Archive for April, 2009
Sump Pumps
I have very limited experience with sump pumps. My first year at Pinecrest the snow melt was so significant that it flooded our dirt parking lot into Lake Pinecrest. Ray (senior pastor) and I got shovels and a couple of pumps to try help the situation. I wore waders…he just got wet. It helped a little but I remember canceling youth a couple of nights because we couldn’t even get in the parking lot.
So with that as my total experience with sump pumps I tackled our new (to us) home’s sump pump which wasn’t sucking. But since that is what sump pumps are supposed to do (suck) when they don’t do that, it sucks.
Big Tom was a huge help. We bailed water together. Once I realized that nothing was blocking the pump, I remembered that I had a home warranty. My last experience with a home warranty company was an utter disaster. But everybody and their dog says to buy one. I didn’t want to but my real estate agent got it thrown in as a bonus.
I called AHS at 5.30. At 6.00 pm, Ace plumbing called. At 6.25, Bob showed up. At 6.40, a new pump was installed. 7.00 pm all was well.
What do I know now about sump pumps that I didn’t know before? Not much, really.
Understanding the Bronco’s Draft, Day 1
First, hire the youngest, most arrogant offensive minded coach you can find. Never mind you already had an offensive guru and that defense was your biggest problem. Minor details.
Second, allow him to trade the franchise the QB for 2 first round picks.
Third, we don’t really need the number 2 rated DT in college football. I realize he fell, should have been drafted higher. But draft a RB after you already signed 2 in free agency and have 2 2nd year backs that looked great. It doesn’t matter. You’re missing the point.
Remember those 2 first round picks? Now trade one of them away for a 2nd round pick so you can get a short CB. Why? Because we really missed the Dre’ “Toast” Bly era.
It’s not even worth walking through the logic of the draft this year…
This is how Raider fans feel every year.
Wednesday, April 22
7.30 am, Home
Up and fumble to the shower. I have a crazy busy day in meetings. Honestly, I’m not looking forward to it as much as I should. I need a few more hours on the sermon, need a few more hours on the new house…basically I just need a few more hours.
8.30 am, School
Walk kids to classrooms, say hi to some teachers.
8.37 am, PT’s Coffee Shop
Meet John (not his real name) at a coffee shop. John is a recovering alcoholic, been sober for 6 years. Married to same woman through it all and wants to renew his vows with her. We walk through what that ceremony could look like. Awesome to see redemption at work.
9.45 am, Downtown Topeka
Head downtown to pickup Edie Smith, our missions team leader. She is awesome. She’s also part of our creative team that makes our sets look so freakin’ awesome. I get to hear her story on the way to Lawrence to meet the Goombi’s, some missionaries to many Native American reservations in the area.
10.45 am, Lawrence, KS.
Hear of how for the first time in 50 years the reservations are open to the Gospel, there is a door opening. We plan on helping them do a VBS/Carnival in July. Looking at helping being an aid tent at the big Powwow in June. The Goombi’s are not full-time missionaries. He works at Sears on commission. We talk a long time about how can they continue to do this in this manner. To their credit, they are faithful and optimistic.
I’m conflicted. Technically, they are MSC missionaries under our North American Mission Board…but they don’t get funded full-time, nor does he get funded when he misses work to do missions work for the Reservations. Daniel himself is a Native-American so the work is more than just an assignment, it’s a calling…in the truest sense of the word. They are losing their storage space at a local church. They need a shed for school supplies and other items they use in their mission. Edie and I leave the meeting with mixed feelings. We’re amped about the opportunities, disappointed that we can’t wave a magic wand to help get the Goombi’s full-time. We pray for insight, creativity as this partnership with them grows.
1.00 pm, Topeka Bible Church
After I drop Edie off, head to Topeka Bible Church. I’m meeting their worship pastor for a late lunch. Bryan Nelson is his name. He drags their youth pastor with us, Scott. Immediately, we hit it off. Feels like we’ve known each other for a long time. I get the tour of their impressive facility…and he takes me to Burger King. Scott starts laughing at Bryan. Bryan asks if this is okay after he’s turned the car off.
