The 80/20 Principle

While a was reading another blog this morning, I was reminded of a principle that has been around from some time. It was created by Vilfredo Pareto who “noted the consistently lopsided relationship between inputs and outputs” and ever since we’ve called it the 80/20 Principle. This statistical pattern that 20 percent of your effort produces 80 percent of the results is universal.

The 80/20 principle is all around us. From a buinsess prerspective, the 80/20 principle goes like this:
• 20 percent of your donors give 80 percent of the budget
• 80 percent of your sales come from 20 percent of your customers
• One-fifth of your time (equivalent to one day a week) produces 80 percent of your important work
• 80 percent of your people problems come from 20 percent of your staff
• 20 percent of your volunteers do 80 percent of the work

What sucks us into the negative side of the 80/20 principle are low-value use of your time.

Things like, things other people want you to do, things that have always been done this way, things you don’t enjoy doing, things that are always interrupted.

But on the positive side, there are two things that can produce alot of wonderful things . The two I am thinking of include “things that you can get other people to do for you with relatively little effort on your part,” and “things for which it is now or never.” Can you relate?

As we look toward another wonderful year, let the 80/20 principle effect your planning and outcomes.

Have a Great Day

David

To close or not to close

Last week, we had a little storm blow through here in Oregon and the discussion started around the leadership team wither the weather should have an effect on our services. in the 11 years our church has been open, we have only closed once because the person that was to unlock the building (the High School we were using) put his car into the ditch (it was snowy). Other then that, we have been very fortunate.

In respect to our main services on Sunday’s, we understand that weather conditions in our area can vary substantially from one neighborhood to the next.

I also realize that being in a neighborhood, there might be some who can walk to church and would like to fellowship with us. SO

With that those thoughts, I normally do all that I can to keep our place open for main events.

HOWEVER, even though the building may be open or an event has not been cancelled, people need to decide whether conditions in your area will allow for safe travel.

I think the only reason we would close our main service is if the building its self was unsafe or that the city would close the roads leading to our facility

Is that to harsh .. I hope not.

Have a Great Day

David

Time for God

The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Charlotte Observer). The news recently hasn't been all that encouraging on the economic front:

• The jobless rate has jumped to a 14-year high.
• College campuses are experiencing the tightest belt-tightening in years (even the Ivy League ones).
• GM and Ford lost over $75 million a day in the last quarter.
• Banks are restricting credit everywhere.
• People are losing their homes at an alarming rate.

When Jesus was concluding his 40-day fast in the wilderness, he was challenged by the devil to exercise his power to change the stones before him into bread. It made sense, the fast was over and since he had created the earth, it was within his power to command creation towards any end that he deemed necessary. But Jesus responded by quoting something out of the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 8:3) when he said "Man shall not live by bread alone."

The context of the original verse revolved around God's revelation that Israel's journey thorough the wilderness would be His opportunity to use that occasion to build a complete dependence on Him. The manna was God's immediate answer to their dilemma, and with no options left but Him they would soon discover that every day He would show up and meet their need.

While sound financial management is always important, it's just too easy to default to our present economic answer being the reduction of oil prices, increased consumer spending, bail-out incentives across the globe or reduced interest rates. Given the choice to grab a lifeline, let's opt for "every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord!" (Deuteronomy 8:3). Rumor has it that shoes and clothes last longer in that economy!

Have a Great Day

David

100 Skills a Man should know how to do.

This morning I fired up my computer at Cafe-d's and MSN popped up ... this head line caught my eye ... so here is how I'm doing.


Automotive
1. Handle a blowout YES
2. Drive in snow YES
3. Check trouble codes YES
4. Replace fan belt YES
5. Wax a car YES
6. Conquer an off-road obstacle YES
7. Use a stick welder NO
8. Hitch up a trailer YES
9. Jump-start a car YES

Emergencies
10. Perform the Heimlich NO
11. Reverse hypothermia NO
12. Perform hands-only CPR NO
13. Escape a sinking car YES

Home
14. Carve a turkey YES
15. Use a sewing machine NO
16. Put out a fire YES
17. Home-brew beer NO
18. Remove bloodstains from fabric YES
19. Move heavy stuff YES
20. Grow food YES
21. Read an electric meter YES
22. Shovel the right way YES
23. Solder wire YES
24. Tape drywall YES
25. Split firewood YES
26. Replace a faucet washer YES
27. Mix concrete YES
28. Paint a straight line YES
29. Use a French knife YES
30. Prune bushes and small trees YES
31. Iron a shirt YES
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper YES
33. Change a single-pole switch YES
34. Fell a tree YES
35. Replace a broken windowpane YES
36. Set up a ladder, safely YES
37. Fix a faucet cartridge YES
38. Sweat copper tubing NO
39. Change a diaper YES
40. Grill with charcoal YES
41. Sew a button on a shirt YES
42. Fold a flag YES

Medical
43. Treat frostbite NO
44. Treat a burn YES
45. Help a seizure victim NO
46. Treat a snakebite YES
47. Remove a tick YES

Military Know-How
48. Shine shoes YES
49. Make a drum-tight bed NO
50. Drop and give the perfect pushup NO

Outdoors
51. Run rapids in a canoe YES
52. Hang food in the wild YES
53. Skipper a boat YES
54. Shoot straight YES
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike NO
56. Escape a rip current YES

Survival
57. Build a fire in the wilderness YES
58. Build a shelter YES
59. Find potable water YES

Surviving Extremes
60. Floods YES
61. Tornados YES
62. Cold YES
63. Heat YES
64. Lightning YES

Teach Your Kids
65. Cast a line NO
66. Lend a hand YES
67. Change a tire YES
68. Throw a spiral YES
69. Fly a stunt kite YES
70. Drive a stick shift YES
71. Parallel park YES
72. Tie a bowline NO
73. Tie a necktie NO
74. Whittle YES
75. Ride a bike YES

Technology
76. Install a graphics card YES
77. Take the perfect portrait YES
78. Calibrate HDTV settings NO
79. Shoot a home movie YES
80. Ditch your hard drive YES

Master These Key Workshop Tools
81. Drill driver YES
82. Grease gun YES
83. Coolant hydrometer YES
84. Socket wrench YES
85. Test light YES
86. Brick trowel YES
87. Framing hammer YES
88. Wood chisel YES
89. Spade bit YES
90. Circular saw YES
91. Sledge hammer YES
92. Hacksaw YES
93. Torque wrench YES
94. Air wrench YES
95. Infrared thermometer NO
96. Sand blaster YES
97. Crosscut saw YES
98. Hand plane YES
99. Multimeter YES
100. Feeler gauges NO

Well, 72 our of 100 ... is that a B Grade?

