We are launching a new ministry called ‘Connection’ this fall.
Our next information meeting in on September 11th at 5:30pm-6:45pm in the youth room (called the ‘garage)
Then we would officially begin on Tuesday, November 22nd 6:30-8:30pm-December 19th, immediately following FUEL!
What would we do from 6:30-8:30pm? 6:30-7:30pm - The first hour would be a bible study/topical study or sermon study on a specific topic. Sometimes related to the weekend message and other times specific to key areas the group wants to discuss. During that hour we would all age groups would gather together where we would get into Gods word, have a time of worship and testimony.
7:30-8:30pm - The second hour would be a time where people would get into their small group. The small groups would be divided up into 5 age groups:
• 20-29 • 30-39 • 40-49 • 50-59 • 60+
These groups would have small group questions and would have a time to discuss how these verses/topics relate to their life.
Anything else? Yes, we will also begin something called Clubs and Connection Events. Clubs will be certain hobbies people enjoy doing and would like to do them with other people from The Crossing. Examples would be: Motorcycle Club, Dog Club, Dance Club, Triathlon Club, Running Club, Hiking Club…..
Connection Events would be projects we do together on a monthly basis in order to serve the community. These are acts of kindness like helping clean someone’s yard, pain a house, go to Mexico, serve at a school.
Many of you lead a group this past 2009-2010 ministry year, maybe it was a Hope Lives group or a Community group or a Campus group. You are being emailed because you had either been interested in leading a group in the future or are currently going to be leading a group this Fall. As we begin to prepare for this next small group season let me share with you a few things you will need to do and know.
Computer Orientation (Please choose just one from the below dates) This training will take no more than 30-45 minutes and will take place in the conference room at the church. The intention is to train you on the data base system we use for small groups. This will help you understand how to enroll people in your group, keep attendance and assimilate new people into your group. In order to lead a group this season you must attend one of these trainings. Email Janice Roque at jroque@thecrossing.com to let her know which training you will be attending.
• Sunday, Aug 29 at 11:30am
• Tuesday, Aug 31 at 6:30pm
• Wednesday, Sept 1 at 6:30pm
• Saturday, Sept 4 at 5:30pm
• Sunday, Sept 5 at 10am or 11am
FUEL 4 Group Leaders
Choose from October 2nd or 9th (5:30-6:45pm) where we will give you the 411 on leading your group this next season. Please email me at pdetken@thecrossing.com and let me know which night you can attend.
Commissioning
On October 5th (6:30-8pm) we want you to set aside some time to officially commission you this next season. We will pray for you and share a few key things as you head into your journey with your group. Please rsvp at pdetken@thecrossing.com
Thanks for choosing to shepherd God’s kids this next season!
Sign up: You can sign up starting in September so SAVE THE DATE!
FUEL classes available on Tuesdays
Discovery
The purpose of this class is to help you answer some of the tougher questions along our journey. Questions like, who is God, do all roads lead to heaven, is the Bible true and why do bad things happen to good people. Whether you are a seasoned Christian wanting information on how to respond to these kinds of questions or seeking answers to any of the above questions this class is for you.
Worship
The purpose of this class is to bring in depth understanding of the past present and future of worship as it pertains to the church! You will learn who worships, why do we worship and how do we worship!
• Christianity: (in Spanish) The purpose of this class is to give you a strong understanding on some of the foundational principles in our faith such as, who is the Holy Spirit, the purpose of the church, the birth of Christianity and the role we have as Christians. You will walk away with some of the most important precepts of the Christian faith. This class will be taught in Spanish and is specifically designed for those that primarily speak Spanish.
• Singles: The purpose of this class is to discover the difference between courting and dating from Gods perspective. You will learn the necessary steps in order to walk out any relationship with a Godly foundation as well as discuss God’s perspective on boundaries, the do's and don'ts in relationships and the pitfalls to avoid costly mistakes along the way.
• Parenting: The purpose of this class is how to make your home a place where God lives and is free to grow your family. You will learn how to (1) make your family a part of God’s family in ways that activate God’s calling in each individual’s life, and (2) attract people outside your family into God’s family
• Young Adult: The purpose of this class is to discuss issues that dominate the life of a 20 something. Topics like career, purpose, dating and developing an authentic relationship with God. You will walk away knowing you are not alone and discussing some of the most important topics that you are dealing with in your journey.
• Finances: Each person will be here for a different reason, and the fact that you are asking for information shows in itself a willingness to either take back, or in some instances, for the very first time take control of your finances. This is not a “quick fix” or “silver Bullet” – for those of you who are in financial trouble, a good rule of thumb is, however long it took to get to where you are…it will take that long to get out of it! This is purely a class to help you develop personal money management skills, through spreadsheets and principals we will teach you, and personal financial disciplines that you will have the opportunity to develop.
FUEL classes available on Wednesdays
Bible:
The purpose of the class is to learn how and why we should study the Bible. By the end of the class students will: • have a strong understanding of why the Bible is worthy of study • know the difference between various translations of the Bible • learn different Bible study methods • go through an actual Bible study
Evangelism: The purpose of this class is to practically help equip, encourage and inspire people to show and share God’s love, helping them discover their style of reaching out as well as how to share their story and God’s story in a clear and effective manner. You will learn your own personal “style” of how to best reach out to others. How to share their story, how to share Gods’ story (the gospel) and some practical steps they can take to engage in reaching out to others so they can come to know Christ.
Women: It’s time to get wild! It’s time to grow deeper and reach higher. It’s time to learn what it means to live up! And because living up does not come naturally to most of us, it’s a lifestyle to be learned --- a life based on living, breathing, and moving in step with God’s Spirit within us. A life that is rooted in the vertical connection of looking up, praying up, and living up to the standards that God has put before us in the Bible. Learning to live up establishes faith, enriches our sense of purpose, and lifts our sagging spirits when life gets too hard. Living up involves wild choices made out of obedience to God. Living up challenges us to go under the knife --- not plastic surgery but process development, as the knife of God’s Word penetrates the deepest part of us with truth. This new wild is about taking our lives back from anything that holds us back and reclaiming the lives that God has created us for. It’s about becoming women who dare to live differently --- living in the faith we profess and daring to choose to live what we say we believe.
Men: Most men have no idea what it means to be a spiritual leader, lead their family or simply understand Gods purpose for them as a man. In this class we will discuss some of the most important topics that every man deals with in their marriage, as a single man or as a dad. There is a battle that we are facing every day and we need to know how to be Godly men in this world and begin to take a stand. You will walk away with tools, great fellowship and a sense of unity that all men need in order to fight this battle.
