Lasting Leadership

Last night was a most enjoyable evening. The National Institute hosts an annual graduation dinner for our seniors. Not only do we have a great meal together, we give each graduate a gift (a much coveted TNI real faux- leather satchel) and hear testimonies of where God is calling these graduates in the near and not-so-near future. This year, we were able to hold this event for the first time in the Russell Center--the newest ministry tool of the CE National Life Application Center. It was a beautiful setting for a terrific night.

Courtney (TNI Administrative Assistant) did a great job of getting the meal together and setting everything up. The mood was upbeat and we had a wonderful time hanging out together.

I had opportunity to share a brief devotional thought. My mind went to something I had read that day from Sports Illustrated. Reilly always writes something interesting and this time it was about Tony Dungy, Super Bowl winning coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Rather than being about sports, this article share that Dungy, without any fan-fare, reached out to a man who had written to the magazine to honor of his son--a great athlete who was killed in a motorcycle accident. Dungy, having lost his son three days before Christmas called the man on the phone and began a relationship. The article shared that both of these men are Christ-followers. Dungy--the much more famous of the two men--had used his position to make a difference in the life of another --without the desire to get public attention for what he was doing.

I reflected on that for our TNI grads. Here they are, ready to be done with school and starting into ministry. I think we have prepared them for the "upfront" things like teaching and leading and counseling. But as I read the article about Coach Dungy, I was wondering to myself, "How well have we prepared these young adults to minister in the "behind the scenes" kind of ways that are so needed and necessary in the body of Christ?" Some will go on and become the "famous youth pastor" at the large church. Some will be counselors to the down and out. Some will work in the toughest inner-cities and love kids to Jesus.

After a great meal, the giving of the gifts, and hearing these special students testimonies, I believe that are poised to make Dungy-like differences in the world for the cause of Christ. That has been, and will continue to be, my prayer for these young adults. I am confident these people will lead well publicly. And even more importantly, i am confident they will lead well when they think no one is looking.

Pride Goes Before a Fall

Monday was a great day. I participated in the Warsaw Christian School Kids Classic Golf Outing. The last two years, I have been on the first place team—not because of my golfing skills—but because of two specific truths: 1.) I have had very good playing partners ( a little love and a shout out to Mark Soto and Tom Abbitt) and 2.) We have bought a complete ball of yarn that you stretch out so that you do not putt. Now this year, there were five other groups that figured out how we were winning. We weren’t better—we were just trying to be smarter. And in the process, this year we helped the school raise an additional $500 for scholarships because our strategy came to light and the other golf four-somes caught on.

But I did come away with a trophy. I only hit two good shots all day. Really. Just ask the three guys I played with. But one of them was onto the green on 18 from 180 yards with a three wood with my wife looking on. I’m feeling good at this point. Even a little cocky. And that’s where the problem really started.

I proceeded to the first tee (the tournament is a scramble and we started on hole 6). As I took my tee shot, I hit the ground about a foot behind the ball and on the follow through I just grazed the top of the ball. That caused the ball to fall off the tee and land less than one inch from where it had started. Now here comes the good part: On this hole they had a prize for… you guessed it, the shortest drive. I thought all three of my playing partners were going to wet themselves as they laughed so hard they were about crying as I wrote my name on the card and placed it ONE INCH in front of the blue tee markers.

So I didn’t win a free round of golf at Stonehenge Country Club this year. But I did get a good reminder about what goes before a one inch fall.

Philosophizing on a Late Friday Afternoon...

As I sit here at my desk ready to go home, I've been reflecting on the week. It started with the horrific news of the shootings at Virginia Tech. The horror, the loss of life, the hurt the pain. That's what I remember about how my week started.

And now at the end of a long week of work and meetings, I am thinking about something completely different than the way the week started: Indiana weather today makes it feel like the first day of Spring. The freshness, the newness, the hope.

Maybe this is way too philosophical to be coming from me on a late Friday afternoon, but I guess I see a correlation. In a nutshell, this is my life in Christ. On my own, I'm dead in my sins, things are horrific. There is loss of life, hurt and pain. But because of the redeeming work of Christ and my personal relationship with Him, that's all changed. Now there is freshness, newness and hope like never before.

