December 2009
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C is for
So now you have a relationship. Be it with a friend, a spouse, a church, or whatever. How do you strengthen it? Enrich it? These might make a good list of things to think about as New Years resolutions.
Try these:
Commit - One of the biggest relationship breakers is insecurity. It gnaws away at relationships because it essentially comes from a lack of trust. If you think about it,...
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The Future
If you take some time and listen to what the present and the past are telling you, you can hear the murmurings of this strange beast - the Future.
He’s big, but he mumbles a lot.
Some people mistake it for growling, but it’s not.
He’s mumbling. A big mumbling friendly monster. He’s trying to get it out of his mouth, but he’s afraid you won’t understand.
...
December 31: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 150, Revelation 22 →
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Resolute
Do this before the 1st comes and goes:
1. Write down everything that you spend 1 hour or more at a time doing (or what you wish you had an hour or more to do). This can be professional, semi-pro, completely amateur, or side projects your friend asked you to help with.
2. Cross off the stuff you don’t want to do, but have to.
3. Now write down the stuff you REALLY enjoy out of the list.
...
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December 30: Zechariah 10-14, Psalm 149,... →
WatchI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I think “Branding” is going to be the new “hot topic” in churches 5 years from now. Get ahead of the curve with this presentation. (p.s. you probably want to click this link to see it full size)
December 29: Zechariah 6-9, Psalm 148, Revelation... →
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The unusual character
The Bible is filled with information about the unusual character. Ten spies were sent into the promised land to check it out. Eight of them came back as nay-sayers, 2 knew what God was up to. 10 men get healed by Jesus, one returns to give thanks - and he’s not the kind of person you expect.
As a leader, I’m learning that you very rarely have to (or even can) sell the whole group...
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The Garbage Collector and the toy
There is a story of a toymaker who wanted to make the world’s best toy. He had plenty of experience, plenty of training, and plenty of aptitude for the job. Every day he walked into his toy shop and pulled out all of his tools, laid them carefully side by side at the ready. He would then brew a cup of coffee and order all of the natural resources he could find. As he sipped his cup of...
December 28: Zechariah 1-5, Psalm 147, Revelation... →
December 27: Zephaniah 1-3, Haggai 1-2, Psalm 146,... →
December 26: Habakkuk 1-3, Psalm 145:14-21,... →
“Your entire Christmas celebration will be that one quiet moment you greedily...”
– Stuff They Forgot to Mention at Seminary, #504
“Emmanuel, everyone. Emmanuel.”
December 25: Nahum 1-3, Psalm 145:1-13, Revelation... →
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Face to face
A “friend” according to Twitter is someone whom you follow who follows you back.
A “friend” according to Facebook is someone who you agree to let to see your private information.
A “friend” according to Linked-In is someone who knows you and is willing to become a possible reference for you.
Social media has all sorts of different ways of explaining the...
December 24: Micah 4-7, Psalm 144, Revelation 4-6 →
University Lutheran ENews - 12/23 →
A little Christmas parody on a new winter religious holiday.
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Who HAS to get you a Christmas present? - Sermon...
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Evolution
I’m not talking about the Big Bang, Darwin, or sasquatch.
Read I Corinthians 14:26-ff
Now go to worship at your church.
Read The Didache (early church writing including instructions on worship)
Now go to worship at your church.
Read this quote by Luther: “Martin Luther, Reformation Leader: “The organ in the worship service is a sign of Baal.” Realencyklopadie Fur Protestantische...
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Leave Christmas to Christians
Garrison Keillor is grabbing a lot of flack for his recent Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun, “Nonbelievers, Please Leave Christmas Alone.” This seems a little out of Garrison’s usual subtle demeanor, but I can understand the frustration. Here’s a snippet:
“You can blame Ralph Waldo Emerson for the brazen foolishness of the elite. He preached here at the First Church of...
December 23: Micah 1-3, Psalm 143, Revelation 2-3 →
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Don't do it unless you have to
I remember the first time I heard this advice. It was from my drama coach in high school. He told me, “the best actors in the world are not the best actors in the world, they are the ones that have to act”.
You have to have the hunger that comes with being created by God for whatever you’re doing.
Want to become a pastor? Don’t do it unless you have to. Want to do...
