Can’t help it…this one is even crazier. It was recorded for the PDYM Worship Conference in 2006. Way too funny. Don’t take stuff too seriously. Laugh once in a while…especially at the new dance moves you will learn.
Archive for July, 2007
watch this
In Watch This on July 30, 2007 at 3:12 pmThis is right up my alley…from the Purpose Driven Student Ministry Conference @ Saddleback Church we were at 2 weeks ago in the OC, Cali. The students had to guess how far the farthest piece went from various non-functional computer parts as they were hurled off the Worship Center @ Saddleback… Why didn’t I think of that? Like this? Wait till you see what we have in store this weekend and every weekend @ NH for our new series that would border on the same insanity.
what it takes to rise up
In Church Leadership on July 30, 2007 at 2:19 pmHard work + walking with God= Kingdom Power
As a leader who has had to work hard to sharpen the few skills I have, it was refreshing to read the following post. Not only are we to hone the gifts and abilities He has given us, but we are also to be accountable to Him and to one another and remember that our power doesn’t come only from our hard work, but first, from our walk with the Father. All the hard work, conferences, leadership magazines, and training is nothing without His power. All the power is just not power without a fresh encounter with Him moment by moment. In some strange way, He asks us to do both…Work Hard + Walk With Him. Why both? Why not just Walk With Him, won’t He just produce it for us as we walk hard after Him? Mysterious Stuff…tracking with that?
From Tony Morgan this am…
“No one ever drifts to greatness. Want to be a great musician? Methodical practice is required. Do you long for athletic prowess? You must train, and train methodically. Building a great marriage, a great family, a great friendship or a great career requires the ongoing discipline of methodical effort. Wesley had it right; the methodical practice of scriptural holiness is the way to maturity. “Just as God calls us into community, Wesley called his “awakened” to live in community. Iron sharpens iron and Wesley knew the best strategy for discipleship included the honesty (and sharpening effect) of Christ-centered friendships.”
–Mark Beeson, senior pastor of Granger Community Church as quoted on LeadingSmart.com
In case you’ve missed it Tim’s blog has a series of posts taken from an interview with Mark Beeson that will challenge your personal spiritual development and your ministry strategy.
I know–megachurch pastors aren’t supposed to talk about discipleship and holiness. Let’s just pretend this didn’t happen that way we can continue talking about how big churches water down the Bible to grow their crowds. That’s a lot more fun.
my addiction
In Devotional on July 30, 2007 at 2:14 am
I am addicted to golf. I don’t know why, but I love golf and I am not sure what I will do when it gets cold (Well, maybe not…I have found a new winter sport…skiing…simply amazing). Who knew that golf would be such an amazing game that tests my spirituality and language? Maybe it is the felling of knocking the crap out of a ball that did nothing to you, and the harder you hit it, the better you feel. Is that a sin or something? Probably.
I think it is also the challenge of shooting that one amazing round. I had that today…for a moment. I was even par after a few holes including a birdie…don’t worry, it was downhill from there. I need golf after a long day of ministry or in the middle of a tough work week.
Golf draws me out of my hectic, stressful world and into something far from the norm. It really takes something that I love more than my job to get me from thinking of my job…I pray that you find the same passions that will take you to that place where God provides rest.
Top 5 Worst Golfing Moments:
1. I hit someone in the chest with a 5 iron from a long way out…ouch! Glad he was on the receiving end, and I am glad he lived. I didn’t even yell FORE! I was young…
My Favorite 5 Courses I Play, as of Today:
1. I hit someone in the chest with a 5 iron from a long way out…ouch! Glad he was on the receiving end, and I am glad he lived. I didn’t even yell FORE! I was young…
2. I almost got hit twice in the same day like 5 minutes apart at Deer Ridge in Bellville, yes, just last month! No one yelled FORE for us, and they weren’t young! Wanted to hit their ball back at them, but we restrained ourselves in the love of Christ.
3. Pastor Matt and I almost got hit by lighting (no, we really did) at Deer Ridge as well, last month as well. Maybe we shouldn’t golf in June.
4. I almost hit a deer on hole #10 at Black Diamond. Ask Pastor Matt. No joke, the thing jumped like 10 feet straight in the air as my ball hit right in front of it.
5. When Kevin Haggerty puts the cart in neutral down big hills (the cart gets up to speeds like 70 mph or something) and really almost killed Matt Beachy a few weeks ago. I really thought I was going to do 2 funerals. And he still does it to this day…takes a lot to scare me, but a golf cart that is top-heavy going around a curve at 70, with trees everywhere and squealing tires and Beachy squealing, will leave a lasting impression and give me flashbacks.
My Favorite 5 Courses I Play, as of Today:
1. Mohican Hills (Jeromesville)
1. Deer Ridge (Tie) (Bellville)
3. Black Diamond (Millersburg) [You better be a big man or woman to play this one.]
4. Royal American (Westerville) [Thanks to my brother-in-law for this links-style course he took me too, challenging and fun, and I will beat him next time, wait I probably did that day].
5. Pebble Beach (Monterrey, California) Well, I didn’t play this one, but I did sneak up the cliff rock wall on the beach side hole and took some sand from the sand trap as a souvenir. [It was a long time ago, so please don't write me nasty letters, you were a heathen once too...]
I know, you were expecting something more spiritual on my log, so I guess the spiritual side of golf is found in the book of James: “My brothers count it all JOY when you fall into various TRIALS and TEMPTATIONS, knowing that the testing of your faith produces PATIENCE.” Now you have a spiritual excuse to golf…
Here is the sermon outline:
1. There are many trials and temptations from the moment you take that first swing;
2. Through it all, those trials and temptations produces patience;
3. So…we must golf more…it increases our patience. Yeah right.
FORE!
