Volunteers —- Show Me The Money!!

I just read this from Leadership Network:

“In 2007, volunteers from churches in Leadership Network’s Externally Focused Churches Leadership Community gave more than 1.8 million hours to kingdom-building service—from tutoring school children to supporting single parents to feeding hungry neighbors to innumerable other acts of charity.

The real value of this volunteer labor becomes clear when you crunch the numbers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average value of a volunteer hour in 2007 was approximately $19.00. That means these externally focused churches donated $34,416,923 worth of volunteer labor in 2007 alone.”

Simple Church

In my post yesterday, I mentioned the book Simple Church. Well, Tony Morgan reflected a little on it today,

“I finally had a chance to read the book Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. It’s been on my list for the last year or more, but I didn’t prioritize it. I wish I had. Honestly, I think it’s one of the top five books I’ve read on church ministry. This is one of those every-church-leader-should-read books. Great, great insights. I wish I would have written this book, because it certainly captures my heart for the local church.”

Click here to read some more of Tony’s post.

The Power of Simplicity

We are starting to think about focus and being strategically simple around here at Hope. One resource that is helping us work through this process is the book “Simple Church” by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger. They set out a philosophy of focusing your church to develop a simple disciple making process. There are four elements that they see as crucial in helping churches rethink and retool their ministry process.

1. Clarity - The ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people.
2. Movement - The sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment.
3. Alignment - The arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process.
4. Focus - The commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.

It is a good read with some powerful implications for ministry. One thing they point to is the power of simplicity being seen in web design today. Look at Google. Incredibly simple design. Incredibly successful. Look at the simplicity the web site of Mars Hill in Grand Rapids. Look at Starbucks. Look at the clarity seen in Calvary Church near St. Louis.

Also, give a look to this quick video that Kem Meyer posted on her blog. It deals with simple vs. complex solutions in problem solving.

Tigers Fall in National Final

Driving home tonight past the University of Memphis, what should have been a long line of cars honking and celebrating a Tiger national championship was like a funeral procession. People slowly passing by the campus in mourning over the loss.

I know someone has to lose.

And in the grand scheme of things this was just a basketball game. And the Tigers had a wonderful year — the best year of Memphis basketball ever. And they provided much joy and a tremendous amount of unity for a fractured city. And CDR was fantistic all year and gained first team All-America status. And Derrek Rose is the most phenominal athelete to put on a Tiger uniform. And Joey Dorsy was such a beast all year. And Calaperi has done a wonderful job leading these young men.

But when you invest your heart into something, you risk the pain. I have not invested as much heart energy toward a team since —- ever. The only thing that rivals it was watching my step-son who was a passionate and phenomenally skilled wrestler. I have never expended as much heart wrenching love as when he was battling it out on the mat in a close match.

Love is like that. It is a dangerous endeavor. That takes me to a favorite C. S. Lewis quote,

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

I love my step-son dearly — that is why his struggle on the mat impacted me so much. And yes, I love this Tiger team and with that love comes the pain of loss at their loss.

I guess I better end this cathartic post.  I do feel a little better getting this off my chest.

I am grateful for a great Tiger season and look forward to next year.

GO TIGERS!!!!

Go Tigers!!!!!

JUST ONE MORE WIN!!!!!

Hope Devos

      

We began a new series at Hope called “Love Defined”. Craig will be leading us through 1 Corinthians 13 and keying in on different characteristics of love and applying them to our lives.  The pic above is from a devotional series we are doing at our web site called Love Defined Daily.  Various staff members are writing these devotionals based on one of the verses in 1 Corinthinans 13.  Here is my entry — Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs. 

I was told if I wrote another devo that they would actually post a picture of my whole face!!! 

Wow!!! Tigers Win Big Over Texas in Texas

(Photo by AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki )

Yes, this picture looks like Tiger coach John Calipari is praying for a miracle. My take is that he is giving thanks to God for the man standing next to him —Derrick Rose. Rose was voted MVP of the south regional in the NCAA tournament after his Tigers dominated against number 2 seed Texas 85-67. What a big win for Calipari and his talented squad.

Many of The pundits have shown no respect for Memphis. (Exception is Digger Phelps)

Here is an example posted by ESPN on March 27th —- ALL of the experts picked Memphis to lose:

Will Memphis be tripped up sooner or later (or not at all)?

Bilas: Memphis (will lose), to Michigan State in Sweet 16

Davis: Memphis (will lose), to Texas in the Elite Eight

Fraschilla: Memphis (will lose), to Texas in the Elite Eight

Gottlieb: Memphis (will lose), to Texas in the Elite Eight

Rankin: Memphis (will lose), to Michigan State in the Sweet 16

Vitale: Memphis (will lose), to Michigan State in the Sweet 16

Well, well, well, look what has happened. The truth of the Tiger’s talent surfacing to the top.

It is great to be heading to San Antonio.

Tigers — What a Game — What a Half

In what was the most impressive half of basketball that I have seen in a while —– like EVER, the Tigers took it to Michigan State to earn a spot in the Elite Eight. 

                  

“That first half of basketball was one of the best I’ve been involved in as a coach.  I loved our discipline, I loved our execution of the offense, loved how unselfish they were and more importantly, I loved how they guarded. We really, really guarded. We played (nine) guys and all (nine) players in that half really helped their team. I was proud to be a part of it.”  — John Calipari 

My prediction of a win came true.  My prediction of a Michigan State score of 74 was correct.  But I missed the Tiger total by 11 on the positive side.  And how ’bout those free throws?  74%!!! May that number continue. 

GO TIGERS!!!

Go Tigers!! Sweet Sixteen Tonight

                                              

The Tigers take on Michigan State tonight in the Sweet Sixteen of the South Region.  Looks like a great matchup for the Tigers.  Keys to the game — Putting the clamps on Drew Neitzel from the 3-point line — Joey showing up and being the man he is on the boards — Tigers controlling the tempo of the game and not get into a free throw shooting contest at the end of the game.I predict at Memphis win — 81 - 74.

Externally Focused Church Webinar

Listened to a great webinar the other day from Leadership Network.  It was entitled “Breaking into the Kingdom w/ Rick McKinley”  Rick McKinley the pastor of Imago Dei in Portland talked about Four Paradigm Shifts a Church must make to become Missional.  Check out a good summary of this webinar at Robert Grisham’s blog - …this remarkable new opportunity.

Or if you want to listen to the teaching click on the following link:  www.leadnet.org/webinar-externallyfocusedkingdom

Good Stuff!