Marriage: How do I create a Godly marriage? In this class you will discover Gods perspective on marriage as well as learn new tools to better communicate, resolve conflict and build a Godly foundation for this incredible relationship. You will learn a better way to approach tough topics and build on the strengths you have already developed in your journey. This class will encourage your marriage whether its your first year or you have been married for 40 years!
Christianity: (in English) The purpose of this class is to give you a strong understanding on some of the foundational principles in our faith like, what is the Holy Spirit, the purpose of the church, the birth of Christianity and the role we have as Christians. You will walk away with some of the most important understanding of the Christian faith.
Last week as we kicked off this series called unstoppable Tim described a moment that probably changed the course of a woman life forever. Here’s the story…
Imagine a woman, who lives in the Middle East in a small town, in a very religious community some 2000 years ago, she is well known as a sinful woman. Maybe she’s sleeping with her boyfriend. Maybe she’s married and she’s cheating on her husband or a prostitute. The text doesn’t exactly tell us.
All we know from history is that she’s a well known notorious sexual sinner, unclean woman the Bible tells us.
We also know historically some important things about women some 2,000 years ago in this culture. We know they
• Couldn’t vote
• Couldn’t own property
• Couldn’t testify in court
• Did not participate in the meals
• If they let their hair down it was grounds for a beaten.
• And was, often times considered property of their husbands or their dad.
That’s the life of this woman we walking with in this story in Luke chapter 7.
Imagine what her life is like, how damaged and broken and brutal it must be from all she has gone through.
And then one day she experiences something or better yet someone that alters her entire destiny
Luke 7:36-49
Here we find the religious people inviting Jesus to have dinner…in particular he’s having dinner with the Pharisees. The Pharisees where the church attendees. This is a private dinner party in a home and Jesus accepts the dinner invitation. This woman bursts on the scene. Her reputation is damaged, destroyed, because she’s considered dirty and defiled in that culture.
And she hears that Jesus is at this man’s home. So she’s going to do the unthinkable. She walks to the door… and just walks in the house…And they all know her, they all know her reputation. She walks right into the dinner party, she’s the only woman in the room. And they smell the perfume. This is very expensive perfume. This is costly stuff. This may have been the perfume she wore to entice men, we don’t know.
But we do know in the text is that she noticed that Jesus feet were dirty, I mean people back then were walking along dirty, muddy paths, the same paths that the animals walked, which probably meant they had stepped on feces and garbage and mud. And the way the dinner table would’ve looked is their dining table would have been low to the ground. And the men’s feet would have been coming out from the table in a circle, basically right in front of someones face.
That’s why it was customary to have someone wash your feet because of this and because in the text it tells us that she was the one that did this, it can be assumed no one even bothered to do this for Jesus. And then, all of sudden, this woman who would not be stopped, she bursts on the scene and she notices that Jesus’ feet are dirty and she does the unthinkable. She approaches Jesus.
Why is this unthinkable? You need to understand the culture. Even though the bible doesn’t forbid it, the culture of the day forbids a woman like her from touching a man like him in any way.
She gets down, perhaps on her knees and she goes to wash Jesus feet.
There are moments in our life that shape us, that define us and that mark us. I believe this was one of those moments for this woman.This woman had everything to lose socially by doing what she was doing so here’s the question I want to pose today…
Why, why did she do it? Why put herself in danger? Why give away this perfume? Why take a risk and do something no one would understand or even accept…why?
These are some of the responses from Facebook questions. They are a great reflection of the things that we miss in life.
August 11 at 7:12am
Things you MISS..............................................
Cindy Swatkowski Finneran my grandma...
Debbie Stawarz Standing on the Oceans edge and having the water run up over my feet. Have not done that for 8yrs since my stroke that ended me up into a wheelchair.
Dylan Bailey Pops... n the list goes on n on. BBs
Esther Johnson My daddy!
John J. Wald Hangin' with you guys! I miss you! :)
Brent Acajabon My best friend Sean RIP
Cyndi Gosnell McCormick Standing in the middle of a wheat field with no other person in sight on a warm Indiana evening
Kenneth Collins MOM, DAD, and COLD STONE OATMEAL COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM, they say it is seasonal.....REALY... when is Oatmeal Cookie Dought Iceream season anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stephanie Lane Enjoying jumping in an ice cold pool...when I was young, I would swim in anything!
Larry Whitfield Father/Son Pathfinders year end Catalina trip camping and hiking with CCNM dads and sons
Jenifer Baca Jaime my best friend
Leslye Petersen Stockdale my mom and dad...
Sharon Hulett My grandma, dad, mom and my best friend Penny...
August 11 at 8:31am · LikeUnlike · .Julie Kushner Marovish UC Santa Cruz
Regina Jones The U.S. of A!! Specifically:: family, friends, churches that LOVE to serve, Mexican food, the beach, fast Internet, reliable cell phone service, electrify and running water that always work...hmmmm should I go on?!? :) haha let's just sum ...it up by saying, I miss life as we know it ;) and of course all of you lovely crossing peeps!!See More
Isabel Rodriguez Never things! People! My wonderful husband!
Michele Pangle my mom n dad, & my brother
Also...the 70's...what a great time of life!
Mnmxyz Mnm My young newborn in heaven!
Donna Harper Cramsie My BigWheel! =)
Wayne Mayberry mom and dad
Laurie Conlon My friend Rose who lives in Colorado♥
Ethen Thacher Sometimes, most often, I miss what God's trying to tell me, but He is patient, thankfully. This season is about taking time each day to slow down, get quiet and give time to listen.
Ethen Thacher and surfing between classes at UCSB.
Pamela Carter Jackson and Mia
Crystal Clark Being naive and my rose colored glasses.... and Marve....
Denise Goodman University City, Mo in the late 60s early 70s MAN!! Talk about GOOD TIMES!!
Tina Heinemann Inocense
Van Netdao Mendoza my closed friends and family.
Lisa Cunningham Henderson My Granddad.
Nicole Marme Carter going dancing on the weekends!
Sharon L. Cusic My parents.
Jane Johnson Wall All my peeps on the Left Coast...
Brandon Finneran Steve Switzer!!
Marty Whitecotton My dad. My best friends who have moved to other places in the world. And midwestern thunderstorms, in that order.
The ‘low down’ on a Bible study:
• Your role in a study is to become a DETECTIVE not a passive participant.
• It’s not KNOWING the Word of God that changes you, it’s what it does it your heart that changes you.
• Bible study is a SPIRITUAL practice like solitude, silence, prayer and fasting. They are all essential in your spiritual growth.
• Meditating and Memorizing God’s word is the BEST way to allow it to sit and soak into your soul.
• Be careful to make your knowledge of God’s word ‘ RECYCLED knowledge’.
• Always ‘test and approve’ those that teach the Word. Never ACCEPT the fact just because they taught it, it should be correct.
The 4 C’s of a Bible study
Fundamental Principle: It can’t MEAN what it never MEANT .
The scriptures weren’t written to us, they were written to another culture in another setting. In order to know what it means you must determine what it meant to them. ONLY then can you determine what it means to us.
CHARACTER : What perspective was he coming from? In other words what’s his angle?
CONTEXT :Why was he saying this? In other words it can’t mean what it never meant.
CLIMATE : What was going on during this time? In other words how did the political, spiritual and economic climate affect what was being written.
CULTURE : What do we know about the culture? In other words what was unique in that culture that defines the text.
Final way to study the scriptures:
O BSERVATION : Read it once and the question “What do I OBSERVE about what I am reading, in other words what stands out?”
I NTERPRETATION : Read it again and ask the question “What QUESTIONS do I have about the text that I need to find out. This is where the 4 C’s of Bible Study come into play.
A PPLICATION : Read it one final time and ask the question, “What is one thing I can take away from this text and APPLY into my life?”
Character: What perspective was he coming from? In other words what’s his angle?
We know that he was Jewish tax collector who became one of Jesus disciples. He was writing to PROVE that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King.
Climate: What was going on during this time? In other words how did the political, spiritual and economic climate affect what was being written. The initial reading of the passage will show that the basic teaching of Jesus will be to avoid the SHOW and to seek to please God. His instruction was that it is best to hide any PERSONAL acts that may lead to wrong motives and thereby ensure that they will be done for God. The three samples He gave are at the heart of personal piety (godliness): GIVING to the poor, PRAYER and FASTING .
Culture: What do we know about the culture? In other words what was unique in that culture that defines the text. Fasting, prayer and giving was MANDATORY for the Jewish people. Fasting was done once a year on the day of atonement (Leviticus 23:32) The Pharisees fasted 2x’s a week. Giving was a part of a law (Exodus 23:10) and prayer was a part of the Jewish tradition (Genesis 20:7)
Context: What’s the general overview of what the author was saying?
• This passage can be divided up into three specific parts which deal respectively with almsgiving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15) and fasting (6:16-18) - each of which were a necessary part of first century religious life but which needed a REDEFINING for the life of the disciple of Christ seeing as their exploitation had produced a society that was demonstrable in its outward observance of its service of God but which was running on empty most of the time. This entire passage, therefore, although dealing with just the three religious principles of almsgiving, prayer and fasting, are a good summary of the principles of PURE religion and what it means to offer false service to God.
• One word which occurs in each of these three and which warrants special dealing with is the word ‘HYPOCRITE’.
• Jesus associates this word (Strongs Greek number 5273) with all three religious duties (Mtw 6:2,5,16)
• The NT uses the word in a negative sense as meaning someone who gives a false representation of who he really is. But the nature of the word was more of a description not an accusation like a ‘ PLAY ACTOR ’ ‘It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of the voice’ The ‘hypocrite’ of the NT is normally a religious observer who gives a good outward show of his piety (godliness) but who, inwardly, is not the type of person that his actions would otherwise indicate.
Mtw 6:1 Introduction
Almsgiving was so essential a part of righteousness as the Jews had come to understand it, that the words had become almost
Synonymous with RIGHTEOUSNESS
Jesus says that the three religious exercises (almsgiving, prayer and fasting) are done by the ‘hypocrites’, the ‘play actors’, so that
the people who do them can be both PRAISED and seen by men and women (Mtw 6:2,5,16) and, that by
doing such things publicly, they are receiving any reward they are likely to get (Mtw 6:2,5,16).
If the disciple performs religious duties before God, he must be careful to do them solely for Him and not have, as some ulterior
motive, the desire to be seen and regarded highly by men. The Greek word translated here by ‘seen’ (Strongs Greek number
2300) conveys the concept, ‘...spectators and denotes ATTENTIVE SEEING
The Greek word for ‘reward’ which is the same one used not only in Mtw 6:1 but throughout the passage in each of the three
religious services (Strongs Greek number 3408) means, generally, ‘ WAGES , this doesn’t mean they won’t
be blessed but rather they have received their immediate payment.
All three religious duties, Jesus speaks about ‘ WHEN they are performed not ‘ IF (6:2, 6:5, 6:15), thus
indicating to any disciple of the present age that none of these have been discarded in the new order of things and that help for
the poor, prayer to God and fasting before Him are all still INTEGRAL parts of what it means to be
a follower of Christ.
Mtw 6:2-4 Alms (Giving)
The word, which is derived from another Greek word meaning ‘ MERCIFUL ’ (and is used, for instance, in Mtw 5:7
in the beatitude mentioning the ‘merciful’ - Strongs Greek word 1655) is defined by Vines as meaning ‘mercy, pity’ and then, as a
natural PROGESSION from this feeling of compassion, the giving of certain gifts to the less well off,
presumably based upon one’s feeling of pity directed at those who receive the charitable act.
Almsgiving is any act of giving to the LESS well off that is based on a feeling of compassion, pity or mercy in the
bestower of the gift.
Deut 15:11 - which gives the summation of all almsgiving - states that ‘For the poor will never cease out of the land;
therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land’ and the
provision of the Law in, for instance, the legislation of the sabbatical (seventh) years (Ex 23:10-11) was a demonstration of the
nation’s commitment to help their poorer brethren to be able to maintain themselves based upon a command of God that, once
prosperous, they should not overlook those among them who were struggling to live adequately. The Law also commanded
annual provision for the poor from the extra yield of the fields that the farmers were forbidden to collect (Lev 23:22), giving
them over rather to the hard work of those who obtained their livelihood from such omissions of the harvest.
Throughout the Law, abundant provision was made by God to command the Jews to look after their OWN , not
only on a yearly and sabbatical basis but by the command, previously quoted, that the Israelite was forbidden to turn a blind
eye to those among them who were materially poor.
Righteousness was also considered to be IMPARTER to the almsgiver in one specific act of giving where the
garment of clothing was to be restored to the Israelite before the sun went down if it had been taken as a pledge (Deut 24:13).
Therefore, in their seeking out justification of their existence on earth from God, Judaism appears to have turned to certain
practices, amongst them almsgiving, that SELF SAVED themselves in the sight of God and which
prompted the Lord (like some cause and effect relationship) to have to look down from heaven and to both REDEEM and
save those who bestowed such acts of kindness on the poor. Salvation, therefore, became not based upon the mercy of God but
on the KINDNESS of mankind, and almsgiving became uprooted from a reliance upon the necessary emotions of pity and
mercy and, rather, was seen to reside in a religious duty that was beneficial and a source of immediate return to the person who
performed it. ‘Righteousness and almsgiving came to regarded as synonymous terms.
In first century Judaism, there was both a ‘ POOR FUND ’ and a ‘pauper’s dish’ which appear to have been corporately collected purses that were used to bestow money on the needy wherever they were but there were strict rules set out as to who could benefit from such a fund. But, above all, although almsgiving was something that was expected of His followers (notice that Mtw 6:2 states ‘when you give alms’ not ‘if you give alms’), it was still a matter of personal commitment and of allowing God to direct individual hearts as He so chose to do.
The early Church saw almsgiving as a RESPONSE to the love of God and not as a meritorious act which won the love of God for themselves. Therefore the disciple should ‘sound no trumpet’ before them and such a phrase more rightly means that the disciple should be concerned not to draw attention to himself whenever (not ‘if’) he performs charitable acts towards the poor.
The word for ‘streets’ here (Strongs Greek number 4505) also points towards a place where almsgiving can be seen and displayed in the sight of men and women. It is better rendered ‘ NARROW STREET ’ or ‘alleyway’ that is shut in by buildings on either side, thus restricting human traffic to a narrow corridor of people where all can witness such charitable acts.
Mtw 6:5-8 - Praying
Both the place of almsgiving and of praying teach the same principles of NOT being seen by men and women
‘The attitude to be observed during prayer is very accurately defined by the Rabbis. The worshipper was to stand, turning towards the Holy Place; he was to compose his body and his clothes, to draw his feet close together, to cast down his eyes at least at the beginning of his prayer, to cross his hands over his breast and to “stand as a servant before his master with all reverence and fear”’
Such a physical attitude while prayer was being OFFERED to God could not, therefore, have gone unnoticed by the populace who passed by the petitioners going about their daily duties and the response.
Mtw 6:9-13 is solely as a RESPONSE to the negativity of the Gentile way of praying and, therefore, can be seen to contrast with their approach.
Mtw 6:16-18 - Fasting
Fasting in Isaiah’s day, just before the exile, had become - just like the NT - a matter of SHOW which was used to try and twist God’s hand into hearing and doing what the petitioner was praying. But perhaps the most frightening aspect of fasting is the way it developed in the life of the Church of the first two centuries and how it seems to have become a LITURGICAL rite which was laid as a mandate instead of an individual disciple to decide for himself when it was necessary.
‘Do not keep the same fast days as the hypocrites [this could refer to the Christians who followed the Jewish fasting calendar or the Jews themselves. Mondays and Thursdays are their days for fasting so yours should be WEDNESDAY and Fridays’
‘Private fasts would, of course, depend on individuals but the strict Pharisees were expected to fast every Monday and Thursday (because on a Thursday Moses had gone up to Mount Sinai and came down on a Monday.
Jesus proposes an alternative way of fasting, one that is not outwardly discernible to those who come into contact with the disciple throughout the day. Instead of demonstrating one’s piety by a facial expression, the disciple of Christ is to present himself to the world as he would do on a normal day when he wasn’t fasting. The anointing of the head. Olive oil was used as a FACIAL cosmetic like a lotion.
• I wasn’t trying to get into the shoe business. I was on vacation in Argentina, saw some volunteers doing a shoe drive. Thought it was unsustainable. Didn’t want to start a charity, wanted to start a business.
• For every pair of shoes bought, they give away a pair.
• The word “give” is on just about every wall in the offices of TOMS. Why?
• It feels good to give.
• What I’ve learned is that giving not only feels good but it’s a good business strateg
• In a NYC airport, had never seen anyone wearing TOMS. Saw a girl wearing a pair, asked her about the shoes. Pulled Blake aside and told him all about TOMS.
• If we focus on giving, our customers are going to do the marketing for us.
• Have given away more than 600,000 pairs of shoes.
• What distinctive are a part of the TOMS culture?
• We encourage our staff, involve all our staff in the giving.
• For every employee that’s been with the company at least 2 years they pay for a trip for them to do a shoe drop.
• Not everyone can do a 1-for-1 strategy, but every company can incorporate giving and service into their culture.
• When people start serving, they quickly forget about themselves...giving should be at the core
• Why didn’t you just start a non-profit?
• Invested money gained from sale of previous business into TOMS.
• By doing TOMS as a for-profit, it has enabled it to be sustainable and grow.
• Over 680,000 pairs of shoes have been given
• One Day Without Shoes
• Video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlz3QKHJBac
• First year 250,000 people participated.
• Doesn’t cost anything to take off shoes, but enabled people to have conversations.
• Didn’t spend a dollar to advertise, but had some amazing partners.
• What happened when you came up with the idea for TOMS?
• Not a big deal when I had the idea.
• Became big to me 6 months later when I did that first shoe drop.
• Woman came up to him and told him that her 3 kids had been sharing 1 pair of shoes.
• TOMS has captured the attention of young people. Why?
• Young people want to have a voice and want to do something that matters. Can’t always afford to do something big, but they’re going to buy a pair of shoes.
• We make it very easy for them to act.
• It becomes a part of their identity.
• What have you learned about the importance of strategic partnerships?
• Very blessed.
• Not just corporate partners, but churches as well.
• The reason why the ATT thing worked is because we gave them an authentic story that worked. I’m never in the office. Their technology enabled me to do what I was doing.
• How important is "asking people" to accomplish your goal?
• People really enjoy it because then they get to be a part of your vision and your journey.
• If you really want to do something, you've got to ask people...you can’t be bashful if you want to make change.
• What part has your faith played in TOMS
• Give your first fruits
• They stayed true to that principle and didn’t deviate for the 1-for-1 principle even when they were losing money.
• What would you say to other young leaders?
• Come work for us!
• We need fantastic leaders to help us get from here to there.
• Thought as a freshman in college that he would be a successful entrepreneur so that then he can give back when he’s retired. But it’s never too early to start giving.
• How can churches get involved?
• Go barefoot on One Day Without Shoes – April 5, 2011
Jack Welch - Interviewed by Bill Hybels
• When you say leaders have to be authentic..what does that mean?
• You have to be yourself...not portray yourself as someone who you are not.
• They want to know they can count on you.
• You talk a lot about energy...
• You have to be able to energize people, excite those around you...
• How do you energize people?
• Engage them.
• Tell the story, so others will join you.
• Not hyping them.
• It’s basically getting them to feel the vision.
• The job of a leader is to draw out the people around you who are starter than you.
• The crazy thing about insecure people is they hire dopes and they don't get any better
• Most meetings if they are any good...you go in and come out with an answer
• Finish the day/meeting asking what people got out of the day/session
• Candor
• We fought desperately to really get what people are thinking on the table.