Have a great day

Daivd

Under / Over Leadership

I was doing some reading today on some blogs I enjoy and I came across this quoit.

"If you don't learn to lead under, you won't have as many opportunities to lead over."

The writer goes on to say .... "Your ability to lead others is directly related to your ability to follow others. Since God is the giver and the head of all authority, all people in an organization's chain of command—leaders and followers—must ultimately answer to God."

A story that comes to mind comes from the life of Jesus as is His encounter with a centurion whose servant was sick. The words of the centurion was not .... "Jesus, clearly You're in charge, clearly You are in authority—therefore, would You come heal my servant who's sick?" No, the words was you are a "man under authority." He say qualified to invoke healing power on his sick servant. Every authority is under authority. As leaders, we must challenge the process, but we must also work with the authorities that God has placed over us. And we dare not upset His plan for us by rebelling against the ones God has placed over us—whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Have a Great Day

David

Whatever!?!?!

So what do you say when you cross the line of frustration and what is frustration anyway. Well, Web (Webster) says that frustration is a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled need's.

A few years a go, the word whatever changed from anything and everything to a way to annouce to the world that you disagreed or was disturbed about what was being said or done. This word now seems to be a way to break out of what is being said and end the conversation with a hint of frustration and unwillingness to continue.

I have watched a lot of our younger folks become very skilled at this term but the question I have is ... does it really help the saturation to just say "whatever".

The state of frustration must be dealt with, being insecure and dissatisfied is no healthy state to be in. Lingering problems or unfulfilled needs are only discovered by talking and leaving the word "whatever" out.

Are you frustrated? are you tempted to say "whatever" ... don't find a place and means to discover the driving emotion behind it and come to a place were you can be secure and at peace.

Have a Great Day

David

What's the difference between guilt and conviction

This last weekend, I shared with a frined that that conviction and guilt was a lot closer then we think. Many times in Christian circles we often say one of these word are dark and the other is christian. Well I think they are a lot closer then we think.

Consider these words I found in a recent writing

In Christian circles one often hears the phrase, "Guilt is from the devil but conviction is from the Holy Spirit," or "Guilt is from the pit of hell but conviction comes from God." The purpose of these statements may be to console a burdened believer or to force him to analyze whether he is feeling genuine "conviction" over an issue (a good thing) or just plain "guilt" for something he shouldn't have done or maybe for nothing at all (a bad thing). The intentions of the person using this phrase are typically good; the counselor wants to bring some relief to a distressed brother and pointing out that God doesn't want us to feel guilty for something we have done usually makes people feel a little better. "Hey," he thinks, "that's right, I am not supposed to feel guilty as a Christian, I guess I should just get over this and move on," or, "Yeah, you're right. I don't want to feel guilty, but this is an issue that I am genuinely convicted over, so I guess I should do something about it." So this advice that guilt is from the devil and conviction is from God's Spirit seems helpful. But is it true? I would submit that no, unfortunately, it is not.

This, rather, is an example of a false dichotomy between two related and not opposing terms. This is plain to see even in English. The word "conviction" means "to find or prove to be guilty," and the word "guilt" means "the fact of having committed a breach of conduct; especially violating law and involving a penalty" or "the state of one who has committed an offense, especially consciously." And "guilty" means "justly chargeable with or responsible for a usually grave breach of conduct or a crime" or "justly liable to or deserving of a penalty." One is guilty if he is blameworthy. And note that guilty persons are convicted of a crime. And a criminal is also known as a convict. So we see that terms are not in opposition to one another but rather just the opposite: the words "guilt" and "conviction" are very much related, even interdependent at places.

Therefore, it doesn't make any sense in the English language to sharply divide the meaning of the terms "guilt" and "conviction" in the way that is often done in Christian circles. But neither does it make any sense to do this theologically. Unavoidable in the above definitions for "guilt" and "conviction" is the presence of an offender. They speak of a person who has committed a crime, is justly condemned, and deserving of punishment. This is likewise the description of a sinner before a holy God. The apostle John writes, "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). When we sin we break God's law, fall short of his glory, "miss the mark" of his righteous standard. And because we were made in the image of God to love him and obey him and live for his glory, when we sin we feel guilty. Our conscience condemns us because we have betrayed our selves, lived in a way contrary to our intended purpose. This self-condemnation is good however, and a sign that everything is working properly inside of us when we do wrong. We feel guilty when we sin because we are guilty. We broke the law, we transgressed the commandment, we rebelled against God's rule, we sinned, and we were not created to do any of that. It is abnormal behavior, it is wrong, and we know it
Have a Great Day

David

"Elements of Encounter"

Last week, I talked about a time spent with a Pastor who had been loving God and His church for a long time. Ont he subject of events that church sponsor, he shared about considering four elements that make a great event. Here is a quoit and the four elements.

"Everything I do is about discipling people"

Express Faith – people that honor God
Experience Fellowship – enjoy and accepted procedures
Evangelize Unbelievers – attract unbelievers
Encounter Transformation – Meet God

Have a Great Day

David

"We Really are His Hands"

This last week, I had a chance to set under the teaching of a pastor who has been loving God's church for some 57 years in full time work. One of the afternoons, we talked about a church in Europe that had a statue of Christ that had it's hands blown off during the war. After the folks returned to the church and saw the damage, they decided to leave the statue as it was, for to them, it was a perfect picture of us today. We are the hands of Christ.

Doing a quick look on the net, I came across this story and picture of a simpler Christ.

It's from a blog written by Liz Nelon

Here is the following blog of the day ...

