Two weeks ago I blogged on “Investigating Christmas.” It was informative, concise, and though-provoking (at least that what my readers thought). After Christmas I took a break from blogging to spend time with my family, fix a few things around the house (ok, I paid someone to do it – I supervised), and work under the hood of my blog/website.
There were several changes made to my blog (all under the hood) and it’s much faster and stable. Although you can’t see the changes, trust me: they were significant. Once again a BIG THUMBS UP to the coldest blog designers Arcane Palette! Chris really came through BIG TIME getting THIS SITE up and running in a SHORT amount of time. If you’re considering starting a blog, I HIGHLY recommend you connect with the folks at Arcane Palette.
I have the greatest members in the world!
Monday, I was in official recovery mode from Sunday’s CRAZY/INSANE worship experiences! While recovering, I received a phone call from Rolanda (a member) and she shared an amazing idea (thanks Ro). Our church’s focus this year is three. sixty. five. What does that mean? I’m challenging our members to ‘BE’ the church 365 days a year instead of 52 weeks each Sunday.
Rolanda challenged me to share an encouraging word to our members EACH DAY this year and I gladly accepted her challenge (my sheep know my voice). Additionally, I decided to use this blog, Facebook, & Twitter to accomplish the aforementioned. Therefore, if you are not following me, please do so & encourage others to do the same.
three. sixty. five. day 1
Let’s start with this premise: THERE’S NOBODY GREATER THAN JESUS!
There’s POWER in your PRAISE! Sometimes we must ‘STOP FIGHTING’ our battles and PRAISE HIM in the midst of our battles. God says, “He will fight for us and He releases His Power and Provision on our behalf.”
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:
We hear a lot about how leaders must have a burning red-hot vision from God. If we accept Bill Hybel’s definition of vision(I do), then what exactly does it mean to have a vision? How can you tell if you’re moving in the right direction? Great! I’m glad you’re pondering that question.
As a subscriber to Harvard Business Review OnPoint Journal, I behaved like a child at Toys R Us upon receiving the Winter 2010 edition. “Turning Your Vision into Reality” is this month’s theme and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Vision is popular buzzword among leaders, especially church leaders. Unfortunately, many pastors attend conferences and come away with visions hijacked from others, falsely believing that God will do the same for their church. I call this ministry pornography (I’ll blog about that later).
You have a purpose in life. Let me repeat: You have a purpose in life! You know in your heart what’s most important to you.
What Is A Personal Vision Statement?
A personal vision statement is a preferred picture of what could be and what should be in your life. Additionally, it’s a plan for people to accomplish the goals they set. It shapes your identity and crystallizes principles which are important to you, and supplies a foundation on which to build a preferred picture of the future. In short, it communicates who you are and what you plan to accomplish. A personal vision statement can be based on your mission, goal, or your passion.
To say I’m excited about mentoring a fine group of men is an understatement. In fact – I’m ECSTATIC! How often are we allowed the chance to impart and pour our lives into others? I told our men that this will be one of the most difficult assignments they’ll ever encounter. I will teach them…stretch them…develop them…train them…correct them…as they transition into fine Christian leaders in their homes, communities, and church.
(Praying for our Men of Promise. Sunday, November 7, 2010)
I crossed the burning sands of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., on March 4, 1987 @ 10:54:35pm while attending Jackson State University in Jackson, MS. While pledging* (The Men of Alpha Phi Alpha DO NOT participate in or condone any form of hazing :-D), my line (The Naughty 9) read poems that instilled hope and inspiration. The inspiration from these poems gave us the strength to reach towards the finishing line. I shared with the Men of Promise how nothing great comes without sacrifice, dedication, and hard work. Therefore, I believe this poem, “The Test of a Man” will prove beneficial to their development.
THE TEST OF A MAN
(Author Unknown)
The test of a man is the fight that he makes,
The grit that he daily shows;
The way he stands upon his feet,
And takes life’s numerous bumps and blows.
A coward can smile when there’s naught to fear.
And nothing his progress bars,
But it takes a man to stand and cheer,
While the other fellow stars.
It isn’t the victory after all
But the fight that a Brother makes.
A man when driven against the wall, still stands
erect and takes the blows of fate with his head held high,
bleeding and bruised and pale,
Is the man who will win and fate defied,
For he isn’t afraid to fail.
Question: What Scriptures, poems, or quotes get you through the day?
This past Sunday, I shared with our congregation how I selected 20 people to pray for who were generous, faithful, and cared about the poor, oppressed, and marginalized.
I’m praying that God would make them wealthy (multi-millionaires) so they could reach back and help the poor & permanent underclass.
Why? Jesus was/is ALWAYS on the side of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized AND someone has to speak for the voiceless. Also, it’s time for a shift of wealth into the hands of Kingdom-minded people with integrity to do the right thing!
I prayed before selecting people because they had to meet the following criteria:
Compassionate
Unselfish
Have extraordinary faith
Have a genuine concern for the poor
A heart for empowering those who are less fortunate
This Sunday, I extended an invitation for others to join my list & WHAT A RESPONSE! If you meet the aforementioned criteria, you may want to consider getting in on this prayer. If you are selfish, lack integrity, & want to be wealthy for the sake of being wealthy, please reconsider your priorities before deciding to join.
In the meantime, the Lord wants you to get your financial house in order before the harvest comes & the hardest step is getting started!
Unlock the power of gratitude and transform your life with our FREE gratitude journal!
This journal is designed to help you develop a daily gratitude practice scientifically proven to improve mental and physical health, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase happiness and overall well-being.
With our gratitude journal, you'll have a dedicated space to reflect on the things you're grateful for in your life. By taking just a few minutes each day to focus on the positive, you'll cultivate a more positive outlook, attract more abundance and joy into your life, and enjoy a greater sense of inner peace and contentment.
I hope you find this helpful. Let me know if you have any specific requirements or changes you'd like to make.
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.
Congratulations, and welcome to our family of subscribers! You've decided to join us on this journey of discovery, excitement, and unparalleled value. We're thrilled to have you on board and can't wait to share all the fantastic benefits of being a part of our community.
You're now part of a select group of individuals who are the first to know about our latest products, special offers, and exclusive events. We promise to deliver the most engaging and entertaining content to your inbox.
So sit back, relax, and get ready for a world of endless possibilities. Thank you for subscribing, and we can't wait to connect with you soon.
Best regards,
Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.
