RUNwithGOD

Joyce, can you Name That Tune?

You're going to love this... (Quote from DownloadSquad.com)

Joyce Hatto was described as one of the best classical pianists in the world shortly before she died last year. She put out over a hundred recordings, but had stopped performing live decades ago. So maybe it shouldn't be that big a surprise that some listeners questioned whether she was actually recording the songs herself.

And then something funny happened. A music critic for Gramophone Magazine went and popped one of her CDs in his computer for a listen recently. And wouldn't you know it, his music player found what appeared to be the correct information for the CD: only instead of Joyce Hatto, it listed Lászlo Simon as the performer.

Confused? Evidently Hatto is quite the pianist, except that she didn't actually record the songs that she "performed". We have quite the scam going on here. Hatto's husband started releasing CDs after Hatto's death, allowing her career to bloom "post mortem". The husband didn't figure out that computers now analyze CDs by the length of the tracks, and that the CD he was forging as her original work would easily be detected by computer. iTunes was able to crack this mystery in record time.

Looks like Hatto's rolling over in the grave, so to speak. (Oh, man, that one was bad).

This is yet another example of Apple, Inc. saving the day! Not only do we fix the music industry, TV Industry, Film Industry, Portable Music, Cell Phone Industry.... we also make bad men stop scamming off their wives name!

For more information, reference Gramaphone Magazine and PrinstineClassical.com has specific, aural evidence for the Hatto Hoax.

Church meet Starbucks

Monday Morning Insight posted a great blog last week comparing the environment/ambiance/staffing of Starbucks to that of the church.

To quote MMI:

Where Starbucks has made the biggest impact, I think, is in three areas:
1) They have consistently superior service.
2) They create excellent environments.
3) They have the stated goal of being the third place [behind] work and home.

JEFF'S TAKE: There's much in there, relating to the church, and also into retailing. It goes into detail on how we need to improve our service within the church, we need to create environments for worship and fellowship, and how/why we need to be the "third place". Enjoy the article!

Another outcry of the end of the Christian Music Industry

Yet another blog lamenting the demise of the Christian Music Industry, and by proxy, the Christian Retail Industry as we know it. This, however, is someone with a little more insight... David Bach, former bassist for Guardian and exec for EMI and BMG Music Distributors...

Ultimately, Christian Retail is doomed. Just like the Home Depot’s of the world drove out the smaller hardware stores—these so-called secular “Big-Box” retail outlets will eventually crush the smaller Christian retail outlets. Please don’t try and spiritualize this and say it’s a victory for the supposed “godless world” at large. Christians haven’t stopped consuming Christian products—it's just that the bigger retail market was willing to sell it to them —and with more competitive pricing. Remember…secular retail wants to sell what people will buy.

It is a wake up call, to be sure. I agree that the industry is in trouble. I agree that music sales will EVENTUALLY disappear. (I do not agree that it will be 18-24 months). Within the industry we can either evolve our stores, find something else to stand on and make our stores, our businesses relevant to the culture around us... or we might as well give up now because the end is coming soon.

If you're involved in the industry, check out Bach's Godsmack series. If nothing else, it should serve as a wake up call...although the hour is much too late for wake up calls. Lamenting the loss will not allow the industry to survive. We must find another revenue channel to tap, or expand our other channels.

All Things...

"It was my fault. We just didn't do it right. We didn't have the right people. We tried to be all things to all people and didn't do anything right."

Jim Davis, CEO of New Balance as quoted in the Boston Globe in response to the question "What was wrong with New Balance's approach to apparel?"

Thanks to Seth Godin for bringing our attention to this.

Jeff's Take: Yet another quote giving examples of simplyfing in the business world. This seems to be a repeating pattern within the blogosphere... Know what you do, do it well, change the world.

iPod's new Black Box

Full article taken from FlightGlobal.com, excerpt found below:

Apple Computer's popular iPod music player could become a flight data recorder (FDR) following an announcement by US light aircraft manufacturer LoPresti SpeedMerchants to introduce the device in the cockpit of its Fury piston aircraft.

The company says it plans the "full integration of the iPod into the Fury's avionics systems". The iconic 'white box' iPod will serve as a digital data recorder, nicknamed 'black boxes' by the general media. The iPod, with suitable software, acts as a hard disk with the ability to record over 500h of flight time data.

The Fury (pictured) will prove the concept, but once certificated, the iPod FDR could be deployed on other light aircraft. The iPod can also act as an audio recorder, and can be used to capture two-way cockpit conversation and communication with air traffic control.

JEFF'S TAKE: So will the Pilots be able to keep up with the newest episode of The Office too? Technology is a crazy thing. Do you think Jobs really knew how big this thing would get that even Aircraft would be getting pre-wired for iPods?

