The Super Six - New Series Coming

I am really excited about a new series we have coming to church in November!

I'll post more info soon.... and details appear on our video church news from this Sunday.

PS - the series opens with music from "man of steel" - love your work, Superman!

What is Facebook Really Like? (take 1)

facebook is really like ..... a virus.... it keeps on spreading.


Here is how someone described on one of my "friends" facebook page wall


Hey... welcome to facebook... the worlds biggest time waster....but the best way to keep in touch with friends..... When I first started, spent every night on it...... now try to limit to twice a week.... Love catching up with people and absolotely love sticky beeking at everybodies photos and seeing what their up too.....


What do other people think facebook is really like?

Funny Facebook Entry - My "play of the day!"

This entry here wins my "play of the day" on Facebook

Boom boom!!

ALl the best with the move Matt and Christine!!

I have lots of "friends" - I think!

This facebook this is amazing - people want to be my friend!!!

The emails just keep coming through!!!

Where was facebook when I was in primary school - and when I wanted people to ask me then, "do you want to be my friend?"

My "Branded" T-Shirt

I spoke at the Westlife Youth "Branded" camp on Saturday morning. It was a hoot!!

They presented me with one of the special shirts!!! Awesome.

Now this will be a collector's item.

Here is a close up of the artwork -

I'll post some more photos soon.

Facebook

Should I be feeling something now?

Who says "welcome?"

Hell - Life's Tragic Default

Our church is currently doing a Sunday AM series called, "Your Ever After." In it we are exploring the powerful concepts of eternity, heaven and hell.

"……. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], ..." Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMP)

On Sunday 19 October 2008 we do part 3 - where we talk about Hell and how it was never designed to be inhabited by people. We are doing this so that "people will not be ignorant" of a powerful biblical truth with eternal consequences.

I have been using several books in my research - one of them is "23 Minutes in Hell" by Bill Wiese.

Bill Wiese has been a dedicated Christian and has served in various capacities including teaching and leading worship since 1970.
He has appeared on several television and radio shows and is an accomplished speaker.
Bill is a successful Realtor with over thirty years of experience. He lives with his wife, Annette, in Southern California.

“Even if you don’t believe my story, I hope you will believe the Scriptures and avoid hell just the same.”—Bill Wiese

Here is a video clip he did - very powerful



Here is another related one!! Be careful!

Check out the hope that is in these Bible verses.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6

God says He will accept and acquit us – declare us ‘not guilty’ – if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in the same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.
Romans 3:22

Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!
Ephesians 2:8

This is the way to have eternal life – by knowing You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one You sent to earth!
John 17:3

Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite Him in.
Ephesians 3:17

I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved........... A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life--life in all its fullness.
John 10:9-10

Here is a prayer you can pray to ask Jesus to be the LORD of your life - it is a prayer to get a new beginning... a fresh start.

“Dear God, I don’t understand it all yet, but I believe You love me and made me for Your purposes. I’m sorry that I’ve lived for myself instead of for You, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I need a fresh start.

Thank You for sending Jesus to pay for my sins. I want Jesus to be the Lord of my life.
Please help me to learn to love You and trust you and live for Your purposes. Amen.”

Please contact me if you have prayed this prayer. You have make a great decision!

Planning For The Expected... (Mark Beeson)

Some things come as no surprise.

I know people talk about being surprised by unexpected events, but today I'm asking about the anticipated moments of life. How do you plan for the expected moments ahead?

Click here to read the rest of this blog post from Mark Beeson. I was really inspired by it.


Mark Beeson is Senior Pastor at Granger Community Church in Indiana USA.

PS - I really like the picture in his blog - it is great to see the skyline of Chicago again - I was there in may 2004 - very inspiring city.

Unleash - Releasing Potential and Producing Power

Check this great article I came across. It's called, "Unleashing the Genius in Your Workforce."
Here is a teaser.

How do you distinguish between talent and genius?

It's a subtle yet significant shift in thinking. Every employee has talent of some kind: He or she is skilled at being able to analyze numbers, bring products to market, or close sales deals.

But talent is just the starting point.

Genius is talent unleashed.

It's the ability to exploit each employee's unique values, passions, strengths, curiosity, and intuition so they can add greater value, transforming themselves and their organizations. Every employee possesses a personal genius.

It just has to be set free.

Here's how I really distinguish talent from genius.

Talent creates, but genius innovates.

Talent excels while genius exceeds.

To quote German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, "talent hits a target no one else can hit, while genius hits a target that no one else can see."

There's so much human potential that lies dormant within organizations—potential that companies aren't tapping into that could help them achieve greater success. Instead of tackling the talent gap, companies need to focus on unshackling the genius inside their organizations because it will give them far greater gains.

You can read the rest of the article here.

PS - I love the word "unleash" - I came across it in July this year - it has been bouncing around inside for awhile now - and thoughts like this have been a magnet to the word recently.

Want the win without the preparation?

What I have found out over the years is that my desire to accomplish something great will always be left wanting if it is not exceeded by a desire to prepare to do something great.
Too many of us simply want the win without the preparation, planning or practice.

This is a great statement. And it's from a recent blog post from Shane Duffy called, "How Bad do You Want It?"

You can read the rest of the post here.

He said some stuff that helped me in my Lead Pastor role - gave me a pat on the back but also a "keep taking care of that" area. Nice one, Shane.

I had better get cracking and do some prep for some stuff I want to do well in???!!!

Shane Duffy is Chief Production Officer at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC.

Roar to take on star studded LA Galaxy at Suncorp Stadium

Check out this media release I just received by email. Bring it on!!

It is for Thursday PM - 11 December 2008


Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport
The Honourable Judy Spence
16/10/2008

Spence: Roar to take on star studded LA Galaxy at Suncorp Stadium

Sport Minister Judy Spence today announced the LA Galaxy will play the Queensland Roar in an "international club friendly" at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday 11 December.
Ms Spence said: "This international club match is a major coup, not only for Brisbane football fans but for followers of the game throughout Queensland and Australia.
"The Bligh Government has worked with the LA Galaxy to bring the US team, featuring international superstars David Beckham and Landon Donovan, down under at the end of their 2008 Major League Soccer season, and I know soccer fans will be very excited about this announcement.
"Fellow US Internationals including Edson Buddle and Eddie Lewis also feature in the star-studded group that will make their way to Australia.
"David Beckham is football royalty and having the LA Galaxy here in Brisbane for five days will provide invaluable exposure for Queensland and our world-class Suncorp Stadium to an international audience o f millions. "This event will provide Queensland Roar players with a wonderful opportunity to test their skills against some of soccer's best international players.

"Both teams have indicated their intention to play hard and entertain at every opportunity during the friendly match - which is great news for the fans and for the Roar's long-term plans to grow the sport of football in Queensland.
"The Bligh Government has worked closely with the FFA to secure this match in Queensland and I thank the Federation for their cooperation in scheduling the game within a very busy domestic and international season."

FFA CEO, Ben Buckley, said that regular competition fixtures were full with the Hyundai A-League, the National Youth League, the Westfield W-League and the Qantas Socceroos. "However, Queensland Roar are keen to have this friendly club challenge with LA Galaxy proceed and we're pleased to support them.
"It should be a good game - not only because of LA Galaxy's players but with Qantas Socceroo, Craig Moore, as well as Danny Tiatto, Charlie Miller, Under 20s national captain Luke DeVere and others all lining up for Queensland Roar."

