A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis
It was just a little sin, a little insignificant lie. One told out of embarrassment and frustration. Just two little words…
Wrong number.
Actually, it was little insignificant lie #2. The first came just a few minutes before…
It’s already taken care of.
Funny thing about those little insignificant sins: They are huge blocks in one’s spirit, in one’s ability to focus on and hear from God.
I just finished reading Larry Winget’s book about work. I probably never would have picked up this book on my own, but I won it from the good folks over at InBubbleWrap. Boy, am I glad I did!
Well, “glad” may not really be a good word. Let’s just say I’ve greatly benefited from Winget’s common-sense, in-your-face, no-nonsense approach.
Almost every page reminded me of my buddy Gary Lamb for some reason. I guess because of Gary’s common-sense, in-your-face, no-nonsense approach. Now, if only Gary could get some of those glasses, shirts, and boots, and shave his head…
First, let me say that I was not able to find an old, abandoned, ratty, never-wanted-again rocking chair. I found a brand-new, ratty, why-would-I-want-one rocking chair. But I wasn’t going to spend 80 bucks for it.
Especially since I intended to smash it to smithereens with a sledge hammer in the middle of our morning worship service today.
So I managed to pilfer a rocking chair from our nursery before the service started. A great squeaky, creaky rocking chair. And as it turned out, the fact that our people thought I was about to smash it to smithereens with a sledge hammer was probably more effective than if I had actually done it!
For the record, we’re working our way through Joshua, and today’s talk was on Caleb, and it was called “No More Rocking Chairs,” and it challenged me more than it did my people. Go figure…
(The talk also included a quote from Shelley Winters about nudity on stage, some condescending quotes about older people from some of our local civic leaders, President Reagan’s diary, Roger Clemens, and a double-dog dare. Who said “traditional” churches aren’t any fun?)
Definitely an old school unwind tonight! (Wow! Isn’t it amazing that a “cutting edge” CD released just seven years ago is really, really old school?) Anyway, Delirious? always helps me worship. Not to mention, they can flat out rock!
The more I read Chris Elrod’s blog, the more I keep moving him up my list of “Bloggers I Most Want to Meet.”
Chris posted today about his greatest regret, and here’s the money quote for me…
I kept saying I’ll do it tomorrow…as of today…tomorrow has never come.
Somewhat strange question…and I’m asking it in a couple of online forums I frequent…
Do you guys know of any situations/models where the “main teaching pastor” IS NOT the “main leading pastor?” Does that make sense? Are there any churches that are successful where the entrepreneurial/visionary leader is not the one who is most gifted in teaching/preaching? Or conversely, do you know of any successful churches where the most gifted teacher/preacher is not the most gifted entrepreneurial/visionary leader?
I know that sounds kind of weird, but I’m just wondering…thanks in advance for the help!
You’ve probably heard the adage…
Figures never lie, but liars always figure.
That old saw just goes to show you that you can make statistics say pretty much whatever you want them to say. A recent case in point came from our local newspaper. The title of the article is…
County seniors expected to boom
…and it gives some pretty interesting statistics and figures that show our county is quickly becoming a haven for older adults. That article led to someone commenting to me yesterday – again! – about how perhaps we don’t really need to be focusing our church’s efforts on reaching “younger” people, etc.
But they missed the whole point of the article, in my opinion. Yes, the older-adult population in our area is expected to grow. But the very first line in the article says…
Cherokee County’s older adult population is expected to increase by 247 percent by 2030…
2030? That’s 23 years from now! That means the people the article references are only around 32 years old now! They are not “older adults” yet! And they aren’t your grandfather’s older adults, either.
I’m still looking for that rocking chair, BTW…
(No, son…you cannot “jack one” from your school. They will miss it, and will probably track it down. They can’t keep your air running, and they won’t feed you dinner, but they’ve probably got ways of tracking old worn-out rocking chairs!)
Yesterday one of our folks approached me after our service and said something about how much she appreciated my message and the way I always say something “to make her think.”
After reading Acts 2 this morning, I’m praying that I’ll never again be satisfied with just “making people think.”
Nope, I want to be the kind of communicator that challenges people’s thinking and inspires them to do something with their changed minds!
When Peter – an untrained, unskilled orator – stood up in God’s power, he challenged the people’s thinking. But he also gave them something tangible and concrete to do. And he inspired them to take action. What kind of action?
Not-yet-believers crossed the line of faith. “Good” people became God’s people. Scattered people became fellowshipping people. Cynical, jaded, discouraged people became wondering, awe-filled people. Stingy people became sharing people. Consuming people became contributing people. Isolated people became belonging people.
Make ’em think? Nope, not good enough any more!
God, let me communicate in ways that give You a platform , a launching pad, to change lives!
David had The Three. He had The Thirty.
Men of great courage. Men of great loyalty – to God and to David personally. Men who were not afraid and who did not back down in the face of great adversity. Men who were used by God – and inspired by David – to undertake great exploits and achieve great things. Men who were willing to face overwhelming odds and impossible situations. Leaders in their own right – who subjugated their own sense of pride and ego for the cause of the king – and The King.
Everybody needs some guys like that in their lives. Guys who have your back. Guys who use whatever they have to win great victories. Guys who’ll stand in the lentil field – alone, if necessary – until the enemy is vanquished. Guys who’ll wield their sword until they can’t lift it – and win the battle. Guys who’ll charge through enemy strongholds to bring back a drink of water.
I wonder if I could ever inspire such a group of men. I’m wondering today if I’m really supposed be one of such a group of men. One of “The Guys,” and not “The Man”…