Dog Bones?

"It's a Dog Eat Dog World out there, and I'm wearing Milkbone Underwear."

Norm Peterson
Cheers, 1986
Episode Title "The Peterson Principle"

C28 article in school newspaper

The above article ran in the Berean Christian School newspaper (in West Palm Beach, FL).

CF Homestead Preview

Okay we had our preview service at the Homestead Campus today. The Rev/Dr Eric Geiger already posted his blog on it. (Not to lay on the guilt, but while he was posting that blog, the Media Team was still working unloading all the gear into storage. Okay, laying a little guilt...)

All I gotta say is, WOW! Months of preperation, praying, planning, praying, talking, praying... and I'm happy to say that we nailed it! If you've read my blog in the past you know I was, at best, apprehensive. And with all these other distractions going on lately, it truly is a God thing that the pieces came together.

The screens didn't come in.
We were using a temporary stage.
Computers crashed right before the service.
We didn't have time to wire the mic compressors.
We've never used the in-ear systems before.
There was no sound check for Rick.
We were typing songs in the middle of a time of prayer.
The sermon notes were loaded in the middle of a song.

Logistically, everything didn't come together until one hour before the service.
Yet, it did come together.

There's a lot to fix, but we nailed it.

Okay, time for a story... Today was a rehearsal, which means everyone invited/attending was an active member of Christ Fellowship. There was only one person there at the service today that was not a member. She was one of the cleaning ladies at the school we are setting up services. I spoke with her at length this morning, well, as best I could. She understood english, but couldn't speak it very well. She indicated that she was looking forward to attending our services today. Long story short (too late) she accepted Christ today. Kinda crazy that the one person that wasn't supposed to be there, got saved.

I wasn't even planning on doing the spanish translator packs this week, since it's "rehearsal" there was no need to set it up. Amazing how God schedules divine appointments... May God use us to imapct the community and change lives. As always, we're looking forward to being a part of His plan.

We got the real thing starting next week! Come on by. 11:30 service. Check out CFHomestead.org for more info.

Podcast Anyone?

Occasionally it's good to hear other people making the same observations you're doing. Several months ago I blogged on AppleTV (and how it and podcasting would revoluntionize church broadcasting). I love it when someone else says it too! (Makes me feel like less of an idiot).

The following was posted on Monday Morning Insight by Greg Atkinson of churchvideoideas.com

I believe podcasting is the new radio and video venues, multi-site campuses and video podcasts are the new broadcast. Radio stations are hurting to be quite honest. I’ve spoken face to face with station managers and they see the writing on the wall. Why would Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, James Dobson, Jack Graham or Ed Young pay for a half-hour time slot on a local radio station, when for virtually nothing, their message can be heard around the world by millions via iTunes or an MP3 download from their website?

Greg's article does not shed a flattering view of the Religious Broadcasting Industry, since he feels that they have treated the church like the "red headed step child". But, of course, times are changing. And what worked 20 years ago might not work today. What worked last week might not work today.

On a side note, at Christ Fellowship we seem to be on the edge of the technology. We've been audio podcasting for months now and will be doing video podcasting within the next month or so. Our video venue service (Classic Service) is expanding to three screens this week (using Renewed Visions ProVideoSync) and our Homestead Campus is going through our first (and only) rehearsal service this week. I'll have a breakdown of that rehearsal service this coming week.

Charles Stanley "does church"

"If you do not allow God to change the way people do church, you will miss out on what God wants to do."

Dr. Charles Stanley of First Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA), on doing church.

Thanks to ChurchRelevance.com for the quote.

From Amy: "God's Grace is Sufficient"

The following was written by Amy. For both of us, it's easier to write than to talk. She wanted to express some of her thoughts too. Thank you, once again, for allowing us to use you as a sounding board.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Our Baby
“God’s Grace is Sufficient”

The beginning of this year came with some wonderful events. First, Jeff and I had the opportunity to go on mission together to Ukraine. This country has been a big part of my heart for many years now. It was very special for me to experience the dedication of the church building with my Christian family in Ukraine. Then, about a week and a half after returning from Ukraine, we found out that we were going to be parents! I was pregnant. This was incredible news. We have tried to work through international adoption for the last year and a half but kept running into walls, and I had recently been told by my gynecologist that it was likely that I would never get pregnant. Yet, here we were going to finally be parents. We were ecstatic! Everything seemed perfect. God’s timing was ideal. I am currently on personal leave from teaching, so I could focus on having a healthy pregnancy (get plenty of rest, etc). Then the baby was due on October 6. This timing meant that I would not go back to teaching next year but go directly from personal leave to maternity leave. This would be wonderful so that I did not have to start a school year and leave the students mid-year. We are moving into our new house in March, the bookstore is doing great, and C28 should be stable by October. So, God’s timing could not have been better.