• Less bureaucracy, less meetings, just say what you think.
• Differentiation - Hotly debated in leadership circles...
• At GE there was a ranking of staff as the top 20%, the vital 70%, then there was the bottom 10%.
• Some people say that’s a heartless way to differentiate people and treat them differently.
• Do you think sports teams differentiate? Do you think the teams with the best players usually win?
• You have to have a real appraisal system (candor) to differentiate.
• It’s critical that the people who work for you know where you stand.
• In every organization, everyone knows who rates where.
• Most organizations spend too much time focusing on the lowest 10%.
• You’ve got to get out of the bottom 10% or move on.
• What are the A players like - top 20%?
• Good values, good people…
• Filled with energy
• They have a gene that says I love to see people grow. I love to reward people. They get a kick out of giving a bonus and seeing their people promoted. They celebrate their people. They have generosity.
• Insecure people hide their best people.
• A players don’t have envy.
• Describe B players - 70%?
• Hard working but maybe not as gifted.
• The top of the 70 and the bottom of the 70 was a world of difference.
• You run the risk of losing the 21-26 percentile.
• You have to say, “this is a snapshot in time. You’ll have a chance to move up. Here’s how.”
• Here’s what I like about what you’re doing. Here’s what you can do to improve. Always on the same page.
• Don’t write a new appraisal, write over the old one.
• What characterizes the bottom 10%
• Not a team player, low energy, acidic, pain in the arm.
• Nothing is worse than negative energy.
• They’re disruptors, antagonizors...
• "The hallway whisperer"...you have to make "the meeting after the meeting" go away
• Could you have built GE without paying big salaries and bonuses?
• I wouldn’t have wanted to.
• People choose to work in the church...and they choose the rewards that go along with that too.
• You choose non-profit and you better deliver in non-profit - find a better way to motivate.
• What’s your biggest failure?
• In the early stages when people thought I was tearing things apart, I should have moved more quickly.
• Part of your job as a leader is to help people become more confident.
• Go, act, do...don't ponder!
• Speak about finding a successor and making the transition.
• Started 8 years before he was going to retire. Had 22 candidates.
• 8 years later got down to 3 and they were all the long-shots
• Jay Leno/Conan O’Brien fiasco was caused by making the choice 5 years in advance when people change.
• I don’t think you ever know how someone is going to behave at the next level.
• Need a rigorous process, involve a lot of people.
• Celebrations
• The hardest thing we could get to happen was to get managers to celebrate small victories.
• Jack was in the hospital for 104 days, got a staph infection from a shot.
• Jack sent Bill an email saying “toss one north for me” (an ask for prayer). Did the time in the hospital open you up to things of God?
• I love this church.
• Bill: I sense an openness to the next step in the journey. Jack: yes.
• Bill: I think the next phase of your life will be your most impactful.
• Bill: Never, ever, ever give up on somebody. Everyone of you has people in your life that you know great things would happen through them if God got ahold of them. We’re here to keep praying and probing and contacting people to see what God might be up to.
TD Jakes
• People don’t do everything because of dollars and sense, they do it because of passion.
• Church leadership is unique. People don’t’ come to follow you, they come to follow Jesus.
• They came to follow Him and they got you.
• It’s a real step down from Jesus to you.
• You cannot make passionate people if you’re not passionate yourself.
• People get tired of following an imitation.
• People follow people who move, take action, and take risk.
• Part of leadership is to make sure the lamp in your group, your church does not go out.
• Anointing from the head, to the beard, to the skirt. Make sure it’s not diluted or polluted.
• Challenge people without overwhelming them.
• Gift analysis is important.
• When God gives you people to work with that’s assets, they’re right from his treasure chest.
• You have to make sure that people deliver on the promises you make.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit gets the message across to people even when you don’t.
• God will make up the difference.
• People are ignited by passion.
• Passion is more than emotionalism.
• Passion is the fuel that makes the engine go.
• Put people to work doing things that make them jump out of bed.
• 2 different kids of leaders: builders and bankers.
• Banking the fire made it burn all night without burning out.
• Builders are people who you can give next to nothing and they can make something out of nothing. Joseph was a builder. He was building in prison.
• If your a builder you need a banker, someone who can manage and sustain.
• The problem is most people get people like themselves around themselves.
• If you only have people around you who do what you do, they compete with you instead of complete you.
• When Jesus began his ministry he didn’t pick one rabbi. He didn’t pick anyone who did what he did.
• Don’t make confidants out of the people you work with.
• Confidants are people who are for you no matter what.
• If you have 2-3 confidants in a lifetime you are blessed.
• Constituents are not people who are for you, they are people who are for what you are for.
• Don’t try to hold people to tightly who are meant to come and go.
• Some people are like the King James Version, they came to pass.
• Comrades they are against what you’re against. You put them in the fight.
• Like Peter, you gotta keep at least one ear-cutter.
• If you don’t learn how to use comrades to fight for you, they will fight against you.
• If you try to make comrades grazing in the pasture when they should be howling on the mountain, it will bring trouble to your team.
• Most leaders find it difficult to be transparent enough to let people know them and read them.
• Nobody has to be impassioned when you’re in a battle, you have to encourage them when they’re along the way.
• Sometimes when you encourage people they leave with your courage.
• Sometimes I think I need a me. (to encourage me)
• When you’re tired and running low, you have God who gives strength.
• When my heart is overwhelmed I go to the rock who is higher than me.
Terri Kelly (interviewed by Jim Mellado)
CEO of W.L. Gore and Associates
• What were the founders of Gore trying to do?
• Fundamental values lead to your success.
• Foster an environment of collaboration.
• Personal relationships that formed while doing special projects, wanted to create an entire company that functions that way.
• Organize around the power of small teams.
• What’s so different about Gore?
• It truly is a peer-based organization.
• Everyone understands it’s everyone’s job to make everyone successful.
• People are much more vested in their own outcome and the success of the organization.
• What do you mean by “on demand hierarchy?”
• Decisions are made based on who is most knowledgeable
Daniel Pink:
• Is anyone hungry? Ron. Gave him a couple energy bars. That’s a motivation.
• Humans have other motivations other than biological motivations.
• Offered Tawani $10 to give Ron the energy bars
• That’s another motivation, 2nd drive, reward/punishment drive.
• There’s a 3rd drive. We do things because they’re interesting, meaningful, contribute to the world, want to learn...this drive is a powerful part of what it is to be human but the problem is it is routinely ignored in the business world
• Science of rewards and punishment - calls into question some assumptions of how we run our companies
• Researchers did a study with MIT students. Split them into 3 groups – little reward, bigger reward, huge reward. For tasks that didn’t require cognitive performance the higher the pay the better the performance, but tasks that required cognitive performance got worse with bigger rewards. Not supposed to work this way...