I say – “Sure. But you know…they have these new fangled places now where you can sit and some one actually brings your food to you.”
Great time with these guys. My mood lifts. It’s good to talk ministry with other pastors. It’s good to compare notes, to ask questions, to learn, to be vulnerable with no agenda. We schedule another time for May. I need this.
3.30 pm, Western Hills, Worship Center
David Manner is in worship center getting stuff ready for worship practice tonight. I knew David before getting here to WH. It’s made the transition easier with him around. I give him grief about his GQ style and look. I wonder if he’s ever had a hair out of place. He wonders if I’ve ever bought a shirt with a collar or something without Hard Rock Cafe, Broncos, or Rockies on it.
We talk a bit. Not so important about what as much as he’s one of those guys that I don’t have to be ‘on’ for. No agendas, no pretense. Good stuff. This has been the hardest thing to deal with as the lone pastoral staff – not having that arena on a daily basis. This may be why this day has been so good for me.
5.00 pm, Western Hills, office
Debating on going home or just staying up here for my 5.45 meeting and then Awana’s Carnival Night after that. I’ll stay up here. Like the silence. Hate that my books still aren’t unpacked and no pictures are hanging up.
5.45 pm, WH, small kitchen
Meeting that really isn’t a meeting, think tank/pushing around ideas kind of meeting. What is a spiritual leader? How are they made? What’s the front door of that process? It’s a good time, a time of questioning and pushing in a good way. There are some men and women around this table that challenge me. In a good way – challenge. They think differently than I do. We make each other better leaders, I think. There is something redemptive and good in the wrestling of ideas.
7.00 pm, Gym
Awana Carnival is going on. The plan was for Amy and I to steal away for dinner together. It didn’t happen. She’s volunteering, I’m walking around meeting new people and reconnecting with others that are just as new to me. See Bryan Nelson again – his son is here at the Carnival.
8.00 pm, West Ridge Mall Food Court
While Amy is taking kids home, I swing by to pick up Chick-fil-A for us. I’m sort of miffed because why in the world doesn’t Chick-fil-A have a stand alone place?
Why do I have to go into the mall to get God’s chosen food?
Why do these mall rat teenage boys try to walk with their pants around their knees?
What makes these girls think ‘tighter is better?’ Who lied to them?
Why would name your store Wet Seal? I thought that was the exact look women were trying to avoid?
Get the food, head home.
After careful review of the day…didn’t get any headway on sermon. Always tomorrow, right? Alas I have a few more meetings then as well. May they be as good as today.
22 Days Redux
We just spent 22 days of prayer, I took a few days off of the blog as well.
So what next?
Listen.
The Thursday after the 22 Days I was walking my kids to class and one of their teachers grabbed me in a semi-panic. “We need 50 volunteers for next Friday’s School Fair. Do you think your church could help?”
“Yes.”
I got in the car on the way to the office and reality started to hit me…how in the world am I going to get 50 people at our church to volunteer on a Friday night that we already have a lock-in planned at a school that none of their kids go to? There’s no way this is going to happen.
So last Sunday at the start of the sermon, I just asked our church.
First, I got an email from a dear lady in our church that read thusly…
I am excited about WHBC’s opportunity to serve at the elementary school. Here we are praying for the direction in what God wants us to do (22 days of prayer) … and the door is wide open to step in and start serving a school in our community.
As of 8.30 this morning…we only need 8 more people.
A Spontaneous Beautiful Day.
Over the next week, we’re going to be gathering responses from folks to see what God revealed to them during the 22 days.
What Do You Spend On Flowers?
One of the most surprising aspects of being a lead pastor is how constant this battle is – protecting my time with God. I love people so any chance I get to meet someone and hear their story – I’m all for it. But it does come with a price tag…time.
In another not so random thought, Mark E. used to consistently challenge me to bring closer the lines of the seen work of the church with the unseen movement of God, His Kingdom. Then we’d both make fun of churches that spent more on flowers than the poor.
I still think it’s valid to make fun of churches that do that but I understand better now how it happens and this is where these two streams of thought collide. You can’t see the invisible traveling at 900 mph. You can’t move towards the invisible work of the Kingdom if all you do is worry about protecting the flowers. And you can’t know how worthless the flowers are in comparison to the poor if you never spend any time with the poor. You can’t spend any time with the poor if you live at 900 mph.