The two and a half weeks that we knew that we were pregnant were wonderful. I felt great (tired of course, but other than that, great). We were content, truly content. I really enjoyed getting to see Jeff in a “protective daddy” role. We were so looking forward to October. At the same time, we had already fallen in love with this baby. It was our baby and it was loved dearly. We couldn’t wait to hear its heartbeat at the next appointment. We couldn’t wait to find out if it was a boy or girl. We couldn’t wait to meet this little one.

Unfortunately, we will never reach these desires. About six o’clock in the evening on February 20 (my birthday), I started feeling odd and began to spot. I called the doctor and took it easy for the evening, keeping an eye on the situation. Wednesday morning, I was still bleeding, and it had gotten heavier. We were scared. We didn’t know whether this was normal or not. We didn’t know what it meant. The doctor told us to come in at two o’clock for an ultrasound to check if everything was okay.

The ultrasound was one of the hardest things that I have ever experienced. I was so glad to have Jeff there, holding my hand. The doctor and technician were quiet - extremely quiet. They mumbled maybe five words to each other the whole time. They both looked distraught. At the end, my doctor said that it didn’t look good but he wanted to talk to some of his colleagues and then would talk to us. The technician gave me a hug and said that she was so sorry. We knew that we were loosing the baby.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

"The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." - Job 1:21 (NASB)

The support from friends, family and people I've never met has been incredible. Amy and I thank you. Many of you shared stories of your own heartache and pain. It was an awesome testimony to how lives can continue on and heal. There were several e-mails from people who have experienced pain on a much larger scale...life-altering diseases, death of a loved one/child. It's humbling to hear that someone that has gone through emotional pain come alongside you with consolance.

I don't know why God would allow joy to come in our lives for two weeks, only to remove it this way. I don't know if he was sparing us from some level of pain/suffering further along. I know that God only gives us what we can bear, so we understand and acknowledge that God in his omniscience knows something we don't. I do not understand why, but we praise God for allowing us to experience the two weeks of joy, and look forward to the opportunity to experience that joy to the fullest.

I've gone back through reading my blog over the past month, and God used my own words to teach me a lesson. In the blog I posted announcing our pregnancy, I made the following statement(s):

I truly believe that God does take care of His people if they will simply let Him.

God, give me the patience to see things in your time.
Give me the strength I need to complete your tasks.
Give me the wisdom never to question your direction.
And if I can handle it, let me do more in your name.

God, let this continue to be our prayer. Help us not to question your timing, but to lay our concerns at your feet. Know that through the joys and sadness we will continue to praise Your name. You give, and You take away. Blessed be Your name.

He Gives and He Takes Away

Most of you know that we were expecting our first child in October. For reasos beyond our control we have lost this child. As near as the doctor can tell, the child stopped developing about a week ago, and upon examination there was no heartbeat.

Amy and I, of course, are distraught. We will be hanging low somewhat for the next couple days and we greatly appreciate your prayers and e-mail encouragements.

Please get the word out. we told many people so they could pray for us when we found out we were pregnant. We will need those prayers still.

In view of God's mercy,

Jeff Reed

C28 and Celtic Women

It's been a while since I've shared a C28 story...

My mom went to this Celtic Women Concert deal in West Palm Beach with a family friend and a group of her friends. (What a Celtic Women Concert sounds like, I dunno. That's not important to the story.)

Sometime during the night my mom was talking to several other ladies, and she overheard a conversation from someone else in the group. The woman was venting her frustration because her son is making her drive him up from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach all the time because "the only store he'll buy clothes from is up there in Wellington." This peaks my mother's interest. The woman was sharing how the store is this "Christian Rave" type store with rock music and trendy clothes. She then said "I think it's called C28." Before my mother could respond, the family friend (who lives near Wellington) went bonkers, telling my mom, "Linda, that's Jeff's store."

The woman sharing the story went on to say that all the kids at their church (Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale) are talking about it, and they all want to drive up and shop there and wear clothing that bear testimony to Jesus in their lives.

How cool is it, in one fleeting moment, that God gives us confirmation that He is being glorified through our work, our actions.

Evidently the son is going away to college in the summer, and has asked that his school wardrobe be bought from C28...

Christ Fellowship Homestead online

Just wanted to get the word out Christ Fellowship Homestead website is online. If you are interested in more information on our new location, check it out at CFHomestead.org.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 4th @ 11:30 and come experience Christ Fellowship Homestead's first service! Check the website for more information.