• If you do this...then you get that...Punishment/reward motivators work well for simple tasks but not for complex tasks that require creativity. It creates "tunnel vision" - what is the reward...hard to see outside of that and can't get to the creative process
• When carrots & sticks don’t work, instead of trying other motivators we get bigger carrots and sharper sticks
• Redgate software, doing things differently, sales people worked on commissions and were gaming the system, made the compensation more complex, sales people upped their game.
• Went to top 2 sales guys. Told him that they were going to eliminate commissions and instead raise base salary and do profit sharing. First guy said it was a good idea, but the other guy wouldn’t go for it. Second guy also liked the idea, but thought the first guy wouldn’t go for it.
• 2 false assumptions within organizations
• Human beings are machines. If you press the right buttons in the right people, they will do what you want. That is not true.
• Human beings are blobs. People wouldn’t do anything without external motivation
• I defy you to find me a 2 year old that is passive and inert.
• Our nature is to be active and engage. That is our default, factory setting.
• 3 motivators: autonomy, mastery, and purpose (AMP)
• Autonomy
• Management is a technology some guy invented from the 1850s
• Management is a technology designed to get compliance.
• We don’t want compliance in out organizations today, we want engagement.
• Management does not lead to engagement, self-direction leads to engagement.
• Ask someone to tell you about their best boss...
• Give people autonomy over their time, team, task, technique.
• Example: Aussie software development co. Once a quarter, Thu PM work on anything you want that’s not a part of your job. Only requirement is that have to show everyone else what you created the next day. Call it FedEx Day because you have to deliver over night. Worked so well that they now have 20% time (work on whatever you want during 20% of your work week.
• Google does 20% time - almost since the beginning. Google News, Gmail were not official projects but 20% projects.
• Google..."Just about all the good ideas here have bubbled up over the 20% time"
• Implement this slowly. Have to provide “scaffolding" - if you want people to be successful, you have to provide steps to get there. Try a FedEx Day. 10% time. Don’t start with everyone but a small group. Don’t do it forever, but for a test period.
• Mastery
• Playing the bassoon on the weekend is a strange behavior - a biologist can't explain it. Why would anyone do it? Because it’s interesting...fun...rewarding...you get better at it.
• Teresa Amabile did research, asked people to chart their motivation every day. Single largest motivator was “making progress.” Days when people were making progress those were the days they felt most motivated, engaged, and loyal to the organization. Managers should help people see progress and put people into positions of making progress.
• “Flow” – when a challenge is so well matched to our capabilities that we loose track of time, loose track of self...in the moment. We’re more likely to find “flow” at work than in leisure because we’re passive in leisure.
• You have to get feedback to know if you’re making progress, but the workplace is one of the most feedback-deprived settings int he world. Once a year performance reviews.
• Imagine if a tennis player got feedback once a year. They wouldn't be very good tennis players.
• Performance reviews are usually not honest conversations...
• How do we get more feedback? Encourage people to seek out feedback...there own performance reviews
• Great athletes have goals, but they also meticulously track their progress.
• Purpose
• There is a palpable sense that a page is turning. We are reaching the limits of the profit motivation.
• There’s a rise in the purpose motive.
• When the profit motive becomes detached from the purpose motive, bad things happen.
• Diagnostic tool from Robert Reisch. Listen to the pronowns people use. Do they say “we” or “they.” “They” indicates a sense of alienation and discontent.
Dr. Zhao Xiao - Beyond Economy
• Leadership is not just about influence. It’s also about moving them in the right direction.
• In the last 2,000 years the most significant change was the life of Christ. In the last 1,000 years the most significant change was the Protestant reformation. In the last 500 years, the most significant change was the rise of America. In the 20th century, the most significant change was the rise of China.
• More accurately it’s the return of China. China was a world leader economically and in literature for must of human history. It fell behind in the 19th century, but in the 20th century experienced the fastest economic growth in world history. It is is likely China’s economy will surpass the US soon.
• But that doesn’t necessarily mean China will be a leader.
• China has caused great environmental damage. It is consuming a lot of resources. There is corruption. There are critical challenges.
• Margaret Thacher pointed out if China is not able to export values it will not become a superpower.
• There is no such thing as the Chinese Dream, so no one will follow China.
• Many people in the world love America because of the values behind the people.
• China’s goal should be more than economic growth and pursue growth in other areas.
• China must learn values from the Christian faith.
• I want to take this moment to thank you and all the missionaries who have brought love China.
• Matteo Ricci brought Christianity to China in the 1500s.
• Robert Morrison in early 1800s.
• In 1949 when the new China was formed, missionaries were forced to leave China and there were only 1 million Christians in China.
• The number of Christians in China have increased to somewhere between 80 and 130 million.
• Life transformation has surpassed economic transformation.
• China will become the largest Christian nation in the world.
• Europe rose to prominence because of the transformation of the cross, then America rose to prominence because of the transformation of the cross, now Asia is rising to prominence because of the transformation of the cross.
• Korea has sent the 2nd most missionaries of any nation.
• Spiritual transformation led to the 2 greatest periods in Chinese history. Christian transformation is leading to the next great period in Chinese history.
• China is forming a more harmonious society. The foundation of a harmonious society is love. Love comes from Christ.
• Christian business society in China… calling for only one set of books. No bribery. Treat employees well.
• The Chinese “Mayflower” has set sail… Cypress Leadership Institute… China: a new city on a hill, a nation of integrity…
o People ask me 2 questions.
1. Will China’s economy continue to grow or collapse?
2. Will China be a blessing or a curse to the world?
• The road will not be easy or smooth for China.
• I invite you into the process of China’s transformation with the cross.
• A lot of Americans fear the rise of China because the west has been the leader for so long. We ask you remove your fear of China and give China your love and support.
• You can help your Chinese brothers, be an example to them.
• You can influence today’s China which will bless tomorrow’s world.
• Expect one day the Global Leadership Summit will take place within China.
Andy Stanley
• As a young leader, it was temping to think everything came easy for veteran leaders.
• The myth I believed is if you’re a great leader you’ll solve all your problems and you’ll get rid of all the tension.
• But just the opposite is true, great organizations have tensions and problems that are never solved. Great leaders are able to leverage those in a way that creates progress for the organization.
• The very same person with the very same digits can pick up a contact lens and throw a baseball 90 miles per hour.
• Every organization has problems that shouldn’t be solved and tensions that shouldn’t be resolved
• How do you solve the tension between family life and work? You don’t.
• It keeps coming up because it’s not a tension you can resolve.
