Fight for your dreams in 2011

If you’re like me, you spent some time in the past few weeks reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the coming one. I’m already excited about what’s in store for the next twelve months!

What dreams do you have for 2011? Or maybe a better question is, do you have dreams for 2011? For some people, dreaming is easy. Your mind is full of dreams just waiting to be expressed. But what about those who find it hard to dream? What if you’re not sure if you have a dream you want to pursue?

Let’s face it: Many of us were not encouraged to dream. Others had dreams, only to see them actively discouraged. The world is filled with dream crushers and idea killers. Why? Some people without dreams of their own hate to see others pursuing theirs. Other people’s passion and success makes them feel inadequate or insecure. Others think they’re being helpful: keeping us from risk or hurt.

Business professors Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad wrote about an experiment conducted with a group of monkeys. Four monkeys were placed in a room that had a tall pole in the center. Suspended from the top of that pole was a bunch of bananas.

One of the hungry monkeys started climbing the pole to get something to eat, but just as he reached out to grab a banana, he was doused with a torrent of cold water. Squealing, he scampered down the pole and abandoned his attempt to feed himself. Each monkey made a similar attempt, and each one was drenched with cold water. After making several attempts, they finally gave up.

Then researchers removed one of the monkeys from the room and replaced him with a new monkey. As the newcomer began to climb the pole, the other three grabbed him and pulled him down to the ground. After trying to climb the pole several times and being dragged down by the others, he finally gave up and never attempted to climb the pole again.

The researchers replaced the original monkeys, one by one, with new ones, and each time a new monkey was brought in, he would be dragged down by the others before he could reach the bananas. In time, only monkeys who had never received a cold shower were in the room, but none of them would climb the pole. They prevented one another from climbing, but none of them knew why.

Perhaps others have dragged you down in life. They’ve discouraged you from dreaming. Maybe they resented the fact that you wanted to move up or to do something significant with your life. Or maybe they were trying to protect you from pain or disappointment. Either way, you’ve been discouraged from dreaming.

Take heart. It’s never too late to start dreaming and pursuing your dreams. My friend Dale Turner asserts, “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.”

If you haven’t done any dreaming yet this year, set aside some time to explore possibilities and commit yourself to new opportunities. It’s never too late to dream.

[by John Maxwell]

TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2010 FOR CHURCH LEADERS

2010 was a great year with regard to incredible books for church leaders. We've seen proven additions from Bruce Wilkinson, C. Peter Wagner and John Maxwell, among others. As the old saying goes, all leaders are readers, and that's especially true of growing church leaders. With that in mind, here's the Top 10 Books of 2010 for Church Leaders:

#10: You Were Born For This by Bruce Wilkinson - Anyone can do a good deed, but some good works can only happen by an act of God. Around the world these acts are called miracles-not that even religious people expect to see one any time soon. But what would happen if millions of ordinary people walked out each morning expecting God to deliver a miracle through them to a person in need? You Were Born for This starts with the dramatic premise that everyone at all times is in need of a miracle, and that God is ready to meet those needs supernaturally through ordinary people who are willing to learn the "protocol of heaven."

#9: How to Become a Fierce Competitor: What Winning Companies Do and Great Managers Do in Tough Times by Jeffrey J. Fox - Economic downturns separate the winning companies from the struggling. And as best-selling author Jeffrey J. Fox shows, tough times also give solid companies, strong managers, and potential rainmakers the opportunity to seize market share. In this eminently readable, practical resource for business leaders and managers, Fox explains exactly how the savvy few who rise to the top stay focused and alert, get new market share, hire good recently fired talent, increase investments into customer service, speed innovation, train all customer facing people, make acquisitions, get rid of underperformers, build brand names, pay for measurable performance, and lots more.

#8: Rework by Jason Fried - Jason Fried and David Hansson follow their own advice in REWORK, laying bare the surprising philosophies at the core of 37signals' success and inspiring us to put them into practice. There's no jargon or filler here just hundreds of brilliantly simple rules for success. Part entrepreneurial handbook for the twenty-first century, part manifesto for anyone wondering how work really works in the modern age, REWORK is required reading for anyone tired of business platitudes.

