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Meh-wedge – A Good, Good Thing!

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You might know this past weekend, my wife and I had the privilege, along with our 5 month old, to go to Florida for a beach wedding.  In this case it was for my brother.  While I was in the midst of celebrating Saturday night, I read the following tweet online:

mrmeddersJun 08, 6:23pm via Tweetbot for iOS

If you’re a Christian and you don’t *love* weddings, you don’t have a romance problem—it’s a theological problem.
I don’t know how this thought strikes you, but it made me pause a second and get my bearings.  After all, I was the “trained professional” involved in helping pull off the ceremony and, like most every wedding I was involved in, there are things that make weddings somewhat unlovable.  I’m thinking of the personalities of people involved, all the details coming together at precise moments, in our case, the heat of a summer’s day on the beach dressed in nice clothes, time barriers, a crying child.  

But what is marriage about?  A few years ago, our church was rewriting bylaws and we were adjusting some language on the article on marriage.  We said, we believe marriage is a good thing.  Some people thought it was a little too chatty and didn’t have the “sacred institution” language that had always been there.  But, do you know why we opted for the “good thing” language?  Because the Bible (and, as a result, God) does.

Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
or 
Genesis 2:18-24
God says “It’s not good for man to be alone” and remedies this by creating a wife for Adam. 
God made marriage to be a sacred institution and a “good thing”.  Hebrews 13:4 gives us 2 directions in regard to marriage: to let it be held in honor among all and to keep it pure.  So, marriages, weddings and the uniting of a man and woman together is a great work of God and, thus, Christians should “love” when people gather to celebrate what God has done in bringing a man and woman together.  
That tweet was right on and exactly what I needed in our celebration Saturday to look to the One who gave us this good thing and praise Him.  Hope you can do the same today reflecting on these things.  

LRC Email: Hearing Voices

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Here’s the email I wrote to Leadership Reno County alums today, entitled “Hearing Voices.”

I’m being serious.  Hearing voices might seem like some metaphysical pursuit or some other kind of psychological thing-a-ma-jig.  But, one of our contentions is that engaging unusual voices is a very important act of leadership.  In a recent conference call, Ed O’Malley said, “Engaging unusual voices is about getting outside your comfort zone.  If we don’t build capacity to experiment beyond our comfort zone, we’re less likely able to engage unusual voices.”  They are important.  So, we’re going to take a couple of weeks and think about this.
Why is it so important to engage unusual voices?
Answer: They see things usual voices don’t.  True progress isn’t made without them.

I’ll leave it there for today.  Hope you have a great week.  And seek out some of those voices you don’t normally.

Dangerous Calling Email – Danger of Arrival Review

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Here’s the email I wrote to the elders and deacons of Crestview today, following up on a meeting we had going over Tripp’s Dangerous Calling DVDs.

I’m going to summarize session 5 in this email and press for some application. 
Some of the high points were:
– The Bible is shockingly honest about the brokenness of this world but is, also, gloriously hopeful.
– Since the Bible is honest and hopeful, we should be the most open and honest community.
– There is a danger of identifying or defining ourselves and each other by positions of ministry.
– Effective ministry requires an intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven, redemptive community based on humble approachability and loving honesty.
– We are all tempted to live according to the lie of autonomy and the lie of self-sufficiency.
– The greatest problems and temptations of life lie inside of me and not outside which means I need the grace of God in me much more than I need changes in situations.
Here’s the applications, we were encouraged to pursue:
Is there someone in your life whom you have made yourself approachable to and will allow them to intrude into your life?  If not, why not?  Who could such a person be in your life?
Are you still a person who hungers and thirsts for God’s grace?
How can our church help develop and support the spiritual growth of each other in leadership?
Pray for and with your church leaders (reminder, we meet each Sunday at 8:30 in the bookstore).

Hope you have a great week.  

