Pacesetters....it has been a very challenging pivot point. Being faced with such a task, on top of my everyday work, family, friends, church, routine, you either choose to carve out time, or you don't. That has been my challenge. I don't consider myself to be someone who has a lot of "free time", so carving out time, has had to be very intentional!!
The previous post had a list of books that we were given to read. At the time, we had just been given "the Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson. A summary never does a book justice, but here is a "quick" summary.
The Circle Maker.
Another great book, one that really challenges you in your mindset regarding prayer. The imagery is that of "circling" God's promises in prayer. Praying for God given dreams and vision. Dreaming Big, Praying Hard, and Thinking long term. Making a list of things you are praying over, short term, long term, personal, spiritual, to - do's, covering all aspects of life.
Too often we don't get what we want, because we don't even know what it is we want. To be clear, this is not a book about what "we want", it is about what dreams God has given us, the focus is about God getting glory, not us getting what "we want" from a non biblical "Genie" God.
Too often we "give up" on God, we stop praying, we stop working towards his will and vision. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "work like it depends on us, pray like it depends on God". Miracles happen when God intervenes, and He does so, so He get's the glory!!
Dreaming Big, it is about having the faith to look foolish, like....I have no idea how this dream is going to become a reality, but if God truly gives me the vision for it, He will deliver. God is not offended by big dreams that are rooted in Him, He is offended by anything less!
The book gives the reader a challenge, a pivot point, with which our prayer life, and life in general will hinge on. It is based on a quote by AW Tozer (one of my wife's favorites!), Tozer believed that a low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils, but a high view of God is the solution to ten thousand temporal problems. So,.......the question is, Are your problems bigger than God, or is God bigger than your problems? Good grief!!!, talk about a pivot point!! Answer that question honestly!
The more God given dreams we have, the more complicated, and honestly, the harder life will get. But a very common misunderstanding of the Christian life is that it will be and should be easy. The Goal of our spiritual maturity is not self-sufficiency or independence, the goal is co dependence on God. The more mature we are spiritually, the more we know we need to depend on God!! The goals of a Christian life are not our happiness or our personal comfort, if we believe that and act like that, we are not in line with God's objective, which is His will be done, and Him being glorified!!
In our last Pacesetters meeting, I told Pastor Rob that when we first met, I sat in Rob's office and asked him what his vision was for Bethany Christian Assembly. On my part, I asked the question as a sort of test, wanting to know where the leadership was focusing. I was literally blown away by the Big Dreams that he shared, and not for anything other than making the name of Christ known, wanting to serve the people of Everett in any way that God called them to. ( I had asked this same question to Pastor's at previous churches, and can now see the correlation between their answers and where their respective churches were growing, or lack thereof.) Pastor Rob then shared what he was "circling" in prayer. And he asked us to pray alongside him in the same things. I love seeing the vision of church leadership. It is really easy to jump on board when you know what the vision is!
Next time. Pivot Point......First Impressions at BCA
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Pivot Point.......Pacesetters part 2
On the first night that the Pacesetters group met, there were numerous things that stood out to me. First and foremost was the intentionality that was driving force behind why Pacesetters even existed. As Pastor Rob stated "I'm looking for emerging leaders that I can invest my life into...." I was thinking....that's on his radar? Of all the things he is responsible for in such a large church, looking to identify emerging leaders and investing them, was something I thought he wouldn't have time for. It was something I haven't seen modeled in previous churches. Sadly I have even watched Senior Pastors manage to do the opposite, and run off any potential leaders.
On this post I will be laying out what is required of a Pacesetter.
1. Attend faithfully the once per month meeting (90 minutes)
2. Do assigned reading and bible study in preparation for next meeting
3. Lead or help lead a small group
4. Lead or help lead a ministry at BCA
5. Commit yourself to grow as a leader.
First, we meet in Pastor Rob's office, and at some point in our time, I always glance around at the massive library of books that he has accumulated and read. It is impressive!
