DiSC

I always love personality tests. Last night I had to take the DiSC Analysis Exam for the first time in years. Turns out they know me pretty well. It's amazing to me how by just selecting a few words, it seems they can tell you nearly everything about yourself. As it turns out I am "Inspirational," which is a combination of Dominance and Influence, and lean a little towards being "Result-Oriented." I love seeing my strengths and weaknesses on a page. The test rarely if ever lies. I encourage all everyone to take both the DiSC as well as the Myers Briggs to see what strengths you have, but also the weaknesses that are on "your dark side." Here are a few links that you can take knock-off tests at. Seek a professional for the actual DiSC and Myer's Brigg's assessments.

Myers Briggs Knock-off - http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp (I am ENTJ)
DiSC Knock-off - http://www.gregwiens.com/disc.htm

I would love to hear a few of the results.

Dream Assassins - Let Downs

Joseph spends years in prison and finds himself meeting 2 of the kings of officials, a cupbearer and a baker. In the midst of the prison they both have dreams in which God uses Joseph to interpret. Joseph told the cupbearer in Genesis 40 to remember him when his dream came true. Had the cupbearer shared the scenario of the dream and Joseph's role the king would have likely let him out of prison in just 3 days. Instead Joseph spent another 2 years in a place he did not deserve.

Lessons Learned...

• People you serve will not always return the favor, even when promises are made.
• Let-downs may lead to more waiting.
• Sometimes let-downs come because God's timing is different than ours.
• Joseph did not know whether or not the cupbearer had made mention of him to the king or not. Many times we will be unsure of the circumstances surrounding our let-down.
• The people we serve often times remember us long after the fact... (Genesis 41)

Dream Assassins - Waiting

Continuing in the life of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37, we see another attempt to destroy the dream God had given him. In Genesis 39 following the lies of Potipher's wife, Joseph is thrown into prison for something he did not do. It was there he simply waited and made the most of every opportunity he was given.

Lessons Learned...

• Joseph's waiting came in the form of a prison cell, for you it may be a job, finances, circumstances, a relationship, or even a prayer closet until God says now!!!
• Without the prison cell (waiting place) there would be no palace for the fulfillment of the dream.
• God can still prosper you in your waiting place. Joseph found favor and was given leadership responsibilities even in prison.
• God honors faithfulness!
• People are always watching you in the middle of your darkest or most frustrating moments (v.21)

Thanksgiving Reflections

After eating entirely too much for you and me both I thought I would share a few things I am thankful for...

• Julie who is an amazing woman and mother and willing to go wherever God leads us.
• Jase who is 19 months now and growing way too fast.
• Family. We have always maintained good relationships with both our families.
• Being able to spend the holidays with my mom who should have passed from extreme aggressive cancer 13 years ago.
• College Football. Georgia...maybe next year!
• Golf.
• Food. I actually ate enough today to feed some children in Thailand for a few weeks.
• Being able to serve God with my life.
• My church family and friends.
• Jesus! Thanks for everything you have done.

I will finish the Dream Assassin series starting tomorrow!

Dream Assasins - Deceit

Following Joseph's rejection of Potipher's wife and his faithfulness to God in Genesis 39, Potipher's wife set out to destroy him. As he left the house she grabbed his coat and in his persistence to get away he left his coat. She proceeds to tell a different version of the story in what seems to be an attempt to get back and Joseph for rejecting him. She lies about his intentions to her husband and had him stripped of his position and thrown ito prison.

Lessons Learned...

• There will always be people who will lie about you.
• There will always be people who will believe the lies.
• There is nothing you and I can do to keep it from happening.
• People who are offended, hurt, threatened, or rejected may gather evidence to build a case against you. (Potipher's wife uses the coat as evidence to back her story)
• Many times we will be persecuted for things we did not do.

His First Prayer

Last Night we got home late from The Gathering Youth Service and it was like usual past Jase's bedtime. As I changed his diaper and began to put him to bed he said something to the affect of "i onna wock" which I interpreted to mean I want to rock. I was actually right for a change. Most of the time Julie has to interpret for me. So I sat down in the rocking chair for a few minutes with him and after sitting down for only a few seconds he said "Amen" which is what he says when Julie or I get finished praying. So I ask him if he wanted to pray and he responded with something like "i onna pway." Julie and I pray with him at night, but it is always us who instigates it, but not this time. So I took advantage of it, and about 2 words at a time, Jase repeated after me his first prayer to God. Did he understand...no! Do I care...no! I am just excited and scared all at the same time to raise him and show him how much the God that created him loves him. It's a huge responsibility, but we ask God everyday to give us wisdom. I hope that he will see his mom and day pray more than just at church or at bedtime. I want him to see us live a life of worship to God that he wants to model his "life" after.

