tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68366525209944637072024-03-13T08:20:46.975-07:00Journey Student MinistriesFollowing God is a lifelong process...and no one was created to do it alone.Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-62151925952337048072014-09-11T19:43:00.003-07:002014-09-11T19:43:57.098-07:00Culture ShiftWell the partners of First Assembly voted to move ahead with the Student Center project! We had a fantastic discussion as we sorted through questions, musings, concerns, dreams, fears... There is a clear <b><i>need</i></b> before us to more effectively and intentionally reach the youth culture of our community. And the vision seems to be clear to our church as well - people's hearts appear to be aligned with what God showed me out in the backyard last fall. There are still a lot of unknowns to be discovered. There will certainly be more discussions needed with the right people around the table to ensure we move forward with wisdom and supernatural guidance. But <b><span style="color: red;">I AM READY</span></b>! Let's get out of this boat!<br />
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One of the things that God has been slowly teaching me is that we need a culture shift to take place in the youth of this area. Before that can happen, the shift must first take place in our youth ministry. My good friend and mentor, Terry Parkman explained an observation he had about the way God effects long term change. He laid it out like this...<br />
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<b>Vision --- Systems --- Behavior --- Culture --- Movement</b><br />
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It's a progression that is bookended by God - meaning both vision and movement <u>only</u> happen by God's hand. We can't manipulate or manufacture those things. God gives vision - and then we need to act. That's where the systems begin. It may sound like a corporate term and how could that fit into a spiritual environment? But every environment operates via systems. The human body is a miraculous combination of systems that function together to keep us alive. God loves systems! The systems lead to certain behavior, and after time that behavior becomes the culture of that group or organization. Makes a lot of sense right?<br />
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I believe God used Terry to teach me this principle because He was preparing me to make some changes in our culture. The vision came! And it's big and will require supernatural provision. So please pray for us. We have changed systems and developed some new ones because we know that a culture shift needs to happen. We will start by focusing on the internal culture of our student ministry. I don't know exactly what it looks like but we are on our way!Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-38569060572327555892014-01-22T13:13:00.000-08:002014-01-22T13:13:44.114-08:00Trust Without Borders<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">For me, 2013 will be remembered as a year of venturing into deeper water. I </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">have learned so much from our Good Teacher, the Holy Spirit this year. I'm </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">sure you have heard someone somewhere say that we go through different </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">cycles in life. I believe that now more than ever. But what I see a little </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">differently now is that it's not just one cycle at a time. We are cycling in </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">various areas of our lives constantly. At any given time, we are in a phase </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">of breaking, listening, healing, learning, seeking, waiting, exaltation, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">breakthrough, etc. I can be going through another learning phase in my </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">marriage, while being in the middle of a breaking stage in my finances, and </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">simultaneously experiencing a revelation in ministry! </span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">In the life of a believer, these cycles are directed by God (well, they are </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">for everyone, but believers choose to acknowledge it). We still try to </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">control the cycles...we try to shorten the hard phases and stretch out the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">ones that involve blessing. But what I have come to understand more clearly </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">is that my responsibility is simply to acknowledge what phase I'm in, and be </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">obedient to what's in front of me. God's job is to direct the cycle - the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">duration, the intensity, the results. All I have power to do is respond to </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">the Good Teacher as He speaks through whatever phase I'm in. The visual that </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">God gave me to understand this is a surfer. I am fondly recalling the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">beautiful days living in Hawaii as I write this on a freezing cold day. :) </span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Let your imagination follow me here... The power and magnitude of God is </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">obviously represented by the ocean in this illustration. Its depths are </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">unfathomable. Its behavior is mysterious and unpredictable to the human </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">mind. It provides sustenance, beauty, and pleasure to those who experience </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">it. At times, it even produces fear. And the way it swells, ebbs, and flows </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">are like the cycles we go through in life. We have no control over the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">pattern of the waves. We have no idea when the swells will come. We cannot </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">predict the size of the swell or where it will end up. We simply have a </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">choice. Will I dive in? Will I furiously kick against the current because I </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">can't see land anymore? Will I just stand on shore and watch because I can't </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">swim and there could be sharks for goodness sake? </span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I've done all of those things. When God has whispered vision into my heart, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I have responded in so many different ways. I </span><br />
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could beat myself up about the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">times I was wrong or I may have missed it. But even through my mistakes over </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">the years, the Good Teacher has been leading me to the next level. As I look </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">back over my years learning to swim in this incredible ocean, I see how </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">God's plan has been working under the surface, guiding the current, holding </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">back the swell when I wasn't ready. As we head into 2014, He has clearly </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">said "Stop paddling and treading water - it's time to ride the wave." There </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">are cycles for everything. I'm looking right into the moment of opportunity </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">to stand up, take my stance, and allow the power of a God-sized vision to </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">propel us forward in reaching people for Christ in a new way. The swell </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">seems massive - way too big for me to survive. The risks are immense. I may </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">wipe out and look like a complete fool. And hey - I'm not alone on the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">board. What about those that will join me? What if I fail and disappoint </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">them? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8PG3F2zR1xhohP0DkaqiYMX3Lgb3llmyGGgGR7XnYxnZLcdtRGGhWnAXs1DRA75fvPGG0FIuHB7OaB-TIw9Ix6NxDeHEfSD_oru_j_b2q853xSZnJhcMUr-fZeeSCbOx8mexGO8OiApz/s1600/surfer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8PG3F2zR1xhohP0DkaqiYMX3Lgb3llmyGGgGR7XnYxnZLcdtRGGhWnAXs1DRA75fvPGG0FIuHB7OaB-TIw9Ix6NxDeHEfSD_oru_j_b2q853xSZnJhcMUr-fZeeSCbOx8mexGO8OiApz/s1600/surfer2.jpg" height="159" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">But this is what it comes down to...I've wanted to surf all my life (<i>I even </i></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i>drew pictures of it as a child - born and raised in the Dakotas</i>)! The </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">strength training and conditioning has been done. The swell is undeniable, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">even though the timing is mysterious to me. I am all in. I am stepping out. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">So what this means for me specifically is that I step out and ask our church </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">to come together to provide a brand new facility to allow greater ministry </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">to students in Yankton and the surrounding area. I don't know where it leads </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">or how it really happens, but I sense the swell is coming and I want to be </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">ready to ride the wave. Vision isn't about seeing the end...it's trusting </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">the One who causes the swells to heave, and taking action when He says "GO!" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Be obedient to the thing that's right in front of us. God will direct the rest. Are you all in?</span>Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-40379217703903456732013-12-10T09:01:00.003-08:002013-12-10T09:05:19.625-08:00My1shirt CampaignOn November 24th, 21 students and leaders from Journey SM joined with many others in South Dakota to wear one t-shirt for thirty days. It was the last day of SD Youth Convention... I had introduced the idea during a youth service, so we had a bunch of students that were already raring to go. But during that service, DYD Mark Zweifel shared the vision behind My1shirt - and when he finished... we were so PUMPED to be a part of something way bigger than ourselves.<br />
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We never would have imagined the impact it would have in Yankton. A couple days before youth convention, I saw a post on Facebook from my friend, Rob. He works for our local newspaper, and that sparked the idea to call the paper to see if they might be interested in doing a story on our students! When I called the newsroom, they were immediately interested in the idea. So when we got home from youth convention, the reporter met us at the church to take a group picture. I was so excited to see that they put the story on the front page! We started to get comments from people in the community and it immediately increased our visibility. The day after it was published, I got a call from ABC 9 News in Sioux City! They saw the article and wanted to do a news piece on it the next day! I love it when God uses His influence to maximize His glory through our lives. The students did such a great job with their interviews. And even though there were a couple of minor details that were skewed, both press opportunities turned out really well! All credit goes to God - now it's our responsibility to use the momentum to maximize this opportunity for Speed The Light.<br />
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It's a minor inconvenience to wear the same thing for thirty days... But it has caused a significant shift in the worldview of our students. They have a new awareness for how others live across the globe, and now they're sharing that awareness with others. We are so grateful for those that have supported Speed The Light through my1shirt. Teachers, students, and even a sweet elderly lady that called from an assisted living center in town. May God multiply their investment to further the message of Christ around the world.<br />
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If you haven't heard...My1shirt started with a teenager in Minnesota. Here's Courtney's story (copied from www.sdyouth.my1shirt.com - visit the website for more info):<br />
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Courtney Olson was a junior in high school when, at the beginning of 2010, she sensed God speaking to her about setting a Speed the Light (STL) goal of $10,000. She had no idea how she was going to raise the money, so she prayerfully brainstormed about creative ways to reach her goal. The one-month t-shirt concept was born. Courtney decided to have a special STL t-shirt made and wear it for one month straight. Thirty of her friends joined her effort. They collected donations daily or asked for one donation for the entire thirty-day period. In 2010, she raised $3,000.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Though she did not reach $10,000, she decided to go for the same amount in 2011. However, she implemented some changes to her strategy. She asked her youth leaders if there was a STL project that was associated with ministry to those involved in human trafficking. The team chose to focus on Project Rescue, a ministry to women and children in sexual slavery that focuses on providing physical, emotional, and spiritual rescue, as well as, holistic restoration. STL provides vehicles used by Project Rescue.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Courtney recruited 178 friends (both high school and college, saved and unsaved) to participate in wearing a STL t-shirt for a month. Each participant was required to pay $20 for the cost of the shirt, but an anonymous donor committed to pay back the $20 if students raised $100 or more. Before the group even started asking for donations, she had already matched her previous year’s STL total!</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Students were divided into smaller groups so Courtney did not have to manage the entire group on her own. They met weekly at Centennial High School and Emmanuel Christian Center in Spring Lake Park, MN, to collect money and engage participants in the heart behind the project. Each student had the opportunity to hear and learn of God’s love for people and His desire for the lost to return to Him. At one of the meetings Courtney even presented the Gospel story, knowing that not all of the participants had made decisions to follow Christ.</span><br />
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Through her efforts many students came to know the love of God, and $16,957 was raised for STL in just one month. Even more incredible, because of her heart and passion for missions, in two years (but technically two months) she raised almost $20,000! Courtney is impacting the world and is an encouragement to everyone she meets. When students participate in STL, they too have the opportunity to see God do the miraculous.</span></div>
Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-71089610584683389272013-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:002013-08-13T09:01:45.950-07:00Summer 2013Summer is already winding down. I definitely have some emotional attachments to summer ministry experiences that are hard to let go of. How do I even begin to explain that?...<br />
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We start off with summer camps. Always a major reference point that students go back to over the course of the year. Their lives are affected so deeply and intensely that they are <u>literally</u> different after experiencing it. Yes they may go back and struggle with some of the same issues. But you can't undo what God does. You can't unexperience the incredible power of God's presence. It is imprinted on their minds and hearts, and those moments will replay by the Spirit's prompting just when needed most.<br />
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The connection with students in the summer is so unique. A lot of the stresses that they carry most of the year are shrugged off in the summer. Academic pressure, compacted schedules, constant barrage of what everyone else is doing and wearing and... In the summer - relief. Beach days, late night Facebook conversations, campfires and s'mores, concerts, revisiting hilarious cabin memories. Priceless.<br />
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El Salvador missions trip. Can I even articulate it... Being displaced in a culture that is beautiful but perplexing, surrounded by a language that leaves you lost and humbled, falling in love with people that are strangers, and seeing God supercede all of that through prayer and hugs and tears. It's a privilege that no Christian should ever miss out on. Its impact is varied from person to person, but it's undeniable. And the transformation is both instantaneous and residual. Again, the Spirit will prompt recollections of certain moments weeks and months later to rekindle that desire to be a world changer. There's no way to measure that kind of impact.<br />
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So I don't know that I can say I am ready or excited for the school year to start quite yet. Even though the structure brings consistency...is that valued above bursts of amazement? Even though the commonality brings some connection...is that valued above the solitude of time on a mountain with God? <br />
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I guess it all goes back to balance. It always does. We can't live on the mountain top or in a new foreign mission field. After all, if you stayed, then it would become your new normal. So we are thankful for the incredible moments that God provided, and we pray that the ways it changed us will be evident to everyone around us. We pray that those moments will have eternal impact on us and on others we influence.<br />
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So here we go Journey Students! We are contenders for the faith! We serve the Ultimate Fighting Champion who has trained us for this very moment. We don't know what opponents we will face each day, but we know they will be there. And we have been trained for this. The fight is part of our destiny! The training, the victories, and the knock downs are all part of the Journey. I have a lot of treasures from this summer - and I know that they will serve as fuel for what is ahead of us. <b><i>Are you ready, world changers?</i></b><br />
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<i>I Timothy 6:11-12 (NIV) But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. </i>Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-64719615420402879432013-02-05T08:58:00.000-08:002013-02-05T08:58:35.977-08:00Rock-a-thonSo we are going to host our first ever Rock-a-thon in Journey Student Ministries. The money we raise will go to Speed The Light. I did a rock-a-thon in youth group like a zillion years ago and it was a blast. What a fun way to raise money to help carry the message of Jesus around the world!!<br />
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Students are excited - now I'm praying that translates to them raising pledges to rock. GO SPEED THE LIGHT!!!Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-35824359225509956442012-07-18T11:41:00.002-07:002012-07-18T11:41:58.958-07:00Last day of ministry :(Tuesday was our last day of ministry. In six days, we did 24 programs in different neighborhoods around the city of San Salvador. Our national team leader, Wendy, said that set a new record for all the teams she has ever led. I am so impressed by our team. They danced and acted in every program like it was their first one of the day. The energy was always high and the smiles were constant. Regardless of whether we were at a school with 200 students or on the street with 25 kids, we gave our very best.
Going to high schools is definitely the most intimidating. Just like in the US, they don't wanna be vulnerable in front of their whole school, so they rarely respond to the salvation invitation. But we quickly learned that if you look around at their faces, you will always find students in tears...and they are so ready to have you pray for them. Once we approach them, they immediately soften and let us pray. I had the privilege of helping to lead several teens to the Lord with the help of our incredible translator, Katie. She is a missionary associate through the Assemblies of God and a huge help to our team! She has taught me so much about this beautiful country.
Students were able to pray for kids of all ages to believe for healing and problems at home. They got more bold as the week went on and began to speak into the lives of people on their own. It was incredible to see the response of people as they sensed the presence of God through us. We don't know the outcome of many of those we met, but we know the God of the Harvest knows each name. He knows Noemi and Leo and Samuel and Karen...He knows just what they need and where they are. I am writing down names of people I have ministered to and will continue to pray for them when I leave here.
I'm trying to ask God how I will ever be able to share the things that have happened here. There's so much to tell and words often fall short in explaining the experiences. So I will be in prayer about what and when to share, and I will have stories for the next several months. It is proven yet again that traveling overseas to share the Gospel is a life-changing experience for everyone involved. I am so grateful for those who helped me raise the funds to come on this trip. I am so thankful to God for all He has done. We are not quite finished yet, but my heart is truly full to overflowing. Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-36736210988926752202012-07-16T19:07:00.000-07:002012-07-16T19:07:11.995-07:00Halfway Through...Well we are just past the halfway point. I have to admit I feel sad thinking about it being over in a few days - although I miss my family like crazy. I wish I could bring all of you here to experience this.
We headed to the Dream Center in San Salvador this morning for church. What an AWESOME time together with the familia de Dios! We sang the worship songs in English while they sang in Spanish - and we all worshipped as family together. The presence of God was just like home, even though we were sitting on metal chairs under a giant tent in crazy heat with a few hundred people. They were having "Big Day" - which they have once a month - a different ministry does the whole service. Today was the youth ministry's turn. It was so great!! They had a pirate theme (pics on Facebook). It included a dance, skits, and several testimonies from students. It was powerful. The youth pastor preached a short message as well. Pastor Jacob was American! So he would interpret for us while he preached. It was such a blessing to be there with them. I couldn't understand everything they were saying, but they still felt like family!! God is so amazing...
I feel like words are so inadequate to describe what God is doing here. So far, we have done 15 programs in various areas. We have prayed with over 100 children and youth to receive salvation!! We have prayed with many others for healing, comfort, provision, and deliverance. It absolutely blows my mind. And what is so exciting is that the local national churches are with us at every program so they know who to follow up with and begin to disciple. They call this form of ministry "spectacle evangelism". :) A bunch of Americans show up in a neighborhood with clowns, dances, skits and candy to talk about Jesus. I'd say that's a spectacle!! We draw them in with curiosity and the nationals preach the gospel. It's incredible!
The students are giving 100% at every program - even when we're dripping with perspiration and sometimes super crowded. We know that the results of what we're doing here will be fully revealed in eternity. But we can already see the influence of Christ coming through our songs and conversations. We are led by a wonderful team of nationals, whom I am getting very attached to. They are our voice to the people when we can't communicate effectively, and they are filled with a passion for the lost that is so inspiring. King's Castle's mission for this year is to present the gospel to every single child in El Salvador at least once. They work tirelessly toward that purpose. Their vision is clear and everyone here is passionate about it.
It makes me ask myself some questions that I would also ask you to consider... Do you understand what our vision is? Is your life driven by God's purpose or by your plans? Do you think about the eternity of those around you? What is your role in furthering God's Kingdom? If you are a follower of Jesus, you have a role! We are all a part of the body and if we don't do our part, it puts strain on the other parts of the body. They have to try to overcompensate and are never as effective that way.
This trip has been a powerful reminder for me about the importance of eternal priorities. There are things in life that may be important but are not eternal. But everything eternal should be the highest priority. Thank You Heavenly Father for reminding me and for allowing me to be here. Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-21307261485882671212012-07-13T06:31:00.001-07:002012-07-13T06:31:51.827-07:00P.S.Watch for pictures on Facebook. Loads faster.Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-42559113436363038142012-07-13T06:29:00.001-07:002012-07-13T06:29:09.934-07:00El Salvador day 4Buenos Dias! The country of El Salvador is beautiful and the people are as well. Let me do a quick recap... Forgive typos - in a hurry.
Tuesday was our travel day. We had a five hour layover that gave us lots of time for escalator rides and people watching. We met a few other missions teams there as well - goin to Ireland and England. We arrived in San Salvador at 6:30 pm (mountain time - they don't do daylight savings). We took about an hour and a half to get everyone through immigration and customs, and our team from King's Castle (Castillo del Rey) was waiting. We arrived at the camp about two hours later. It's fun to hear the reaction of the students when we're driving. Roads are small and our bus driver has no fear. Haha
Wednesday was our training day. We learned all the guidelines - like the wipe and toss rule (bathroom), taste everything placed in front of you, and don't touch ANY of the animals. They have monkeys, horses, chickens, random dogs, and a big frog pond in the camp. Then we learned five different dances and four dramas - two funny, two evangelistic. We were sweating in a gym for about five hours. :)
Thursday was our first street ministry day. We did two programs right on the street, one in a high school, and one in front of a community center (casa de la cultura). The kids were the most visibly responsive to the messages, but there were some teens that broke down and were very emotional after our ministry drama. Its so cool to work alongside the Masters Commission students from here. They lead our team. We left Kings Castle at 7:30 - did four programs in different areas - and returned at about 7:00 pm for supper, completely drenched from the heat and spiritually soaring from the experience. Today will be even better because now we know what to expect. Thank you so much for your prayer support! Dios de bendiga - God bless you!Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-16582686487977367802012-07-10T11:42:00.000-07:002012-07-10T11:44:24.658-07:00Destination El Salvador!After all the fundraising and planning and packing, we are finally on our way! Heidi, Mahri and I are joining a team of 23 from South Dakota to travel to San Salvador for 11 days. We all met in Sioux Falls for orientation last night. We got to know each other a little...through some crazy icebreakers. We weighed our bags (all three of us girls were 15+ pounds under, thank you very much), and we heard a great message from Pastor Tom Rooney.
He encouraged us from the book of Luke, where Jesus sent out the teams of two, to proclaim peace over the places we go, minister to their needs whenever we can, and to remember that when we are in the center of God's will, it is the safest place to be. I think he included that for the parents who were in attendance. :) The most important thing that we can do on this trip is to demonstrate LOVE of Jesus everywhere we go!
I am so excited to build relationships with students and the people of El Salvador. But I'm most excited to see what God has planned for us to be a part of. He is already working in that country. We are getting the privilege to be a part of it for a short time. I know that He will transform the lives of the students and leaders who are going.
I'm the only female leader on this trip and I LOVE THAT!!! These girls are so fun to be with and I can't wait to hear their hearts as God ministers to them. I'm thankful for the outstanding leadership of David Bauchspiess - our DYD. He has a passion for Jesus and a love for missions that is contagious to our students.
We covet your prayers and will update you as I am able! Gloria a Dios!!Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-50806438308694627702012-01-26T11:36:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:36:28.583-08:00Annette's final 60 day goalI have definitely made some major adjustments to my usual method of setting goals because of the vision process. It's been spiritually and mentally exhausting for me lately. I am sensing a "slump" of sorts in the youth and we have known for a while that we needed to cast vision again because they were losing sight of that. I am hesitating to do that until we make a move as a church because I know that we need to mirror what Pastor Jeff is doing. So in light of that, here are some things that I can do to prepare for the vision casting...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Work with current student leaders to recruit and mentor new student leaders. We have a large class of seniors graduating this spring. It is contributing to the "sluggish" feeling because there will be holes to fill. But instead of filling the same holes - we are going to focus more on identifying what these new leaders are gifted to do and line them up in the right area of ministry according to those. So the way we do youth services may change - and that seems to mirror what's happening in the rest of the church. I think God's timing is so cool.</li>
<li>My team and I need to identify the areas that are sluggish (and why if possible), and pray for direction about how to address those issues. We have covenanted together to fast and pray every Wednesday lunch hour until we get a sense of the new direction. When we're ready, we will strategize how to implement the changes needed.</li>
<li>Plan ahead for a parents night so that when the time comes, we can incorporate their input into what changes will take place in youth ministry.</li>
</ul>Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-41495830590565203152012-01-15T18:43:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:26:00.584-08:0060 day Goal Planning for 2012First I can't believe it has been this long since I looked at the sight! I am So sorry!<br />
This year I want to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">focus</span> on mini mission trips to places that we support in the area. Such as The Cravens in Mission, SD, the Alpha Center, Jim and Bea Canning, Contact Center, and so on.<br />
Not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">necessarily</span> all of them but put at least one on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">calender</span><br />
<br />
January:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Have a Calendar year Planned out For missions</li>
<li>Start working out the core values of Missions for our church</li>
<li>Send out a Fund Raising Letter for Trip to Haiti</li>
<li>Organize Supplies for Haitian people</li>
</ul>
<br />
February:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Contact South Dakota and surrounding area Missions that we support put on the calendar</li>
</ul>
<br />
March:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Finish with core values, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">recruit</span> one more person for the Missions team.</li>
</ul>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13323279860971279123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-3757645815097810782012-01-15T02:51:00.000-08:002012-01-15T03:22:17.996-08:0060 Day Goals for 2012During the Christmas break, Taylor and I had the opportunity to meet and talk about the things we are doing in Honor Bound and look ahead to the new year. We had the chance to discuss the format of our weekly meetings and are implementing some changes. For special events throughout the year, we feel that we have the events picked out, but we are working on finalizing all the dates (we are about 95% done in this area). So as not to delay this assignment any further, I will list the events we will be having and update the post when the dates are finalized.<br /><br />Quarterly men's breakfasts - this is to serve as a means of fellowship for both groups and also as an outreach to men that are not a part of a group.<br /><br />Semi-annual Car Care Clinics - this is to serve as an outreach to single moms, ladies, elderly, and those in need of this service.<br /><br />Family Fun Weekend at a campground. This is to be a time of fun and fellowship for all people. Games for the kids, activities for all ages, and food will be present.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12596574001474476249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-83591083097520144372012-01-15T01:49:00.000-08:002012-01-15T02:51:36.841-08:00Courageous Leadership 10-13Chapter 10 - A Leaders Prayer to me seems to reinforce the importance of reading and studing the Word of God. People in the Bible faced many of the same things we face. We are allowed the opportunity to see how others handled similar situations in life. We can pick out the strong points and characteristics and pray that we can grow in those areas in our life.<br /><br />Chapter 11 - The Leader's Pathway. This chapter talked about the importance of our walk with God and how there can be many different ways that we can go about getting into or drawing closer to the presence of God. Probably one of the main ways for me is when I am serving God and others. Many times during worship and being out in God's creation - a bike ride, walk, etc. it is easy to be drawn into God's presence.<br /><br />Chapter 12 - Developing an enduring spirit. I thought this was another great chapter. So many times we set out to do things for God, get part way into it, things don't go well, and we want to give up and quite. It was brought out even more the importance of making your calling and election sure before moving out to do something. You don't want to get part way into something and then ask yourself was I really called to do this? It was mentioned that if we remain focussed and fulfill His calling, then He will empower us to endure. Another point that was made - we don't want to give up or betray the One who gave us life, salvation, and the promise of eternity. I really liked the word picture of him sailing across Lake Michigan during rough weather and being able to see it from the view point of an airplane. The past few months I have been reminded of a similar picture of a football player out on the field, and a coach being up in the stands calling out plays. The player can't see everything from his viewpoint, but the coach can. Sometimes the coach may tell us to back up a few steps, move to the right or left, which at the time, may not make any sense. We are getting these directions to help us avoid being tackled. Other times the decisions of those around us effect us as well. If our teammates don't block for us in certain situations in life, we may get sacked. When this does happen, we need to get up and get ready for the next play. We just need to make sure we are doing the best we can (being obedient) with the "plays" or (directions) our coach is giving us. In the end we know we win because we have the gift of eternal life.<br /><br />Chapter 13 - Refusing God Nothing. This chapter took a look at some of the things Mother Teresa went through before and during the time she was able to work within the call God had placed on her life. Some of the points she lived by was to refuse God nothing, do His bidding without delay, and to be found faithful in little practices. These are not easy standards or goals to live by. The struggles that she went through serve as an encouragement and a reminder to not give up when things don't seem to be working out.<br /><br />I have really enjoyed reading Courageous Leadership and have learned a lot from it. I would recommend it to others.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12596574001474476249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-66807905990842995012012-01-06T05:45:00.000-08:002012-01-06T05:45:46.857-08:00Courageous Leadership 7-10Leadership Styles - <b><span style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">As they diligently add to this personal database year after year, they automatically increase their leadership batting averages.</span></b><br />
Leadership skills is a growing process. I'm going to commit myself to develop my strong leadership styles and grow in my weaker leadership styles. (At this point I feel I have more weaker styles than strong.) I see my leadership as a shepherd style.<br />
<br />
We must identify emerging leaders, invest in them, give them kingdom responsibilities, and coach them into effectiveness. The process we are going through is helping us do exactly this. "Working yourself out of a job" is what God demands. It's not always easy, in fact it's very difficult. But it's how the Kingdom of God operates. <b style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Is there enough quietness in your life for you to hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit? This was a question that Bill asked in regards to leadership. I can't lead others if I not following the Holy Spirit's leading.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bill brought out the different leadership styles of Biblical heroes. Of all the people he mentioned, David rose to the top. I couldn't help but think of what David had to go through in order to get the "leadership" style that was in his life. I have to ask myself if I'm willing to, "pay the price" in order to receive what God is willing to place in my life. I pray at the end of the day the answer is yes. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-71105999110318848032011-12-15T03:50:00.000-08:002011-12-15T05:01:32.321-08:00Courageous Leadership Chapters 7-9As mentioned in earlier posts, I believe Bill Hybels brings up some very good ideas. It is hard to pick out just a few points because there are so many.<br />Chap 7 - Discovering and Developing Your Own Leadership Style. He brought out 10 leadership styles in this chapter. Before reading the chapter I probably would have only come up with a few. If I had to choose the style or styles that I fall into, it would probably be The strategic leadership style - taking something and breaking it down into smaller pieces. Another category may be the shepherding leadership style. This type of leadership takes place over a period of time and doesn't happen quickly. At the end of the chapter he lists 4 steps to help lead and provide a high impact. Step 4 - Commit yourself both to developing your strong leadership styles and growing in your weaker leadership styles, really stuck out to me. The point of growing in your weaker areas may be the driving point. With how things are changing so quickly in society today, if you don't try to keep up, or at least be aware of the changes around you, you will find yourself on the outside looking in. Mr. Hybles made the point - No matter how strong leaders are in their particular leadership style, totally overlooking the areas in which they are weak will eventually compromise their ability to lead.<br /><br />Chapter 8 - A Leader's Sixth Sense<br />In this chapter he discusses data sources that we use to make decisions. Knowing these sources and being aware of them will help us understand better why we make some of the decisions we do. What I believe - what are my core values and beliefs. What I know other leaders would do. This would go back to who I surround myself with - people who I allow to speak into my life, mentors, friends, etc,. Pain or probably another way to say it is past experiences. Hopefully we have learned things in the past and don't repeat the same mistakes. May we be able to see where an idea or program will lead even if it is "packaged or wrapped" a little different. The Holy Spirit. We always need to be open to the Holy Spirit's leading. At times this may seem to go against, or not line up fully with some of the earlier points just discussed. He brought out some very good questions that I need to ask myself in this area: Is there enough quietness in your life for you to hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit? Do you have the guts to carry out promptings, even though you might not understand them fully, and even though your team might question your wisdom? Are you willing to walk by faith? Will you commit yourself to allowing the Spirit to fully inform your decision-making?<br /><br />Chapter 9 - The Art of Self-leadership<br />I thought his compass analogy was good. It reminded me of being an all around team player. So many times it is easy to just focus on those who you are responsible for. He brings up the point of the toughest leadership challenge - yourself. It is so easy to get focused on a goal or mission and overlook your own needs or areas of weakness. One thought comes to mind - you can't lead someone where you haven't been yourself. Or you may be on a journey with your team and don't have all the answers, but you at least have God's peace while going on the journey. In this chapter he goes on and lists many questions that we as leaders need to ask ourselves from time to time. Some that stuck out to me - Is my character submitted to Christ? Everytime time you compromise character you compromise leadership. In a round about way I am reminded of a former boss - he would never ask any of his workers to do anything he wouldn't do himself. Am I asking those I am a servant leader to, to do things or have expectations of them that I am not doing myself? Is my pride subdued? There probably are better ways of doing things than just my way. Am I overcoming fear? This can keep me from doing things or making changes that need to be done. Is my pace sustainable? I think that this is one question that is not asked enough. So many times we take our family and our physical bodies for granted. The topic of burnout comes into play. In the "church" community and even other areas in our life, if things get going to fast and get out of hand and lead to a mental, physical, or family breakdown, that is not good. He makes the point that we in large part are responsible for the pace at which we live our lives.<br /><br />Once again, many good points mentioned in these chapters.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12596574001474476249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-18160885249485036092011-12-10T20:27:00.000-08:002011-12-10T20:28:20.826-08:00Courageous Leadership, Chapters 4-6I am really enjoying this book. Hybels offers such practical information that I think most people can understand and would be able to implement. The chapter "Building a Kingdom Dream Team" is so good because he lays out a good foundation for building a strong team. Everything he says totally makes sense but on my own I probably would never think of doing this process the same way. I really liked how he said we first need to define the nature and purpose of the team. I know I've been on teams before where no one was really sure what the real goal was. Which totally correlates with our Acts 2 process - we have to all focus on the "main thing" and from there we will have unity in our body. I really liked Hybel's 3 C's of selection. I think it is right on. I think sometimes in churches someone with an incredible talent may be elevated to a position but the character is lacking. They will inevitably fail. Sometimes it takes a while to really see someone's character, which is why I appreciate our church's policy of having new people wait for a period of time before getting involved. The next chapter "The Resource Challenge" was a good one. I'm glad that someone is actually addressing finances and giving to this extent. Bill Hybels wrote in his book about how he was unapologetic about asking for resources in the early years of his ministry. People get so touchy about their money but Bill was willing to ask people who were just barely Christians about donating large amounts of money. It was really good to hear someone be so upfront about how its nearly impossible to make a church grow without financial resources. It really makes me think about what we could be doing to be generating more resources in our body. I whole-heartedly believe that our pastors and staff should be paid more. Their occupation is not easy and is not just a Monday through Friday 8 - 4 job. I believe they should be paid well. I definitely agree with Hybels that if people get excited about a vision, they are glad to give. I feel that we have a generous congregation and if we can get people excited about what our purpose is and dreams that we have for our body, I think we can draw new people in and also increase our resources.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16578784044042626073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-83254599072358958552011-12-01T09:35:00.001-08:002011-12-01T12:18:10.106-08:00Annette's CL Chapter 4-6 ReviewWow I can't believe I forgot to do this! My apologies... November was kind of a blur for me. But no excuse - I simply overlooked it. So here's my review. I love this book but it's also challenging me.<br />
<br />
<b>Chapter 4: Building a Kingdom Dream Team</b><br />
The stories he tells at the beginning of the chapter are a bit intimidating because they sound so awesome! But I get what's he's talking about. I praise God for the teams I work with in youth and worship. I am SO blessed by their faithfulness to God and to the church. We've worked through disagreements, lack of resources, being worn out... There is truly nothing like a team of godly people to work with doing what God has given you passion to do. It's so cool! But it is definitely not easy to develop. Like I said, you have to work through some hard things too. You don't always agree and you have to find a solution anyway. I wholeheartedly agree with the 3 Cs as well. I know I've definitely always been concerned about Character first. That can cause major problems - as our church has experienced in the past. Competence can be subjective because sometimes you have to train someone to do the job. And at times, they pick it up and go! Other times, it becomes apparent that they're either not cut out for the job or they realize they don't want the commitment. So competence isn't always clear at the beginning. Chemistry is definitely important. And the important thing to know is that you can work on that! If it's not there naturally, you just have to make the effort to see if you can build that kind of relationship. <br />
<br />
<b>Chapter 5: The Resource Challenge</b><br />
Ugh I don't like this topic - probably because I struggle with financial stuff in general. It's the battle of the flesh versus the spirit I'm sure. But in ministry, I definitely struggle to have faith in this area. The body of Christ is NOT poor! Our God is limitless - I know that. But for some reason I still have a hard time believing for provision when it comes to money. I know I have to get over it and just be obedient. In effect, I limit God in my mind by lack of faith. I hoped the chapter would resolve this for me. Honestly, it didn't. BUT there were some very practical and Biblical principles that I will refer back to. People give to vision and vision is given by God. I should not feel guilty about that. God help me!!!<br />
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<b>Chapter 6: Developing Emerging Leaders</b><br />
