by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 30, 2008 | Empowerment, Other Stuff, Vision
The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to
153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of
the calendar. With two faces, Janus could look back on past
events and forward to the future.
Janus became the ancient symbol for
resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies
and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year. January 1 became the beginning of
the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that
would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.
What if I suggested that you make ONLY ONE Resolution for the upcoming year and that it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER? Interested?
***CREATE A NOT-TO-DO-LIST***
The idea is to list all the activities you are intentionally going to stop doing for the sake of greater productivity.
Here’s why this is important. As people succeed at work, they attract more and more assignments. It’s like they become a task magnet.
The problem is that people are a
finite resource. I don’t care how good you are, you only have so much
energy and so much time. It’s true for me. It’s true for you.
The
only way for these super-productive people to continue to grow
professionally without going crazy is periodically to decide what they
are not going to do.
Here’s how:
- Find a quiet place where you can think.
- Look at your previous month’s calendar activities. Write down anything you’re not sure really fits your current job description.
- Look at your upcoming appointments for the next month. Again, write
down things that are questionable in terms of your current job
description.
- Go through your to-do list(s) and do the same thing. Write down the questionable activities.
- You should now have a list of “not to-do candidates.” Good work! You’re almost done.
- Now go through the list and put an asterisk beside each item that
is significant enough that you want to add it to your official “Not
To-Do List.”
Let's share a few of our "not-to-do-list" items to help stimulate the thinking of others!
Here's My Not-To-Do-List (as of today)
- Spend time with people who complain, gossip, and are critical of others
- Book my own travel
- Travel by car to other cities unless they are less than one hour a way
- Read unfiltered e-mail
- Attend annual convention meetings unless there’s a compelling reason for me to be there
- Attend conferences for more than three days
- Engage in anything that hinders my ability to give the best to the greatest church in the world – Mars Hill Baptist Church of Chicago
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 18, 2008 | Current Affairs, Leadership, Politics, President-Elect Obama
Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Community Church was selected to give the invocation for President-Elect Obama's Inauguration. Personally, I know & like Rick Warren and our church grew using the Purpose Driven Church Model. I even taught African American pastors at their Purpose Driven Church Conference.
I know that whomever President-elect Obama chooses to give the invocation will come under scrutiny, but, there are a few pastors who are just as influential as Rick Warren who could masterfully handle giving the invocation. President-Elect Obama (David Axelrod), in case you're searching, here are a few to put on your short-list next time (no particular order).
Bishop Charles E. Blake
Bishop Blake serves as Presiding Bishop of the 6 million member Church of God in Christ, one of our nation's largest denominations. He also serves as the Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Jurisdiction of Southern California comprised of more than 250 churches.
He is the pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ with a membership of over 24,000. West Angeles is deeply involved in providing not only for the spiritual life of its people, but also it provides more than 80 programs for the psychological, social, and economic enhancement of the community.
Bishop TD Jakes
A beloved pastor, a successful entrepreneur, a global advocate and philanthropist, shepherd to millions around the globe, Bishop Thomas Dexter (T. D.) Jakes Sr., founded Greater Emmanuel Temple of Faith, his first pastorate, in 1979. It was a small beginning, in a small West Virginia church, pastoring a small congregation 10-members strong.
More than 25 years later, he pastors what Christianity Today calls "one of America's fastest growing mega-churches." The Potter's House, a multiracial, nondenominational church with 50-plus active outreach ministries, has dominated church growth records since its inception in 1996. In its almost 10-year existence, the church has grown from the 50 families that relocated with the Jakes family from West Virginia to Dallas to more than 30,000 members to-date. Rivaling many corporations, the ministry employs nearly 400 staff members, including full-time finance, human resources, information technology, materials distribution, public relations, publications and television production departments. The Potter's House is fiscally sound, retiring within four years the financial debt incurred by the 191,000 square foot, $45 million sanctuary construction.
Pastor Kirbyjohn Caldwell
In July 1982, Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell was appointed Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church. At the time, the congregation numbered 25.
Today, Windsor is the largest United Methodist Church in the nation. One of the principal factors contributing to Windsor Village’s evolution is Pastor Caldwell’s belief that the church must embrace theology, identify societal problems, and deliver solutions holistically. In other words, the church must take the “sanctuary” to the streets.
He is the best-selling author of ENTREPRENEURIAL FAITH AND THE GOSPEL OF GOOD SUCCESS . His book provides a road map to spiritual and emotional wholeness and he delivers a powerful message of wholistic salvation. He serves on several national and local boards.
Pastor A.R. Bernard
A. R. Bernard is the President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York representing 1.5 million Protestants, Anglicans and Orthodox Christians. He is also the Founding Pastor and CEO of the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), a 29,000 member Church that sits on an 11-acre campus in Brooklyn, New York.
