I Wish I Could Do This

Be patient…watch what happens about 45 seconds in.  Impressive indeed.

I Feel Deprived

Barney and the Teletubies have nothing on this kids’ show from Japan:

What Kind of Wardrobe Do You Have?

I heard a proverb that says, “A man’s curses will fall and wrap themselves around him like a cloak.”  What a powerful visual image that is! 

What if every word we said fell and wrapped itself around us like a garment?  What kind of wardrobe would we have?

Baby Preacher

Now that sounds like speaking in tongues…

Interrogation by Extra Crispy Improv Troupe

Sunday Morning Set list

I’m trying something new.  Each week on Monday morning I’ll be doing a short post on our set list of music at the Awakening Service at FCC.  This will be linked to Fred McKinnon’s blog where he has ton of other bloggers posting their set lists.  It’s pretty cool to see what other churches are doing.  Here’s what we did yesterday:

How Great is Our God (C)

Giving it All to You (C)

Glorious One (C)

MESSAGE on Worry, etc.

Once Again (D)

Your Grace is Enough (G#)

All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises (F)

I’m from the old school of start fast to slow then slow to fast.  But I’ve been trying to very that a little by starting with slower tempo songs and moving to up tempo before the message.  And normally we break it down 4 songs, message, 2 songs.  But I like varying that too as much as I can. 

I’m ready to retire How Great is Our God.  God is still great.  But I’m noticing that the band has lost it’s intensity on doing this song.  Nobody’s fault.  It just doesn’t have the emotional pull that it used to because of over familiarity.  While All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises is not a new worship song, it is for our church and this was only the 2nd week we’ve done it.  Going to give it a break next week and come back again with it the week after.

Morning Mantras

I’ve heard these quotes somewhere…what do you think?

“Community requires commitment.”

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”

Aren’t those true?!

One Year Eval.

In what way(s) are you more like Jesus today than you were one year ago?

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 2:5

Tribes

Seth Godin’s latest book, Tribes,  has a plethora of “quotes” for those who are desperately needed to step up and lead.  Here’s some snippets:

Great leaders create movements by empowering the tribe to communicate.  They establish the foundation for people to make connections as opposed to commanding people to follow them (23).

A leader can help increase the effectiveness of the tribe and its members by: 1) transforming the shared interest into a passionate goal and desire for change; 2) providing tools to allow members to tighten their communications; and 3) leveraging the tribe to allow it to grow and gain new members.  The first 2 tactics almost always lead to more impact.  The challenge is to figure out which one to maximize (25).

If you want us to follow you, don’t be boring (31).

Organizations that destroy the status quo win.  Whatever the status quo is, changing it gives you the opportunity to be remarkable.  The fastest growing churches are the newest ones (35-36).

The first thing a leader can focus on is the act of tightening the tribe.  It’s tempting to make the tribe bigger, to get more members, to spread the word.  This pales, however, when juxtaposed with the effects of a tighter tribe.  A tribe that communicates more quickly, with alacrity and emotion, is a tribe that thrives (52).

Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.  This scarcity makes leadership valuable.  If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader (55).

Great leaders don’t try to please everyone.  Great leaders don’t water down their message in order to make the tribe a bit bigger (67).

The easiest thing is to react.  The second easiest thing is to respond.  But the hardest thing is to initiate (86).

If your organization requires success before commitment, it will never have either (132).

There’s no record of Martin Luther King Jr. or Gandhi whining about credit.  Credit isn’t the point.  Change is (136).

The very nature of leadership is that you’re not doing what’s been done before.  If you were, you’d be following, not leading (146).

On the Look Out for New Leaders

We must always be on the lookout for other leaders to develop.  4 qualities I look for:

1) The ability to teach and develop other leaders.

2) The attitude of a soldier.

3) The discipline of an athlete.

4) The hardwork and patience of a farmer.

Am I developing followers or leaders?

Dear God, I want to make an impact.  I want to lead beyond my capabilities and my circle of influence.  Teach me to be a leader of leaders.  Give me favor with people, and bring me people with great leadership potential.  Help me learn how to invest my life in them so that the result is explosive growth.  Multiplication, not addition.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.