Good stuff from Perry Noble

One of the blogs I try to read every day is Perry Noble's. Over the last few days he has posted a great four part article. "Four arguments you just can't win" I think anyone in church leadership would benefit from reading them - so here are the links....

#1

#2

#3

#4

Have a great weekend!

Why I don't like cats.

Here is just one example of why I don't like cats.....

Who are you working for?

My wife loves the movie Dave (OK - I like it too). It's about a guy who looks like the president and then when the president has a stroke he steps in to help the power brokers stay in power. It stars Kevin Klein and Sigourney Weaver (what a strange name). Anyway at one point in the movie he makes a speech and tells how "he had forgotten who he was hired to work for and that it was a temp job at that".

So how often do we forget the same thing? As a pastor there is a constant temptation to forget who you work for. I don't work for the one who praises everything I do or for the critic who constantly wants me to do things differently. I work for God.

I don't work for me either. When I slip into that mold I wind up seeking the praise of men instead of pleasing God. And believe me - those things are more often than not mutually exclusive.

So what about you? As a Christ follower - you work for God. More specifically we all are to work with God - but you know what I mean. Are you finding yourself working for others? Are you looking around to see who's watching? When you praise are you singing to the crowd or to an "audience of one"?

Dave got it right! He understood he worked for the people (as a president should). And he realized too that it was only temporary. You and I have a temp job too. It will only last a few years - let's all make sure we get the job done right!

Let's remember who we work for.

101 Class

OK - it's 7:35 AM on a Saturday morning and I'm up and pumped! Today I get to teach my 101 class. That's the class I teach for folks who are new to HCC. It will go from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM (give or take - and depending on the Cat's schedule - LOL) It will be comprised of folks who are considering becoming members or have recently joined. I love this class. It's long, and I still have to preach tonight and tomorrow - but I love it. Here's some reasons why.

I get to know some folks that I would otherwise not get to given our size congregation.

I spend a few hours with people that are excted about being a part of something.

I get to share our vision - I love doing that!

I get to answer questions and this helps me make sure we're still on track.

I get to have donuts - MIKE'S DONUTS - and they are awesome!

I get to tell our story - how we got here in just 11 years.

I get to to tell folks about my family.

I get to tell folks about Jesus.

If you've never taken this class - why not sign up next time - I'd love to see you too.

This kicked my butt!

There are many times when I read God's word that it really just hits me in the mouth! This is one such verse.

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Mat 6:14-15 (NIV)

Wow! Being the fallen being that I am this smacked me in the face. And I got to thinking about just how well do I forgive? And then I realize as a minister I have this professional level of forgiveness - but is it real? Here's what I mean. As a pastor I "have to be forgiving" - at least on the surface. I don't have the luxury of unloading on people who tick me off. I don't have the luxury of publicly holding grudges. I don't have the luxury of ignoring people who I might really want to.

But what about the "real me" - not the guy on the stage - but the guy in the mirror? How well am I doing there? To be honest I really do try to be forgiving. And most of the time I do pretty well. But there have been times when I hung on way too long. There have been people that have hurt me deeply and I have given in to the wicked side in me that wants them to suffer for what they have done. Of course I'm willing to let God handle the suffering all I ask is that I get a front row seat so I can see it. Yes, that's sick.

As I have been working on this new series - Christmas is Forgiving - it brought this thought again to me. Just how much like Jesus am I when it comes to forgiving others. While the easy answer is - I'm doing great. But then I wonder.

What about you?

Be careful who you hang up on!

Most of you reading this have probably signed up on a "no call list" so people you don't know, selling stuff you don't want, can't call you at supper time. I did as soon as it came out.

But still I get a call once in a while - usually from political or non-profit organizations. And sometimes I'll give them a hearing and sometimes I just politely tell them I'm tapped out. But what happens when you get the really persistent ones? You know the ones who say, "I understand you can't afford $1,000.00 a week pledge - but what about $500.00 a week? No - how about $2.00? Can we count on you for anything? Etc. Etc. Etc.

Well - call me rude - but sometimes I actually hang up on them. Yes, I said it - I hang up.

Well this morning I'm reading Yahoo news and I read this really funny story about a US Representative (R) who hung up on our President Elect. And she did it twice because she thought it was a prank call. You can read the story here if you like... It is funny.

So here's something to think about.

How often do we hang up on God? How many times does he want to talk with us and we hang up? An issue comes up in life and we blow it off as just the normal junk of life and don't pray about it, while God is waiting to talk to us about it. How many times do we let other things "beep in" on our line when we should not take that call but stay connected with our Heavenly Father? Have we ever been guilty of putting Jesus on some "no call" list?

Be careful who you hang up on!

Weekend Update

Wow what a great weekend - here's a recap.

Thursday - slept in, watched football - had dinner w/ the family (including Beth, Dale, and Abigail) - we were celebrating Beth's 27th birthday - seems like yesterday Melody and I were two clueless kids putting our new born in the car and thinking, "what do we do now?" Thursday was a great day!

Friday - slept in - headed to my brother's house in Flemingsburg (our annual Thanksgiving get together with his family). Pigged out - I MEAN PIGGED OUT! Headed home a little before midnight and heard what seemed like a UK pre-game on the radio. What's up with a Midnight tip-off? Anyway listened to the first half on the way back to G-town. Tried to get the 2nd half on TV - Yes it was on - but not on a channel I get - so I went up into my office and listened on the computer - pretty cool. And they found a way to win - GO CATS!

Saturday - slept in (I see a pattern here - sweeet!). Watched some football in the afternoon and grazed on left overs. About 6:30 Tim King came over to watch the UK - TN game - Rodney Quinton joined us about 7:00 (A huge Tennessee fan). It got ugly! Thought I'd have to kill him! At 10:30 watched the UK - WV game - I think they are making progress - I also think Michael Porter needs to hang it up as a point guard!

Sunday - slept in (till 9:00) - went to the 10:45 service, saw my birthday girl (Beth) singing in the praise team - cried a little - enjoyed a great message by Paul Curtis. Went to Golden Coral with the family. Came home intending to nap a little and wound up making a hospital call with my wife. And then went shopping.

All in all - a great weekend - hope yours was just as good.