It’s a vicious cycle…I eat because I’m unhappy. I’m unhappy because I eat.
Even right now, I’m tempted to ‘do’ something with this post, with what I wrote. To be busy with the concept as opposed to allowing the concept to consume me and change me. Just another observation as I continue to learn this craft.
22 Days: Prayer
2 minutes of prayer at 2 pm for 22 days.
This week – prayer.
But when we say prayer, we’re not really talking just about prayer. We’re talking about connecting. Connecting with Jesus. Prayer is one means to the end. I’m willing to bet that if most people could grasp this single concept it would radically change their spirituality. It would make it explode, move from black and white to color, 2D to 3D.
I met a lady two months ago. She said she wasn’t that spiritual of a person, but she liked to write. Below was how she ended her email.
The eyes of Jesus
penetrate my heart
past all my defenses
He makes me uncomfortable
how hard it is
to meet his gaze
In unexpected ways
He changes me, in places
I’m comfortable, secure
His love pushes me
to display His love
not counting the cost
I’ll get an email from her about every other week – something has hit her or inspired her – and she’ll shoot a little ditty (not about Jack and Diane) my way. Every single time, I end up speechless or crying. Completely beautiful. We’re in the middle of figuring out how to unleash this gift but it’s how she connects best with her Father.
Another dear friend in Parker paints…she’s done it during worship a couple of times. After the first time she did it during a worship service, she about broke my neck after the service. “Do you know how awesome this is??? My painting is worship, it’s connecting me deeper to God than I ever imagined!!”
That’s the point of it all. Connecting is the value, prayer is one way to do it. This week, we’ll unpack this a bit more. In fact, it’s so important it’s our next sermon series – connecting.
Before we start, couple of questions for you to chew on:
How do you best connect with God?
What context or environment helps you best connect with God?
Is there anything in your life that you think needs to change to help you connect better?
An Old Guy With An Earring
Just saw a 65 to 70 year old man leave my favorite coffee shop this morning. He was wearing Keen’s, jeans, a t-shirt with a button down collar shirt over it, a newspaper, a soul patch, a Bible and a big shiny round earring.
It’s like getting a glimpse of my future.
A Blurred Life
What a week. Our truck full of stuff got here, the closing went fine. The house is wonderful. There are boxes everywhere, packing paper scattered throughout the house. I’m still trying to find my clothes, the cups, and a pair of scissors. Meals are being delivered and I’ve yet to put the headboard on the bed but the TV’s our up and the surround sound is working. (Gotta have priorities…)
But I’m blurry, conflicted right now. Easter was nice, lots of people walked through Western Hills door and the compliments were nice. But I have mixed feelings about the whole deal. I like our services. We don’t always pull off what we aim to do excellently, but it’s a good service. It’s an encounter with room for mystery, silence, and wonder. I wouldn’t change that part of it. This past week we took some chances in our service – some of them worked, some of them didn’t – but overall, it’s not the quality or what we’re trying to do on Sunday morning that I’m having a problem with.
The truth is it doesn’t matter what we do on Sunday morning, it’s never going to be enough. It’s not enough to change the culture at Western Hills. What we do on Sunday morning is not enough to effect life change in a person for the long term. It’s not enough to heal the pain of abuse, divorce, addictions, hurt, and betrayals. It’s not enough to develop leaders who pastor and give front row care to their small group. It’s not enough to equip a teen to witness to his friends. It’s not enough to move someone to start a Bible study at their work, or invest in Topeka Rescue Mission.
It’s good….but I know real life change and ministry happens outside the church walls, normally not during the morning hours of Sunday morning. I know that long term, life long impact normally happens as a result of doing life vulnerably with a small group of sojourners. Plus, I’ve been on teams where the focus has been pulling off an incredible worship experience (which we did) and we got limited returns in making disciples that changed the world. We got lots of accolades followed by lots of complaints when we started emphasizing serving others.