While in Soweto, we also visited the famous Regina Mundi church, which opened its doors to shelter four thousand children and teens during the violent Soweto uprisings in the 1970s. The authorities entered the church and fired on the children; bullet holes, the statue of Christ with its hands blown off, and the marble altar defaced by a rifle butt still stand as evidence of the violence that happened in this place.

Wonderfully, though, we visited today during a lunchtime service. The altar steps were full of children singing, dancing and praying as their teacher beat an African drum. So although this place is a National Historic Site due to the tragedy that happened here, we found an oasis full of hope and joy this afternoon.

Have a Great Day

David

"God Cares about your Marriage"

I have been doing some reading about why God cares about marriage and I came across this ... enjoy. It goes to answer the question ... why God cares about Marriage.

1. Because marriage is God’s second most valuable gift to us in this life (Gen 2)

Singles can enjoy intimacy of relationships with fellow worshippers.
No closer relationship than marriage.

2. Because marriage is most important social structure.

More important than local, state or national government. More important than schools. More important than Sunday school, home church groups, neighborhood associations, Rotary club, fraternities and sororities, Association of Former Students.

▪ Defined by God in the beginning. Genesis 2
▪ Destructiveness of mixed-marriages and divorce on children
▪ National Marriage Project at Rutgers University: only 63% of American children grow up with both biological parents -- the lowest figure in the Western world.
▪ God can make you a whole and mature person even without a father and mother at home. Single parents can raise healthy children.
▪ Ideal – father and mother love each other for a lifetime; faithful; worshipping God together

3. Because our marriages affect His church

▪ Mal 2:10 – marital unfaithfulness is treachery to our brothers and sisters in Christ
▪ 1 Cor 12 – one member hurts, all members hurt, and intermarriage and divorce WILL cause hurt!
▪ Contrary to our society’s opinion that marriage is a private affair – it’s not! The quality of my marriage affects your spiritual life.

4. Because our marriages reflect God’s love and faithfulness to the world

▪ Statistics on divorce among evangelicals = atheists and agnostics
▪ Reflects on God’s power in our lives
▪ Reflects on God’s faithfulness to us; He is husband to His people
▪ Eph 5 – reflect Christ’s faithful love to the church

Have a Great Day

David

"Loud and Large"

Boy I had fun sneaking up and some friends of mine at the church. We were talking about worship and made this statement that shocked some at first.

"We need to worship as loud and as large as we can"

Well, the loud part was met with some resistance and the large part was a little confusing. That is until I explained.

Nehemiah 12:27 said that the Jews celebrated the completion of the wall and what was mention was what kinds of instruments was used and who joined them in the celebration. First it was instruments that gave a distinct sound. A sound that would sail over the others. In doing so, some might say the sound is loud but for me, I call it distinct. When it comes to our faith, we need that distinct sound. And the Large part, well that is others who are singing with us and walking the same way we are.

So I call all of us to worship Loud and Large.

Have a Great Day

David

"I am sick"

So after told a few friends about me about I was not following one of the ten commandments. Followed by the confession of not keeping the Sabbath. My understanding of the commandment is to take a significant time to remember God's blessing in my life, to rejoice in his grace and to rest.

So I asked a few frineds help me in the process of retraining my self in taking the sabbath and off I went.

Let me tell you, I am really sick! My first sabbath was last Friday and I was tighter then a drum. It was really hard for me to switch from think and planing about what I do through the week and just taking a break.

But hear me, I needed and and I am commited to return to this all import day.

Have a Great Day

David

"A Sabbath Confession"

So I was talking to some friends yesterday at church and I shared a deep dark secret. I was not following one of the ten commandments. What! Did I kill someone, was I cussing, was I cheating on my wife? No, something far worse then that. I was not taking my day off.

Reading down the list of the greatest top ten ever written, (The Ten Commandments) after selecting the only true God and not to replace him with any image or misuse his name. We find the next most important thing we call can do. The fourth commandment tells us that "Thou shalt take a day off".

Come on, are you kidding, we have some many good things to do ... especially for a Pastor, there is people to pray for, a sermon to prepare, the church building to maintain, phone calls to make ...

So did God make a mistake when he included this commandment? I don't think so ... God does not make mistakes. If this is true the must be some kind of principle (other then getting good rest, physically, mentally, spiritually).

Well, I think I found it ... it's a matter of trust ... Do I trust God to provide in six days what I will need in Seven? I'm I willing to trust God that he will take care of the one cell (The Chapel) of the body he calls the church while I'm taking a sabbath rest. I'm I really that Good? I don't think so, I think I can trust God to provide in six what I need in seven. I think he can take care of the The Chapel.

So I declared yesterday, that I'm returning to the full sabbath rest.

Have a Great Day

David

Confession is good for Celebration

Would you be willing to work your way through the steps of confession before this service is over? You may have come here this morning with unnecessary weight, unnecessary guilt, but you don’t have to leave the same way. The choice is yours…

1. Address everyone involved

That may be just God. That may be others as well. You need to confess your wrong to everyone affected by your sin.

2. Avoid ifs, buts, maybes

“God, I cheated on the test, but if You hadn’t let her paper be so visible, I don’t think I would have.” “God, I yelled at my mom, but she yelled right back at me too!” Dr. Tony Evans says, “If it contains an excuse, it isn’t a confession.”

3. Admit specifically what you did wrong

It’s easy to hide behind vague generalities. Don’t do it. Identify your sinful attitudes (pride, selfishness, envy, greed, bitterness, ingratitude, stubbornness, etc.) and sinful actions.

4. Acknowledge the hurt you’ve caused

Let God know you realize your sinful behavior has caused him pain.

5. Accept the consequences

Tell God that you’re willing to bear the consequences of your sin. God may graciously let you off the hook. That’s his call, not yours.

6. Alter your behavior

Proverbs 28:13 says we should confess and forsake our sin. Make a commitment that with God’s help, you won’t walk down this path again.