Ms Spence said the match is anticipated to be a sell-out, after more than 80,000 fans flocked to the game between the Galaxy and Sydney Football Club in November last year.
"With support for the Queensland Roar continuing to grow, and with David Beckham's mega-star pull, tickets are expected to sell quickly."
Tickets for the game go on public sale on Thursday 30 October and will be available through all Ticketek outlets.
The LA Galaxy will fly into Brisbane on Sunday 7 December, the day after their game against an Oceania All Stars Invitational Team in Auckland, in preparation for Thursday's game. Details of LA Galaxy's training and public appearances will be announced in the lead up to the event.

Media Contacts:
Minister's Office: 3239 6218
Greg Adermann, Group Communications Manager, AEG Ogden (owner of LA Galaxy): 0419 729 972
16 October 2008

For more information about the LA Galaxy, please visit the club's official website: www.lagalaxy.com

BACKGROUND:
LA GALAXY One of Major League Soccer (MLS) original clubs, the Los Angeles Galaxy were founded on June 15, 1994 and began play in the inaugural season of MLS in 1996. The club plays all of their home games at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., which is one of the best soccer stadiums in the United States.

The Galaxy are one of the premier teams in MLS featuring many top national and international stars and boasting five championships in club history, including the MLS Cup (2002, 2005), U.S. Open Cup (2001, 2005) and CONCACAF Champions' Cup (2000). The Galaxy are led by General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena, one of the most successful coaches in U S football history and a two-time MLS Champion Cup winner. He led the U.S. National Team twice to the FIFA World Cup including a historic quarter-final berth in 2002 where the team lost to the eventual runners ups, Germany.

On the field, the Galaxy feature a host of international stars, including David Beckham, a veteran of three FIFA World Cups with the England National Team. Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007 after successful spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is joined by Landon Donovan, the all-time leading scorer in United States National Team history and one of the best players the country has ever produced. He leads Major League Soccer in goals this year and ranks in the top 10 all-time in goals scored in the league.

Lean times of recession help make us healthier?

Mum found this interesting article in the Weekend Australian (11-12 Oct 08 - page 5). It has been referenced from The Times.

You can read in on the internet here.

Or you can read the text below.

THE Western world is braced for a global recession to wash away all vestiges of the good life people have become accustomed to, but downturns don't bring unmitigated woe.

During the past 10 years of economic growth, a small group of US economists and psychologists has been trying to work out whether people really are better off in a boom.
Their answer is that recessions, rather than booms or depressions, might be a blessing. People tend to drink less, smoke fewer cigarettes and lose weight. They enrol in higher education, the air is cleaner, the roads are less crowded.

Research by Stanford University and the University of North Carolina shows that when times are good people of all classes tend not to take care of themselves and their families.
The better-off may have gym memberships but all classes drink too much, eat more fat-laden food and are more likely to neglect their families.

In downturns, people have more time to visit their elderly relatives and are more likely to look after their children themselves rather than booking them into after-school activities and childcare.
Grant Miller, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford, said that in a boom people worked longer, harder hours to take advantage of the conditions and were more stressed and less likely to do things that were good for them. "Cooking at home and exercising are seen as a waste of time," he said.

When wages drop, and jobs are scarce, the young feel it makes more sense to prolong their education, and those who can afford to retire do so, as there's less incentive to keep earning.

In his paper Healthy Living in Hard Times, Christopher Ruhm, UNC professor of economics, suggests that in the US during the recession in the 1990s, smoking, particularly among heavy users, declined by 5 per cent.
Ralph Catalano, professor of public health at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that it is an oversimplification to say that recessions are good for people, but he thinks they do encourage healthier lifestyles.
"People who are worried about losing their jobs do things that keep them from getting laid off - they drink less and take fewer risks," he said.

But at least the boom made people happy? That's not entirely true.
According to Britain's Office for National Statistics, levels of contentment have remained the same, at about 87 per cent, for the past 10 years.

What do you think?

Tonight's Storm Radar Image!

Awesome!!!!

Where were you when the storm hit?

And were you scared?

Media Tart?

Here is another image that appeared in the local paper recently.
It related to a Father's Day car show outreach we did. We call it DadFest. Click here to see the website.