So I know that life groups/small groups are key in making disciples, impacting our community. I know having leaders that drive life change and service at that level will have the largest, long term effect in the Kingdom. And while I have a plan to do this starting over this summer, right now I find myself focusing on the Sunday morning experience more than I’m comfortable with.
The temptation in the stillness, in the waiting for right moment is to fill it with busyness. I’ve tried to feed the Holy Discontent with activity. Makes it worse. So I’ll wrestle with it for now, knowing that there is a time when we’ll start the journey of empowering, equipping, and releasing Kingdom minded leaders…pushing them to focus on outside the walls, taking as many people with them as they can.
In the meantime, my soul needs to get unblurred. Off to the cave.
22 Days: Leadership 3
2 minutes of prayer @ 2pm for 22 Days
Servant Leadership is the model but that is not all of the story. Another aspect of leadership we need to wrestle with is our gifting. How has God wired you? What talents are at your disposal? And you can’t say none because that’s a lie. Everyone has something to bring, something to give. Everyone. That’s the essence of the story of Jesus – from the woman at the well, tax collectors, zealots, and prostitutes – no matter who you are or what you’ve done, you have value and you’re needed in the Body of Christ.
How do you figure out your gift? There are some surveys out there but nothing beats experience. Just start trying stuff. You’ll discover a few things during that process. You’ll figure out what you’re not good at, you’ll figure out what you love but maybe need some training, you’ll find out things you never knew. So overall it’s a win-win-win all the way around.
Tomorrow: Matching that gift with passion
22 Days: Leadership 2
2 minutes @ 2pm for 22 days
Like we said yesterday, Jesus’ style of leadership starts with followership…serving. Hence the term ‘servant leadership.’
The best example of servant leadership in scripture is in John 13. Jesus washes the disciples feet. Couple of things pop in the story concerning servant leadership.
1. Jesus had all authority in heaven…and chose to wash feet with that authority. Any authority or leadership in the Body must/should force us to serve first and foremost.
2. Servant leadership is about pointing people to Jesus and his mission/purpose, not giving them necessarily what they want. Peter’s interaction with Jesus shows us this in spades. He first tells Jesus no, you can’t wash me. Jesus corrects him – if I don’t wash you, you’re not going to be a part of what I’m doing. Then Peter goes the other direction of all in. Jesus agains tells him – that’s not what you need either.
This one is huge and people get confused on this point. Jesus isn’t here to serve us what we want or what we think we need. He’s here to serve us in terms of what God wants and what He needs. What that means on a practical level is at times hearing “No” from God and others.
It’s also freeing to understand that from a ‘leader’s’ point of view. My goal then as a pastor is not to be a Customer Service Rep to the congregation, at their beck and call, giving them what they want. My goal is to be the chief listener to the Spirit, being and doing what He wants for us all. Not everyone that shows up at church has this as their goal…and that’s okay. But it sets up opportunities for us to say to each – “No. What about this instead? Could Jesus want this instead?”
As followers of Jesus, we’re here to serve Him, His mission, and His purpose. Not ours.
More tomorrow.
22 Days of Prayer: Leadership
For the background, you can read here.
2 minutes @ 2pm for 22 days
This week – leadership. When we talk about leadership, we really mean followership. We want to be able to say the same words as Paul – follow me as I follow Christ. So any leadership starts first with following Jesus. No exceptions.
So we start with questions – how am I following Jesus? At work? At home? At school? Are there places in my world I don’t follow Jesus in? What does it mean to follow Jesus? What does a growing follower of Jesus look like? If I wanted to start following Jesus, what steps would I take? Where do I start? How do I continue?
There is a small group of us wrestling with these questions. We don’t have hard pressed answers right now. We’re still wrestling with some concepts but this week, I’ll unpack some of what we’ve discovered as you do the same here.
For today – leadership starts with following. The first question is – who are you following? If it’s not Jesus, then who or what? Why not Jesus? What do you think following Jesus looks like for you?
22 Days: Stewardship 3
2 minutes a day at 2 pm for 22 days…Pray for Western Hills.
The elephant in the room…
I don’t know of too many pastors that like speaking about money. (At least good ones.) I used to cringe at the thought of talking about money from up front. I mean, what’s the point? God doesn’t need your money or mine.
