Executed

Procrastination

2012-01-26T08:01:00.001-08:00

Recently, I put off taking my car to get smogged. I kept telling myself I would do it, but I just didn’t. When the last day came before the late registration penalties kicked in, I started up my car to drive down to the smog shop. Wouldn’t you know it, the check engine light popped on as if to teach me a lesson. Needless to say, it was a challenging day and all because I procrastinated.

For some of us, procrastination is an art. We have become so good at waiting to the last minute, we don’t even know how to do life any other way. But even for those who would not consider themselves to be chronic procrastinators, there are always some things we keep delaying and putting off. Maybe we do it because we just don’t know how to begin, we are afraid of failing, we are stubborn or we are just plain lazy.

In and of itself, procrastination is not the worst thing in the world. The real question is, are we procrastinating about the wrong things? The truth is, some things can wait. Whether or not I wax my car this week or next month, is probably not that big of a deal. On the other hand, the conversation I need to have with my spouse or my kids is vitally important.

Some things need to be done now. Jesus said, “if you love me, you will obey My commands.” He didn’t say, “if you love me, obey me when you get around to it!”

I believe there are three things we need to do now and not delay. First, we need to get right with God. No one is guaranteed tomorrow and no one knows how long their life is going to be. The most important and vital thing for us to do, is get right with our Creator.

Second, we need to get right with others. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us it is more important to go and fix broken relationships then it is to go to church! If you have offended someone, go and ask forgiveness — stop delaying. Broken relationships do not fix themselves.

Third, we need to get busy serving others. We have this constant tendency to think our life is about making us happy. It’s not. Jesus said that the way to get life is to give up yours. True life is found when we invest our lives in serving others. James, the brother of Jesus, said, “true religion is to visit the orphan and widow.”

Sometimes we are so busy doing things that are unimportant, we fail to do the things that are really important. Maybe you need to change your life around so that you can do the stuff that really matters. I know I do.

The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you to get focused on the right stuff this weekend. Why don’t you stop putting off what you need to do?

New Year, New Chance

2012-01-03T10:51:00.001-08:00

As the calendar turns, we once again wrestle with the realization of how little we changed over the last twelve months. The year passed so quickly. Resolutions that we made with dedicated resolve at the beginning of the year were quickly discarded as we found the rut of our routine too comfortable and familiar.

And now we find ourselves at the beginning of a new year and we are tempted to give up even before we have started. We wonder, is there really any point? Can I, in fact, change? Or will 2012, simply be a repeat of 2011?

Let me encourage you not to give up too soon!f Change isn't easy and quitters never win. Just because you have failed in the past, does not mean you must fail in the future. I love the Bible verse in Proverbs that says, "the godly may tripe seven times, but they will get up again" (Prov. 24:16). The difference between failure and success is often simply the decision to get up one more time and try again.

The best news of all is that you do not have to undertake your New Year's resolutions all by yourself, if you will simply invite our Heavenly Father to be involved in the process. After all, He wants you to grow and change! He knows what great things are possible in and through you because He created you for greatness in the first place.

So what resolutions do you need to invite Him to be a part of this year? Maybe you have some dirty laundry you need to give up to Him instead of carrying it forward. Perhaps you need to make a few phone calls, ask forgiveness and mend those broken relationships. Or maybe you need to change some old routines and exchange them for new ones. Sometimes we have done things for so long, we just assume that we must do them, but maybe it’s time to give up some of the old patterns of behavior.

One of the best things you can do is get around people who have resolved to grow and change. If all your friends are resolved to stay the same and to keep you there too, it might just be time to get some new friends! The pastors in Kings County would love to encourage you and help you get a fresh start for the new year. Maybe one of the best decisions you could make would be to get right with God, get in His house and start looking at yourself through His eyes. You’ll be amazed at the wonderful things He has in store for you!

Unexpected Gifts

2011-12-20T11:04:00.001-08:00

Many gifts will be given this season. Some will be beautifully wrapped, some will be expensive and some will be hand-made. There will be big gifts and little gifts, toys and trinkets, gadgets and gizmos and everything in between. For many of us, there really won’t be too many surprises this Christmas season. We’ve been through it all before, and many times.

And while we will open our gifts with a smile plastered on our face, we don’t anticipate being greatly surprised. There will be the obligatory clothing items, the gag gifts, the cute hand-made trinket from the kids and the gift we really wanted that we told them to get for us. We don’t anticipate anything will be out of the ordinary and we have already decided in our hearts that our true enjoyment will come from watching the littlest ones open their gifts.

But every once in a while, we are surprised by an unexpected gift. You know the gift I’m talking about, it comes from a loved one and it comes out of left field. We didn’t specify the make and model and it doesn’t conform to the standard gift giving routine. But this gift really knocks it out of the park! As we open it, we realize the time and thought that went into the selection of the gift and we feel so appreciated and loved.

Unexpected gifts have a way of doing that to us. They interrupt the routine for a moment and remind us that we can be surprised after all, no matter how jaded we are. That’s why unexpected gifts are often the best of all. It’s not about the wrapping and it’s not about the size of the gift—instead it is about the insight and creativity of the giver.

These days even the story of that first Christmas has become so routine—so frequently recounted through nativity scenes, stories and Christmas plays—that we forget how truly unexpected it was. God’s grand plan for the salvation of the world came wrapped in very inauspicious packaging and in a size impossibly small and fragile. And yet, it was the best gift of all.

This Christmas, I pray that you would be surprised by God in an unexpected way. I pray that His presence would surprise you and your family on Christmas morning and that you would rediscover how much insight, creativity and love He has for you.

We have placed a Christmas devotional for you and your family to enjoy on Christmas morning on our website at kcfchurch.org. On behalf of all the pastors in Kings County, Merry Christmas!

Notes from Peter Drucker's "The Effective Executive"

2011-12-08T11:12:00.001-08:00

Here are my personal notes from Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive. This was a phenomenal read and a great reminder for me that the leadership gurus of today are merely identifying (and conveying in contemporary parlance and with contemporary examples) the same principles that have been known for a very long time.

There are some fantastic nuggets here. Interestingly, right after reading the section on time, I came across an application offered by the guys at AppSumo called RescueTime specifically designed to track time usage both on and off the computer. I immediately have put this into use to help me identify where my time is going while in the office.

These notes are largely unedited and not intended to be a comprehensive summary of the book, but rather for my personal use. With special thanks to my assistant, Siri, for transcription!

The Effective Executive

Peter Drucker

Five Habits of Effective Executives

Effective executives know whether time goes.
Focus on outward contribution
Build on strengths — their own strengths and the strengths of their superiors, colleagues, and subordinates; and on the strength in the situation, that is, on what they can do. They do not build on weaknesses.
Concentrate on the few major areas where superior performance will produce outstanding results. N.b. Compare to the principle found in Wayne Cordero's writings, the last 5%
Make effective decisions.

Time

The executives perspective of the use of their time is often out of sync with the actual use of their time.

At least twice a year, keep a log of time usage for 3 to 4 weeks. Frequently refer to that log to evaluate the use of time

Ask the following questions of one's usage of time:

What activities you have no results and must be stopped?
What activities could be done by someone else just as well or better?
Stop wasting other people time. frequently asked the question, "what do I do that waste your time and does not contribute to your effectiveness?"

Pruning

Identify gaps in the systems. What crises reoccur year after year?

Avoid time wasters caused by over staffing. Major symptom of overstaffing is when the executive or senior management team spends more than a fraction of their time dealing with interpersonal relations or feuds between their people.

Avoid bad organization practices. Major symptom is to any meetings.

Fill up strong communications systems. Bad information or misinformation will require more time to correct.

Personal question: should I do more in frequent meetings for a longer period of time? For example, one hour and a half meetings every other week

Staffing

When hiring, look for excellence in one major area and not for performance that gets by all around.

Focusing on the right things

The effective executive understands that he must focus on one thing at a time. He must focus on one thing for enough time to make a difference and to get results. It is intense concentration on one task that sets the busy executive apart from the effective executive.

Recognize that every program has an expiration date. Make the assumption that every program will outlive its usefulness. Ask the question, "is this still worth doing?"

The effective executive must select his priorities. By default, this also means that he must select his posteriority's. That is, those things which he is not going to do. He must remember that every posteriority, is someone else's priority.

The most important thing when it comes to selecting priorities is not intelligent analysis but courage.

The rules of courage when selecting priorities are the following:

– Pick the future against the past

– Focus on opportunity rather than on the problem

– Choose your own direction-don't climb on the bandwagon

– Aim high, aim for something that will make a difference rather than something that is "safe"

Decision-making

Decision-making is the specific task of the executive. In reality, only executives make decisions. Therefore, effective executives must make effective decisions.

The key is to focus on the right decisions. It is the important decisions that are the specific task of the executive.

Remember, effective executives are not simply "problem-solvers". They must think through that which is strategic and generic.

They must also remember, that's a decision that is not followed by action, is no true decision at all. Effective decisions require implementation. Therefore the time involved in making the decision, rather the speed of the decision-making, is not the real issue.

1. The first element in the decision-making process is identifying whether the issue is a generic one or eight "one-time case".

Almost every situation is a generic situation that can be analyzed in the context of a previously decided rules or policies. In this way the complexity of the decision-making process is greatly reduced. Very often the challenge is in identifying whether or not this specific problem is a "new type" of problem. And even in these cases, more often than not, the "new type" of problem is not really a unique case but rather a new category of cases that requires a rule or policy to govern how the decision is made.

The ineffective executive is one who treats nearly every problem as a unique case. He believes that pragmatism applied to every situation is the best rule. This results in a bottleneck of decision-making because every case is treated as unique and therefore it is only the executive which can make the ultimate decision. On the other hand, when the situation is identified as part of a larger generic type, the nearly anyone can make the decision based on the criteria the executive has put into place.

2. The second major elements in the decision-making process is identifying what it is that the decision must accomplish. These are the "boundary conditions". The boundary conditions are those conditions which must be satisfied in order for the decision to be an effective one.

What are the needed results?

What are the nonnegotiable's surrounding the decision?

What cannot be done while attempting to accomplish the goal?

Recognizing that "boundary conditions" exist, is recognizing that "the end justifies the means" strategy is generally unacceptable when it comes to real decisions. There are always non-negotiables.

3. Always begin with what is "right" rather than what is "acceptable". The fact yes, there is always compromise in the end. The executive must keep at the forefront of his mind that which is right.

In this way, when it does come to compromise, one knows what is an acceptable compromise and what is not.

4. The next step is converting the decision into action. Unless action has been taken, there is no true decision only wishful thinking.

Who has to know about this decision?

What action has to be taken?

Who will be taking the action?

Can the people assigned to do the action actually do it?

5. The final step, is building feedback into the process. This is because of two realities. First, very often the decision being made was the wrong one. Second, even the most effective of decisions eventually become obsolete. For these two reasons, continuous checks to evaluate whether or not the decision is actually accomplishing its desired result must happen.

The key here is, "trust but verify".

Anecdote: when Gen. Eisenhower was elected president, his predecessor, Harry S Truman, said: "Poor Ike; when he was a general, he gave an order and it was carried out. Now he's going to sit in that big office and he'll give an order and not a damn thing is going to happen."

The reality is not that generals have more power than presidents. It is that military organizations have learned that to be disconnected from one's orders is to fail. They learned long ago that to go and look oneself is the only reliable feedback. This is true of all military history.

The further one is separated from the execution of the decision, the more risk one has of being disconnected from reality. There must always be a review process. And the reports given must not come from the person to whom the decision was delegated. This is because experience has taught us that we must distrust communications.

The Decision

Decisions are rarely a choice between right and wrong. They are at best a choice between "almost right" and "probably wrong". In any decision, we are trying to get at that which is more right.

First, the executive must realize that he comes to any decision point with a set of preconceived notions and opinions. Because of this fact, he must have a process of being confronted with the realities of the situation.

One of the best ways to create this opportunity to have one's opinions and preconceived notions face the facts, is to have disagreement built into the process.

The reason why effective executives do not like "yes men" is because they recognize that these men do them no good.

Disagreements surface alternatives. Disagreements identify alternate views of reality. Disagreements surface cases of special pleading. Disagreements are needed to stimulate the imagination.

The effective decision-maker, therefore, organizes disagreement. He recognizes that there is rarely a situation where one proposed course of action that is the correct one and every other course of action is the wrong one. Therefore he starts out with a commitment to find out why people disagree.

Remember, the goal of this process is understanding. It is only after obtaining understanding that the executive begins to think about who is right and who is wrong.

Of course, there are always the cases when no decision needs to be made. This should not be overlooked.

Gracias

2011-11-23T07:22:00.001-08:00

Just a few short days ago we celebrated Thanksgiving. Many of us gathered together with our families and paused to say “Thank You” to God, echoing the prayers given by the pilgrims so many years ago. Oh, and we ate too, we gorged ourselves with turkey and fixings or with tamales or ham or whatever it is that your family prepares.

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday. It seems it is of little use to the retail machine that drives our economy. The marketing possibilities at Thanksgiving seem to be somewhat limited to turkey decorations and food. Sandwiched between Halloween—the fastest growing retail sales holiday at nearly $7 billion spent on decor, costumes and candy—and Christmas—at a whopping $465 billion—poor, sad, neglected Thanksgiving offers little in the way of sales. That is, unless you consider Thanksgiving merely the doorstep to Black Friday, but then we are back to Christmas.

In one comic satire being passed around this season, the Thanksgiving turkey is shown angrily lamenting that he doesn’t really even get one measly day anymore! The moment Halloween is over, the stores are redecorated with reds and silvers, Christmas carols are playing at top volume and “leaked” Black Friday ads are everywhere. This Santa guy has really overstepped his boundaries!

Maybe the reason Thanksgiving is overlooked is because it stands for something that is in direct opposition to the consumerism that makes this world go around. To truly be thankful, we must hit the pause button. We must take a break from the frenzied shopping and spending and stop the complaining about how we are unhappy with what we have. Instead, we must take a look at what we do have and turn our hearts in gratitude to the One who has made it all possible.

Truly saying “thank you” does not come naturally to us. That is why our parents had to teach us to say it (any parent will tell you there is no child that didn’t need a lesson on saying “thank you”). But being thankful is not just words that we say, it is an attitude of the heart. Scriptures says in Ephesians 5:20, “Always and for everything, give thanks to our God and Father in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

I find it interesting, that the more grateful I am, the less that I need to “keep me happy.” When I am aware of how good my life really is, of how much God has given me, then I am less and less concerned with my next purchase or my current reason to be dissatisfied with my life.

Maybe that’s why retailers don’t spend too much time reminding us how much we have to be thankful for?

This weekend, the pastors in Kings County will be spending time giving thanks. Why don’t you take a break from the holiday shopping and join them? You just may find that you have more to be thankful for then you realized.

An Investment that Pays

2011-11-07T09:27:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, there was a story in the major news media about a couple who had been married for 72 years and died within one hour of each other. As a nation, we collectively stood amazed at the longevity—not only in years, but in commitment—of these two people. These days, marriages lasting twenty years seem to exceed the norm.

I believe people want to stay married to the same person. The couples I meet with who are in the midst of relational crisis, would rather patch things up then split up. But staying together seems to be incredibly difficult. So many things conspire against marriages that are strong and unified—work, communication style, personality conflicts, finances, and the list goes on and on.

The truth is, marriage is tough work. It is a clash of cultures (the way things were in her family and the way things were in his). It is a communication land mine (what he hears is not what she means and vice versa). It is an exercise in self-denial (not my will but thy will be done!).

I’m convinced that the people who stick it out and stay married to the same person for decades fall into two categories. Either they are too stubborn to give up but they are miserable all along the way, or they have learned the secret of continually finding beauty in their spouse. Of the two, I’d rather fall into the second category—I don’t find stubborn misery particularly appealing.

There are so many reasons why we should fight for our marriage—especially men. All the studies show that men live longer and are healthier and make more money when they are in a long-term committed, monogamous relationship. Both men and women report that their sex lives get better and better the longer they stay married. And lets be honest, the grass isn’t really greener on the other side. The minute we think things would be better if we just got out of our marriage and into another, we have simply bought into a lie.

So what are we to do with this most difficult but most rewarding of institutions? We must invest wisely. We must utilize a buy and hold strategy with continual reinvestment. We must be willing to wait out the highs and lows while we keep our eyes on the prize. We must keep adding to our initial investment little by little. When we do, we will have plenty to live on when it is time to retire!

