are you destinized?

WE HAVE MOVED...

2010-05-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

PLEASE CLICK OVER TO WWW.MISSIONERICKSON.COM AND CATCH UP WITH US THERE...

Awkward Questions about Jesus

2009-05-27T19:49:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Tim Stevens for this priceless piece of cinematography.

Innovate Highlights Part Deux

2009-05-20T06:58:00.004-04:00

Had a great second day at Innovate. Here is what Francis Chan, Ed Stetzer and Perry Noble had to say. No notes from the afternoon session because I spent that time with Jack Bauer saving the world.

Francis Chan

Honestly, I just could not keep up with the guy, he spoke with both passion and speed and I would have missed the experience if I stopped to take notes. The only written note in my moleskine during this session was his remark that "I always think I'm funnier than other people."

In order to check out his entire Innovate message head over to www.innovatechurch.us. It is worth the click.

Ed Stetzer

-We need to live gospel-centered, repentance-filled lives.

-If Satan cannot compromise our beliefs, he's more than happy to compromise our character.

-Secret sins are only that way for a short time.

-Your sin can sap your church's spiritual power.

-The Church's toleration of sin distracts from the mission.

-A return to God's mission begins with a repentance towards God's standards.

-Just because your life is filled with sin, does not mean you have to be comfortable with it.

-Sin grows and will define your life if you do not confess it before God.

Perry Noble

-Q1: What is it that God wants to do in my church?

-Q2: What are the barriers that stand in the way?

-Q3: What do we want to celebrate?

-The older son (Luke 15) was so busy doing the work that he had no time to commune with his father.

-It takes time and effort.

-If we want to reach the world, we have to work hard to get it done.

-You can't lead by personal preferences.

-You can't enjoy the blessings of God when you are focused on what God is giving others.

-The older son had no idea what he had access to.

-"...but we had to celebrate!" Luke 15:32

I'm looking forward to some more challenges this morning...

Innovate Highlights

2009-05-19T07:17:00.002-04:00

Here is some of what I'm learning at the Innovate 09 Conference.

Eric Geiger (Simple Church):
-Everything else is drowning out the sweet smell of the gospel.
-Drift never corrects itself. It always needs to be addressed.
-"Religion is the deep default of the human heart." -Martin Luther
-View discipleship as a whole process not just a part.
-You do not want to compete against yourself.
-Behavior from important people in the organization that is contrary to vision overwhelms the entire process.
-Remove the clutter.

Kerry Shook (Fellowship of the Woodlands):
-It's not the size of the church that is important, it is the life change.
-Q: What would I do If I knew I only had one month to live?"
-Q: What would I do if I knew our church only had one month to live?
-Live passionately. Love completely. Learn humbly. Leave boldly.
-Are you allowing God to do everything He wants to d0 in in your life and ministry?

That was yesterday, now today begins with Francis Chan and closes with Perry Noble. It should be good.

Learning from Others

2009-04-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

There are a few conferences I get to go to.
There are many more that I catch online.
And there are a whole bunch that I catch via live blogging...

Here is a sampling of what I missed at Catalyst West last week:

“Lukewarm pastors build lukewarm churches.” – Craig G

“Never compare yourself to anybody….but learn from everybody.” - Warren

“Forget time management….it’s about energy management.” - Warren

“You can’t win your enemies to Christ…you can only win your FRIENDS to Christ! - Warren

“I’m addicted to changed lives….that’s my agenda” – Warren

“When you create something great you will create conflict.” – G Kawasaki

“The higher you go in any organization the higher the complexity and uncertainty.” – Stanley

“Retreat to your vision.” – Stanley

“You can be uncertain as a leader…but you can not be unclear” – Stanley

“Inventors must stay in a state of denial” - G Kawasaki

Thanks to Buddy Creamans for the insights.

The Stages of the Masculine Journey

2009-04-23T15:03:00.004-04:00

On Tuesday evening I got to hear John Eldredge speak about much of what is in his newest book Fathered By God. If you enjoyed Wild at Heart, you'll be drawn in by FBG as well.

Here is just some of what I walked away with that evening:

There are six stages of the masculine journey, the first of which is boyhood.
During boyhood we live "in a world made safe by your father."
This is when we seek the answer to the question: "Can I do it?"

At about age 13, we enter into the cowboy stage and begin to ask "Do I have what it takes?"
If we don't get the answer we long for, we tend to then avoid risks and simply settle for the status quo and camp out in what we are already good at.

During the ensuing warrior stage we enter into a grander battle, that of good v. evil.
It is now that we need a mission, we need to know that we are powerful and dangerous and we need to develop inner discipline.
Eldredge comments that "The way God trains the warrior is by putting him into battles."

In our early 20's we enter the stage of the lover. Although it takes a woman to awaken the heart of a lover, this stage is not primarily about romance but about the awakened heart.
"Men hide in reason and logic but it is in the heart that we find action--faith, hope, worship, love, convictions..."
"I run in the path of your commands because you have set my heart free." -King David

In our 40's we enter into the king stage which may be the most difficult of all.
The question is: When can you trust a man with power? The answer is: After he has been initiated, then he is worthy.
God wants to take you back and initiate you.

Around age 55 or so, we then step into the stage of the sage.
As a sage we may look after a smaller kingdom but we wield a greater influence.

As I walked away from this casual talk, I prayed "Father, show me what you are doing, father me through the stages of my life."

Flutter: The New Twitter

2009-04-20T15:29:00.001-04:00

It is just so darn hard to keep up...

Servolution

2009-03-26T22:08:00.004-04:00

Here is our most recent press release highlighting what we are doing around Destiny...

LEESBURG, VIRGINIA. MARCH 18, 2009 -Churches all over the world are joining together for a SERVOLUTION-a 7-day movement during the week between Palm Sunday and Easter that is geared towards serving local communities. Healing Place Church launched SERVOLUTION-a revolution through serving-which has evolved over the last 16 years while serving the Baton Rouge community in south Louisiana with events like free water give-a-ways, disaster relief efforts, and homeless outreaches. Now, with over 140 churches on board, representing almost 300,000 people, the culture of serving has spread from state to state, and the week of SERVOLUTION has become a focus for many.

In Leesburg, Destiny Church is launching a week long Food Drive in front of the Bloom on King Street and then giving that same food away to bless local families. The Food Drive in front of Bloom goes from April 6-10 and the Food Giveaway is on Saturday April 11th at the Public Safety Center on Plaza Street. “This is our opportunity to help meet some real needs in our community” comments Todd Erickson, a pastor with Destiny.

From California to New York, from Peru to New Zealand, churches around the globe are joining 7 days of SERVOLUTION in order to impact their local communities through small deeds done with great love, which comes at a time in the economy when people are in need of hope and encouragement.