Second, the assigned reading/bible study. What a task! but one that has been a complete joy. The assigned reading/bible study has been challenging. For two reasons, one, in trying to carve out time to get it all done, and second, the reading and bible study has been spiritually challenging. I will be breaking down the specific readings in later posts. But this is the list of what it has entailed, just to give you an idea.
Bible study/workbooks.:
1. Basic Christian Beliefs (BCB) A 17 chapter workbook, focusing on the basics. This is a class that is taught at BCA on Wednesday nights for new believers. It involves scripture memorization, and alot of digging into scripture so that basic questions can be answered in the workbook.
2.Get a grip on your faith. A 13 chapter workbook that dives into specific doctrine.
3. BCA playbook. a 70 plus page book that guides the pastors and staff in the mission and vision of BCA. It breaks down Authentic leadership, Vision and Values, BCA strategies and systems, and the basics of what BCA does, and why they do it. This is one of my favorite's!! There is no mystery as to why BCA exists, and not mystery as to what their Vision is. It is all laid out, plain and simple.
4. Rethinking LIFE. A study guide based off of a sermon series on the life of Joseph. Looking at 8 critical aspects of Joseph's life
Books (so far);
1. The Navigator. A book about Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, a group that has focused on personal follow up (after the decision for Christ), one on one training, and the multiplication of disciples. This man was completely sold out to Christ!! Scripture was the Authority in his life, and reading about how his life was molded by scripture, was inspiring.
2. Jesus on Leadership by C.Gene Wilkes. A Fantastic 245 page book that focuses on Servant Leadership. Looking at the model Jesus gave us, by his example, leading by serving and following His Father. This book seriously challenged me to ask why I serve. What is the motivation? And a serious self examination on whether or not I was actually following Jesus. Great, great book.
3. The Measure of a Man by Gene A. Getz. An in your face, 250 page book, breaking down 20 attributes of a Godly man. Taken straight from 1 Timothy 2, and Titus 1, looking at the character qualifications for a Biblical Elder. This book can be read by and individual, but really is designed for reading along with another person or group. Great self evaluation sections, and strategy challenges on how to make application of the information. Ironically, the week we got this book, I had just finished my blog posts regarding Biblical Leadership.
4. Every Man's Battle. Winning the War on sexual temptation one victory at a time. by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. This book, well, holds absolutely nothing back!! I loved this book. It didn't just say......get victory over sin.....it laid out how to!! Sexual impurity is devastating our culture, and sadly, even the church and it's leaders. It is an open and honest book about men and their struggle with sexual temptation. This book is fantastic, literally, every man should read this book.
5. Every Man's challenge. How far are you willing to go for God/ by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. This book is about Spiritual growth, more specifically, that the Christian is tested on a daily basis, and how we do on those "tests", reveal what you are made of, they challenge you and prove you. It is about your commitment to obedience. God' word is your mirror, when you step before it and look at what you've become, what do you see? It is about Sin. It is about transformation, it is about change. I am currently reading this book.
6. Every Man's Marriage. An every man's guide to winning the heart of a woman (that woman being your wife). by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker.
Third. We have each had to prepare and share our testimonies. I have really enjoyed this aspect of our meetings. It helps to get to know each man, what he has come from and through, and how God has revealed Himself and worked in each man's life.
Fourth. We are not just part of a small group, we lead or co-lead one. There are over 200 small groups at BCA, with the a goal of over 400. Part of us leading a small group is training someone else to be able to split off and form their own.
Fifth. There are so many ways we can serve at BCA. Leading, or helping to lead a ministry, allows us to take part in ministry. Being part of the "team" is what we are supposed to be.
coming up....more detailed breakdown of the books I have been reading!
On this post I will be laying out what is required of a Pacesetter.