Yet, there is more written about money in Scripture than any other topic. It’s not even close how much money is talked about in the Bible. So if God owns the cattle of a thousand hills, why the focus? It didn’t hit me until recently – it’s not about God that God tells us to give our money. It’s about us. God tells us to give our money away so we don’t become greedy and idolaters. It’s the biggest competitor for the worship of Jesus.
I used to apologize and let people off the hook in giving to the church. I used to feel real awkward in asking for money for the church. Until I became a part of church that sought out to bless people. When we started to adopt schools and invest in foreign missionaries that are blessing their communities, when we started giving away food and money to people below the poverty line – a light bulb went off. There is no better place to give your money than to a church that is doing these kinds of things. Even if you don’t follow Jesus.
The good news for Western Hills is we already have a foundation in this kind of thinking. Our community Easter egg hunt, our mission work, the Topeka Food Pantry, we take an offering every time we do communion and give all that money away to people who need it. I know other places where helping like this takes an act of congress, a huge reluctance. Not true here.
But we have limits, and there are times we have to say ‘no.’ It’s a ‘no’ because of man-hours and money. I’m learning very quickly my limits in terms of time. I’m 4 weeks out on appointments for the most part. That’s ridiculous, honestly. The money issue is not necessarily our weekly giving but rather our debt. It’s $6,000 a month we send to the bank instead of spending on ministry.
The good news – we’ve only got $106,000 left on the debt. The bad news – we’ve got $106,000 on the debt. I’m praying that God removes that debt over the next month.
In the meantime…we keep plowing forward. Next week: leadership.
I Got A Letter From Pat Bowlen…
Okay, it’s a form letter that he sent to season ticket holders and those of us on the waiting list.
Here’s what it said…
Dear Broncos Fan,
I am writing this letter today because I feel compelled to give our community and our fans an explanation regarding the Jay Cutler situation.
One of my directives to Josh McDaniels upon his hiring was that he consider everything possible to return the Broncos to the level which you and I both expect, and this certainly includes making a fair evaluation of every opportunity presented to us which might improve the team. He and General Manager Brian Xanders have had my complete support throughout, and they have it now. It is important that you know that at all times we represented ourselves to Jay with honesty and integrity.
I assure you both Josh and I made repeated attempts to reach out to Jay, and I can not speak for him as to why he chose to limit his response. Ultimately, given his unwillingness to speak with either of us directly in the last 12 days- at the same time his agent clearly stating to us Jay’s intentions- it became very apparent to me personally that he no longer wanted to play for the Denver Broncos. As such, we elected to trade him.
Understand this: it remains about team. Our franchise has gone to the Super Bowl six times, with three different coaches and with many different players. It has never been about one player, and it never will be. Coach McDaniels shares this vision, and everyone in the organization—players, coaches and staff—must understand and accept this unconditionally. If anyone does not, that person will not be a part of this franchise.
I am extremely proud of our franchise, its accomplishments, and the region and fans that we represent. We have an illustrious history, one which we are all anxious to add to, and if someone does not wish to be with us as we head in this direction, then we will move on, and move forward.
Over 96% of our season ticket holders have chosen to renew their tickets for the 2009 season. This is once again a compelling statement of support and trust by the greatest fans in the NFL, and I assure you my only goal is and always will be to compete at the highest championship level.
The Denver Broncos will move forward in 2009 as one team, united with the most loyal and passionate fan base in football, towards the only goal we will ever pursue.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your understanding and continued support.
Sincerely,
Pat Bowlen
Good letter. Is it damage control? I don’t think so. I think it’s a return to sanity and class after a 30 day hiatus. I admire Pat Bowlen saying – hey, Jay doesn’t want to be here and lead? Fine. We’ll find people who do. Then he and his team went out and got the best deal they could get.
Nice letter, Mr. Bowlen. Good to have you back.
The Morning After
I’ve had a night to sleep on the Cutler trade and here’s what I think I think about it.
