I read this post from Lance Haul at ReHaul: Rethinking how businesses and people interact. It's a good reminder that each of us have a personal responsibility to do our best at whatever we find ourselves doing, especially at work: "We all struggle with politics and roadblocks at work. The good ones find ways around them and get their job done. Sometimes those good ones can push hard enough to make their job a little easier. Others leave, only to find roadblocks awaiting them at their new home. The rest complain and find a way to make them not getting their job done someone else’s problem." Read the entire post here.
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"Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but…
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This morning as I was walking at the gym, I heard an old song by the band Yes. You might recognize it ... "Owner of a lonely heart / Much better than a / Owner of a broken heart ..." I've heard that song countless times. I can even hum the tune (not necessarily in tune). This morning I thought to myself, "Really? Is an owner of a lonely heart really in better shape than the owner of a broken heart? I don't think I'd like to have either one." And then I kept walking.
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I'm wrapping up our "Broken" series at Mountainview this weekend with a message about Paul and Barnabus. Actually, it's more about Barnabus than Paul. In each of our messages during this series we have focused on a biblical character who suffered a setback only to have God turn it into a comeback. We've looked at David, Moses, and Peter. In each case, they suffered setbacks that could have easily knocked them out of the game. This message is different. Instead of focusing just on Paul and his setback, we're going to explore the role that Barnabus played in Paul's comeback. You might know that Barnabus' name means "son of encouragement." It's his encouragement of Paul that enables Paul to become the mighty man of God he eventually becomes. Encouragement is a powerful tool. It lifts up the heart. It gives hope. It points to the future. It should be obvious,…
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One of my favorite business writers spoke this morning at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit: Jim Collins. He spoke on the subject of his latest book -- "How the Mighty Fall." It's a great book I read about six months ago. He walked throug the stages of decline that faltering companies (and churches) go through. Tim Schraeder has a good summary of the talk which you can read here.
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