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stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 80

May 17, 2013 — 3 Comments

Here are some things on my mind this Friday morning:

  • Among sporting events, choose a baseball game if you want to spend quality time with someone else. Last night, I took Anna to a game, and it was one of the best father-daughter experiences I’ve ever had.
  • I’m really, really sad for the churches led by the three megachurch pastors who resigned due to adultery this week. I won’t throw any rocks at those guys, but the damage this brings to their families, churches, and Christ’s name in Orlando is significant. Let all Christians (and pastors especially) watch out for the enemy, who prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
  • These three things are beautiful, and as rare as unicorns: an honest, quality, good-value mechanic; a happy and efficient DMV worker, and politicians taking responsibility for mistakes and giving credit to others.
  • I saw the Great Gatsby. Compared to the book, I thought they made it more of a love story than commentary on greed and excess. However, it’s superbly acted and beautifully filmed. It’ll probably be nominated for three or four artsy Oscars. It’s one you’ll want to see on the big screen.
  • It’s surprising how much some non-Calvinists hate Calvinism. Some of the blogs this week were unbelievable.
  • I’ve never tried guacamole. As a native Californian, this is blasphemy…but a blasphemy I plan to continue.
  • I never tried salsa until I was 30 years old.
  • Congratulations to Bill Gates for once again becoming the world’s richest man. At least he gives a lot of it away–90%.
  • Other than the obvious problems, the IRS’s biggest problem in their current malaise is that most people hate them. They have few friends, and the masses are cheering for their defeat. Thus, it’s good for politicians on both sides of the aisle to appear upset and push for serious carnage here. They perform a necessary function in our society, but in the eyes of the masses they have gone from being those who protect against fraud to the fraudulent abusers of power. Whether that’s fair or not will be born out as we see what actually happened. If they were forced to do it by the White House, trust may be partially restored.
  • Going back to my post on accountability this week–let’s apply it to the current White House scandals. In each case, the Justice Department is being asked to investigate the issue. Hah!
  • Remember when the Justice Department was asked to investigate the Justice Department’s Fast and Furious scandal?
  • In each case, there will be an underling sacrificed. In Washington, it’s never the fault of those on top. Good leaders accept responsibility for the actions of those under their management.
  • I’m sorry to rant on the subject…but it’s one of the most stark examples of failed leadership I’ve seen in my lifetime. This isn’t to say the President hasn’t had some shining moments as well. I’m saying this is clearly not one of them–and you can often see a leader’s true leadership qualities when they’ve failed.
  • It feels like the NBA playoffs started a year ago. They really should make the format a little more concise.
  • There is a fitness-Nazi trend among pastors these days. I think this is pleasant reversal from the days of pear-shaped pastors–and I’m jumping in.
  • However, I hope we don’t get vain or judgmental about it.
  • The only book I prefer in paper form is the Bible. I can’t do devotional reading of the Bible on my phone or screen. It just feels too weird. Give me a good leather Bible.
  • According to the ECPA, the best-selling Bible translation in May is still the NIV–though some of this might be the scooping up of NIV ’84 bibles (now out of print) in response to the 2011 update. The New Living translation comes in at number two. They are followed by the KJV, NKJV, and ESV.
  • A study released this week says those who tithe have healthier personal finances than those who don’t. It reminds me of the old Dave Ramsey quote: “If you can’t live on 90% of your income, you can’t live on 100% either.”
  • It’s a shame what’s happened to Detroit. I think it’s a great city–and I hope it can get back on the right track.
  • Suddenly, California is running a surplus. How about that?

What’s on your mind this Friday?

In Books, Christianity, Church Growth, Church Strategy, Current Affairs, Family Life, Film, Generosity, Leadership, New Vintage Church, Preaching , , , , , , , ,
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mount everest

No Fighting on Everest

April 29, 2013 — 4 Comments

This weekend, I was struck by a news story reporting a fight near the top of Mount Everest between climbers and their Nepalese sherpas. A brawl at more than 25,000 feet, close to the summit (29,029 feet)? You’ve gotta be kidding me.

