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My Axioms (just slightly less cool than Bill Hybels’)

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One of the best leadership reads that I have laid eyes upon was a book by Bill Hybels called Axioms.  I would highly recommend that you pick it up and read it.  It is a great read, it is quick, short chapters.  (I like that!)  They may be short, but don’t be fooled.  Those babies are chock filled with tons of wisdom.

After reading his book of axioms, I decided that I would write a few of my own.  I give you, a few of my own axioms.  I’ve come up with/collected these over the past several years.  They probably aren’t all original thoughts, but they have been adapted and tweaked to fit my life.

  • People matter more than process
  • There will be times when I need to give up the right to be right
  • Love the way that I have been loved (1 Jn 4:19)
  • I usually find out my wife is right two months after she speaks
  • View present ministry with a lifetime perspective
  • It is more about being with God than doing things for God
  • When conflict arises, relationships must rise more

What pearls of wisdom do you have?  Let’s hear some of your axioms.

~Peter

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In Uncategorized

Book Review: Killing Cockroaches

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXHne2QjPlM&feature=player_embedded#]
So, if you’ll remember several months ago I won a book from a drawing on Twitter.  The book was Tony Morgan’s Killing Cockroaches, and other scattered musings on leadership.  I love reading.  Especially good books.  Even more so when they are free books!  So, if you have any free books that you think I should read, send em my way!  But anyway back to it…  This was a great read.  It was definitely scattered in thought… If you are expecting a logical progression of thought from start to finish you won’t find that.  What you will find is short brief, few paragraph, progressions focused on a certain aspect of leadership, or church life.

There are several topics that really resonated with me, here are a few:

  • Compel them to come in:  Are our church services compelling?  Is there more value attached to what we are doing than going to Starbucks and sipping coffee, playing golf, or sleeping in?  Great thoughts, provoking questions…
  • Evangelistic Enemy?: “I wonder if we’ve inadvertently designed our ministries to isolate Christians from the places where God really wants them to be.”  Are our programs keeping our church from having a greater evangelistic influence in their communities?  This one will make you think.
  • Gunky Build Up: “Sometimes I believe the life that the more I do, the more valuable I am to the team.  The reality is that I’m not being effective if I’m busy doing the wrong things.”  What kind of gunk is building in my life that is keeping me from being the best possible leader I can be ?  Great thoughts…
  • Marketing Mistakes:  First off, the biggest mistake is thinking that the church shouldn’t market!  But beyond that Tony has several great thoughts here.  These two are my favorite.
  • thinking other church’s are your competition.  “We are competing with todays culture.  That means that other churches are on your team!”
  • Publicizing church programs that compete with one another.  “Figure out what you do well and what God is using today to reach people for Jesus— And do that!”

This book is a great read… I would highly recommend it.  Don’t read it if you don’t want to think.  Don’t read it if your not ready to make some potential changes, don’t read it if you think that your church has totally arrived and is perfect.

Read it if you want to be more effective in whatever ministry you are doing…

That’s my prayer…

~Peter

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In Faith in Real Life

Action vs Advertising

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I just started a new book last night, and I am loving it already.  I knew it was going to be good when I was already underlining in the Foreword!   I have started Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan.  I made it all the way to page 7 when I had to stop and think about this one for a little bit…  This was too good not to share!

“Action speak louder than advertising”

WOW!  That is spot on.  We need to be defined by who we are and how we serve those outside of the church rather than the image of our building or who the current hot shot pastor is in town.

James 2:15-17  “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accomplished by action, is dead.”

Morgan writes, “You can’t buy the media coverage you’ll receive if you remain faithful to God’s design for the church and stay active in people’s lives by addressing their physical and emotional needs.”

I think that this is right on the money…  What do you think?

~Peter

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In Faith in Real Life

Thoughts on Life

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As I am writing, I am in Waxahachie Texas at my parents house.  I took a day off, and headed down south to spend some time with my mom and my sisters.  It has been eight months since we said goodbye to my Dad.  These have been some of the most difficult months that we as a family have gone through.  God has been good, and He has lovingly shown us His peace, His mercy, His grace, and His amazing care for us.  I have been so blessed to have a dad like my dad.  

I was reading on the plane ride here to Texas, all while trying to keep my arms from touching either of the “elmo-esque” furry arms that awaited me on either side.  I was finishing up the book, “Next Generation Leader” by Andy Stanley.  There are several amazing lines in this book, but one stood out to me.  It feels right to share it with you…

“The question is: Have you determined what you want to become?  Your doing will flow from who you are.  The outer man will reflect the inner man.  The inner man determines the legacy of the outer man.”  

Many of you who read this blog did not have an opportunity to meet my dad.  There are a few things that I have learned about my dad since he has gone to be with the Lord.  I knew that my dad was a man of God, but I didn’t know just how much!  His legacy has left an incredible mark on my life, and the lives of so many.  There was a time when he determined… when he set before himself, his wife, and his family that he was going to follow and serve God no matter what the cost.  His inner man was set.  He was sure.  His outward actions reflected his inward convictions.  He knew he was to be a man following God’s leading.

Have you determined what you want to become?  It’s not to late.  It’s never to late.  What is the condition of your inner man?  Is your outer man truly reflecting your inner convictions?

 

As I look ahead, I know that the single most important thing that I can do is to set before myself convictions that I believe that God himself has placed on my life, and follow them with all that I have.  

What about you?

hmmm….

~Peter

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In Faith in Real Life

Tough Calls

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So, I have been challenging myself in the area of leadership lately.  Unashamedly I want to be the best leader that I can be through the strength and leading of God!  So, I have been reading and listening to all kinds of things…  However, I just read something this morning before my meeting with some guys that blew me away… 

“A leader is someone who has the courage to say publicly what everybody else is whispering privately.  Next Generation leaders are those who would rather challenge what needs to change and pay the price than remain silent and die on the inside.”  ~Andy Stanley, Next Generation Leader.    This made me really think!  Do I have the courage it takes to be a leader even in the most difficult times?  

I  pray that the answer is YES!  GOD GIVE ME THE STRENGTH!

What do you think?  Would you rather speak up, or remain quiet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In Faith in Real Life

Questions for my soul…

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For the last two days I have spent hours watching pixels of light reflecting on a simple white screen.  I spent a good portion of the last 48 hours listening to sound waves resonate in my ears.  This may sound like a lazy summer day for some of our teenagers here in our ministry, watching the TV, and listening to the Ipod.

The last two days I was apart of The Leadership Summit.  This is a leadership conference that Willow Creek puts on every year.  It was a very powerful conference.  I was challenged by many of the speakers.  We heard from several key leaders making huge strides in the Church of today.  I truly believe that God has been working in my life these last few weeks.  These last two days are no different.  

I was challenged to think in stretching ways.  I really began to think about who God has made me and what does He want me to do?  Here are some of the questions that I am wrestling with:

 

1.     What am I pursuing?

2.     What price am I willing to pay?

3.     How is God rocking my world?

4.     How do we get “IT”

5.     How do I provide Leadership that actually matters?

6.     What is it that God is showing me about myself?

7.     What am I afraid of?

 

I need to give big props and many congratulations to my friend Jason over at LCBC.  They received the courageous leadership award from Willow Creek.  You can jump over to his blog to read about what happened.  I am certainly proud of him and his church.  LCBC inspires me.  You should check them out.  

~Peter

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