Homestead Tech Rehearsal

Today was the first day that we got to get our hands dirty on some of the equipment for the Homestead campus. Plus we had a number of media volunteers come to get trained as well.

Before I get into the training, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY recommend Revelation Sound for Audio. They understand worship. They understand churches. They understand volunteers. I've done several projects working with them, and I continue to be very happy with their services... not only in the setup/aquisition stage, but as problem arise they continue to be an integral part of our ministry.

Enough of the plug. I continue to be blown away by volunteers. I work in the business world the majority of my week, and I understand that "there's no such thing as a free meal!" I see that on a regular basis. "You want me to do that....it's going to cost you." Yet we trained maybe 10 volunteers tonight, the majority of which have no technology experience....they just want to serve. Those are my favorite people. When I was a kid, I had an alterior motive in serving on media: "I wanted exposure to technology to further my resume." The common theme among my volunteers tonight was "I'll help wherever you need." It's always refreshing to be around people whose sole purpose is to glorify God and help others connect to Him.

It's days like today, as incredibly stressful and chaotic as they are, that make the effort worthwhile.

God, thank you for giving me inspiration to get through the tough times. Give me the strength to succeed the tasks you've set ahead.

Door closed, Door opens

"When God closes a door, He opens another" - Author uknown.
(Nothing like an overused modern proverb to open up a blog, eh?)

I have just finished my last service as Production Director at Christ Fellowship Palmetto Bay. Oh, I'll still be around. I'm sure I'll still be serving on Sat nights, and in the mix on most production-decisions on the campus. Mentally, however, it's nice to know that you did your job, and the program is better off now than when you started.

The great thing about CF Volunteers, though, is that in the absence of leadership someone always steps up. Over the past month we have seen 15+ new volunteers step up and start to get involved in CF Media. My prayer was always "God, when I leave just make it so there is no void left". Well, God answered that prayer and now there are 15+ people who collectively could do far more than I ever could. The secret to media, I've found, is not to have 1-2 superstar know-it-alls. It's a group of people who can combine their synergies to produce a greater product than they could ever do on their own.

Calling all ACTORS
Media at CF is expanding to include a new area: ACTORS! Yes, some people actively believe that ACTORS are nothing more than a prop that you have to feed (another modern proverb) but we started running into a problem where we had filmmakers coming up with great ideas for video vignettes, but no actors to act out the story.

So, any ACTORS out there (real or pseudo) come jump on board and use your talents to help the CF Wknd services! Call Christiaan @ the church office and let's get you plugged in!

To Pageant or Not To Pageant

After more years than I can count, Christ Fellowship is cancelling this years "South Florida Easter Pageant". The pageant, which has been a staple in the community, was put on hold this year. The decision was made by our Worship and Media Pastor, Sammy Flores.

Every year through the ministry of the pageant people get saved.
Every year through the pageant people get an opportunity to serve.
Every year through the pageant people are brought closer to God through the experience of the service.

With that being said, why in the world would you want to cancel the pageant?

Fact #1: when we started the pageant, we were producing one service every week. With Homestead, Saturday night, and Classic Service we will produce at least 8 services. On top of that, our age-graded ministries produce heavily-technical services that are just as (if not more) complex than the adult services. Easter will have close to twenty services going on.

Fact #2: lives can be changed, outside of pageant. 31 middle school students were saved this past week during a regular weekend service(s). That's a higher average (per service) than the Pageant last year.

Fact #3: the worship and media team is STRETCHED big-time because of the Homestead campus. Media and IT director Hector Huyo and I have spent more time coordinating Homestead than we ever did for the pageant.

Fact #4: Media alone at Christ Fellowship Palmetto Bay REQUIRES over 50 volunteers to function. And that is probably short-changed still. Our average weekend service is AS COMPLEX IF NOT MORE than the average Pageant. If people are looking to serve, WE NEED HELP EVERY WEEKEND! NOT JUST FOR EASTER!

Honestly, I agree. It doesn't make sense to put our normal weekly services on hold so that we can produce the pageant...especially if our weekend services are effective is reaching the lost. Support the decision and help us reach SoFL with the good news of Christ.

Ironically, Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv wrote on a similar issue a couple days ago. LifeChurch has gone through some changes recently as well. They simplified their ministry. They focused on what they did well, and got better at it. What they didn't do well, they let others focused on.

I blogged on this a while back - comparing Christian Retailing to the Apple Store. Know what you do. Do it well.

Don't focus on change. Don't criticize change. Embrace it. Run with it. Change lives with it.

