It’s Saturday…time for another dream stretch! I promise not to take this into perpetuity, but I really do believe the world needs a few more dreams. You can read more about my thoughts in the first dream stretch post HERE.

Today’s dream stretch is a little tougher, but it’s a good one. I hope you will play along.

Answer this question:

If you could solve one world problem today, what would it be?

Dream big…remember that in dreaming there are no limits of money, time, knowledge, etc. Do you want to eradicate cancer? Are you ready to end the world of AIDS? Would your dream be clean water throughout Africa? Is poverty your issue? Be specific, yet dream big. What are you most passionate about solving?

(If you are reading this from my Facebook or Twitter account, please comment on the blog so others can read it also.)

Thanks for dreaming with me. Is there another dream stretch idea I should consider?

This video from Ted blows my mind. I love big dreams…I love mind-stretching exercises…this one helps me think bigger than I might normally think. It’s 18 minutes long, but it’s worth watching. Whether you agree with this line of thinking or solution to global problems is not the issue here, but feel free to share them. I’m sharing this because I love how big Paul Romer is thinking.

What do you think? Will this work? More than that, does it make you think bigger?

The most talked about press conference ever occurs tomorrow.  Tiger Woods will face a select group of media.  Every sports report I saw today was focused on what Tiger will or will not say.  Some were kind, some were not, but all want to know what he has on his mind.  I believe grace is available to Tiger, just as it is to all of us, which I wrote about HERE and HERE.

Tiger is a celebrity and a role model, so I understand the media attention. At the same time, Tiger is a private citizen and ultimately he’s accountable to God and his family, not me or others. Still, if Tiger were calling me tonight for advice, or if I could somehow get word to him, this is what I would have him say:

• I’m sorry
• I was wrong
• It was my fault
• I’m getting help…I can’t do this alone
• Please extend grace to me and my family and hold me accountable
• I’m moving forward

He shouldn’t have to answer details about his personal life that at this point will not change the situation. Hopefully Tiger will repent, restore, and return to the game of golf.  Don’t we all love a good story of restoration?

Are you listening Tiger? Tiger, if you are, you may want to read THIS POST or THIS POST also.

What do you think Tiger should say?

Do you hope he returns to the game of golf?

 
I have to be honest.  I am not an expert on the celebration of Lent. It wasn’t talked about a lot in the church I grew up in and it’s not been a huge tradition in any of the churches where I’ve served. When I was growing up the only friends I knew of that celebrated lent were my Catholic friends.  I understand the concepts and principles involved and I realize it is gaining in popularity in today’s church culture, but it’s simply not been something I’ve practiced a great deal.

Lent is a practice of celebration 40 days prior to Easter that allows believers to prepare their hearts to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Basically, the person practicing lent gives up something they would regularly do during the season of lent. I’ve heard of people abstaining from caffeine, sweets, television, or smoking, among other things.   Today being what is called Ash Wednesday, the start of the lent season, I have received enough questions about it that I felt it was worthy of my addressing the issue.

My understanding of Scriptures is that the Old Testament practices and traditions are no longer required, but, at the same time, disciplining ourselves is always a good thing, if done with the right motive and purpose.  For that reason, I would encourage the practice of lent by giving something up of value during this period to spend more time focusing on the true value of Christ. I see great opportunities in this to build family traditions, celebrate Christ together, and personally build a person’s character in Christ.

Since I believe we are no longer bound by rules, but are now bound by grace, if a person wants to practice lent, I think they should write their own rules for their practice of lent based on what they want to accomplish and how disciplined they need to be. The key, however, is more about taking on than it is giving up. The end goal is to take on more of Christ as one gives up something of value.  This is actually a good discipline to have throughout the year.

In my opinion, if a person is concentrating more on the discipline and his or her ability to keep a rule then he or she is still living under the law system.  If, however, one is concentrating on the focus of Christ then he or she is truly living by grace.  That should always be encouraged.  However we celebrate or don’t celebrate Lent, let’s all take time preparing our hearts for Easter and reminding ourselves of the sacrifice Christ gave on our behalf.  That has to be good for all believers.

Lent experts, I’d love to hear your thoughts… Educate me (and my readers).  What am I missing?  How do you celebrate Lent?

 
One of the things about which I’ve been most excited as a church is the amount of artistic talent we have assembled.  We have artists in every field.  We have considered ways to allow them to share their passion, such as an art fair, but so far, mostly due to not having our own building, nothing has come together.

That’s one reason I was motivated to promote a new ministry venture I recently learned about. My blogger friend Kent Shaffer’s wife, Evie has assembled a creative initiative to allow artists to use their talent to help other charities.  A Beautiful Idea (ABI) allows artists to showcase and sell their unique product, with 100% of the sale of that item going to charity. This can be ongoing, or a one-time deal.  What a beautiful idea!

The potential for this is huge.  It allows artists to see their gift have greater impact, it builds branding for the artist, and it helps fund charities.  This is a win/win situation.

Help spread the word.  Click HERE to sign up or HERE for more information.

I am not a techie, but I am Mac guy, so I was mesmerized, like many of my techie friends, with Apple’s new iPad.  This week when Steve Jobs introduced it, I felt an instant urge to hold one.  Did anyone else get that urge?  (Please don’t give me an idolatry lecture…I know my priorities…I’m not obsessing, but I am fascinated.)  Being one that is always looking for ways to improve my productivity, I can see how I would make use of such a product.