I’ve hiked Mt. Whitney and know what conditions are like at around 14,500…and the thought of doing that on Mt. Everest is almost nauseating. Even worse, the thought of hikers brawling with the smartest, most experienced, and most resourceful hikers on the mountain—those present only to help them—is ridiculous.

One would think the conditions alone would bring everyone together. One would think cooler heads would prevail and perspective maintained when it’s a matter of life and death.

Nope.

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In Church Growth, Church Strategy, conflict, Current Affairs, Leadership, Leadership Vault, Spiritual Formation , , , , , ,
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stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 78

April 26, 2013 — 2 Comments

Here are some things Friday morning:

  • The NFL Draft kicked off last night, and the big takeaway I had was that every “draft expert’s” is about as helpful in predicting the results of the draft as NCAA hoop expert’s bracket before the NCAA tournament. Heavy on the fun and light on the accuracy.
  • Yesterday, the George W. Bush Presidential library opened. I’ve always believed he was a good man, and that belief was only reinforced yesterday.
  • Sometimes, missing out on great opportunities can turn out to be the best thing for you.
  • The Padres are off to a 6-15 start. The league is standing in fear.
  • I like a Spurs vs. Heat NBA final.
  • My distrust of American media in general was reinforced by the two headlines this week referring to the Boston bombings and a bombing attempt “Bombers motivated by religion.” Religion?
  • The next day a bomb plot was foiled in Canada, the headline read: “Muslims foil terror plot on Canadian train.” Why not religion? ;)
  • If you haven’t heard any of the testimony coming out of the Gosnell abortion clinic trial, it’s horrifying and important for people to read this.
  • I don’t like doing “topical” sermon series very much. I’m defining “topical” here very narrowly–as a series that’s not just preaching through a book of the Bible. All of my sermons have a major text I’m preaching from–and are expository in the classic sense. But, I find it more difficult to preach a series on “prayer” or “family life.” I’d rather work through the Gospel of Luke, Ecclesiastes, or something like that.
  • Happy 2-year anniversary to New Vintage Church! What an amazing adventure of faith it has been. I’m so thankful for all God’s done.
  • I’m going to say something very “Un-P.C.” here: nearly every church I’ve seen start and fail over the years focused on community impact without doing a good job of building a strong sense of spirituality in the Body. They seemed to see spirituality as “inward focus,” and go from one service project to the next without ever giving people a clear sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing–and offering the supply of the Spirit for what they are doing. Spirituality isn’t the enemy of community impact. It’s the lifeblood of community impact.
  • “Justice” is becoming the most overused, misused and co-opted word in the Christian vocabulary right now.
  • Right behind it is, “leadership.”
  • The 10U Girls Softball team I coach had the best team in the league on the ropes. So, their coach initiated the stall sequence to run the game time out–time outs, shoe tying, having the pitcher take a minute between pitches, overthrows of the pitcher with no one on–the usual. At home plate after the game had been called, the guy says, “You guys couldn’t have beaten us anyway.” My response was, “we’ll never know, because your girls are all still tying their shoes.” I get sarcastic when I’m upset. Not a great moment for me, admittedly.
  • I went to the doctor for my annual physical. Everything was fine. But, my energy has been down a bit. He said, in essence–sleep more, play more, eat right, stress low. Apparently, idealism cures.
  • But, it’s still good advice.
  • A year in ministry is better training for ministry than reading 25 books on the subject.
  • The Pepperdine Bible Lectures are almost here, and I’m really excited for Mike Cope and Rick Gibson.
  • I’m also excited to present my class, which will deal with some of the systemic issues in the leadership paradigm in Churches of Christ–particularly between ministers and elders. The content is brand new. If you’re there, I’d love to have you attend.

What’s on your mind this Friday?