• If you try to solve the problem, you create more problems
• Examples: Marketing vs sales, management vs leaders, systems vs flexibility, preaching as led by the spirit vs getting services done on time, reaching unbelievers vs nurturing believers
• If you solve those tensions, you will create a new problem.
• What if you go for excess and ignore finances?
• What if you go all theology and no application? You’re Presbyterian.
• What if you allow the preacher to go as long as he wants? You’re Baptist.
• If you remove your thumb you resolve the tension, but you create more problems.
• If you solve any of those tensions, you create a barrier to progress.
• Progress depends on successfully managing the tensions
• To distinquish between problems to solve and tensions to manage, ask the following
• Does this problem or tension keep resurfacing?
• Are there mature advocates for both sides?
• Are the two sides really interdependent?
• If you work all the time, you’ll lose your family. But if you spend all your time with your family, you’ll lose your job (and then lose your family.
• The role of leadership is to leverage the tension to the benefit of the organization.
• Identify the tensions to be managed
• Create terminology
• “I guess that’s a tension we have to manage.”
• Some arguments you don’t want a person (or one side) to win
• Inform your core.
• Continually give value to both sides.
• Don’t weigh in too heavily based on your personal biases.
• If you’re not careful as a leader, you can move something off the table that should always be on the table.
• You need to be able to argue the upside of the side you don’t normally lean.
• Don’t allow strong personalities to win the day
• I need passionate people who will champion their side, but I need mature people who understand how to live with the tension.
• Don’t think in terms of balance, think in terms of rhythm.
• As a leader should never try to be fair.
• There’s a time to weigh heavily towards one thing and other times to weigh heavily towards the other side.
• As a leader, one of the most valuable things you can do for your organization is differentiate between tensions your organization will always need to manage vs problems that need to be solved.
Jeff Manion - The Land Between
• In “the land between” we use the words “for now” like “for now I’m living with my parents.
• You can find the land between on a map… the Sinai Peninsula, the land between Egypt and the Promised Land of Canaan.
• The Jewish people were in the desert.
• How did they eat? God provided manna, which means “what is it?”
• They began to crave other food and began to complain. Numbers 11:4
• You think nothing grows in the desert? It’s fertile ground… for complaints.
• Given the right set of circumstances I would be right there with them (complaining.)
• Moses was not immune to complaining. Numbers 11:11-14
• “God, if this is how you’re going to treat me, put me to death” -Moses....emotional meltdown time
• This is too heavy. I can’t carry it anymore. Whose voice do you hear here? The voice of the woman who after years if illness can’t get a good diagnosis. The parent whose kids are rebelling. The pastor whose trying to hold a church together.
• When you throw yourself into spiritual leadership and you will have moments where you come to the end of yourself. You will come to a breaking point.
• When I started into ministry I was prepared for days of disappointment, but I wasn’t prepared for years of disappointment. I wasn’t prepared for years of being a disappointment. Slowly over time we can get crushed...we can't carry it anymore.
• God told Moses to get 70 leaders and God would place the spirit He gave to Moses and put it on them as well so Moses wouldn’t have to bear the burden himself. Numbers 11:16-17 They will help you carry the burden of the people...so you won't have to carry it alone.
• The land between is fertile ground for God’s provision.
• Sometimes God provides a job, and sometimes he provides contentment to do without. Sometimes he provides the strength to send out one more resume or make 5 more phone calls.
• God loves to provide.
• Another famous melt-down in scripture – Elijah. He prayed and asked God to die. He fell asleep & when he woke there was a jar of water and bread baking over coals.
• I love this story because I was expecting a lecture and instead God made him lunch. I am expecting him to awaken with a lecture...but God feeds him.
• What if God is good? What if He provides?
• Solved Moses leadership issue but what able the riots? What about the other issues? God desires to address the food issue as well.
• God said, I have heard your wailing and will provide you with meat, and you will eat meat until it comes out of your nostrils and you loath it. Numbers 11:18-20 Somebody's in trouble... :)
• They were basically saying "God we don't need you"
• Moses asked how are we going to have food for a month. God answered “are my arms too short?” Are you questioning my competence or my love for you?
• The land between is also fertile ground for discipline.
• God sent the quail. While they were still eating it, God sent a plague and people died.
• Great dinner-time story for your kids.
• Discipline is inflicting pain for redemptive purposes. It's not causing pain for pain...it's paying to rescue something.
• We are naive to think we are exempt from God’s discipline.
• We would respect an employer who disciplines when needed...especially in light of a promising employee
• Why don't we see God as a authority figure
• God is telling us, “I want you to trust me.”
• The Jewish people were an unruly mob of ex-slaves who have been indoctrinated with idolatry for generations. They were not ready for the promised land. God wanted them to learn to trust him in the desert.
• The land between is fertile ground for transformational growth
• I need you to trust me...I need you to trust me... I need you to trust me
• We say “time heals all wounds” but it doesn’t. Some people just get more and more bitter over time.
• The land between is the wilderness for growth...we choose.
• You don’t have to ask for complaints. Complaints arrive as an uninvited guest. You experience a disappointing day and discover complaint has taken over your house.
• Complaint doesn’t like to be evicted...it resists eviction.
• Good movement pushes out bad movement but bad movement also pushes out good movement.
• You deter complaint’s return by inviting trust to take its place.
• Trust evicts complaint. They are incompatible roommates.
• That space in your life that you most resist is the very soil that God wants to produce the crop we so very desire...the space we hate is the very soil where God will do the richest and deepest work.
Bill Hybels
• “Leaders move people from here to there.”
• People need to hear “we can’t stay here” speeches to catch vision for the future.
• “Your job is to convince people ‘we cannot stay here.’”
• “It takes fantastic if your going to move an organization from here to there. You can’t do it alone.”
• “One of the joys of leadership is knitting together teams of fantastic people.”
• “What kind of person flourishes in our unique culture?” (Something Bill looks for in people in addition to character, chemistry and competency.)
• “How do you inspire people to stay on the journey from here to there?”
• “Refill their vision bucket. Everyone’s vision bucket leaks.”
• “You have to celebrate every mile-marker you possibly can on the way to the destination.”
• “I think God still speaks to you every single day.”
• “The smartest moves I’ve made as a leader didn’t come from my human wisdom.”
Jim Collins: (jimcollins.com)
• Good is the enemy of great!
• You can be sick on the inside but still look okay on the outside
• If it's just about money...it's not enough
• Things to do before you fall...
• Do your diagnostics
• Do not stop until you have
• What is your questions to statements ratio and can you double it?
• How many seats are on the bus? How many open? How many filled with fantastic people?
• Create an inventory of the brutal facts...what are the brutal facts?