1. Attend faithfully the once per month meeting (90 minutes)
2. Do assigned reading and bible study in preparation for next meeting
3. Lead or help lead a small group
4. Lead or help lead a ministry at BCA
5. Commit yourself to grow as a leader.
First, we meet in Pastor Rob's office, and at some point in our time, I always glance around at the massive library of books that he has accumulated and read. It is impressive!
Second, the assigned reading/bible study. What a task! but one that has been a complete joy. The assigned reading/bible study has been challenging. For two reasons, one, in trying to carve out time to get it all done, and second, the reading and bible study has been spiritually challenging. I will be breaking down the specific readings in later posts. But this is the list of what it has entailed, just to give you an idea.
Bible study/workbooks.:
1. Basic Christian Beliefs (BCB) A 17 chapter workbook, focusing on the basics. This is a class that is taught at BCA on Wednesday nights for new believers. It involves scripture memorization, and alot of digging into scripture so that basic questions can be answered in the workbook.
2.Get a grip on your faith. A 13 chapter workbook that dives into specific doctrine.
3. BCA playbook. a 70 plus page book that guides the pastors and staff in the mission and vision of BCA. It breaks down Authentic leadership, Vision and Values, BCA strategies and systems, and the basics of what BCA does, and why they do it. This is one of my favorite's!! There is no mystery as to why BCA exists, and not mystery as to what their Vision is. It is all laid out, plain and simple.
4. Rethinking LIFE. A study guide based off of a sermon series on the life of Joseph. Looking at 8 critical aspects of Joseph's life
Books (so far);
1. The Navigator. A book about Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, a group that has focused on personal follow up (after the decision for Christ), one on one training, and the multiplication of disciples. This man was completely sold out to Christ!! Scripture was the Authority in his life, and reading about how his life was molded by scripture, was inspiring.
2. Jesus on Leadership by C.Gene Wilkes. A Fantastic 245 page book that focuses on Servant Leadership. Looking at the model Jesus gave us, by his example, leading by serving and following His Father. This book seriously challenged me to ask why I serve. What is the motivation? And a serious self examination on whether or not I was actually following Jesus. Great, great book.
3. The Measure of a Man by Gene A. Getz. An in your face, 250 page book, breaking down 20 attributes of a Godly man. Taken straight from 1 Timothy 2, and Titus 1, looking at the character qualifications for a Biblical Elder. This book can be read by and individual, but really is designed for reading along with another person or group. Great self evaluation sections, and strategy challenges on how to make application of the information. Ironically, the week we got this book, I had just finished my blog posts regarding Biblical Leadership.
4. Every Man's Battle. Winning the War on sexual temptation one victory at a time. by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. This book, well, holds absolutely nothing back!! I loved this book. It didn't just say......get victory over sin.....it laid out how to!! Sexual impurity is devastating our culture, and sadly, even the church and it's leaders. It is an open and honest book about men and their struggle with sexual temptation. This book is fantastic, literally, every man should read this book.
5. Every Man's challenge. How far are you willing to go for God/ by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. This book is about Spiritual growth, more specifically, that the Christian is tested on a daily basis, and how we do on those "tests", reveal what you are made of, they challenge you and prove you. It is about your commitment to obedience. God' word is your mirror, when you step before it and look at what you've become, what do you see? It is about Sin. It is about transformation, it is about change. I am currently reading this book.
6. Every Man's Marriage. An every man's guide to winning the heart of a woman (that woman being your wife). by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker.
Third. We have each had to prepare and share our testimonies. I have really enjoyed this aspect of our meetings. It helps to get to know each man, what he has come from and through, and how God has revealed Himself and worked in each man's life.
Fourth. We are not just part of a small group, we lead or co-lead one. There are over 200 small groups at BCA, with the a goal of over 400. Part of us leading a small group is training someone else to be able to split off and form their own.