Church Staff Mistakes

"I want my staff members taking risks and making mistakes. That means they’re being innovative and it means they’re not afraid to try. Now, I don’t want them making the same mistake every week - that means they’re not learning, and that is bad. But I tell them, ‘Make a new mistake every week.’ I tell them, ‘Show the innovation and creativity to do something really stupid that you’ve never done before.’”

Rick Warren

Thanks to Monday Morning Insight for the quote.

Fearing the Unknown

I do not fear what I know. There is nothing in this life I fear. I know that sounds crazy, but what is there to fear? The other day a friend of mine was driving down the street when he saw me walking along the sidewalk. He decided to pull a prank and swerve his truck towards me like he was losing control. I did not blink. He caught up with me later, and asked why I didn't duck for cover; "I don't fear death" was the response.

How great is our God that we have nothing to fear? We simply live our life knowing that if we simply seek His Kingdom He will do the worrying for us? (Matt 6:33-34).

Yet, I'll be the first to admit, there are things I fear. Not the known, but the unknown. Example? At Christ Fellowship we are DAYS AWAY from launching CF Homestead. My fears are many, and they are HUGE!

What if there's not enough power in the building to push what we want to? What if the sound board doesn't work? What if nobody shows up? What if the greenhouse effect melts the icebergs, flooding Florida - wiping away the Keys and Homestead? What if the world implodes before we are able to have a service?

Okay, some fears are just a little exaggerated. But they are fears nonetheless.

Pray for the Homestead campus, that we are able to overcome our fears and allow God to use us in ways beyond our wildest dreams. Pray that we can impact Homestead and unite the community under the banner of Christ Follower. Pray that we will invest and change lives.

Marketing vs. Evangelism

"Marketing and evangelism are the same thing," says Mara Einstein, associate professor of media studies at the City University of New York and author of the forthcoming book Brands of Faith: Marketing Religion in a Commercial Age. "A product becomes a part of a user's personality, and the users of the product become evangelizers of the product."

Thanks to ChurchMarketingSucks for the quote.

Feuding Southern Baptists

"The ultimate result of this behavior will not be greater denominational purity – it will be missed evangelistic opportunity...Perhaps it is time for a new generation of Southern Baptists to work together for the sake of the Gospel."

Bill Curtis, chairman of trustees for the North American Mission Board, and pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Florence, SC, in response to the denominational struggle going on between SBC churches over theological differences and worship styles.

Thanks to theCROnline.com for the quote.

It's all greek to me

I'm not a huge fan of Bob Jones University, but sometimes they do something right! Below is a link to an online Bible that connects the words to many of the original Greek/Hebrew definitions. For those Bible scholars out there, enjoy!

Gift from God

Amy and I are PREGNANT. Okay, so she's pregnant and I just stand around and look pretty. But, in fact, we are having a kid sometime in September/October. Ironically, she was pregnant when we were on the mission trip to Ukraine. Our child is already a missionary!

Were we trying? No.
Were we surprised? Wouldn't you be?
Are we happy? Extremely!

How great is our God? As many of you know we have been going through the adoption process for YEARS. Our goal was to adopt internationally (from Russia or Ukraine) and honestly we have not had a peace with the whole international adoption system. And now, God has opened the door allowing us to see His provisions for us. I truly believe that God does take care of His people if they will simply let Him.

Is this going to change our life? Duh! The great thing about the Christian life, though, is that God already has the whole thing figured out. We just need to follow his plan, seek his kingdom, and let him do the worrying. (Matthew 6:33-34). So how am I going to balance two Christian businesses, a church plant, a pregnant wife, moving into a new home and preparing our new house for our child (not forgetting blogging)? I have no idea. But God has put those tasks in front of me, so I press on. (Acts 20:24).

PRAY FOR US. With fibromyalgia, this is going to be a difficult pregnancy for Amy, and the first 3 months are crucial for development. As of now Amy is healthy (and glowing), but the doctor recommended much bed rest. The doctor advised us not to tell people because the chances of miscarriage are so high. God gave us this gift, and we want to make sure we can sustain it! Pray that we continue to follow his path. Pray for Amy's health, that she will carry the baby to term, and that he/she will be healthy, and will learn to run with God as like his/her daddy.

Early Jaunary was probably one of the lowest points in my life. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. It's always amazing to me when God uses the dark points to teach us lessons about the light. I blogged a prayer during a phase when I was coming out of the dark time; I believe this truly encompasses who I am. I hope you can appreciate it, understanding that this is now my hearts cry, my lifesong.

God, give me the patience to see things in your time.
Give me the strength I need to complete your tasks.
Give me the wisdom never to question your direction.
And if I can handle it, let me do more in your name.

God, do not hold back your blessings. Help me to continue to impact your Kingdom.
I'm not sure how, but if I can, let me do more in your name.