We don't invest in our marriages with cash deposits (although I have seen it to be useful), but with steady deposits of love. These deposits are made through little acts like writing your spouse a love letter, taking them out on a date, and helping out with the chores around the house. They are also made
by the difficult acts of putting your spouse's desires first, choosing to speak their love language instead of your own and deciding to believe the best always. Invest in these ways and hold on and you'll be ready to enjoy the fruits of your investment.

So my question to you is this, are you using the right strategy for investment for your marriage? Are you investing for the long term or are you jumping in and out and can't decide what positions to hold from one day to the next? The pastors in Kings County would love to help you learn to invest in your marriage wisely and then maybe we'll be reading about you and your spouse holding hands after 72 years of marriage.

Solving Problems

2011-08-25T06:50:00.001-07:00

One of life’s most important skills is the ability to solve problems. Why? People have and always will have problems. Truth is, problems and challenges for human beings are like water to a fish. Without them we cease being who we were created to be.

The next time you begin to think life would be so much better without any of your problems, remind yourself of the youngster who came across an old man sitting on a bench looking lonely and depressed. He asked the old man, “What is life’s heaviest burden?” The old man sadly replied, “Having no burden at all.”

Am I suggesting that every problem is a wonderful thing? Of course not! Many of our problems are caused by our own stupid behavior and decisions. In a letter to Timothy, Paul writes “because of the love of money...many have pierced themselves with sorrows.” Many of us have created for ourselves serious problems because we haven’t been able to say “no” to the “I want” bug.

But every problem—whether created by our own selfishness, by the actions of someone else or simply by the very nature of our broken world—can also be seen as opportunities. Problems present opportunities for personal growth. They also give us opportunities for advancement at home and at work. The quickest ways to gain favor is to fix a problem!

Just remember, not every problem can be fixed. Sometimes we fail to differentiate between a problem and a fact of life. We then spend way too much time trying to fix something that is just the way things are. Your mother-in-law is just your mother-in-law, don’t expect that you can transform her into something else! Please note, this does not apply to my mother-in-law, just yours.

And don’t waste time fixing problems that don’t make a difference. Don’t polish the brass on a sinking ship. Focus instead of things that really matter. My guess is that there are a few key problems that you have in your life. These problems are big ones—they involve relationships or deep financial issues or both. These things are not easily fixed. But if you begin to address these issues effectively, your whole life will move in a positive direction.

We all face huge challenges in life. The good news is, we also have a Father in heaven who is bigger than any of them and He wants to help. He wants His children to experience life at its fullest. The question for each of us is, do we want His help?

More Than You Can Handle

2011-08-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed how buys people are these days? If it isn’t work, then it is the kids’ extracurricular activities, or the service clubs or the pet projects. And in the moments in between—at meals or in the car or in waiting rooms—there is no such thing as just sitting. Out comes the phone and these spare moments are used to catch on email, continue that important text conversation or play Angry Birds.

It is amazing how busy the kids are. Half the time they are more scheduled than their parents. Three to four nights a week they have sports or some other type of class. God forbid they have a day where nothing is scheduled.

And it’s not the kids that get themselves into this predicament—yes, they want to play soccer and basketball and football and go to dance class and guitar class. But, it’s the parents that let it happen. Sometimes I can’t decide if it is because the parents want their kids to have and do everything they didn’t, or if it is that they are afraid that if they don’t put their kid in all these things that somehow they won’t live up to their potential. There is a third option, I don’t like to consider, that involves the parents being afraid of their kids so they want to keep them busy and distracted lest their kids want to have a conversation.

Our whole culture is nuts. Nobody has time to do dinner any more. There is no such thing as an unscheduled day. We are addicted to busyness and adrenaline. What’s worse is that all this activity makes it even more difficult for us to unplug. When it comes time to just sit and do nothing, we find that our skin crawls and our thumbs twitch and we can’t breathe without doing something.

There is a common saying that says, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” We repeat this mantra over and over again whenever we are overwhelmed with life. But there are two problems with this saying.

First, it is not found anywhere in the Bible. God never said it. Jesus never said it. None of the dudes with long beards in the Old or New Testament said it. But somehow we use it as an excuse for not saying “no” to things that just make our life busier and more insane. Instead of being wise and selective, we just repeat it as if it is some special magic sauce that will make things all better.

Second, just the opposite is true. God actually does give you more than you can handle. But He does it so that you look to Him for help. The truth is, if you can handle everything, than you don’t need God. And lots of people are telling God with their schedules, that they don’t need Him.

Anyone ever heard of a day of rest? It’s the idea that you take a day and don’t do anything because you believe the God is big enough to take care of everything else.

So the next time you are tempted to add something to your schedule and say “God never gives you more than you can handle”, maybe you should say “no.” And while you are at it, say “no” to a bunch of things you are already doing. Oh yeah, and let God know He can handle the rest.

The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to help you and your family connect with a God who rested after work. Maybe your first step to finding some real rest is getting into church this weekend?

How Old Are You?

2011-07-27T07:27:00.001-07:00

My wife is celebrating a birthday today as I write this column. She is one of those rare individuals that age twice as slowly as the rest of us. She also grows more beautiful and kind by the year. When I first married her I knew that I was getting the better part of the bargain. Four kids and more then a decade later, I’m still convinced marrying her is the best thing I’ve done apart from deciding to give my life to Christ.

She represents that special breed of people that are always thinking of others first and themselves last. I struggle with this because I am a chronically self-centered individual. I hear it in my response to people or in my inner talk all the time, including my own children. I am perpetually telling others how busy I am and how I have so much to do.

My prayer is that as I get older, I am getting wiser and thinking less about myself. I think these qualities are a much better indication of a person’s real age then the number of years that have passed since their birth. Just because someone gets old doesn’t automatically mean that they are getting better and becoming less of a jerk!

I am sad to say that our culture seems to be getting more selfish rather than less. It seems that we are more and more focused on the things that matter to us as individuals—our personal happiness, our goals and our work. We keep telling ourselves that “we” deserve “it”, with “it” being whatever floats our boat at the moment.

I think it is fair to say that children are generally selfish. As a general rule, they just come out that way. Half of the job of a parent is teaching their child that the world is not centered around them. We expect kids to be selfish, and we also expect them to become less selfish as they grow older.

But it seems that fewer and fewer of us are actually learning this important lesson. And so people walk around in adult bodies but still act like children. They still throw tantrums when things don’t turn out the way they thought they were going to. They still get their feelings hurt when someone doesn’t treat them just right. And they still demand all the attention in the room.

Meanwhile, there is a world all around us that is hurting and that we could help make a better place — but we don’t because all we can see is our own little world where all that exists is our own stuff. Our kids are begging for our real attention but we’re too busy to give it. Our friends are frustrated because all we talk about is ourselves. And our spouse is fed up with having to parent their husband or wife because they refuse to be anything other than a child.

So the question I pose is, how old are you? Are you just getting older or are you maturing? Are you better this year than you were last year? Make a choice to exchange your happiness for someone else’s every once in a while and watch what happens to your own!

The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to talk to you this weekend about the ultimate servant Jesus Christ. Why don’t you get your family in church this weekend and see what God can do.

Collision Course with Conflict

2011-06-14T08:09:00.001-07:00

There are some things in life that you are just not going to be able to avoid. On this list are things like problems, weird relatives and people who won’t stop talking about their iPhone. And not to be forgotten, is the inevitable reality—conflict.

No matter how much you try, you will not be able to avoid conflict. It could be argued, that even if you were to live in total seclusion, you would still be in conflict because of the ever present battle that wages inside between our heavenly and earthly natures.

This is not to say that every conflict that happens in your life is inevitable. Not by a long stretch. Many of us seem to go out of our way to create unnecessary conflict and contention because we can’t control our tongue. Are you the kind of person that always likes to have the last word or that always has to be right? If you are always in conflict with your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers, then wake up and smell the coffee. You are probably a bit too vocal and you need to stop blaming everyone else for all the drama in your life because it’s you.

But there are some conflicts that are absolutely essential. The battle for your personal destiny, the fight to protect your kids’ innocence, the struggle to keep your marriage—these are just a few. These important conflicts take time and attention. You can’t short change them, if you do, you always lose.

Are you embroiled in too many conflicts? Maybe it’s time to stop taking yourself so seriously and allow someone else to win an argument once in a while. Those who always have to be right end up being right by themselves. Decide to give up on things that are not essential and make amends.

Have you given up on fighting for the things that matter? It’s time to get back into conflict again. Get back on the horse and start fighting for your marriage again. Sometimes the easy thing (avoiding the difficult conversation) is not the best thing!

This weekend, the pastors in King County would love the opportunity to help you settle the conflict between you and God. Once that conflict is settled then you can use the strength He gives you to deal with every other conflict in your life!

PV John on Spiritual Leadership

2011-05-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

This morning the KCF staff was honored to spend a few minutes with PV John of Care India. He spent some time talking about spiritual leadership principles and sharing some incredible stories about what God is doing in India.

Here's a few bullet points. Good stuff!

1. Invest yourself in developing others. Release responsibility. Leave behind a spiritual legacy.

2. Be transparent.

3. Be faithful. To the Lord and to the ministry.

4. Be a leader of integrity. This springs from #2 and #3. Don't work for man's applause but God's approval. You are pretty much done if you compromise your integrity. All the years of working on building a reputation of consistency and integrity can be gone in a few moments of weakness.

5. Serve the Lord with JOY. Never look at ministry as work and a burden. When your perspective changes from seeing ministry as a joy, then suddenly you are trying to motivate people to help out of obligation or guilt. Remember, the greater the sacrifice the greater the joy in ministry. Our debt to the Lord is worth all that we have to give.

6. A vision that is given by God will never match our resources or budget. God will never ask you to do something that never requires His intervention. If your vision matches your resources you are simply doing an exercise of business planning!

Gatekeepers

2011-05-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

In the Bible in Matthew 16:19, Jesus says to Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.” Much has been said about what Jesus meant by this statement. Some scholars believe that at that moment, Jesus made Peter the head of the church. I am persuaded that Jesus was doing something slightly different.

When you have a key, you have the ability to open or close access to a locked location. Now, if everyone has a key, then it is not particularly special—you just have one more copy. But if not many keys have been made, then you become the gatekeeper. You have the ability to grant access because you hold the power in your possession.

Now, if you have the keys to the kingdom of heaven, then you become a gatekeeper. Either you can welcome people in or you can keep people out. At one point during Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 23:13), He has a conversation with the religious leaders of the day and tells them, “Woe to you...for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men....”

The religious teachers of Jesus’ day were good at making rules that kept people away from Father God. This is just the opposite of what spiritual leaders are supposed to do, their whole job is to help people connect with God. But there is something in human nature that is twisted by knowledge and power. Isn’t it amazing that as soon as someone goes to school and gets a degree, he or she immediately starts to divide the world up into those worthy to hear their great wisdom and those that are not?

Peter’s keys were not to be used in this way. They were to be used to open the doors wide to all those who were seeking to reconnect with the Father. Later in Peter’s life, we see that he is instrumental in opening these doors to three distinct groups—first to the Jews (Acts 2), then to the Samarians (Acts 8) and finally to the rest of the world (Acts 10). Because Peter was generous with the message of God’s love for people, because he opened wide the doors to the kingdom, we today benefit from that message.

I believe we can draw two conclusions from this. First, if you don’t know God personally, the door is wide open. The Father has made a way for each of us to return back to him. The Bible says, “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Second, if you do know God, you are also a gatekeeper. You can make it difficult for people to connect with Father God (just like those religious leaders in Jesus’ day did) or you can make it easy. You can unlock and swing wide the doors and shout the good news of a God that loves the world, or you can bury the key and keep your mouth shut.

This weekend the pastors in Kings County will be seeking to help people reconnect with God, make sure you’re in church and that you bring someone along!

Don’t Be Boring

2011-05-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Life is too short to be boring. Life is also too fantastic to be boring. God has created this incredible world in which we live. He is so amazing He has actually arranged things in such a way that we each have a destiny and a purpose. But far too often we take this wonderful, challenging and awe-inspiring spark and turn it into a dull and dreary existence.

More than ever, it is creativity that can make the difference. A little creativity can transform something ho-hum into something memorable and fun. Because as humans we are creatures of habit, we fall into routines that get old and stale. The love that use to crackle between your and your spouse, has fallen prey to the old routine. Your job that used to be fun (we’ll okay fun may be stretching it a bit), has reverted into the old grindstone that we can turn without even being awake.

Some people are masters at the creative. They just make life fun. We all want to be around these individuals because they put that little twist on life through their humor, their work, their smile and their conversation that makes all the difference.

You see, the creativity we all need is not the kind of creativity that resulted in the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or the design of the Taj Mahal. That type of genius is granted to only a few. But the creativity that can take a dull situation and turn it into a fun moment is something we can all find.

The dad that decides to do something spontaneous with his kids every once in a while instead of allowing the family to repeat the same old routine yet again. The co-worker that decides to change up the office gathering so that the people attending aren’t mistaken for corpses. The homemaker that moves the furniture, “just because.”

I think we actually work at removing the creativity from our lives. Our education system certainly does its best to turn creative, vibrant children into mind-numbed robots that can spit out the right answer for a test. And somehow we get older and decide that it’s easier to be boring than be creative.

We serve a creative God with a sense of humor. He made you, didn’t He? He is the most creative person in the universe and according to the Bible He has made each one of us in His image. That same creative spark is inside us, we just need to use it.

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you learn more about our creative God and the incredible oh-not-boring-at-all destiny He has for you. Let me encourage you to visit church this weekend...it may not be as boring as you think.

Spending Ourselves to Death

2011-04-07T11:48:00.001-07:00

According to one report, 85 out of 100 Americans have less than $250 in savings when they reach 65. If this is true, then most of us are either (a) planning on living on far less than we currently do, or (b) denying reality and sticking our head in the sand. Combine this fact with our habit of spending just a little bit more than we earn and any chance of a comfortable retirement goes right out the window.

Saving your money instead of spending it goes against the grain. Not only is everyone around us doing it, the media reports to us that if everyone were to stop spending so much and start saving their money, the economy would simply crash even further. We know in our heart that we need to be saving for a rainy day, but somehow we are never able to get around to it.

Money is a big deal. So big, in fact, that Jesus talked about it a lot. Half of the stories he told were about money. One out of every six verses in the gospels are about money. He talked more about money than heaven, hell or prayer. He obviously considered our relationship with our money to have big time spiritual implications. He said, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be.”

I believe there are three important things that we must do if we are going to run our finances instead of having our finances run us.

First, we must look ahead. Proverbs 14:8 says, “The wise man looks ahead. The fool...won’t face facts.” Where are our current money practices taking us? Am I paying only the minimum on my credit card? Am I spending all that I earn? Am I buying things I don’t need? These foolish money behaviors not only steal from my own financial future, they also demonstrate that I am a person that God cannot trust to manage His money!

Second, we must make a plan. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We should make plans--counting on God to direct us.” You spell plan, B-U-D-G-E-T. Most of us don’t have a real budget. We have an idea of where our money goes, but we don’t really know. We need to sit down and crunch the numbers. When it comes to money, you need to know four things: what you own, what you owe, what you earn and where it goes!

Finally, we must act quickly. When it comes right down to it, without action we can look ahead and make plans all day long and nothing will change. It is not enough to agree that it is good to systematically save for retirement. It is not even good enough to write down a budget. Unless we actually do it, then it doesn’t matter one bit. We need to stop telling ourselves we’ll do it tomorrow and start today.

Maybe this is all overwhelming to you. I know that when I look at the big picture of my finances, I begin to feel stressed and even a little panicked. Then I remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day and my finances won’t be fixed in an hour. Small decisions that are followed through on, result in big changes. So maybe you cancel your cable or eat out half as much — we all can do some small things that will end up making a huge impact on our bottom line.

The pastors in Kings County want to see you experiencing God’s freedom in your finances. Why don’t you give them the opportunity to encourage you this weekend?

Who Do You Trust?

2011-03-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

If you are anything like me, you find yourself being caught up in some of the anxiety over the economy and the future. Reading the paper or listening to the evening news is like exposing yourself to a highly infectious flu called “worry”. You may not catch the flu the first time around, but eventually if you keep exposing yourself, it’s going to move into your body and run its ugly course.

