Blue Parakeet Coming Soon

One of my favorite authors is Scot McKnight, a superblogger, author, theologian, professor, and overall pretty incredible guy.  I have read a number of books he has written, and he always seems to inspire, challenge, and motivate me with his writings.  He’s one of the few who I think can write in a truly deep academic style as well as an engaging devotional style.  Not many can bridge that gap.

Scot has a new book coming out in a few weeks, and I’m privileged to get an advanced reader copy.  I’m digging through it, and will be posting a couple of reviews of The Blue Parakeet soon. Should women be allowed to teach?  Be pastors?  Be elders?  Should they be completely silent in the church?  McKnight’s book arrives in timely fashion on the scene when I think these questions are being asked.  I can tell you that I’m wrestling with the text, and I encourage you to order this and read it right away!

 

Where is Scott Hodge?

I was bored completely out of my mind and tried to call several friends but no one answered… so I called the last one on my list.  He did not answer.  I wept bitterly

Story #2- I was needing counseling and called the only one I knew could help…

no, that’s not it.

The real scoop is I missed my friend.  We’ve both been pretty busy and haven’t caught up as much as usual.  It’s been a crazy couple of weeks.  Connecting is good.  

Who do you like to connect with?

 

WhyBlog?

Great post this morning over at the LifeChurch.tv blog.  Craig gives several reasons blogging can be good.  Look over this list.  Do any of these things fit you?  What are the reasons you blog?

I need to blog more.  I suppose I’m not a “power blogger.”  I don’t have some of the time that some of these big-name guys have (you know I’m kidding, right!).  I’m part of a growing church, where God is doing some awesome things in our midst,  graduate school, and full-time daddy and husbanding, so I have to squeeze it in when I can.  But, I’ve enjoyed the comments and the feedback over the last couple of years, it’s been fun.

Happy blogging!

 

balance

Craig Groeschel had a post today that really gripped me and thought I’d share it with you.  

He shares of a time when things were especially busy in his life and he called his young daughter to tell her he was working late and wouldn’t be home before she went to bed.  He promised that he’d wake her when he got home and give her a good night kiss.  Here was her reply:

• Catie innocently said, “Daddy, this is not your home. You live at the office.”

Wow.  How often we forsake our families for our jobs, hobbies, etc.  I know because I’ve struggled with this.  I’m on a mission to learn to balance my life.  It’s a tough, long, never-ending mission.  Do you struggle with this balance?  Does it all seem like it’s hanging by a thread?

I’m blessed to see that Craig changed his habits immediately… how about you, what do you need to change immediately?

Read it here.

 

Give It All Away

There’s a great post today by Craig Groeschel called “Kingdom Minded Part 3.”  He talks about the value of giving things away as a church for the Kingdom of God (sermon/media content, staff time in the form of serving other churches via roundtable, etc).  The more I read from him the more amazed at God I am at what He’s creating through Craig.  He seems such a humble, serving guy and I’m glad to see this conversation take place.

I have a core value/conviction/etc. that we need to be a teaching church.  Not just my church or your church, but all churches.  We need to be teaching other people who may not be as far along on the journey as we are.  We need to help others along.  We’re all in this together!

My pastor really has instilled in me the need to work and build up other churches.  I’ve noticed a correlation with my satisfaction serving my church people with me investing in other leaders.  I’m young but I love it and feel I have something to offer (even if it’s not much!).  

How about you?  What are you giving away as a church/ministry/Christ-follower?  How are you multiplying influence for the Kingdom by your giving attitude?  Where do you need to invest more?

Go read Craig’s post here and get in on the discussion.

 

Going All The Way

I have a slight man-crush on Craig Groeschel.  That simply means I really admire him and am a bit jealous of his good looks   I’ve had my eye on LifeChurch.tv for several years now, and I think he’s a voice of reason in a sea of confused, pompous voices.  I regularly read his blog, and you should too.  You can check it out here…

Craig has a new book coming out in just a week or two called Going All The Way.  You can pre-order it here….  one of the lines from the description is “Smart advice for a new generation about love, sex, and happily ever after.”  One thing I appreciate about Craig is his ability to just say it how it is.  I’m looking forward to getting  a copy and hearing his thoughts on marriage, sex, happiness, the whole shabang.  WIth like 20 kids (I actually think it’s 5 or 6), the guy must be doing something right!  Seriously, after reading Chazown and his blog on a regular basis, it seems that Craig is really working to balance his family/married life with church life, and seems to be doing a great job of it.  

From the description on Amazon…

“So what do you do if you want a marriage that doesn’t just survive, but thrives? That doesn’t just begin romantically but ends magnificently? Answer: You do something different.

Whether you’re thinking ahead to marriage, are about to be wed, or have been married for a while and want to make changes, this book can help. Going All the Way will guide you through the choices and commitments you need to make now in order to build a strong and vibrant relationship that will go the distance. In a world where going all the way means putting yourself first, author Craig Groeschel will show you how, by putting God first, you can build a soul-enriching, lifelong relationship.

With practical, candid discussions about sex, first dates, integrity, forgiveness, and communication, Craig will help you prepare for and experience a relationship that gives fresh, hope-filled meaning to “going all the way” with the one you love. “

Go preorder this book now.  Drop me a line when you get it and tell me what you think!

 

Veggie Tales Will Corrupt Your Children…

There’s a post over at Todd Rhodes’ Monday Morning Insight that I really think you should read concerning Veggie Tales, especially if you have kids.  You know, the cucumber and tomato that tell kids about God?  

Go read this now!  I’m sure glad there are watchdogs out there like Slice of Laodicea to help us discern right from wrong.  

“God is bigger than the boogeyman.  He’s bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV.”

Blasphemous.

 

What It’s All About (by Steven Furtick)

If you’re not reading Steven Furtick’s blog, well, you should be.  This post is a great example to remind those of us who get weary doing ministry (if that’s not you, you’re not really doing ministry) why we do what we do.  

Go read his post now!!

 

How we do church…

Man I just gotta point to Steven Furtick’s blog… he has a post today that I have to give a hearty amen to.  We have a tendency to think the way we do church, or Northpoint, or Fellowship, or Lifechurch, or fill-in-the-blank church, is THE way God ordained.  But there are many ways, and I celebrate the different ways God uses churches to reach different people.  

My fav quote from his post is this: 

“God does not bless one style, one model, one program, one methodology…

He blesses one message: His Gospel. In a variety of styles, models, and formats.”

Amen to that, honestly.  Celebrate diversity of style, model, and format, celebrate creativity, with ONE MESSAGE!!

Thanks Steven for saying what a lot of us were thinking!

 

the Jesus Factory

Lately I’ve wrestling a bit with the concept of Spiritual Formation, Church Membership, etc. We’re trying to tidy up a bit how we do church, to be more intentional and effective at what we do, and have the things that we do all be streamlined, meaning that they work together instead of competing with one another. How can our Small Groups and Membership Class and other things all contribute to the Spiritual Formation of our members? What is Spiritual Formation, anyway, and why do so many people have so many ideas of what it is and how it’s best done? I know I’m not the only one thinking through these things. I feel like sometimes I’m looking for this little “Jesus Factory” where I can run everyone through it and they’ll come out on the other side a missional, Christ-centered person. I know it’s a bit more organic than that. But I think we have a tendency to get busy in ministry and to look for shortcuts to success because we have so much on our plate. I know I do. I hate that.

Mark Waltz has a post that you need to go read right now. Here is the link. He discusses Spiritual Formation a bit with some good thoughts that will meet you right where you are…