Bernard sits on the New York City Economic Development Corporation Board; New York City School Chancellor’s Advisory Cabinet and serves as an advisor to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, initially as a member of his 2001 Transition Team.
Bernard has been recognized as the most influential New York clergyman (NY Daily News, February 6, 2008), one of the most influential African American New Yorkers (NY Post, February 19, 2008), and voted one of New York’s most influential (NY Magazine, 2006). He was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Consulate General of Israel in New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish National Fund.
Pastor Floyd H. Flake
Flake Former U.S. Congressman, the Reverend Dr. Floyd H. Flake is the senior pastor of the more than 20,000 member Greater Allen A. M. E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica, Queens, and President of Wilberforce University in Ohio. During his 31-year pastorate, Allen has become one of the nation’s foremost Christian churches and development corporations. The church and its subsidiary corporations operate with an annual budget of over $34 million.
The church also owns expansive commercial and residential developments; a 750-student private school founded by Flake and his wife Elaine, and various commercial and social service enterprises, which has placed it among the nation’s most productive religious and urban development institutions. The corporations, church administrative offices, school, and ministries comprise one of the Borough of Queens’ largest private sector employers.
Dr. Flake earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree (D.Min.) from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH and holds a B.A. from Wilberforce University with additional studies at Payne Theological Seminary and Northeastern University School of Business. He also has numerous honorary degrees including: Boston University, Fisk University, Lincoln University (PA), and Cheney State (PA).
Before assuming the pastorate of Allen Church, Reverend Flake served in various capacities at Boston University; Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, Interim Dean of the Chapel, and Dean of Students. This followed successful stints as Associate Dean of Students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and Marketing Analyst for the Xerox Corporation.
Flake serves as a member of the following boards: The President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education; The Fannie Mae Foundation; The Princeton Review; The New York City Investment Fund Civic Capital Corporation; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Advisory Committee on Banking Policy and the Bank of America National Advisory Board. Flake is also a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Social and Economic Policy, an Adjunct Fellow on the Advisory Board of The Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, and a member of The NYC 2012 Olympic Committee. He is also a former columnist for the New York Post.
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 9, 2008 | Politics
I just finished reading the the criminal complaint filed against Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris which names six considered Senate candidates. Most of the mentions of the potential candidates indicates that they were only mentioned in discussions with Blagojevich and Harris and that they were likely unaware of the pay-to-play negotiations going on. Except, maybe, for Senate Candidate 5:
So, who are these Senate Candidates (IN MY OPINION):
-
Senate Candidate 1: Obama-Biden Transition Adviser Valerie Jarrett
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Senate Candidate 2: Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan
-
Senate Candidate 3: UNKNOWN
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Senate Candidate 4: Deputy Gov. Louanner Peters
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Senate Candidate 5: Emil Jones or possibly, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.
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UPDATE: Senate Candidate 6: A rich person in Illinois
Only in Illinois…what do yall think?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 9, 2008 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues
9 Reasons I'm Starting Not to Like "SOME CHRISTIANS"
- They consistently seem angry, bitter, and worried. I thought Christians were supposed to reflect joy and kindness and peace.
- They don’t dream big dreams. That seems odd given
the fact that we’re supposedly worshiping a God who is “able to
accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare ask or hope.”
- They don’t like it when other people or ministries experience success.
Think about it. There are Christians who would be overwhelmed with joy
if Mars Hill experienced fewer salvations, fewer baptisms and our
attendance dropped.
- They use prayer as an excuse for inaction. They’re waiting for God to do his thing, but they aren’t willing to step out in faith and obedience.
- They’re more concerned with the BMW next door than the lost person who drives it.
Most Christians are jealous of people with money. They’re willing to sacrifice time
and money for those without it, but they’re satisfied to let “rich”
people go to Hell.
- They would rather people live life without Jesus than give up their personal preferences.
What happens when your preferred teacher doesn’t teach? What happens
when your preferred worship leader doesn’t lead? What happens when you
don’t like the music?
- They are fake. They dress up a certain way on Sunday and they live as completely different people the rest of the week.
- They think they’re better than other people. That’s why they create rules to follow. It helps differentiate why they are holy while others are not.
- They’re comfortable with mediocrity. Doesn’t
matter where. Think Christian music and movies. Think how we invest our
time and money. You don’t seriously think God deserves our best do you?
The reality is that I’ve sinned in just about every one of these
areas. It pains me to say that, but it’s true. If people hear the
Gospel and reject Jesus, that’s one thing. If I’m the barrier to people
accepting Christ because of me and my sin, that’s a completely
different deal. Fortunately, God’s much bigger than my stupidity.
When does your humanness get in the way of people knowing the hope,
forgiveness and love of Jesus? Does your life make people curious about
the claims of Jesus or does it make them flee? What would you add to
the list?