But it’s not just the news. Our own hearts conspire to make us worry about the future. We start worrying about losing our job or our house. We get nervous and start hoarding things thinking that we might not have enough.

But it’s a downward spiral. Once you start putting your trust in your bank account or your job or your inheritance, you are putting your faith in something that will always let you down and will also make you a smaller person. When you are worried about the future and put your trust in what you have, you become stingy and closed-fisted. You hold on to what you have because you believe your source of supply is small and undependable.

What is fascinating is that it doesn’t matter if you have a little or if you have a lot. We all find this infection creeping into our hearts. We are like the millionaire workaholic who was asked, “How much more money do you need?” His response: “Just a little bit more.”

Wouldn’t it nice to be free from this “little bit more” trap? The answer is simple, but it takes a lifetime to live it out. The Bible says in Romans chapter eleven,

Everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory.

And here is the secret -- we must put our trust in God as our source and supply. Nothing else is truly stable and trustworthy. And when we trust Him, we don’t have to worry about the future because He takes care of His children.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. — Matthew 6:33

Putting God first is something we do everyday and in everything we do. It is also something that is easy to forget to do! Before we know it, there we are putting our self first yet again. The pastors in Kings County would love to encourage and remind you that putting God first is the only way to live worry free. Why don’t you give them a chance this weekend?

Prepared

2011-03-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, the global financial crisis, the Aztec end of days in 2012, oil at over $100 a barrel, the Middle East melting down—are we getting close to the end of the world? There is so much anxious talk going on that you would think that we humans like obsessing over things that cause us fear and anxiety.

It happens without fail. Something major happens in the Middle East—a war, an attack on Israel, a dictator makes threats—and someone writes a book about how it fits into the end times plan as laid out in the Book of Revelation. People get worked up and spend time anxiously fretting about what they should do when the next shoe drops and they start stamping “666” on people’s foreheads.

I’m not making light of the Book of Revelation. Not at all. But I do think it is humorous how we have this unfailing tendency to towards alarmism and fear-mongering. We spend so much time on “what ifs” when this rarely results in anything positive.

I am not advocating sticking your head in the sand and ignoring major natural and economic disasters. And I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t ever talk about them. But I do believe that instead of focusing on forecasting the future and panicking in the present, we do the thing that God has told us.

Be prepared.

Jesus told His disciples that no one knows when the end of the world is except for Father God. He did say that there are some signs that we are getting closer to the end (see Matthew chapter 24) and in that list are earthquakes and famines and wars. Well, as far as I can tell there to seem to be plenty of earthquakes and famines and wars, and maybe they are even getting more frequent.

Jesus’s advice -- get ready! Wise people can read the signs and they make decisions before the panic hits. People that have a plan are always at an advantage in the moment of calamity. What are you going to do if you lose your job? What are you going to do if your house burns down? What are you going to do if an earthquake hits?

Panic won’t help you. Ignoring it won’t help you. And worrying without end that the worst might happen won’t help you. Instead, save some money. Buy some fire insurance. Stock up with some extra bottled water. Don’t panic, prepare yourself.

The pastors of Kings County would love to help you be prepared spiritually for whatever might come your way. Perhaps you should reconnect with God this weekend.

Extra-Ordinary

2011-03-05T07:42:00.001-08:00

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is smaller than what we think. We look at the most successful people and business organizations and believe that they have either been extremely lucky or possess some special talent that puts them ahead of the crowd. And while it is true that some do posses great talent and have experienced good fortune, these are not the people of whom I’m thinking.

Forget all the famous people and the multi-billion dollar organizations. Consider the extraordinary people you know. They are our friends and neighbors whose lives are making a meaningful and significant difference in our community. They look just like us on the outside. They don’t have big salaries and they are not particularly talented. Very often, these people don’t leave a big estate behind them when they die, but they do leave a legacy of changed lives.

What makes these people different? What makes them extraordinary? Well, I believe their secret is that they have simply added something a little “extra” to their ordinary lives. They have decided that they are going to put a little “extra” effort into things. They have dedicated a little “extra” time to things that matter. And they have chosen to have a little “extra” atttitude (the positive kind).

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is nothing more then this little “extra.” A little extra decision to invest in those things that are worthwhile. A little extra choice to focus on that which is positive and life inspiring. A little extra encouragement given to those all around.

We all would do well to take a lesson from the extraordinary people around us. They remind me of the verse in the Bible in Galatians that says, “So let’s not get tired of doing good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Imagine what would happen if more of us decided that we were going to just invest a little more time and energy into the things that matter—our families, our communities, our marriages. My guess is that we would see a lot more extraordinary things happen.

This weekend, why don’t you consider investing a little “extra” into your relationship with Father God? The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you to move from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

How Committed Are You?

2011-03-04T14:23:00.001-08:00

Vince Lombardi said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

Altogether too often, we have a commitment problem. Sometimes we don’t commit to something because we want to keep our options open. We are concerned that a better opportunity might come walking by and we might miss it if we are otherwise engaged. Sometimes we don’t commit because we don’t want to feel boxed in. The idea of being restricted is uncomfortable and therefore undesirable. And sometimes, we don’t commit because commitment can be difficult and we are afraid that we might fail.

Our commitments (or lack of them) define us. People that are unshakably committed to the right things make a significant difference in our world. It is easy to list off famous people whose impact still echoes today because of the positive commitments they made. Political and social figures Winston Churchill (“we will never surrender”) and Martin Luther King Jr. (“I have a dream”) refused to compromise. Thomas Edison (“I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”) wouldn’t give up. And Babe Ruth decided he was going to keep swinging the bat even when it meant he held the strikeout record for decades (“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run”).

Commitment doesn’t only make a difference in famous people’s lives, it transforms everyday lives as well. The dad that makes a commitment to spend time with his kids. The husband that commits wholeheartedly to pursue the heart of his wife. The teacher that decides that no child is unteachable. The friend that chooses to believe the best and always has your back. The employee that decides they don’t just work for their boss, they work for their Father in heaven (Colossians 3:23 “work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord”).

Of course, you can be committed to anything, and it is possible to be committed to things that are just a waste of time or are even destructive. But when you commit to those things that are truly meaningful—your family, building healthy relationships, Father God, work that makes a difference, giving rather then hoarding—you sow the seeds that will result in a harvest of blessing in your life.

I will never forget the story someone told me about the day their dad made the commitment to get their family in church. Church and spirituality was not a part of the family’s life up to that point, but one Sunday, dad made the decision that it was important. He gathered his family together and they headed off. More than thirty years later, the decision that father made continues to bless that family, and there is no doubt it will for generations to come.

The best commitment you can make is to chase after our Father with all of your heart. Joshua said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That quality decision resulted in great blessing. Yours will too.

This weekend, the pastors in Kings County would love to have the opportunity to encourage you in your quality commitments. All over this community, pastors are invested in helping people build their marriage, their families and their relationships. Isn’t it time you made that quality commitment to get you and your family into church?

Stand Firm

2011-02-17T09:31:00.001-08:00

You can tell a lot about a person by how they stand. Are shoulders slouched or held square and straight? Are eyes cast downward or looking forward confidently? Is the face open or clouded? The way you stand communicates confidence level, amount of training and readiness.

Stance is important for athletes as well. Virtually any sport that involves physical exertion is concerned with how the player stands. In football, different players use different stances so they can do their job effectively. Linemen crouch low and stand with their feet wide apart so that they are stable and powerful. The quarterback keeps his head high and feet moving so that he can move quickly. Receivers setup for explosive speed and keep their hands up and ready to catch the ball.

Baseball, soccer, tennis and golf players are all concerned about their stance too. Coaches spend lots of time making sure a player knows the optimum stance and they force the player to practice it until it becomes second nature. Everything flows from the stance.

A player that, both literally and figuratively, starts off on the wrong foot is at a disadvantage. He or she is often slow to react and cannot take advantage of an opportunity. Full power cannot be delivered to the bat or club. Worse, he or she is off balance and can fall to the ground and be out of play altogether.

But stance is not just for athletes. It is incredibly important to everyday life. There is an interesting verse in the Bible that says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

In this passage, St. Paul is directing followers of Christ to be ready for evil days. He knew that evil days are part of life. They happen to everyone. If you haven’t experienced an evil day, don’t worry, it’s in the future.

And because evil days are on the horizon, it is important to be ready for them. Paul first talks about the armor that God has given to us, and then he talks about the stance we are to take. He says “stand your ground.”

Picture a soldier who is ready for battle. The line has been drawn and his commander has told him to hold his assigned piece of ground. The soldier prepares himself. He checks and re-checks his armor. He checks the positions of his fellow soldiers relative to himself. He stretches his muscles. And then as the enemy approaches he crouches in a state of readiness. No one looking at this soldier from afar would doubt that he is prepared for battle.

All of us are in a battle every day of our lives. We battle for our families, for our marriages, for our children, for our friends, for our faith, for our health....for our lives. Far too often, we forget to prepare ourselves like a soldier preparing for battle. And far too often, instead of crouching low and being ready, we bumble along blindly and are surprised when the enemy attacks.

Your stance can make all the difference. A stance of confidence in a God that is faithful and true. A stance of faith that believes the best in the midst of the worst. And a stance that communicates a willingness to fight to the death for that which is worthwhile.

How’s your stance today? Have you gotten lazy? Have your forgotten that you are engaged in a battle? The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you this weekend. Why don’t you give one of our great churches a visit and get back in the battle?

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org or call 582-1528.

How Committed Are You?

2011-02-03T08:57:00.001-08:00

A Great Weekend for JOURNEYgroups

2011-01-30T22:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend we trained JOURNEYgroup leaders and our friend Bobby Hill shared with the church the importance of being in a small group. Koinonia responded well and many people signed up this weekend to be in a group. I'm excited about our group and developing deeper relationships with the people in it. I'm also excited about the opportunities for growth for all of our group leaders. We launch next week....it's gonna be fun and it's gonna be messy!

JOURNEYgroups Almost Here!

2011-01-28T07:35:00.001-08:00

Something has been brewing at KCF for the last year and it's about to be served up piping hot! As a staff we have been studying, praying and talking extensively about how we can increase the "community factor" in our church. Our name, Koinonia, means "the in-depth sharing of our lives." But as our church has continued to grow larger, maintaining those connections with others has been increasingly difficult.

I remember the days when we had one service, everyone knew EVERYONE else. If someone new came to visit, we all knew it. Those were the days of 3+ hour services with a fellowship break at about the half way point. After worship and communion and maybe announcements, we would take a break. People would mill around and visit, get some coffee and eat some donuts. After a while, the appointed person would ring this huge bell and try to gather everyone back together for the message.

Things are a little different today and, to tell the truth, while there was something special about those days, I realize that they definitely weren't quite as wonderful as I remember them. For one thing, 3.5 hours services are really, really LONG.

But there was a sense of community that existed during those years. It wasn't just the long break times during the service, there were home groups that everyone was expected to be a part of too. Those home groups were great, except when they weren't!

Today, we long for community. Truth is, we really need it in our culture today. That's what JOURNEYgroups are all about.

More to come....

What’s Your Location?

2011-01-20T06:40:00.001-08:00

Everyday we make a decision as to where we are going to place ourselves. I’m not talking about where we go physically, although that is certainly a part of it. Instead I’m talking about where we place ourselves spiritually. The truth of it is, our physical location and our mental location both directly influence our spiritual location. We are fundamentally spiritual creatures and nothing that we do is merely physical or mental.

This is an important concept to understand. Far too often we buy into the idea that we have little power over our world. We begin to act as if we are simply reactionary beings who are only able to respond to the things that are being thrown at us. This type of thinking is victimization thinking. We become victims of our circumstances, victims of the people around us and victims of even our own shifting emotions.

We are swayed by what we hear. We are worried about the future. We overreact to the smallest things. We are first convinced and then we are doubtful. We are hot and then we are cold. We believe God is for us and then we are not so sure. We are overjoyed that so and so is our true friend and then our worst enemy.

It is easy to identify these tendencies in other people, but all of us are drawn into this kind of instability to varying degrees. The key is to place ourselves in the right location.

Psalms chapter one says, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

There are many places we can put ourselves. We can place ourselves in worry. We can place ourselves in lust. We can place ourselves in anger. We can place ourselves in the worship of money or sex or stuff. But according to the Scripture, if we place ourselves where we find joy in following God’s voice and obeying His Word then He places us by a stream of water and makes us fruitful.

So this is the key, we place ourselves in God, and then He places us where we need to be. Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you....” Our location is incredibly important. If we are placed in the right location then we don’t need to worry or fear and we can deal with the cares and challenges of life in a new way.

So where are you placing yourself today? Maybe you need to put yourself in the hands of Father God and allow Him to plant you by a stream of living water. You might just find that the fruit that comes out of your life is better then you have ever experienced.

The pastors in Kings County would love to teach you how to abide in Him. I encourage you to get in His house this weekend, He’s got places all over town.

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org or call 582-1528.

A New Year’s Blessing

2010-12-23T07:14:00.001-08:00

The New Year is here. Today alternately marks the end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new calendar. Today we turn from reflecting on the past year and we look forward to what the new year brings. Traditionally, this is the day that our new year’s resolutions begin too—to lose that extra poundage we gained during the Christmas season, to make those phone calls and stay connected better, to get out of debt and to spend more time with family.

This year, rather then give you another strategy on how to keep your resolutions, I decided to simply write a blessing for you and yours for the new year. Scripture says that giving a blessing to others is part of what we are supposed to do as followers of Christ (1 Peter 3:9). Speaking a blessing over others is powerful because you are bringing your words into agreement with the One who is the Father of all blessing and life.

So here goes:

In this new year, may the Spirit of the Living God sustain and strengthen you. May His wisdom guide you with clarity in moments of confusion. May His hope encourage your in moments of despair. May His power gird you up when you are weak. May His light shine in every dark place and bring life to that which has long been dead.

I pray that the eyes of your heart, your spiritual eyes, would be opened to see His goodness and that as you reach out to Him, you would find Him. May the riches of His glory fill your heart and home. May you find His favor extended to you daily as you encounter the challenges of life.

May your children be blessed. I pray that they would excel among their peers and have favor with their teachers and administrators. I declare a new sensitivity in their hearts and minds to the words and ways of the Living God. I speak protection over them wherever they are—on the playground, in the classroom, on the school bus and at home.

I pray that you would have a new resolve to do that which is right and good; that your speech to others would be seasoned with grace and love; that your actions would flow from an open and giving heart; and that your steps would be ordered by the Lord.

May this year be a year of great blessing and great increase. I pray that in Him you would find the resource for all that is lacking and that it would not only fill you but that it would also supply the needs of those around you to the glory of our God and Father. Amen.

The pastors of Kings County would love to have the opportunity to teach you how to walk continually in the blessing of God. One of the greatest blessings you can give to your family this year is to start them off right and help them get under the umbrella of God’s blessing.

The Gift that No One Wants

2010-12-03T11:21:00.001-08:00

As we enter the Christmas season much of our attention is focused on the gifts we will be giving to friends and family. Whether you are the type of person that awakes at an ungodly hour to crash the stores on the day after Thanksgiving or the person that waits until the last minute to fight for parking spaces and wait in line, all of us are concerned to find match up the right gift to the right person.

And each year we both give and receive a myriad of novelty gifts — the tie that blinks and sings, the chachki that was oh so carefully selected in the dollar aisle,, the dreaded and much lampooned fruitcake. No one wants these gifts. And yet we continue to give them because we feel obligated to go through the ritual even if the gifts have long ago ceased to be significant.

Do something different this year! Break the mold, save money, and instead write a card or a note. Take that five or ten dollars and give it to charity in the name of that person who would normally get a junk gift. Our church has helped people do this for the last couple of years and we have discovered that people LOVE to receive these types of gifts. You can find out more info on what we are doing this year at our website at kcfchurch.org.

But there is one gift that no one wants, but that we all need. This is a gift that communicates true love and concern but is one of the most difficult to give. It costs no money. It involves no trips to the mall. You don’t even have to wrestle with the scotch tape and wrapping paper.

It is the gift of honest conversation.

For a close friend or loved family member, an honest conversation can be the most difficult and yet the most rewarding gift that you can give. The truth is, honest conversations are uncomfortable. They usually involve talking about things that we would rather not bring up. It might involve talking about the person’s bad behavior or their inability to see the way their actions are damaging to others. It might mean telling a spouse the way you really feel and revealing a part of your heart that hasn’t been shared in a long time. For all of these reasons and more, honest conversations are usually avoided at all costs.