In Church Growth, Current Affairs, Family Life, Leadership, New Vintage Church, Personal, Preaching , , , , , , ,
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stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 77

April 19, 2013 — 2 Comments

Here are some things on my mind this Friday:

  • Sorry for the tardiness of this post. I’m at the Catalyst West conference and thus was providentially hindered.
  • If your church doesn’t have a sufficient budget for conferences and continued learning/team building opportunities for your staff…step it up. This is vital to staff chemistry, morale, recalibration, and birthing big ideas.
  • We were informed at the conference that Dallas Willard, who was scheduled to speak, was in the hospital in critical condition. When I heard the news, I was filled with grief. Though I don’t know him personally (though we have met a few times), my life and ministry have been shaped by his writings than those of any other person. I pray a speedy recovery for him.
  • John Ortberg (a good friend of Willard’s who pinch-hit for him) said he once consulted Dallas during a difficult point in his ministry. He asked Dallas Willard what to do. He paused for a bit, and responded, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” That’s a good word.
  • I don’t care what you say, it isn’t a waste to just lick the frosting off of anything.
  • Sometimes, people who seem like they feel very little feel the most.
  • Hearing Jim Collins speak at Catalyst reminded of how much I’ve liked everything he’s ever written. Great by Choice and Good to Great are my two favorites. He said he likes “How the Mighty Fall” best. There is some really good stuff in there as well…
  • Especially the chapter on “Hubris born of success.”
  • I wish I could really play an instrument well. If I could play one instrument well, I’d pick the piano.
  • A close second would be the drums.
  • I have many pacifist friends and readers of this blog…some who have taken to the twittersphere or Facebook urging people not to use inflammatory rhetoric. As you are urging people not to be mean or use ugly rhetoric after the bombings, let’s not make victims of the perpetrators. Jesus used a lot of harsh rhetoric, and I have no doubt some would be reserved for terrorists who murder innocent children and adults. Let people grieve as they must without trying to fix them—and remember who the real victims are. Having said that, encouraging people not to return evil for evil is good.
  • Speaking of pacifism, props to the Dodgers for not beaning anyone in the recent Padres series in retaliation for the Greinke-Quentin incident. Well done.
  • I think John Ortberg may be my favorite preacher alive.
  • At lunch I listening to a ministry job interview going on next to me. The guy doing the selling of the position just said, “I know you may not like _____ (the Sr. Pastor), but that’s not going to be much of a problem.” OH REALLY.
  • Jim Collins said it right here at Catalyst: “Never confuse personality with leadership.”
  • Another pearl from Collins: “In an organization, all problems are ultimately a leadership problem.”
  • There is no way Kobe is retiring. He’ll be back, and so will Phil Jackson.
  • The Pepperdine Lectures are coming in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to teach this class. I’ll be talking about the leadership problem in Churches of Christ. Pepperdine is always one of my favorite weeks of the year.
  • As I typed that, Rainn Wilson (aka, Dwight Schrute), just encouraged us all to spend our entertainment dollars on good, moral entertainment instead of dirty stuff if we want to see more high quality stuff come out of Hollywood. Thanks, Dwight!
  • At Catalyst, we watched exclusive clips of a new movie on Noah starring Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins and others that’s in production. They look really good.
  • We all need to laugh more.

What’s on your mind this Friday?

In Church Growth, Church Staffing, Church Strategy, Current Affairs, Film, Leadership, Personal, Religion, Sports , , , , , ,
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stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 76

April 12, 2013 — 2 Comments

Here are some things on my mind this Friday morning:

