Off again...

In a couple days I will be leaving for Anderson, South Carolina for another session of Tony Morgan's Coaching Network. I really look forward to these gatherings, because I get to exchange ideas with some of the brightest and most dedicated people I have ever had the privilege to meet.

But the Anderson gathering is only the start of a longer adventure. I will leave Anderson on Friday afternoon and make the run to the Atlanta airport and pick up Betty, then continue on to her sister Connie's home in Franklin, NC. She has a ton of time to take off this year or lose it, so we are taking our first mid-summer vacation ever.

As much as there is to do in the office, and as much as I enjoy my job, the days away come at a good time. Maybe I will even find some time to think and blog... or not. We'll see.

Behind a mask...

Was reading an interesting blog today- "I am what I tweet?" Basically, the blogger is talking about how people project an image of themselves through their Twitter postings, and how we form opinions of them based on their postings.

Duh! The technology is evolving, and our ability to reach across the globe as easily as we reach across the room is growing, but there is nothing new here. People have always formed their opinions about us based on how we present ourselves, in public and in private. If I am a grouch it will come across whether I tweet or talk. If I am upbeat and inspiring, I will be that way pretty much across the board, on Blogspot or the sidewalk.

God, please give me the grace to be a refection of You in my life. My life without You is pretty sorry (Jeremiah 17:9). Please let people see through me to Jesus.

Writer's Block...

Before I started blogging, I had a million things to say. But, since I started, the flood of thoughts and ideas has turned into a trickle.

It gives me new respect for guys who make a living writing- how difficult it must be to wake up each day and face that blank page, knowing it isn't going to fill itself up.

I actually beleive that I respond better than initiate. I have commented on several other blogs since I wrote on mine. I guess that points toward my problem being a lack of good ideas of my own. What an awful thought!

Tony Morgan and Leadership

Just back from Tony Morgan's coaching network session. I'm not sure why I am there, but the rest of the people involved are bright, intense, committed ministry leaders from all over who come to meet with Tony once a month for six months to develop ministry leadership skills.

We spoke about several things, but one that really struck a chord with me was spiritual stagnation.

The basic goal of most churches is to move people from being non-believers to being fully committed and mature Christ-followers. For this purpose, we create processes that use the power of the Holy Spirit working through people to facilitate this movement.

Many churches are doing a decent job of initially engaging people, but then they get stuck somewhere along the line that leads to spiritual maturity. It's not because the Holy Spirit lacks the power to create the change- it's because God chooses to use the church (that's us, folks) to effect this process, and the church (that's us, folks) has dropped the ball.

Argyle is typical of this. We do a great job of Sunday morning- I doubt there is a church in America any better (bigger is not better- just bigger) at making Sunday morning a terrific experience. Our problem is that we have trouble moving people from the Worship Center on Sunday morning to the point of mature Christ followers.

I will be writing about details over the next couple weeks. Comment with you thoughts.

This is a great read...

and you should spend a few minutes to enjoy it- a short interview with Robert Schuller.

Robert Schuller and The Crystal Cathedral have been around so long they have become cliche. Many of us (me included) never realized the impact he and his ministry have had on the direction of the church in America today.

I would love to hear some feedback and opinions.

Withdrawal...

Two weeks in a place so remote that there is no cell phone service, and with a dead laptop to boot- talk about going into withdrawal.

Several years ago we decided to see as many of the National Parks as we could. This year, we were in Yosemite, King's Canyon, Sequoia, and Channel Islands National Parks. Yes, we saw both bears and whales.

I am always struck by the great beauty of our country's wild places. As a Florida boy, it is hard to awe me with the wide expanse of the ocean shore, but mountains and canyons really amaze me. Everyone should plan to visit these places at least once in their lives. Pictures are great, but nothing can prepare you for the live experience of being in some of these places and seeing the work of the mighty hand of our Creator.

Check back for pictures- the laptop died on me and until it's fixed the pictures are stuck on the cameras.

A downright scary thought...

just occurred to me. Jesus said He would build His church and that it would be successful and effective (Matthew 16:18). That means if an organization is calling itself a church and is not successful and effective, it must not be a church- it must be something other than a church.

People hearing the Gospel, being transformed by it, and their lives being changed are a church. People excited by what God is doing in them and through them is a church. People telling their friends about the transforming power of the Gospel is a church. People seeing the power of the Holy Spirit in action is a church.

Anything else is... well, it's not a church.