Dream Assassins - Sex

In Genesis 39 Joseph finds himself as a servant in the home of Potipher, one of the kings officials. He finds favor with him because he remains faithful to God. In the meantime Joseph gets a not so modest come on from Potipher's wife not just once, but everyday. After many refusals she gets frustrated with him...we pick up there next time.

Lessons Learned

• Sexual Assassins are closer than most of us realize...Potipher's wife watched Joseph daily.
• Our love for God has to be greater than love of ourselves..."How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" v9
• Had Joseph given in, the dream could have been destroyed or altered (See King David).
• Joseph may have never gotten caught, but he said no anyway.
• Greater success can bring greater opportunity for failure.

Dream Assassins - Family

Joseph has a dream that in some way or another he will be in a position of authority over his family. His brothers don't take the dream well when he tells them. So they plot to kill him, but settle on selling him into slavery to get him away so that they can destroy the dream.

Lessons Learned...

• When you have a dream in your life and share it with people in your family, they will not always understand.
• The people that you feel should be the closest to you and give you the most support can sometimes be the ones that selfishly seek to hold you back
• People who do not have God's heart, can't see the things God sees (Isaiah 55:9)
• God always does and end run - he didn't allow Joseph's brothers to kill him

What has God put in your heart that you feel others may have a hard time believing. Read this blog by Steven Furtick.

Dream Assassins

I have always been encouraged by the life of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37. At 17 years old he has a dream and it takes 13 years before he sees the dream become a reality. Along the way he faced threats to his dream. Some of which sought out specifically to see the dream destroyed while others inadvertently could have crushed it. They are what I like to call "Dream Assassins." Dream Assassins are lurking around corners in all of our lives, and if we are not careful, we can allow them to discourage us and cause us to give up on the dream. Over the next few days we will walk through those assassins that are evident in Joseph's life.

Faith Crisis - Part 2

So I am 21 years old and 2 weeks from getting married when I graduate. I had interviewed with nearly 20 pastors, some of which interested me greatly, while others...well anyway. The times that I was interested I had a good feeling about the opportunity, only to have what seemed to be like door slammed in my face. After wrestling with what now God, I had to just trust in what I could not see " Hebrews 11:1. Julie and I went forward with the plans, understanding that we would do whatever we had to do until the right opportunity came along. Two days before our wedding I received a call from a pastor in Nashville. We talked for a while, and he was visiting ATL the week I returned from my honeymoon. We decided to meet then and discuss further the opportunity of us serving with him. It was our final hope before the wedding day. We returned from our Honeymoon and met in N. ATL and both parties showed interest. We decided to visit a week and a half later and things came together. Julie and I served for 2 years at that church and built friendships that will last a lifetime before God led us in another direction. We realize how important it was for us to be at that particular place for that particular season for us as well as them. I learned the most important lesson in my life at that point...what we see will not always line up with what we believe...that is a faith crisis. How we respond will determine the future of the journey.

Faith Crisis

I have been studying Habakkuk http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=42&chapter=1&version=31 the last few days and have been assured that all of us will hit at least one faith crisis in our lives. It's that point when what we believe doesn't like up with what we see. As I looked back on my life I realized the different "faith crisis" that I have had along the journey. I remember after wrestling with God's call on my life and having a serious injury that ended a potentially prosperous baseball career, God had my attention. To be brief, it was at that moment that I realized I had been running away from the calling God had placed on my life. So I began to pursue it. For the next 4 years I did everything I thought I was supposed to do to be the great leader I was supposed to be. My senior year in high school I began learning and reading. I took 3 college classes while still in my senior year. I went on to graduate college in 3 years, get engaged and was only months from being married when I began the search for a place of ministry. Enter "faith crisis." No one would hire me. I felt like I had done what I believed I was supposed to do. I was about to have a family. I had great dreams and aspirations, but no where to see them fulfilled. I'll continue with how it all ended tomorrow...

Give Me a Steak Please!!!