Now we're talking! I got excited to read this. :) "When are leaders at their best?" What a great question! I think we should discuss this together. He's convinced that leaders should make this one of their highest priorities. Is your radar up right now - watching for someone to mentor?? We've talked about Jesus' leadership development plan before too, which he addresses too. The five necessary qualities he says to look for are 1) influence, 2) character, 3) people skills, 4) drive and 5) intelligence. I have to admit that I haven't always looked for those things. But I see the wisdom in it, and I'm definitely going to rethink that. I've definitely considered 2 and 4 in the people I seek - and sometimes 3, but not always. These really make sense, but I don't think it's an exact formula. And he does suggest making up your own list. Sometimes those qualities can be developed in a person. I think it depends on the position you need to find a leader for. I think an important point to note is that we as leaders should have some kind of process in place to develop emerging leaders! How you do it is variable...but let's do it! :)Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-24039459266863718142011-11-10T02:33:00.000-08:002011-11-10T09:19:03.628-08:00Mike's Courageous Leadership Chap 4-6In chapter 4, entitled building a Kingdom Dream Team, he discussed the three characteristics of what he looks for when selecting team members. The three <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">c's</span> are character, competence, and chemistry - in that order. With character, he means that the person's walk with Jesus Christ needs to be solid, and that the person is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">committed</span> to spiritual disciplines. He mentioned that all the areas are important, but that lacking in character in a lot of situations can produce more damage for the team than occasionally falling short in the other areas. Once again, we will be known by our fruit.<br />
<br />
Chapter 5 talks about the Resource Challenge and how the leader needs to be the chief resource raiser. This is not a very fun aspect of being a leader, but it does take resources to get a ministry or project going, and to sustain it. The leader standing behind and working with this projects, is just another area that shows how much the leader is committed to the project. It kind of goes back to the old saying of putting your money where your mouth is. He gives many examples of how things were and how tight the budget was when first starting out. These are areas where you hope you never have to go through, but many times you can really relate to them. One thing to keep in mind is that God is the ultimate resource provider, people are just conduits that the resources flow though. Another point he made in this chapter and quoting a couple sentences - People don't give to organizations or to other people. They give to visions. When leaders who understand this take the time to paint pictures for people and to help them imagine the kingdom good that will result from their collective efforts, then people are free to release their resources joyfully. And generally, the grander the vision, the greater the giving. I believe this helps people keep the big picture in mind. Also, knowing Godly principles about giving and finances is so important and the people you are working with need to be educated in this area as well. Finances can be such a source of bondage in peoples lives.<br />
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Chapter six talks about Developing emerging Leaders. This is an area that is so easy to overlook or to just plain ignore. Leaders need to take the time to help develop the potential leaders around them. For many of us we can remember the people who took the time and invested in us. We in turn need to take the time and invest in others. Unless we make a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">conscious</span> effort to do this, it usually won't get done.<br />
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As I have mentioned before, I have really enjoyed this book. Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hybels</span> has been able to bring out items that he has learned or gone through in his ministry. These are things that we can be on the lookout for and have a little better idea on how to handle them. At least we should not be completely surprised when faced with some of these issues that he discusses.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12596574001474476249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-40127886897118722832011-11-07T05:22:00.000-08:002011-11-10T09:20:42.125-08:00Randy's Chapters 4-6<div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage">
“I think leaders are at their very best when they are raising up leaders around them."</div>
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"People don’t give to organizations or to other people. They give to visions."</div>
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I am challenged by these two staments. It's much easier to just do a job yourself and more difficult to raise up a leader to do that same job. In order for the church to grow the latter must be the mentality. I have to admit that was not my priority, I made children my priority. I now see the error in that thought process. With help I will make the transition in raising up leaders.</div>
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The second statement concerns vision. Vision is more than writing something on a paper. It starts there but must take on a life of itself. The written vision has to grab the attention of the reader. The vision must be talked about and lived. I will keep in mind what is written in these chapters as I develope next years Children's Ministry vision. </div>
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Nothing tests the mettle of church leaders and members more than the resource challenge.</div>
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BUILD TEAM PERFORMANCE BY ESTABLISHING CLEAR GOALS</div>
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Knowing leads to loving.” It is impossible to listen to the heartfelt reflections of a team member without being drawn into a deeper relationship with that person.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-28402471644968035732011-10-24T06:40:00.000-07:002011-10-24T14:11:49.210-07:00Natalie's Courageous Leadership - Chapters 1-3What an encouraging and timely book! It's cool to see that there are a lot of other churches that have done what we are embarking upon. God definitely brought this book to us at the right time. I really like how he described that "vision is a leader's most powerful weapon." I know that I have heard great speakers and have felt so compelled by their message that I wanted to jump on their bandwagon too. I think it was so cool to see how in his church, Bill Hybel began the process with his vision team of senior leadership in the church. It is so vital that we are all on the same page before we can carry the vision out to the church as a whole. I was very encouraged when he talked about how in todays world people have schedules so crammed with stuff that it's hard to imagine squeezing one more thing in. However, when people are excited and have caught the vision they are willing to do what it takes to carry it out. People are moved into action because they realize the great value in what the vision has set to accomplish. I believe that our family, our Signet group and many in our church family feel the same way. What has more value than bringing people into the kingdom of God?<br />
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I liked the "Getting-it-Done Leadership" chapter. It's practical and shows how you can cast vision all you want but if we never get up and do something, the vision won't become a reality. I think the setting of goals is a great idea and I hope we are able to do that in our Acts 2 process. I am excited to continue reading this book and seeing the parallels to our own transformation process.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16578784044042626073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-68783114113447714282011-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:002011-10-06T07:35:50.773-07:00Annette's CL Oct. Book ReviewIsn't it amazing how God directs our lives??? I chose this book for Signet in October of last year!! At that time, we had no idea that we would be in this Acts 2 process. God is so ingenious! Everything we're reading is right in line with the vision process. What is so cool to me is that this book brings another facet to the process. In vision team, we're talking about the vision, movement of people, the process of discipleship, etc. But this book talks about what kind of leader can actually facilitate that vision! How cool!!!<br />
