In taking a page from the old playbook, here are some great posts from the ole Google Reader. As the title of the post suggests, they cover a broad range of topics.
- Vitamin Z with the Play of the Day
- Rhett Smith on Educating Adolescents on Technology and Pornography
- MIchael Hyatt on Leaders creating Alignment
- Ed Stetzer’s with part 6 of his Monday is for Missional series
- Religion, Wealth, and Faith chart from Church Crunch
On a separate note: am I the only pastor who hasn’t already attended 3 great conferences this year? The Southern Area Minister’s Conference was canceled at Southern Wesleyan University and I imagine they won’t have it next year either because of the denominational Gathering next January. I do miss the traditional lunch at Keith Street Bar and Grill in Clemson with a van full of youth pastors. We went to Unleash last year, but it’s sold out this year. So, if you had to pick just 1 conference to go to every year what would it be?
Currently Reading:
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Financial Peace: Revisited
By Dave Ramsey Want to get out of debt and stay out? Financial Peace Revisited gives you the tools to understand why you are in debt, create a budget you can stick to, set goals you can achieve, and make things right for you and your family emotionally, spiritually, and financially, for good. Updated version of the bestseller Financial Peace includes new chapters on marriage, singles, kids, and families. |
It’s been awesome getting to spend more time with my good friend, Tim Kirkpatrick. He recently moved to Asheboro, NC so we are able to see each other once a week or so and dream about ministry together. We helping each other Chase Our Lion. Here’s what happened when we were hanging out at Mcdonalds the other day.
Mondays are normally days when our brains are mush. I am trying to reverse that and make Monday my most productive day of the week. I try to get ahead on Monday and stay ahead the rest of the week. I am trying to become the anti-procrastinator. Here are some posts that encouraged and challenged me.
How to Deal with with Change-Tony Morgan features a great message from his pastor Brian Boyle.
Thoughts on Momentum-Brad Cooper
Scott Uselman’s thoughts on Tiger Wood’s apology. A perspective on this I have not heard yet.
Hope these spark some motivation and creativity in your life today! Thanks for reading.
Currently listening to:
The Sing Off soundtrack on
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Disclaimer: Many people feel trapped in jobs and careers they don’t love because of their financial obligations. We have so much debt that we have left ourselves little career flexibility. Sometimes, laziness on our part is the biggest hindrance in our job. This list is meant as motivation to do something to make your life better.
The Forgotten 5 Signs You Picked the Wrong Career
5. You dread getting up in the morning because you hate going to work.
4. Your enthusiasm and passion for your job is directly related to your salary.
3. Your work schedule is slowly tearing your family apart…and you know it, but aren’t sure what to do about it.
2. Your boss is not too big on things like vacations, family time, encouragement, and a peaceful working environment.
1. You wouldn’t recommend your company, service, or trade to anyone.
So, where do you go from here?
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48 Days Career Set By Dan Miller Don’t see your job as mundane anymore, but rather a calling God has put in your life. Get excited about work once again as you understand your skill sets and the career that God has best suited you for. Along with the book 48 Days to the Work You Love, the set also includes an interactive workbook with two CDs. It’s an individualized process with poignant questions to help you succeed on the career path with boldness and enthusiasm. Disc 1: Disc 2: |
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48 Days to the Work You Love, Trade Paper Edition By Dan Miller 48 Days to the Work You Love is not about finding a new job. It is about finding out what you are going to “be.” According to Dan Miller, failing to make that fundamental discovery is why so many people find themselves in jobs they hate. But the great news is this book will lead you to the vocation you will love. As a leading vocational thinker, Dan Miller helps you better understand and organize your God-given skills, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions. In turn, you’ll see clear patterns forming from which you can make successful career and job decisions. With creativity, insight, and timeless wisdom, 48 Days to the Work You Love presents a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating it into meaningful and fulfilling daily work. |
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48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal By Dan Miller Still deciding what you want to be when you grow up? Whatever your age, let Miller guide you to the vocation you long for! Learn the God-given talents, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions that are your compass to follow. Includes career-search tools, a step-by-step process for creating your life plan, and more. |
![091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/0/091853t.gif "091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor") |
Your Ministry’s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor By Gary Fenton As a pastor, you are not immune to the career struggles of midlife. The pressures of your ministry, the dynamics of your congregation, and the challenges to stay devoted can easily weigh you down. At times like these, the tendency is to slow down, retire, or stop growing. What’s worse, these symptoms are hard to detect, and their effects are destructive to both you and your church. But there is a way to rediscover your call to serve God with passion and focus. With candid insights and personal examples, longtime pastor Gary Fenton will help you overcome the changes in your ministry, help you use your gifts to their full potential, and revitalize your confidence in your calling. |