  • Would you rather have a cup of cheap, fresh coffee or overcooked, high-quality coffee. I’m going cheap and fresh. Burned Starbucks coffee tastes like I’m drinking the contents of a microwaved spittoon.
  • KFC just started offering gravy as a dipping sauce. This is sheer brilliance. The world would be a better place if more restaurants offered a side of gravy with things…
  • Like cereal.
  • I’m embarrassed to say this, but out of all the conferences I’ve attended, I’ve never been to a Catalyst conference. Next week, I get to go to Catalyst West with the NVC staff. I’m really looking forward to it.
  • On the sports front, Emily and I just happened to have attended a certain baseball game between the Dodgers and Padres last night. How entertaining…
  • I do think Zach Greinke hit Carlos Quentin on purpose. There are many reasons, here are a few:
  • 1) The pitch high and tight to Matt Kemp in the 4th was the instigator. 2) Greinke’s reaction when he hit Quentin…not exactly dust and ashes. He cursed at Quentin. 3) The catcher lined up low and away. Greinke threw high and in. You don’t make 17 million because you miss spots that badly. Plus, his mechanics completely changed on that pitch. 4) Vin Scully, in his live call, seemed to think it was retaliation for the earlier pitch. Trust in Vin. 5) Matt Kemp’s reaction–totally illogical…unless Greinke got hurt trying to avenge you. 6) There is a history between Quentin and Greinke. 7) The count and game situation actually mean you can hit him without getting tossed–that’s why it’s perfect. People who think pitchers don’t throw at anyone when the game in the line don’t get the code. Roger Clemens threw at Mike Piazza in a tight World Series game. This is a throwaway game in the early part of a 162 game season. 8) Quentin has been hit by a pitch more than any active player (116 times), and Greinke has hit more batters. Quentin has never charged the mound…until last night. He knows when he’s targeted vs. one that got away. 9) Randy Johnson blames Greinke…and RJ was one of the greatest bean-ballers of all-time. He knows who did what there.
  • Having said that, Quentin shouldn’t have charged, and I don’t like that Greinke broke his collarbone.
  • Having said that… Kemp really talked and strutted a lot. He threatened much and did nothing. His parking lot “confrontation” and going after Bud Black (the Padres Manager) was weak. I think Kemp ordered the Code Red, and was freaking out because it got out of hand and now Greinke’s out for a minimum of 8 weeks.
  • Don Mattingly was disingenuous in the press conference–and that hurts me to say–he was my childhood hero. I understand being frustrated, but you can’t say Quentin, a two-time All-Star and Stanford man is too mentally dim to understand the game if he thinks Greinke threw at him. Mattingly played in the 80′s, when bean-balling was made an art form. He knows better. Having said that, I’d probably take up for my player, too.
  • Now, the Dodgers-Padres series at Chavez Ravine starting Monday has become must-see TV.
  • Many in our church have been praying the hours this week to cultivate a more prayerful life. It’s been a huge blessing.
  • The discipline of praying on the hours might have helped Carlos Quentin with his anger management issues.
  • I used to watch American Idol religiously. I’ve hardly noticed it’s been on this year. I get the sense I’m not the only one. In hindsight, I think they’ll look at hiring Nicki Minaj as the beginning of the end.
  • When a church is looking to hire a minister and calls looking for names before describing their church, that’s a red flag.
  • When they aren’t interested in discussing the long-term vision of the church (even when asked) because they want names, that’s another red flag. It suggests both a lack of captivating vision, and a low view of staff. This is intrinsically also a low view of the church.
  • Microsoft and Google are in a spat, and as a result, Microsoft no longer supports Google Calendar and vice-versa. It’s a losing cause for Microsoft in my opinion. Microsoft’s product is superior, but Google’s is more popular and has a larger platform.
  • Meanwhile, despite massive stock value loss, Apple hibernates like a sleeping Grizzly. Watch out for them.
  • One takeaway from coaching girls softball this year–you can push players (even 9 and 10-year-old girls) really hard and have a good time. However, they must know you love them, and you must mix in some fun. There is a lesson here for those leading staff teams.
  • A & E better hurry up and give the Duck Dynasty crew their raise. I’m almost done watching season three and will go through serious withdrawals if I stop.
  • I might even go Carlos Quentin on an A & E executive. Give Si his raise!
  • That’s all for this week, Jack!

What’s on your mind this Friday morning?

In Church Growth, Church Strategy, Current Affairs, Generosity, Leadership, Leadership Vault, Personal, Spiritual Formation, Stewardship , , , , , , ,
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