LRC Email – You’re Needed

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Here’s the email I sent to Leadership Reno County Alumni on 6/3/13:

I recognize that many of you have plenty on your plate.  Having said that, though, I also realize that some of you are looking for the right opportunity in which to engage.  The Alumni Association was recently approached by the city for help in dealing with board vacancies.  Here’s the low-down:
The City has many advisory boards, commissions and committee, and we are constantly seeking out volunteers who can give the time to participate in their local government.  The City’s web link below provides access to a description of each board, a listing of current board members and upcoming vacancies, an Application for Board Appointment, an Applicant Bank form, and information about our appointment policies.  [They] respectfully request that [we] share the City’s web link with [you].
So, consider if this might be for you and follow up accordingly.  If we really believe that engaging in acts of leadership helps us make progress on our most daunting challenges, joining a board might be a way to engage in an act of leadership and pursue change, while seeking to work for the good of our community. 

With you in this…

Weekend Recap – Bold Trust

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My 6/2/13AM sermon, Bold Trust, overviewing Revelation 6-16 is now online.  In this sermon, I sought to show some application for what these chapters might mean for the 1st century reader, and, as a result, for our lives as well.  Specifically, these chapters encourage a bold trust in God, who will accomplish His plan.  Along with this bold trust, we can expect resistance as well as a calling to be bold witnesses for Him.  I hope it encourages you as well.

LRC Email – Negatives Can Be Positives

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Here’s the email I wrote Leadership Reno County alums today:

We’ve been thinking this month about the temperature and raising the heat, using KLC’s Raising the Heat resource.  Today, the simple reminder I have gets at something we often fail to remember.  We tend to think of raising heat as negative and risky (and, at times, it is).  However, sometimes apparent negative things can actually be positive. 
Consider: WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES OF RAISING THE HEAT?
■ You provide an example for others and create a culture that raises the heat when necessary.
■ The result is always better than you imagine. It’s always easier than you imagined, too.
■ It can reveal what is on people’s minds and put others things to rest.
■ It creates new energy and the opportunity for alliances.
■ It can catalyze self-discovery
So there are many benefits to be found in raising the heat.  What are you waiting for?

Have a great day…

Weekend Recap – Slain Lamb Standing

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My 5/26/13AM sermon, Slain Lamb Standing, from Revelation 5:1-14 is now online.  In this sermon, I seek to show how Jesus Christ is uniquely worthy of worship and praise.  While we may rightly remember those loved ones who are no longer with us and those who have sacrificed to give us our freedom, let’s not neglect worshipping the only One who is eternally worthy of praise this holiday weekend.  I hope this sermon helps you get there.

LRC Email — LRCPlexVipr3D Radar

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Here’s the email I sent out to Leadership Reno County alums on 5/20/13:

Don’t you love those snazzy names that meteorologists have for their radar systems?  The subject line of this email is my attempt at coming up with something for our group.  We need some sort of radar that helps us in diagnosing the situation when raising the heat, or, as KLC’s Raise the Heat resource asks, “How do you know when to raise the heat?”
Some answers:
■ If you are the only one doing the work and things are going slowly.
■ When time pressures are requiring action.
■ When people are bringing “elephant in the room” type issues to your attention outside the main group meeting time.
■ When you aren’t feeling satisfied with the amount of progress.
■ If you aren’t doing any of the work.
■ When you feel burning questions inside of you that aren’t being addressed.
(It was noted that it may NOT be time to raise the heat when you have severely entrenched opposing views.)
So, again, as the weather warms, let it be a reminder to you that you may very well need to engage in an act of leadership and raise the heat.  And see if it doesn’t help us make progress on issues in our community we care about deeply.  To that end…

Weekend Recap – The Creator’s Throne

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My sermon from 5/19/13 entitled The Creator’s Throne from Revelation 4:1-11 is now online.  This sermon continues our church’s work through the book of Revelation and really helps us get a glimpse into this God we serve.  Specifically, in this text, we see that He’s Holy, He’s Worthy of Praise and He’s the Creator of all things.  He’s pictured in this chapter as sitting on a throne.

I hope you’re drawn in to worship and awe Him through this picture of Him in His Word.