I Met a Friend

I met a friend this morning during breakfast. Well, we didn't formally meet, but we connected on a piece of truth that we shared in a passing greeting.

As the man approached, I greeted him with a smile, and he returned it. I said good morning, and he said, "only if you make it so." I smiled and nodded, and he sat down at a nearby table, and turned back to me and said this:

"The good Lord gave us today, and the rest is what we make of it."

And we both connected on another smile, and he went about ordering his breakfast, and I about my company.

Isn't this so true though? People connect around things they deeply share. This is one more reason to be involved in small groups at NewPointe or at your church. For me, they provide an opportunity to share what I value in life with other people - and it simply feels good to know other people hold the same truths dear that I do.

This post is not designed to be a commercial, but really my belief in the need for community (with has many facets by the way).

Seize the day.

Don't Be That Guy - 5

So it's been a while since my last DBTG post. But I'm back. I will say that it is not that the DBTG sightings were absent, I just did not blog about them. So to those of you that read these - I'm back, and so are the offenders.

Today's edition - Don't be that guy that drives across town to save $.03 for gas. Do you realize that in a 15 gallon tank, you actually save $.45 cents of gas.

Now, I am all for saving money, but what does $.45 buy you today - not a can of soda, one gumball, not a pack of baseball cards, not even a piece of pizza from the snack shack after a baseball game. (Memory Lane)

I mean look at the system, there are gas stations all over the place in many areas - and at times, one particular station will have this enormous line out front, and the one across the street, with gas priced a few cents higher is empty.

Spread the love. I believe that the best thing that your $.45 in savings can buy is a line with one less car in it. Imagine if we thought of our savings not as financial but simply as a good deed (that may go unnoticed).

Here are some of the symptoms that you indeed may be that guy: You find yourself in long lines at the pump, You regularly keep a mental checklist of gas prices as you drive (commenting to your passengers that "I saw gas for 2 cents cheaper back there, we better turn around), You email people about the cheapest gas in town, and finally, You don't get cheese on your burger because gas is too expensive.

If you have these symptom - chances are - you are that guy!

Now, before you get in an uproar, I know you are thinking that gas is expensive and we need to save money. So, I propose that the breaking point is more than $3. If the price difference of gasoline will save you more than $3, then wait in the line. If $2.99 or less, go across the street and be a blessing.

Funny But True

I was in an all day meeting last week, and we moved - so sorry for not blogging recently. I am without internet at our new home until tomorrow, so by then, I have no excuse.

But, while I am in-between meetings, thought a quick post from work was appropriate.

I heard this quote and it is a zinger:

"I bet my picture ain't in any of their wallets."

Funny response to a comment about making a difficult decision and the possible fallout of people not liking you. It hit me square between the eyes - bullseye to say the least.

So I ask - do you(we or I) avoid the hard right for the easy wrong just so people will have our picture in their wallet?

What I learned - leadership should always be interested in right, hard or easy, and not care who has your picture in their wallet or crosshairs!

Truly Unscripted

Following God is amazing. Maybe I am actually chasing, but that's another blog.

All I can say is that Life is truly Unscripted. Especially as a Christ follower. Yesterday was a challenging day for me. I have much going on, and also got some evaluation that I wasn't so happy with. Why wasn't I happy - mostly because I take things too personally - and this was the challenge - I exposed a nerve of an area where I need to grow.

And just at my lowest moment, I received an email. I couldn't have planned this out any better - here is what it said - word for word:

Just want to say thanks.

Thanks for.....

Being real
Not "dressin" things up or down, just sayin' it

Inviting me to my first NPCC brainstorming meeting in January

Telling me about the enter key

Being funny without trying to be funny
Spurring me on to do good and be me

Giving our boy a bracelet that says Dream

The behind the scenes stuff that can be so challenging

Looking toward the big picture and victory

I don't write this to puff up my ego, or rebuild my self-esteem. After all, why would blogging about it accomplish this goal. But I do write to say that at the moment I needed it most, and wasn't looking for this sort of thing - I got what I needed. Maybe even just what I wanted too!

Life is really unscripted when you follow Christ. It is a journey that is often unmapped, filled with challenges, but also with growth that holds amazing promise. Some call it the road less travelled. But too often, (and this is yet another blog) we fail to take this road because we script out our Christianity.

I say, take the road less travelled, experience the margin of the page, beyond the script.

A New Perspective

Well . . . . . it's been about 5 months at our new facility and each week I get a new perspective. Well, this week as I sat in those comfy chairs, it hit me. On Saturday, some of the staff got together to play hoops and help the chair set-up crew do their deal.

And set up chairs we did. I have all the respect in the world for that crew- and Gary Raber, the team leader. Week in and week out, we arrive on Sunday, march into the auditorium and enjoy the service. And how often do we recognize the effort to set up those chairs?

Well, this week I recognized, and I appreciated. Thanks to the team for setting up every week, for the dedication to an excellent auditorium, and to endurance - the virtue this month in KidStuf.

How do you get a fresh perspective, and for that matter grow as a Christ-follower? Get your hands in the game and serve. It freshened my attitude, and it probably will do the same for you!

Another Blog

Coming soon to NewPointe - JBunn's idea.

A NewPointe blog. It will be manned/womanned by many of the people here on staff - and the focus is all about why we do what we do, and the story of our church - pretty great idea John.

Keep on the look out, and see you on Sunday!

New Art

Check out this art I've been toying with - it is the core of what we believe at NewPointe.

Comment and let me know if you dig.

Creative Meeting

I'm in my Monday meeting again. I am blogging again. Yes Miriam, I am blogging during your meeting!