And yet, when we avoid having honest conversations with the people we love, we actually keep our relationships from growing deeper and more significant. We avoid talking straight with people because we are afraid of hurting their feelings and damaging our relationship with them. But when we do that we actually refuse to believe that a deeper relationship is possible.

What we forget is that honest conversations are the key to growth. We need each other to speak truth so that we can get better. The question is, do we love someone enough to tell them the truth? I believe if we all took time to have some serious conversations this Christmas, we might actually learn something and grow deeper.

The pastors in Kings County would love to get a chance to help you have an honest conversation with Father God. When is the last time you two talked? Grab your family and get in church this weekend, there’s no better time than the present.

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org.

You’re that Good, Really?

2010-11-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

for the Hanford Sentinel

I am constantly amazed by how much time and effort we spend at trying to convince ourselves and others that we are good people.

You might believe you really are a good person and that you have put others at the center of your life. People are always telling me, “I’ve always tried to be a good person and I’ve never done anything really bad.” And while I don’t doubt that, I also know that it is beside the point.

Just because you have tried to be good, doesn’t mean that you actually are good. What’s more, just because you don’t go around killing, stealing, or generally being a thug, that doesn’t mean you are not a self-centered, self-obsessed, royal jerk. It just means that you are good at comparing yourself with someone else whose behaviors are more “over the line” than yours.

We give ourselves far too much credit for not doing the “bad stuff” while at the same time giving ourselves a pass for bad behavior that we believe was justified. Very few of us have been tested to the breaking point so we don’t really know what we are capable of. We are proud that we haven’t stolen anything, but we have never gone hungry or watched our children go hungry. We feel good that we are not hooked on pain meds, but we have never suffered from chronic pain.

And somehow we find a way to excuse ourselves when we do something wrong. We tell ourselves that we deserved that little indulgence or that anyone in our situation would have done the same thing.

Let’s just be honest, none of us are that good. Scripture says, “No one is good, not even one.” All of our attempts to be good, are just that—attempts. Even the best of us, if you look closely enough, wither under scrutiny.

My point is not to make you feel bad about how much of a jerk you are (although you are). Rather, it is to simply remind you that when we go through life trying to “be good” we miss the point. God isn’t looking for people who are trying to “be good”—if that is your goal, not only will you fail, but you will also simply become proud at the few times when you do succeed.

Instead, God is looking for people who recognize that they aren’t good and are unable to be good and so they turn to Him for help. Romans 3:22 says, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Our own goodness won’t get us anywhere, but God’s goodness sure will. When we allow Him to shine through our weakness, our self-centeredness and our excuses, we discover that His power to love others and to live rightly is the only way to truly succeed.

This weekend, the pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to help you get past the “but I’m better than...” comparisons and step into a new power to walk with God and live according to His purposes. Don’t knock it until you try it.

God Gives You Space

2010-10-21T07:36:00.001-07:00

for the Hanford Sentinel

One of the arguments that I hear frequently against God’s existence sounds something like this: If God exists and He wants to have a relationship with us, then why doesn’t He simply show Himself? There are a whole bunch of things wrong about this argument, but my guess is that you have heard some version of it many times. Sometimes it is used when people are angry because they feel that their life has somehow been unfair and “if God were real, why would He let this happen?”. Other times, people use it as a way to supposedly prove that God isn’t out there.

And while this argument is very common, it is just not a very good one. The reason why God doesn’t frequently appear in visible form just to prove His existence is because, God gives you space.

Here’s the deal. If God wants to have a relationship with us, an authentic, real, two-way relationship, then He has to give us the ability to say “no.” For us to be able to say “no” to an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving Being is pretty difficult if He is standing right in front of us. Frankly, that would be nearly impossible. Even if we wanted to say “no”, we would find it extremely difficult.

You can see the way this works in the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Before they ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world, the Scriptures tell us that they walked with God and that they were “naked and unashamed.”

But when they sinned and ate of the fruit, an interesting thing happened. Adam and Eve hide from God. It’s a little comical because, after all, how do you hide from God? You can’t! That is, unless God allows you to. And that is exactly what we see happen. God called out to Adam and said, “Adam where are you?”

You see, God was giving Adam space. He was allowing Adam to hide because something had entered into their relationship that separated them. No longer was there free an open communication without any shame. Adam’s relationship with God had been changed by his sin.

And so in our world today, it is the same way. God calls out to us and asks, “Where are you?” It is up to us whether we answer Him or not. He is wants to have a relationship with us, but He has decided to not force Himself upon us.

The question we all have to answer is not “where is God” but “where are you?”

This weekend the pastors in Kings County would love to help you reconnect with the Father who calls out to us. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating how much difference a real relationship with Father God will make in your life.

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org or call 582-1528.

The Leader Inside

2010-10-07T08:51:00.001-07:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

I believe that everyone has a leader inside them. I don’t mean that everyone is destined to lead thousands, but rather that all of us have within the capacity to lead ourselves and influence others. John Maxwell says that leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. He identifies leadership with influence because everyone has the potential to influence those around us.

The most powerful leaders are able to challenge people to stretch and grow not because they have the authority to hire and fire, but because they have earned people’s trust and have painted a picture of possibility. Think about it, some of the greatest leaders of the last century didn’t hold formalized positions of authority. Martin Luther King Jr., wasn’t an elected official and he didn’t lead a large business organization. Mother Theresa didn’t sign anybody’s paycheck. And Ghandi didn’t carry the keys to any boardroom (I’m not sure he had any pockets in that robe anyway).

Successful leaders first lead themselves and then invite other people to be and do something better too. It doesn’t matter if you have a formalized position of authority of not. All of us live in relationship with others and every encounter that we have with another person is an opportunity to influence their thoughts and feelings.

If you don’t think I’m right about this, take a moment to consider a person you know. I’m talking about that one person who, wherever they go, they just suck the air out of the room. Whenever you talk to them, you find that you are depressed and bitter. When you walk into a room, you know they have been there because everyone in the room is about to go jump of the nearest bridge.

We all know people like this, they are leaders in the area of negativity. They always have the perfect comeback phrase that brings rainclouds to any celebration. They influence people all around them and everywhere they go. But their influence points people in the wrong direction.

But it is a lot easier to be a downer then it is to be an encourager. It takes very little energy and effort to criticize a creative idea. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to calculate how you can destroy another person’s dream.

Encouraging people, on the other hand, takes energy and effort. It is hard work to get someone to see potential in themselves and inspire them to take positive steps. But each one of us can do it.

You see, in any given room the leader is not necessarily the smartest or the brightest. Often, they are not the most naturally gifted. But a leader has a burning desire to see people’s lives improved.

So whether or not you have the title “leader”, you can be a leader. Simply seek to add value to other people. Speak possibility into lives. Don’t raise a complaint, raise the standard. Carry joy around with you and sprinkle it one everyone you meet. Lead yourself first and others will follow.

The pastors in Kings County would love to add value to your life this weekend! Getting yourself and your family in church is a great way to either start or continue your leadership journey.

Stop Putting It Off

2010-09-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

Submitted to the Hanford Sentinel

There are always things in our life that we do not want to do, so we put them off. We tell ourselves that we will do it tomorrow. We think about how the thing is going to take a long time or be painful to do. And in this way another day passes, another week, another month, another year. And still the thing is not done.

We all have things we put them off until a later date. Sometimes these things really are large tasks — getting back in school to finish a degree, painting the house, or tackling that big project at work. Other times, the tasks are actually small, but they feel large to us because they involve emotional investment or the potential for conflict — having that difficult conversation, visiting relatives, or balancing the checkbook.

Whether big or small, rational or irrational, we delay doing these things, and we usually do so to our own detriment. More often than not, the things that we put off are actually important. But instead of focusing on the value of getting these things done and on the (generally) wonderful results which would flow from doing them, we instead fill our time with doing other less important things.

We have all had the experience of finally doing the thing we were dreading for so long. When we do it, we generally discover it wasn’t as difficult as we had imagined. We also usually end up asking ourselves, “Why didn’t I just get this done sooner?” We wasted so much time worrying, delaying and talking ourselves out of it, when we could have just done it.

I remind my kids the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. We would all do well to remember that little adage. Start focusing on what needs to be done and do it. If the task is overwhelming, focus on the first piece. To finish your college degree, you must first sign up for one class. To fix your marriage, you must first write your spouse a note (or take them out on a date). To become the Karate Kid, you must first paint the fence.

We often miss the best things in life because we waste our time worrying about how difficult they are going to be. Instead, let’s focus on doing the things that are going to make a difference in our life.

So what are you putting off? Don’t delay any longer, get started today!

Isaiah 55:6 which says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.” The pastors in Kings County would love to help you build the One relationship in all of our lives that we must NOT put off. Why don’t you stop putting off getting in church, it might not be quite as painful as you had imagined!

Passing the Baton

2010-09-18T20:05:00.001-07:00

Just finished listening to the newest edition of Willow Creek's Defining Moments. This edition featured Wayne Cordeiro and Jim Mellado talking about developing cultures within the church where leaders are not only trained but released into ministry. The audio had some incredibly powerful concepts, one of which was Cordeiro's contention that most churches need to multiply the number of "platforms" they offer to developing leaders. He says that in most churches there is a Sunday platform, a children's ministry platform and maybe one or two others (perhaps Wednesday night), and what is needed is something along the lines of four times that number. Unless churches have places for their leaders in training to fly (and fail) then they will always under-develop their leaders and short change their own future.

Other topics included the importance of the 5-10 year strategy in passing the baton from senior leadership to the next generation, looking within the organization rather than without for leaders, the importance of mentoring and the essential of leaders having people that they are truly transparent with (Henry Cloud has great materials along these lines).

This is one audio I'm planning on going back to soon to digest some more and ask:

How can we be more intentional about building a culture of leadership development here at our church?
How can we multiply platforms? Coincidentally part of the answer is definitely small groups which we are going to be focusing on in a whole new way beginning in 2011.
How can I be more intentional about raising the leadership quotient at KCF?

I also made a quick visit to Cordeiro's website and found an great article that captures some of his thinking about the importance of passing the baton to the next generation. This is something that the church at large must REALLY dig into over next 5-10 years as the baby boomer generation moves into retirement. We do this poorly far too often. Check the article out here.

Quality of Life

2010-09-08T22:49:00.001-07:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

Quality of Life
by Andrew Cromwell

Have you noticed the simplest things in life often seem the most difficult? Just because something is simple, it doesn’t mean it is easy. We all know the mantras: keep it simple stupid, put first things first, measure twice and cut once — none of these things are rocket science, yet putting them into practice sometimes feels like it.

The other day I came across a Scripture verse in Ezekiel that says: “They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life.”

It stopped me in my tracks and made me think. The verse is written from Father God’s perspective and is directed to the Israelite people when they were on the brink of being destroyed as a nation. God is simply saying to them, “If you would have listened, then you wouldn’t be in the situation you are in right now!”

Boy, isn’t that often true for us? If only we would have listened — to our parents, to our spouse, to our children, to our boss — things might be different today. We might not have had to go through the pain that comes from bad choices and decisions. But the icing on the cake for many of us is that we failed to listen to Father God.

I think what is interesting about obeying God is that it doesn’t only keep you out of trouble, it also gives you life. In other words, something is actually added to your life when you choose to do things God’s way. Proverbs chapter three says, “Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.”

When we obey God, His power flows into our life in ways that we cannot experience otherwise. The Bible calls this the blessing of God. Jesus said that those who follow His commandments will live a life that is a higher caliber and quality compared to those around them. He likened it to a river of living water that would flow from within those who walk in relationship with Him.

The funny thing is, following God’s commands is simple — it’s just not easy. The good news is, God is on your side and He helps those who truly want to follow Him. He makes the impossible, possible. If He can make a dead man alive again, then he can take someone like you and me who can’t seem to get it straight and He can turn our life around.

We can’t do it on our own, we have tried and we have failed time and again. But we can do it with His life flowing in and through us. And that is true quality of life.

So the next time you are at a crossroads and have to decide which way to go, choose the way that gives life!

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you tap into that river of life. Why don’t you get in church this weekend and discover the life that God promises?

Stop Trying to Be Happy Already

2010-08-27T09:59:00.001-07:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

Have you ever noticed that the more you try to be happy, the less happy you are? We do all we can to arrange our lives so our happiness is unchallenged. We avoid challenging conversations, side step important issues and generally insulate ourselves from things that make us uncomfortable. But even though we do all of this, we still find our goal eludes us.

Happiness makes a lousy goal. Think about it this way, if you are a parent and your goal is to make your kids happy...look out! You will be turning cartwheels all day long trying to achieve that impossible goal. You will buy them stuff they don’t need, taxi them to far too many places and ignore their bad behavior way too often. And all of this won’t necessarily make them happy, it will just make them spoiled, miserable brats.

If however, instead of happiness, your goal is to have healthy, well-adjusted children that leave your home and become responsible, contributing adults, you will treat them very differently. What you will discover is that they might actually experience MORE happiness because you give them stable structure, strong boundaries and a healthy dose of reality (like teaching them the world does not revolve around them).

We get this mixed up all the time. We forget that Father God’s goal for us is not to make us happy, it is to make us into the people He created us to be. It is not that we won’t be happy along the way, it is just that sometimes we need to be unhappy if we are going to learn the things we most need.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. God does not get his kicks out of making you miserable, far from it. He is not a cosmic sadist trying to figure out a way to ruin your life. The truth is God will pretty much leave you alone to experience the repercussions of your own behavior if you want Him to. Lets be honest, we don’t need God to make our lives miserable, we do a pretty good job of that ourselves.

But if we do invite God into the equation. If we ask Him to be a part of our lives, then we can be sure that He is going to keep on working with us all the way until the end. That is what the Scripture says in Philippians 1:6. He will use ALL of the circumstances in our lives to give us character adjustments and make us into the people He wants us to be.

So stop trying to be happy. Instead, decide to live out your life to the fullest in the way God has designed you. Invite Him to adjust you, you will be better if you do!

The pastors in Kings County would love to see you in church this weekend. And I’m sure it would make Father God HAPPY too!

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org or call 582-1528.

Live Your Story

2010-08-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

for The Sentinel

There is a fascinating conversation recorded in the Bible in the last chapter of John between Jesus and Peter. During this encounter, Jesus gives Peter a glimpse into the future. Jesus tells Peter he is going to be persecuted at the end of his life because of his faith. Upon hearing this, Peter was a little shocked. I think his mind began to race a bit and he probably struggled with the question, “Why me?”

Scripture says that he turned around to his fellow disciple, John, and asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” In other words, “Am I going to be the only one that is going to get mistreated because of following you? John will get his fair share too, right?”

I love Jesus’ response because it is so straightforward. He doesn’t mince words and He doesn’t sugarcoat. Basically he says, and I’m going to paraphrase here, “Peter, that’s none of your business, that is between John and I. The only thing you need to worry about is whether or not you are going to stay true to your convictions and follow me until the end.”

Jesus is telling Peter to live out his story. I think He would tell you and I the same thing today. He would tell us to live out the story that He has for designed for us and not worry about anyone else’s.

As humans, we really struggle with that. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We are always thinking about some other person’s life and asking why we are not more like them, why our life is so much harder than theirs or why God is using them in such wonderful ways when it seems we are forgotten.

But that is their story! That is between them and God. Jesus didn’t say to Peter, “You know, Pete, if you were just more like John....” And that is because Jesus is not interested in Peter being more like John. He is interested in Peter being who He needs to be in and through God’s power.

God is not interested in you being more like someone else. He doesn’t need you to be more like the person you idolize or less like the person you demonize. He needs you to be you transformed into His image. He made you for a purpose. The Scripture says that you are His masterpiece!

So live your story and stop wondering about everyone else’s. Be thankful that you don’t have to feel like you are ahead or behind anyone else. God’s timeline is custom designed for you! After all, don’t you realize that the very person you compare yourself to is probably feeling the same way and comparing themself to someone else?

This weekend the pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you to live out your story to the fullest.

Andrew Cromwell is the executive pastor at Koinonia Christian Fellowship in Hanford. E-mail him at andrew@kcfchurch.org or call 582-1528.