“We believe in serving the local community; it’s our DNA,” said Greg Wigfield, Lead Pastor of Destiny Church. “We are actively pursuing the hurting, the forgotten, and the poor to show them a God who is passionately in love with them."

For information go to Destiny Church or Servolution.

The Dating Game

2009-03-07T08:25:00.004-05:00

I am so glad to not have had to play the Dating Game over the last 21 years....

Follow this link to a very funny Labor Day Dating Game.

My favorite quote is near the end..."the maps".

Posted using ShareThis

Two Books are Making Me Think...

2009-02-12T12:51:00.008-05:00

Right now I'm in the middle of three books and two of them are really challenging me...

Killing Cockroaches and Other Scattered Musings on Leadership by Tony Morgan

I'm reading Tony's book as a pdf since it has just begun to ship this week. My advice to you is to be the first kid on your block with a copy of this comical, yet challenging treatise. There are some great stories on these pages and there are also some significant challenges to take to heart. I can guarantee you that you will find something in here for you. Cockroaches is written in a short chapter format, so if you are one to read on the subway, in between traffic lights or on the throne, then you can handle this book.

For those who are leaders in a church context or if you are aspiring to become a leader in a church setting, then get this book and learn some practical principles from Tony as well as some of the key thought leaders in that area.

Lasting Impressions, From Visiting to Belonging by Mark Waltz
I can say this about Lasting Impressions: it has helped me to do my job better. Mark brings clarity to what often becomes a murky gray area. It seems obvious to me that churches would lay out clear steps for people to grow in their relationship with Jesus, but it ain't as easy as it sounds.

Lasting Impressions will help you to encourage people to move from the public to the social to the personal and then ultimately to the intimate relationships that will challenge them in their relationship with Jesus. Mark's words will help you to, as it says on the back jacket, "honor God as you offer your best to your people--and your community".

The third book I'm currently into is The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. The Year is an often off color "Super Size Me"-like look into biblical rules and regulations. Don't get me wrong, I'm liking this book, but the other two are really bringing challenge to my world.

Economic Downturn?

2009-02-04T15:17:00.004-05:00

How has our current economic downturn impacted your company? your church? your personal budget?

Have you had to update your logo like Apple might?

Check These Guys Out...

2009-02-03T21:36:00.003-05:00

www.ministrymonkey.com

Gregisms

2009-02-02T14:55:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, Destiny began 40 Days of Love. This week Greg gave us a message called "Our Greatest Goal". Here is some of what he had to say:

I'm your love doctor today.
If you had one month to live, how would you feel about your (love assessment) grade?
The best use of life is love.
Even after becoming Christians, we still sin.
The reality is people will forget all about your work and accomplishments.
You already know more than the greatest doctors and physicists knew 100 years ago...we've got to change what we do.
The best time to love is now...you thought I said the best time to leave is now, but those are just our singers coming up front...

If you missed this week's message, you can listen here.

Weekend Snapshots

2009-02-01T17:12:00.007-05:00

Annapolis was cold but beautiful this weekend. We had a great time!

This is NOT the boat we stayed on this weekend.

Neither is this one.

We chose to stick to land and with the help of Hotwire

we pretended like we could afford the Westin for the weekend.

Chick and Ruth fed us a great breakfast in perhaps the smallest booth we've ever sat in.

We had an incredible time away and are already planning

next year's anniversary excursion.

Husbands, love your wives...

2009-01-29T15:52:00.002-05:00

Every time I read Ephesians 5 and get to the admonition: "Husbands love your wives", I can't help but think about the start of a Nascar race: "Gentlemen, start your engines". But I digress...

Although I have not done this nearly enough in my 21 year marriage, I am convinced of the great value of farming out the kids and getting away with your spouse on a regular basis. For Maureen, this is one of the most practical ways for me to show her how much I love and adore her.

So, tomorrow, on our 21st wedding anniversary, we are heading over to Annapolis, Maryland to "get away from it all" for a little while. No pets, no kids, no jobs, just us. And thanks to Hotwire we get to stay at a four star hotel at a roach motel price. I look forward to making this investment into my marriage this weekend.

What are you investing in this weekend?

Someone is probably watching...

2009-01-28T16:12:00.002-05:00

Check out this LINK.

And the moral of this story is, don't sell bumper stickers at your church.

This is funny stuff...

2009-01-27T16:28:00.002-05:00

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Ed You

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

I like it when a totally legitimate pastor gets air time on a great show like Colbert!

Are you with me?

2009-01-27T08:34:00.002-05:00

I'm seriously considering a half marathon this year but am enjoying the easy pace of my morning 5k.

I've been in this place spiritually as well and know that sometimes you have to shake things up to make it fresh. Maybe a different routine, praying in a different place (or out loud), engaging in a fast, or memorizing whole chapters of the Bible.

Whatever it is, if you want to reach big goals, then you have to do some radical things. For me to reach my half marathon goal, I will need to increase my morning run distance and to gain more of God's heart, I will change how I pray by praying through some of the classic Scriptural prayers and making them mine.

How about you?

Also known as the elevator test...

2009-01-26T11:35:00.006-05:00

I'm reading through a pdf copy of Tony Morgan's new book Killing Cockroaches and came upon this question on page 29:

At Destiny, I think we have this one down:

-From your Sunday morning experience, you can head to 101 to learn more about Destiny or to Starting Point to engage in conversation about your growing faith.

-From there you can connect with others in a more social Married Life Live event or at a Men's or Women's event.

-And then, the place where we hope everyone can grow, is in our message-based Life Groups where we go deeper with Sunday's message together in groups of 10-14.

Now, would you like paper or plastic?

I'm a sucker for something free... VII

2009-01-12T10:13:00.005-05:00

After every high school swim meet, my daughter's swim team converges on our local Ihop. I wonder if they have a meet on Tuesday, February 24th? (which, as everybody knows, is Free Pancake Day at Ihop).

Give a little cash to the Children's Miracle Network and enjoy your stack of three pancakes....I'm guessing the swim team will.

Would you use your coffin as your luggage?

2009-01-07T14:35:00.004-05:00

I'm reading a book by Mark Batterson called Wild Goose Chase and in the Chapter 7 (Coming out of the Cage of Fear) he talks about a group of early 20th century missionaries called "one way missionaries". They were called this because they packed all of their earthly belongings into coffins and purchased one way tickets when they departed for the mission field. They knew they would never return home.

The story is told of one such missionary named A.W. Milne who felt called to a tribe of headhunters in the New Hebrides. All the other missionaries to this tribe had been martyred but that didn't keep Milne from chasing the Wild Goose. He lived among the tribe for 35 years and never returned home. When the tribe buried him, they wrote the following epitaph on his tombstone:

"When he came there was no light.

