It's a lesson every pastor should learn early in ministry ... don't get sucked into the numbers trap. As a pastor, it's easy (even tempting) to measure ministry effectiveness by the numbers: attendance, giving, percentages of involvement, etc. We feel good when the numbers are up and begin to question our sanity when the numbers go down.Perhaps it's because numbers are ever-present and even unavoidable. We live in a numbers-driven society ... the stock market, gas prices, speed limits. Baseball managers are hired and fired based upon winning percentages. Politicians are elected by counting ballots. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries ... the numbers of years we've lived or been married.When it comes to church life, numbers can drive you crazy. LifePoint had our highest attendance average in October; November has been about 25% lower. At the same time, our weekly offerings have been greater in November than in October. Try…
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Hannah and Hope had their Thanksgiving "feasts" at school yesterday. Unfortunately for me, they were two separate feasts at two different times. So ... we had about two and a half hours of straight feasting. Then at 5 PM we gathered at Shakey's Pizza for Hope's soccer party. I could only eat about three mojo potatoes.
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It had to happen sometime in our convenience-driven society: Drive through flu shots. Motorists in several cities can get a flu shot without leaving their car. To reach the passenger side, they use a really big needle. Just kidding.Article from the Orlando SentinelAustin NewsGet it with a bagel in Galesburg, IL
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A shameless plug for a new design. I did this in the aftermath of the midterm elections. ...The caption says: "That whoopie cushion thing gets me everytime." Buy It Here
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Yesterday while pulling into the car wash, I registered a Kenny Rogers look-alike sighting. The fellow two cars in front of me climbed out of his Mercedes (you didn't think Kenny would drive a Kia did you) and was the spitting image of Kenny Rogers. I took a picture with my cell phone that I'll upload later.
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