Out of Line

2010-07-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

for the Hanford Sentinel

Most everyone has heard of the story of David and Bathsheba even if they don’t know the details. It is one of the more intriguing stories in the Old Testament because it has all the classic elements that make stories so engaging — adultery, murder, deception and more.

To grossly oversimplify, King David committed adultery with the wife of one of his lieutenants, and when she became pregnant he had him killed to cover it up. After the death of the lieutenant, David then married Bathsheba, but the son they had conceived died in childbirth.

Honestly, there is nothing incredibly surprising about this story. It has been told and retold many times in many different ways. Almost certainly a version of the story was shown just this week on one of the soap operas on daytime television. It is one of the great tragedies of human nature and only the names are changed but there are few innocents.

And it can happen to you if you get out of line.

You may not commit adultery and you may not kill anyone, but that same nature is inside of us that was inside of David. But there is a way to protect yourself against it. The clue is found in Second Samuel chapter eleven verse one, right at the beginning of the story.

It says, “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war...but David remained in Jerusalem.” The problem was the David wasn’t where he should have been. Instead of being on the front lines with his army, he chose to enjoy the trappings of his success by staying safely within his palace walls. Instead of doing the thing that made him successful, he was relaxing by the pool. He was out of line.

In can happen to any of us! Whenever we attain a measure of success in our lives—in a relationship, at work, in our marriage, at school—we can make the mistake of stopping too long to enjoy the view. It is always wonderful to celebrate success, but when we stop and build a monument and begin to believe that we have “earned” the right to stay in the palace....that’s when we are headed for trouble.

We all have a part to play in this world. God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. When we stay connected to our purpose and walk in line with what Father God has designed us to do, then we are actually protected from certain temptations. It is not that we are never tempted, everyone is. But when we are in step with God, then it is much more difficult for the Enemy to draw a bead on us.

So the question is, “Where are you out of line?” Where are you putting yourself in danger? Where have you stopped doing the things that you know you should be doing, but you have talked yourself out of doing them? Don’t delay too long, or else you will pay!

This weekend, the pastors in Kings County would love to help you keep “in line” with Father God. Why don’t you bring your family to church this weekend?

Leadership Thought: A Leader Must Breed Leaders

2010-07-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges of leadership is to find and develop people on your team who refuse to buy into a role of passivity. I have seen this play out on teams all the time. The senior leader is deferred to because "he is the leader."

A little bit of deference is not a problem. But what begins to happen is that instead of making decisions, bringing developed vision and moving forward aggressively as a peer, people on the team abdicate these roles to the leader. So it becomes the senior leader's sole responsibility to make decisions that are not necessary for her to make and, further, she begins to play into this role. A healthy team is composed of leaders that bring all they have to the table. If there is disagreement, so be it (and usually all the more for the better). The senior leader recognizes that her role does not mean that she is the smartest person in the room but is rather the person tasked with making the final decision. There must be a decision maker or else very little gets done effectively (this is why leadership by committee is such dismal failure in so many cases).

A truly effective leadership team is made up of a group of co-equals with a variety of strengths and abilities. These giftings and strengths must be individually recognized and respected. The team must not be allowed to fall into the quagmire that is paternalism, dictatorship, authoritarianism or whatever you want to call it. The senior leader must refuse this role. The team must recognize that to push this role onto the leader is to cop-out of their responsibility and to ultimately damage the team's effectiveness. To play into these unhealthy roles creates a form of top-down leadership that breeds discontent among team members. There might be effectiveness in decision making, but because there is withholding going on around the table, team members become disenfranchised and frustrated. If left undealt with, then the teams effectiveness is severely compromised and its longevity limited.

To avoid this, some have adopted an alternative leadership model that involves consensus among the team. I believe this is not an effective response and is actually a failure to see the true nature of the problem. Consensus leadership seeks to take the pressure off of the senior leader by widening the decision making responsibility to include more team members. This method does succeed at lessening the psychological pressure on the senior leader, and it does avoid the dictatorship scenario, but it also results in a team that will never reach its true potential.

It is not that consensus forming is not important in a team, for it is vital. But to suggest that it is the goal is to miss the point. The goal is to create a team environment where everyone around the table is actively engaged and carrying the load apropos to each specific skill set, gifting and level of authority. Therefore a leader must constantly fight against the innate tendency of her team to "deify" the leader. This god-making tendency is within all humanity. It is a conflicted and ultimately destructive process. Humans know that no fellow human is perfect enough to hold a position of absolute leadership for very long before self-destructing in some way. And yet we enshrine our leaders and treat them as if their decrees are absolute (all the while knowing they are not).

We play this game until there is such a disconnect between the senior leader's decrees and the reality of the situation that we either determine to break association with the leader or dethrone her. This is what the Greeks did with their military heroes after they became to powerful (of course the power was freely given by the populace).

What we need are leaders who recognize that everyone sitting around the table is called by God and has a vital and important role to play. Further, we need leaders who see themselves in this light. Leaders like these are not threatened by the giftings and anointing of their fellow leaders. Leaders like these are also not content with sitting idly by waiting for the "one anointed senior leader" to give them a directive.

Who are You Becoming?

2010-07-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

Life has a way of lulling us to sleep if we are not careful. Oh, we may not be completely unaware of the things going on around us, but we are such creatures of habit that we can easily find ourselves stuck in a routine. Our routines are so dear to us that many times we will do all we can to preserve them without considering whether they are even worth preserving.

As humans, we take comfort in our routines. We find they give us stability in a world that is constantly changing. They are one piece of our lives where we are able to exercise some measure of control when so much feels out of control.

The problem is that routines reinforce behavior and solidify character. This fact can work for us or against us depending on our routine (because not all routines are bad). For example, if part of your daily routine is to take time to talk with your spouse in a way that connects with her heart, that habit that you are forming is going to cause you to feel out of sync if you don't have that conversation. It is also going to build in you patience and a sensitivity to her needs.

On the other hand, if your routine is to always nitpick or get into an argument with your coworkers or simply be unhappy with whatever is going on in your life, then you are creating a habit that is little by little making you into a person who is a bitter nag who no one wants to be around.

I don't know what your routines are, but I do know that your routines are making you into a certain kind of person. The question that we must ask is, are you becoming the person who God wants you to be? Are your habits taking you closer to or farther away from the Father?

We are spiritual creatures. God has made us that way. Everything we do has a spiritual component, whether we like it our not. Every action, every decision and every thought forms our soul just a little bit. This process is so gradual it often goes unnoticed. But little by little we are becoming more and more of the kind of person we are creating ourselves to be.

So today, take a moment and look at your habits. Ask yourself if you keep doing the things you are doing in your life, where are you going to end up? Are you headed towards being a kinder, more loving, more joyful person? Or are you headed in a different direction? Are you cooperating with Father God and allowing Him to work within you, or are you ignoring His still, small Voice and sleeping right through the lessons He wants to teach you?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to help you get some good habits started. Why don’t you get your family together and take them to church! You might just set yourself on a path towards a wonderful future!

Breaking Growth Barriers in Churches

2010-07-16T18:49:00.001-07:00

As a church grows, the internal dynamics of the congregation change and so must the leadership style of the pastor as well as the systems within the church. Since a church is an organism as well as an organization, there are balances that must be maintained within the system or else it will not be able to reach its potential. Just as a growing plant must have the right balance of light, water, heat and carbon dioxide, so too a church must have the right balance of leadership styles, structures, outreaches and care (among other things).

I was recently asked to compile a list of material having to do with breaking growth barriers and the dynamics of a growing church for a pastor of a growing church in Mexico. My list was as follows:

How to Break Growth Barriers: Capturing Overlooked Opportunities for Church Growth
The Everychurch Guide to Growth: How Any Plateaued Church Can Grow
Breakout Churches: Discover How to Make the Leap
anything by Lyle Schaller, Charles and Win Arn (these are older but good material) and Gary McIntosh

After sending this list off, I came across a much better list at DJ Chuang's site entitled the Dynamics of Different Church Sizes.

Be Careful What You Ask For

2010-06-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Clearer and Sooner

2010-06-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

One of the more difficult things to deal with in ministry is staff transitions. James MacDonald at Harvest Bible Fellowship has some helpful comments on his blog.

Staff Transitions from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

Engage

2010-06-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

Relationships take work. Whether it is your relationship with your spouse, your kids, your friends or your co-workers, real relationships take time, energy and effort (and if you're married, money!). All relationships require a decision from us to slow down and turn our attention to another person—when we do this we "engage".

People that engage with others are people that make a difference in this world. To engage means that you put your focus on someone other than yourself and you seek to add value to their life. It might simply be a word of encouragement, a helping hand or even just a listening ear. But these things take time and a willingness to put the other person first.

A very successful artist once ran into a former teacher who, years before had made a significant contribution to the artist's education. The artist took the opportunity to thank the teacher for all they had given. The teacher was pleasantly surprised and told the student, "Thank you, you just made my day." The artist paused for a moment and, wanting the teacher to understand the depth of her appreciation, said, "No, thank you, you made my life."

You don't make someone's life unless you are willing to engage them right now, right where they are at. A little effort to engage in the lives of others in a healthy, encouraging way can have lasting effects that we will probably never know. Only our Father in heaven understands the significance of a dad taking the time to get down on the ground and wrestle with his son. Or, how much impact taking the time to teach someone an important business or life skill might have on their future. Your little effort might make the difference.

Far too often are we too self-obsessed to take the time to engage with others. All we can see is our problems, our situation and our struggles. We become the center of our personal universe where other people become pawns that we can manipulate to get what we want. We stop seeing them as valuable and start seeing them as nuisances.

It is amazing how small our problems get when we begin to engage in the problems of other people. Suddenly we recognize that it may not be as bad as we thought. The truth is, being spiritual is not sitting in the lotus position and clearing your mind. It is not "finding your inner self." True spirituality is when we begin to enter into the lives of others and allow God's love to flow through us to them. When was the last time you got spiritual?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to have the opportunity to encourage you and your family. Why don't you get in church and get filled up so that you can give some out to those around you?

Sunday Morning at Churches Everywhere

2010-05-24T08:33:00.001-07:00

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Stop the Drama Already

2010-05-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed how much drama people create in their lives? I am convinced that some people find joy in the creation of chaos. They have lived in a state of continual drama and distress for so long that they do not know how to live without it. These people will tell you that they are tired of the drama and that they don't want it anymore. But when it comes down to it, they just keep doing the same old things that create the same old mess.

They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. If that is the case, then most of us are crazy! We keep doing the same thing—repeating the same unhealthy relationship patterns, spending habits and eating/dieting routines—and we think that somehow tomorrow is going to be different from today. And often, we walk around claiming we are the ones that have been victimized! Hello somebody!

We point the finger at other people ("they make me so mad and I say and do things that I shouldn't") and circumstances ("I had no choice, I was backed into a corner") but rarely do we stop long enough to realize that our life is perfectly created (by us) to get the results that we are experiencing.

It is possible to live life without all the drama. That doesn't mean that your life will never have drama, because you cannot control the people around you. Frankly, if we stopped trying to control the people around us we might experience a lot less drama in our lives. So while we cannot control what others do, we can control what we do and how we react.

If someone makes you so mad that you cannot control yourself, avoid them instead of seeking them out! If you always lose control when you go shopping, don't go shopping! If you can't seem to get off the roller coaster ride of emotional responses, then it is time to change something!

I am not suggesting that this is easy. Nor am I suggesting that just making a decision is enough to change everything in your life. But it all starts with a decision. A decision to get into an anger management class. A decision to stop reacting and begin to start acting. A decision to move in a healthy direction for your future.

Scripture says in James 3:18, Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. If you are experiencing too much drama in your life, you may need to start creating peace rather than creating drama.

The pastors of Kings County can help you learn how to live your life without the drama. Why don't you do something different, get in church this weekend and start sowing some seeds of peace?

Sometimes a Little Change Makes a Big Difference

2010-04-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

for The Sentinel

Our lives are steered like sailing ships headed across a vast ocean. The destination is far ahead and it will take many weeks, if not months, to arrive. At the beginning, it is important simply to get headed in the right direction—there is plenty of time to make adjustments since the destination is so far off—but as time passes it is increasingly important to make small corrections to our course. The longer we wait to adjust, the more miles we traverse and the father off course we steer. If we wait too long, we find that we may have to go backwards if we want to end up where we were headed.

Charting the course of our lives is very similar. We know we want to get from point "A" to point "B" but they are far apart. We want to get an education so we enroll at a local college, but the destination—the diploma—is years (and many classes and term papers) ahead of us. We want to raise a healthy and whole family, but the destination—the kids leaving the nest as well-adjusted individuals ready to take on the world—is two decades into the future. We want to lose 30 pounds, but the destination—that favorite pair of jeans that we can no longer wear—just seems beyond our reach.

We all know that if nothing changes, nothing will change. We all know that we have to get started if we are ever going to get to where we want to go. But something about the size of the task ahead freezes us in our tracks. Sometimes it is because we have tried and failed before. Sometimes it is because we just can't believe that our destination is even possible for us to reach. Whatever the reason, we delay. We talk ourselves out of the changes necessary to accomplish our goals. So instead of making a course correction, we continue to sail. And the longer we wait, the harder it is to make the change.

Let me encourage you, there is still time. But also let me urge you, there will not always be time. While the destination is often many months or years ahead of us, if we do not make the small course adjustments today, we will delay and may even miss our goal.

The great news is, often a small correction is all that is needed today. A little change makes a big difference when you have a long way to go. And once you have made one change, the next one gets a little easier. Before you know it, you are well on your way.

So maybe, for this week, you don't eat that extra portion at meal time. Don't starve yourself, don't go on some crazy diet. Just do something measured and attainable. Maybe, if you haven't been to school in 10 years but you know you want to complete your degree, just enroll in one or two classes (not five)! You get the idea.

What change are you going to make today? Don't talk yourself out of it, don't delay any longer, don't be overwhelmed by the size of the goal. Remember what Psalms 119:1 says, "You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God."

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you make the changes needed in your life. Why don't you make a small change and get your family in church this weekend?

Maunday Thursday

2010-04-01T06:37:00.001-07:00

I'm a little behind, but yesterday I began reading the traditional Scriptural readings for Holy Week and a few commentaries. It makes for a wonderful devotional.

Today's Readings:

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

An Excellent Reflection:

Maundy Thursday is for April Fools

What Men Hear

2010-03-04T12:31:00.001-08:00

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

God's Dream for Your Marriage

2010-02-25T16:12:00.001-08:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

We all know the statistics about marriage. They say that half of all marriages end in divorce. For those that remarry, the percentage that divorce are even higher. Recent studies show that you actually increase your chances of divorce if you live together before saying "I do."

It seems that everything in our world conspires against strong marriages. We are no longer surprised when the marriages of the rich and famous blow up. Marriages that go for the long haul in Hollywood are few and far between, and it's not much better for us regular folk.

Marriage is not an easy thing, but deep down inside we all know that it is an incredibly important thing. In the Creation account in Genesis, God looks down at Adam and says, "It is not good for man to be alone." In the midst of all the wonder of creation Adam still had a vacuum in his life. God saw that emptiness and created Eve to satisfy it.

Husbands and wives need each other. There is a strength that comes from the unity of marriage. There is a satisfaction that comes from having a partner in life. And there is nothing quite like the joy that is present when the two are united and one in mind and purpose.

God is the one that thought marriage up! He did so because He knew what was best for us. Your spouse is part of the expression of God's love toward you. This also means that God is for your marriage. He wants to see you and your spouse flourish and become the people that He created you to be.

But many of us have lost hope for our marriage. We have forgotten that God is committed to us and never loses hope, even if we do. We have been hurt and we have built up walls between us and our spouse. We have said things and done things that have deeply hurt our partner. We have created messes that seem impossible to fix.

Let me encourage you, don't lose hope. Don't settle for less than what God wants to see in your marriage. Don't just "get by". God can take even the worst, most impossible situation and make it into a thing of wonder. He not only can, but He loves to! The moments when God shines through the brightest are when we have reached the end of our rope and don't know where else to turn.

He can revitalize a broken marriage. He can breathe love back into a cold heart. He can help you learn how to love and forgive. He can break strongholds of bitterness and open channels of communication.

God is committed to your marriage, are you? Will you believe that He can help you? Will you dare to hope once again? The road might be long and the path difficult, but He is willing to be there every step of the way.

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you see God's dream for your marriage. In their toolboxes, they have counseling resources, classes, and so much more. You've tried other things, why don't you give God a chance?

