August 18th Extra Post - must show!

Just a little thought to help brighten your day!

-      Did it make you smile?

4 Tips to Help You Navigate Through Complaints About Your Ministry

I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes what we do, what we plan and what happens is not liked by everyone at our churches, by some staff members and some parents. 

I know for me as we are transitioning some things and restructuring our ministry that it is going to (and has) rubbed some people the wrong way.

Sometimes when you change things up, it’s going to get in the way of how people have done some things in the past, and they are troubled when now poses a “threat” to what they have known. They start blaming things on your ministry and tell you how to do things.

I love what Andy Stanley said at Catalyst: “Blame is just a change-avoidance strategy.” I know that the Lord has called me and our ministry to a certain vision for our ministry, and I know the way I am going to go about certain things will make people uncomfortable, and I have to be OK with it. It’s how you handle the confrontation and conversations that follow. I have had to have chats with my supervisor, with staff members, team members, volunteers and parents, and I feel we have been able to move forward in doing what God has called me to do.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while navigating change and tough conversations:

They just want to be heard—Be a great listener. Regardless if you agree with what they are saying, affirm their concerns, because when they feel like they are being heard they are more likely to hear what you have to say as well. I had a parent not too happy with our change in summer camp, and I just got to hang with, listen and have a conversation, and we walked away feeling really good about our route.

Most of the time, there is something more behind the complaint—From all of the conversations I have had, usually the initial complaint is not the real reason behind the complaint. Usually there is something more behind it, and having a conversation will help you get though it and move past it.

Let your supervisor know—If they are good, they won’t care. You need to have good communication and you need to have their trust in order for this to work for you. I let my supervisor know about any email he will be getting or conversation coming his way and I know he loves it. He doesn’t like to be surprised, and I’m assuming yours doesn’t either.

Respond gracefully and explain the “why”—When people don’t agree with you, we need to respond in a way that gives God glory, as hard as that is sometimes. Also when we respond, instead of saying, “Well that’s just what we are doing,” explain the why behind what you’re doing. 

Simon Sinek says, “People usually don’t buy what or how you do things, they buy the why.” Usually when people understand why you are doing a certain thing (because usually they assume and are wrong), they are more likely to understand and get behind you on it. I have had staff members and parents who were against me at one point turn to be my biggest supporters because they got the “why.”

Sometimes they won’t be on board and you have to be OK with that, and all you can do is respond gracefully and with love.  

Source: 

Justin Knowles

http://www.downloadyouthministry.com

Justin Knowles is the Lead Next-Gen Pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in San Dimas, CA. He oversees junior high, high school and college ministries at the church and is passionate about reaching students. He also blogs regularly and creates content for Downloadyouthministry.com.

A father’s blessing (1)

 “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.”                                      Hebrews 11:20

Every child needs their father’s blessing, and every father should speak words of blessing to them. When Isaac blessed his sons he was speaking with divinely given authority, not out of sentiment or favoritism.

By Hebrew custom a father’s blessing had these ingredients:

 (1) A meaningful touch. “Jacob went close to his father…who touched him…Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come here, my son, and kiss me’” (Ge 27:22, 26 NIV). A father’s blessing included the laying on of hands, a kiss, and an embrace of love and acceptance. Jesus also knew the importance of this: “He took [the children] up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” (Mk 10:16).

And such expressions of love still bless your children’s hearts when they get them from you, Dad. 

(2) Words of affection. Before blessing Jacob his father Isaac said to him, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed” (Ge 27:27 NIV). To a city dweller these words might bring a puzzled look, but not to Isaac’s boys.

Isaac, who loved nature, was saying, “That’s my boy—a country boy, a hunter, a man’s man like his dad!” He couldn’t have spoken more affirming words to his sons.

Dad, make sure your words aren’t demeaning or insensitive; speak words that say, “I love you, I believe in you, I’m proud of you, and I’ll always be here for you.”

Go FORWARD In Faith

PSALM 23:6
“ ⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

To Hear God, Get Near God

“It is the LORD who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 GNT).

You say, “I want to trust God, but I don’t hear him.”

You don’t hear God when your mind is filled with a thousand other distractions. To hear God, you’ve got to get near God. You have to get alone with God and be quiet.

The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). 

That means sit down and stay quiet. That’s how you hear God and get near God. You have to sit alone and just be quiet with your Bible and say, “God, is there anything you want to say to me?” You read God’s Word, and you talk to him about what’s on your heart.

God says he will give you the wisdom you need to recognize his voice and follow through on what he says: “It is the LORD who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 GNT).