When he left there was no darkness."

How will my epitaph read? How about yours?

2009, The Year of the Budget

2009-01-03T08:49:00.003-05:00

My wife and I have spent 20 years in and out of family budgets. Ok, mostly out of. We've not gone bankrupt or lost a home but we have not been wise stewards either. That stops with 2009.

My short term goal is that by the end of this weekend, we will have a workable budget that will help us to save and give more. I'm looking to Joe Sangl to help us through this process and I'm looking to God to guide our decisions and give us discipline.

What are you doing this weekend? Wild Card Football?

New Year, New Moleskine

2009-01-02T14:53:00.006-05:00

"No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.
-Jesus in Luke 5:37-38

As 2009 starts, I'm 201 pages into my current 236 page Moleskine notebook. The good steward of our planet in me says to go ahead and use up the 35 remaining pages but the New Year equals new beginnings thinker needs me to break open the cellophane on a new notebook.

I've chosen the latter and as I begin this cathartic experience I'd like to invite you to ask God what he has for you in 2009. Dream big and write those dreams down so that you fill the pages of your life with the richness of an overflowing relationship with God.

After all, He is the one who said "I came that they might have life, and have it to the fullest." My prayer for you is that your 2009 is full.

Some Help for your Honest Conversations

2008-12-11T09:57:00.001-05:00

Just in case you want to wade into this whole honesty thing slowly or if you are looking for a little help. You may want to consider these guys: The Surrogate Sharers.

Honest Conversations

2008-12-10T17:53:00.003-05:00

I had a great lunch today. The food was fine and the atmosphere was ok. It was the honest conversation that made it great. But as I drove away, I wondered out loud how many of my relationships are enjoyable, but may be a bit fake.

My mom always told me that "honesty is the best policy".

Thomas Jefferson was fond of saying "honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom".

"Speak the truth in love" is Paul's exhortation for us in Ephesians 4. In fact he implies that if we do just that, it will help us to mature.

So, this week I'm going to focus on honesty in my life. I am going to follow my mom's teaching, Jefferson's quips and Paul's encouragement. I'll let you know how it goes.

Honestly, I will.

Bus Stop Nativity

2008-12-08T11:43:00.003-05:00

I found this image to be eerily intriguing.

Are you a part of the action?.

Wisdom from a 9 year old...I can top that...

2008-12-02T18:57:00.008-05:00

There is a 9 year old kid named Alec who is currently making big bucks on the book circuit. He's dolling out his advice on dating, and did I mention he is only 9, puh-leeze.

So, in response, I'd like to take this opportunity to give you some advice, not on dating, I gave up dating 20 years ago. But instead here is some solid marriage advice from a guy who's already into 20 years of happy matrimony. I'm taking my lead from Alec:

-Wives win most of the arguments and have most of the power. Duh?!

-A crush is like a love disease. It can drive you mad, but we still need to foster that crush on our spouses.

-In your marriage, try to get your spouse to like you as well as love you.

-Control your hyperness. (Cut down on sugar if you need to.)

-Make sure you have good friends who encourage your marriage.

-Girls always like the smartest boys. It may be too late for some of us. Most of our wives have figured out we aren't the smartest boy. Instead, we should make up for it by loving them like crazy (Ephesians 5:25).

-Class clowns never make a good love story. Huh? In Proverbs it tells us that "a cheerful heart is good medicine." I've got to go against Alec on this one, and encourage you to inject more laughter into your marriage.

Alec is almost right on some of these, but will probably be beating them off with a stick once the royalties start coming in, anyway.

What are you pursuing?

2008-12-01T22:22:00.003-05:00

What would it take for me or you to be successful?
What would have to happen for me or you to feel like we've hit the moving target?
What are you and I striving for?

I was convicted by this Catalyst article and wondered if you needed to be challenged as well.

I want to be the guy whose "hope is set on the living God", don't you?

Fun with Name Cards

2008-11-28T05:18:00.003-05:00

When you are 8 years old and the youngest at your family's Thanksgiving table, you've got to come up with something creative to do. Here is what my daughter came up with using only the 11 name cards at our table.

Guess Who?: With all of the cards lined up, using yes or no questions the guesser determines who the guessee has chosen. This is a classic low budget version of the original Guess Who? game.

Guess Who? II: All the name cards are distributed, being careful that no one gets their own. When it is your turn, you must act out the actions of the relative listed on your card while everyone else guesses who you are imitating.

And finally An Early Christmas: Cards are once again distributed and once they are, all the players are released to go "shop" throughout her grandmother's (my mom's) house for a gift for that person. Once we all return to the living room, everyone guesses which card you have, based on the gift you pilfered for them. Sadly, we were not allowed to take home our gifts.

What did you do post-turkey?

I'm climbing back on the blog horse...

2008-11-10T10:30:00.003-05:00

It is time to saddle up the ol' blog horse. I was not thrown from this proverbial literary equine, but stepped down under my own volition. In fact, I actually enjoyed my time away from areyoudestinized, and was considering extending my hiatus until I read this from Dumb Little Man.

My hope is that you get something out of this blog (spiritual insights, relational advice, or where to get free stuff), but I also know that this writing exercise is cathartic for me. This is a classic win-win. I hope you agree.

Pray Backwards

2008-11-02T17:06:00.001-05:00

I'm a sucker for something free... VI

2008-10-28T07:26:00.002-04:00

I'm back before the end of the month, because I did not want you to miss this. Follow the link over to restaurant.com, it is awesome. I did it and bought $125 worth of local restaurant gift certificates for only $10. Just use the promo code: TREATS.

Self-Imposed Blog Hiatus

2008-09-27T20:06:00.005-04:00

The gaps between areyoudestinized blog posts in September have gotten longer and longer and the depth of thought has become more and more shallow. Meanwhile over in the Twitter world, I have been posting tweets at an ever increasing rate.

Therefore, I hereby declare October as Blog Break Month for areyoudestinized. If you still want a peek inside my brain during this 10th month of 2008, and really, who wouldn't? Then follow me on Twitter where I promise to make my thoughts succint or at least under 140 characters.

See you on Twitter or on Facebook but not here until the day after Halloween (better known as the day after Free Burrito Day at Chipotle).

Just How Much of a Geek am I?

2008-09-19T17:37:00.002-04:00

I'm such a geek, that I get excited about free web apps like this one that serves God's Kingdom.

Introducing ChurchMetrics from ChurchMetrics on Vimeo.

I'm a sucker for something free... V

2008-09-18T09:25:00.003-04:00

On Halloween this year, all you have to do is "dress up" in a tin foil costume to get yourself a free burrito at Chipotle. This promotion is aptly named Free Burrito Day and as always, I provide this information to you as a public service because I'm a sucker for something free...