Fifth. There are so many ways we can serve at BCA. Leading, or helping to lead a ministry, allows us to take part in ministry. Being part of the "team" is what we are supposed to be.
coming up....more detailed breakdown of the books I have been reading!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Men's Ministry
The Holy Spirit began working in me and on me in ways I would not have guessed. The more I read, the more I learned, the more convicted I became that I couldn't let this end with me. I had to share what I had been learning, but how?? And......would anyone be as excited about it as me?? That lead to the next book I needed to get. Something that would help me organize all that I was learning, and plan for how to combine multiple books and thoughts in a way that I would be able to communicate effectively. At least, I was hoping it was going to be effective!!
If you go to a "christian" book store, the smallest section is usually the men's section. And honestly, most books are not very good. Thankfully, I ended up finding a great book, "How to build a life-changing Men's Ministry" by Steve Sonderman. I do want to be clear, in no way did I envision a life changing Men's ministry!! I just wanted some help in bringing what I was learning to the men, my friends in my sunday school class.
This book was written to form a ministry team, specifically what type of men need to be sought out to lead a men's ministry. And since I was going to try a start some form of ministry, well.........I knew I needed to work on a lot, and honestly, this book almost made me not carry on. I knew I fell short in many of these area's of my life. So who was I to lead this!!?? In the end.....my friends and I were going to go through this together. I didn't consider myself the "leader", just the guy willing to get the ball rolling and see what happens!
So here are some quotes and thoughts that made me do some really heavy thinking!!
"Without a clear and concise purpose it will be very difficult for your ministry to stay on track.....you need a purpose statement for your ministry."
1. A purpose statement keeps from taking on more than you can handle
2. A purpose statement helps you make decisions.
3. A purpose statement keeps you working at your strengths.
"The guy we are aiming at has four characteristics; Integrity, Intimacy, Identity, and Influence."
"Biblical men are men of Integrity. It means to posses a genuine heart. It evidences itself in ethical soundness, moral excellence, absence of hypocrisy and a willingness to keep promises. No hidden messages. No hidden agenda's."
Integrity shows itself in 3 ways;
Integrity shows itself in convictions, men who know what they believe and act on it.
Integrity shows itself in congruence, your walk matches your talk
Integrity shows itself in character, men who are strong because they have come to grips with their brokeness and been healed.
"The second mark of a biblical man is Intimacy. .....It is a sharing of life with another--its allowing others into our heart......we want to help men develop intimacy in 3 ways...."
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with God."
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with his wife.
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with other men."
Third...."The Biblical man is certain of his Identity. The biblical man is balanced and complete."
"There are four basic principles we can remind our men of......"
1. We have been created by God for God. Psalm 139:14
2. Christ loved us enough to die for us. John 3:16
3. Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20
4. The Masculinity of Jesus is our model.
Fourth...."The Biblical man is a man of Influence."
"part of our goal is to train men to do ministry. And to train men to train other men to do ministry"
"A man of Influence see's the future........even after we die, we live on in two ways. We live on in eternity with Christ. We also live on in the lives we have influenced, the lives we have invested ourselves in."
And to sum up this section......."God wants us to build Biblical men. That's the goal of our men's ministry. If we fail to produce men of Integrity, Intimacy, Identity, and Influence, we have failed......"
So....that was just Chapter One!!!!!! But that was A.L.O.T. !! Those 4 characteristics of a Godly man......that was the core of what challenged me. The rest of the book dealt with expounding on those character qualities, and a lot more specifically about what a men's ministry can and should look like.
If you go to a "christian" book store, the smallest section is usually the men's section. And honestly, most books are not very good. Thankfully, I ended up finding a great book, "How to build a life-changing Men's Ministry" by Steve Sonderman. I do want to be clear, in no way did I envision a life changing Men's ministry!! I just wanted some help in bringing what I was learning to the men, my friends in my sunday school class.
This book was written to form a ministry team, specifically what type of men need to be sought out to lead a men's ministry. And since I was going to try a start some form of ministry, well.........I knew I needed to work on a lot, and honestly, this book almost made me not carry on. I knew I fell short in many of these area's of my life. So who was I to lead this!!?? In the end.....my friends and I were going to go through this together. I didn't consider myself the "leader", just the guy willing to get the ball rolling and see what happens!
