Goals Suck

Goals suck, but they are crucial to achieve success in life.  They suck because you actually have to do something about it if you set a goal, at least I feel like I do.  I continue to change my goals, redefine my goals and implement new goals as I grow and mature.  What my goals were 5 years ago verses 1 year ago are completely different than they are even now.  I’m amazed at what I felt was important enough to make a goal out of even a year ago.  Here are just a few of my goals that I am working on:

• Coaching 3 guys who have enormous potential.
• Read 40 books this year, I have finished 22 so far so this may be a “redefine” goal.
• Practice the spiritual discipline of silence.  Learn from everybody no matter their age.
• Continue to develop as leader, studying, preparing, reading and listening.  Podcasts, blogs, sermons & interviews.
• Network, Network and Network some more.  Best way to learn is from the mistakes of others.

I left off some personal goals and family goals but what are some of your goals?  What motivates you?  Are you preparing to become who God has made you to be?  If so, what steps are you taking?

PRIMAL A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity_Book Review

Getting a chance to write a review for Mark Batterson’s new book Primal was exciting for me because his first two books, In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day and Wild Goose Chase have been two books that have helped reshape my philosophy on life and to some degree my trajectory of focus.  Primal is no exception.  Mark is a very talented and gifted writer who is able to articulate intense depth at a practical level.

He writes in the cover, “Is there a place in your past where you met God and God met you? A place where your heart broke for the things that break the heart of God?  Maybe it was a sermon that became more than a sermon.  Maybe it was a mission tip or retreat.  Maybe it was a vow you made at an altar.  In that moment, God birthed something supernatural in your spirit.  You knew you’d never be the same again. My prayer is that this book would take you back to that burning bush-and reignite a primal faith.”

“A place where your heart broke for the things that break the heart of God?” Sometimes you get so busy in the craziness of life that you don’t stop to think about that statement, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we would rather not be hassled with those things, those things can be taken care of by somebody else.

Mark breaks down Christianity to four things: compassion, wonder, curiosity and power.  Mark says, “Faith is not faith until it is acted upon” and this book is challenging me to look at those four areas in my life and ask myself am I acting upon them.  Does my heart break for the things that break the heart of God?  Do I remember what it was like in the beginning before I learned about religion, back when it was about a relationship?

Whether you’ve been a Christ follower for years or just starting out in your journey this book is a book that will challenge you to think outside the box, feel outside the box and act outside the box.  I highly recommend it to anybody out there and would strongly recommend that Primal be the first book you read in the New Year.

Thank you to waterbrookmultnomah.com for providing me with a free copy of this book and a chance to review a life changing book for so many.

To purchase the book yourself you may go to RandomHouse.com

Wish List

Had a buddy ask me the other day, “What do you need?”  Not sure there is anything pressing right now that I need.  I do have a wish list.  I love to read and I love to rip apart books and be challenged.  So I went to Amazon.com and put together a wish list of books that are marked with “highest-medium” priority.  So if you get bored and your online and you suddenly feel an urge to buy a book but remember that you don’t like to read, feel free to click over to my wishlist and shop away.  You have not because you ask not, so here it is.

A New Friend

I want to introduce you to a new Facebook friend of mine Jay Tucker. Jay Tucker is a full-time youth minister in South Florida.  Before getting paid, Jay worked as a volunteer in virtually every capacity a church could invent for 8 years.  I can tell Jay has a heart for the local church and for teenagers.  Based on an interview that I heard, checking out his blog and our brief interaction online this dude is a difference maker.

He just wrote his first book, The Whole Youth Worker, it is an insiders look at the Monday through Friday of youth ministry.  In his book Jay talks about his own experiences being a professional youth minister as well as the important role that physical health plays in being the success you were called to be.

Jay is sending me a copy of his book to read and from what I can tell just from the chapter headings, anybody who is in ministry will benefit from this book.

Check out Jay’s website at www.betteryouthministry.com

Books #3

I was told by somebody recently that they don’t read because they don’t have time. I found that interesting because to me that is saying, I don’t have time to learn. I’d rather figure it out the hard way. To be honest I am good reader but I never really enjoyed it until I realized that I could learn a lot more from others than I could trying to figure it out on my own and I realized very quickly that the pain was less harsh. I hope you take the chance to read and allow others to instill wisdom into your life…once again these are a few more books that are shaping me and the ministry I lead.

Help, I’m A Student Leader, What Matters Most, Refuel by Doug Fields, Saddleback Church and Simply Youth Ministry

Starving Jesus by Craig Gross and JR Mahon founders of XXX Church

In a Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor of National Community Church

Max Q by Andy Stanley, Lead Pastor of North Point Community Church

Youth Ministry 3.0 by Mark Oestreicher, President of Youth Specialties  This is the book that is currently challenging me and affirming me.  I have believed for a very long time that the way student ministry was being done was losing it’s effectiveness.  I so badly want churches to see how important before the age of eighteen is.  I thought the ideas that Mark shared in this book come from his extensive history working in middle school and his heart to see our impact to be a movement not an emotional gust.

Books #2

Today I am sharing four more books that have made an impact on me and the ministries that I lead.

Pop Goes The Church by Tim Stevens who is an Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church

UnChristian by David Kinnaman who is president of The Barna Group and Gabe Lyons who is the founder of the Fermi Project

Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger

Simply Strategic Volunteers by Tim Stevens and Tony Morgan, Tony is Chief Strategic Officer at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC

I’ll have more book later this week.  Check out the links associated with each author.  They are leaders in their area of influence.

Books

Books are powerful and have the ability to shape us as well as a culture.  I have been asked several times lately what are some of the books that I have read recently that have shaped or influenced me.  So I have been compiling a list of books that over the last six months have shaped me and they may be worth your time to check out.  These are the books that have challenged me and caused me to look at things differently and they will be in no particular order.  I believe that leaders are learners, the moment you stop learning you stop leading.  I have heard you can tell what kind of a leader someone is by the books they read and the company they keep.  Over the next couple days I will be posting different books and try to link to their blog or church and allow you to check them out for yourself.  What books have you read that are influential in your life?

Craig Groeschel wrote both Confessions of a pastor and it.  Craig Groeschel is the lead pastor of Lifechurch.tv with several campus.  Craig has taken technology and leveraged it to reach this generation and generations to come.  I heard Craig speak at the Catalyst conference two years ago and to see a pastor be that transparent was incredible and it showed me that I have struggles and it’s okay.  it is a book about just that, it.  Who has it?  How do you get it?  What is it?  How do you keep it?  Both are great books for your library.

Connection

I am reading a book titled, Youth Ministry 3.0 by Mark Oestreicher.  An incredible book that shows that the way ministry has been done may not be the way that ministry needs to be done.  In it there is a quote, “With increasing violence and substance abuse and more disadvantaged, broken homes than ever before, kids are just dying to be acknowledged.  They need somebody to connect with them on a personal level.  They need leaders who’ll take the time to listen and affirm that they’re okay, and they’re loved-no matter who they are, where they’re from, or what they’re dealing with.  If that connection isn’t made, it’s highly unlikely that youth will allow leaders to take them on something so sacred as a spiritual journey.”

I am so blessed to have the team that I have.  They love God, they love teenagers and they see a need to reach students differently than we have in the past.  They are so flexible and are willing to change whatever is needed to redefine student ministries in the Delaware Valley.  God has given us some tremendously gifted leaders that I have the privilege to work with and call friends.