Tired of Idiotic Laws? Let's Try This

2010-02-11T14:02:00.001-08:00

Forget about the concept of a town hall meeting to decide public policy. How about this instead? In Ancient Greece, to prevent idiotic statesmen from passing idiotic laws upon the people, lawmakers--legend has it--were asked to introduce all new laws while standing on a platform with a rope around their neck. If the law passed, the rope was removed. If it failed, the platform was removed.

Quality Press, August, 1992.

Pay Up Already!

2010-02-11T09:20:00.001-08:00

Romans 13:8 gives us some incredibly practical advice when it says, "Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law."

The first thing we see in this verse is that we are to owe nothing to anyone. This simply means we need to pay our debts. As Americans, we have a terrible habit of getting ourselves into financial debt. The Scriptures say that the debtor is the slave to the lender. How well most of us know that feeling! Every day as we head off to work, we are spurred on by the pressing realization that, if we don't, our creditors—our credit card company, our mortgage company, our furniture store, our home improvement store, our car loan—will hound and harass us until we pay up. We have handed our freedom over because of our inability to say "no" to our list of wants.

But it is not only money that we owe. We have made promises and commitments. We have given our word. We have said things and our utterances have become promissory notes that remain outstanding and require payment. Too often we let things slide off our tongue without realizing that we are actually creating emotional and relational debt. If we do not "pay up" then we leave a wreckage of relationships scattered in our wake.

The second thing we see is there is a debt we can never hope to repay in its entirety. It is a debt we will pay on for the rest of our life. This debt is our call to love others. We owe it because of Jesus Christ's love for us. His love makes it possible for us to once again have a relationship with Father God. He gave His life that we might have life, both in the here and now and also forever into eternity.

Paying off our financial debts is a piece of cake compared to this debt. To love others requires us to put others first. It requires us to set aside our personal wishes and put the wishes of another in their place. It requires us to die to our selfish desires and motives.

Choosing to really love other people is the hardest thing you will ever do.

Love requires us to forgive again and again.
Love demands that we see others with God's eyes.
Love screams self-sacrifice.
Love is tough.

You and I are not here on this planet just for ourselves. If we spend our lives seeking our personal goals and fulfilling all of our desires, then we will come to the end of our lives empty and we will walk into the next world sorely lacking. Real happiness can only be obtained if our goal is not happiness in itself. Don't seek happiness, seek service and you will find happiness on the way.

It's time for all of us to pay up. As we do, we will suddenly find that we have "fulfill[ed] the requirements of God's law".

How's Your Inner Life?

2010-01-21T12:32:00.001-08:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

Our culture is focused on all things external. It is all about what you look like, what you are doing and what you own. It asks questions like, "Are you beautiful? Are you thin? How big is your paycheck? and, by the way, What do you drive?"

The people that we read about in magazines and watch on television are the beautiful ones who are often ridiculously wealthy and morally bankrupt. We are entertained by their antics—we want to know who is sleeping with who this month, who's the latest to drunkenly crash their Mercedes into a telephone pole and how much money was spent on that lavish new mansion, Italian sports car or over-the-top party.

At one moment we marvel at their lack of common sense, and the next we applaud their commitment to the latest charity fad. And rather then stop and ask ourselves whether this overemphasis on all things shallow and superficial is problematic, we simply excuse our worship at the altar of the cult of personality with a glib, "It's just entertainment."

And it is entertainment. It is packaged in glossy magazines with racy covers, in highly edited and stylized pop culture news programs and in continuously updated websites the likes of TMZ, Popeater and Perezhilton. I have nothing against entertainment, but I think we would be wise to note that a culture's forms of entertainment are indicative of the state of its inner life and potentially of its future (think Rome and the Coliseum).

The problem with our culture's focus on the superficial is that it ignores the importance of the inner life. You might be the most beautiful person in the world (and have the People magazine article to prove it) but that says nothing about whether or not you are a good person. A good person is one who has developed virtues like patience, self-control, forgiveness and servanthood. Rare are the magazine covers given to people who have developed these qualities.

Jesus said "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." He said this to underline that the body is not the most important thing in life. Chiseled abs are not the key to heaven's gates. It is the soul we should be the most concerned about.

Your soul is the only thing you get to take with you when you die. You will carry with you what you have allowed your soul to become. Will your soul be full of anxiety or peace? Will it be fearful or faith-filled? Will it be bitter and condemning or contented and forgiving? You get to decide the kind of soul you have.

The challenge is that developing your soul takes work. A good soul does not happen by accident. You do not develop a healthy soul by passively consuming whatever entertainment comes easily to hand. You have to cooperate with Father God and choose to be loving, be patient and be content.

I must warn you, choosing to do these things means going against the current of our culture. It will not be easy. But it will be well worth it.

This weekend, the pastors of Kings County would love to encourage you to make the right decisions and develop your inner life. Why don't you swim against the current and start paying attention to your soul?

New Year Course Correction

2010-01-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

For The Hanford Sentinel

On days when it works, technology is wonderful. I carry in my pocket a phone that not only can place a call to anyone, anywhere in the world, but it can surf the internet, give me a list of the lunch options within a mile radius of where I stand and fill my ears with the sweet sounds of whatever music best fits my mood. My favorite feature is the GPS. If I want to know how to get from where I am to where I need to go, I have a virtual guide that leads me step by step.

It is wonderful to have such clear guidance. The GPS does all the work for me. It knows where I am at all times. I simply sit back and obey what it commands. Of course, if my battery goes dead, my life is held hostage and my location suddenly disappears from the virtual map. I am powerless before this abject electronic terrorism.

And while GPS is a wonderful tool for our daily point-to-point travels, it is of little use in the journey of life. We cannot type in our desired destination and have a nice female voice whisper in our ear, "Turn right in 300 yards." Life's journey is, at least from our perspective, not quite so precise.

Much like the captain of a ship 200 years ago, we chart a course, select a heading and venture out into the open waters of daily life. A few tools were essential for the ocean journey. For the ship's captain, these tools were a chart demonstrating the major landmarks, a leadline to evaluate the depth of the water, a magnetic compass to indicate general direction, and a sextant to determine the ship's latitude (when a clear sighting of the sun was available). Knowing exactly where you were in your journey was next to impossible, but it was also not essential. The most important thing was to be sure that you were moving in the right direction!

Our tools are different in their makeup but similar in their function. Our chart is God's Word that gives us the landmarks of life. Our leadline is our close relationships that help us know when we are in danger of running aground. Our compass is the Holy Spirit who guides us in all truth and keeps us moving in the right direction. And our sextant is the regular evaluation we must do to determine the "position" of our lives. We do so by getting our eyes on the Father and allowing Him to speak to us about where we are and where we need to go from here.

This is not an exact science, this is life. We often make the mistake of overestimating the importance of today and underestimating the importance of a month or a year. We get focused on "this moment" when we need to remember that God is working on the big picture. We anxiously worry and wonder why we can't hear God tell us what the exact next step is, when He really is more interested in the direction we are going over a long period of time.

So as we move into the new year, let me encourage you to pause for journey evaluation and course correction. Get your eyes on the Father and ask Him what He thinks about the direction of your life. Take a look at your chart and make sure that you are heading for the right landmarks and that you are not going to run aground and make a shipwreck of your life.

One of the best ways to get perspective on your life is to get in God's house and into His presence. The pastors of Kings County would love to help you chart His course in your life. Don't wait too long to do it though, because you will hit stormy waters and will need to know you are headed in the right direction!

How to Leave Your Church

2010-01-08T12:35:00.001-08:00

Tim Stevens over at Leading Smart has a great blog entry on how to leave your church. I've often wondered why people don't feel any obligation to talk to the pastor or someone in leadership before bidding adieu.

Check it out.

Mossy Foot Christmas Letter

2010-01-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

"When the boy pulled up his pant leg, I gasped, shocked by the horrific sight of a gaping hole extending about six inches in length and two inches in width, fully exposing his dead, broken leg bone. The stench was nauseating. A swarm of flies immediately descended on the oozing, infected wound."

Continue reading the rest of the Christmas letter from the Mossy Foot project.

WARNING: You might be challenged to look at your life a little differently.

Visit Mossy Foot Project here.

This Year Turn on Your Ears

2009-12-31T08:46:00.000-08:00

The new year is the time to make resolutions, set goals and revisit life plans. It's the time to shed those extra pounds you put on during the holidays, get your finances back in shape and generally get your house in order. But in the midst of the normal fitness, financial and family goals we all set for ourselves as the calendar flips to 2010, let me suggest a spiritual goal that has the potential to kick your new year up to a whole new level.

This year, purpose to listen and respond to the still small Voice of Father God. It is amazing how often God speaks to us and we don't recognize it. God wants to take your life and elevate it to a whole new level of effectiveness, joy and divine purpose. The key is listening and acting.

We have all had the experience of someone who we normally don't see everyday coming to our mind out of the clear blue and then within a matter of days we run into them or hear news about them. Often we chalk this up to a coincidence, but more often then not, God is trying to talk to us. Usually He wants to use us to communicate His love and care to the person, other times He wants us to pray or even share a message from heaven with them.

These "impressions" generally come to us when we are thinking about something else entirely. One of the clues that God might be talking to us is that our mind is actually going in another direction and His Voice communicates something that is not in line with those thoughts. When we pause and say to ourselves, "that's weird", we should then ask the question, "Am I inspired to do something loving, caring or considerate for that person?" If the answer is "yes", then you should very quickly pick up the phone, write a card, get on your knees in prayer or jump in the car to go visit.

The great thing about this is that you can't go wrong. You see, loving on people is always a "God-thing". Even if you make a mistake and that particular impression was not actually God's Voice, but was the bad pizza from the night before, what's the worst that can happen? You have simply fulfilled God's commandment to love your neighbor. Not too bad.

And when you get it right, when it actually is a "God-thing," then look out! You will be amazed at the impact that a simple word of love and kindness can have when it is delivered on God's timing. Never underestimate how powerful of a tool you can be for heaven if you will only be willing to follow God's Spirit.

So this year, purpose to listen and obey. It will change everything.

Now, if you're not sure God speaks to you, my advice is this. First, make sure you have invited Him to! Tell God you want to follow Him and you want to hear Him speak to you. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit so that His still small Voice can interrupt your agenda whenever He wants. Second, trust that He will speak! God promises you and I that when we are His children we will hear His voice (John 10:4). Finally, have fun seeing what God will do through you!

The pastors in Kings County would love to teach you more about how you can hear God's Voice and live at a higher level in 2010. Make a resolution to get you and your family in church this weekend and start the year out right!

How God Speaks

2009-12-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

God speaks to us in a variety of ways and many times we are unaware of it. We must learn to be on the alert continually because if we are a people filled with the Spirit of God, then we must expect that His Spirit is going to guide and speak to us frequently. Because His methods are often quiet, they can often be mistaken for our own thoughts and are often disregarded, but if we begin to respond we often discover that those thoughts/impressions were not just random but Him speaking to us.

One of the ways that God talks to us is through impressions. Impressions are thoughts or "a sense that" which come into our minds or perceptions from the Spirit of God. These impressions are generally not directly in line with what we are thinking about at the time and as such often seem out of place.

Most of us have had the experience of someone coming to mind out of the clear blue and then running into them shortly thereafter or hearing some news about them. Very often these are not "stray thoughts" but impressions from God's Spirit. Often He wants us to pray for them, or more frequently, contact them and love on them.

The next time someone drops into your mind from out of nowhere, send them a note, pick up the phone or drop by and see them and just communicate your love and care for them. This doesn't have to be a "God told me to tell you" thing, it works really well just to say something simple like, "You came to my mind and I wanted to tell you that I appreciate your friendship and that God is on your side." And if it happens that it really was a stray thought, no big deal, but if it is a God thing (which you'll discover it is more often than not), you will find out that your simple contact was well worth it.

More to come....

Tiger's Transgressions Expensive

2009-12-30T05:55:00.000-08:00

A recent study found that the financial impact on the companies that Tiger Woods was/is a sponsor for were affected negatively by the news of his infidelities. I guess there are repercussions for bad decisions.

Check the article and study out here.

Here Comes the New Year

2009-12-17T10:40:00.001-08:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

Here it comes again. The New Year is just around the corner and with it have come all the reflective retrospectives of the past year and the cautiously hopeful forecasts of the coming year. Many have been anxious to bid adieu to 2009 and to its economic downturns, financial scandals and political and celebrity meltdowns. Uncertainty has been one of the main hallmarks of the year—uncertainty about job security, uncertainty about keeping the house, uncertainty about financial investments and retirement and uncertainty about what the future holds.

But now we stand on the brink and look to a new year. We stand at the door and knock on the door of the future and wonder if it will be any different. On the one hand we are anxious to cross the threshold between yesterday and tomorrow, and on the other we are hesitant to rush in with too much optimism lest the future be no different than the past. We have been disappointed before, dare we hope for a better tomorrow?

I believe that we can hope for a better tomorrow. More than that, we should believe that tomorrow will in fact be brighter and better. But this shouldn't be a blind hope. I am not suggesting wishful thinking or positive self-talk. This hope must be based on a firm and solid foundation that is unswayed by sagging economic indicators and lousy housing markets. This hope must be based on something that is solid no matter what the surrounding conditions may be.

That is the great thing about trusting in God. He is not challenged by what challenges us. He delights in taking difficult circumstances and transforming them into divine victory celebrations. With God, "how pleasant it is to see a new day dawning" (Ecclesiastes 11:7 NLT). Peter reminds us that we can "cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV). In Him we are more than conquerors and able to face whatever the world may throw our way (Romans 8:37 NKJV).

So whatever 2010 may hold for our country economically—be it a quick recovery or a downward spiral—if we put our eyes firmly on Him, we can be assured that He will keep care of us. This is one of the things that gets missed frequently in media and political circles. The solutions to challenges as vast as those confronting our world today are rarely found in human wisdom. That's why even the best thinkers in the world are constantly proved wrong.

The moment we put our faith in human wisdom, we have misplaced our trust. Human wisdom is great, but God's wisdom is best. So when it comes to the new year, believe the best, not because it will make you feel better (even though it will) but because when you trust in God, it will be better!

The pastors in Kings County would love to talk to you more about the good things God has in store for you this year. Why don't you plan on shifting your thinking this year and focus on the One who is always solid and secure?

New Experiment: Dynamas Testing Online

2009-12-13T18:29:00.001-08:00

I spent a little time yesterday and today prepping a small website dedicated to the Dynamas personality tool. Dynamas is a scaled down and oh-so-thankfully-simple version of the Birkman personality indicator. Birkman is an world-renowned tool for such things as personality identification, job matching, stress reactions and more. Dynamas takes all that and distills it down in such a way that it can be simply understood without a certified coach (which is required for the full Birkman).

Anways, check out the site.

http://www.yourpersonalityinsight.com

If your interested in using this tool for yourself, your spouse or your team, feel free to contact me for more information.

Some Truths from 1 Timothy 2

2009-12-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

1 Timothy 2:3-6
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

I love these verses. In them we see:

God's desire is that all people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He does not want some to be destroyed and some to be saved. He wants everyone to be in heaven with him.

Jesus is the mediator between God and man. For anyone to get into heaven, the sacrifice of Jesus is necessary and sufficient.

Jesus died for all humankind, not just for some. There might be some that reject Jesus' sacrifice, but that will be their decision.

Gifts that Last

2009-12-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

for The Sentinel

Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said, "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving." Acts 20:35 GN

The Christmas season, according to what the television tells me, is all about getting great deals on stuff. Some of this stuff I will need to buy for others and some I will keep for myself. But ultimately it is about buying stuff in order to make me and others happy.

The problem with this is that it's a lie. Christmas is not about buying stuff. Christmas is about giving stuff. And you don't have to buy stuff and go into debt in order to give stuff. The truth of it is, the best stuff to give is usually not physical stuff anyway. The best stuff is to give of the resources that you have in and of yourself.

Inside of each of us are precious resources that God has given us. We can give of those resources or we can hoard them for ourselves. If George Mueller is right that "God judges what we give by what we keep," then we would be much wiser if we chose to invest in our family and friends by giving them of the rich resources that we have.

What are these resources? Really, there are too many to list, but a few that none of us should go very long without investing into others are love, words and energy.