By the way, my understanding is that you can simply wear a tinfoil sock, or glove, or hat or perhaps some tasteful tinfoil earrings to score the free burrito. You do not necessarily have to go all out like this guy here. But, if you do, please send me photos. Enjoy.

Another Reason I Love Twitter...

2008-09-11T15:33:00.002-04:00

Follow me on Twitter.

Don't think of it as a time-waster, think of it as a camaraderie-builder.

Blue Tarps

2008-09-10T07:53:00.004-04:00

Hurricane season hits the Gulf Coast of our country in a pretty significant way and one of the great needs during the clean up process is very simply: tarps. They need tarps in that part of the country and the Healing Place Church is serving as a conduit of blue tarps for that region of the world. Can you help?

1) Buy one or more tarps at TarpsPlus.com.

2) Send the tarp(s) to the following address...

Healing Place Church
19202 Highland Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225.753.2273

Hurricane Torn Baton Rouge Needs Our Help!!! from Catalyst on Vimeo.

I'm a sucker for something free... IV

2008-09-09T22:12:00.003-04:00

Cold Stone Creamery (in a town near you) is helping out the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the entire month of September.

To cap off this special month, you and I are invited to the 7th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social. This is "a special night to join together and share the simple pleasures of life with FREE ice cream and family fun". On September 25th from 5:00 - 8:00pm, you and I will be treated to a 3 oz. serving of a flavor created by two "wish" kids. All donations will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Here are the two creations we can choose from:
Jack's Creation - Marshmallow ice cream with OREO® Cookies, Chocolate Chips and Fudge
Emily's Creation - Nutter Butter® ice cream with White Chocolate Chips, Kit Kat® and Yellow Cake

Just Stop and Think

2008-09-04T16:55:00.001-04:00

This is worth the 15minutes. Grab your favorite beverage, sit down and "stop and think".

Facebook Connections

2008-09-04T13:21:00.003-04:00

Recently Mo and I have been Facebooked by a few friends from a youth group we led about 20 years ago. These people who we knew as middle school and high school students are now pastors, business people, and parents. I know that we did not know what we were doing then, but were simply trying to love Jesus and asking them to do the same.

I had breakfast with one of these (now much older) folks this morning and was encouraged to see God still very active in his life. The tried and true encouragement found in Philippians immediately comes to my mind:

I thank my God every time I remember you.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you

will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1;3-6

I'm thankful that God continues to work in my life and in the lives of people God allowed me to know along the way. My hope is that He is fresh in your life today and that God gives you a glimpse into what He is weaving into your life for the next few decades.

3 Sentences

2008-08-29T12:58:00.002-04:00

Just yesterday I came across a great time-saving idea on Los' blog. I added it to my email signature and have been immediately challenged to shorten my emails. How much extra time do you think you would have if all of your outgoing emails as well as your incoming emails were 3 sentences or less? I've got my feet up on my desk already... http://three.sentenc.es

Giant Acorn and World Vision

2008-08-27T14:16:00.003-04:00

I am 46% of the way toward my goal of raising $1,000 for World Vision as I also train for the Giant Acorn Triathlon in Lake Anna. Take a look at this...

Now scroll down to the First Giving widget in the left-hand column. Click on donate and help me out as we change the world while simultaneously decreasing my waistline.

Not Everyone Can Be Michael Phelps

2008-08-20T10:52:00.001-04:00

Confession is Good for the Soul

2008-08-19T13:13:00.003-04:00

Today I need to confess something to you. Sometimes I feel like this.

Saddleback's Civil Forum

2008-08-18T21:42:00.002-04:00

If you did not catch Rick Warren spending an hour with Barack Obama followed by another hour with John McCain, then head over here and invest the time. I think you will enjoy the casual atmosphere that allows us all some insight into our two presidential candidates.

Married Life Live

2008-08-15T10:44:00.003-04:00

We are making some really cool adjustments to our quarterly Married Life Live event and you are going to love them. For now we are keeping them under wraps, but you are going to want to set aside Saturday night, October 25th as a date night with your spouse. You'll join with others from Destiny as we all strengthen our marriages together.

This is going to be fun.

Standing or Sitting

2008-08-13T12:27:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday I finished up my message on obedience from Jonah 1, by asking people to stand if they were willing to pray the following prayer:

God, whatever you say, I will do.

God, wherever you direct, I will go.

God, my answer is "yes". Now, what is the question?

It was encouraging to see people throughout the auditorium stand in favor of obedience in their own personal lives. My hope is that this was a moment with God that they will not soon forget. Please pray for these folks.

There were also many who did not stand up this past Sunday. That is a huge statement to make as others rise up around you. Please pray for these folks as well, because they are also on a journey toward Jesus and God desires to meet them exactly where they are.

So, today, whether you are a stander or a sitter God still screams out to each of us: "I came that (you) might have life, and have it to the fullest!" (John 10:10)

Wild Goose Chase

2008-08-12T15:49:00.004-04:00

I've had a full summer of reading and am currently being challenged by some great books by Bill George and Craig Groeschel that I picked up at the Leadership Summit.

I am, however, looking to complete my summer reading with the newest book by Mark Batterson of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day fame. Mark's newest book is called Wild Goose Chase and here is a taste of it from the book's introduction:

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.”

Mark's publisher is sending me two copies of the book, so if you are interested in your own "free" copy, then just leave me a comment and I'll get my extra one to you to enjoy. Otherwise you will need to head over to Amazon and buy your own...

Learning as I go...

2008-08-11T14:08:00.003-04:00

I have just transferred 100 American dollars into my daughter's checking account.

I now have a firm grasp on how my 14 year old is motivated.

A Wise Investment

2008-08-11T12:25:00.002-04:00

As I write this, my non-roller-coaster-rider daughter is waiting in line to ride Fahrenheit at Hershey Park. I nonchalantly offered her a c-note if she were to overcome her fear and ride. I'm realizing now that I may be out some serious cash.

This was, perhaps, not my finest hour of parenting.

Friday at the Summit

2008-08-08T20:52:00.003-04:00

Today's experience at the Summit was full of challenge including these gems:

"In order to reach the people that no one else is reaching, you must do what no one else is doing." -Craig Groeschel (LifeChurch.tv)

"I respect and value other religious traditions, but follow mine because it is true." -Chuck Colson (Prison Fellowship)

"Get up. Get your instructions (from God) for the day. And then carry them out." -Catherine Rohr (Prisoner Entrepeneurship Program)

Those three are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are looking for a more full synopsis, check out Tim's take.

Powerful Quote

2008-08-08T08:16:00.002-04:00

There was a lot of wisdom shooting around the room yesterday at the Leadership Summit. But one particular quote will stick with me for a while. Gary Haugen of the International Justice Mission said

If you want your leadership to matter,

lead in the things that matter to God.