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The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary By Mark Sanborn Is your professional commitment wavering? Do you just want to get the job done and go home? Find fresh energy and creativity for your life and work by imitating the example of Sanborn’s postman, “Fred.” Four Bible-based principles will help you make a difference every day, excel in your career, and make your daily life extraordinary. 114 pages, hardcover from Waterbrook. |
![973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/9/973726t.gif "973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career") |
Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner’s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career By Tom Siciliano and Jeff Caliguire This book will create a pathway to minimize the stress and confusion of seeking the right job. It presents a comprehensive three-stage program for discovering your calling, turning that calling into a career, and sustaining your passion once you’re in the job of your dreams. Grounded in Biblical wisdom, yet highly practical, this book is packed with field-tested advice, worksheets, self-assessments, and creative questions for action and reflection. It will become a trusted “owner’s manual” for a lifetime of meaningful work. |
![45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/4/45400xt.gif "45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live") |
Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live By Zig Ziglar On the subject of living a life on purpose, passion and peak performance, nobody tells it better than Zig Ziglar. In Better Than Good, Zig goes several steps beyond other “success” books by not only helping the reader get motivated, but stay motivated by confronting and transforming the things that stand in their way. Written in Ziglar’s trademark style, this book isn’t just about success now, excellence tomorrow or even motivation for next month, but about making a lasting impact – an impact that goes beyond financial gains and creative partnerships. Everything we are and do, he says, must be seen in the bigger perspective of continuously investing your spirit, mind and spiritual vision for what life can be when we allow the power of purpose and passion to permeate our soul. |
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Who Are You? What Do You Want? Four Questions That Will Change Your Life By Mick Ukleja, Ph.D. & Robert L. Lorber, Ph.D. Based on the authors’ decades of work as executive coaches and leadership trainers, the insights, real life anecdotes, and exercises in Who Are You and What Do You Want? allow readers to shape their own unique life plan, tailored to their own needs and to gain clarity about their purpose, passions, and values. |
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The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do By Mark Sandborn Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, but most have no idea how to maximize their impact. In The Encore Effect, best-selling author and leadership expert Mark Sandborn provides the answer. He leads readers in six practices that will move them beyond excellence to distinction and from mundane to memorable. These principles guide readers to draw on their passion and devote themselves to preparation, practice, presentation, polishing, and finally, avoiding pitfalls. When readers follow these principles they will find that people are attracted to them. More importantly, they’ll find that they now have an influence over others that can impact lives for eternity. |
I think I have been guilty of suffering information overload. Some of this information could be useful like being informed on issues being debated in DC. Some of it is not so useful like knowing that Taylor Swift is in The Hannah Montana movie with Vanessa Williams who is in Elmo: Escape from Grouchland with Mandi Patinkin who is in The Princess Bride with Cary Elwes who is in Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise who is in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Yes, I know there’s a quicker way to connect Miss Swift to Mr. Bacon, but that’s the point.
At one point I could have told you how many wins Tommy Bowden averaged per year in his 10 seasons at Clemson, but that’s a decade I’m trying to forget.
Here’s a quote I wrote down from the 4 Hour Work Week:
Doing something unimportant well does not make it important.
I know what you’re thinking. Hey, Heath, don’t most youth pastors work 4 hours a week anyway? Do you really need a book to tell you how to do that? Ha Ha. I get the joke and yes, I have lived that joke. Sadly, the flip side is that many people are working crazy hours but accomplishing very little. As I noted in this post, I am trying to be more effective and efficient. Here is where my train of thought is going:
1. I know that conservatives and liberals don’t like each other and go over the top in media to make their points. Do I really need to check 8 different websites a day to confirm what I already know? It’s not going to change my political persuasion. Knowing all this stuff just allows me fodder for conversation. I do have more important things to talk about so I will.
2. I’m a slow learner so it has taken me a while to figure out that very little news happens between when I go to bed and when I get up in the morning. Why do I default to checking all the news and sports sites first thing in the morning on my phone? Can I rid myself of this burning desire to be “The Grapevine” and the first to know everything from what the Senate is debating to who Boston’s middle relievers are going to be to which pastor is going to what church and when in our district? Would it be so bad to hear this news from other people instead?
3. We had our cable TV cut off last summer because my family was going to be in Alabama for several weeks. We never turned it back on to save money. We are doing the Dave Ramsey thing now and downsizing from 4,000 channels to 12(depending on if the government mandated digital converter box is operating properly) has been a great decision. I’m not checking ESPN news, FOX news, or TLC every 15 minutes. I watch three shows a week: Heroes, Survivor, and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I have almost effectively eliminated channel surfing from my life. For me(the poster child for ADD) this was HUGE. We get a lot of movies from the library so the kids watch those and PBS Kids. Less TV has meant more rasslin in the living room with my children. Put THAT in your talking points memo.
