Shameless Plug Friday – 8-28-09
Yep. Been a while since I’ve posted a Shameless Plug. That isn’t to say that there hasn’t been some folks who deserved a shout out. I’ve just been a little preoccupied.
Also, there is one company who I have really been holding out on. I REALLY want to add them to the Shameless Plug list, but so far, no luck. (Hint: they make phone equipment and their initials are AVAYA). Keep watch because I am SURE they will do the right thing. Eventually.
So, without further adieu:
- Derek Berg, Scott Goodger and Dave Waters. This year’s planners, organizers, and general captains of industry for the Fall FL.CITRT. aka FL.CITRT 2009 ver. 2.0. All the details can be found at FL.CITRT.ORG as well as Derek’s blog, Scott’s blog and Dave’s blog….when they get a chance to post to them. It promises to be better, faster, and more stable than FL.CITRT 2009 ver. 1.0.
- Reading. As in a book. Made of paper. So far this year I have read more books than any previous year. I think I am at six or seven. Check out my book review page (not all the books qualify for a review). More coming soon. Next up: Max Lucado.
- Anyone involved in small group ministry. One of the guys in my men’s group has a schedule change and will not be able to make it until after the first of the year. He suggested we record our weekly study so he could listen to it later. I responded “I don’t think we have anything worth taping.” I was soundly rebuked by the group as a whole.
Think small groups don’t make a difference in people’s lives? Think again. - Speaking of Men’s Groups. Honor Guard at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens. This has the potential to change men’s ministries as we know them. Follow the CF Men’s page for details or contact them directly.
The Greatest Commandment for an Employee
Probably going to get yelled at by the Blasphemy Police on this one. I could argue my case, but I won’t.
Jesus was asked “In all the law, what is the most important commandment?” Jesus’ answer was “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.” Then He said “The second one is like it “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
People ask, “How can I succeed in work/business?” The same principle applies.
The first and greatest commandment is this: “Add value to the brand”.
The second is like unto it “Make the corporation money”.
On this rests all the laws of the Marketing and HR departments.
Truth be told, just like that incident 2000 years ago, it really is that simple. You can’t do one without the other and they both have to come from a genuine place in your heart.
“But what if I work for a church?”
Seems to me like whenever anyone asked Jesus a follow-up question, the real question they asked was “How can I do an end-run without following what you just said?”
Add value to the brand.
Make the corporation money (or, if you must, in the church world, steward the resources well).
Or, again to paraphrase Jesus “Don’t think about yourself all the time. Think about others and how you can serve them.”
Elijah – Man of Heroism and Humility
Just finished Chuck Swindoll’s book on Elijah. This is book number five in his series “Great Lives from God’s Word”. I’m kind of a Swindoll fan as his radio program was a key part of forming my faith and beliefs in the early years of my Christian walk. Combine that with Elijah being a “kick butt, call fire down from heaven, Ultimate Fighter” kind of prophet and I was really looking forward to this one.
This particular book chronicles Elijah’s life from a slightly different perspective though. We may know about his strength through the Mt. Carmel Incident, we may know about his weakness from the Gentle Breeze Episode. However, what Swindoll does so well in this book is to take those episodes and the whole of Elijah’s life and look not at the heroism of Elijah, nor at his “human weakness”, but at the genuine humility of Elijah. He presents him in such a way that we see how easy it would be to get puffed up and full of pride at the mighty way God was using him – and the way others reacted to his very presence, and contrasts that to the way Elijah really responded. All the while tying in life applications.
From Elijah’s early years hiding out by a brook, waiting for God to provide him food via “crow delivery” as a boot camp in trusting God, to the very end when he was taken up in a fiery whirlwind, the process was a constant building and shaping. Each subsequent victory building on the faithfulness of the past. Many of the things that God called Elijah to do had less to do with the task at hand (rebuking pagan worshipping leaders for example) and more to do with forming the relationship between Lord and prophet. Which at the end of the day, is still the way it is now. God doesn’t “need” us to get something done. He uses us – if we are willing and obedient – and in that process shapes us to be who He really intends.
The book ends with a great summary of Elijah’s life and how, even though it was centuries ago, his responses and subsequent actions can be imitated today. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.
Next stop: Max Lucado’s Fearless.