Personal Notes from Colossians

After getting back into the country, I spent some time in Colossians.

(1:16) || If all things were created by Him and for Him, does that mean the bad things too? Hitler? Stalin? Bin Ladin?

(1:22) || I love how Paul basically equates the salvation of the world down into a simple equation. Christ body + Christ death = Holy You.

(1:22-28) || I've blogged on this several times, but the idea that Paul is a workaholic who struggled to understand the power that God gives him is a huge encouragement to me. Knowing that he "struggled" to preach the "fullness" of the gospel shows me that even successful Christians wrestle with their calling!

(2:1) || Paul uses the same word again... "struggling". I always thought of Paul as this confident, demanding go-getter type, not someone who struggles...

(2:8) || This is the key verse of C28. It was also the cornerstone of my talk in Ukraine. Question your faith! Is it of Human Tradition or of Christ!

(2:16) || Following a response to my blog on "Blue Laws" and judgmental Christians, I found this in my notes again: "Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a Sabbath day.

(2:20) || I had a Matrix moment reading this verse. Since you died to the world, why do you still allow it to control you. I pictured Neo getting the snot beat out of him by Morpheus in "the Matrix", having a hard time breathing. Morpheus ends up saying "why are you breathing hard? do you think that's air you're breathing?"

(3:8) || "rid yourself of anger"... how does this differ from Jesus' flipping over the moneychangers table. "filthy language from your lips"... I never really understood who defines "filthy". Is it Biblical? How does God keep up with cultural changes. What's God's opinion of fo' shizel. I am only half-kidding here. How is filthy language defined?

(3:17) || "whatever you do, work or deed"... sounds like another one of my definitive verses. It's okay to be a workaholic as long as you do it for the Lord "giving thanks to God the Father".

(4:5) || "Make the most of every opportunity" - yet another challenge. This book really challenges me to go harder.

(4:12) || "wrestling in prayer". Ever have one of those prayer sessions where you break a sweat? I think that is just the tip. Man, how great would it be for Paul to say of me, yeah, that guy goes to the mat when he prays. Good job Epaphras!

10 Deadly Sins of Preaching

The following is a list 10 Deadly Sins of Preaching as compiled by John Ortberg when speaking at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego this week. Thanks to Out of Ur for taking notes and sharing them!

1. The temptation to be inauthentic
We want to present an image to others that makes us appear more holy, intelligent, or godly than we actually are. In the end this is a foolish pursuit because the truth of who we are will always leak out.

2. The temptation to live for recognition
After finishing a sermon the question that runs through most of our minds is, did they like it? But we need to learn to root our identity in something other than applause. Ortberg cited Dallas Willard’s ability to present his material and give no thought to people’s reactions. He’s like a child who releases a helium balloon. He says what God’s given him to say, and simply lets it go.

3. The temptation to live in fear
What if I fail? That question plagues many pastors. But there is a difference between failing at something and being a failure. You are not a failure. Again, our identity must been hidden in Christ and not our accomplishments.

4. The temptation to compare
With the radio, television, and the internet our generation faces this temptation more than any previous generation. Our culture of celebrity pastors causes us to compare ourselves to others. This does nothing good for the soul.

5. The temptation to exaggerate
This seems closely linked to temptation number one. Overstating facts is how we often try to manage our image and appear better than we are. John also linked this to plagiarism—passing someone else’s story, sermon, or idea off as our own to win approval.

6. The temptation to feel chronically inadequate
(I couldn’t write fast enough to take notes on this point. Does that make me an inadequate blogger?)

7. The temptation of pride
Having people listen to you give a monologue every week can make you prideful. The antidote? A wife. (Ortberg’s joke, not mine.)

8. The temptation to manipulate
Having a pulpit and speaking the words of God might give some a power rush. We mustn’t use our position to manipulate people into doing what we want them to do.

9. The temptation of envy
This seems related to number four, the temptation to compare. But envy carries the nuance of desire and ambition. We not only compare ourselves to another preacher, but we seek to achieve what they have. Such selfish motivations will undermine our spiritual health.

10. The temptation of anger
John read this quote from Henri Nouwen that says it all:

Anger in particular seems close to a professional vice in the contemporary ministry. Pastors are angry at their leaders for not leading and at their followers for not following. They are angry at those who do not come to church for not coming and angry at those who do come for coming without enthusiasm. They are angry at their families, who make them feel guilty, and angry at themselves for not being who they want to be. This is not an open, blatant, roaring anger, but an anger hidden behind the smooth word, the smiling face, and the polite handshake. It is a frozen anger, an anger which settles into a biting resentment and slowly paralyzes a generous heart. If there is anything that makes the ministry look grim and dull, it is this dark, insidious anger in the servants of Christ.

