This morning in staff meeting we talked about what I’m going to call Equipper’s Guilt. Equipper’s guilt is something I’ve had ever since I’ve been involved in paid ministry. A big part of my job is equipping others for ministry. Yet when I approach someone to partner with me on a ministry project or task, […]
Getting the Most Important Things Done
David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, has a blog. He linked to a great article by Paul Grahahm on procrastination that talks about the difference between good and bad procrastination. Some things need to be put off, but others can’t afford to be. Just because you get all the items on your to-do list […]
January 8, 2006 by 1 Comment
Embracing Grace
Another great book I read in 2005 is Embracing Grace by Scot McKnight. Scot’s blog is a must read and I listed another book of his, The Jesus Creed, in my official 2005 favorites list. I’ve become quite a fan of McKnight’s work over the last six or seven months. He’s also become an important […]
January 6, 2006 by 3 Comments
Getting Things Done
Today was a day of preparation. I had the office all to myself and I used the time to clean up my office, purge old files, and get my head clear of any unclosed loops and fuzzy to-do’s and vague projects. If you’ve read Getting Things Done then you know what I’m talking about. If […]
January 2, 2006 by 3 Comments
Favorites of 2005
My favorite movies of 2005: –Crash –Batman Begins –Revenge of the Sith –King Kong –Syriana –Munich (I saw it on Jan. 1st, but that’s close enough) My favorite books of 2005 (fiction): —Gilead —The Traveler —Glittering Images —The Dark Tower (Book 7) My favorite books of 2005 (non-fiction): —The Emotionally Healthy Church —Alexander Hamilton —The […]
December 31, 2005 by 9 Comments
Merry Christmas
I’m preaching twice this weekend at our Christmas services and then I’m off for a week. I’ll probably try to stay away from the blog. Merry Christmas everybody!
December 23, 2005 by 2 Comments
That Was Hard
I walked into Sam’s Club two days ago to buy a present for Caleb. On a special display table they were selling “one time only” items. These are items that Sam’s doesn’t usually carry, but for one time only they’re available. One of the items they were offering was a black, 30GB Ipod. They were […]
December 22, 2005 by 7 Comments
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
The other day I heard this jingle on the radio: We wish you a happy holiday We wish you a happy holiday We wish you a happy holiday And a happy new year. I thought it sounded absurd. Almost as ridiculous as calling a Christmas tree a “Holiday” tree. Besides, if we’re going to change […]
December 19, 2005 by 13 Comments
The Secret Message of Jesus: Part 2
The second section of McLaren’sThe Secret Message of Jesus is called “Engagement: Grappling with the Meaning of Jesus’s Message.” In chapter six, McLaren gives a brief introduction to the parables, which he calls the medium of Jesus’s message. He writes, “Human kingdoms advance by force and violence with falling bombs and flying bullets, but God’s […]
December 12, 2005 by 6 Comments
Be Quiet
Luke 1:5-25 It was Zechariah’s big day. His name was drawn to go into the temple and burn incense at the altar. He would be only one veil away from the Holy of Holies. Geographically speaking, this is as close to God’s Presence as he was ever going to get. Once inside the temple, Zechariah […]
December 8, 2005 by 6 Comments
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons