I grew up in East Peoria, IL, and just across the river sat a Pabst Blue Ribbon plant. In the 1890's Pabst brewed the most popular beer in the country; in 2001 it closed its last plant and brewed its last beer. But as you may (or may not) know, Pabst Blue Ribbon is certainly not dead. In fact, for the past several years, it has been experiencing a tremendous comeback -- with almost no advertising. The brand has experienced a resurgence among snowboarders, 20-somethings, urbanites and suburbanites alike. When we lived in San Diego, it was one of two beers on tap at one of our favorite pizza places -- the other was Newcastle. The brand is on Twitter, it has a blog ... but it hasn't had a national advertising campaign in over ten years. Yet it continues to rebound. In 2009, it grew by 33%. Retro cool.…
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One of our E4U classes I'm most excited about is our upcoming Financial Peace University class. FPU is about helping learn to manage their money wisely -- and to get out of debt. Created by Dave Ramsey (yes, that Dave Ramsey), FPU is a great tool for singles or couples who need to get a better handle on their finances. Mountainview will be offering FPU on Sunday evenings beginning September 12. You can register for Financial Peace University online.
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One of the signs of maturity is the ability to accept responsibility for one's actions. A mature person is able to say, "I did that" while a person lacking maturity tries to shift the blame. We live in a culture that is glad to hand-off responsibility to someone else. Parents may be quick to blame what's on television for the attitude of their children. Does it contribute? Absolutely. Is television the only responsible party? Probably not. You also have the influence of peers. And the influence of parents, who -- contrary to opinion -- are still very influential in the lives of their children. In doing marriage counseling I often hear, "If only she would ..." Or, "It's because he always ..." Rarely do I hear someone say, "I'm the person responsible for the conflict we're having." Employees would be more effective if it weren't for their bosses. Bosses would…
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We're about to start our second semester of E4U classes at Mountainview and I'm really excited about our fall lineup. Here is a brief overview: Encounter: Developing personal spiritual growth habits. Class: Growing Strong in God’s Family (Todd Nelson) This class will focus on how to grow deeper in your faith. It's an interactive way to explore what it means to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Todd Nelson serves as our creative arts director at Mountainview. Register Now. Engage: Using your unique SHAPE in ministry to God and others. Class: Urban Entry: A New Look at Missions (Brendan Yost) What does "missions" mean to you? We often think of overseas missions or missionaries who travel to distant places. This class will explore the theological foundation of urban missions, including our own efforts in Westwood/Square Mile. Brendan Yost serves as the missions and outreach pastor at Mountainview. Register Now. Equip: Understanding God…
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I love this video! Every Life Has A Story - Chick-fil-A from Dan T. Cathy on Vimeo.
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