4. Being on a budget has eliminated needless trips to Wal-Mart. I love the deals, but we were spending time and money we did not have every time. Going in to purchase dish shop(crud, we are out of that now) ended with a full cart, empty bank account, and a side trip to the Mcdonald’s that is conviently located inside the stored. Don’t get me wrong. I love me some Wal-Mart, but our family had to take ownership of our buying and spending habits.
I’m not going to pretend that this journey hasn’t been a struggle or that we have it all together now. I just knew that something had to change. I wasn’t at a crisis point, but I could have been. I will leave you my favorite joke from Jerry Seinfeld.
People ask me what I’ve been doing since we ended the show. I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing: nothing. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that you might like to try doing nothing yourself. Well, its not that easy. Because the idea of doing anything that could easily lead to something that would cut into my nothing and that would force me to have to drop everything.
If you’re going to grow as a person and a leader then reading great books should be an essential part of your growth. I have recently started reading with a new method that I wanted to share with you. There were 2 things I wanted to accomplish with this method.
1. Read faster
2. Take notes that are easy to scan through
There are 4 things in a book that make this process work: Chapter Headings, sub-headings, lists, and quotes. First, let me say that this method will not work with every type of book. This won’t work with a novel. I’ve found that most business, leadership, and growth books have all of the above.
Get the book you’re reading and a notebook. On a fresh page, write the Title and Author. Next, find chapter 1 and wirte it down along with it’s heading. All you’re going to do is scan the pages looking for key words that catch your eye(these depend on what and why you’re reading), subheadings, quotes, and lists. I typically write down all subheadings and lists. I write down quotes only if they’re truly memorable and something I could use in a sermon or a post. So, your page would look something like this(but hopefully with better handwriting):
Your amount of notes will depend on the format of the book and the length of the book. For example, I have 3 pages of notes from Crush It, and 12 pages of notes from The 4 Hour Work Week. I liked the books equally, but one of them had more lists and sub headings so I took more notes.
The most important thing to remember is to enjoy the book. If you get a chapter in and it’s not doing much for you then put it down and move on to something else. Also, don’t feel like you have to finish every book you read. Are you getting out of the book what you were hoping?
For me, this was born out of a desire to learn and grow without feeling overwhelmed. I also am trying to live by a set schedule. So far, the schedule has helped me get things done, but I’ve also been able to be flexible with it when necessary.
Finally, there have been two tremendous benefits so far with the creation of this site. One, is connecting and reconnecting with people all across the country through Twitter and Facebook. The other is immersing myself in the flow of great resources that are at our fingertips to help us become the people we were created to be. There are countless great books, blogs, conferences, music, and videos to help us discover our purpose, passion, and possibilities that many of us are unaware of. My reading list is full of great books I didn’t know existed before I started Chasing My Lion. Sadly, I know two many people who aren’t plugged into any of these things. They seem content to live life without pushing themselves to grow as Christians and leaders. Sadly, many of them are good friends in ministry.
So, what about you? What are you reading? What are you chasing?
Currently Listening:
Currently Reading:
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Why So Many Gods? By Tim Baker What do Madonna’s henna tattoos really mean? Is The Matrix more than just an action flick? Probing the meanings behind pop culture symbols, this hip guide to over 100 religions, cults, and worldviews will get your teens thinking about what they hear, see, and read—and help them choose God’s truth over the media’s mixed messages. 240 pages, softcover from Nelson. |
Currently Watching:
Newspring church at .
Last week I posted some Action Steps I was taking to be a better man and do everything with excellence. As I have been taking a good hard look at my life I realized that most of the issues of stress and ineffectiveness I face stem from my failure to faithfully observe the Sabbath. In his DVD, “Everything is Spiritual”, Rob Bell talks about the rhythm of creation and the significance of God taking a break from that rhythm and pattern on the 7th day. Here’s what it says in Exodus:
Exodus 20:9-11 (New International Version)
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
It’s one of the 10 commandments, and I fear it’s the one I break most often as a pastor. I am on this journey to discover everything I can about the Sabbath and balance that with what Jesus said in Mark:
Mark 2:23-28 (New International Version)
23One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
This is not a debate or discussion about whether or not to take a Sabbath or if failing to do so consistently has been harmful to my health, marriage, and spirit. What I would like to see happen is for a discussion to take place about how you’re making this happen? How are you unplugging for a day? What boundaries have you placed in your life to help you celebrate this holy time? What day is your Sabbath? Is there a day of the week when your church offices are closed so everyone can have a Sabbath? As for me, here’s where I am starting:
1. Commit to one day a week where I am totally unplugged technologically.
2. Make sure that I don’t follow my daily routine other than have my son at school by 7:55 am on that day.
3. Discover and rediscover hobbies that God can use to restore my soul.
4. Do everything I can to insure that my wife is able to have a Sabbath as well.
5. Study the roots, beginnings, and traditions of the Sabbath to see how God has used this holy day to renew and restore his people throughout history.