Hebrews 5 http://tinyurl.com/5csgy5 gives us a look into what God expects of us when it comes to growing up spiritually. The last year and a half has given me new insights into this scripture. Since Jase was born I have been astounded at the process of growth he has made both physically and mentally. I never really understood how much children really desire to learn. He will show you and tell you the new things he has learned everyday. On top of that random things come out of his mouth that there is no way he should understand at this age. I see him processing new things on a daily basis. Beyond that I remember the first time he could hold his own bottle (there is a God). Every step of the way I am amazed and this is the kicker for me...he is only 18 months old and so much has been learned. I think it is worth noting that in 18 months it is unlikely that a person can be and will be a fully devoted follower of Christ...that is a lifelong process. However, there are things that spiritual leaders must allow people to do for God at every growth stage. When Jase began holding his bottle on his own...I QUIT holding it for him. When he got began fedding himself I QUIT feeding him. Pastor what are you allowing those in various growth stages to do. Are we pushing people forward or holding them back.

Hallucination

Thomas Edison once said "vision without execution is hallucination." That hit me like a ton of bricks. Julie and I have had dreams of doing some very specific things for God from the time we were teens. We have seen many of them already. But that's not the end. God has put dreams in our heart that he wants us to "execute." Of course in our execution, we must be dependant upon Him, but what if we fail? Edison says we are hallucinating. Don't get me wrong, we will fail at some things, but not at the vision God has placed inside of us. I am a believer that if God gives you the vision, he expects you to fulfill it. Please don't hear what I am not saying, but I wonder how many leaders, pastors, etc are just hallucinating. Do we really have a vision from God or are we making up something in our own minds? We have to get on our face and know what it is he expects from us and not just attempt to do what the next guy has done. What are your thoughts?

Excellence

Over 2,700 passengers were on our ship last week and that is not one of the larger of the fleet. Some are currently holding 4,200 and one is scheduled to set sail next year that houses 6,000 people. What blows me away is how no matter how many people are on the ship, it never feels like more than about 600-800. The cruise industry moves people, serves people, and pampers people better than any industry I have personally ever seen. Let's break it down...the cruise director said over the course of the week they had served some 65,000 meals...WHAT!!! Not only that but the crew kept 1800 rooms cleaned and neat, not to mention every other part of the ship. It's called excellence. Where is this work ethic in the church. Sure those guys work 12 hour days to make money, but we are all working for a much higher calling. I am sick of the church being sloppy and lazy. Just because the ministry down the street is doing ministry a little lazier than you are doesn't mean your in the will of God. I am not saying neglect family and other things, but lets get over our sloppiness like misspelled words on the screen(sorry if there are some in this post - it's my blog!!!), workers being late, the sound not being set, trash on the floor, and just plain apathy in the room. We only get one shot at this thing called life, it's time we make the most of it.

The Gathering

Really good to be back last night. Have to say I miss the students. It's fall break week so everyone had tons of energy. As the night came to an end, things got intense. I guess anytime you deal with the issue of suicide, people listen. What amazed me was the amount of students who had a loved one that that had committed suicide. I am constantly blown away at the issues these kids face, yet they still give this whole God thing a chance. We have a new thing, if you had asked me a few years ago, I would have told you it was elementary, but it's amazing how it's working. Every week at the end of our service, or at some important transition I stop the service and have every student look at me until they smile (many of them really don't want to smile) but when they do, I have them simply repeat these words...He loves me!!! It is amazing how their demeanor changes immediately. It's really cool to watch God work in these kid's lives.

Communicate

Continuing in the thoughts of things I learned from Royal Caribbean is the idea of communication. I realized this week, how easy it is to forget about something that you really want to do. Every night we would receive the next days newsletter in our room. It would have the spa specials, events on board, port details etc. Anything that was happening was in that newsletter. In addition to the newsletter announcements were made throughout the day, signs and displays were posted throughout the ship. I realized how easy it was to lose track of time and miss something you wanted to attend. I am not arguing that people should live unorganized lives, but lets face it, many people have a time management struggle and in the midst of chaos, things they genuinely want to do get shoved aside for whatever reason. I think about what it would have been like if we had been given one brochure when we boarded the ship and it had all the activities for the week on it. How hard would it have been to dicipher when and where to be. As a church, we have to learn what to communicate when, and to whom it must be communicated. The sunday bulletin cannot be your primary communication system within your organization. You and I have to find strategic ways to communicate on the large scale as well as in smaller groups. Where is your communication system breaking down? What workers, leaders, unbelievers, and families are being affected?