FORE!
rain
In Devotional on July 27, 2007 at 9:06 pm
We have been in a big drought lately, so the last 2 nights I was happy to be awoke at 3 am to the sound of thunder and lightning. I love it when it rains at night. We have a metal roof and the sound that the rain makes on it is amazing.
As I journaled this morning, I thought about my life and about the rain…side trail: I was hurried to the church this morning for our 3rd round of flooding in the basement. Bad pipe coming off the roof that we need to fix. Nothing like standing out in the rain and lightning with 2 extention cords and a sump pump…thanks be to God for His protection of this undeserving handyman. How I don’t die doing stuff I am so ungifted at is beyond me!
Anyway, this came to mind:
Psalm 135:7– “He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth.He sends the lightning with the rainand releases the wind from his storehouses.” (nlt)
Matthew 5:45– “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (nlt)
Even when I whine about all the “things I am doing for you Lord” and it at times seems to fall on deaf ears, He knows. It’s me being unpatient.
He sends the rain, and to some (farmers) they love it, but the camping industry around here doesn’t! But God knows. He allows the good and the bad to fall on everyone, because our reward is not of this earth…it is above, you know, where the rain comes from. Blessings and peace! It is date night and I have a hot date with a beautiful woman…
future olympian
In My Life on July 26, 2007 at 5:04 pm
My son Christian loves to swim. I think we are going to the Olympics next year. Why, you ask? He won the trophy for “High points in his age group” (8 and under boys) last night. He did that in his first year of swimming and he did that even though he missed 3 meets! It took Tiff and I by surprise, and he was more than proud… Joi promptly took his medal and wore it all night…she thought it was hers of course. Thanks to the swim coaches and Ruthie Stockdale for all their hard work and to all the people who make up the swim team. They have won championships for like 18 years straight now. They might need to start looking into doping allegations if this keeps up.
Speaking of his skills…he did almost drown by the way last week when we were in Cali…a huge wave took him out while we were at Huntington Beach (The home of Surfing and last weeks U.S. Open Surf Championships). He got nailed and I watched (are you serious…I am not getting in 65 degree water) as he heaved water on the beach for like 5 minutes…a special time of bonding as Father-Son.
As for the Olympics, I am serious. Christian and I are going to China next year to see my parents and the Olympics are in Beijing…which is a long haul from where they live, but hey…a once in a lifetime opportunity. They might even need me to sub on the USA Basketball Team. I still got skills ya know…even without my tonsils and gall bladder…and hair.
The pic is from a beach called Dana Point, south in Orange County, 6 miles south of Laguna Beach. I come alive most when I am at the beach. The Lord’s presence, power and majesty engulf me. There is no other place I would rather be when I need to think, meditate and spend time with the Lord. Now…who wants to join us next year? Send Tom a buzzzz and he will be sure to sign you up!
Many of you asked about our trip…he was a brave warrior and loved the plane ride. The beaches and Disney were amazing, but when you ask him his favorite part…he said, “the conference.” He is so pc it makes me sick…no…I am really excited to hear him say that. He has the passion and heart to reach many in his generation. I pray that this heart continues.
Anyway…way to go Son!
new teaching series
In New Hope Stuff on July 26, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I am really excited about our Summer series, “Why You Shouldn’t Come to Church This Summer.” You should be too because YOU picked the topics! I won’t give them all away just yet, but this weekend we being to unpack the torrid task of church leadership and what Scripture says about how the church should be structured. There will be a visit from a very special guest that some of you might remember from 5 years ago.
Next week we will be tackling a very difficult subject that was asked about on several occasions. What happens to someone when they commit suicide? I think that the question is much larger than that, and I challenge you to invest and invite your friends and family who might have been devastated by someone who left this world by their own hand.
Bring a friend…that’s what the mission is all about in Loudonville, Wooster, wherever you call home! I promise you they will not fall asleep with antics I have in store for the weekend.
not goodbye…but
In Church Staffing on July 26, 2007 at 4:54 pmWhile we say hello to new staff, we say goodbye to old, I mean young, departed staff. I could write pages about how God used Kim Morgan to shape our church and ministry, but that would embarrass her.
I have told her this, and I tell this to all of you: She saved my ministry at New Hope. When I needed a strong leader to help me at the darkest time of my career, she stepped in and said, ‘Whatever you need.’ As Kim stays around the church and listens to the Lord for her next steps in ministry, give her a hug and tell her “thanks…”
I will miss her greatly on the day to day level, and I pray that God will one day re-open a door of service for her here at NH. But wherever He leads…you will find Kim close behind.
new victims, i mean staff
In Church Staffing on July 25, 2007 at 9:31 pm
We have an amazing staff here at NH, so big thanks to them, but you are all old news. Welcome Jim Ford who will be the Director of Ministry Operations (that means he does everything I don’t want to do) and Tom Roepke, Pastor of U-18 [under 18] Ministries (that means he is crazy) to our staff beginning next Monday. Send them a card or something, sympathies would be in order. Here is a pic of a few of our new staff, and a few older members. You figure out who is who…
happy blogday!
In My Life on July 25, 2007 at 9:20 pm
My official blog birthday while at the evangelical Mecca…Saddleback. (well, it was out there, but I switched blogs already, is that a sin, so it really was July 17th for those of you keeping track).
Yet another thing to steal my time, but someone on our staff who shall remain nameless says I have to do this. So, I dedicate this book to my family, all of ya, I couldn’t have done it without the money I borrowed from you without you knowing it. No really, love you all!