• What do we have the discipline to stop doing
• To find results or show clicks on flywheel, what do you mean by the results? How can
• Double your reach to young people by changing your practices without changing your core values
• BHAG - determine them
Christine Caine
• As leaders, we must lead people in a place of home
• How do you keep passionate hope alive?
• 2508 1966 - without knowing the meaning, these numbers are meaningless to us
• You do what you want from passion...passion drives us from the inside
• No one has to make us act when we are acting out of passion...
• Hope fuels our risk taking
Tony Dungy (interview/questions by Craig)
• Always there to help the players...help those you lead
• We are called to help people get better
• Exemplified something different from leading out of a place of fear...gonna nurture, grow and building relationships
• First year at Tampa, lost first 5, won a couple, lost some more..."stubbornness is a virtue if you are right..."
• You can work yourself into the ground...but how do you live within a life balance?
• You gotta be a "family man"
• You can't make this business your life
• Football and winning are not the most important thing...didn't want to be a coach who burned their assistants into the ground
What would you do as a mentor for someone to help them have life balance?
• Lead by example...show you what I am doing
• Let's be efficient...there will be times when we stay late, but let's not waste time. Don't mistake hours for productivity.
• Don't feel guilty going home at a decent hour
Did you ever have someone say something or speak something that was a life changing moment to you?
• Almost quit over dispute..."why would you let anyone stop you from doing what you enjoy"
• You don't have to be the president to make a difference
• No matter where you are in life, one word, one case of encouragement can be so important
• The biggest thrill you get is watching someone grow, seeing a young man come in at 21
• Who is Christ to you?
• We can be Superbowl champions but if we don't have a right relationship with God...nothing else matters.
Adam Hamilton - When Leaders Fall
• Two leaders at his church had an affair together.
• In a study in 2005, 35% of pastors admitted to a sexual impropriety.
• We have to be concerned both about the person who has fallen and the church that is impacted.
• In the UMC, bishops handle the discipline.
• 4 options for how to handle it
1. Say nothing
2. Be evasive, say it was for personal reasons.
3. Scarlet letter approach. Distance the church from them.
4. Transparency. Acknowledge the sin, and care for them because they are a part of our church family.
Spoke with the staff first.
• Word got out, so they emailed the congregation acknowledging the situation & asking them to feed the rumor mill. Will be discussed Sunday.
• Sunday preached a simple sermons about sin, repentance, and grace. Came back to the story of the woman caught in adultery.
• This was a defining moment for our church. The community was watching. Asked “Who are we as a church?” Are we a church that gathers with stones in our hands? Or a church that offers grace.
• Some people came to the church for the first time that day and decided to become a part of the church because of how we handled it.
How they try to prevent sexual sin at their church.
• They have a staff covenant, reviewed every year.
• They have policies about where 2 people of the opposite sex can go together. A third person has to go along to a conference.
• He gives the “sex talk” twice a year.
• We’re wired for intimacy, companionship, and sin.
• Borrowing from a Buddhist technique, take a sin and try to think about it in the worst, most disgusting way possible.
• Walt Wangin, “the moment of the maybe,” we start to entertain sin in our minds. We don’t think about, how it could possibly end well.
• If you have feelings for someone other than your spouse, don’t share them with the other person.
• "Don’t let the devil ride, because he’s going to want to drive.”
5 things that have helped me resist temptation
1. Remember who you are. A child of God, a husband/wife, a parent, a leader…
2. Recognize the consequences of your actions. Use your imagination to fantasize about the worst possible outcome.
3. Rededicate yourself to God. Stop, drop, and pray.
4. Reveal your struggle to a trusted friend. (James 5:16)
5. Remove yourself from the situation.
Wrap-up
• 1 Thes 4:3-5 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
• All of us are tempted as human beings.
• The final word of the church must be not a word of judgment but a word of grace.
• Shooting your wounded can’t be the answer of the church.
• No one is beyond redemption...God is the God of second chance!
• Remember who you are...reveal your struggle...remove yourself from the situation...set accountability.
This Fall we want to launch a new ministry called ‘Connection’. The purpose of this ministry to create an environment for people between three different age groups 20-29, 30-39 and 40-55 . The purpose is to gather together, share life and learn about God. We see a need for people who desire to Grow in their relationship with God of similar life stage and age group.
We will be having an informational meeting on August 12th from 6:30-7:30pm at The Crossing church. If you are interested in this ministry or if you know of someone who may be interested we would love to have them attend. Please RSVP. If you cannot attend but are interested in being a part of this new ministry let us know or if you know of someone who may be interested in this ministry forward them this information.
Wow! This study has been a blast. We hope it has been a blessing to you. This week we will be studying Matthew 5:38-48 (Kingdom responses; Love of Enemy) . As we continue in this study we are going to give you bible study tools at each session to help you find what each teacher is finding in the text. In other words we want to teach you to feed yourself. Bible teachers are wonderful but in the end we need to take responsibility for our own study of the Word and make it a part of our life. That’s why we will be emailing you tips and resources so that you can go deeper in your personal study time. You may have been thinking during the study, ‘How did Bill find that in the text, I don’t see that. Well, here are some tools Bible study tools used:
IVP set of New Testament Dictionaries:
• Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels – Authors: Joel Green or Scot McKight or I. Howard Marshall
• Dictionary of The New Testament Background – Craig Evans or Stanley Porter
• Commentaries on Matthew by Craig Blomberg or Donald Hagner or Richard France or Donald Carson
Dallas Willard’s Divine Conspiracy
NT Dictionaries, NT Backgrounds, NT Surveys, NT Introductions, NT Theology; Commentaries on Matthew
Each week we will email you some questions to help you take the study to another level:
Questions from last two week’s:
Week #1
• Why do you think Jesus lowered the "bar" of access to the kingdom of the heavens?
• When the bible refers to the heavens, it is referring to it 3 ways: The 1st heaven is the space around your ears, the air you breathe. The 2nd heaven is the sun, moon, stars, atmosphere, etc.. The 3rd heaven is the dwelling place of God, the “other realm”, what does this mean to you and how you live?
• If the "blessed are..." categories and aren't necessarily qualities to aspire to, then how are we to live?
• When Jesus tells us that we are to be act as preservatives and illuminators in our world (family, job, neighborhood) what is he calling you to do with that declaration?
Week #2
• Is it ok for us to be angry, why or why not?
• Why did Jesus speak so much about how we ‘objectify’ things in our world?
• We either live in one of two the thoughts, we try to be holy by trying harder OR we know we are holy and then live, which are you and what impact does that have on your life?
We would love to hear from you. Let us know how this study is impacting you and what God is teaching you!!