Does your leadership matter?

Female Speak

2008-08-07T00:23:00.002-04:00

The Leadership Summit officially begins tomorrow, but today Maureen attended the women's pre-conference. She was challenged by the discussion and I'm sure she will blog about it over at Moments. One key phrase from the pre conference that she did share with me was:

"Pull up your big girl panties and get over it."

I'm not sure I'm allowed to utter the above phrase or even if I would want to, but I'm still intrigued by it. I think there is a good reason why men are not allowed to attend women's conferences.

The Windy City

2008-08-05T22:28:00.003-04:00

I'm in Chicago and have been to the top of the Sears Tower and eaten deep dish pizza. I'm here for the Willow Creek Leadership Summitbut am loving a city that I have not been to in about 20 years.

I'll be sure to pass on some of what I'm learning here at the Summit as well as what I'm eating. Next meal I'm looking forward to should be at the Weber Grill Restaurant.

Blogging Hiatus?

2008-07-31T23:47:00.002-04:00

One week without blogging...hmmm? Was Todd on some sort of blogging fast? Did his Mac catch a virus (ha!)? Are his hands in double casts as a result of some sort of street fight gone bad? or Did he simply have a full week and was only able to Twitter his thoughts during the last 7 days?

The answer is affirmative to the last guess and if you, like so many others, don't know what to do when this blog lies dormant, then head over and follow todderickson on Twitter. You might be glad you did (I think?!)

Chicago's Official Food

2008-07-25T15:42:00.003-04:00

Mo and I are heading to the Windy City for a conference with some friends next month. Where do you suggest we dine?

New Favorite Spot

2008-07-23T10:11:00.004-04:00

My new favorite place for vacation breakfast is hands down The Belvedere Coffee Shop. It's on 36th at the ocean, check it out the next time you head to Virginia Beach.

I recommend the special (2 eggs, bacon, home fries and wheat toast) and my kids love the pancakes.

Why stop there?

2008-07-23T08:14:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Mo posted about us praying together for 40 days. We are currently heading into day 4 and have no plans on stopping.

This prayer challenge has caused me to wonder about other areas where we could step up to a challenge...

Could we diet together for a month?

How about managing our finances together for a lifetime?

I wonder if we could exercise together in order to reach a goal?

Can our marriage handle our cooking together?

And finally, my favorite, could our intimate relationship handle 101 days in a row?

What kind of challenge does your marriage need?

My Desktop

2008-07-22T08:04:00.003-04:00

Tony Morgan suggests that our desktops tell a lot about us. A pixelated window into our souls (I said that, not Tony). Here's mine:

What does it say about me? What does yours say about you?

All Day Long

2008-07-20T19:04:00.003-04:00

Suggest a caption...

Run, Swim, Run

2008-07-19T13:39:00.004-04:00

Hello, my name is Todd and I'm a casual triathlete.

Today, I embarked on my first event that involved an open ocean swim. It was set up like this: 1k run on the sand, 1k swim in the ocean, and then a 5k run on the boardwalk. My goal was to complete this event in under 60 minutes and I missed that mark by just 1 minute and 11 seconds. I did not come anywhere close to finishing on the podium but I also was not bringing up the rear. I got pretty much what I trained for.

That adage of "you get what you train for" certainly works for triathlons, but it also fits perfectly for our spiritual lives. In my mind I want to be a spiritual giant but too often I spiritually train to be just a regular guy who happens to know Jesus. Paul reminds us that our spiritual training is important.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
I Corinthians 9:24-26

I left the race this morning with a renewed vision for my physical training and this Scripture encourages me to rethink my spiritual training as well.

Habakkuk 1

2008-07-18T07:41:00.004-04:00

I was reflecting back on last week's message from Habakkuk 1 while looking forward to hearing Lathan help us through the "dip" this weekend. I was struck by this verse from the Message:

God, you're from eternity, aren't you?
Holy God, we aren't going to die, are we?
God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work?
Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline?
But you can't be serious!
You can't condone evil!
So why don't you do something about this?
Why are you silent now?
Habakkuk 1:12-13

Habakkuk knows God and this depth of knowledge allows him to ask questions with comfort. The juxtaposition of his knowing God and his questioning God is all too familiar. He has obviously logged the divine relational hours in order to know God well. Sometimes I wonder if my questions are not based on my knowing God but on my ignorance of his ways. Hmm...

Pick Your Nose

2008-07-16T13:46:00.002-04:00

This certainly has the capacity to liven up your next party or backyard barbeque.

Don't you just love creative stuff. It all goes back to the we are created God's image thing. What with Him creating the whole world and all, that would make Him supremely creative, don't you think?

Encounters with God

2008-07-16T07:17:00.003-04:00

My spiritual life hardly ever includes holding a leather bound Bible in my hands. More often than not, my connection to the Scriptures is through my 17" PowerBook. Therefore, I'm thankful to the folks over at Scripture Union for sending me God's Word every day. This keeps me fresh. We're in II Timothy right now.

Would you like to join us? It don't cost nothin'.

Also check out www.youversion.com (now with a cool iPhone app) and www.biblegateway.com.

What's On Your List?

2008-07-15T14:56:00.007-04:00

I am heading back down to the beach at the end of this week and I had such a solid stack of books with me last time, that I'm not feeling confident that this week's reading will be up to par. Here is what I may be hauling along with the beach umbrella:

What would you add to my list?

Logging in a Very Good Day

2008-07-14T20:19:00.004-04:00

Here is how my Monday shaped up...

-Wake up Clay and Em for a morning commute to Tysons Corner.
-Check 'em in for Apple Camp and then drool over all the uber cool Mac gear.
-Cinnabon. 730 calories!
-Change Facebook profile pic multiple times.

-Answer emails on a big 'ol sloppy 30" Mac Display. I think that thing is bigger than my TV?!
-A good half hour in the Message in the corner of the Apple store.
-Head back down the toll road with the kids wolfing down McD's.

-Destiny Staff Gathering at Moe's. "Welcome to Moe's". It just makes you feel good to walk in the door.
-A few very productive office hours.
-Convinced son to join me on a training run to the pool to log in 1500 yards.
-Dinner with neighbors.

-Making sure you are kept up on all the minutia.

Apple Camp

2008-07-13T20:48:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow morning Em and Clay and I are heading to the Apple Store in Tysons for Apple Camp. They'll learn their way around Garage Band while I read in a soft chair at Starbucks. Then off to a lunch staff meeting.

Should be a good Monday.

I'm a sucker for something free... III (apology)

2008-07-12T11:21:00.004-04:00

I blew it. Yesterday was not only Free Slurpee and Free Best Buy Gift Card Day, it was also Cow Appreciation Day which is also known as the "Offishul Chikin Eatin Day".