#7: The Confession by John Grisham - For every innocent man sent to prison, there is a guilty one left on the outside. He doesn't understand how the police and prosecutors got the wrong man, and he certainly doesn't care. He just can't believe his good luck. Time passes and he realizes that the mistake will not be corrected: the authorities believe in their case and are determined to get a conviction. He may even watch the trial of the person wrongly accused of his crime. He is relieved when the verdict is guilty. He laughs when the police and prosecutors congratulate themselves. He is content to allow an innocent person to go to prison, to serve hard time, even to be executed.

#6: Outrageous Advertising by Bill Glazer - Here is an OUTRAGEOUS idea – it's easy to make a lot of money from advertising. That's right, easy money! This book, OUTRAGEOUS ADVERTISING THAT'S OUTRAGEOUSLY SUCCESSFUL, explains in certain terms how to advertise and make money. No more guesswork. That's OUTRAGEOUS by itself! Lots of advertising programs claim to want to help you stand out. This one works. This is material you can use immediately. Presented by Advertising Guru Bill Glazer, who has spent years teaching this at seminars, implementing it in the trenches in his own Baltimore menswear business, and providing it to dozens of clients in all industries,

#5: The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue EXCELLENCE by Thomas J. Peters - This book from Tom Peters is packed with insight that immediately applicable to us as church leaders. Over 160 short chapters on 'getting the little things right.' As church leaders, we know that the little things matter - they matter to assimilation, they matter to leadership and, of course, they matter to theology. While a few chapters only apply to big business and Tom's language can be a bit salty from time to time, the gold that is found from mining this book makes it more than worth it for any Senior Pastor. If you've never read a Tom Peters book, this one is also a great one to start with.

#4: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect by John Maxwell - You have a good idea but can't convince your peers of its merit. You crafted a groundbreaking strategy, but the team trudges on in the same old way. Certain people move forward in their career while you seem to be stuck. If this describes you or someone you know, the problem is not the quality of what you have to offer. The problem is how you connect with people to create the results you desire.

#3: Bod 4 God: The Four Keys to Weight Loss by Steve Reynolds - The media labeled Steve Reynolds, The Anti-Fat Pastor after he lost more than 100 pounds and launched a stunningly successful weight-loss program in his church and community. In Bod 4 God, Pastor Steve reveals the four keys that have unlocked the door to health and fitness for him and for countless others who have dedicated their bodies to God! Steve had been overweight all of his life-he weighed over 100 pounds in the first grade! After playing football during high school and college, he vowed never to exercise or run laps again. That was one promise he kept, ballooning to 340 pounds and staying there for years. Now, in Bod 4 God, he shares the simple lifestyle changes-both inside and out-that led to his incredible weight loss, and he invites readers to change their lives forever by committing their bodies to God's glory! In addition, Steve shows local churches how to impact the health of their entire community, by hosting Losing to Live events, such as weight-loss competitions and team-driven fitness campaigns.

#2: Wrestling with Alligators, Prophets and Theologians by C. Peter Wagner - For the past half-century, C. Peter Wagner has been at the leading edge of the key spiritual paradigm shifts which have been accompanied by major moves of the Holy Spirit. In the 1960s the missionary movement in South America was at its peak-and Dr. Wagner was there. In the 1970s he was a recognized authority in the church-growth movement. In the 1980s he taught a popular course at Fuller Seminary with Vineyard movement leader John Wimber that advocated praying healing for the sick, spiritual mapping, identificational repentance and spiritual warfare; Dr. Wagner coined the phrase "Third Wave" to describe this fresh move of the Holy Spirit-the impact of which is still being felt today. In the 1990s he became a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation, and in the new millennium he has championed the Dominion Mandate, adopting the Seven Mountain (or 7M) template for reclaiming the culture for God's Kingdom.

#1: The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner - In these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. They need to turn to what's real and what's proven. In their engaging, personal, and bold new book, Kouzes and Posner reveal ten time-tested truths that show what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face.

[From Church Leader Insights by Nelson Searcy]

“Generation Ex-Christian” Uncovers Why People Leave the Faith

Research and surveys show that many atheists, agnostics, and spiritual-seekers who lack religious affiliation are former Christians. But there was no research-based book that explained in depth why people were leaving, until Generation Ex-Christian.

These categories were formed after Dyck interviewed nearly 100 people while researching for the book.

