For anyone who sings and leads in worship AND anyone who attends and wants to lead. Perhaps most important of all...for the congregation: as we approach worship we must find the balance and always seek the higher excellent things for glory to God, not praise of men and not our own preferences. It is difficult for all roles to execute. It is simple to criticize. The relentless return of the sabbath provides a weekly opportunity. As for my experience, some are far better than other. This is simple reality.

The force is strong with this one. He should go back to population and act like everyone else to set a good example. That is one way.
In the movie of course, the special then step up and lead in a new way, setting themselves apart.

The real way is to learn where you can best serve and then do so safely after education yourself. Raising all with you while you continue to seek to improve yourself.

The answer is never to lower the bar and race to the bottom to simply include. The distribution curve has a top and a bottom. Neither can be ignored.

Educate yourself. Live your life. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Freely giving and loving but standing proud. Let your light shine bright for all to see. Sing loud for all to hear. Stand and be counted. You are specific, beloved, first born child of Christ. Act like it.

it would be awesome if Jesus gave the disciples light sabers. Wait? Maybe he did. See: #TheHolySpirit

Best thing I’ve heard from a pulpit in a while. I’ve added my take of course...

2019- year the media and “culture” said to cancel the negative people. Don’t do anything with them. Those realists are just negative Nellies. Everything will be fine as soon as the negative voices are gone.

2020- the year where we were all encouraged to shout down the positive hopeful people because the world was ending and system is deplorable. Their support for standing up and singing loud and proud is a radical position. Hunker down and look out for yourself above all. Socializing is unsafe. If you want to see and be with people you are killing them. Be fearful.

2021- this year we are not supposed to ANYTHING with ANYONE because... there is just too much risk. Be alone. Wait for permission. Someday when it is safe the powers in the know will tell you.

I never bought into any of it. I’m sorry for the months in 2020 where I was so flipping afraid. It will not happen again from me. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Is not a passive sit back and watch thing done on a video stream or TV. Living is loving and loving is living. Face to face. Hand to hand. Heart to heart.

Here is the thing about war... cold or hot, it doesn’t matter who is to blame for the aggression. The casualties are the soldiers and the civilians, not the generals and the politicians. Think about it because the moral paradox is stunning. As the Dems and the Reps fight, the people of the United States Suffer. As friends and family fight on social media, relationships are destroyed, damaged, and in many cases lost altogether. This carnage is avoidable if we return to local actions with liberty and accountability, family and church responsibility, and respect for ALL lives now and into the future. The blame game retribution retaliation rhetoric and violence is utterly useless and only perpetuates the problem. Period.

Things that are not common:
1. Courtesy
2. Sense
3. Knowledge
Obviously is a term used to condescend and condemn commonly. Of course is as well. 

A Conversation with a good friend today evoked this quote. “I blame Hollywood for everything... for a long time.” This continued with discussion of governing policies that have entrenched the entertainment signaling into power degrading entire segments of our population. I believe it is a both and scenario and the backstops and cultural relevance of the local church and free speech are effectively insignificant today. This is deeply disturbing. Oh, and BTW, I agree now. I blame Hollywood for everything. He who controls the minds controls the culture.
The entertainment movie, tv, media money model is literally eating America. Correction: it has eaten America.

Originally posted on FB in Feb 2017.  
Results of 2020 elections provide this point.  
FB activism is NOT useless.
I read thoughts and ideas from all sides. I am an adult and I ignore most of them. You can too. Recognize what your filters are and use them. Love others because of their diversity and uniqueness. Let go of the ego and accept your place in time. Tomorrow it will be different.
People are equal in value. Ideas are not.

The hysterical temper tantrum, personal attack rhetoric witnessed within the echo chamber friend circles of late is extremely effective. It diminishes respect for the presenters and contributes to the division. It isn't useless. It is destructive in unskilled hands like so many powerful tools. Recognize the power.
​
Choose to listen. Choose to ignore or to accept and learn. Vote and lead by example.

