Tag Archive - God
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CHURCH CONSTRUCTION – DESIGN YOU FIRST

February 11, 2011 in Leadership, Uncategorized with 2 Comments

D-E-S-I-G-N: Who Am I? Part 2

This is some great stuff for you to think about over the weekend from my good friend and mentor John Woodall who is the Pastor of  Care at North Point Community Church. If you didn’t see part 1 of the series Click Here and get caught up. 

Last time we looked at the first 10 areas that make all of us unique. Here are some additional areas.

11. Our Natural Gifts: Am I an artistic, athletic, academic?  

12. Our Spiritual Gifts: Romans 12:6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. [7] If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; [8] if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

13. Our education

14. Our experiences: This is our LifeMap. It is important to remember that God has been with us and leading all the time.

Deut. 8:2-3 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. [3] He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

15. Our spiritual pathway: There are many different ways to draw near to God. Some are intellectual, relational, worship, nature, contemplative, serving, and activist. (See Gary Thomas, Sacred Pathways)

Spiritual Pathways

http://www.faithbasedblog.com/2006/05/ortberg_outtakes_spiritual_pat.html

Spiritual Pathway Tool

http://www.fcogpunxsy.com/spiritual_pathway_assessment_tool.htm

16.     Our style of leadership: There are many different styles of leadership: Visionary, entrepreneurial, strategic, motivational, shepherding, role model and managerial

Finding Your Leadership Style

http://www.christianitytoday.com/bcl/areas/leadership/articles/le-8l1-8l1084.html

17.     Our style of ministry: Someone has suggested that there are different styles of ministry based on the offices of Christ.

a.    Prophetic disruptions

b.    Kingly leadership

c.    Priestly connection

18.    Our passion for ministry

19.    Our genius, highest and best use or our core competencies

20.    Our weaknesses

I believe that when we take the time to see how fearfully and wonderfully we are made, we come alive. We experience a peace and joy that is so fulfilling. Our hearts are at rest and we fulfill the purposes of God for our lives in our generation. How well do you know who you are and who you aren’t? Take some time to discover.

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FYI – Valentine’s Day is Monday.
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D-E-S-I-G-N: Who Am I? Part 1 – John Woodall

January 28, 2011 in Leadership, Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Guest Bloggger John Woodall

If you’ve been reading my blog you know I’m a huge fan of my friend John Woodall.  He is the Care Pastor at North Point Communty Church, speaks often and is Andy Stanley’s emergency backup speaker for sunday mornings. He’s the target I”m shooting for in all fiver areas of my life  (Life, Family, Marriage, Church and Work).  God used him at a critical point in my marriage where things could have gone in many bad direnctions.  Because I know he loves me, I ripped this from his blog and will ask for his permission later. 

D-E-S-I-G-N: Who Am I? Part 1

I have been thinking a lot about that question, “Who Am I?” and this subject of DESIGN. I have often thought, “God, why did you make me like this?” For so long I have wanted to be like so many other people. I am not sure why or from where this has come. Woundedness? Pride?  The world, flesh or devil? I don’t really know.
I sensed the Lord say to me one day, “John, you are growing in self awareness”. As my soul has been healing and restoring, I have not looked out so much to others. I am seeing more clearly how and why God made me. There are so many levels to a human being. It is so true that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I have thought of at least 21 levels.
1.    We were thought of and designed before the foundation of the world.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, [5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

2.    We were seen and formed uniquely in our mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. [14] I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  [15] My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, [16] your eyes saw my unformed body. 

3.    Our parents were assigned to us
4.    Our gender was established
5.    Our race and nationality was set

Acts 17:26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

6.    Our time in history

Acts 13:36 “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.

7.    Our number of days and time of death

Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

8.    Our brothers and sisters
9.    Our birth order
10.  Our temperament

There are many assessments to help us understand the way God made us and understand other…DISC; MBTI; Rightpath; Strength Finder

Personality Tests
http://similarminds.com/personality_tests.html

Online DISC Demo
https://www.talentsmart.com/idisc

Understanding your MBTI (Myers-Briggs)
http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

We will look at the next 11 in Part 2.
What about you? Do you know who you are and who you aren’t? It is a great place to be when you accept your God given DESIGN.

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The Definition of Success

January 12, 2011 in Uncategorized with 2 Comments

Earl Nightingale defined success as “the progressive realization of a worthy ideal”.

My strategy for success as a human is directly tied to my ability to connect with three people.  I call this my “Critical Success Factors” (see it even has success in the name).  Whether it’s success as a Church Advisor, a planter of missional community, or running a marathon, I know I have to have a level 10 relationship with my wife Kristy, with my daughter Jordan, and with Jesus my Savior to truly be successful.  Reaching my goals at the cost of any of these relationships is my definition of failure.   The cool thing is, strengthening one of those relationships strengthens them all. 

For me that means connecting with each of them as regular as possible and I’ve realized doing that takes more than just being in their presence.

Connecting with an 8 year old

Right now this is easier than it might be in a few years because she’s in “daddy’s girl mode”.   Jordan and I have a date just about every Saturday morning, and nothing gets on my schedule that trumps that time.  I go with her where she likes to go.  We connect about things that are on her mind, and I try to answer questions that she has and relate them back to things God has taught me over the years.  Right now I’m trying to learn to lead her with good questions versus giving her advice.

Connecting with my wife Kristy

My relationship with God is directly proportionate with my relationship with Kristy.  He often speaks to me and leads me through her words.  Connecting at this stage of life can be hard, and for a long time I think we both felt as if we had to have a date planned to get out of the house and connect.  We still do that, but one of the daily habits I track is… did we connect?  I’m finding that it’s fairly simple to do if I just put everything aside for a few moments and focus.  My friend John Woodall gave me these three questions that I want to ask more often…

  1. What are you thinking?
  2. How are you feeling?
  3. What do you want to do?
  4. Bonus question, “What would make this day a 10 for you?”

Connecting with Jesus

I think there is quite a bit of value in determining how you connect with Jesus. 

For me to feel connected I have to slow down.  I need to:

  1. Make sure I’ve planned enough time. 
  2. Be still and hear the big questions God has put on my heart.
  3. Be careful of my agenda.  God rarely answers the questions I’m asking Him, but more often asks me better questions about other things.
  4. Great music helps… but nothing with words.   

Do you know what your Critical Success Factors are?

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