I don't "live for the weekends." I love what I do at CE National, with Operation Barnabas, with The National Institute and with my local church. But this Friday--this first day of spring-- allows me to enjoy this weekend in a new light. Hope you are enjoying that relationship with God, and the hope only He brings. And have a good weekend too.

What a Good Week!

I shouldn't be surprised by this kind of thing--but I always am. Just call me a slow learner...

Yesterday our Junior High Sunday School class was being led by one of our five collegiate youth ministry students. We have been studying the life of Christ so far this year and Katie did a really good job in talking about how in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus did his Father's will. We just found out that morning that two of our Junior High girls were being baptised during the first service--during our SS class time-- so we were able to make a "lesson" come alive by seeing and hearing these two young ladies testimonies as they followed God and were baptised. After the illustration of obeying God's will, we went back to our meeting room for more discussion. Powerful!

In all, there were 11 people baptized yesterday at Community Grace. It also included a 6th grader who will be in our youth ministry next year and another 6th grade boy who had been baptized already but wanted to become a member of the church. Add to this that there were two junior high girls who prayed to receive Christ with Courtney, our National Institute assistant and Operation Barnabas leader, and it has been an exciting few days.

The number of times that the "sermon" or theme of the "Big Church Service" has matched what we have been doing in our Jr Hi class is uncanny. Again, must be a God thing where He links them together.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Tomorrow I get to do something a little unusual. While it isn't really blowing work off--as I don't have any meetings and I'll take it as a vacation day--I am going to see my beloved Angels play baseball. The game is against the Cleveland Indians. But the unusual thing about it is that the game is being played in Milwaukee. That's in Wisconsin--and that is a long way away from CA or Cleveland.

Because of wintery weather, Cleveland can't play the games at Jacobs Field. It looks like the field is more suited for a football game in January. (But we know this can't be right. 1.) because no pro football team from Cleveland plays football in January. And 2.) it is now the middle of APRIL.

So the game was changed to an indoor stadium in Wisconsin. And I am going. May be a once in a lifetime experience. Who knows how many will show up at the game, but I can't imagine many Indians or Angels fans living in the home area of Laverne and Shirley.

So look for me on any highlights of the game on TV --I will be wearing an Angels jersey and may be one of only three people in the stands...

And if anyone says "that's not very spiritual that you are going to a game" here is my reply: "I'm going to go see some heavenly hosts. How much more spiritual can you get than that?"
I also married an angel who is letting me go to the game...

I'll Never Look at a Green Jacket the Same

I had a great week with the family--being out of the office as well as celebrating Easter. What I probably am remembering most, though, is the Masters Golf Tournament that was played this past week/weekend. Anyone who reads this will think it's pretty dumb to remember more about golf than the most important celebration in Christendom.

Well, to be totally clear, the thing I remember most vividly about the Master's is Zach Johnson. Here he is--on the largest stage in the entire golfing world--and he has his values in order. He is humble, talks about how blessed he is, how thankful he is for his wife, his new born baby, and the many friends he has while winning the Masters. But he took special time to talk about how winning the most celebrated golf tournament and how special it was to win on Easter Sunday--because of how important his faith is and how Jesus was with him during the entire time.

I am probably more convicted by this young Iowan than anything. Lord knows I can't shoot a round of golf like him. But here he is on the largest possible stage--and in all humility remembers his God , the sacrifice He made and how He was resurrected, and that while this championship is a great thing--it is only a piece of his life. Most people would kill for a coveted green jacket and the pay check that goes with it. Not this guy.

Forget New Year's resolutions. My Easter resolution is to have the same perspective on life as Zach Johnston, the 2007 Master's Golf Champion.

Vacation Time

While I am so grateful for the ministry opportunities I am afforded, I am looking forward to a little break this week. To spend time with my wife and kids the rest of this week will be special. I thank God for the three winter camps, all the TNI classes, the OB senior leaders meetings, Youth Emphasis Week, and last weekend's Operation Barnabas leaders retreat. But reconnecting as a family in a special way will be great these next 6 days.

Add to it that Dana and I will celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary this week is pretty cool. And to get to cap it all off with the greatest annual celebration in Christendom--"He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed."

I'll write again next week when I return to the office.