Don't worry, I am only doing this to make you smile. I love being at this meeting because it is one of the most critical of our week - we plan for the weekend service - and we work hard at trying to create an environment.

Is it hardwork? Yes

Is it frustrating at times? Yes

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

So Miriam, thanks for having me at this meeting - it is my best time to blog!

Just kidding.

At the Meeting

Anyone out there wanting to invite me to Joost?

Good ole Bunn did this, so why shouldn't I?

7 Questions to Ask Yourself

Time to spread some link love, as J Bunn calls it.

I read these 7 questions on Tony Morgan's blog - and I think you should too. Scroll down a bit if you need to.

Challenging when you do self-examination isn't it?

Visit with a Friend

I had a visit on Thursday with a friend - a good friend - A.T. It was good to catch up on old times (he reminded me of a verbatim quote that I said that makes me look like a monster) and to catch up on the current happenings of his life.

I said it was good to catch up, but it was great to see what Aaron is doing now. He just cut a cd. A cd! I always thought that Aaron would be a worship pastor some day. He is a youth pastor now, and it is amazing to see how his journey brought him to this point in his life. Aaron took a step by cutting this cd - and wherever it lands him it lands him.

I can honestly say that he was content - and I admire that. He was in the middle of a new endeavor and had no hopes pinned to this move - he was content.

Aaron - keep rockin - keep recording and keep in touch!

To everyone else, visit his space, and check out his music. It has a neat vibe to it, almost a mix between a Norah Jones and Hilsong - just kidding. Check it though.

A Wow Moment

I was at a session for some NewPointe leaders and I had a WOW Moment. It went something like this during the Q/A:

Q: How do we encourage people to go deeper/grow in their relationship in Jesus Christ.

A: Ask yourself what you are doing that if God were not around, you would have to stop doing.

And that was the moment. What an answer - profound, true, and deeply, deeply challenging.

• Am I depending on God for something Big?
• Have I come up short in my life because I simply do not trust enough?
• How can I try to experience this challenge?

And then another WOW moment. The follow-up to this comment was something like this:

Q: So how do we experience that?

A: You make sure that you are growing in the 3i's. Intimacy with God, Involvement in community and Influence in the world. If any of these 3 are out of balance, you are not growing. Jesus did all three of these while on the Earth, and we should too.

• Without Involvement and Influence, Intimacy is not enough.
• It goes the same the other 2 ways too.

And the reality that I realized is that this statement is so true. It is so easy to focus on intimacy with God, but the balance of these 3 i's is really an incredible combination. If I am working to influence the world, and be involved in community, my intimacy will grow.

It is an amazing equation if you like algebra terms. But the bottom line - all 3 are needed to grow - just like all 4 food groups are needed to be healthy. Wow. I am so glad to be at NewPointe.

Jesus and Dairy Queen

I was at Aqua last night and it rocked. We had a great first night of our new series - It's All In Your Mind. Dealing with the subject of negativity in relation to the attitude of Christ can be sticky, and even touchy at times, but I think the night went pretty well.

So, after the night was over, I was talking with someone who shared her story of coming to faith in Christ. Get this - she made this decision in a Dairy Queen, as someone used french fries, a cup and a napkin to create an illustration.

Isn't that a wow God thing? I love stories that are beyond the ordinary, things that tell you just how BIG God really is. People can come to know Christ anywhere at any time - not just on Sunday after a message.

What a story - goes to show that all of this faith stuff can be a little UNSCRIPTED.

This Sunday

I am in the middle of a creative meeting for our weekend services, literally in the middle of it. I got some inside scoop, and man am I juiced about it all. (u2 will enjoy it)

We are starting our series - Adventures in Missing the Point - and the first weekend will be dynamic. I just think that this series is going to address what we are all looking for, and where we are coming up short.

And - And - And - I heard we may be covering one of my favorite tunes - did I mention that I am excited about it all?

I'd let you know what the song is, but that would be missing the point!

Favorite Line

I am listening to one of my favorite songs - Colorful by the Verve.

It is from the movie Rockstar. I know many may say that the cheese factor could be decent on that flick, but I love a story about redemption, where people make a change in their life - for the right reasons.

Favorite line from the song - You paid for a drama but you stayed for a comedy.

Talk about loyalty, perserverence and the essence of love. If you read this blog and are wanting that essence - come out to NewPointe, we talk about Jesus every weekend, and no matter what life you paid for - drama, action or comedy - Jesus is real and right there.

I believe this with all of my heart.

A Reputation

I know that worrying and paying attention to our reputation is debatable. Meaning - maybe we shouldn't allow our reputation to dictate our life - that at times, we will do things that we know are true even though they may damage our reputation.

But it is nice to know what people think right?

So I was talking to someone who visited NewPointe recently. Here are the paraphrased comments:

"I am coming to this church. I even told my husband, we are coming. I heard the music (practice for Married Life Live) and I said this place, the way it looks, the people - they make you want to come back."

Isn't it nice to know that NewPointe is seen as a place, that represents the welcoming that Christ displayed when he walked Earth? I think so. To the people that connected with this lady - thank you for representing Christ the way I believe he would have wanted!

All are welcomed.

Leading is Reading

Just heard that quote yesterday and it is true. I believe, though I don't always practice it, that to lead you must read. I am backed by some industry gurus on this too. I didn't just make it up.

But if you hate to read - then what?

With all sincerity, I say - Learn to Love it. If you love to lead, you will learn to love to read. To lead effectively, you must grow and not only in practical knowledge, but in your ability to think and conceptualize. Much like exercise to the body's performance, reading is to the mind's capacity to perform.

What should you do? Read two books and email me in the morning.