Jeff's Take: Although it's for a Pastor's conference, these are excellent for any leadership position, within the church or within the corporate sector. (As a matter of fact, I found a new blog (Business as Mission) when researching this one that focuses on forming "GREAT COMMISSION COMPANIES".) So these principles can work! The bad news is that I'm guilty of 9 of the 10 temptations. Please don't e-mail me guessing which one I actually don't deal with. That will make me angry and I'll be guilty of all 10!

Regardless of church or biz, we are imperfect people failing to live a perfect life to honor a perfect God. Did we have a chance to succeed? Not really. Thank God He uses us despite our character flaws, blemishes, and imperfections and allows us to be part of His plan to change the world.

God, help me to work on my weaknesses. Turn them into Your strengths.

Businesses closed on Sunday

Perry Noble, Pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC posted some controversial thoughts on Blue Laws, which in South Carolina restrict businesses from opening on Sundays. He is very passionate on the topic; Below are some exerpts on the subject:

I know I will take heat for this…but frankly I do not care. If you are a Christian then please hear me–it is ridiculous to think that sealing off options for people on Sunday’s will drive them to church! I say open the mall–open Wal-Mart…businesses do not scare me at all–BRING THEM ON! If NewSpring cannot provide more excitement than Wal Mart then we need to shut our doors! It’s up to the church to provide something worth coming to.

To be honest…this blue laws debate proves the hypocrisy of some Christians in our county. I mean, the same people that are yelling about stores being open on Sunday have NO problem when the county “temporarily” lifts the ban on blue laws during the Christmas season. Uh…WHAT THE HECK? If there is EVER a time to fight for the blue laws…shouldn’t it be Christmas? Uh…Jesus’ birthday!!! BUT…because it is convenient for many Christians to shop on Sunday during that time they say nothing

This whole thing is just stupid. Then there are the Christians who yell, “You should not work on Sunday!” I have two problems with that…I WORK ON SUNDAY…so does our entire staff. Like it or not–it takes WORK to make things happen around here.

And then (this BURNS ME UP) the same Christians that YELL about people NOT working on Sundays…what do they do when church is over? Answer: THEY GO OUT TO EAT!!! Uh…isn’t that forcing people to work on Sunday’s? HYPOCRITE…don’t you dare scream about people not working on Sunday’s and then go to a business that is open on Sunday and support it with your money!

NOW…I am ALL for a day of rest. God COMMANDS it in Scripture…if you will look at Exodus 20 the LONGEST of the ten commandments is the one about rest. BUT somehow I do not think that by this command that God meant that Christians are supposed to legislate morality and pass laws that force people to follow Him!

Jeff's Take: to be honest this is one of my biggest struggles in Christian retailing, not being able to be open on Sunday. Our Christian Bookstore is closed on Sundays. I have several customers (and some friends) that are adamant that we remain closed on Sundays. And I know the spiel, "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy". I hear you, I understand.

Jump to 2007. Here I am, as a Christian business, unable to open. Unlike South Carolina, Florida does not have "Blue laws", but I know if I open my business on Sunday it will receive persecution from Christians in the area. I've already seen it, as many Christians "boycott" the local Family Christian chain since they are open on Sunday. And I know the arguements...keep the Sabbath holy.

What I don't understand is isn't the Sabbath really Saturday? I'm no Biblical Scholar mind you. But isn't the seventh day really Saturday? Where does Sunday come in? Beyond that, though, a large (and growing) number of churches are offering a Saturday service. Many of my employees go to church on Saturday. If I was not on a church staff, Amy and I would attend our Saturday night church service. Does that make us any less "godly" or invalidate our spiritual experience because the service is not on the "cultural" definition of the Sabbath?

However, in Mark 3 Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He didn't "work" on a Sabbath, but he did minister. I believe the intent was not to prevent ministry, but to maintain a time to focus on God. "Which is lawful on the Sabbath? To do good and evil, or to save life or to kill?" Jesus ministered on the Sabbath. He basically slapped the religious leaders in the face. The intent is not to prevent ministry.

The thing that frustrates me the most is when I think of how much ministry we lose by not being open on Sundays. How many lives are out there that we lose impact? Who approaches our doorway, sees our "Closed" sign, and never comes back? If God gave us this ministry, are we being good stewards of it by closing our doors 14% of the time?

Understand me, though, I will never have the bookstore open on Sunday. It cannot happen. There are many Christians who would applaud our direction and support us. And there are some Christians who would make sure that the world knew were were sinning against God. For the reasons I shared, I don't believe it's a sin. I just hope that the ministry we "lose" are ones that God can afford. And I hope God forgives me for not using the gift He's given to it's fullest extent.

