What I learned from NFL Flag This Year II
2) There is no “I” in team- All the kids on Connor’s team had talent. Most could catch a ball, juke and jive, and flat out run with the ball. They made some great plays sometimes that proved their ability. Connor made an incredible catch and ran it in for one of the few touchdowns they made this season. I was proud of a lot of plays he made on offense and defense.
The principle I’ve learned is that you can have a bunch of incredibly talented on your team, but until they learn to work and think as a team, you will either fail or end up with mediocre results. You can have an incredible, talented, gifted, people on your team but as long as it is about you and your talents, your abilities, your specialties, your minstry, your relationship circles, your friends, your family, the team will be anemic and not accomplish the goal that it was created for. There is no “I” in team. A team is: a number of persons associated in some joint action. Joint action is the important phrase. As a team we are all working together to accomplish one goal, one purpose, one vision.
Guest Services is the area of ministry I oversee. The greeters can make new comers feel very welcome and loved on, but without the worship team helping lead us into the prescense of God and whoever is speaking that day to deliver the Words of God that will change that person’s life, the experience is incomplete. (not saying that God can’t move despite us, ok?) It is not till we understand that we have a part, but not the whole responsibility will we understand what a team is. For example, if I think that my area of ministry is the most important ministry in the church, then I am missing the whole picture of what God wants to do in our church and community. Read 1Corinthians 12:12-27 on your own and you’ll catch what I am talking about.
It is not just about what God does through us as individuals, it’s about what God wants to do through us as a whole. There is no “I” in team. Be a team player.
Kevin
Even the Little Ones Need to Know that Jesus Loves Them
This story has messed me up today. I pray for this little guy’s family. I also pray for the boys who were so brutal and cruel to this young man. I hope they find Christ’s forgiveness and peace for what they have done, before the hate they showed this little boy destroys them too.
I don’t understand how an 11 y/o even formulates or comes to a decision to end their life. My kids are thinking of airsoft guns and Webkins. I know we as parents don’t think that they are thinking of these type things but we need to wake up and realize that these issues are being dealt with by our children at a younger and younger age. They need to know they are loved and valued and that Jesus loves them too.
Rest in Peace little guy.
Kevin
What I Learned From NFL Flag This Year I
Ok, my son played NFL Flag football this year. Although my son’s team practiced every week, when Saturday rolled around, they got pummeled. It was hard to watch as a father and a football fan. I learned a lot from watching them play every week and took away some leadership and team principles from the things that they did right and wrong.
1) Never Give Up on the Play or the Game- Every time the other team scored their first touchdown (which usually happened before my son’s team), you could see the very life just leave the team.
Discouragement is the product of a fallen world. Due to the curse upon this world, we have to work hard for everything, and even though we work hard it’s not a guarantee of anything. Discouragement will cause you to give up the game when we are on the goaline ready to score! I think of what could have happened if the team didn’t give up and continued to play like nothing happened. At least the possibility of a win would still be there. How many of us give up on God’s promises to us and we are at the goaline ready to walk into the things God has for us! We get discouraged and we give into fear and hopelessness. What if we would have refused to give in for just a few more minutes, hours, or days. What if we put our head down, squared up our shoulders and with determination decided to plow through the crud that is keeping us from what God has for us? What if we got mad and did something instead of rolling into the fetal position with our disappointments and past failures!
What if we had the mindset that if we quit, we die?!!
Kevin
Just Enough? (Questions I Am Asking Myself)
Here are some questions I have been asking myself lately:
1) Am I doing just enough in my areas of ministry to keep others from noticing the areas that they need a lot of improvement?
2) Am I doing just enough to fool myself into thinking my relationship with God is where it should be?
3) Am I doing just enough to help meet my spouses’ heart-felt needs that she isn’t totally miserable being with me?
4) Am I doing just enough to make sure that my children know I exist?
5) Am I doing just enough on my job to make sure i don’t get fired?
6) Am I giving just enough to look generous or sacrificially giving?
Just enough is not good enough in any of these areas when we look at what Christ did for us. Are we fooling ourselves? Are we taking things we shouldn’t for granted?
Food for thought
Kevin
Toxic People
This isn’t really a bible teaching, but I just wanted to share some wisdom God has given me. Hopefully it will help you.
A couple of years ago, I went through a painful situation(disagreement) with someone. I struggled for a while with the feelings of hurt, rejection, and separation from this person. I wanted their support during a very happy time in my life and they chose not to. I still have not had any communication with this person since. I hope one day that God will restore that relationship.
God has been bringing to my rememberance many experiences, many not so pleasant, to reveal why I had to go through these situations. Many were experiences of rejection by those I wanted to have relationship with. After all, we all want to be liked. We all want to have friends. We want to have people that we can celebrate our accomplishments and triumphs with us. The desire was innately put into us by our creator. We can’t help it.
The problem is when the people whom we want that from are toxic. They keep at arms length. They laugh at you in your failures. They make it their mission in life to steal the joy that God has placed within you. Their criticism is not constructive. They will never be happy with anything you do. For many that may be a spouse, parent or a realitive. For some, maybe a pastor, teacher, mentor, coach, etc.
In my case, I had to make a very hard decision. I had to stop pursuing that person’s relationship. There are those that may not agree with that. The Bible does say: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.(Hebrews 12:14). This does not mean that you have to continue to be around people that do not have your best intentions at heart.
What I have found is that God has brought many people into my life that have been an encouragement to me. He has blessed me with great people in my life who have helped me grow more than I have most of my adult life!
No matter how hard we try, there will be those who will never act the way you would like them to. That’s why it is important to surround yourself with those who care about you, and will support you despite what the nay sayers say. We may not be able to get all of those people out of our life but we can surround ourselves with people who can counter those toxic people and speak good things in your life.
K
PS: One small thing I do want to say is that I am not saying that if your spouse is toxic you should go out and get a divorce. You need to find a Christian counselor that you can both trust, who will be objective. Nothing I have said in this post should be construed as me telling anyone to go out and get a divorce.
What’s the Big Deal?
The siren song of our society. We park a gray area the size of a greyhound bus between right and wrong with one simple phrase. What’s the big deal if I am late to work everyday? What’s the big deal if I take an extra 10 mins for lunch? Don’t I deserve it? What’s the big deal if I roll through the stop sign? Noone is around, right? What’s the big deal with taking an extra few seconds catching a glimpse of that woman with the skirt that covers nothing? After all, I’m not going to sleep with her.
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
The big deal is your heart.
Kevin
If You are a Communicator of the Gospel…
I just got through reading this post by David Foster.
It is a challenge to all who share Jesus Christ. Whether you are a preacher or someone who is trying to reach others for Christ. We must communicate with not just our words but our actions! If we do not communicate God’s Word with passion and conviction, then we need to take a looooong look into our hearts. God’s Word is powerful and life-changing and we need to start believing and acting like it!
Kevin
Easter is Over. Now What are You Going to Do?
Journey Church had an incredible day yesterday! I was also encouraged by the reports of salvations and baptisms from other churches yesterday.
My question is this Easter is over, what are you going to do now? It is easy to sit on the laurels of a successful day, but where is God directing you now? What is God burdening your heart with today? What message is burning in your soul that you have to communicate, or you feel like you will die? How can we show the love of Christ after Easter?
There are still people who do not know Him. Don’t get comfortable.
Kevin
Just Wanted to Say Hi
Hi everyone. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I haven’t been writing a whole lot lately. Since January God has just been dealing with me on so many things that it is hard to even write sometimes. When God is refining and correcting things in you, it’s not always pleasant. I have been challenged in every area of my life this year, both personal and ministry.
I know that God is getting ready to do things in me and in our church that are way bigger and more powerful than we can imagine. God has to prepare our hearts and minds for what lies ahead. Sometimes those things are hard to even put into words or describe. I wish I could, but I can’t. He wants to reveal Himself in ways that we have never seen before and in ways that we haven’t seen in a long time.
God love us the way we are, but He didn’t die to leave us the way we are. He wants us to change, and He wants to help us to make those changes. He sent His Holy Spirit to show us the things we need to change and give us the power to change. What a great promise!
I hope God will help me communicate the things He is doing in me at some point. What does God want you to change?
Kevin
Good Stuff!
When I hear or read stuff that hits me hard, I just have to share it!
This sermon was incredible! You have to listen to it!
Listen if you dare! Lol!!
Found this cool pic of what they call the Heart Nebula. God’s creation is truly beautiful and amazing!
Kevin
