Mad Church Disease

Anne Jackson's new book, Mad Church Disease should probably be a "must read" for every pastor and/or pastor's family member. Anne does a great job of discussing the challenges faced by pastors and their families, but she doesn't stop there. She explains the causes and effects of ministry burn-out and gives some great strategies to avoid it. If you feel you're already caught in the throes of burn-out, she shines a light on the path to recovery. I'm not finished with the book, but I'd recommend it for what I've read so far. Anne is up-front, honest, and real, but she refuses to wallow in self-pity. The book is helping me. I think it will help you, too.

The Principle of the Path

OK, Andy Stanley has hit another one out of the park. His book, The Principle of the Path is a great read. I realize that I'm never supposed to say, "so-and-so" needs to read this book, but it really is a wonderful guidepost for any graduate you may be aware of. Basically, Andy demonstrates that every action in our lives is part of a path that we choose, and every path leads somewhere. I wish I had read this book when I was 18 and just starting out in my adult life. Get it. Read it. Give it away to somebody younger than you.

Cruising

Lori and I just purchased a couple of bicycles to ride on the trail near our home. I'm not riding to beat my previous time, or even to get into better shape (although I hope that happens). We're actually riding in order to spend time together and to get to know our neighborhood a little better. It's great to take a slow pace around the neighborhood and to separate ourselves a bit from the hurry that so often captivates us. What a great stress reliever!
See you around the neighborhood!

The Last Lecture

I have had some trouble sleeping over the past couple of weeks, but it's ok. It's provided some time to read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Randy is informed that he has only months to live and in light of this he decides to deliver a final lecture in a new series (titled "Journeys") at Carnegie Mellon. The book bascially covers some of Randy's childhood dreams and their fulfillment (or lack of fulfillment). While the book is not necessarily written from an Evangelical perspective, it's a great read, and a reminder that we all are living with a limited number of days. I was inspired to live every day that I'm alive.

Network Tour Video

We've had a number of people ask about the video that Gary Pilcher shared during his Network Tour presentation. You can find the video on Sermonspice.com. Once on the site, search the word "assumptions" and you'll find the video. You'll need to set up an account if you haven't already, and there is a cost to download the video, but it's worth it!

Great job, Gary! I think this may have been one of the most meaningful and practical Network Tours to date!

Section 5 Begins the Adventure!

Wow, the Section 5 banquet was beautiful. We met at the Marina Inn and ate prime rib and enjoyed a view of the Missouri River. It was especially fun to see all of our Section One friends and to visit with the folks from Morningside Assembly. Sounds like Pastor Johnny Helton is leading the church to new heights! We are so delighted to hear the good reports!
Pastors, as you make plans to begin the discussion of "It" with your boards, be sure to allow enough time in your meeting to afford an in-depth discussion. I'd encourage you to use the tools that Gary Pilcher shared to help guide and focus your time of sharing. Be sure to include a time to pray together about the spiritual direction and passion of your church.
Let me know how the discussions are going!

It Update

I promised Section 5 pastors and board members that I would update the information about Rosenkrans Book and Bible. You can contact Fred and Sandy to order "It" (both the book and the DVd). Check them out at: www.heartofiowa.net/~fdrosen. You can't beat their deals on this material.
God bless you as we pursue "It" together!

Section 3 Rediscovers "It!"

What a wonderful time we had last night in Cedar Rapids. Section 3 hosted a beautiful banquet in the Marriott. Great food and great people!
We distributed Craig Groeschel's book, "It" to all of the pastors in attendance and sent people home with discussion questions to begin the buzz about "It" in our local churches. Next week we will meet with Sections 5, 7 and 1. Can't wait to talk about "It"!
I also want to remind pastors to talk to their boards about Sunstream Campground matching faith promises. Renovation is moving forward at Sunstream, and things are really looking great!

Significant Vocations

I'm reading Run with the Bulls Without Getting Trampled by Tim Erwin. Pat Lencioni says, (It) is one of those books that really makes you want to be a better manager, a better leader, a better person. In the book, Irwin writes about the significance of our work. He says significant work checklist includes four things:
1. It inspires passion. Nobody wants to spend his life void of passion.
2. It fits who we are.
3. It serves others.
4. It provides meaning.

You may be thinking, "My job doesn't do all of those things. Maybe I need to look for other employment." Before you run to the next opportunity, it might be best to examine whether your current situation is exactly the place God wants you to be. Maybe you can live out the checklist via a changed attitude or perspective rather than a change in location or vocation.

Pursuing "It"

We enjoyed being with the pastors and board members from Section 2 last night. What an incredible meal. It's hard to beat BBQ!
Here's the update on the "It Adventure":
You can order the books for board members through Rosenkrans Book and Bible. They are offer killer deals on both the book and the video that we are promoting on the Network Tour. Be sure to mention that you are part of the Iowa Ministry Network when you contact them. They can be reached through their web site or their email address: fdrosen@yahoo.com.
Join the "It Adventure!"