First, LOVE. It seems almost too obvious to mention, but love is one of the best gifts you can give to your family and friends this season. Scripture says that God loved us while we were still sinners. What that means is that love is not about performance. It is not a reward for good behavior. It is not a resource that we use as a tool to make people do what we want.

Love is the constant decision to not judge, not withdraw and not lash out in retaliation. It is the choice to continue to love that family member that always says the wrong thing at family gatherings, always drinks too much and continues to make a mess of their life. It is the recognition that our job is not to try and control people, but to demonstrate that they are valuable because they too are made in God's image and are His children.

Second, WORDS. The book of Proverbs says that the tongue has the power of life and death. All of us have been marked by words in our life—some words have breathed life and possibility into our situation and others have chilled us to the core and left us bleeding and broken. Words are a precious gift that we can give to others. They cost us very little, but a word spoken at the right time and in the right tone can heal relationships, inspire confidence and break the power of hopelessness.

Third, ENERGY. You and I have the ability to invest ourselves emotionally, physically and spiritually in people's lives. When we are there to listen and give the best of ourselves, we bring our energy to the table. Our energy is like a flame that warms and brings light to others. It may be the decision to get down on the floor and wrestle with the kids, to sit down and give time to your spouse or just making sure that you are there when you friend needs you. Your energy is a life force that can be used as an investment into people's lives.

So this Christmas make the choice to give of yourself. I believe what you will discover is that when you give of your resources, you are actually investing in the future. So who do you need to stop judging and start loving? Who needs to hear your words of life and acceptance? Who needs to receive your gift of energy?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to share with you the greatest gift of all—the gift the Father gave to us of His Son Jesus. Why don't you give a gift to your family that could alter their destiny forever and take them to church this weekend? It just might change your experience of Christmas, and your life.

What Decision are You Delaying?

2009-11-20T12:47:00.001-08:00

for The Hanford Sentinel

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7

It seems that nearly everything on this Earth challenges growth and expansion. People that dream big dreams about their lives, about how things can be better, about their families and the future are always challenged. Other people make sure to inform these dreamers about all the reasons why their dreams will not work. They patiently and fervently explain why the dreams simply cannot happen.

And while we are surrounded by dream-crushers on every side, there is an even bigger enemy that we must deal with if we are going to dream big and see God's purposes fulfilled in our lives—FEAR. We are experts at imagining all the worse case scenarios and tragic repercussions of big decisions. We spin glorious tales of how the imminent and unavoidable failures of our dreams will result in very massive and very public crash and burn fiascos.

It doesn't even seem to matter whether the dreams are big or small, the fears spring up like mushrooms that emerge overnight. We imagine that if we told the truth, we would lose everything. We imagine that if we make that change in our life we know we need, we would fail miserably and end up worse then before. We imagine that if we went back to school, we just wouldn't be able to hack it. And on and on.

So all too frequently, instead of moving forward into that preferred future, we stay frozen in fear. Crippled by our imaginations, we stop growing, believing and breaking through to the next thing God has for us. We stop believing what God says—eye has not seen and ear has not heard the good thing that the Lord has prepared for you (1 Corinthians 2:9)—and choose instead to agree with the voice of fear.

What fear is controlling you today? What fear is keeping you from moving forward in your life? Maybe you need to come clean in a relationship. Maybe you need to step out and grow in a new area. Maybe you need to risk losing some comfort to do that thing which is hard but is right. Don't delay it any longer. Don't wait for the perfect time, no such thing exists.

Dorothy Thompson said, "Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." Is it time for you to stop delaying and start living?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to help you be set free from fear and move towards all that God desires for your life. Don't put it off, it may be the start of a new day for you!

C.S. Lewis' View on Education

2009-11-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

Just finished reading C.S. Lewis' article "On the Transmission of Christianity" — he argued that the answer for the decline in Christian morals and the Christian life is not to go after education per se, but rather to go after individuals. It may be an important reminder for those embroiled in our culture wars here in the U.S., that to transform a culture, you transform the individuals within the culture first and then the institutions follow. To attempt to transform the institutions without changing the individuals is useless.

If I can be critical for a moment, it seems that the "Christian agenda" has been too focused on "prayer in schools" when it needed to be focused on "prayer in homes." How sad would it be for Christians to "win" this battle, only to discover that no one is interested in praying in schools because there are no Christians left there to pray.

His article is available here at Google books.

Entertaining Angels

2009-11-12T06:24:00.001-08:00

I think it is pretty clear that they weren't actually angels, but my family was treated to a special visit from a missionary couple that was driving through our area on their way up north. It was an unexpected visit from a couple that we had never met before, but because of a mutual friend, we were able to host them over night.

My wife and I have often prayed that we want our house to be a place of blessing for others and we want our family to be a part of that process so that they can learn this important part of life. This unexpected visit fit the bill. Rarely is it convenient to host someone in your home, you simply have to make the decision that it is an important thing to do.

And now we have two new friends, we were encouraged to hear about their work overseas, and hopefully we were able to encourage them. This is the kind of thing we need more of!

Local Media Features Hell House

2009-10-30T12:24:00.001-07:00

This year our youth pastor, Paul Wilcox, decided to put on Hell House for the teens in our area. Here's what the local media did with the story.

Kindness

2009-10-30T12:19:00.001-07:00

for The Sentinel Life Notes

As a parent of young children, I often forget that my job is not to create little robots that snap to attention whenever I speak. The problem is that I really like it when they do. It makes me feel like I'm doing a good job. When my kids misbehave in public or conveniently fail to hear me when I speak to them, I feel that I have been slighted and my authority is being challenged. So I find myself focusing on their behavior and demanding that they "act" the right way.

But this is all wrong. As a parent, we are given a great responsibility and the goal is not to create little people that "do" the right things. It is not that doing the right thing is unimportant—all of us want our children to grow up and do great things—it is just that "being" is much more important than "doing."

We can program computers and robots to "do" the right things, but their value to us only lasts as long as they continue to do their task well. People, on the other hand, are valuable because they are beings and not just doings. Just because people get old or break down in some way, their value does not change.

People's value is in their being. It is found in who they are, not what they do. And that is why as a parent, I have to constantly remind myself that I am developing a "being"—a person who is much more then just a sum of their activities. More important than my child doing the right thing, is whether their actions flow out of a heart that has been developed the right way.

We all know the difference between doing something because we have to even though everything within us is rebelling and doing something because we want to. Good parents are more interested in developing their child's heart because doing flows out of being.

I think that is why Father God really is the best example of a parent that there is. Think of how infinitely patient He is with us. He takes the long view of developing us as people. He is not nearly as interested in what we do as He is in who we are. We get these things reversed all the time and that is why churches can be such mean, judgmental places.

God is so infinitely patient with us, He keeps giving us chance after chance after chance. He sees our failures simply as an opportunity for us to grow and is always kind enough to embrace us when we turn back to Him. I love the verse in Romans that says it is "His kindness that leads us to repentance."

Not only as a parent, but as a friend, as a spouse, and as a person in relationship with others—we all must remember that the best way for us to respond to other people is with kindness and grace. People are not just a means to an end, they are valuable because they are created in God's image. They are valuable because they are human beings, not human doings.

So the next time you are tempted to treat your kids, like I so often do; or the next time you are on the verge of reacting to others in anger or in an attempt to control, remember how God works with you. Try operating out of kindness and concern for the other person, it just may change your life—and theirs.

This weekend the pastors in Kings County would love to help you learn more about the character of Father God. He really is the best example that we have, we would all do well to pay closer attention to the way He responds to people and use Him as our model.

David vs. Saul — The Difference

2009-10-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

Great blog post over at Resurgence on the real difference between David and Saul. At the end of the day, the ultimate contrast between these men was not their appearance or experience; it was their spirit.

How's your spirit?

• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of yourself?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of entertainment?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of anxiety?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of ?

Saul never seemed to understand how to yield to the Holy Spirit, David, on the other hand, was known as a man after God's heart because He did know how to yield — He yielded to the Spirit's call to repent, change, boldly step forward and so much more.

U2 at the Rose Bowl

2009-10-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to be able to attend the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl this past Sunday evening. Because of a variety of scheduling conflicts I was not planning on attending either the show in Vegas (on Friday night) or at the Rose Bowl, but then I won two tickets in a raffle on Tuesday. So, long story short, I was thrilled to be able to be a part of a friends wedding and then jumped into the car with Jeff and raced down to the Rose Bowl.

Fortunately for us, the concert was streamed live on YouTube so the band did not come out until about 9pm. We were able to be in our seats for about 10 minutes before they came on. The show was nothing short of impressive. I've long been a fan of the band, but seeing them in person was a true thrill.

Over 96,000 people attended the Rose Bowl concert and so you can imagine the sea of people. One of the things that bowled me over was the stage they have built for this concert. I had read about it and even seen pictures, but to see it in person is something else entirely. It is massive — bigger then any other stage created for any touring concert ever.

The stages are built by the Belgian company Stageco, and construction of each requires the use of high-pressure and innovative hydraulic systems. The steel structure is 164 feet tall – doubling the size of the stadium set for The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour, the previous highest – can hold up to 200 tonnes underneath it, and requires 120 trucks to transport each of the 3 sets constructed to support the tour. Each leg of the structure contains its own sound system. The cost of each structure is between £15 million and £20 million each. The 360° tour crew consists of 137 touring production crew suplemented by over 120 hired locally. Daily costs of the production are approximately $750,000, not including the stage construction; the majority of this comes from truck rentals, transportation, and staff wages. The tour is not expected to break even until the conclusion of the second leg.

Read more about the tour and stage here.

Is It Time for a Checkup?

2009-10-16T14:23:00.000-07:00

Submitted to the Hanford Sentinel.

Everything in our world needs care. Engines that are regularly serviced often run for years without a breakdown. Relationships that are cared for usually stay healthy and vibrant. Houses that are maintained and not neglected require far less attention then those that are ignored for even a short time (think of the state of the vacant foreclosures in your neighborhood).

All things tend towards breakdown and decay. The second law of thermodynamics states that all systems, unless they have constant energy input, will eventually run down and stop. Beautiful bodies break down, marvelously manicured yards go to seed and even the most state of the art structures slide inexorably toward decrepitude.

This is the reason why we are encouraged to go to the doctor at least once a year. Those that are disciplined submit to this annual poking and prodding so that they can catch problems early and avoid major breakdowns. But those of us that do not, often suffer the consequences of years of neglected maintenance.

Your spiritual life is no different. Without regular maintenance and care, it tends towards disrepair. Perhaps once upon a time you were sensitive to the things of God and your ears were attuned to that which was just and right, but if you are not careful, the busyness of life keeps you from doing the basic maintenance. This is especially easy to do because your spiritual life is largely invisible. It is only seen through your actions and your speech and the state of your heart.

So we find ourselves putting off those essential activities that would maintain our spiritual flame. We stop talking to God because there is no time. We stop reading His Word because we are too tired. We stop bowing our knee to His soft corrective call. And before we know it, we are far down the road, headed for a breakdown.

Hearts that are neglected have attacks. Homes that are neglected cost you an arm and a leg. Spouses that are neglected will destroy your family and your finances. A neglected spiritual life will cost you your soul.

When was the last time you submitted to a spiritual checkup? The pastors of Kings County would love to help you make an appointment with the Great Physician. He's the only one that can really heal your heart and restore your soul.

YouVersion Live

2009-10-15T16:25:00.001-07:00

My favorite iPhone bible software has recently released a Live tool that allows you to post sermon notes, scripture references, polls, and the like so that you can leverage people's mobile devices during your sermon. I love the idea because I now take all my sermon notes on my phone and use the Bible on my phone all the time.

Here's a link to the first Live event I'm setting up to use during this weekend's sermon.

Book Burning

2009-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

A North Carolina Baptist church to burn ‘Satan’s books,’ including works of Mother Teresa — I'm shocked that Harry Potter isn't at the top of the list, but am heartened to see Billy Graham, Rick Warren and those other Satan worshippers will be submitted to the flames.

Perhaps we could learn something form this -- a tiny 14 person church across the country gets nationwide publicity from this stunt. Maybe it's time for us to do a book burning?

Here's a video of the news story too:

Community Church of Joy Leaves Lutheran Denomination

2009-10-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

A very significant church in Phoenix, has recently voted to leave their denomination because of, among other things, the denominations increasingly open stance to the acceptance of homosexuality. The mainline denominations seem to be losing their moorings one by one. More here.

Trying Something New: Video Teasers for LifeLab

2009-10-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

For more on LifeLab click here.

Evernote - Do You Use It Yet?

2009-09-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you are frustrated with the reality of the incredible amount of information we need to keep at our fingertips in order for our lives to run smoothly. Whether it's keeping track of login usernames and passwords, travel itineraries, receipts, notes to self, PDFs, sermon notes, and just about anything else digital — Evernote is my new friend.

I have the Evernote client installed on both my work and home computer and my iPhone. All notes are kept synced and up to date. Changes on any client immediately appear on the others. You can even access your notes online.

Here's a good article on 14 Ways you can use Evernote.

Check it.

The Psychology of Tipping

2009-09-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

I knew that certain tactics were used in the food service industry to increase the likelihood of receiving bigger tips. There is actually studies that back this up. I like the "spontaneous extra piece of candy" method the most.

Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research conducted several studies revealing some other interesting facts about server habits that can boost tip percentages. Here are a few of them:

Touching - Waiters experienced a tip increase from 11.8 percent to 14.8 percent of the check total when they briefly touched the shoulder of the customer. Both men and women left higher tips when touched, and although younger customers increased their tip amount more, all ages increased the tip by some amount [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Squatting - Two studies showed that waiters who squatted next to the table when taking orders and talking with customers increased their tips from 14.9 percent of the bill to 17.5 percent of the bill in one study, and from 12 percent to 15 percent in another study. Apparently, the eye contact and closer interaction creates a more intimate connection and makes us want to give the server more money [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Giving candy - A study that involved giving customers a piece of candy with their bill showed an increase in tip percentage from 15.1 percent to 17.8 percent. Another study in which servers gave each customer two pieces of candy with the bill increased the tip from 19 percent to 21.6 percent of the bill. Still another study showed that the way the server gave the customer the candy had the largest impact on the increase of the tip: This study had the server initially give each member of the customer's party one piece of candy and then "spontaneously" offer a second piece of candy. This method increased the tip to 23 percent of the bill [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Being helpful - A study of hotel bellhops revealed that just taking a few extra minutes explaining to guests how to operate the television and thermostat, opening the drapes for guests, and offering to fill the ice bucket increased tips from $2.40 to $4.77 [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Borrowed from HowStuffWorks.com

Those Things that Only You Can Do

2009-09-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Submission to The Sentinel's Life Notes.

Recently I was reminded that of all the things that I do in my life, there are only a few things that I and only I can do. No one else can do these things for me. In virtually every other area of my life, I am replaceable — but not in these few things. No one can "step in" for me in these areas.

Wayne Cordeiro calls these areas the "last 5%". This is true for all of us. He breaks it down like this:

Eighty percent of what you do, anyone can do — answer the phone, check your email, take notes at the meeting, fill out reports, etc.

Fifteen percent of what you do, anyone with some basic skills can do — run your software program, deal with clients, operate specific machinery, etc.

But the last five percent, no one else can do — be your spouse's mate, be your children's mother or father, build your relationship with God, etc.

This last five percent is what is truly worth our time. The other things might be good, but these things are great. These things are worth investing your life in.

Only you can grow spiritually. Only you can open your heart to Jesus Christ. You are responsible to shepherd and guard your own heart. 1 Timothy 4:7 says, "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness." No one else holds our spiritual future in their hands. You are the one who decides whether to follow God with all of your heart, or just with your spare time. This is the one thing that can truly set all of your life in order and put you on the road to great success.

Only you can keep yourself motivated to obey God and to seek Him. The bottom line is that you alone are responsible to bring motivation to the table. You must keep yourself motivated by keeping your eyes on the prize and your heart full of hope. The circumstances of life are are always waging war against your belief that life can be better and that God is faithful. In the Old Testament we read that "David encouraged himself in the Lord" (1 Samuel 30:6). Sometimes we have to stare the ugly facts of life straight in the face and decide that instead of allowing those things to discourage, destroy or distract us, we instead will encourage ourself. We will chose to remember that God is greater than any circumstance and that He is always faithful.