All you had to do was wear a cow costume to your local Chick Fil A and they would have given you a Free Combo Meal. This was an obvious mistake on the part of areyoudestinized and I promise to be more diligent in the future. Please do not drop us from your RSS feeds.

I'm a sucker for something free... III

2008-07-11T11:26:00.009-04:00

Today is a big day in the cheapskate world that I live in.

-Rush over to your nearest 7-11 to celebrate the fact that today's date is also 7-11. Nothing is better than a free slurpee!

-Then head over to Best Buy with your kid's report card and for every A they get a designated amount on a gift card (max of $25). This is untested and apparently ends at 10pm tonight....definitely worth a shot.

-Finally, if you are local and are a woman (this is not starting out well) and are interested in the Women of Faith conference at the Verizon Center, email me right away....I've got one free ticket for you. First come, first served.

Have a great Free Friday.

-

Join My Team

2008-07-09T20:22:00.006-04:00

Triathlon season is now in full swing. I'm heading to Virginia Beach next weekend to compete with a bunch of Navy Seals in the Allen Stone Run, Swim, Run event. I probably should have noticed that I'd be up against a bunch of guys who swim 5 miles a day when they are not even training. Just looking to finish in the pack on that one!

I'm pumped for the beach event but am really excited about the Destiny Triathlon Team taking on the Giant Acorn Triathlon in October. We, as a team, are not only seeking to tackle this event but are also teaming up with World Vision to help change the world. Our goal is to raise $10,000 for this amazing organization that serves over 70 million people throughout the world every year.

Please head over here and help me help World Vision by sponsoring me in this event. We'll watch the giving grow together on the widget in the left column here on areyoudestinized. Thanks for jumping in with me!

Release Points

2008-07-08T11:25:00.004-04:00

This week, I've had the great opportunity to have a few conversations with parents regarding their kids as they step out into new adventures. This is often a difficult process for us as parents. We know we have to let go, but want to tighten our grip at the same time.

These conversations reminded me of Dennis Rainey's illustration of archery release points. I first heard Dennis use this illustration at a Family Life Parenting Conference and it has stuck with me for years.

An archer's accuracy is largely impacted by how the arrow is released. If it is released correctly, the arrow should fly straight toward the target. If it is released incorrectly, the arrow will not fly straight.

It works the same with our kids. Throughout their lives they experience release points where we need to let them go. Whether it is learning to walk, a first sleepover, a driver's license or freshman year away at school, these are all release points where we, as parents, need to let our kids step out and experience the fullness of life with all of it's ups and (in the case of learning to walk) downs.

How are you doing in releasing your kids? How would they say you are doing?

Top Quality Independence Day Weekend

2008-07-05T15:53:00.002-04:00

July 4th falling on a Friday this year, really made for some great down time.

July 4th - Morning Swim, Local Parade, Poolside Lounging, Barbeque with Friends, and Fireworks (say it with me "oooo, ahhh").

Today - Church on the Lawn Setup, Dunkin Donuts, Power Napping on the Couch, More Barbeque, this time with Family.

Tomorrow - Church on the Lawn!

I could get used to this kind of schedule.

Minor Prophets

2008-07-03T13:38:00.007-04:00

I know you will not want to miss your favorite minor prophet this summer at Destiny, so here is the lineup:

July 6 Amos (Church on the Lawn)

July 13 Habakkuk I

July 20 Habakkuk II

July 27 Habakkuk III

Aug 3 Hosea

Aug 10 Jonah

Aug 17 Haggai

Aug 24 Zechariah

Aug 31 Malachi

Each of these guys heard directly from God. Although they are only minor prophets, which means they never made it to the majors or got the big Nike shoe contract, the message they carried is very relevant for us today. Adjust your vacation schedules accordingly.

One of My Favorite Sundays of the Year

2008-06-30T15:42:00.004-04:00

This coming Sunday is one of my favorite Sundays on the Destiny calendar. There are 5 reasons for this:

-Three letters: B-B-Q
-Worship under a tent is rather old school, but I really like it!
-Pie Competition provides for some good sweet eats.
-Three Legged Races, Sack Races and Bat Races are just good old fashioned fun.
and
-This year we have a Mechanical Bull to test our fortitude.

10am at the Greenway Manor House. See you there...

3 Quick Reviews

2008-06-28T21:01:00.008-04:00

One of the best things about being at the beach is the extra time to read. No better way to spend an afternoon than to have your feet in the sand and a book in your hand. In the last week I paged through three different books...one a spiritual novel, one a practical ministry volume, and one a bit of an expose. I enjoyed all three but for very different reasons.

The Shack After a significant loss, Mack, the main character (besides God, Himself) is invited personally by God to a lonely cabin in the woods. His interactions with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are full of theology and completely laced with real-life imagery. This book coerced tears from my eyes as Mack takes steps to minister to one of his daughters after his weekend in the woods. This is a great book that will challenge your preconceived notions about God and will cause you to hug your kids a little tighter.

Pop Goes the Church, Should the Church Engage Pop Culture?

Tim Stevens challenges us all to take a position in our culture. To leverage our culture so that people can catch a glimpse of God through what they are already watching and listening to. "The theology of our day is found in the cineplex" and we, as the Church, need to capitalize on this by sincerely engaging with our culture. This engagement will allow us to understand what is being communicated and use that as our springboard to the truth. This book is practically challenging with some great examples to "borrow" for your own ministry.

The Family, The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power

I once sat down at a dinner table at a conference at Billy Graham's the Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. Once I exchanged pleasantries with the people around me, the woman to my left said in a hushed tone "So you live near DC? Do you know about that secretive ministry with all the houses?" I told her what every good DC suburbanite says..."Yes, I do, but if I told you about it, I would have to kill you." This book is a "supposed" expose (depending on your point of view) of that under the radar group called "The Family" and it is all the more enjoyable when you personally recognize some of the names listed on these pages.

Order these, get a cold drink in your hand, set the umbrella just right and enjoy your reading.

Follow Me on Twitter

2008-06-20T08:54:00.005-04:00

This is the image that I hope to be seeing for the majority of my week next week. I won't be looking at a computer screen and therefore will not be blogging. You will have to fast the keen insights and tongue in cheek humor that you have, no doubt, come to appreciate in this little corner of the world wide web.

If, however, you are still curious about all things areyoudestinized, then feel free to follow me on Twitter...I can keep you updated on high tide and sunburns there.

Now, just to keep you in the Destiny loop, we will continue the One Prayer series through the end of June. Our final week (June 29th) will highlight Scott Longyear of Maryland Community Church in Terre Haute, Indiana with his One Prayer being "Lord, Make us Dead". If you miss one of these dynamic messages, you can easily catch up because each of the 5 One Prayer messages will be available in podcast form at www.destinychurch.info.