Expectations

When our family planned to take a cruise this year, there were a few things we wanted and expected from it...to get away from the norm, good food, fun, and relaxation. Believe it or not the cruise line knew this. Although we are not drinkers, they also knew that most people on board expected alcohol, and lots of it. Everyone got more than they bargained for. Before we even checked in and received our sea pass cards, there was a cookie buffet for those waiting in line. The opening announcement was that the upstairs dining area was serving a buffet immediately when we entered the ship. The minute we set sail there was a party on the upper deck. Alcohol was being offered all over the ship, and might I add people were taking advantage of it. It was as if all of our senses were being touched by the sounds, smell, taste, and view of the activities aboard. Throughout the week, the options of food, fun, alcohol, and relaxation were endless. It was exactly what we expected. As I thought about this I realized...when people come to church, they have expectations as well. Among the most important are...1 They expect people to be friendly 2. They expect their life to be touched. I am convinced that when people walk through the church doors for the first time, they are looking for something different than the week had to offer. The question is are we as a church striving to meet those in every way possible with a spirit of excellence or are we "having service?" Just some thoughts to ponder as we prepare for the weekend. One thing to keep in mind is that the cruise line can't afford to miss it or they will go out of business. As the church, we must have this attitude.

Ready to Go!!!

Just back from a long vacation. One of the weirdest feeling is being away and relaxing while still anticipating getting back to what you love. Over the next few days I will be posting a few thoughts on things I learned from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. It is amazing to me how the secular culture gets it right more often that the church. Here a few pics from the week.

The Gathering

Heading out for vacation tomorrow, and leaving with a bang. I'm so proud of our student leaders for the stories they shared tonight. They shared deep personal issues and how God has set them free. Almost 50 students decided to follow Christ tonight. Off to bed with a smile!

Mentors - Part 4

One of the greatest things that has ever happened to me as a young leader and pastor is when people who were mentors to me as a teenager and young adult reached beyond the call of duty and actually became friends. I think of my former youth pastor Mark Einersen, who always noted a potential in me that helped me become who I am. The great part about our relationship is that it grew beyond that. We view each other as friends. Sure their are things that he and his family have done for Julie and I that we could never repay and the truth is there are still things that I learn from him, but the relationship is not built around those things. It is built on a genuine authentic relationship that can be nothing more than hanging out at times. Things like that make ministry worth it!

P.S. - I am now on staff at the church he grew up in and a bulk of our ministry focuses on the high school he graduated from.

Mentors - Part 3

Indirect Mentor #3 - Craig Groeschel
There are so many things to say here. Craig and Bobby at LifeChurch have made it possible for their impact for the Kingdom to be felt in larger ways than most of us have the creativity to imagine. I'll never forget Craig's story of how they started in a garage with an overhead transparency for their worship. He had a vision and a passion that led to things never thought of 15 years ago, and he is humble enough to admit that he stumbled on the idea during the birth of his child. The thing that I have gleaned the most and continue to glean from him is the fact that we have to do what we are good at doing. God created each and everyone of us uniquely and we are purposed to use the giftings that he has given us in the most effective ways we know how. We are not called to be like someone else!

Direct Mentor #3 - Randy Valimont
Pastor Valimont was my pastor from the time I was about 13 years old. I watched as our church grew from about 300 people to nearly 2500 when I left for college. Since that time it has continued to grow and touch the community in so many ways. Over the years Pastor Valimont and I have had a few conversations that I will not forget. As a college student I will never forget the things that he expected from those around him...1. Passion for God, 2. Work Ethic, and 3. Teachability. He also made this statement in another conversation...(paraphrased) delegation is not delegation without accountability. Now that I have been involved in full-time ministry for nearly nine years, those 2 valuable lessons still remain a part of my ministry philosphy. Thanks Pastor for everything.

Mentors - Part 2

Indirect Mentor #2 - Bill Hybels
I have read so many books by Hybels and the Willow Creek staff. He says in his book Courageous Leadership that "the local church is the hope of the world." When I first read that it was like I was hit by an oncoming train. But that is exactly the way Jesus set the stage. He spent time on earth with His disciples, and set the church into motion at His death. The "local church" (bodies of believers within a particular community) is the hope for changing that community. We must see more effective churches planted, lead, and grown in every community of the world.

Direct Mentor #2 - Tim Bach
I had the opportunity to serve with Tim Bach during a transitional year of my life. I was about to graduate college and get married. Tim taught me many things, but I think the thing that hit me like a tire iron was his passion for seeing people's life transformed by Jesus. No person was too far from God. Everyday was an opportunity. I have always heard passion is contagious, and in this situation, I am the victim. Since that time, I have had the opportunity to serve with him in other capacities and that passion is still the same.