What about you? What steps are you taking or are you already having an effective Sabbath day? More to come later.
Currently Listening
Currently Reading
Currently Watching
Wondering what books to read next? Leadership Journal polled more than 100 Pastors and Leaders to come up with their list of the best books in two categories: The Leader’s Outer Life and the Leader’s Inner Life. Here they are:
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Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion
By Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck Whether you’re committed, disgruntled, hesitant, or disconnected from the body of Christ, this passionate resource will help you renew your love for the church in all its real-life guts, gaffes, and glory. DeYoung and Kluck’s valuable resource provides a solid reminder of the biblical mandate to participate in our local congregations. Relevant and encouraging! 224 pages, softcover from Moody. |
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The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity
By Soong-Chan Rah * A bold vision for the future of North American evangelicalism! Urging the Western church to escape the captivity of individualism, consumerism, and racism, Rah provides a keen analysis of the limitations of American evangelicalism and offers alternative models for congregational renewal, including those drawn from African American, Native American, immigrant, and second-generation Christian communities. 180 pages, softcover from InterVarsity. |
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The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third-Culture Church
By Dave Gibbons |
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Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches That Reach Them
By Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley & Jason Hayes Lost and Found presents comprehensive research about and in-depth interviews with young men and women ages twenty-five to thirty-four who have never really been churched. The findings, such as how open this generation is to spiritual things, will surprise church-based readers and break some long established assumptions and opinions. Expert church culture author Ed Stetzer (Breaking the Missional Code) also examines the congregations that are effectively reaching the younger unchurched and how they are doing it. Any church that is concerned about outreach to this generation will discover principles and methodologies to learn from and adapt into their own ministry. |
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Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion
By Richard J. Foster & Gayle D. Beebe Is your soul yearning to taste God’s goodness? Offering a classical model of spiritual formation, Foster and Beebe introduce you to seven devotional paths illustrated by Thomas Merton, Blaise Pascal, Julian of Norwich, John Wesley, and other key Christian figures. Discover how to experience the spiritual life as journey, deepen your friendship with Jesus, and more. 350 pages, hardcover from InterVarsity. |
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Leading on Empty: Discover the Secrets to Renewing Your Energy and Strengthening Your Passion to Serve
By Wayne Cordeiro Learn from veteran leader Wayne Cordeiro how to replenish yourself from a state of exhaustion in leadership, or, better yet, how to avoid the trap of burnout altogether. Find out how to lead when you just don’t feel like you can do it any longer, and how to navigate the helm of leadership when you’ve lost your spiritual bearings. |
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Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge
By Dallas Willard In the tradition of Mere Christianity, author and Renovare staff member Dallas Willard, presents a rational case for the Christian faith in our day. In Knowing Christ Today, he argues that spiritual truths are as a reliable body of knowledge as philosophy or science and form a trustworthy source of wisdom. Each chapter includes discussion questions for group study. |
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Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional
By Jim Belcher Deep Church, author Jim Belcher has been both an insider and an outsider to the Emerging Church movement. Now he brings the best insights of all sides to forge a third way. With appreciative critique, he explores the proposals of the emerging church leaders and provides constructive models of what this alternate deep church looks like – a missional church committed to both tradition and culture, valuing innovation in worship, arts, and community but also creeds and confessions. Plumb the depths of Christianity in a way that neither rejects our postmodern context nor capitulates to it. Instead of veering to the left or right, go beyond the extremes and go-deep. |
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A Praying Life
By Paul Miller Miller offers a practical real-life approach to prayer for busy families! His honest down-to-earth advice shows you how to practice praying in the midst of daily routine. You’ll learn to pray like a child, live your Father’s story, understand unanswered petitions, and more. Includes tips on using tools such as prayer cards and journaling. 272 pages, softcover from NavPress. |
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Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community
By Andrew Marin Marin was stunned when three of his friends came out of the closet. How could he reconcile members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community to his faith? Attempting to wrestle with that, he provides an inside look at the gay community and offers strategies to build bridges between GBLT people, Christians—and the gospel |