Fool's Gold

2008-06-19T10:50:00.003-04:00

The kids' swim meet got "thundered out" last night so Mo and I sent the young ones to watch Disney Channel as we settled in for a movie night. I acquiesced and paid for the chick flick "Fool's Gold". The movie itself clearly fits into the "glad-I-only-rented-it-category" but it was a good popcorn-filled evening anyway.

Kate Hudson's character in Fool's Gold keeps her notes in a Moleskine notebook. I'm am an unashamed fan of these trendy books and somehow feel validated because a Hollywood starlet uses one in a fictional romantic comedy.

Let's hear it for product placement.

One Prayer Week #3

2008-06-17T07:20:00.003-04:00

So far, we have prayed "Father, make us effective", "Father, make us one", "Father, make us wake up" and now this week we get to hear from Dino Rizzo of the Healing Place Church in Louisiana. Dino's one prayer is "Father, make us generous." This is also the weekend we will use to focus some of our giving into missions. It is going to be great!

If you have not ventured over to www.oneprayer.com yet, let me encourage you to "join the conversation" with over 1,000 other churches. This has been a really cool series that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

One of Our Better (mobile) Staff Meetings

2008-06-16T16:36:00.005-04:00

We dropped off some rented speakers at a warehouse in Maryland. This is the only aspect of the day that seemed work-like.

Lunch in Old Town Alexandria at King Street Blues. Try the fish.

No staff meeting would be complete without ice cream. Two shakes, and a couple of cones later, Destiny had a happy and satisfied staff team.

Try taking your next meeting out of the conference room and see what it does for you and your team.

Time to Play

2008-06-16T09:16:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a frenzy'd day. I think our entire Destiny staff team is whooped.

So, today a few of us are heading into DC for some down time. Greg is thinking one of the double decker tour buses, but I'm thinking some of us may be snoozing before we get to the Lincoln Memorial. My vision is more of a Ferris Beuller's Day Off kind of trip. Should be fun either way.

I'm definitely going to lobby for either Old Glory or Ben's Chili Bowl for lunch!

Manana

2008-06-14T12:43:00.002-04:00

www.final-frenzy.com

Light Stick Simon, Joy Lippard, Last Ham Standing, Stellar Kart and Charles Mann all in one place in the span of two short hours. Sick.

Loudoun County High School, Sunday, Jun 15 from 4-6.

Recalculating

2008-06-12T16:10:00.004-04:00

The Ericksons are late coming to the table on this one, but we just recently bought a GPS. We bought the no frills Garmin that has already paid for itself with Maureen's recent trip to a wedding in Richmond (no one got lost and everyone made it home).

In the short time that we have had this tech toy, I have been reminded of my own penchant for rebellion (see Genesis 3). The GPS wants me to go one route, but I often think I know better, and will choose another route. This then forces the GPS unit to "recalculate" in order to get me back on track. No matter how far off course I am, my gracious Garmin Nuvi 200 is willing to figure out how I can get to where I need to be.

God does the same thing for us. No matter how far off course we stray, He is willing to guide us back to Himself. He shows us his divine recalculating in His interaction with Peter. He displays the grace that he extends when we wander as we observe the history of the Israelites. And He gives us a glimpse of his welcoming us back on course in the account of the Prodigal Son.

Are you on the route that God has for you, or do you think you know better?

Destiny Staff On Line...

2008-06-11T10:47:00.002-04:00

If you, like me, think that Destiny has gathered some of the greatest folks together to help people to "know God, grow with others and serve the world", then you might want to get to know the team a little better via their newest sites:

Mike's got some of his graphic work on display here.

Lathan has taken the dive into the world of blogging and you can read his deep thoughts here.

Greg's blog will reactivate sometime and when it does, I'll let you know right here at areyoudestinized.

Mandy is pondering blogging but for now is sharing her thoughts in 140 characters or less on twitter.

and

Kyle gets hit by a car more than once here.

One Prayer Week #2

2008-06-10T16:42:00.004-04:00

One Prayer Churches from LifeChurch.tv on Vimeo.

As we continue to join with over 1,000 other churches in One Prayer we will keep asking and answering the question: What would you pray for the Church at large if you knew God would answer one prayer?

This week, we get to hear from Ed Young of Fellowship Church as he shares his prayer: "Lord, make us wake up!"

If you missed Craig Groeschel's message "Make Us One" from last Sunday, check it out here.

Final Week Before Final Frenzy

2008-06-09T07:25:00.002-04:00

This is the week to use your Facebook, Twitter, Snail Mail, Cell Phone, and IM to let people know about Final Frenzy '08. This is going to be great and you are going to want to be a part of it. Let me know today just how you want to be involved...

-Hospitality Team
-Tech/Media Team
-Transformers Team (setup and teardown)
-Prayer Team
-Welcome Team

If I know your availability, I can find a spot for you...

Guess Where I Am?

2008-06-07T10:28:00.002-04:00

Here's the playlist:

The Chicken Dance

The Electric Slide

AC-DC's "Shook Me All Night Long"

Limbo

John Mayer's "Daughters"

Here's the menu:

Fruit Salad

Chicken Tenders

Peanut Butter and Jelly Finger Sandwiches

Tiered Princess Cake

You may be thinking I'm at a lame wedding reception, but I'm not. I'm at the biggest, baddest Daddy-Daughter Dance with my almost 8 year old. It all happened last night and it was magical. We pretzeled, she stood on my feet for the slow songs, and we made princess hats and wands. We even got to pray together at the end of the night.

Here is what I learned about me and Emily. I will not make it through the daddy-daughter dance at her wedding without melting into a pile of tears. So for now, I'm simply taking a cue from John Mayer (who isn't even a dad himself):

Fathers, be good to your daughters.

Daughters will love like you do.

Carpe Diem

2008-06-05T08:20:00.005-04:00

I just read about a website that will send out emails for you 6 days after the rapture. That's right for only $40 you can make sure 62 of your friends hear about Jesus after you are gone. I'm thinking they may even include an autographed picture of Kirk Cameron as an attachment (for an additional fee).

Here are the top 5 reasons I balk at a website like this:

-Emails are growing to be an ever more impersonal form of communication. Can I twitter post-rapture?

-Two words: spam filter. Will my heavenly email make it through?

-62 people for $40. What about poor #63?

-I hope this does not replace the use of the often forwarded animated "Jesus walking to your town" email?!

-This service puts off the awkward, yet rewarding work of being spiritually proactive in our conversations here and now.

Go ahead and have the personal, compassionate conversation

with someone about Jesus today. Don't wait to send them

an email 6 days after you are gone.