So here are some quotes and thoughts that made me do some really heavy thinking!!
"Without a clear and concise purpose it will be very difficult for your ministry to stay on track.....you need a purpose statement for your ministry."
1. A purpose statement keeps from taking on more than you can handle
2. A purpose statement helps you make decisions.
3. A purpose statement keeps you working at your strengths.
"The guy we are aiming at has four characteristics; Integrity, Intimacy, Identity, and Influence."
"Biblical men are men of Integrity. It means to posses a genuine heart. It evidences itself in ethical soundness, moral excellence, absence of hypocrisy and a willingness to keep promises. No hidden messages. No hidden agenda's."
Integrity shows itself in 3 ways;
Integrity shows itself in convictions, men who know what they believe and act on it.
Integrity shows itself in congruence, your walk matches your talk
Integrity shows itself in character, men who are strong because they have come to grips with their brokeness and been healed.
"The second mark of a biblical man is Intimacy. .....It is a sharing of life with another--its allowing others into our heart......we want to help men develop intimacy in 3 ways...."
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with God."
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with his wife.
"The biblical man experiences Intimacy with other men."
Third...."The Biblical man is certain of his Identity. The biblical man is balanced and complete."
"There are four basic principles we can remind our men of......"
1. We have been created by God for God. Psalm 139:14
2. Christ loved us enough to die for us. John 3:16
3. Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20
4. The Masculinity of Jesus is our model.
Fourth...."The Biblical man is a man of Influence."
"part of our goal is to train men to do ministry. And to train men to train other men to do ministry"
"A man of Influence see's the future........even after we die, we live on in two ways. We live on in eternity with Christ. We also live on in the lives we have influenced, the lives we have invested ourselves in."
And to sum up this section......."God wants us to build Biblical men. That's the goal of our men's ministry. If we fail to produce men of Integrity, Intimacy, Identity, and Influence, we have failed......"
So....that was just Chapter One!!!!!! But that was A.L.O.T. !! Those 4 characteristics of a Godly man......that was the core of what challenged me. The rest of the book dealt with expounding on those character qualities, and a lot more specifically about what a men's ministry can and should look like.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Real Man....Are you one???
Great question, one to which I had no idea how to answer. What is a Real Man anyway?? How do you answer a question like that? What is the standard? That's the point of the second book I read, "Real Man Are you real?", by Edwin Louis Cole.
The basic theme of this book is that Jesus Christ is the Christian man's role model. And that begins and ends with the quality of the inner being of that man. That's what makes him "real". At the very core of Jesus are the attributes of God, these are what makes Jesus who he really is. And, simply, that is why he is our model.
The following are some quotes from the first few chapters of the book. The foundational thoughts that the rest of the book was built on, similar to what a Christ following man should be built like, from the heart out! If the foundation is faulty the structure built on it will not last.
"In the case of male identity and role, the answer is found in God as He revealed Himself on earth in the manhood of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God showed us by example how to live as real men here on earth......the essence of real manhood is found not in how a man looks or in what a man does but in who a man is."
"Every man is limited in life by three things: 1.) the knowledge of his own mind 2.) the worth of his own character 3.) the principles upon which he builds his own life."
"The truth is, whatever a man is in private --what he believes, practices and has built into his character-- determines the actions and decisions he makes in public.......Private philosophy determines public performance."
"Life is composed of our choices, constructed by our words and actions, and revealed by our character."
"Build your character on the foundation of truth, use faithfulness as its cornerstone, making righteousness its walls, and your good character will be known by all. Good character will stand the test of time."
"Unlike the Pharisee's of Jesus' day, who substituted religion for relationship, real men recognize Truth, submit to Truth, and are discipled by Him Who is called Truth."
"Substituting relative values for absolutes in moral life can be devastating."