Mentors - From Hindsight to Foresight

It has been said that a mentor is "Someone whose hindsight can become your foresight.” I think there are days worth of learning in that statement. There are so many people who have been where I want to go. They are on all different stages of the journey. It's not that I want to be exactly like any of them, but there are things that they have learned along the way that have and will continue to give me insight into decision making along the journey. Over the next week or so I will be sharing a few thoughts on people who have impacted my life. I don't believe that you have to have a relationship with all of the people that impact your life, so I have broken these down into what I call "Direct Impact Mentors"(those who I have a personl relationship with) and "Indirect Impact Mentors"(those I have learned from the most from books, blogs etc.).

Indirect Mentor #1 - Dave Ramsey
Although I now have what I would call an acquantance with Dave, before I knew him personally, he challenged me to change my family tree. My wife and I are and have been debt free except for our home for the last 6 years. He has changed my view on money, giving, and debt. Julie and I are now certified financial counselors with Ramsey's organization (The Lampo Group) and have helped hundreds of families become debt free.

Direct Mentor # 1 - My Dad
My dad taught me so much about hard work. Though our skill sets are remarkably different, ministry can be difficult at times. He taught me to take care of my family, never give up, and work hard and get ahead. He coached my sports teams, and stretched me to become the best that I could be in whatever I was doing. Thanks Dad I will forever be grateful.

"Sunday Night Refelctions"

• Servolution was amazing...sorry for the poor video quality below, just keeping the site moving as quick as possible. My favorite part was Bingo at the nursing home.
• 27 people gave their heart and life to Christ this week...3 tonight in a financial class.
• Our financial class begins paying off $312,000 starting tonight. I'm so excited!!!
• "Gazelle Intensity" - Part 4 of Dave Ramsey's FPU- gets me so fired up.
• I love Facebook. Hooked up with some old friends I haven't talked to since middle and high school. One was a girl that I got in an argument with in 7th grade and we both got a paddling. That was the days before political correctness.
• Getting stoked about the cruise in 2 weeks. It's hard leaving what you love doing, but a week in the Caribbean is worth it.
• Cane's chicken for lunch...mmmm!!!
• College Football - Well still my favorite. GA looks amazing if they would quit having 130 yards a game in penalties. Knowshon for Heisman Baby!!! Gotta say I am a little worried about the AL vs. GA matchup this weekend.
• Falcons 2-1. Who saw that coming?
• Pulling for the Packers tonight (doesn't look good), not because I like them, but I dont like Favre and I want Rodgers to have a great season. Sorry to all of you Cowboys and Favre fans.
• Hope to post a few blogs this week on "It," Craig Groeschel's new book.

Good night for now.

Servolution Update

Thought you may injoy this video from earlier today...

"The Gathering"

Where to begin...I am absolutely stunned at this year and the lives that are being changed within the ministry. I've said it before, we are understaffed and out manned by about 3 to 1 what we should be. Students seem to be coming out of the woods behind the youth facility and then bringing their friends the next week. Tonight 24 students made Christ the center of their life, despite several media and sound glitches. This was supposed to be a year of (for lack of a better term) "rebuilding," but we are doing our best to keep up with God. Pray for workers. Not only is the harvest ripe, but our workers are delirious. Thanks for the support prayers.

"Servolution" - A Revolution of Serving

Three days left until we embark on our community with the same spirit that Jesus came to the earth with...not to be served but to serve. From honoring our hospital workers, playing Bingo with the elderly in nursing homes, cutting the grass of widows and military wives, handing out cold water and much more, our goal is to over time show this community Jesus cares about every person. This community has been changed dramatically over the past 3 years, and we have set a goal to change it again. I will post a video this weekend that I hope you will enjoy.

Wild Goose Chase - Part 2

I gotta say I love the concept of the chapter "Coming out of the Cage of Assumptions." As Christ-followers, we all have assumptions we face. It is easy to look at others and see where they assume things about God and church that are just opinions...you don't love God unless you attend Sunday night service, you have to wear your Sunday best for church, it's the pastor's job to do the ministry are just a few. But what about yourself. This is the question that I had to wrestle with. I discovered that some of the assumptions that I have overcome in recent years are pretty substantial.
1. "The church is about gathering together with other believers" - This is terrible that I dealt with this assumption for so long. To state it clearly I now realize "the church" is living a organism and requires action within the marketplace and community we live. The basis for the church is the basis for Jesus life..."not to be served, but to serve and give my life."
2. "Church planting is not for me" - Simply put God is stirring my spirit and challenging me to dream and think outside the box. I will constantly be sharing more of my heart on this.
3. "Bigger is better. Build a bigger building...run more services, then build another bigger building." - I have to admit that the multi-site movement in our country has proven to me that as a church grows larger the way for it to then grow larger is to multiply itself. This is many times done best by taking advantage of multiple locations in rented facilities.