RUNwithGOD: The Teaser Trailer

Two weeks ago I posted a blog entitled Struggling Christian Workoholic, which ended in a simple prayer:

God, give me the patience to see things in your time. Give me the strength I need to complete your tasks. Give me the wisdom never to question your direction. And if I can handle it, let me do more in your name.

All I can say now is that when God moves, He moves in majestic ways. All we can do is hope to keep up!

BIG NEWS coming soon to RUNwithGOD.com - check back soon, or if you want to garner a guess, feel free to comment!

Colts: Superbowl Winners

Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 during a rainy evening in Miami, FL (Dolphin Stadium).

For the record, I called the Colts as a 10 point favorite (check my blog post here...) Having the Colts win by 12 makes me very happy.

I'll probably post more at a later point. Oh, and I'm predicting Rex Grossman will be manning a radar station in Siberia next year, or holding a clipboard in Chicago (whichever is easier).

YFC Ad

The Living Word is proud to sponsor Youth for Christ, and their passion to reach students NOT IN CHURCHES BUT IN SCHOOLS. Please find their ad in this blog, and for those that need access to the raw file, it can be downloaded here.

A Criminal Mind: The Photo Album

The Living Word has had some issues recently with theft. Within a month or so we've had a person literally stealing TVs out of the bookstore. The guy came back in the store to steal the other TV, and we caught him in the act (and scared him out of the store). Keep an eye on the guy in the blue shirt.

What you are seeing is a man walking in the store, going back to the video section and try to unplug the TV from the electrical outlet on top of the bookshelf. At one point he physically has the black plug in his hand. Jake goes back to check on him (having seen him act suspicious on the internal video system), and starts to call the police. The culprit gets spooked and runs out the store. If only Marlene had tackled him before he made it out the door! (Just kidding, Marlene doesn't tackle people anymore.)

My employees did an excellent job handling the situation. As we've said, customer service is the best way to prevent theft! Great job to Marlene and Jake!

NFL Sacks the Church!

Taken from FoxNews:

NFL Thwarts Church's Plan to Show Super Bowl

Thursday , February 01, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS —

The NFL has nixed a church's plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws.
NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek Baptist Church's "Super Bowl Bash" on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled, the church said.

Initially, the league objected to the church's plan to charge a fee to attend and that the church used the license-protected words "Super Bowl" in its promotions.

Pastor John D. Newland said he told the NFL his church would not charge anyone and that it would drop the use of the forbidden words.

But the NFL objected to the church's plans to use a projector to show the game, saying the law limits it to one TV no bigger than 55 inches.

The church will likely abandon its plans to host a Super Bowl party.

"We want to be supportive of our local team," Newland said. "For us to have all our congregation huddled around a TV that is big enough only for 10 or 12 people to watch just makes little sense."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league's long-standing policy is to ban "mass out-of-home viewing" of the Super Bowl. An exception is made for sports bars and other businesses that show televised sports as a part of their everyday operations.

"We have contracts with our [TV] networks to provide free over-the-air television for people at home," Aiello said. "The network economics are based on television ratings and at-home viewing. Out-of-home viewing is not measured by Nielsen."

It is also the reason no mass viewings are planned in large arenas like the RCA Dome or Conseco Fieldhouse.

Newland said his church won't break the law.

"It just frustrates me that most of the places where crowds are going to gather to watch this game are going to be places that are filled with alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for children," Newland said. "We tried to provide an alternative to that and were shut down."

Other Indiana churches said they are deciding whether they should go through with their Super Bowl party plans, given the NFL's stance.

JEFF'S TAKE: Okay, so here's the deal. The NFL cracks down on churches for showing the BIG GAME on too big of a screen. Sorry, a group of moral/ethical people cannot gather together to watch a game on a BIG SCREEN TV. But, hey, go to a sports bar and serve beer from the tap all night long and watch on the biggest screen possible! No problem at all! Nothing like a double standard...

And for the record, I'm choosing the Colts by 10. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears pulled an upset; it's all dependent upon the Bears pressuring Manning and interrupting his timing. However, I don't think that'll happen. Colts in a walkaway. I'll give you permission to correct me.

UPDATE 2/4/07: The Miami Herald ran this story as well, and included some quotes/background info from local pastors. I just had to revisit this story by adding a quote from the Herald:

..."There are hundreds and hundreds of churches that have done the Super Bowl party over the years, and I think it is totally wack that the NFL is trying to monitor these things. I can't wait to see the NFL policing home theaters.''

Totally wack, ladies and gentlemen. Totally wack.