Brandon Ives

Jesus took the twelve disciples out for a walk and instructed them to pick up a rock to carry with them. Peter decided to select the smallest rock he could find, so that his journey would be easy. After a few hours, Jesus told his disciples that it was time to break for lunch. He instructed each disciple to take their rock out and when Jesus prayed over it, the rock became bread. Everyone ate their bread, but Peter left lunch hungry.

A few miles into the afternoon hike, Jesus once again asked his disciples to pick up a rock. This time Peter knew exactly what to do. He found the largest that he could find and hoisted it up onto his shoulder. After a few hours of walking, the journey came to an end beside a large lake. Jesus looked at his disciple and instructed them to throw their rocks into the lake. Peter became disgruntled and started to complain about the other disciples’ rocks, but Jesus stopped him and asked him a question. “Peter, who were you carrying the rock for?”

Do you remember the words at the end of John’s gospel? Peter has just been given difficult news about how he will one day suffer the same way Jesus did. And Peter quickly turns to the other disciples and says, “Ok Jesus, what about this guy?” And what does Jesus say, “What is that to you? You follow me.”

Our job is to follow Christ and carry his mission-for us. Our focus shouldn’t be on everyone else.

Labels: christianity, Jesus, Peter

One of the great lines out of Seth Godin’s book Linchpin is: “There’s no script for leadership. There can’t be.”

Of course he is right. If there’s a script, you’re a follower. Sure, you may be “leading” a department or a church, but leadership is more than managing people. Leading is about taking people from where they are to where they need to go.

Now of course that doesn’t mean you can’t take great advice, learn lessons of leadership and get a lot of help along the way. But when you are leading, you are stepping out beyond where your tribe has been before. And when you step out past that point, you enter the land of leadership.

This is where risk and danger lurk on every corner, but also this is where reward and triumph live. Hope can be found in this frightening place, but only for those who are brave enough to tame its treacherous paths. Is there hope for those who refuse to lead? Perhaps, but they usually hope for mediocrity. Is that ok for you?

Here's a little video for all the teachers, students and parents out there...

Labels: School

Pastor Mark Driscoll has an interesting take young men or as he calls them, "Boys who can shave."

Read It Here

Labels: Christian Living, Mark Driscoll, Men

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man reaps what he sows…” Galations 6:7-8

Behaviors have consequences. When we love and care for the people around us, we will have closer and more fruitful relationships. If we choose to sow selfishness, greed, idleness or anger, we will inevitably reap poverty, failure, loneliness and isolation. These are the natural consequences of our behavior.

Dr. Henry Could, in his book Boundaries, advises us that rescuing people from the natural consequences of their behavior is to render them powerless. He continues by saying,

“This happens a lot with parents and children. Parents often yell and nag, instead of allowing their children to reap the natural consequences of their behavior. Parenting with love and limits, with warmth and consequences, produces confident children who have a sense of control over their lives.”

I wonder who I help render powerless by overstepping important boundaries.

Labels: Boundaries, Christian Living, Dr. Henry Cloud

The following is an excerpt of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3)

The New Testament notices things that do not seem worthy of notice by our standards. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” Paupers are remarkably commonplace! The preaching of today tends to point out a person’s strength of will or the beauty of his character—things that are easily noticed. The statement we so often hear, “Make a decision for Jesus Christ,” places the emphasis on something our Lord never trusted.

He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him—something very different. At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness—I can only enter it as an absolute pauper.

Labels: Book, christianity, Oswald Chambers, poverty

Charles Darwin observed, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

Do you ever wonder if the same can be said about churches? It’s not the biggest, the richest or the smartest church that ultimately thrives in our world. The church that endures is able to adapt quickly and meet the challenges of the mission field they live in.

These are easy observations to make, but the challenge we face is our wiliness to be that church. Willing to adapt to God’s lead, eager to face change and confident in God’s power.

Please take time this week to pray for our church. God has good things in store for us!

Labels: Change, Church, Darwin, God