7. Accept God’s forgiveness

Have a Great Day

David

A Couple of Questions

Perry Noble writes that he is asking himself four questions that are really stretching him as a leader. These are great questions, and humbling questions. Great leaders need to take time to ask these questions. They will keep you on-track, and keep you from becoming a pompous jerk of a leader, (who just happens to have a growing church). Here are the four questions:

1. What do I need to stop doing?

2. Do I always have to be right?

3. Am I helping people around me succeed?

4. Am I speaking positively of other people?

What Questions are you asking yourself today?

Have a great day

David

Missed Opportunities

We can all be honest and confess that we have missed opportunities. We have wasted relationships that could have been built, wasted years running from God and have missed opportunity after opportunity to grow closer to Jesus. Some have missed the opportunity to become the Christian man or woman that God wants them to be.The lesson for us is to treasure every moment; make the most of every moment and don’t miss your opportunities. I could list all the opportunities we have for you at our church and into our community and could remind you of all the opportunities you have with your family and friends. I could also list serving opportunities, sharing opportunities or educational opportunities, but what I will do instead is ask a couple of questions and share some scriptures:

• Today, have you missed opportunities with God? Did you spend some time with Him today? Did you take time to read His word and journal today?

• Are you making the most of the opportunities in front of you?

• Are you making the most of the relationships God has given you?

• What opportunities to be the heart, hands, feet and mouth of Jesus are right in front of me?

• Who can I be of help to in mentoring?

• Who needs me to be the answer to their prayer and the opportunity they are looking for?

God is calling on you and me to seize this moment and seize every opportunity we have to grow closer to God. If you have missed opportunities it is not too late to grab one now – change your heart and mindset and focus on what you believe God could be saying in regards to a relationship, open door, serving and giving opportunity and more. As you pray ask God to help you. Tell Him, now Lord, this very moment I want to seize my opportunities with you and for you and with others for you. I want to see what has prevented me from serving you like I should and I want to commit before you that I will not let anything stand in my way of seizing the moment and the opportunity for you. God and this church family that I am not going to let those things stand in the way again.

• Galatians 6:10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

• Ephesians 5:16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

• Colossians 4:5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.(all verses taken from NIV)

Have a Great Day

David

Picking People

In the book of Nehemiah, he speaks of bring people into your life that will pull you up, not bring you down. Selecting those kind of people are critical. The right people can help you reach many more for Christ. The wrong people can hold you back like a thousand-pound anchor.

In a blog that I often read, the author gave ten of the biggest lessons he learned on selecting those kinds of people:

1. Character is more important than giftedness.
2. God often uses those others overlook.
3. My wife is almost always a better judge about people than I am.
4. Past success is a good indicator of future success.
5. There is often a reason someone is looking for a job.
6. Teach-ability is non-negotiable.
7. When I’m trying to talk myself into liking someone, it’s best to move on.
8. People from within the organization typically have a huge advantage over those who are from without.
9. One of the best ways to attract better leaders is to become a better leader.
10. We’re all better off when we pray, listen, and obey.

Which one(s) speak to you? What would you add?

Have a Great Day

David

A Story on Fathers day!

A friend of mine wrote this story about a way, a watch and wondering.

A Father's Day story
By Gary Wolcott

My great grandfather raised my father.

The home that my great grandfather and grandmother lived in is on 44th and Court and is now occupied by W.R. Wilkins Tax Accountant. They died when I was five or six, and they loved each other deeply. Grandma and Grandpa Terrell died of natural causes on the same day and within minutes of each other.

Both my mom and dad talked to me a lot about how much my great grandfather loved me, and how I followed him and his dog around like the proverbial puppy.

Perhaps on a spiritual level somewhere that love figures into this story.

When my great grandfather died, my father wanted his gold watch. He believed with all of his heart that Grandpa Terrell wanted him to have that watch. His aunt would not part with it.

For years he pleaded for the watch and finally she relented and gave it to him.

Years later, my father got deeply into family history and traced the Wolcott family lineage back to when Henry Wolcott first landed on the shores of the new world in the 1600s. That new love of family history prompted my father to believe that his grandfather’s watch should go back to the Terrell family.

My great uncle Harden Terrell and his wife Marge lived in a brick house that sits next door to W.R. Wilkins. It is now covered with siding. My dad decided to give the watch to Uncle Harden to pass on to one of his two sons.

By the way, dad’s name is Buzz Wolcott. It’s Charles Gordon Wolcott officially, but everyone called him Buzz. He graduated from Pasco High School and was a great athlete who received an inspirational award trophy for his football prowess.

Toward the end of his life, my father was an emotional guy. So when he parted with the watch, I suspect he did so with some tears. Uncle Harden had to know giving up the watch cost my dad a great deal of emotional pain.

A few years later Dad asked Uncle Harden which of his sons got the watch. He said neither of them wanted it. So he sold the watch to a dentist.

What a creep!

I heard all of this a few years after the sale, and by that time, Uncle Harden was dead and my dad had settled in Molalla, Ore. It infuriated me. No one messes with my family anyway, and for him to be so callous about something that meant so much to my father was more than I could bear. I was angry times 10.

And I couldn’t get that betrayal out of my mind. He sold that precious watch, the watch that my father knew deep in his heart that his grandfather wanted him to have, to a watch collector.

I started making phone calls and devoted spare time over the next couple of years to finding that dentist. My step-mom gave me the first real break when she told me that Harden told her the dentist was across the street from his home.

I looked, but the office wasn’t that obvious, so it took another few months to find the guy. Once I found the office, I stopped in and asked to meet with the dentist. His staff would not let me. So I wrote him a long note explaining about the watch, my great uncle and my great grandfather.

I stopped by a second time a few months later and did the same thing. Nothing. No call. No comment.

One day, I got a phone call at work from Dr. so and so. “I have your watch,” he said. “Watch? You’re a doctor? And you have my watch?” I replied forgetting all about the query. Then the light flashed. THE watch.

He made me schedule an appointment. When I got there he had two gold watches. One of them — and he couldn’t remember which — belonged to my great grandfather. The dentist, and please forgive me, I do not remember his name, was a nice man. He loved and respected family and understood my desire to return the watch to my father. He gave me both watches to take to my dad. I paid for one, and he trusted that I would return the one that didn’t belong.

The watch, by the way, is beautiful and very heavy. It is just plain gold, no frills. Old things feel good. Old doorknobs and keys have an indescribable feel. It’s like we leave little pieces of our selves everywhere we go and things like keys, doorknobs and pocket watches collect those pieces. They just feel good.

That watch felt good. The man who owned it, my great grandfather, had a lot of love in him.

Flash back. It’s 1989 and my aunt — my father’s only sister — died. At her service, my three cousins stood up and read beautiful letters to their mother. It made me wonder if they ever wrote such wonderful things to her. And did she know?

The dentist and I met up near Christmas. So I thought I would give my father two presents that year. His grandfather’s watch and a letter from me telling him just how important his life is to mine. I won’t bore you with the details, but in that letter I said everything I am and much of the success I have in life I owe to my dad.

Among other more personal things, I wrote that his work ethic, his honesty, his courage and his fearless ability to take on the impossible and win are things that I got from him. And those skills have served me well.

I gave the letter to my dad at Christmas, and he cried. It meant so much to him that he framed the letter and it hung on a wall in his home until the day he died.

Then, I gave him that very special package. Typical of my father he said that I shouldn’t have bought him something for Christmas, he didn’t need anything, etc.

“Dad, I needed to get you this,” I said. “I couldn’t not get this for you.”

Then, he opened the package. The first of the two watches that fell out of the box was my grandfather’s. Years later it is hard to write about this and not tear up. If I live to be 500 years old, I will never forget the look on his face when the watch fell out of that box and into his hand.

He couldn’t talk for the longest time and sat there looking at the watch as the tears rolled down his cheeks. He’d look at me. He’d look at the watch. And he couldn’t talk.

Finally. “How did you get this?”

“Dad, when you told me that story and about the watch and what Uncle Harden did, it just pissed me off,” I said. “It made me madder than I think I have ever been in my life, and I just had to find that watch and get it back to you.”

During the remaining years of his life, my father and I talked often about the watch. It is a story he liked to tell, and it is one I like to tell. In one of our last conversations about the watch, Dad said, “I just knew that my grandfather wanted me to have that watch. I knew it on the day he died.”

“Yes, he did,” I replied. “And even when the watch got away from you, it came back. So there is no doubt in my mind that the watch was meant to be yours.”

On that Christmas day, my father spent hours sitting and staring at the watch. No doubt remembering the love of the wonderful man who raised him. Much like I am sitting here today remembering the love of the man who raised me.

The day he gave me the watch, my dad said, “You know, when I die, this is yours.”

“Of course,” I said, “It is mine. I am now part of its story. We both loved Grandpa Terrell and he loved both of us. And I believe he is looking down on us now satisfied that this is how it should be. Maybe he even had a hand in helping me find it for you.”

And now the watch is mine.

None of this has anything to do with movies. It does, however, have to do with love. My father and I more or less hated each other the whole time I was growing up. We clashed on everything: music, lifestyle, drugs, women, career, politics, family.

In my 30s, he decided for some reason to reach out to me and see if we could put together a relationship. My positive response is one of the few wise things I have done in my life.

My father was my best friend. I was out of work and just doing the movie column during the last three years of his life so I got to spend a lot of time with him. We saw each other nearly every day and watched basketball or football, worked on things around his house, played lots of cards, talked about family and laughed.

We laughed a lot.

My father died May 14, 2003, just 11 days after his 74th birthday. And I miss him every day.

Have a Great Day

David

Just do it!

read in another blog this morning this quot.

"There are a lot of different ways to be the church or be in community. House church, emerging church, missional church, simple church, church o the fly. Church is going to look lots of different ways."

I'm aware of these, read about these, participates in some of these, but the bottom line for me is this Just do it! if you feel that house churches are the thing ... DO IT. If the missional church for you, DO IT. I haven't heard of the church on the fly but if it's good ... DO IT.

Community is not community if you don't DO IT. Here is my point ... the name is not the issue, its the doing it that is the issue.

Lord help me be community, not just talk about it.

Have a Great Day

David

Edit-ability!

In book titled Organic Community, Joseph Myers talks about "edit-ability" rather than "account-ability"

An accountant can go into any organization and audit the books based, not on the org's mission, vision, values, but on accounting rules. Black and white. It's right or it's wrong. And they're looking for errors.

An editor - much like the editing process I'm in now with my second book - responds to the writer. My editor sends back comments like "Huh?" Really. Several times. Her job is to listen, read and understand my goal for the book. What's my point? What did I mean to say? How could I be more congruent with an earlier statement?

That's very different. The tone is different. It's focused on a win, not a lose. It's about calling out the best, not pointing out the worst.

Whether you choose to use the word "account-ability" or "edit-ability", the tone is what's important.

The tone must be ... Call me forward. Point to the inconsistencies in my life, since the voice I'm trying to find is one that echoes God's kingdom, Jesus' lifestyle. Call out the good you see generated by the work of the Spirit within me. Help me edit the storyline I'm writing as we walk together in the grand Story of God.

It's a great picture. An awesome picture.

Have a Great Day

David

A Weding and the questions that are important!

This last week, I was asked by my sister to officiate her wedding. It was filled with Friends, family, fun and I enjoyed it much.

When I got back to the office, I found the notes from our Sunday evening Service on the information table and I was encouraged by the Q & A our staff had for that service. They were statements that many married couples make that really destroy relationships rather then building them up.

Here are the statements with some scripture.

"I must be perfect to be acceptable" - Philippians 3:12

"I need to have everyone love and approval." - Hebrews 13:16

"I'm not happy when things don't go my way!" - Psalm 118:24

"It's someone else's fault"

"It's my spouse's fault!" - Philippians 4:13

"We must not be right for each other. Our marriage is too much work"

"I'm not the problem so I shouldn't have to change!"

"Because I"m a child of God, He should protect me from all harm." - John 16:33

Here is a challenge for you. You might have said these things are thought these things from time to time . . .(if you are married), just for fun, defend the opposite of these statements. If you are not married, how does these statements pop up in other relationships that you have and how does it effect them?