I spoke recently to a group of leaders about our strategy. I have no problem letting people know the good things we think we are doing so that God will be the focus.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

Media tart? No - showing off God!!

Andrew Staggs and Andrew Denton

I had a great opportunity in September to interview our overseas partners at Garden City.

I used to really look like Andrew Denton - a very famous interviewer on Australian TV

I will have to do another post detailing the whole Andrew Denton thing - so watch this space!

You can read more about it all here.

Count Me In!

I am a bit of a Leeland music fan.

And this song from their latest album Opposite Way is a cracker.
Check out the official film clip here on YouTube - "Count Me In"

Here are some of the lyrics:

You gave all You had.
I didn't chose You, You chose me first.
Even when I turned my back.
You still gave Your love.
It's the only thing I wanna have.
No greater gift than a man to lay down His life.
How could I miss this, I'm not about to pass it up!

Count Me In
I'm amazed this love is for me Lord
Count Me In
I'm amazed this love is for me Lord

Ooooooo Ooooooo Ooooooo
Ooooooo Ooooooo Ooooooo

I'm looking at these plans You have... for me
They're plans of hope and peace.
Much bigger than the ones I have.
I tried to follow mine I was going nowhere fast.
Your love makes me like.
A David with a stone and sling.
Nothing else could bring my, life so much meaning!

The video clip misses something - but the lyrics are good enough to carry it - hope to get it on the BIG screen as an opener this Sunday AM!

Here is a bit of a bio on Leeland.

Cartooning - Not a Bad Effort

We were at the hospital this afternoon - waiting, waiting, waiting.
We looked in the newspaper and had a look at the cartoons with the kids.
Some of them were very funny.... it is amazing how 3 or 4 carefully drafted frames can make you laugh. So as a family we tried our hand at drawing a funny cartoon.

Here is my first effort - I was pretty happy with myself - and I even got a good laugh from "some" of my family. That was nice. But Mum just told me that I "better not give up my day job!"

What do you think? (you need to double-click the image to get a better look)

What are you Looking for? (by Bob Franquiz)

Here is a great post by Bob Franquiz - "What are you Looking for?"

One of the things I've learned is that most people find what they're looking for.
- Leaders see leadership opportunities in what they see, hear and watch.
- The heresy hunters find heresy in just about everything they see, hear and watch.
- Christians see God at work in what they see, hear and watch.
- Atheists see randomness in what they see, hear and watch.
- Learners find something redeemable in most things they see, hear and watch.
- Musicians see a song in the making in what they see, hear and watch.
- Preachers see a message in what they see, hear and watch.
What we are determines much of what we see.

I could see myself in some of these items. What do you see about yourself?

(FYI - Bob is the founding and Lead Pastor of Calvary Fellowship in Miami Lakes, FL)

Ethnography (by Kem Meyer)

I really like this post by Kem Meyer.

It 's a top-titled post - "Ethnography"

Here is a snippet:

Imagine the owner of the less-frequently store.
He tries to solve the problem by dropping prices, hiring a new graphic designer, making a new sign and increasing inventory...but his sales do not increase.
He is missing the connection. He doesn't understand what drives people.

then....

They're investing their life and resources to learn what it is people want and think they need. They're working hard to figure out how they can answer the questions the people are asking. They're finding the space in which people rally, and they're going there.

You can read the rest here.

Kem is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church.

Is it over for McCain?

Here is what The Guardian in UK says. Thanks to our English friend, Nick, for the heads up!

Interviews by Suzanne Goldenberg and Daniel Nasaw The Guardian,
Thursday October 9 2008

John McCain's campaign - even according to his supporters - is running into trouble. Most polls have him trailing Barack Obama by significant margins. Here the Guardian asks top US commentators whether the race is now over or whether he can pull off a remarkable comeback.

Read what they say here.

Who do you think will win?