“I’m not a sociologist or statistician, but I knew as a journalist I could bring something to this issue by introducing people to some of the faces and the stories behind the statistics,” said Dyck to The Christian Post. “And just providing profiles of these, what I call ‘leavers,’ these 20-somethings and early-30s that have walked away from the faith. And then provide some kind of tips on how to engage them in meaningful conversations about God that will ultimately lead them back.”

While much is known about the challenges in reaching a postmodern and modern (think Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens) audience with the gospel, little if anything has been said about the other four categories in Dyck’s book.

The recoilers are not easily identifiable as a leaver category because they tend to avoid talking about their painful childhood or teenage experiences with the church that are the primary reasons they left the faith. If pressed to explain why they left the faith, many recoilers will find intellectual reasons to back up their emotional reasons, Dyck writes.

“For a child who suffers some form of ‘sanctified’ abuse, the resulting spiritual damage can haunt that person for a lifetime,” he explains in the book. “Such is the case for many recoilers – they often have experienced some form of abuse in the name of God.”

“They have become disillusioned with faith because the people they sanctified let them down. God is guilty by association.”

The author suggests finding out if a leaver is a recoiler by asking questions about their experience with the faith community, but avoiding to put them on the defensive. If someone is a recoiler, then concentrate on listening to the person’s story and empathizing with his/her pain. It is important to establish a friendship and earn trust with recoilers, Dyck writes, and to help them to reconcile with God before His people.

For neo-pagan leavers, the author spotlights Wicca, which is the fastest growing religion in the United States. Out of all the categories, Dyck reports that neo-pagan leavers have “the strongest emotional reaction to Christian faith.” Although neo-pagans are not as verbally combative as modernist leavers, if they do open up it is usually “a river of molten rage.”

Wiccans have negative feelings toward Christians because they have been repeatedly portrayed by believers as Satan-worshippers and accused of sacrificing animals and rumored to murder babies. Dyck says the first step in having a meaningful relationship with Wiccans is to defuse their negative feelings by showing familiarity with their basic beliefs and asking them what attracted them to Wicca and what problems they have with Christianity.

“Reaching neo-pagans begins with showing an appreciation for nature and a desire to protect it, all while directing them to the God of whom nature is a grand reflection,” writes Dyck.

Also, neo-pagans are attracted to spirituality so it is helpful for Christians to not be shy about talking about their own spiritual experiences.

Drifters, meanwhile, are those Christians whose faith was never that deep to begin with and it is hard to pinpoint when they actually left. These drifters, like their name suggests, just gradually drifted away without notice. They do not argue against Christianity and do not have emotional baggage from the faith. They still identify as Christians, but their life in no way reflects a commitment to Christ.

“They’re the kind who blend in, go with the flow. They were likely swept up in the faith in the first place because it was what everyone else around them was doing. Then they left for the same reason. They found themselves in a new context where Christian faith wasn’t the norm,” Dyck writes.

The author suggests challenging drifters with the hard demands of the gospel and to emphasize that church is not a social club but an “all-or-nothing proposition.” Also, it is good for drifters to form intergenerational bonds within the church instead of only being associated with the youth group.

In the interview with The Christian Post, Dyck said that he thinks the hardest leaver to bring back to Jesus Christ is the spiritual rebel. Spiritual rebels are those that have a hard time accepting the divine authority of God. They do not have an intellectual objection but a heart issue, observes Dyck. The only suggestion he has for reaching spiritual rebels is to pray a lot for them and to form relationships with them.

The other type of rebel is the one that loves to party. This type of rebel does not have an intellectual or emotional problem with the faith, but they are just unwilling to abide to Christian morality.

“A lot of young people are walking away not only from the church, but from their faith,” says Dyck. “And I don’t think that they will come back automatically. I don’t think we can count on that - some automatic return to the faith.”

The author urges older members in the church to build relationships with young people.

“Often what I found is the break from their faith came in the context of relationships, something went wrong with either a youth pastor, a parent, or some other spiritual authority. If they are going to be reconciled, come back to the church, it is going to have to happen in the context of relationships.”

[By Michelle A. Vu - Christian Post Reporter]

GOALS

Godly

Objectives

Assure

Lasting

Success

God’s Word brings power, healing, direction, and freedom.

