Yesterday afternoon, while driving home from a radio interview, I got word that Junior Seau had died. The initial reports were saying it was a suicide; a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. For those who don't know, Junior Seau was an All-Pro linebacker for the San Diego Chargers for many years. I never met Junior Seau, though we were once in the same room together (that is, if you consider Jack Murphy Stadium/Qualcomm one big room). But his reputation and image were well-known and much loved in San Diego. All deaths are tragic. Every person who dies was someone's son or daughter. But if it's true that Seau committed suicide, I have to wonder why. Why would someone so well-loved and so active in the community get to the point of taking their own life? One news report (in USA Today) said this came with "zero warning." These sorts…
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Over at the Gospel Coalition blog, I read a recent post by Paul Tripp about how one's perspective on their ministry changes as they grow older. In particular, I liked how he contrasted astronauts with archeologists. I've included a snippet below. I'd encourage you to read the entire post. ********* The longer you're in pastoral ministry, the more you move from being an astronaut to an archaeologist. When you're young, you're excitedly launching to worlds unknown. You have all of the major decisions of life and ministry before you, and you can spend your time assessing your potential and considering opportunities. It's a time of exploration and discovery. It's a time to go where you've never been before and do what you've never done. It's a time to begin to use your training and gain experience. But as you get older in ministry, you begin to look back at least…
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Because of the beauty of the Internet and six degrees of separation (clicking from Tim Spivey to Jim Martin to Ian Cron), I came across this great article by Ian Cron entitled "Is Jesus Just Background Music in Your Life?" The article was inspired by a coffee shop conversation with a friend, Rob Mathes, who said this about the music playing in the background: "“When brilliant compositions are used for background music it desensitizes people to their genius." It's an interesting article to read. Has Jesus become background music in your life?
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“The words influence and influenza are cousins.” -- David Jeremiah We are a contagious people and not just when it comes to germs and viruses and hand sanitizer. Attitudes are contagious. One sour person can sink an entire meeting. A little grumpiness goes a long way. On the other hand, a gentle answer to a harsh question can soften the atmosphere (that should be in the Bible!). Vision is contagious. I believe people are hungry for a higher purpose than Angry Birds or voting on American Idol. A clearly articulated, passionate vision will spread -- hopping from one carrier to another. Morals (or lack of) are contagious. Parents understand this. It's why we pray for our children to make good friends, to surround themselves with positive influences. But what about at work? When a leader lacks a moral compass, the moral temperature gets set at whatever degree is in the…
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