Konan and I had coffee this morning with a church growth consultant. To hear him talk made my head spin. To see the potential of God through C3 makes me think two things: "WOW" & "Why me"...I have no earthly idea why I am allowed to be part of something so amazing. Every Sunday morning when we see 200+ people come into a building hoping to "connect" with God, I am humbled.
People that knew me in high school, college or the military would laugh hysterically if they knew I am a pastor responsible to help people "connect with God, grow in that relationship, and use their gifts to serve Him".
Now I look at where I am in leadership and I know that if I don't keep growing, I am going to stunt/hinder what God wants to do. I can't allow that to happen.
My point: if I am the reason C3 is not growing to its full potential, it is MY FAULT!!! I can't look to anyone else and blame them. Your growth is your responsibility. I need to keep reading, finding mentors and challenging myself.
I either have to continue to grow or I need to go! Are you helping your place of employment grow, are you growing. Maybe its time to...
4 comments:
Actually, it's BECAUSE of what you've gone through - H.S., military, etc. that you CAN connect.
I would always chuckle at past spiritual advisors in life - they had no earthly clue what they were saying as they never did anything. OK perhaps, but you tend not to listen to people that have no life experience.
There's pretty much nothing that Gary hasn't done or been through and for that, to see him now, Humbles even me. He's been married, gone through hell and back, been in the military, seen his babies die...etc etc etc. but those experiences make him the MAN (yes, I said that) that came through to this side. Well, thankfully, he's on this side.
One of my patient's is Nicky Cruz (author of Run Baby Run) - people listen to him because he was an evil person - -murder, drugs, a leader of one of the worst gangs ever seen in NYC - -he became the leader at age 16!!! His parents in Puerto Rico were satanists and beat and abused him his whole life. THAT is why people now in really bad areas listen to his message. He was an OG (original gangster) and has "street cred".
Gary also is an OG (Original Godster) so too, has "street cred" in my book.
P.S. The one thing he has never done is beat me in a cartwheel contest - -I am still the North Carolina cartwheel champion.
ab ovo usque ad mala
I remain
THE TRUTH
So true, I believe as overseers we need to "see over" those we are leading so we can lead. If a leader looks over his shoulder and does not have anybody following him, he must sharpen his leadership skills by the Sword. I want to continue to gain wisdom from the spirit, knowledge and insight from the word, and learn to use it all through my actions. A good teacher tries to stay ahead of his/her students. Teach me Lord!
WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS ON??? DO YOU GO TO CHURCH JUST TO SAY YOU'RE DOING IT?
Paul, in one of his epistles, stated he was frail and weak of body but strong of mind and accused Peter of only eating with the "right people". I wonder - if a straggly, dirty person walked into your Church, would you shun or accept? Truly think about that. Be honest. Growth can only happen when you "..come out from among them and be separate" (Cor)...separate from the norm. Separate and strong to believe in convictions. Belief in welcoming that person no matter how much you are embarassed, how much you judge....
Below is what we are drawing towards...and with that weakening, our own inner convictions are held at bay for what is the right thing to do. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to carry on in spite of it."
THE NEW AMERICAN - how sad
Dysfunctional bulimia is my problem. I'm big on the bings whether it be with food or alcohol or women but very short on the purge. Who isn't? The bloated economy, the bloated national waitsline. Blame it on the fast food corporations. Sue them. Sue them all! Right?
Jackasses...
The VietNamese call it guan fey - a weakening due to soft living; children raised by TVs and parents trying to be friends instead of authority figures...self esteem...self esteem for all!!!...the grass is always greener...$49.95, guaranteed!!!...70% less fat...better...expected to expect the best...someone needed to tell you how to feel...will someone tell me please?...demographics...ahhh...marketing to the nameless, faceless, mass less neutrino yuppie (relatively of course)...Xterra...Xtreme...Gen X...Gas-ex...
The problem is, the only people (the demographic as it were) that can afford these "needs" never use them as depicted. Not to say that they can EVER be used as depicted - i.e. you can't beat the crap out of SUVs or other such products...warranties won't cover it and your HMO probably won't either...
This is why gyms have such great success - pan their bull*&^ en masses to the "summer crowd"..."Get in Shape for the Babes"...Go to the gym once, maybe twice - what a great deal!!! -----for the gym.
But that's expendable cash...just to say you're doing it...living the dream per se...dance lessons for kids, piano, country club, face lift, pubic hair weaves...the best schools, vacations to the Cape...braces...nursing home for the folks...prosthetic rentals...The Good Life!!
AND THEN, there's suddenly an outcry - -stocks down, shareholders scammed! 401K down $110,000! What? An outrage! A guaranteed retirement now owing to dreams of cat food and low income housing...just like the Jones's... the norm...all because some CEO spends millions of other people's dollars for their dreams, selling their souls to the devil and living comfortable on the profits.
It was OK when taxes increased and the lower income classes were proportionally adversely screwed - "Not me", says the yuppie. "Screw them. They should earn more, get better jobs, go back to school!" But NOT ME has become THEM - overnight. A new twist on empathy.
Now the yuppie wants to hide his money --running for the hills in SUVs that suck, a weakness that can only be characterized as the New Noble Birthright and a slight tingling in the left arm....
FOCUS for GROWTH.
ummm, huh?
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