"In the Christian community, people substitute:
-Talent for Anointing. relying on the external rather than internal. God commits to character, not talent"
-Remorse for Repentance. Sorrow for getting caught is NOT sorrow for having sinned.
-Passion for Obedience. The evidence of love is obedience to the Word. If the Word of God does not have lordship in your life, then Christ is not Lord of your life."
These quotes alone were very convicting. All true, and all focused on the inner man, and the character of a man. The real character of a man is revealed in his choices. If the Word of God is not really the absolute truth for us in how we conduct our lives in private, it will be a matter of time before that will also be revealed in public.
"Every man has three identities to deal with:
1.) the man he wants others to think he is
2.) the man he thinks he is
3.) and the man he really is."
"the degree to which these three coincide determines the depth of real manhood and the amount of peace in one's life."
Too many men spend way to much time on their image, what they want others to think they are. As I developed ManUp, and the accountability groups, this was one of the biggest hurdles I faced. I had to been transparent and real with the men, if there was to be any hope of them being real and transparent with each other. This was a pivot point for me!! Time to dive into who I really was, what I really believed, and how that manifested itself in my choices. Yikes!! Was God really calling me to do this??!! Actually, He calls all of us to to this!!
Our testimony depends on our character.
The basic theme of this book is that Jesus Christ is the Christian man's role model. And that begins and ends with the quality of the inner being of that man. That's what makes him "real". At the very core of Jesus are the attributes of God, these are what makes Jesus who he really is. And, simply, that is why he is our model.
The following are some quotes from the first few chapters of the book. The foundational thoughts that the rest of the book was built on, similar to what a Christ following man should be built like, from the heart out! If the foundation is faulty the structure built on it will not last.
"In the case of male identity and role, the answer is found in God as He revealed Himself on earth in the manhood of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God showed us by example how to live as real men here on earth......the essence of real manhood is found not in how a man looks or in what a man does but in who a man is."
"Every man is limited in life by three things: 1.) the knowledge of his own mind 2.) the worth of his own character 3.) the principles upon which he builds his own life."
"The truth is, whatever a man is in private --what he believes, practices and has built into his character-- determines the actions and decisions he makes in public.......Private philosophy determines public performance."
"Life is composed of our choices, constructed by our words and actions, and revealed by our character."
"Build your character on the foundation of truth, use faithfulness as its cornerstone, making righteousness its walls, and your good character will be known by all. Good character will stand the test of time."
"Unlike the Pharisee's of Jesus' day, who substituted religion for relationship, real men recognize Truth, submit to Truth, and are discipled by Him Who is called Truth."
"Substituting relative values for absolutes in moral life can be devastating."
"In the Christian community, people substitute:
-Talent for Anointing. relying on the external rather than internal. God commits to character, not talent"
-Remorse for Repentance. Sorrow for getting caught is NOT sorrow for having sinned.
-Passion for Obedience. The evidence of love is obedience to the Word. If the Word of God does not have lordship in your life, then Christ is not Lord of your life."
These quotes alone were very convicting. All true, and all focused on the inner man, and the character of a man. The real character of a man is revealed in his choices. If the Word of God is not really the absolute truth for us in how we conduct our lives in private, it will be a matter of time before that will also be revealed in public.
"Every man has three identities to deal with:
1.) the man he wants others to think he is
2.) the man he thinks he is
3.) and the man he really is."
"the degree to which these three coincide determines the depth of real manhood and the amount of peace in one's life."
Too many men spend way to much time on their image, what they want others to think they are. As I developed ManUp, and the accountability groups, this was one of the biggest hurdles I faced. I had to been transparent and real with the men, if there was to be any hope of them being real and transparent with each other. This was a pivot point for me!! Time to dive into who I really was, what I really believed, and how that manifested itself in my choices. Yikes!! Was God really calling me to do this??!! Actually, He calls all of us to to this!!
Our testimony depends on our character.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Beat me up......bonus post.