Have a Great Day

David

Questions for the Fisherman(woman)

This week, we will be ending the conversation about fishing at our church. We have been talking about how Jesus first assignment was to turn followers into fishers. The first few that he selected had experience in the area of fishing for fish, but they all had to learn what it took to be fishers of men. We learned a lot in the last few weeks. Mainly, because we have asked some very difficult questions and found some common places to land.

Here are some other questions to chew on as it pertains to fishing for men.

1. What are the things the world values? What things does the world go fishing for?

2. What are we to fish for as Christians?

3. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never goes fishing?

4. Is a person a fisherman if he never catches a fish?

5. Is a person a true disciple of Jesus Christ if he never attempts to win a soul for Christ?

6. As a fisherman, do we cast our nets in our backyard or do we go to a place where fish can be found?

Jesus never suggests that the world should come to the church but commands the church to go into the world to witness. Jesus has given us the example - he goes to the people, he never waits for the people to come to Him.

Have a Great Day

David

Men don't Cry

I had the privilege to see a grown man cry this last week. He had a chance, before family and Friends to send a blessing to his son that was graduating from high school. As he stood there, with tissue in hand, he shared awesome words to his son as he faced the next season of his life. I, for one, am not part of the camp that says men don't cry! There are moments and times were I say, let the tears flow guys.

Tim McGraw sings a song that has the title "Grown men don't Cry" enjoy!

I pulled into the shopping center And saw a little boy wrapped around the legs of his mother Like ice cream melting they embraced Years of bad decisions runnin' down her face All mornin'

I'd been thinkin' my life's so hard And they wore everything they own, livin' in a car I wanted to tell 'em it would be ok But I got just got in my suburban and I drove away

But I don't know why they say grown men don't cry I don't know why they say grown men don't cry

Keep having this dream about my old man I'm 10 years old, and he's holding my hand We're talkin' on the front porch watchin' the sun go down But it was just a dream he was a slave to his job and he couldn't be around So many things I wanna say to him But I just placed a rose on his grave, and I talk to the wind

But I don't know why they say grown men don't cry I don't know why they say grown men don't cry, don't cry

I'm sittin' here with my kids and my wife And everything that I hold dear in my life We say grace and thank the Lord Got so much to be thankful for Then it's up the stairs and off to bed and my little girl says "I haven't had my story yet." And everything weighin' on my mind disappears just like that When she lifts her head off her pillow and says, "I Love You Dad"

I don't know why they say grown men don't cry I don't know why they say grown men don't cry And I don't know why they say grown men don't cry I don't know why they say grown men don't cry, don't cry

Have a Great Day

David

Mail Bag

Received these statements from a good Friend through email.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin

''I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!'

Have a Great Day

David

I really don't Talk Fast

I had a chance to talk about a few things yesterday with some friends at church. After I was done, one of my Friends came up to me and said. I was trying to figure out why you were so animated today and I figured it out. You had way to much sugar today. I laughed. My wife has re-started a life management system and part of that is getting control of your intake. And since I live with this lovely lady, I controlling my intake as well. Well, to shock our body, for the last few weeks, we have taken out all processed sugars. That's why I laughed, because sugar wasn't the reason.

So, what was the reason. Simply put, I really enjoyed the day. I enjoyed the conversations of the day, the worship of the day, the opportunity to talk about about fishing (sharing the story of Christ). I just enjoyed the day. That's why I talked so fast.

Do you realize that's one of the ways you can tell if someone is passionate about something. There speed increases, their volume increases. Check it out. Try it out this week. Watch for it!

I only hope I talk even faster next week-end

Have a Great Day

David

Al Davis

When I was seven years old, I made a decition based on the charter and trust that I placed in my father and my pastor. What was the decision? To be a follower of Christ. Later in my life, I felt that this same Christ was directing me into being a leader / pastor in churches. I started with youth, helping them dicover the wonders of God and then a church planter (two of them now).

Yesterday, I had a great blessing. My childhhood pastor had a chance to be in our services. Al, is 88 years old and retired, still moving (a little slower now) and still a strong leader within his church and other churches that he had influneced over the 60 years of ful time minsitry.

It was a blast to see him and have both him and is wife Mary with us.

After church over lunch, I was wondering what he thought of the servcie and church. After all, this was the first time he had a chance to see one of his kids in action. He said many nice things and was very excited about our church and the service.

He said one importnat thing that stuck with me. He said, "each pastor and church needs to pray and as God for the key to their city and area, and use that key to open up the wonderful possiblites of great things." He went on to say, "This might mean that your church will be a little different or a lot different then the church down the road, but it's important to know your key and work you key".

These are great words to mull over. I'm doing that today

Have a Great Day

I'm Back

Every month, some of my friends that serve in churches got together to talk about leadership in the church. The topic of web tools came up and a new idea was born. Two weeks ago we had our very first Teck exchange. The purpose of the time was to share the most recent and effect tools we have been using within the church culture that we had discovered.

So, with three laptops humming and the conversations that started with "Oh, you got to see this", the hour and half flew by. We concluded our time with a plan to do this again in the near future.

There is a fine line when it comes to technology and time management. Yes, some of the helps in the web are truly helpful, others, not so much. But, I would have to say, the tools that I say during our first teck exchanged, really were helpful. Thanks guys!

Have a Great Day

I'm Back

I started my talk today with my friends at the Chapel with this phrase "Where have you been?" It was met with laughter and smiles, you see, it wasn't them that had been gone, but Donna and I. We have some friends in the mid west that we went to visit and had been gone for a few weeks.

Thoughts on our trip.

* Indiana is Flat . . .Oh sure you have some variations of maybe a few 100 feet, but nothing like we have here in the northwest.

* Making Stain glass hasn't changed much. Donna and I had a chance to go to a factory that has been making stain glass for nearly 100 years. During the tour, they shared that the basic way they have made the glass hadn't change since they first started making it.

* Free doesn't last forever. Natural gas was discovered in central Indiana some 100 years ago. With the unlimited resource, some of the leading companies in the auto industry flock to this area, because of the free gas. Will, guess what happened? That gas dried up and so did many of the companies. Free doesn't last forever.

