Not blogging until....

....I get my new laptop.

It's small.
It's shiny.
It's fruity.
It's gonna make my blogs even better (or so the person that sold it to me told me).

See you in a few days.

kc

Random Thoughts on the Night Before my 36th Birthday

* I have a dream family. My wife and kids fill me up with so much joy I can't begin to explain it. Their support and love for me is overwhelming.

* I am passionate about my community (Superior, CO). I want to see it become one of the greatest towns in America.

* I'm passionate about my friends...all of them. I want to see them live out God's greatest dreams for them.

* I am passionate about my community of faith (Cool River). I want to see it grow deep roots here and then grow up into a magnificent tree....with far-reaching branches that touch the ends of the earth.

* I don't ever want my memories to outweigh my vision. God continue to push me further and deeper.

* I want to be missional (sent) and incarnational (bringing Jesus and his ways everywhere I go)

* Michael Jackson was definitely the King of Pop. I loved his stuff and certainly the world did.....but he doesn't even come close to comparing with the King of Glory.

* Listening to Christy Nockles and Aaron Ivey...some new stuff for me....and I like it....a lot.

* Since we moved to Superior (2002) 6 churches have come through this town. They came and they went. I'm amazed that God has kept us around! Thanks God!

* Tomorrow (June 28), on my birthday, I'm painting two gyms at Eldorado K-8 with my friends at Cool River. We're canceling 'doing' church to 'be' the church. That's a cool birthday present. So thankful for the great staff there!

* The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns is a must-read for every Christian. Finished it the other day and I'm still rattled!

* Someone let the cat out of the bag that my birthday was coming up and I've been receiving a steady stream of birthday cards in the mail....the real mail! That is so cool....and I'm thankful for the people behind that act of love.

* I really love tennis. My knees don't seem to agree with me. (OH BOY....I must be getting older!)

* KY vacation was awesome. Fishing, Horses, Amazing time with family, very cool time with friends. Not even the humidity could ruin it! I'm a blessed guy.

* I'm thankful for my friends in Havana.

* God is still refining me....and I'm totally OK with that. I can't wait to see what else He's got for me. I can't wait to see what else He does with me.

God, help me to stay soft and fluid. God help me to keep listening and moving with you. God, help me to remain faithful and strong. God, live through me. God, use me. God, amaze me!

Happy Birthday to me!

Getting ready for Kentucky

1. Fix my sprinklers
2. Pack
3. Freak out about everything I have to do before I leave
4. Finish Sunday's message
5. Make everything is set for next Sunday
6. Finish reading Culture Making
7. Remind our ministry assistant about one last announcement. We could use one more AV guy to help out once a month at our gatherings.
8. Get passport info ready (no...not for Kentucky) for trip to Vietnam at the end of August
9. Get someone to teach the TK groups for the next two Wednesdays
10. Look forward to humidity.
11. My laptop died. Should I get a Mac or PC?
12. Clean my office
13. Call Brian to help me fix my sprinklers
14. OH....one more announcement...don't forget that the Saturday after the "Love EK8 Day" is the Town of Superior 4th of July Celebration.
15. As I prepare for the Vietnam trip, make sure that there is enough time between my Lubbok, TX flight coming in and my Vietnam flight going out. Don't want it to be TOO crazy!
16. If Brian can't help me, maybe Roy can.
17. Does Scott know how to do sprinklers?
18. Oh...Dave just did his not too long ago. I wonder if he's available.
19. Freak out about everything that I'll have waiting for me when I come back from vacation.
20. Should I pack my tennis racquet or not?
21. I can't wait to ride horses.
22. No laptop on this trip...what on earth will I do? Lucky the phone has MS Word.
23. Looking forward to seeing my sis and her husband in action in their ministry on the 20th.
24. Hoping to read all of The Hole in our Gospel while I'm gone.
25. Praying for Dan McCormick who will be speaking on the 21st in the Tangible Kingdom series.
26. Gonna miss my Friday afternoons in Havana with the chamber guys
27. Can't wait to eat at my mom's house!
28. Looking forward to seeing good friends.
29. Looking forward to spending uninterrupted and extended time with Amy and the girls.
30. Figure out how I can get out of packing


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Concentric Circles (2)

So, thinking about concentric circles I keep thinking about what happens if your time and influence are not balanced between inside and outside circles. (Check Concentric Circles PT 1 if you need to figure out what we're talking about).