It's a heart issue. I am adding this as a stand alone post. It is from "The Life of a God-made man". It is a simple analogy, but really made me step back and evaluate why I do what I do. On the first night of ManUp I had each man there evaluate which runner they most resemble in regards to their Christian life. Which are you??
Suppose 3 men go running 5 days a week. Suppose, further, that we ask each one why he is so dedicated to running.
Man #1 answers...."I run because my father died of a heart attack at fifty-one, and I want to live long enough to retire and to see my grandchildren grow up."
Man #2 answers...."I run so I can eat anything I want and still not gain weight. Running also makes me tired enough to sleep soundly at night."
Man #3 answers....."When I run, my legs soar over the ground, the wind brushes my face, my heart beats like slow, heavy thunder in my chest, and I feel alive."
WHY do the men run????
Man #1 runs out of fear. He is afraid of what will happen if he stops.
Man #2 runs for its benefits. He runs because it enhances the quality of his life, he eats and sleeps better.
Man #3 runs because he loves running, running is its own reward.
WHAT do they love??
Man #1 & #2 love health, and food, and sleep. Running is the instrument they use to gain what they desire.
Man #3 loves running itself.
The obedience of many Christians resembles the first 2 runners.They obey in order to avoid what they fear (hell) or to gain what they desire (friends, power, influence, title's). Only a few serve God seeking, above all else, God himself. Ideally, the man after God's own heart loves the Lord for His sake!!!
Why do you run????? If you asked someone else to evaluate you, what would they say??
Suppose 3 men go running 5 days a week. Suppose, further, that we ask each one why he is so dedicated to running.
Man #1 answers...."I run because my father died of a heart attack at fifty-one, and I want to live long enough to retire and to see my grandchildren grow up."
Man #2 answers...."I run so I can eat anything I want and still not gain weight. Running also makes me tired enough to sleep soundly at night."
Man #3 answers....."When I run, my legs soar over the ground, the wind brushes my face, my heart beats like slow, heavy thunder in my chest, and I feel alive."
WHY do the men run????
Man #1 runs out of fear. He is afraid of what will happen if he stops.
Man #2 runs for its benefits. He runs because it enhances the quality of his life, he eats and sleeps better.
Man #3 runs because he loves running, running is its own reward.
WHAT do they love??
Man #1 & #2 love health, and food, and sleep. Running is the instrument they use to gain what they desire.
Man #3 loves running itself.
The obedience of many Christians resembles the first 2 runners.They obey in order to avoid what they fear (hell) or to gain what they desire (friends, power, influence, title's). Only a few serve God seeking, above all else, God himself. Ideally, the man after God's own heart loves the Lord for His sake!!!
Why do you run????? If you asked someone else to evaluate you, what would they say??
Saturday, February 25, 2012
They Beat me up. ManUp......Books that inspired me.
I have always found it strangely fun to find conviction in something you read. Even more so when you know that you are seriously lacking in an aspect of your life. My somewhat innocent dive into reading some books regarding biblical manhood, well........really beat me up!! I am going to give some summary and quotes from the first three books that God led me to.
The first book is "The Life of a God-made Man" becoming a Man after God's Heart by Dan Doriani.
The Focus of this book is the heart of the man. The root of his being. The Man's life being about a response to God's grace, mercy, and love. Not being about following commands to earn God's favor. Seems pretty simple, and honestly things I had already believed. The difference being, really focusing on the Heart, the place that our words and actions flow from, and why I choose what I choose. What is my real motivation. This book talks about the Man and his marriage, his children, his friends, at work, as a leader in church, and at play. Basically every aspect of life, and in challenging detail. I was forced to evaluate who I was, in light of what Scripture called me to be.