Most people who have a great relationship with God read the Bible consistently. Spending time in Scripture each day gives you the opportunity to hear from Him in a unique way.

Following a reading plan helps you stay on track with your Bible reading goals. Pick one (or several) and then fine tune it to match your schedule.

Read the Bible through in 2011.

To read more, CLICK HERE.

New Year Brings New Hope for Bible Literacy

As people draft New Year's resolutions, many Christians are adopting plans to read the entire Bible in 2011.

That would be a good resolution given a study by the Center for Bible Engagement, an arm of Back to the Bible, which found Christians simply do not read the Bible enough. The Center’s study found that only one-third of Americans read the Bible every week, and even fewer, 13.9 percent, do so on most days of the week. According to the CIA World Factbook, 76.8 percent of the U.S. population is Christian.

To read more, CLICK HERE.

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting - January 1-21, 2011

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Tenn. Schools Encouraged to Celebrate Christmas amid “Ridiculous” Threats

On Monday, 137 Tennessee school districts received letters from the Alliance Defense Fund encouraging them to continue to recognize Christmas despite threats from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ADF letters informed the superintendents that teachers and students have the constitutional right to recognize Christmas and offered free legal assistance against possible lawsuits.

“Urban legends about the offensiveness of Christmas are clearly out of sync with the American people, common sense, and the Constitution. The ACLU’s conclusions are without merit and are part of a tired, worn-out, and disproven campaign of fear, intimidation, and disinformation,” ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman affirmed in a statement.

Last week, the ACLU of Tennessee sent letters to the school superintendents concluding that school Christmas celebrations are a violation of the separation of church and state.

The ACLU-Tenn. letter cited several U.S. Supreme Court decisions, explaining that “while public schools can teach about religion and religious holidays, public schools may not engage in indoctrination. Thus, comparative religion courses can be taught but endorsing religious doctrine or sponsoring religious activities is unconstitutional.”

The ACLU's letter went on to state that celebrating one holiday, such as Christmas, without celebrating other holidays such as Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Kwanza, Eid al Adha, and Winter Solstice amounted to indoctrination and would alienate those who did not celebrate Christmas.

Cortman denounced the argument as “ridiculous.” Instead, he asserted, “An overwhelming majority of Americans celebrate Christmas and are opposed to any kind of censorship of it.”

His assertion is supported by a Rasmussen Reports survey that was released in November. The national survey of 1,000 respondents revealed that 69 percent of respondents preferred to see holiday retail signs with the greeting “Merry Christmas” over “Happy Holidays.”

Other polls have shown similar results. A 2008 Gallup poll found that 93 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas. And a 2009 Rasmussen poll found that 83 percent of American adults believe public schools should celebrate religious holidays.

For those who do celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, Cortman and other ADF attorneys all insist that the Constitution recognizes and protects their right to express their beliefs in the public square and in school.

“No court has ever ruled that the Constitution demands school officials to censor Christmas carols, eliminate all references to Christmas, or silence those who celebrate Christmas,” the ADF letter concluded.

The letter was signed by nearly 1,900 ADF alliance attorneys in agreement with its contents.

ADF, launched in 1994, is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.

[By Stephanie Samuel|Christian Post Reporter]

Don Brock in Brazil

Don Brock in the Dominican Republic

Don Brock at Hackleburg, Alabama

Voice of Hope: Has your church set the 2011 parsonage allowance?

Voice of Hope: Has your church set the 2011 parsonage allowance?

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting - January 1-21, 2011

I’m sure there are many reasons, but the following three hindrances are ones that I have found to be common among many Christians and have had to fight in my own life:

Pride—Like a little child who wants to care for his own needs without help, we sometimes have too high of an opinion of our ability to solve problems. We don’t recognize God’s superior power, and we think we can handle our lives on our own.

Unbelief—Sometimes, we simply don’t believe that God will answer if we did pray. Instead of bringing our requests before the Lord, we worry over them, disregarding the hundreds of promises in God’s Word that He will hear us and help us when we pray.

Busyness—It’s all too easy to fill our lives with important activities and ministry while neglecting the most important activity of seeking God’s face and power.

[by Pastor Paul Chappell - http://www.radicalislive.com/]