Pray this today: “God, I want to listen to you, not the voices of doubt. I want to get close to you and get to know you better. I want to hear you, and I promise to then obey you. I want to be one of the people that you can use and bless.”

Source:  

                    

Rick Warren

Originally Posted HERE

‘MIND THE ALLIGATORS’: A LESSON IN SPIRITUAL VIGILANCE

I took a day off at the end of two very long and successful weeks of serving the church in Botswana. Well, most of the day anyhow. The morning started very early as I spoke at the national police academy for the country. It was powerful and moving, but that’s another story.

Later that day, the team from Eastpoint and I went on a safari to a game preserve. I love Botswana, and I love animals, so this was an incredible day for me. We saw everything from baboons to giraffes. Without a doubt, however, the highlight of the day was two male hippos.

Our driver let us get out of the Land Rover and allowed us to move fairly close to the water. Frankly, I was a bit surprised because the last time I was there the previous guide wouldn’t let us out of the truck. He said something about getting eaten.

Seeing hippos in the wild is hard to describe. They’re enormous and fascinating. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is considered by many as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. In fact, hippos kill more humans in Africa than any other wild animal. That being the case, our guide cautioned us. Though they are only territorial while in the water, an angry hippo can easily outrun most humans.

I’d read about hippos, so I wasn’t too concerned, and the males were still a reasonable distance from all of us. However, as we approached the water and the tall grass, our guide kept saying, “Mind the alligators. Mind the alligators!” He was more worried about the gators than the hippos, so he cautioned us to keep a watchful eye out for them while we were enjoying the sights.

Of course, being a pastor, I started thinking about the lesson to be learned in this situation.

Here it is: So often we are focused on something entertaining, fascinating and cool (like a hippo or two) that we aren’t paying attention to the other lurking dangers around us.

In other words, we humans, quite unlike animals in the wild, get distracted and then we end up hurt or dead.

Sound a bit too melodramatic? I think not.

How many times have you heard about a driver looking at an accident on the highway only to cause another one because he or she wasn’t paying attention to the road ahead of them?

How many times have you seen a spouse get so involved and consumed by their career that they lose their marriage or family in the pursuit of success?

How many times have you found yourself wasting hours binging on Netflix while your Bible collects dust on your nightstand or the backseat of your car?

Peter once wrote, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).

Like it or not, admit it or not, too often too many forget that we must always be emotionally, physically and spiritually alert. You have an enemy, and he wants to kill you.

In my experience, Satan rarely if ever walks up and says, “Hey, mind if I destroy your life?”

Nope.

Instead, he is a master of distraction. He will get you looking at or doing something that is probably fun, cool and maybe even good, while he slips in through the tall grass to devour you.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus made such a big deal about focusing on the kingdom of God first and foremost. Maybe that’s why he told the rich young ruler to go and sell all that he had and to come then and follow him. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead and to not look back.

Jesus doesn’t want you, or me, preoccupied with the temporary. When we are distracted by things that seem innocent and harmless—we risk losing what truly matters.

So, mind the alligators (and the lions).

“God is looking earnestly and everywhere for men and women who he can bless, strengthen and use; people who are absolutely focused and committed to him and his purposes on the earth!”                                   —2 Chronicles 16:9 (Bubna Paraphrase)

 Source:

Kurt Bubna is the senior pastor of Eastpoint Church in Spokane Valley, Washington, a regional purpose-driven director (Saddleback Church) and the author of the book Epic Grace: Chronicles of a Recovering Idiot. 

This post was originally published on KurtBubna.com.

A True Hero

The date was August 7, 1982. 

The Red Sox were playing an afternoon game at Boston's Fenway Park. 

Suddenly a screaming foul ball whizzed past the first base dugout and Red Sox left fielder Jim Rice heard the unmistakable sound of ball striking flesh. Looking around the corner of the dugout into the stands Rice saw 4 year old Jonathan Keane bleeding profusely from his head. 

Realizing in a split second that it would take several minutes for park EMT's to get to the scene, the future Hall of Famer sprang into action.

Rice leaped over the railing into the stands, cradled the young fan into his arms and carried the boy into the dugout where he received immediate attention from the team's medical staff.

Within just a few minutes Jonathan was rushed to the hospital where doctors credited Rice with saving the boys life. Jim Rice played the rest of the game in a blood stained uniform, a true badge of courage.

(Written by D.J. McCoy)

(*** Postscript: Jonathan is 41 years old now and has no memory of the incident. His only reminder is a small scar above his right eye).