* It's not fun crying on a Plan. I was finishing up a book called "The Shack" as I was finishing up the book, several thing touched my heart. The only problem was, it also touched my eyes as well. I was just very happy that Donna was sleeping at the time along with the Romanian fella sitting to my right.

Well, it's good to be back . . .

Have a Great Day

David

"Do they know we are Here?"

Many church leaders ask themselves the question . . .do they know we are here? That's the exact question that our leadership team was asking! You see, we have just moved to a new location after being in the city for 10 years plus we moved into a generic place (a small mall in our city) so after being there for five months, we wanted to know.

Grant it, we are still working on signage, both on the mall sign and in front of our building, but we have done a few things in the neighborhood, so it was time to fine out if they knew.

So we gathered 9 teams and off they went for a short time in the neighborhood. In a short 45 minutes, they were able to knock on 158 doors and talk to 68 people. Our plan was a short and specific attack. Two simple questions . . 1) Could they name any churches in our city and 2) Have they heard of a church called "The Chapel" (that's us). Well, the survey says!! 11 people had heard of us. It's a great place to start from . . . and we hope the numbers will only increase as we have planned events in the neighborhoods surrounding the mall. As well, we hope to have more signage in the next few months.

We realize that this is only the first step. Our prayer is that our events in the neighborhoods and we pray that it will increase the interest of what is happening behind our front doors.

Pray for us . .

Have a Great Day

David

"Ask me I dare you!"

Some of my friend and I were talking about accountability on Sunday and it's amazing how many people view accountability as a negative. We get a picture in our mind of a Parole officer checking up on us so we don't have to go back to prison. But is there another way to look at Accountability?

I say YES! The way that God see's accountability. God has a deep desire for us to return to the state he intended us to be in the first place. He also knows that we are very skilled in fooling everyone into believing that we are heading that way, including ourselves. Along with that, I truly believe that He also has great confidence that we want to move away from that state of foolishness to faith, but we need a little help.

Help comes in the form of accountability. When we think about the right view of accountability, I think this way . . .a willingness to give an honest account of your life to others. So, accountability partners are others with whom you can be open and honest about your failures in an atmosphere of love, trust, and acceptance. The goal is for each of you to become more like Christ.

I would wish that all of us would move from a foolish state to a faithful state filled with change and Christ like character.

Here is a list of things to think about and talk about with your accountability group.

Have you been with a woman/man anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising?
Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
Have you exposed yourself to any material that may be harmful to your relationships?
Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
Have you given priority time to your family?
Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling?
Have you just lied to me?

There are others, but that would be a good start!

Have a Great Day

David

"Second Impressions"

Ever year, our leadership team uses a tool that keeps us focused throughout the year. You and I know this tool by the title, GOALS. One of our goals as a leadership team is to advance in our care and efforts in a area we ca calling second impression.

I explained it this way the other day to a friend. If a visitor to our church will increase there effort by coming back after their first visit, we should increase our efforts in getting to know them.

We all know that we get a folks of all ages checking the church out. Every church that I know has a plan to thank them for their visit. It's just common courtesy to do this. Our church is no different. We have a common area that we direct visitors to. They are warmly greeted and given them a gift. They are also asked to fill out a short information card. With this information, they are followed up with a letter.

But what do you do when they come back? Yes, most churches thing about the steps from the front door to the family room. But have we really thought about the next few steps into the group after they come back the second time.

Well, do you have any idea's . . . . will love to hear them.

Have a Great Day

David

"Between the Lines"

Last night, my wife and I were watching one of the hallmark specials about the prairie family struggling to survive the dust storms. This story stared with an ad written by a widow from the west, looking for a new wife that was answered from a women living in Maine. There cortshiped started with a series of letters that pulled her west.

Some time later, in a discussion with her new ten year old daughter, who is a budding writer her self, asked, “His Daddy a good writer’? To which this new mother says, “not really, but it’s what he says between the lines that I love”.

Reading between the lines is a figure of speech. Attending to the empty spaces between the lines of print refers to what is left unsaid, to the values and assumptions that are an important dimension of what we read.

When it comes to others, what kind of reading “Between the lines” do we do? I know at times, the tension is between a wonderful love story filled with life and vitality, and a blood filled horror story.

What about you, what do you see “between the lines”?

For me, a person that is called to bring change to the lives of the people I meet and have influence over, I have to see hope and opportunity as I read “between the lines” of peoples lives.

What about you? What are you reading “Between the Lines?”

Have a Great Day

David

"A Little Over your Head"

I was talking to few of my friends yesterday on the subject of leadership . . in my readings I came across a simple question that was asked of one of the churches new names in church leadership . . .

The Question: How do you develop leaders at your church?

The Answer: He simply said "the way you develop leaders is to put people in opportunities that are a little over their head then coach them as they take action" (paraphrased).

We talked for about 30 minutes on this subject . . .it tickled the ears of those who heard, but I'm waiting for the action . . . .

As we dialogue, it was pointed out that the three things are needed when we get over our head . . God, others and good swimming coach . . .or . . a leadership coach would do.

So, I'm waiting . . .. the coach is on the deck . . do you want to jump in?

Have a Great Day

David

Why do we think the worse

Why is it when someone says . . . "He we need to talk" . . . why do we think the worse? Donna and I have some new frineds, a young couple that is new to the church has been starting to make there way into the core group. They are fun, filled with fresh idea's and really what or church needs. You see, I think our church is no different then many other churches that spead themselves over all the generations, in that process, we miss some, in the process. For our 10 year old church, it seems like the once late 20's and early 30's have grone up to mid 40's and yearly 50's.

As the year's go by in our church, it seems like the age of void is what we started out with, the mid to late 20's and early 30's. Not sure why that is, but as I share our challenge iwth other church leaders it seems like we are in the same boat with a lot of other churches.

So, what does this have to do with "thinking the worse"? Well, I think our churches really played into my negitive thinking . . .you see, my mind was filled with a lot of thougths like . . . "Great, they are going to tell me that our church is to old and they need to move on" OR "We are moving and we just wanted to tell you". Onec again, why do we think about this?