The most frequent question for me this week, however, has been what would I do with my Kindle if I got an iPad.  If you don’t know, my boys got me a Kindle for Father’s Day and I love it.  I wrote about it HERE. Granted I haven’t held an iPad in my hands, but I have pondered my “dilemma” this week, and I have come to the following conclusion:

I can think of 7 reasons I will keep my Kindle.  Here’s why:

1. The Kindle feels more like a book than I think the iPad will.  Putting the Kindle in a leather binder gives me the look and feel of holding the “real thing”.
2. The screen on the Kindle seems more like a book. If the screen on the iPad is like my MacBook Pro, I wouldn’t want to read long passages on it.
3. The Kindle is limited to being a reader.  This has been seem as a plus for the iPad, but when I’m considering it as a reader it’s a criticism for me.  When I’m doing serious reading, I don’t want to be distracted with other things I can do with the device.
4. Amazon is so easy to work with.  I’m confident that Apple will pull off a great database of books, but Amazon certainly knows what they are doing.  (I wonder if the two great companies will find a way to partner.)
5. The battery life on the Kindle is amazing.  I don’t get that kind of result from my iPhone or MacBook.   (As a matter of fact, my Mac power is running low now…)
6. My boys gave me my Kindle.  ‘Nuff said…
7. Sometimes simplicity is a good thing….Complex is often overrated.

There are my top 7 reasons for keeping my Kindle and not being disappointed if I don’t immediately get an iPad when they are released.  Still, if my boys are tired of socks and underwear again this year…

What about you?  Do you want an iPad?  Will you get one?  Do you own a Kindle? Will the iPad cause you to put aside your Kindle?

Start the discussion here.

I talk with people consistently that are looking for some sense of normality in their life. Often they express that sentiment by saying something such as, “I just wish life could be normal for me sometime.” Have you ever said that statement?

What I have come to understand from experience is that life never rests long before some new highs or lows appear. The problem with desiring normal is that normal seldom looks like we expect normal to look. I’m wondering if normal may be more our reaction to life, than the circumstances we experience in life.

Perhaps the better goal is to learn to balance our lives amidst difficulties, good and bad times, triumph and tragedy, and the feast or famine the world in which we live tends to experience. In fact, I wonder if learning how to balance our emotions between the extremes isn’t the normality we are seeking, rather than periods where everything is calm. When we learn to live in the joy of every moment, normal may seem more attainable.  (Consider what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13)

What has your experience taught you? How would you define the “normal” life?  Is your life “normal”?

One would have to be living under a rock (or a shoe) not to have heard of Soles4Souls Ministry in recent months. Soles4Souls has a simple concept: they get shoes and give them away. You can read more about their history HERE. This is one ministry that went to work immediately and is making a huge impact in the Haiti disaster.

Grace Community Church recently became a collection location for the ministry, but I thought it would be good to get to know the man behind the vision.  Wayne Elsey is apparently an incredible leader.  The proof is in the growth of the ministry.  You can read more about Wayne HERE and follow him on Twitter HERE.

More importantly to Wayne, to get involved to the cause, click HERE.

Here are 10 questions with leader Wayne Elsey:

When you were growing up, is this what you thought you would be doing vocationally? If not, what did you want to do?

My goal was to get out of school, leave home and do something. I was not the best student and did not like school or my home life.

What’s the most different job you’ve had from what you are doing now and how did that job help you with what you are doing now?

When I was 12 I was the kid over the summer that did anything. The most opposite I have ever done was scoop dog poop at a dog show. Candidly, that taught me a lesson that I am not too good to do anything – I feel the same way today.

Who is one person, besides Christ, who most helped to shape your leadership and how did they help you?

One person is hard to drill down but there are two people that motivated me to excel – One was my English teacher that told me that I can do anything I wanted to, it was all up to me and that I was in control of me. This encouragement was needed and I have not forgotten. Candidly, she made a huge difference in me shaping my character and desire to succeed. Two would be Bill Hybels – I have read every book he has ever written and watched him in many settings. This guy is a firm leader that gets things done. It is one thing to talk but doing is something totally different.

Besides the Bible, what is one book that has most helped to shape your thought process in life and ministry?

Good to Great

What are three words other people would use to describe your work style/ethic?

energetic, creative, results

What is your greatest strength in leadership?

Role model – leader – I do what I expect.

What is your greatest weakness in leadership?

Too hands on

What is the hardest thing you have to do in leadership?

Empower people more. In my current role as CEO, I have to empower people and back off. I am getting better everyday about this as I develop the right people.

What is one misconception about your position you think people may have?

I have an easy job.

If you could give one piece of advice to young leaders from what you’ve learned by experience, what would it be?

Just do it. Put your mouth into action with your hands. Do not just talk but do. Work hard, work smart and surround yourself with the best people forming a great team.

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The impact he had on society is plentiful, but, as a fellow preacher, I love that Dr. King made a difference at city hall, yet he never left his calling as a pastor. That passion encourages me to use my influence as a minister wisely.

Watch the famous I Have A Dream speech again and listen for the following Scriptures. Dr. King’s dream was based on the passion King had for the Gospel of Christ.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together…Isaiah 40:4-5 KJV

But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Amos 5:24

Pastors, how are you using your influence to shape culture?

This is a blessing to watch. What are you going through that you would have never asked for, but have no choice but to endure? You can choose to embrace the unknown by trusting God, or you can become bitter and resist the great things He can do through suffering. I look forward to watching as God continues to develop Colt McCoy’s life.