There are many more, but ask yourself, what are your assumptions you need to square up and ask God to clarify for you?

Life Goals - Recreation/Fitness

I am always adding to these...

• Run the Peachtree Road Race with my nephew and kids
• Play Pebble Beach
• Play St. Andrews
• Play Sawgrass - and I hit 17 the first shot
• Play Augusta
• Play Kapalua
• Shoot under par for once in my life
• Own a Seadoo
• Stay within 15 pounds of my marriage weight - this is gonna be tough
• Skydive - maybe - I should say get the guts to skydive
• Get a hole in 1 - October 26, 2007
• Parasail with the Fam

Life Goals - Travel

Here are a few travel goals that Julie had much say so in. Again some have already been fulfilled...

• Visit all the major Hawaiian Islands
• Spend 2 weeks touring Europe
• Take a Mediterranean Cruise
• Spend a few weeks in Australia
• Take the kids on a Disney Cruise
• Cruise the Mexican Riviera
• Swim with the Dolphins
• Visit StingRay City
• Visit the 7 Wonders
• Whitewater Raft the Colorado and Grand Canyon
• Visit as many Caribean Islands and locations as possible
• Take the Kids on an African or Australian Safari
• Take our parents on a paid vacation
• Tour the Whitehouse
• Attend a Super Bowl
• Attend BCS National Championship Game
• Take Jase to all SEC football stadiums

Tomorrow...a few personal recreation goals.

Sunday Night Reflections

• First Sunday After Hurricane Gustov - Not a Bad Day
• Picked back up on Financial Peace - Still stoked. I think that class will pay off as much debt or more than the last one
• Keeping an eye on Hurricane Ike
• Go Dawgs!!! Look out South Carolina!
• Go Falcons!!! I can't believe I just said that, but for now I am on the bandwagon.
• Ready for The Gathering Wednesday - Missed a week and a retreat due to Gustov
• Rashad Evans beat Chuck Lidell...Think Chuck needs a new strategy. Gotta love the UFC!!!
• Not looking forward to my trip tomorrow...Jackson, MS BLAH!!

Off to Bed!!!

Life Goals - Ministry

Just walking through the different categories of my/our life goals. Here are a few that would fall into the ministry category. Again some have already been fulfilled while others have not yet began.

• Plant a church in South Atlanta
• Pastor a church of 10,000 people
• Win 100,000 people to Jesus
• Pastor same church for 20+ years
• Pastor a student ministry of 200+ students
• See 50 students pursue a call to ministry
• Build an orphanage/girls home in a foreign country
• Spend a month on the mission field
• Take my kids on a family missions trip
• Work in ministry with my kids as adults
• Write a book
• Mentor 500 young ministers

A few thoughts: When I wrote these goals down I felt it was important to include those that I set a few years ago and have seen fulfilled as well as those that are in the process. In the next few days I will post family goals, travel goals, as well as recreation and fitness goals.

Life Goals - Financial

Thought I would share just a few of my/our financial goals today. Several of these have already been fulfilled and others are barely beginning. Here they are in no particular order:

• Pay off home by age 40
• Pay for children's college education
• Provide 20% dowm payment for children's first home for wedding gift
• Be financially independent by age 50
• Work in full time ministry without drawing a salary
• Allow Julie to be stay at home mom
• Be debt free the rest of our lives
• Have $100,000 in retirment by age 30
• Help 10,000 families become debt free through financial counseling

I must throw a shout out to a mentor of mine Dave Ramsey for his leadership in the field of stewardship and financial peace. For more info visit http://www.daveramsey.com/

"Wild Goose Chase" - Part 1

About finished reading "Wild Goose Chase" and I am focusing in the question that Mark ask, "How do you need to get your feet wet in pursuing your God-given passions?" He refers back to the book of Joshua when God tells the priests to take a few steps into the water before He would part the river (Joshua 3) He states that many times we are waiting on God to act, and at the same time, he is waiting on us to act. I realize more and more each day that God's plans and dreams for my life are not going to just happen because I want them to. They require action, and many time risks on my part. It's what Mark calls being "responsibly irresponsible." It's taking risks that are God given risks that can only happen if he is in it.

TPC Sawgrass

Just finished up a 2 day golf tournament at the TPC Sawgrass. Met some great leaders and pastors from across the globe. I truly believe that relationships were built that will last lifetime. We shot 12 under and happy to say that it only took 1 shot to hit 17. I have posted pics to my facebook account. Looking forward to next year as well as working with the Asia Pacific Board of Regents.

