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Just not sure...

Just not sure about yesterday.  Attendance was up due to child dedication and a lot of extended family being here for that...but...as I do some mental evaluation...

Message? - I got on a soap box that as I look back, I think I got too intense with.  I know my style well enough to know this is evidence of not being prepared.  The preparation of this message was difficult for me for some reason and I didn't finalize it until Saturday night.  Now, for many pastors - this is the norm but I like to have it nailed and in the bag weeks ahead so I can mull it over and over in my brain.  When it doesn't come together until late, I tend to overcompensate with forced emotions in style to make up for not thinking it through enough.

Music? - Each song was good - they just didn't seem to fit together for the day.  The opening song didn't have the energy that set a celebrative pace.  We put a song at the end of the message and right before child dedication - we have never done that before and I'm just not sure about it.  It wasn't bad - just didn't "nail it."

Child Dedication? - To be totally honest - I am struggling with this.  I think the way we did it yesterday was the best way we have ever done it, but the more I think about it, the more I think it works really well in churches where there are no broken homes, no single parents, no parents where one comes to church and the other one doesn't.  In other words, we need to figure something else out here at Meadow.  There are parents who want to dedicate their kids, but because they are divorced - they don't have their kids with them on weekends.  We have moms who want to dedicate their kids, but dad doesn't come to church or vice versa.  We even have divorced parents - both go to different churches - who want to dedicate their kids.

Now You See It - Now You Don't

Core Team Training

Fantastic Core Team training this morning.

The second Saturday of the month is committed to leadership training with what I consider the "core leaders" of Meadow.  Right now, the core includes all staff, small group leaders, and ministry team leaders.  The purpose of core training is to teach, train, and equip leaders to lead in their personal lives and in their roles and ministries at Meadow.  We start off with breakfast and dive into it from there.

Today...self-care to prevent leadership implosion, three types of leaders, developing and designing ministry teams based on quadrants, and a brief introduction into writing systems for teams.  All of this will continue into the next few months.  But it was really eye-opening for everyone as we laid out the whats and hows and the whos to bring better focus to our vision.

Ironman

Went to see "Ironman" tonight.  This is a great movie.  It will go on my "want" list for movies to buy (and if you know me well - you know I don't buy many movies).  The music totally ROCKS!  Special effects are VERY cool.  And the good guy beats the bad guy and gets the girl.  I'm not waiting for someone to get me the soundtrack - I'm getting it tomorrow.  Outstanding rock by Suicidal Tendencies and "Ironman" by Black Sabbath.

Go here and you can download a free mp3 song from the movie called "Fireman".  Make sure your speakers and subwoofers are turned UP!

Day of Putzin'

Just going to be a putzy day and I am looking forward to it.  I am tired.  The trip to Dallas and the ministry challenges still have my brain on the verge of tilt.  It's all good - but I am tired.  And spending time in airports and planes isn't my favorite thing to do.  I don't know how those who travel for their jobs do it.

Anyway...today I'm going to get set up and ready for the monthly core training tomorrow (which I am really looking forward to), go to lunch with a man who is becoming a very close and trusted friend, working in the yard, going to the gym to sweat, hanging out with Sandy, my son, and his girlfriend, and then if there is still time in the day - I'm getting my boat ready for fishing.

Later...

One Point Sunday

My head is just swimming with what I heard on and about the family.  I have been cranking out some thoughts for this Sunday.

Here's the deal...there will be one point.  Just ONE point.  One point on parenting but the implications of this one point are significant and life changing - not only to your family but to the Meadow.

Here's a couple of things to chew on which Kurt Bruner, Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Lake Pointe Church said...

"At best, only about half of the children growing up in evangelical homes remain active believers as adults."

"The problem is not what is or isn't happening in the church, but what desperately needs to happen at home."

Ponderings from the day

Just got back to the hotel.  What a packed day...leadership development, ministry systems, and family ministry.

Nutshell...

Systems...I will be flat honest and tactless in my words in order to be clear.  The systems we have at Meadow - what systems we have - STINK and are in need of MAJOR work (was that clear enough?).  We are not doing well in defining systems.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that I am coming home with a system to design systems that will launch volunteers and ministry into new realms.  It won't be an overnight deal, but we are going to work on these - one by one.

Family Ministry ... this has made this trip to Dallas worth it.  And what I heard and saw today ROCKED me in terms of the state of our families, kids, and teens.  I was confronted with statistics that do not lie and we cannot turn our heads away from.  Meadow needs to do something - and do something radical.  It won't be another program - we have never had better kids and teen programming than we have now.  It will be an entirely new mindset and the way we view family ministry.  If we get real serious about this, it will affect and change the way we spend money.  It will affect and change the way we do staffing, volunteers, small groups, and every area of ministry at Meadow.

I'm thinking some of this is going to come out in my message this Sunday.  I need to think it all through - this could result in a MAJOR paradigm shift at Meadow.  We are facing a family crisis.  Could it be that God wants us to do something about it?

Check this out.  Something that was said today...

• Church programs = never been better.
• Faith transference = never been worse.
• Faith in the home = never been more silent.

What are we going to do about it?  I need to think this through.  I am out off to the treadmill to sweat on it.  Maybe I'll post more thoughts later.

Dude!

I just saw a fire truck going Code 3 by the hotel!

I LOVE Texas!

Dallas

Arrived in Dallas last night for a couple of days of workshops with Ministry Advantage.  I have never been to Dallas before - never been to Texas.  People talk funny down here and they think I talk funny.  I thought if I just don't talk, people won't look at me funny.  But that didn't work because not only does every talk funny, but they all wear cowboy hats and boots - which I have neither.  Right now it is 95% humidity and it is supposed to get up to 80 today.  I'm sweatin' already!

Anyway...I'm off to Lakepointe Church.  I am looking forward to these two days.  I have only been working with Ministry Advantage for a few months and I am really being challenged in several areas of ministry and what we need to do to move Meadow forward - especially in thinking through systems, org structure, leadership development, staff structure.  I even hung a HUGE whiteboard in my office which now has "fractals" drawn all over it.

Over the course of these two days, we will be diving into:

• Designing Self-Sustaining Ministry Systems
• Organizing for Growth (200, 500, 100+)
• Small Groups
• Leadership Development
• Assimilation
• Building Strong Families

Looks like a packed two days.  I am sure my brain will be fried and shifting into "tilt" by tomorrow afternoon.  The challenge will be to sift through it all and know what is relevant for Meadow and I need to take home and what is not and needs to stay here.

Beyond Commitment

It's no secret that I have been part of the Shakopee Fire Department for 14 years.  It has been an awesome 14 years and I have loved every minute of it.  There is nothing like being at home or at the office and the pager goes off.  The adrenalin rush is absolutely amazing!

I remember growing up dreaming of being a firefighter.  And because the Shakopee Fire Department is volunteer, I get to fulfill two dreams - being a pastor and being a firefighter.  And there is no other fire department I want to fulfill this dream with than with the Shakopee Fire Department.

Keep in mind this is a volunteer department.  Which means every firefighter works their 40, 50, 60 hr work week and on top of that responds to calls at every hour of the day and night.  There are no shifts.  We are on call 24/7.  We have mechanics, salesmen, teachers, contractors, chemists, electricians, managers, police officers, business owners - oh, yeah, and one pastor.  We all carry pagers.  When someone calls 911 and is in need of the fire department, all of our pagers go off - regardless of where we are or what we are doing.  And we leave, go to the station, get our gear, load the trucks and respond to help, rescue, fix ... whatever is needed.

We respond to structure fires, chemical spills, fire alarms, carbon monoxide calls, medical assists, car fires, car crashes, accidents on lakes, lost hunters/hikers/bikers, bomb threats, grass fires, dumpster fires, lightning strikes - just to name a few.

Every firefighter on the department has completed a minimum of 200 plus hours of firefighter training.  This is all in the first year.  After that, there is weekly training (every Monday night for 2 hours), and several special schools that are attended throughout the year.  This is all done - on top of their regular jobs and careers.

In addition to this, there are countless hours given and donated toward community service, block parties, school presentations, station and equipment cleaning/repair/maintenance, and community projects and events.  Again - all on top of regular jobs and careers.

In 2007, we responded to 609 total calls.  While the calls we get most of the time are for fire alarms, here are just some of the other calls we had in 2007.

• 21 structure fires
• 24 car fires
• 23 grass fires
• 23 medical assists
• 30 car crashes

Again - this is all on top of our regular jobs and careers.  These calls come in the middle of the night, in the middle of dinner, in the middle of a child's concert or birthday party or anniversary or dinner out with friends.

All of this to say that I count it a major privilege and honor to be a part of a group of firefighters who have such a high level of commitment to this community.  And here's what you can do...

• When driving through town and you notice a vehicle with its four way lights flashing - pull over and let them by.  Most likely this is a Shakopee Firefighter on the way to the station to respond to an emergency of some kind.
• When you hear or see a fire truck - either going to a call or just driving through town - pray.  Ask God to protect us, give us safety as we respond to calls, give us clear thinking to bring order out of chaos, and to act with swift and precise actions that will help and maybe even save a life.
• When you meet a firefighter in the store or on the street or wherever - wave, shake his/her hand, say "thanks".  These are the men and women who are making major sacrifices of family time, personal time, personal comforts and conveniences to serve our great community.

Random Sunday Night Thoughts

Another really great day.  I continue to just stand in awe of what God is doing at Meadow and the awesome people who come and make Meadow Meadow.  What's on my mind right now?

• Having all the kids from MeadowKIDS come in for the start of the service was definitely a major plus to kicking this series off with high energy and smiles.
• Big Screen was PACKED today - I wonder if its because those coming in a bit late couldn't get in the theater due to all the MeadowKIDS so they went out to Big Screen.
• Had an out of town friend come.  He leads worship at his church.  I'm looking forward to his feedback.
• Message was fun today - solid, but fun.
• Had our community group over to the house for bbq burgers.  What an great group of men, women, and kids.  Plus God has blessed us with a great home and back yard for lots of room.
• Lots of sun today - I am burnt!
• Found out a friend is really struggling with life - seriously struggling.  Not good.
• I'm headed to Dallas tomorrow for three days of workshops with Ministry Advantage.  I am looking forward to it.  The days will be full of training in leadership development, organizing for growth beyond 200, small group systems and ministry, assimilation, and building strong families.
• I am tired.  Great things happening at Meadow - but there has been some really intense leadershp stuff happening both inside and outside the church that is wearing on me.  I love being a pastor, but sometimes the load is really heavy and the pressure sucks.
• I love what I do - Meadow so rocks!

5/4 - Service Order

Countdown:  "Do What You Want" by Ok Go

Opening Jam:  "Pink Flamingo" by Daryl Hesch

Welcome

Performance with MeadowKIDS:  "Big House" by Kidstuff

Worship:  "Cry Holy" by Sonic Flood

Worship:  "Because of Your Love" by Paul Baloche

Message:  "The Best Thing"

Worship:  "Holding Nothing Back" by Tim Hughes

The Value of Tough Values

One of the things I have been thinking a lot about lately is how those who are in a high public profile position - let's say the church staff for example - are being watched 24/7.  And we are being watched by those who like us and those who don't.  (Yes, there really are people who don't like me/us.)  Because we are in this kind of position, and like it or not, there are things we simply can't do that others can - or maybe it would be better said that there are things we WON'T do that others would.

If you are in a high public profile position and you choose to ignore this critical leadership principle - it will eventually come to bite you where the sun doesn't shine and when you get bit - you will be bit publicly.  When you get bit - there will be those who cheer and are glad you got bit and there will be those who are upset that you got bit.  Keep in mind too, that when you get bit - it won't affect just you - but it will affect A LOT of people and will cause damage that many times is beyond repair.

This is one of the reasons, the staff at Meadow have to sign and agree to our "Staff Values of Professional Excellence."  Some see this as a list of legalistic rules and there have been some in the past who have turned down the offer to be on staff because of these values.  They are not a list of legalistic rules, they are a list of values that will protect the staff member, their families, their marriages, the church, and most importantly the perception people have of Christ.

The two values that seem to create more tension than any are:

• If you are on staff, you cannot drink alcohol - period.  No wine at dinner.  No beer with the guys.  No champaign at a wedding.  Bottom line is - when you drink, you lose your ability to make good judgment and you do and say stupid things - and it will come back to bite you, your marriage, your family, Meadow Spring, and Christ.  I have sat in too many meetings with couples whose marriages have been destroyed because of alcohol related behavior.  I have listened to too many wives say, "I don't like it even when he has one beer."  I have responded to too many crashes where the smell of alcohol permeates the scene.  All of that - ALL of that - started with one beer or one social drink.
• If you are on staff, you can't be alone with someone from the opposite sex (except your spouse of course - sheesh!).  If you are a woman and you want to meet with me, you will only meet with me if another staff member is in the office and the door to my office where we are meeting will never be closed.  If you want to meet with me alone - it will never happen.

Tough standards and values?  Yes, they are.  And as I have been reviewing them over the past few days, I am thankful for them and I plan on reviewing them with the staff.  I can tell you real stories of friends who have violated these standards and their reputations, their ministries, their marriages, their families have been hurt.  I can also tell you real life stories - even personal stories of my own life - where upholding these standards has protected me and my family and my marriage and the church.

If you are interested, you can read all the values the staff at Meadow Spring are committed to. Staff Values of Professional Excellence