by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 16, 2015 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues, Goals, Humor
Lately, a lot of “so called” experts believe the church is in decline. I don’t.
As a result, there are plenty of conferences offering their latest and greatest pitch to stop the church’s decline. Each year we’re invited to hear “celebrity” pastors share God’s plan for the church and how we ought to adopt it and be large and successful like them. Frankly, I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a venue to really address how and why churches grow.
Many pastors & church leaders make their annual pilgrimage to Catalyst, Saddleback Church, Willowcreek Association’s Leadership Summit, North Point’s Drive Conference, Greater St. Steven FGBC, The Potter’s House, etc. and come away excited and delusional with unrealistic expectations. Ed Stetzer calls it ministry pornography. (more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 12, 2015 | Current Affairs, Decisions, Empowerment, Encouragement, Parenting, Sports, Success
Hey JRW, it’s not your fault – the adults in charge failed you.
The adults in charge put together a questionable roster with ineligible players who lived outside the team’s approved boundaries. In response, officials of Little League International stripped JRW of its U.S. title and much more.
In youth sports, when adults knowingly cheat, kids lose.
Photo credit: MLB Blogs Network
As a father whose son plays baseball at the highest amateur level, baseball is very much an old school sport, much like golf, with unwritten rules. Whatever you do, don’t get caught cheating. It’ll come back & bite you.
[Tweet “In youth sports, when adults knowingly cheat, kids lose.”]
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 11, 2015 | Empowerment, Encouragement, Self-Leadership, Vision
You have a deadline looming.
However, instead of doing your work, you are fiddling with miscellaneous things like checking email, social media, watching videos, surfing blogs and forums. You know you should be working, but you just don’t feel like doing anything.
I’m guilty of it. Even when I don’t want to do it, it creeps up. Now time passes. Ten minutes turns into thirty minutes. Thirty minutes turns into hours and before we know it, the task we set out to do doesn’t get done. Now we’re stressed out because there’s another unfinished task on our todo list. Bummer!
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 9, 2015 | Decisions, Empowerment, Encouragement, Leadership, Self-Leadership, Success
How often have you wanted to change other people so they’d be better?
Have you ever noticed it’s hard to change habitual behavior? As a pastor, leader, and life coach, my mission is to help people achieve positive change in behavior: for themselves, their family, and their leadership teams.
Research shows that successful people, who embrace change, have a strong sense of self-determination. Simply put, their mindset says, “I am doing, what I am doing because I choose to, not “I am doing what I am doing because I have to.”
Since I help people embrace and navigate change, I wrestle with the tension change brings to individuals and organizations. I hear it all the time: “I want to grow. I just don’t want to change.” How do you respond when people want to grow, but not change?
If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 6, 2015 | Decisions, Empowerment, Encouragement, Self-Leadership, Vision
After a long day at the office, sometimes I sit back and watch TV. Recently, I found myself channel-surfing for about 15 minutes. I was amazed at how many of the ads were about getting in shape. Here are some of the exact phrases I heard:
- “Six-second abs.”
- “Easy shaper.”
- “Incredible — a miracle!”
- “It feels terrific! Let us show you how easy it is!”
- “Quickly turn your flabby abs into that sexy six-pack!”
Where did we ever get the crazy idea that getting in shape is supposed to be quick and easy? Why do we think that there will be almost no cost? Why are we surprised when working out turns out to be hard and healthy foods don’t really taste that good? It’s because we think easy and simple are synonymous. Wrong!
Photo courtesy of desktopnexus.com
THE MISTAKE WE ALL MAKE:
WE OFTEN CONFUSE THE WORDS “SIMPLE” AND “EASY”
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