One Prayer This Week...

2008-06-03T13:58:00.003-04:00

Destiny, along with about 1,000 other churches, is bringing her One Prayer to God this month. We are asking and answering the question:

What would you pray if God would answer One Prayer for the Church at large?

Greg's prayer this past week was "God, make us effective." Check out the podcast here. This coming Sunday we will hear from Craig Groeschel of lifechurch.tv whose prayer is "God, make us one."

What is your one prayer?

I'm a sucker for something free... II

2008-05-30T22:12:00.004-04:00

If you are willing to take a Friday off, then head over to Mix 107.3 and register your carload of people for a free day (June 13th) at Hershey Park.

There are three key elements to the success of this day:
-A day away from work.
-The smell of chocolate in the air.
-And the price is right.

Sign up today and I'll see you in line for that classic coaster, the Comet.

Web Traffic Results

2008-05-29T16:54:00.001-04:00

Currently 4th from the top of page one. The top three all lead to Destiny.

That was fun. Try this with your own blog and see how high up you get....let me know your results.

Web Traffic

2008-05-29T08:19:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I got to be a part of a panel discussion regarding Church marketing. The seminar which was put on by Unity Business Solutions affirmed some of the things Destiny is doing well and reminded me of where we can improve.

We can always improve on traffic to areyoudestinized and to the Destiny website. Right now this blog is buried in the second page of a google search for Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, but I thought I'd experiment to see what this does to better it's standing...

Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia...

Thanks for being a guinea pig. This doesn't make for very interesting reading but should improve our standing.

By the way, One Prayer starts for us this weekend...

What did you do with your day off?

2008-05-26T17:06:00.002-04:00

Courtesy of www.indexed.blogspot.com

Were you able to get away from work for a while? Could you put down the laptop, cell phone, pda?

The quality of my day is often defined by food consumed during that 24 hour period. The menu for this Memorial Day :

-Homemade waffles for Breakfast.
-Burgers on the grill for Lunch.
-Texas Barbeque on a friend's deck for Dinner.

I'm feeling good about this down day. It definitely fits in the "B- Day Off Enjoyed" category...

A Quick Look Back at Wibo

2008-05-22T20:40:00.003-04:00

Here is the Reader's Digest version of my time at Whiteboard today:

Mark Batterson:

-Your best thought on your best day is light years away from God's thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

-When was the last time you confessed the smallness of your dreams?

Vince Antonucci:

-Only 2.2% of all churches are experiencing real growth.

-We need to seek and save that which is lost.

-Are you going to the places where lost people go?

Tim Stevens:

-Reality #1: Most churches are not impacting their communities.

-Reality #2: Spiritual interest is growing in our culture.

-We need to leverage the culture or risk losing our impact.

Darrin Patrick:

-All of our sins revolve around one of four core issues: power, comfort, approval or control (Alfred Adler).

Mark Dever:

-Church is not an event to be produced but a community to be cultivated.

John Burke:

-Every 60 minutes ask "God, is this where you want me to be? Is this what you want me to say? Is this what you want me to do?"

Perry Noble:

-We have to understand that we are called, we have priorities and we have temptations.

-We are to be with Him (Mark 3:13).

-We are to preach (Mark 3:14).

-We have been given authority (Mark 3:15)

Ed Stetzer:

-Conferences like this one are like ministry pornography, a picture of an unrealistic experience you are never going to have.

Whiteboard Thursday

2008-05-21T10:27:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow at The Whiteboard Sessions, I get to hang out with the Destiny team while being challenged by some of the sharpest minds in the church today. I have heard half of these guys in a conference setting before and they were great. Now I'm looking forward to them, and am anticipating the new voices of the other half.

All 8 speakers have only 30 minutes to make their point, so I'm expecting some rapid fire wisdom from these guys. It all cranks up at 9, rolls through a solid lunch at Rio Grande, and gets me back on the toll road by 4:45. This is going to be great.

YouVersion now available for your Mobile Device!

2008-05-20T12:44:00.002-04:00

On the road with your smartphone, iphone, etc, but still want to read what God has for you in His word?

YouVersion now available for your Mobile Device!

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Final Frenzy '08 - What Would You Do?

2008-05-20T10:42:00.001-04:00

Do not try this at home.
Final Frenzy '08

I Really Do Like My J-O-B

2008-05-19T09:02:00.009-04:00

Here are a few words that will be rattling around the Destiny office this week: Final-Frenzy, Next Gen, Whiteboard, Dedications, One Prayer, Ministry Expo, Budget, Soft Serv and many more...

Monday: Meetings to review, plan and dream. Jasmines is providing lunch.
Tuesday: Ministry Specific Meetings. Fix some, launch others.
Wednesday: Dave Dorst for lunch and Water's Edge Production in the afternoon.
Thursday: The Whiteboard Sessions at Reston Town Center.
Friday: Down day to fix the deck, clean the house and join one of my kids for lunch at their school. Gotta love those tater tots.

What does your Monday through Friday 9-5'er look like? Does anybody work just 9-5 anymore?

Final Frenzy

2008-05-16T13:08:00.003-04:00

Destiny is stepping up to provide an incredible end of the year event for students throughout Loudoun County. This thing is going to be great, so be sure to Facebook, IM, email, snail mail, call, text, or send out smoke signals to all of your friends about Final Frenzy '08. Keep the afternoon of June 15th open.

I'm a sucker for something free...

2008-05-15T15:20:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Bike to Work Day and I'm participating because I can get something free. In fact, the plan is to wake up early with my kids and schlep them over to the pit stop about two miles from my house so that they can get a free breakfast and t-shirt. After we're done with breakfast, we're heading back home so that I can drive them to school.

I know, I know, I'm missing the whole point of BTWD, but I like to get free stuff.

What would you do for a free breakfast and t-shirt?

Orioles 5, Red Sox 4

2008-05-14T08:19:00.007-04:00

Last night I went with my brothers and my son to go see our beloved Red Sox at Camden Yards, the home of the Orioles. It was a beautiful night without a cloud in the sky. Here are 3 quick observations from my evening:

-In the Baltimore and Ohio Warehouse, which serves as the right field backdrop to this beautiful complex, the fourth floor men's room window has a great view of the field. You can take care of your business and not miss a pitch.

-A church adjacent to Camden Yards had this to say via it's marquee:

God Bless the O's,

And maybe the Sox,

But forgive us for our thoughts about the Yankees.

It is always easier to ask God to bless our friends but it sure is a struggle to do the same for our enemies. Jesus encourages us in Luke 6 to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." I hate to say it, but I think the Yankees are included in these verses.

-Finally, I'm getting old...I was dozing off at 10:30 on the way home. Pitiful.