks about a “game” he plays to get started and do things he doesn’t want to do called the “Five Minute Game.”

Get started! Don’t stall. I play a game with myself all the time called The Five-Minute Game. When I have a big topic or task I need to do, I just say, “I don’t want to do this, but I’ll give it five minutes.” Once I get started, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.

I absolutely needed to hear number 9 and I am working diligently on that step as I get settled in (finally) to my new office here in Belle Glade! I hope to have a lot more progress in getting the “file cabinet” off of my desk soon! Here is what he says…BOLD is my emphasis…

Create a place in your office where you can get all of your tools together for your task. If you’re preparing a sermon, find a place to get your Bible and your study aids all within reach. You need an environment where you can focus on the task at hand. I clear everything off the desk when I’m going to study because I don’t want to focus on anything else.

I’ve noticed some people use their desks as file cabinets. They say it is because they don’t want to forget what is there. But that’s the problem! You sit down to prepare a sermon and you see your phone list or a book you’ve wanted to read and, suddenly, you’ve drifted off task.

Success comes from focusing on one thing at a time. Clear off your desk. Make a to-do list so you won’t forget what you’ve taken off of your desk. Put a tickler file on your desk of stuff you need to look at every day, but then, when you pull it out and look through it, always put it back – so it won’t distract.

I have to figure out a better workflow as well with my “virtual desk”–my laptop and my phone. I am working on a system of responding to email so I don’t get pulled away from important things by a “ding” advertising for the next best thing…or even worse…an invitation to a Facebook game! I have moved away also from Tweet Deck and Hoot Suite for the same reason–FOCUS. I can be totally rolling along on my message or an email message and that little sounds lures me away on a 5,10,15 minutes excursion of ADHD bliss!! Squirrel! See what I mean? I will open up Hoot Suite on my phone when I have a down time every now and then, but I simply can’t make that work with my personality right now. It’s not that it doesn’t fit with my distracted personality, it is just that it fits TOO WELL with my distraction prone personality for me to get any good level of productivity.

The main problem I have is that it is much like diet and exercise–there is DISCIPLINE involved in setting up these workflows for productivity. I can set up the workflow, but if I don’t have the discipline to use the workflow; I’ve just wasted a lot of time setting up a system that doesn’t help me, but hurts me in the end.

So tell me, how do you stay motivated and on task in your work? What things have worked for you? Not worked?

9 Ways to Stay Motivated for Ministry.

Check out this pilot’s story of the 9/11 tragedy. It is a powerful testimony and God-honoring. Well worth the 15 minutes for sure!