Faith in God trumps fear, Including fear of viruses and fear of big governments. Fear easily focuses ME exactly on what I view as the ultimate authority AND power in my life at the moment. I choose to use faith as my lens instead, now and into the future. If I remain afraid, I’m not rooted in faith and I’ve chosen poorly. Honestly.

Defining disinformation and misinformation is a serious gap in 2021 Where is the fact checking, no context warning, cancel culture hysteria when the right is targeted?

Minimizing TV news and mass opinion commentary maximizes clarity of individual thought and perspective.
Reading enough but not too much.
Talking less, smiling more.
Thinking and praying in a private time and space is powerful. Physically creating is far more critical than consuming, competing, comparing and judging. Focusing on personal and local actions maximize the value and immediate results.

What’s in a name and a face? I changed my Facebook name because I want it to remind me of examples “things” that are important to me, that help define me. Profiles and singing inspire me.

Facebook is a “profile”, a picture book with snapshots of ideas and examples old and new. The mixing of the ideas and people with cancel culture and identity politics for power and popularity is killing. Singing and singers help me to remain focused on higher things. Excellent things transcend people.

In order to proceed differently, we must accept what went well and what is failing. Changing nothing is accepting a likely outcome.

All we really know is that happened based on the actions in the past and even those facts are often interpreted differently. How do we define success and what are we able to actually do to make a difference? There is a judgement and the accountability for how we spend our time, money, and precious ability. We choose and we are thus accountable for our choices. Too many desire to be subjects to avoid accountability.

What is the job? What is the goal? What is success?

for your church? Your family? Your job? Your freedom? Your example? Your writing? Happiness?

The thing about war of any type. Violent. Economic. Semantics. — there are always casualties. If a fight is required then the only option is to Win (your side still has operations integrity and fewer casualties) or concede and walk away because the cost is too high. It is shocking how close we are to war all too often. Cold or Hot. Both have real loss.

There is no substitute for actual experience at scale and duration when results are required. While historical record is not a foolproof predictor,
it IS likely the best way to predict future outcomes. Youthful vigor and good intentions must be tempered in reality. With truly experienced leaders, the results tell the true tale.

The title of FAMILY comes with great privilege AND great responsibility. if you give away or minimize the responsibility and accountability you minimize the title and privilege.

That is a tragedy in most cases as we are made to be connected not isolated. Their is no real excuse for abandonment in any direction.

Tozer teaching still today. “No free believer should ever sell his freedom to another. No Christian is worthy to be the master of other Christians.”

• Educate yourself.
  
• Live your life.
  
• Ask questions.
  
• Choose carefully.

Texting, emails, calling and FaceTime are not enough to grow relationships. These new channels for comm may not even be enough for sustaining relationships. Hard times and good times together are required. Tears and Laughter are the life blood of true community. Communication is not community. Community is required to grow and sustain. This is how we are made.

I sincerely hope and pray that President Biden will be successful in governing our nation. I ask him and his administration to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and to empower American Patriots to serve together as we serve one another under the authority of the constitution of the United States of America.

I look forward to hearing the positive chills and thrills of the media over the coming months. My cynicism as to actual results from actions at the federal level will remain but this is the way with hope and change. We will all see how it plays out. Good luck Mr President.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine upon you and give you peace. I ask all of this in Jesus name. Amen.

​#1 Church growth Factor is...
not: Worship Music ( but style matters along with depth and feel...)
not: Facilities ( but they matter both for function and look and feel..
not: Preaching (but skill, and practical cultural currency is critical... )
not: Technology (but it matters in rooms, in parking lots, on iPhones, and at home... it cannot be ignored or off the cuff)
#1 -->> HOW we, the congregation, interact with PEOPLE matters most of all.
Communications TO the people is just a piece of building COMMUNITY... with the PEOPLE. All tied up in circles of 5ths. -- contact me for more information