Well, for me, there is several reasons . . it could be the moment I'm in (tired, distracted, thinking about another negitive issue . . and others. But why do I let my self think this way?

Well, for me, I simple ask myself, two things How and Who . . .How far am I looking today, and Who do I think God is going to bring to partner me to accomplish it. The bible says, Why worry about tomorow, becasue Today has enough worries. It is really true . . someone once said tha worry is a deposit paid on a dept that you may never have. This is very ture . . .think about today, don't worry about tomorrow . . .

And the Who . . . I really beleie that God will bring the who to accomplish the what . . he really will and I need to celebrate the who while they are with us to accomplish the what.

These are good reminders that I need to apply today.

Oh, we met with this young couple and the center issues was simply this . .they wanted to get more involved in what our church is doing . .

What was I thinking

Have a Great day

David

Noise

We talked about the value and the victory of vulnerbility yersday at church. In my readings las week, I cam across a blogger by the name of Jim Martin that blogged these words over a year ago.

Last Sunday morning, little Jenna had just come out of Bible class at our church.

Jenna has not been around very long. She may be two years old. That’s pretty close anyway. She and her daddy had just come into the "big room" — the sanctuary/auditorium. She managed to get away from her daddy. She made her way down the center aisle until she got to the steps leading up to the podium. She climbed a couple of those steps and then turned around and sat down. When she sat down on the step, she seemed to be taking in the moment. Jenna looked down at the step she was sitting on and put the palms of her hands on the step. She began watching the people as they came in.

Hundreds of people were coming in through three different doors. You could hear the steady roar of people greeting one another. People were making their way to their pews. When they sat down, some of them saw Jenna and smiled. Meanwhile, she was taking it all in.

I had been standing near a front row (our pews are arranged in sort of a fan shape) and had been watching little Jenna. I walked over to the steps where she was sitting and sat down beside her. (This was about five minutes before the worship service would begin.) I looked at her. She looked at me. I said, "This is fun isn’t it."

Then she heard a familiar voice. Her dad had found her. (All of this took place within a minute — if even that long.) Away she went to sit with her parents. (Her parents, Jason and Erin, are a wonderful couple who I have loved for a number of years.)

That morning Jenna was not self-conscious. She did not notice herself. She was not worried about what others were thinking. She was not preoccupied with the impression she was leaving with others. No, she was just being Jenna. That is the beauty of a child. A child lives in freedom.

We adults are often very self-conscious. I have known adults who were so preoccupied with themselves and with what others thought that they resorted to a kind of emotional manipulation. That is, they tried to hijack the emotions of others instead of just living in the freedom of genuine relationship. Such manipulators have a way of just wearing people out over a period of time. Such a relationship becomes more about the manipulator than the give and take of a loving friendship.

In a recent issue, both Dallas Willard and Richard Foster were featured in an interview.) Recently, I read an article in which the authors asked,

Are you willing to go beyond sharing selective windows into your lives, being only cautiously transparent? Are you willing to be really ‘vulnerable’?

Maybe that is a good question for all of us. To be vulnerable is to forget self and remember God. If my life is found in God, why would I be preoccupied with what others think? After all, he has not only shown me his love and acceptance, he lavishes me with his love on a daily basis. What does a preoccupation with self really say about me or you? Does this make sense?

In the meantime, I think I would like to be more like Jenna.

Have a Great day

David

What is the Goal of a Goal?

At our Life group table (discussion groups following our morning message) just for fun, we add a question to our attendance sheet that people sign in on. Usually the life group leader thinks up the question. Yesterday's question was a simply one . . . "What is one goal that you have for 08".

What was really interesting is that it seemed to me that many of those around the table struggled with the questions. How did I come up with that observation? Well, all the answers were pretty general. Things like, "To tell the truth" "Be a better Friend" To finish school". To me, when general things are spoken like this . . it tells me what those around the table have thought much about having goals.

Here is a good question . . . . What is the Goal of a Goal. Many of us have a plans, but there is a difference between the two.

A plan is quite simply a method describing a proposed situation. It could be an intention to change something or a set of instructions to do something in a specific or in a different way than done in the past. A plan could be a set of instructions that define how one is going to get from one point to another such as explaining how to put something together. Plans can be created showing how one might verify if something is as it is proposed to be. Plans can vary in size, description and complexity, depending on what they are meant for. One important aspect to consider about a plan is that it generally identifies how to reach an objective or a goal. Some might look at a plan as a set of directions rather than instructions, explaining how to do something or get some where.

A goal is an expected end product or achievement. A goal can be considered an objective. Goals are set to identify things that one wants to accomplish or do. Goals can vary in size and complexity. One could have multiple small goals that need to be reached in order to reach a larger goal. These simple yet effective identifications of what one wants to achieve allows one to create plans defining how they are going to reach the said goals.

Far many it is hard to identify the difference between a goal and a plan. To simplify these two things that seem much the same one could say that a goal is a destination, where as a plan defines how one can get there.

Just a few thoughts on Planning and Goal living from a guy trying to wake up this morning.

Have a Great day

David

Take your own advise!

So I was talking to a Friend on Sunday. He was apologizing about missing a work party that we had a church. He said "I need someone to call me the day before and remind me" I was a little miffed, because this was a man that had a few years under his belt and he wanted someone else to take time out in his busy schedule to remind him rather then take the bull by the horns and do it him self.

Then, then, I open this blog up to discovered that I had forgot to write my Monday Morning blog FOR THREE WEEKS wow.

I need to remind myself to write this blog . . but I'm not going to ask anyone to do it for me, I got to get this done my self.

So here are some things I'm going to try.

* Add it to a running "To Do" List.

* Place a sticky note in a place you frequent.

* Use the service "jott" (look it on line) call in a reminder for yourself

* Talk about it often ( the more you talk about it the more you think about it)

* Add it to your Calendar, and get into the practice of looking at your calendar every morning

* Invite someone to come along with you to your appointments. (they will call you when you forget)

* Write it on your and and don't wash (Just kidding)

* Use your PDA and set a reminder.

I'm sure you have some more and I would love to hear from you.

Have a Great day

David