Life Goals

I've bee challenged recently by Mark Batterson to write down my life goals. I am currently finishing his new book "Wild Goose Chase.". I will be posting a few thoughts on the book this week as well as a few of my life goals.

All We Can Do Now is Wait

Wow! Where do I begin. I think back three years ago when my family went through 2 of the worst hurricanes in history. After Katrina devastated our coastline and we led the largest distribution effort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for 10 weeks, a friend of ours who I will be playing golf with this very week rewarded our family with a getaway because of our efforts. He noticed the burnout in our eyes, and realized we needed a break after working over 100 hours a week for over 2 months. Long story short we chose Cancun only to ride out Hurricane Wilma (155 mph winds for 40 hours) in a shelter for 10 days. I'll save the details, but to be honest I have never wanted to quit ministry so bad in my life. As it is, I spent the 2nd half of this week in preparation for Gustav and who knows after that (Hannah). Now all we can do is wait. I head to ATL tomorrow and catch a flight to FLA monday. We are asking that you pray for the people of the coast of MS and LA this week. If you see someone in your town this week, maybe buy them a tank of gas or serve them in some way. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. Ill keep you up to date on our status.

Gustav - Three Years after Katrina

As many of you know Friday marks the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina that obliterated New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Well here we are watching Gustav and waiting in limbo to see what our next move is. Please pray for us about the following things:

1. Peace for the people of our area. Not only a peace but also a turning towards God that is not just temporary.

2. The church - In 2005 following Katrina Jesus was lifted up because of the service of the church across America.

3. Wisdom for our leadership as we will make decisions as to whether to cancel retreats etc. scheduled this week.

4. A weaker storm than expected. If it has to make landfall, let it be mild.

Please forward this to others in your circle of influence as well as those who helped during Katrina. Thanks for all of your prayers and help.

Making the Tough Decisions - Part 4

I've been discussing over the last several days how to identify and deal with people with ulterior motives. Tonight I want to briefly focus on...
3. The Legalist - Ill just illustrate this one with a story. We had a worker in our church several years back who was constantly saying how it was disappointing to him that few Christians could say the 10 Commandments. He proceeded at one point to ask me if I could say them, and as I did, he got on me for not saying them in order, and not quoting them in the KJV. That was the end of that discussion for me, but as I look back I would have done something very different. As I look at his verbiage, I realize now this was his attempt to spiritualize himself. My pastor always says "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." My response to him instead of attempting to quote them to him would have simply been to say "when is the last time you served someone in need?" Several weeks later he passed me on the road with a cigarette in his hand. I'm not here to beat him over the head about that issue, but give me a break. These were the people Jesus dealt with the most in His day. They were called Pharisees, and Jesus wasn't very gentle with them. Since that time that man and his family have changed churches three different times.

Sunday Night Reflections

• Really excited about all the new faces I saw today. You can tell school is back in full swing.
• Had missions emphasis today and was presented with a website where we can see realtime decisions merged with Google earth all over the world. You can get the feeds by signing up here... http://www.godrev.com/ and click realtime decisions. This pumps me up...seing people all over the world accept Christ.
• Kicked off brand new Financial Peace class tonight. I love to see people getting excited about getting out of debt and making plans to invest in the kingdom for the long haul.
• Got a slammed week. Put the finishing touches on "Momentum" our back to school retreat. Probably need a few "Rockstars" to make it through.
• One week and one day til I fly to TPC Sawgrass where I will play both courses in 2 days. Real excited about Julie speaking while I am gone. Promising everyone I will hit as many shots on 17 as it takes to stick one on the green.
• Killed the brand new "Shed" BBQ in town. Lives up to the Food Network expectations.
• Will pick up tomorrow on "Making the Tough Calls" here on the blog.
• Will finish "Wild Goose Chase" this week. I'm sure it will live up to the hype.