And I've got to admit...this one is still on the drawing board. I'm not really quite sure what to make of it just yet. So this may be more just a bunch of questions than answers. Maybe you can help me figure this out. Read on...

If you are off balance in the time you spend between the inside and the outside what will happen?

If you spend more time on the inside what will happen?
* more influence on the inside?
* a cozy group of friends?
* ???

If you spend more time on the outside what will likely happen?
* more influence on the outside?
* more people talking about you?
* ???

If you spend more time on the inside but have more influence on the outside what's that about?
* don't think that would happen.

If you spend more time on the outside but have more influence on the inside, what's up with that?
* that's seems likely. if you are out doing the things of God and then bringing those stories to the inside your credibility should soar.

I guess where I come down on all of this is that the natural byproduct of sowing and harvesting is random at times. However, we do get to decide where we spread the seeds. Seeds need to be sown both on the inside and outside. And I guess with the parable of the sower/soils we know what kind of return we should be expecting.

But is there anything else to think about here? Someone....please chime in on this.


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Concentric Circles

Remember the book by W. Oscar Thompson Jr. Concentric Circles?

It's an evangelism book giving us a perspective for the relationships that naturally exist in our lives and how God has already placed circles of people around us to love, serve, engage and share our lives (and faith) with. The circles start on the inside with the people closest to you and as you move outward the circles show more relational distance.

So the concentric circles go something like this:
* self
* immediate family
* relatives
* close friends
* neighbors--business associates
* acquaintances
* person x (strangers)

There are other circles that I think we make....like the church circle and the non-church circle. We are always trying to decide how much faith we are supposed to let spill over into the other parts or sectors of our lives. I don't know why we keep debating that becasue Jesus is pretty clear that he wants faith to permeate every aspect of who we are and what we do...but anyway...we keep at it...thinking we can change his mind, I guess.

And here's something else...if these circles are also implying influence, then where should we have the most 'faith influence'...inside the church circle or outside the church circle....or both?

It seems to me that "both" is the right answer. Your faith influence should be felt in every area and every sector of your life.

That was easy....I'm glad we all agree.

Now...just a quick word to my pastor friends.
Is this dual (inside/outside) influence true of your life?
Where is your greatest influence? Inside the church or outside the church or both?

I know many pastors that have a lot of influence on the inside.
I know of very few ministers that have any influence on the outside.
I've also known some that have no influence in either place?

That's not right, is it?

How about Jesus? Where was his influence felt the most?
Well...Jesus DID have influence in both places...but if you look at where the amazing stuff was happening, where the power was being unleashed, where the cool stuff was going on, where the influence was being felt the most....IT WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE RELIGIOUS PLACES, right?

Question: How can we help people be influencers in every sector of their lives when we are only being influencers in only one sector of ours?

Short Answer: We can't.

Solution: You've got to balance your time between the inside and the outside. And yes...it will be harder for you to do that than someone with a "real job".

How?: Find a place to serve, to volunteer, to play on the OUTSIDE (places where there are no insider, Christian types around) and make sure you do that at least as much as you serve, volunteer and play on the INSIDE.

So...if you are a non-pastor type---what are you doing to steward your influence well in your existing 'outside' places? And if you are a pastor-type, how are you creating more outside places in your life in which to extend your influence?

Next time I want to ask another question about all of this. But for now...what do you think? And where are you finding your greatest influence played out?



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