Spreading "It"

We were with Section 4 last night for their Network Tour where we shared the challenge to pursue "It." Essentially, "It" is the presence and power of God manifested through His people. We are asking all of our Network churches to ask the question: "Does our church have 'It'?" If we don't have "It," are we willing to do whatever it takes to get "It?"
Throughout the tour we will distribute Craig Groeschel's book, "It" to all of our Network pastors. We are encouraging our pastors and boards to begin pursuing "It" by discussing the questions at the close of each chapter. I'd also encourage churches to purchase Groeschel's DVD that includes nine segments that will help facilitate those discussions. You can find both of these resources at Zondervan.com. Join us on the great "It Adventure!"

Coaching Available

This week Ed Harp, our Presbyter from Section 2 reminded me of a great resource for pastors. I'd encourage you to check out The Pastor's Coach at Injoy.com. The Pastor's Coach is written by Dan Reiland, longtime friend and associate of John Maxwell. I think you'll find this free resource a great benefit as you seek to lead your church or ministry to the next level. Check it out.
Thanks, Ed!

Pray for America

I just received a note from Dr. George Wood, encouraging churches across America to pray for our nation and our President-elect, Barak Obama. You can check out Dr. Woods' video at www.ag.org. I'm praying that thousands of believers will join in prayer for our nation this weekend!

Prayer Tool

My friend, David Schaal, emailed me about an exciting tool he is using to help his church pray through until Easter. "Seek God for the City, 2009" is a prayer guide that leads believers on a prayer journey through Lent. Check it out and let me know if you use it.

It

I'm recovering form the holidays. We had an incredibly fun time with family. Ashley and Austin were home and we traveled to South Dakota and Nebraska for time with extended family. I also had some time to read. My pick of the vacation: "It" by Craig Groeschel. The thesis of the book is that some churches have "it" and some don't. Some ministers have "it" and some don't. While he is not able to define "it" (I don't think anyone can), he does describe some of the ingredients of "it-ness". The book is messing with me. The more I think about it, the more I'm messed up, because without "it" we don't have anything to offer.
I want "it" this year. I'm going afte "it". Want to come along? You can check out the book by clicking here.

Books, Books, Books!

On our recent trip to the Superintendent's Conference I took advantage of flight time and time in the sun and finished three books. Here's a brief review:
Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanley. Short book (really short). It has some great ideas about presenting vision. Repeat the Vision Regularly. Celebrate the Vision Systematically. Embrace the Vision Personally. Stanley also talks about "vision slippage indicators." We'll have to talk about that at another time.
Launch by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas is a book about church planting. It's a must-read for planter and multi-siters. The authors have a great time and use humor throughout the book. It's chock full of great insights. (Hey, they planted successfully in NYC. They must know something).
A Leader's Legacy by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner is a good book on the human side of leadership. It seeks to answer the question, "Are you on this planet to do something, or are you here just for something to do?" While not written from an overt Christian perspective, these guys understand leadership and have a great deal to say. (They are also the authors of "The Leadership Challenge," which has been acknowledged as one of the great leadership books of our time.
Check out these books. Remember, Leaders are Readers!

Christmas Tradition

OK. I admit it. I love Christmas traditions. I stopped at Starbucks last week and picked up the Charlie Brown Christmas CD. The Vince Gauraldi Trio immediately took me back to childhood days, watching ACharlie Brown Christmas on TV and realizing that the Christmas season was in full swing. I especially loved the portion of the program where Linus stands center stage and recites the Christmas story.

You know, I'm not really necessarily a "tradition" kind of person. I love change and growth. But there's something special about Christmas traditions.

For years while we were serving as pastors, I would try to come up with something new for Christmas. Then one year I realized that the most meaningful thing we did during the season was our Christmas Eve service. We sang traditional Christmas songs. We had solos, duets, etc. We asked the band to provide instrumental Christmas songs. We lit candles and sang "Joy To The World." We read the Christmas story. We even read children's Christmas stories and projected the pictures of the pages so that the adults could follow along. It was my favorite service of the year. Almost magical. And the place was packed for both services.

We would always include an opportunity during the communion time, for people to respond to the gospel message. We discovered that Christmas traditions provided a wonderful opportunity to help people connect with Jesus. I guess that's really the purpose of God sending His Son, isn't it?

So, Pastor, if you're a little overwhelmed with trying to find a new perspective on the Christmas story, perhaps you should try going back to the traditional. (Don't expect me to say that very often!) I'm praying that your Christmas services will be blessed and that lives will be changed through everything that you do!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Mother's Day Idea

Looking for a fun way to introduce Mother's Day in your church? Here's a fun link that I received from Guy Fisher. (Click here)

Fireproof, the Movie

If you are looking for a great opportunity to promote healthy marriages in your church and community, you might want to look at Fireproof, the Movie. It's a good film with a very helpful message to spouses who are experiencing difficult marriages. Check out their web site and see if it fits your church's ministry outreach.