Chicago gave up a lot to get Cutler. A team with major needs at WR and on the defensive side of the ball needs draft picks. Chicago gave those picks up. It’s a risk but the flipside of the argument is that they sucked at picking players in the first round anyway and Cutler is a known commodity. If Jay Cutler grows up, it could turn out to be a win-win trade for everybody.
Denver got picks but blew their offense up to do it. Marshall will be coming off of hip surgery and more police escorts. The O-line is still great. We’ve got some above average to good running backs in the mix. Can’t replace Cutler’s talent but maybe the offense can do without the interceptions as well. Orton/Simms isn’t going to scare anybody but if one of the 4 first round picks in the next two years produces a franchise quarterback…most would be forgiven.
Draft Picks are the best commodity to have. The picks will only be as good as the person drafting. So far, McDaniels and company have not shown well in the discernment department. If the picks hit, there is a possibility of looking at this like the Cowboys look at the Herschel Walker trade. If it doesn’t…there is always 2011 when we’ll have a new coach.
Seats at Mile High should be easier to get. It’s official, the Broncos are rebuilding and it will get worse before it gets better. Champ Bailey must be shaking his head wondering what happened in a short 4 years – from the AFC Championship Game to this. From a top 5 defense to this. From a top-rated offense to this.
Most fans don’t mind rebuilding when there is a clear direction and progress can be seen. But watching a team self-implode is ridiculous. Watching grown men behave worse than high school students is detestable. Like or not, we’re here and it’s not going away. We’ll watch more 45 to 50 point games this season with the knowledge that we can’t keep up with them anymore.
But if the picks hit and Mike Nolan coaches the D like he has in the past…there’s some hope. So far every light at the end of the tunnel has proven to be a train in the McDaniels era.
Kyle Orton…
[shakes head....nearest cliff to Topeka is where??]
I’m so glad I moved to Kansas City Chief country this year. Couldn’t have picked a better time to be a Bronco fan.
So let’s review the McDaniels Era thus far…
A failed three way trade for Matt Cassell in which a division rival gets said QB.
Lies to starting QB.
Fumbles the make-up so bad, owner has to step in.
Says he wouldn’t trade Cutler.
Signs spleenless Chris Simms.
Trades Cutler for Kyle Orton and 2 first round picks, 3rd round pick for a 5th rounder.
Simms and Orton can now compete for starting job.
The Bears just became a playoff team. The Broncos have just become a lottery team. The good news? We’ve now got enough picks to get a defense.
Glad this drama is over.
Mullets, Fauxhawks, Tattoos, & Earrings
This morning I was contemplating what to do with my hair. It’s getting longer…and grayer. I was thinking about rocking another mullet like cut ala Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers. Then I thought about a fauxhawk but not really.
Then I decided to just forget it all and just shave me head (Said in Irish brogue).
But then my sister challenged me to leave my hair alone but rather sport a tattoo or another earring. Now she knows I’m deathly afraid of needles and I don’t like pain. So that pretty much ixnays the whole tattoo thing. Plus it’s permanent and where would I get it? I don’t sport big guns like Rowland or David. On second thought, let’s not answer that question.
But another earring option we’ve actually toyed with. Amy and I started checking out getting my other ear pierced last year. I played with fake earrings for a day or two and came to the painful realization…I have a 1 earring kind of face. Toby – the youth guy that replaced me at Pinecrest – he’s a 2 earring face. I’ve seen a couple of guys who were 1 earring kind of guys try to rock the 2 earring look and it’s not pretty.
So I know my limits…I’m a Mac. I’m a iPhone. And I’m a 1 Earring Face. I can live with my limits.
22 Days: Stewardship 2
2 minutes a day at 2 pm for 22 days…Pray for Western Hills.
We defined it yesterday, let me finish the arc today with a couple of things.
How does it speak to our questions? (See here for questions)
Doesn’t take a genius to see the connection but I do want to point out a couple of things. We’ve got leaders who are incredibly gifted but are serving in the wrong slot. They’ve told me this already. They saw a need, rushed to fill the need even though they have a passion and gifting for something completely different.