Only you can love your family as their father, mother, husband or wife. No one else but you can play this role as well as you. You are responsible to play the role in your home that God has created for you. If you are anything like me, far to often you find yourself spending time on things that take you away from being the best you can be for your family. Instead of putting your family as the priority, they get put on the back burner. But if you chose to embrace this important role, then you will discover that the investment pays incredible dividends.

Time is short in life. We have to decide where to invest it. There are many great things to do, but there are only a few things that only you can do. Chose to do these things and you will never regret it.

This weekend, why don't you grab your family and head to church? The pastors of Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you to invest your five percent in the best way possible.

The Precursor to Ace of Cakes Must Have Made This

2009-09-21T16:04:00.001-07:00

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

How Brazilian Pastors are Reaching the Youth with Sports

2009-09-16T06:04:00.001-07:00

Check out the New York Times article.

Parasites - Man's Best Friend?

2009-09-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just saw that one of my favorite podcasts/radio programs is back for its newest season — WNYC's Radiolab — with an episode about parasites that features a story about a man that cured his asthma and hay fever allergies by infesting himself with hookworms. If you're not familiar with this show, do yourself a favor and check out one of my favorites Sleep.

kottke.org - home of fine hypertext products via kwout

Thanks to kottke.org for the inspiration!

Obedience Usually Precedes the Solution to Your Problems

2009-09-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

If Moses had tried to solve the problem before deciding to lead the people, he would have never made the decision to move ahead. Instead, he made the decision and actually led the people before he had the problem solved....Great people are ordinary people who make extraordinary decisions.

Have You Ever Washed Dirty Feet?

2009-09-11T06:14:00.001-07:00

Submission for Life Notes for The Sentinel

In the Scriptures in John chapter 13, Jesus washes the disciples feet. It is a story worth reading and reflecting on because in it, Jesus models for us a lifestyle that we are to emulate. By this simple act, Jesus demonstrates the key to significance in His Kingdom.

Foot washing in Jesus' time was more than just a ritual, it was a necessity. The primary means of transportation was the feet and the streets were not paved in that day. In a busy village, the main avenues would have been filthy—mud, refuse and animal droppings were all underfoot continually. Needless to say, by the end of the day, your feet were covered in grime, your sandals having done very little to keep your feet clean.

So every evening, before the meal, the lowest person in the house—usually the servant or slave—would be called in to wash everyone's feet, one at a time. It was an undesirable task—not only were you coming into contact with the filth from the street, but you also had to handle people's feet! I can just imagine having to deal with the grime under the toe nails, the corns and that special stuff that builds up between the toes. What a job!

And this was the task that Jesus used to illustrate that our lives are supposed to be about serving others. As the story goes, one evening He and the disciples were there together preparing for the meal and the servant was nowhere to be found. Who was going to wash their feet?

It is clear from the story that nobody seemed altogether too keen on jumping to the task. I imagine Jesus may have looked around just to see if any of His students had picked up on His teachings about greatness. But it appears that no one made a move. So Jesus picked up a towel and a basin and began to wash their feet.

For the disciples, it was a great shock. It was unimaginable that the greatest person in the room—the Rabbi—would stoop to do a task that only the lowest person among them was expected to do. In the absence of the servant, Jesus could have picked out one of the disciples and instructed him to do it. But instead, it was Jesus Himself that chose to perform this lowly task.

There is something about the idea of washing someone's feet that makes it such a great picture of service. It is generally something that no one wants to do. It is something that is often uncomfortable, both for the one being washed and for the one doing the washing. It is uncomfortable not because of the washing but because of the exposure to this part of the body that is often hidden away under layers of socks and shoes.

It is also something that is meaningful. For the disciples, it was essential—in a few moments they were going to recline at the table and their feet would be in close proximity to their neighbor's face. This wasn't something that didn't matter—it was vitally important!

So Jesus washes their feet and then tells them that their role in life is to be a servant to others—to wash one another's feet. And that is our charge from Jesus today. We too are called to be foot washers. We are called to serve others and to do those things that perhaps no one else wants to do. Sometimes service makes us uncomfortable. Sometimes we feel that the task is beneath us. But it is the key to greatness in the Kingdom of God.

So the next time you are tempted to say "that job is beneath me" or "I won't serve because it makes me too uncomfortable", think back to what Jesus did. He picked up the towel and showed the way for us.

To learn more about the Kingdom, why don't you make plans to visit one of the great churches in Kings County this weekend? The pastors would love to help you understand how Jesus' principles for living can revolutionize your life.

Bulldog Tenacity

2009-08-29T09:55:00.001-07:00

Submitted for The Senintel Life Notes column

There is a story about an old man that owned a small store in a run-down area. He was the last open store in a failed commercial development and he just refused to quit. A young commercial developer saw an opportunity to buy cheap property in a decent location and formulated a plan. He bought all the property surrounding the small store and made the old man a generous offer for his property too. But the stubborn man wasn't interested. He wouldn't sell no matter how much money was offered.

The real estate developer was forced to move forward with his plans without the old man's property. After two full years of development the time neared when the new shopping center would open. The new buildings towered over and completely surrounded the old man's small shop. Those that had watched the David-and-Goliath-like struggle between the old man and the developer shook their heads knowing that the coming of the new shopping center would surely sound the death toll for the old man's business.

But when the day came for the big opening, the old man still had a trick or two up his sleeve. Gigantic, beautiful banners hung from all sides of the new construction proclaiming, "Grand Opening!" and "Best Prices in Town". Not to be outdone, the old man strung a banner of his own right across the little store that stood at the very center of the new shopping center. His banner read "Main Entrance".

That's bulldog tenacity. The never-give-up-mentality that believes that for every challenge there is a solution—we would all do well to have a little bit of that same spirit inside us. Far too often we find it is easier to give up when the going gets rough.

This life is full of challenges, opposition and disappointments. The Scriptures tell us that we will be offended by others. The question is how we will choose to respond to those offenses.

The book of James says it this way:

When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever been tempted to give up? James reminds us that it is in these moments of pressure and difficulty that we are most ready to grow—but only if we grab onto that which is solid and hold on with bulldog tenacity.

The people that I admire and respect the most are those who have learned that life is simply a training ground for eternity. These precious people have decided that no matter what the challenge or trial, they won't quit and they won't allow their circumstances to dictate their reactions. They have an unfailing trust and faith in the One who is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

So let me ask you, how's your tenacity level? What are you holding on to? What is going to keep you going even though the massive towers of life surround you on every side? Those that have found their stability in Father God find that He has a way of turning impossible situations into "Main Entrances" for His activity and blessing.

Does It Hurt Much?

2009-08-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Submitted for The Sentinel's LifeNotes column

Over the years I have both given and received lots of "junk gifts". These are the ones often given out of obligation. We feel we must give something because of a birthday or because it is Christmas and the giving of gifts, no matter how lame, is the rule. And although the best intentions are used in the giving of these "wonderful" gifts (after all, who doesn't need another Christmas mug, flamboyant tie or novelty gag gift), most often these gifts are given out of obligation, and not from the heart.

A gift that is given from the heart is always more meaningful, both to the giver and the recipient. There is a certain cost that is exacted from the giver, not necessarily a cost in terms of dollars (although sometimes many dollars are required), but in time, attention and thought. Something is expended by the giver that actually adds value to the gift itself. The most meaningful gifts are those that have taken the most time or are given with the most love.

When the giver does not expend these things, then something important is missing from the gift. We all know what it is like to receive gifts that have little or no monetary value and yet are incredibly meaningful. On the other hand, we know (if not by experience then certainly by imagination) that it is possible to receive a very expensive gift that really has little value to the receiver because it was given with so little thought.

I was reminded of the importance of the "cost" of our gifts while reading the story of David in 1 Chronicles recently. David is at a place in his life when he wants to make an offering to the Lord and he says the following:

"I will not...sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing."

David understood that to give the Lord a "token" or "junk" gift was unacceptable. You don't give the Lord something that doesn't cost you anything—it's an insult. God is the King of the universe, the Maker of everything and the Giver of the very life we enjoy. To give God a gift that cost David no sweat, no effort, no thought—in short, no heart—was unthinkable.

Which begs the question, how often do I give God "worthless" gifts? It is so easy to accept God's love, His grace, His forgiveness and His great plan for my life and repay Him with what is easy. It is easy to tell Him "thank you" with my lips. It is easy to drop a few dollars into the plate now and then. It is easy to act like a nice guy to the right people because I know I should "act like a Christian".

But that costs me nothing. And it's worthless. I've decided it really is. So much of what we do for God and others is just window dressing. We do it to make us feel better. We do it to make us look good. We do it because its easy.

But I think God wants something more. I know He deserves something more. He deserves my whole life. My most valued possessions, my deepest secrets, my greatest fears, my faithfulness and my obedience—He deserves all of them because they cost me to give them to Him. But I find that I don't like giving things that hurt to give. I will do almost anything to wiggle out of doing what I know I should. I excuse myself and my lack of commitment. But then I remember, it cost Him everything, how can I give something that costs me nothing?

The question for all of us is just that—are we willing to give what hurts the most? Because what hurts the most is what is most valuable. I've decided I'm only giving God gifts that cost me something—that hurt me a little to give, have you?

This weekend, the pastors in the Kings County would love the opportunity to help you get closer to the One who is worthy of everything we could ever give and more. Why don't you take your family to church this weekend? It may be the best gift you could give them!

Destino Joven 2009 - In the Meantime

2009-07-28T21:20:00.001-07:00

In the Meantime from Andrew Cromwell on Vimeo.

Destino Joven 2009 - Living in the Kingdom

2009-07-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Living in the Kingdom from Andrew Cromwell on Vimeo.

How Things Change

2009-07-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday:

Today:

Incredible Story about How a Blind Young Man Sees

2009-06-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

How A Blind Teen 'Sees' With Sound - The Early Show - CBS News via kwout

Thinking Traps

2009-06-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Thinking Traps Exposed via kwout

The P-Daddys

2009-06-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Father's Day at KCF

2009-06-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Great Post on Seth Godin's Blog

2009-05-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

Seth's Blog: Ignore sunk costs via kwout

Nietzsche Quote

2009-05-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. — Nietzsche

Just Got Added to Alltop

2009-05-06T06:32:00.001-07:00

The blog just got added to church.alltop.com.

Not My Sentiments, but Kind of Funny

2009-05-05T14:38:00.001-07:00

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The Gap Widens

2009-05-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Driving home today, I began to consider how as the world shrinks and the access to immediate information via the internet grows, the gap between the skilled and unskilled also grows. Reading J.J. Abrams in this month's issue of Wired magazine and then listening to the profound talk by Ravi Zacharias delivered at the Mormon Tabernacle several years ago on the topic of "Who Is Jesus" somehow brought this thought home for me.

Fewer and fewer are the people that are truly skilled. Now, I'm not referring to talent, because many are the talented. But few are those that have truly developed the talent into something deep and truly valuable. It is so easy today to know a little about a lot. It is so easy to dabble and sound informed. Everything is at our fingertips via a quick wikipedia search such that deep thinking and true knowledge are greatly lasting.

It seems we are breeding a generation of shallow thinkers who are easily entertained by inch deep trivia and insignificant entertainment. I myself have fallen prey far too often to the titillation of mindless minutia. I am quite adept at sounding informed and can even hold people's attention....for a few moments. But am I any deeper then the most recent bit of news trivia?

In this environment, I think the people who truly dedicate themselves to develop skills and deep knowledge will take a giant step forward. In a culture that is a million miles wide and an inch deep, those who will be most influential are those that know how to navigate the deep but often unexplored pools. It is not just the possession of information — that is no longer valuable in our current context — instead, it is the ability to think deeply, make connections between ideas, navigate the waters of moral concepts, and weave together the deluge into a meaningful stream.

Encouraging the Shoulds

2009-04-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

Dan & Chip Heath have a great article entitled Sell Handcuffs in this month's edition of Fast Company. In it they discuss how companies are discovering how to monetize their customer's desire for delayed gratification.

It's all about helping people do what they know they should do. Most business models are centered around helping people get what they want NOW. A relatively untapped market that people are waking up to is helping people get what they want LATER.

Reading the article made me think of how life in Christ is about putting aside your screaming wants and instead choosing your shoulds. Ultimately, we all know that the shoulds in our life are the things that really matter, but our wills are so often so weak that we have a difficult time getting to should.

What does this mean for churches? We are interested in helping people get to their shoulds and set aside their wants. What the Heath's note is that if we can figure out a way that will reinforce people's decisions for their shoulds, then we help them on their way. People will make a decision for their shoulds today, but will often forgo that decision in the face of their wants tomorrow.

How can we help create mechanisms that will help people—that will strengthen their will—so that they can say "no" to their wants. Just like the piggy bank that creates the barrier to easy access to the change. Or the credit cards frozen in ice blocks force people to think about what they are doing before impulse buying. What can we do to help people read their Bible, talk to God, invest in their families, share their faith and more?

The Don't Song

2009-04-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

Leaders Give People Stories

2009-04-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

From Seth Godin's book, Tribes:

People don't believe what you tell them.
They rarely believe what you show them.
They often belief what their friends tell them.
They always believe what they tell themselves.
Leaders give people stories they can tell themselves. Stories about the future and about change.

What a great way of looking at it. An effective leader knows how to give people the tools so that they can continue to feed themselves the vision of the future that is desirable. Perhaps that's why leaders need to be good story tellers. You may have the greatest idea/product/vision in the world, but if you can't share it in a way that people not only understand but then can repeat it both to themselves and others—then you're not really a leader.

Sarah Palin and the Evil New Apostolic Reformation

2009-04-03T19:24:00.001-07:00

This article was at the top of Digg today. It attempts to "expose" Sarah Palin's involvement in a new and suspicious type of Christianity known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). It is almost laughable if it weren't so sad and ridiculous. If you know anything about the New Apostolic Reformation and C. Peter Wagner, you know that this is not a new and strange type of Christianity at all. Wow.

Check the article out here.

Tithe Rap

2009-04-03T12:27:00.001-07:00

Tithe Rap. Download the MOV., Script, and audio for free here: http://tinyurl.com/djcax8

Rick Warren Videocast Notes

2009-04-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the staff watch Rick Warren's videocast. Here are some highlights from my notes:

Leverage texting technologies to text your congregation scriptures and greetings.
"It's not when we see the light, but when we feel the heat that we change."
Pastors need to be sure to teach a balanced diet of "hold up", "build up" and "fire up" messages. The first brings a crowd, the second build character and the third builds the church.
When preparing a preaching schedule for the year, think in terms of themes.
Every sermon has three applications: personal life, church body (corporate) and world (what to do in society). Draw all three out for people.
Sermons are not enough to change your church. People forget 90-95% of what is communicated verbally in 48 hours.

Pentecostal Churches and Jazz Clubs

2009-04-02T06:00:00.001-07:00

Here at KCF, we have had a six foot Yamaha Conservatory grand piano for as long as I can remember. It's a wonderful instrument and one that I have enjoyed playing on with the worship team over the years (and it seems I remember one or two piano recitals when I was maybe 10 or 11).

Over the years I have come to love that piano. Musicians know that every instrument has its peculiarities and nuances and this one is no exception. There is that dent in the lid from the time that someone decided to stack chairs on top. There is that low G string that has been a problem for the last dozen years or so. And that lousy bench with no padding (a big concern for a no-padding individual like myself), well, that really has no special place in my heart. But I love the action of the keyboard, the tone, the weight of the damper pedal. The instrument speaks to me.

All this to say that we are currently looking at how best to deal with the ongoing maintenance issues of this 20 year old instrument. I was tickled by this recent email interaction between our piano technician (and staff member) and a Yamaha tech:

After restringing the piano, the church will want to address the problem, which is caused by the way it is being played. A peculiar rhythm, excessive use of the damper pedal, and/or hard playing of the piano will result in breaking strings. It is a well known phenomenon among manufacturers of performance level pianos, most frequently found in Pentecostal churches and jazz clubs. Nowadays, it is exacerbated by amplified sound, whether from voices, other instruments, percussion instruments, etc. The proliferation of all of that noise drowns out the piano, and for some reason people expect the piano to be able to be heard above it. Often, they will amplify the piano too, but they don’t offer the pianist a way to hear himself play, so he pounds on it. Good monitors can help, but if you turn them up high enough to be heard, you may get feedback. The best approach is to give the pianist headphones, or in-ear monitors.

So there you have it, we are either a pentecostal church or a jazz club! You decide which one!