"...the relentless stress on what men should do misses the most basic issue: THE HEART ISSUE. "
"Men fail to take the steps to do what they should because they don't want to take those steps. Pray regularly?? some men know that they should but fail because they have no desire to be alone with God in prayer..........Seek accountability?? Many men avoid accountability because they prefer to answer to themselves alone. They don't want to guard their eye or mind to closely. They want to indulge the eye's lusts for women and the minds fantasies of wealth and dominance."
"Men after God's heart return to the Gospel because they know they forget the Gospel........we know the Gospel, but we need to grasp it more deeply, more truly"
"To live as men after God's heart, we need more than just good advice. We need deliverance. We need God to change us.......We need God to remake us in his image."
"So the man after God's heart lives by grace, not laws; by character, not techniques; in short by the pattern of the living God."
"Friendships can degenerate into mutual admiration societies. But friends also have the capacity to cause creative discomfort......but true friends also inflict constructive misery on each other."
"Friends correct each other, and they listen when the correction comes."
"The Bible stresses character based leadership. The key text is 1 Timothy 3...........notice that Paul's list first describes the character of elder, not his work........he emphasizes the leader's character more than his skills."
"Good leaders are strongest in times of severe testing."
"You must know, love, and serve one woman, your wife, working to understand her and to use your knowledge in order to love her in every way."
"Good leaders never shirk leadership, nor use it for selfish advantage."
WOW..... That is such a super small sample of this book, and honestly it doesn't even do it justice.
This book was in my face, and gave me a Biblical perspective on Godly Manhood that I had never been exposed to previously. Given a lack of knowledge on the subject and a lack of role models, this book was a big pivot point for me. It was allowing me to grow in ways I know the Holy Spirit was prompting.
One book down.....a few more to share!!
The first book is "The Life of a God-made Man" becoming a Man after God's Heart by Dan Doriani.
The Focus of this book is the heart of the man. The root of his being. The Man's life being about a response to God's grace, mercy, and love. Not being about following commands to earn God's favor. Seems pretty simple, and honestly things I had already believed. The difference being, really focusing on the Heart, the place that our words and actions flow from, and why I choose what I choose. What is my real motivation. This book talks about the Man and his marriage, his children, his friends, at work, as a leader in church, and at play. Basically every aspect of life, and in challenging detail. I was forced to evaluate who I was, in light of what Scripture called me to be.
"...the relentless stress on what men should do misses the most basic issue: THE HEART ISSUE. "
"Men fail to take the steps to do what they should because they don't want to take those steps. Pray regularly?? some men know that they should but fail because they have no desire to be alone with God in prayer..........Seek accountability?? Many men avoid accountability because they prefer to answer to themselves alone. They don't want to guard their eye or mind to closely. They want to indulge the eye's lusts for women and the minds fantasies of wealth and dominance."
"Men after God's heart return to the Gospel because they know they forget the Gospel........we know the Gospel, but we need to grasp it more deeply, more truly"
"To live as men after God's heart, we need more than just good advice. We need deliverance. We need God to change us.......We need God to remake us in his image."
"So the man after God's heart lives by grace, not laws; by character, not techniques; in short by the pattern of the living God."
"Friendships can degenerate into mutual admiration societies. But friends also have the capacity to cause creative discomfort......but true friends also inflict constructive misery on each other."
"Friends correct each other, and they listen when the correction comes."
"The Bible stresses character based leadership. The key text is 1 Timothy 3...........notice that Paul's list first describes the character of elder, not his work........he emphasizes the leader's character more than his skills."
"Good leaders are strongest in times of severe testing."
"You must know, love, and serve one woman, your wife, working to understand her and to use your knowledge in order to love her in every way."
"Good leaders never shirk leadership, nor use it for selfish advantage."
WOW..... That is such a super small sample of this book, and honestly it doesn't even do it justice.
This book was in my face, and gave me a Biblical perspective on Godly Manhood that I had never been exposed to previously. Given a lack of knowledge on the subject and a lack of role models, this book was a big pivot point for me. It was allowing me to grow in ways I know the Holy Spirit was prompting.
One book down.....a few more to share!!
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