by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 17, 2010 | College Life, Family, Fun Stuff, Humor, Mind Dump, Top 5
Have you ever noticed how circular life really is? We start not knowing anything, and enjoy it immensely (childhood). Eventually we think we know everything, but everyone else still thinks we don’t know anything; this causes a lot of frustration (adolescence, end of childhood). At last we realize…no, we don’t know everything, in fact we still hardly know anything; again, we seem to enjoy this stage, in many cases a bit too much (college and professional life, the in-between to adulthood).
The legal age for adulthood is eighteen for women and twenty-one for men (never understood that). However, we all know many enter adult well before AND after the legal age. So, when did it occur for you? When did you discover you were “good and grown?”
I discovered I was good and grown (an adult) when:
(more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 16, 2010 | Decisions, Goals, Self-Leadership, Success, Vision
There’s an old saying: Winners never quit and quitters never win. Wrong! What if I told you that successful people quit ALL THE TIME. Would you believe me? If not, I challenge you to keep reading.
Every new business, project, career, or ministry starts out exciting and fun. Eventually it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point (really hard), and it’s not much fun at all. Consequently, you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle.
According to bestselling author Seth Godin, what really sets successful people apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly, while staying focused and motivated when it really counts. He calls it “The Dip.” Successful people quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt-until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons.
(more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 14, 2010 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues, Decisions, Goals, Vision
One of the blessings of reaching people and meetings needs is that they tell others and pretty soon you’re filled to capacity without space for others to sit. One church in many locations is a recent trend I believe is here to stay. Many of us have wanted to be in two places at once. At times, you just need to take care of business in multiple spots. Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio (man I’m showing my age) said it best when they performed “I wanna be…two places at the same time…” Some churches are feeling that frustration and are meeting the challenge head-on. They see multiple fields of ministry and no longer feel the need to choose one over the other. So they are pursuing a multi-site model.
As local municipalities continue to deny churches zoning requests to expand, congregations must explore other options to expand the Kingdom of God. One way churches can expand without draining resources is to extend the reach of their church to existing buildings in other locations. As our church continues to grow, it’s time to deal with this question: “What’s the most important thing you’re putting off?”
The most important thing I’m putting off is implementing a multi-site campus expansion strategy.
The multi-site church movement isn’t about great real estate or abandoning urban areas, but rather being wherever the Great Commission is being fulfilled. For us, it means it’s time to explore adding one or more new meeting places where Christ’s mission is fulfilled by our congregation.
What about you? What’s the most important thing you’re putting off?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 13, 2010 | Apple/Mac, Decisions, Goals, Self-Leadership
We were not created to have miserable and joyless lives. We were created to have abundant and joyful lives. But most of us, such a life is elusive at best and seemingly impossible at worst. Why? We have too much going on and are constantly inundated with requests to buy more and do more. The result is life that drifts towards complexity and paralyzes us from being productive. It’s no secret I enjoy using Apple products and admire Steve Jobs.
I’m not an Apple fanboy, but, I own an iPhone, MacBook, iMac, and Apple TV. The genius behind Apple IS NOT what they make, market, and sell. It’s what they’ve decided NOT TO DO. A few months ago, while reading the Cult of Mac, John Sculley, former CEO of Apple explained what makes Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) unique.
He said:
“What makes Steve’s methodology different from everyone else’s is that he always believed the most important decisions you make are not the things you do – but the things that you decide not to do. He’s a minimalist.”
John Sculley, former CEO of Apple, as quoted on the Cult of Mac (October 14, 2010)
Question: Have you created your NOT TO DO list for 2011?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Dec 10, 2010 | Decisions, Empowerment, Goals, Mind Dump, Self-Leadership, Top 5
We live in a changing world. Someone recently said, “the only constant in the world is change.” Let’s face it, we’re changing every year, month, and each week. Truthfully, how many of us look the same as we did five years ago? Not many! Things are changing right before our very eyes and what was on the cutting edge moments ago is now almost obsolete.
A friend recently shared how he went to purchase a case for his original Motorola Droid cell phone. When he asked to see a few cases, the salesperson laughed and informed him that his phone was old and suggested he should check eBay. Amazing! Why? The phone’s only 11 months old.
As pastor who tends to be ahead of the curve on what’s happening, understanding change and knowing how to lead change is an indispensable art in leading today’s church. Over the last 12 years I’ve led our church through some significant changes and here’s a few things I’ve learned about change:
(more…)
