Growth or Comfort?

“The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life.” – John Ortberg

The Power of Encouragment

Reading this well written post by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, reminded me of how often as a leader I am more critical than encouraging. How much better would it be if we were continual encouragers as God repeatedly reminds us. There would be a powerful impact on the lives of our fellow co-workers as well as those we minister to. Here Adams reflects on the impact of receiving written encouragements from a class of near strangers.

I remember opening my little package of compliments. Like everything else in the Dale Carnegie course, it seemed silly at first. How much impact would a bunch of mandated compliments from strangers have on me? Surely they would seem insincere to the point of humorous. I started to read them, one by one, and they blew me away. It was a powerful experience, and that was the point of the exercise. When we compared notes later, we all had the same experience. Compliments are powerful things, even from strangers who barely know you.

Mark Driscoll - "A good soldier"

I've recently been hooked on reading Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. He is definitely not your typical pastor, but is well known for making a huge impact on the city and unreached community of Seattle. His book, "Confessions of a Reformission Rev." is worth reading if for nothing else than it will make you laugh out loud. He's given me a lot to think about with regards to the importance of men in the church and how guys need to be challenged to step it up. He's come under a lot of criticism lately, but I think once you look deeper into his life, you can really see his heart for the church and to challenge men, especially. Here is a short video from him about the costs and the requirements of being a church planter.

Billy Graham's Advice

One of the greatest Christian leaders of the past century, on whether he wished he was more involved in world issues:

I’ve been concerned about our nation, our world and the political processes, but also I have regretted that I have not spent more time in prayer, in Bible study and in the pastoral ministry that pas­tors are usually called to do. An evangelist is a little differ­ent. The word evangelist means “the spreader of good news,” and my job, it seems to me, has been to go all over the world and proclaim that good news, and that’s my primary mission. But I did learn a great deal in my travels about our world, and I became con­cerned about it, and I spoke about some issues in that peri­od of time. To a young man today, I would say: “Put your emphasis on your Bible study and prayer.”

It's both mind boggling and challenging that someone with all of Graham's experience and opportunities to touch political powers and change the world through ministry, would only regret that he spent more time in prayer and Bible study.

A Christian Influence?

An encouraging article about the influence of Christianity on the US. Though analysts like Barna are often helpful in spurring the church on to more action, articles like this remind us that God is in fact doing things in the US after all.