Making the Tough Decisions - Part 3

I have been discussing making the tough decisions to confront improper motives. So far we've dealt with the "Good Ole Boy" and the effect they can have on a church.
2. The Critical Spirit - Unfortunately these people don't introduce themselves by saying let me be critical for a second and then rant and rave for 20 minutes(that would actually be a better way to handle it). Many times they mask their criticism in comments or hints that further their own agenda, but appear to make them seem like they have genuine concerns about the church or people within it. For instance...I had a lady who was a youth worker at the time talk to me about how she wanted to see our students grow more in their faith. She believed God had so much for them and wanted to help out in anyway possible. Well Duh...All youth workers should feel that way. What she was really saying and you have to trust me when I say it all came out in the wash is that she didn't think the church or myself was doing enough to "disciple" students. Here is rundown of the events that followed. She and I met about possible scenarios to "do a better job." Unfortunately when it was all said and done I refused to let her daughter lead a Bible study under my authority because of her rebellion and promiscuous relationship she had just been involved in. I was to blame apparently for her daughter's poor choices and now that she had attempted to get her life back on track, she was to be the spiritual hero(not on my watch). This led to a downward spiral of gossip about the ministry, that was still masked in spirituality. When I finally hit it head on, which was about two weeks too late, I was told, and I quote "you are not a pastor, you are an evangelist"(whatever that means). She went on to say "If you were, you would leave the 99 and go after the one" which was her daughter that was angry with me. I gently(ok not really) looked her in the eye and said to her that in order for me to leave the 99 and go after her daughter, she must first be willing to admit to me that her daughter was lost(because that is the premise behind that parable), and if that is the case, what the heck are you doing asking if she can lead a Bible study. Deal with the firmly, and deal with them quickly, because their mask of spirituality can lead many others astray and you will have clean up work to do.

"The Gathering"

Tonight was amazing...Jam packed again and nearly 80+ students responded to a very deep response time. The band well...still growing!!!

Making the Tough Decisions Part 2

This is part two of dealing with and removing difficult people. I watched from the time I was a teen how pastors and leaders dealt with difficult people and learned quite a few things, but in the last 8 years of I have been dealt my fair share as well. Here are just a few.
1. The Good Ole Boy - This can be one of the most difficult people to deal with. In fact you can mistake them for a close friend and even confidant. They shower you with love and praise and make you think they will go to bat for you in any situation. Be very weary of over zealous praise from anyone (unless its the sweet grandmother that has been by your side in ministry for years). I learned this several years back. My wife and I moved to a new location and there was a particular individual who went out of their way to help my wife find a teaching job as well as make me their best friend. I even helped coach a baseball team with him. Little did I know he was noting my every move and would bring it back up to haunt me when decisions were made about ministry that "he just didn't agree with." I found that what appeared to be my "buddy" nearly choked me in a meeting, ended up nearly splitting the church I was serving at the time. These people must be dealt with firmly and leaders cannot live in fear of what may happen if they deal with it head on. If this guy is going to split the church, he has a better shot at it the longer you let him/her linger. Take the bull by the horns and deal with it. Make sure you are surrounding yourself with strong enough leaders that can also see through the "praise trap."

Speed Walking

Are you serious...It really is an olympic sport. If you want a good laugh check it out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2urNVmKnEaQ&feature=related . Had to get that off my chest.

Making the Tough Decisions

I'm so tired of rain I don't know what to do. Finally got a chance to cut my grass today when I noticed a patch of weeds beginning to take over a few of my bushes on my property line. My immediate action was to pull it out. After all it would be foolish to leave it. It wasn't easy but after a few tugs I succeeded. Unfortunately as pastors and leaders we leave weeðs around too long. There are people within our ministries that attempt to undermine authority or at the very least have questionable motives. It may be a staff member or key leader, but they must be removed. If it can be done so gently that is more often than not the best way. However there are times that a leader must exercise their authority and apply whatever actions necessary to remove that spirit. Over the next few days I will be giving a few more thoughts on this topic.

"Stoked"

This past Wednesday we had our annual Re-Launch of The Gathering Youth Church after taking a few weeks off for July. Not only was the room jammed to capacity, but it is like a totally different ministry than last year. Several years back we gathered our core leadership team together because we realized that we were losing our juniors and seniors. We made it a point to focus on the freshman and sophomores over the next two years to see what would happen as far as our graduating classes go. We were amazed when last spring we graduated our largest senior class ever, more that four times larger than any previous year. With that however comes many challenges. Although we have several of those now college freshman hanging around in leadership roles, we also lost many who went off to college. Among them were our worship leader of 4 years, lead guitarist, drummer, keyboard player, and back-up vocalist, not to mention the student leaders we also had to let go of. I have to admit I was a little concerned about how things would go. With me back on the keyboard (which is never a good thing), and all underclassmen filling the other roles, I was "stoked" to see how well things went. The energy was at all time highs, worship simply rocked, and to top it all off it was our largest re-launch ever. We have more youth leaders, student leaders, and the largest kick-off ever. Were "stoked."