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Hybels' love for the church really inspired me. It's easy to get frustrated about what doesn't work. But the Church really is the hope of this world! That is a huge responsibility for us to carry. And the leaders of the Church hold the opportunity for impact in their hands. Wow...are we sure we want to sign up for that? :) There is no other organization, club, or government that can have the influence that the Church can. I am very humbled by that realization. We have to do better.<br />
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So that leads us to chapter 2 where he talks about vision. We have definitely come to appreciate the importance of vision through the Acts 2 process. It sounds like they did their own Acts 2 process to clarify their vision as well! Our most potent weapon as a leader is VISION. I was glad to read that he emphasized the importance of not only identifying the vision - but also that you must work hard to communicate. It's not a once a year event. It should be threaded through everything we do. Every opportunity has to be weighed against the vision that God has given us. We can't afford to use time and resources on activities that aren't a part of that. <br />
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Chapter 3 was a butt kicking chapter. LOL Talk is cheap - that's how I summarize it. Haha. He had to make some difficult decisions and push people pretty hard in order to fully achieve what God was calling them to. Are we ready to do that? I admit that it is hard for me to "push" my team when they are volunteers. I served as a volunteer for years, and I gave a lot to ministry while balancing family and work. So I empathize with the struggle to not take on too much. But at the same time, is there anything in life more important than Kingdom work? So shouldn't it be #1 priority after your personal relationship with God and family? I've always felt bad about expecting that. I guess if I am communicating the vision with great passion and conviction in a way that will help to inspire people - they will willingly make the necessary sacrifices! Because they'll see that God is in it, and that I need their help to do it. What an awesome book this is so far...I'm excited.Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-1835501865508071152011-10-02T18:11:00.000-07:002011-10-11T12:21:45.414-07:00Mike's Courageous Leadership Intro through Chapter 3I have really enjoyed this book and what Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hybels</span> has had to say. A lot of what he is talking about goes hand in hand with what we are going through in our church vision meetings - so this is tying in with a few different areas. The following are some points and ideas that stuck out to me.<br />
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He has a deep passion for the local church and its potential - the local church is the hope of the world. The local church should be pointing people to Jesus. On page 23 he goes into detail of what the church can be when functioning right. It is so many things to so many people that no other type of organization can compare to. Leaders play a big role in helping to guide or steer the church to where it needs to be.<br />
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Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion. This was one definition used in this book. Vision is very important to a leader and is backed up with scripture - Proverbs 29:18 ...Where there is no vision, the people perish...<br />
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Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Hybels</span> listed some basic truths to a leader, if they are having trouble getting a clear vision from God. He lists about 8 different points (page 38 in the book). Some seem fairly basic, but yet I still need to ask myself if I have taken the time to do these things.<br />
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Another point mentioned about having a clear vision is that it helps to define (by implication) what the church or organization is not about. This can really help to keep a group from getting involved with things that take up a lot of time and resources and really don't accomplish what the group is wanting to do. This should help so that the group doesn't get spread so thin.<br />
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We need to be a get it done type of leader. Some leaders are just vision casters, or others just constantly give pep talks. We need to be able to cast a vision, but yet be able to take steps to move towards and accomplish the vision. Along the way, we need to be able to show progress in moving towards the vision. If we don't, we probably won't have many people sticking and working with us towards the vision / goal.<br />
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I like how he mentioned how we need to be able to work towards the main goal of the church and not just the goals of our area within the church. This will help us to work together as a body and not just a bunch of independent little bodies doing our own little thing.<br />
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A diligent leader will need to be willing to move out of our comfort zone, be willing to learn new skills and disciplines, and at times be willing to submit to a process of retraining.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12596574001474476249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-44592549111115034932011-09-27T11:51:00.000-07:002011-10-11T12:22:48.944-07:00Randy's Courageous Leadership - Intro thru Chapter 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma;">As I began to read this book I found a lot of similarities between this book and the process we are going through. I think it is a really timely book. I like how he began by talking about the church. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. The church is the only power on earth that exists to set people free.</span><br />
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His next point was vision. What a powerful example of John Adams. He boldly declared his vision of a new nation and here we are. “Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion.” I had to think about that statement. Any statement can be put out there but until it catches fire of passion it’s just a statement, its not vision. How can it go from being a statement into a vision? <br />
By embodying it <br />
By personifying it <br />
By living it out<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Tahoma;">Leaders have to help people know, understand, and remember the “main thing”. In many ways I feel a brand new church is emerging and I’m humble at the thought. For us to make the transition the “vision” needs to move people into action. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Tahoma;">Team work When he gave the illustration of Billy Graham and the team he formed over the years I found myself yearning for that strong of unity. I know I'm going to need a lot of help in order to get to that level of leadership. </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: grey; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836652520994463707.post-54908179710975646952011-08-23T12:54:00.000-07:002012-01-26T11:41:05.806-08:00Reading Schedule for COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIPBy September 30th - Introduction through Chapter 3<br />
By October 31st - Chapter 4-6<br />
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By Final Signet Conference - Chapter 7-13<br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Remember to blog your review by those dates.</span></i></b>Netmariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086858974577652250noreply@blogger.com0