But that’s not being a good steward, is it? What that means is that some ministry is missing them or doesn’t even exist because they aren’t there. It could also mean that we are doing some things that we aren’t called/designed to do. Scary questions to ask and think through…but vital ones if we are serious about the value of stewardship. May mean saying no to some things so we can say yes to others. Being good stewards means we serve out calling, giftedness, and passion not just to fill a slot.
Tomorrow…the elephant in the room.
Million Dollar Victim
“I didn’t want to leave Denver.”
Really, Jay? That’s why you quit answering your phone, not showing up to meetings, put your house and your parent’s house up for sale in Denver, and had your agent demand a trade?
It pains me to say this but maybe we’re getting to see why McDaniels didn’t want Cutler in the first place. Leaders lead, they aren’t victims. They don’t deliver excuses, they deliver solutions and their presence. Cutler’s done none of this.
I’m still not a huge McDaniels fan either. He’s got plenty of fault in all of this as well but he seems to have learned one thing well from Belicheat – it’s better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you’re an idiot than to open your mouth and prove them right.
22 Days: Stewardship
2 minutes a day at 2 pm for 22 days…Pray for Western Hills.
What does stewardship mean?
Stewardship is one of those words that I wished we had a substitute for but we don’t. Any other word we try to use falls short. In most church settings, “stewardship” means money. That honestly short changes that word. We’re guilty of it as well…our “Stewardship” Team is really our finance team. Everyone ought to be stewards, good stewards. Not everyone needs to serve on the Finance Team…but I digress.
For us, stewardship is asking the question of how are we investing our TIME, our TALENTS, and TREASURE. (Yeah, I know…the alliteration police called and they want their “T’s” back.)
When I say “WE†I mean two things. I mean individually – you and me. How do YOU invest your time, your talent, and your treasure. I also mean “WE” as in “US,” Western Hills. How do WE invest our time, our talent, and our treasure.
Where ever you spend the most time, energy, and money – that is what you value most. Look at you calendar and your checkbook. That is what matters to you. Does it match up with the heart of God? And the church needs to answer that question as well. Where does it budget? What does a church ask of her volunteers?
I was at a national youth pastors conference when Doug Fields asked us – “If you could tell your volunteers how to spend 10 hours of their week, how would you tell them to spend it?” Of course, we all said disciple, hang, and invest relationally in teens. He then just zinged us all by saying – “Then just do that. Quit making them prepare lessons, run meetings, or do your errands. Set your volunteers up to hang and relate to students.” It stuck with me forever. It speaks to this issue.
The next point I’d make is this – it’s not just about money but it includes money. It’s a total package question – time, giftedness, and money. If one of those three aren’t lining up, then we’re less than whole in our worship.
Tomorrow, I’ll unpack how stewardship speaks to our questions.
The Dark Years…
The Broncos officially begin the dark years with the impending trade of Cutler.
McDaniels – you are off to the worst start a rookie head coach has ever had and you haven’t coached a game yet. So far, I’m missing the Wade Phillips era. You have zero people skills. I’m praying to God you’re better with a headset on.
Bowlen – you’ve gone from the best owner in the league to needing an intervention and therapy. Broncs will be lucky to win 8 games next year. You’ve made Al Davis look stable the past two months. One hand, I appreciate bold moves and empowering your coach to lead the team. So far, your decisions seem to lack some major discernment.
Cutler – you are a brat. You alone could have healed it all and been a leader but you didn’t. Perhaps you couldn’t. Perhaps you really are as immature as you appear and I hope one day your maturity catches up with your talent. Seriously, not returning calls to the man who signs your check? What grade are we in? 7th?
Everybody loses in this deal but mostly Cutler. I’m not terribly worried about the team. We’ve survived Bubby Brister, Brian Griese, and Jake Plummer. We’ll survive this. I’m not worried Bowlen. I believe once the McKid and Cutler drama broke he did all he could do to fix it. When it couldn’t get fixed, he had to side with the coach regardless of the bone head in the position at the time.
But Cutler will get what he wanted – out of Denver – and he will be less of a man and leader because of it. Send him to Detroit and see how long the pouting after a loss is tolerated. Or Cleveland. And for his sake, let’s hope he grows up. The quarterback class of 2006 doesn’t look all that stable now, does it?