Revitalize Your Church

Bluegills -- 183 Largemouth Bass -- 17 Smallmouth Bass -- 8 Rock Bass -- 4 Crappie -- 1 Sucker -- 1

I discovered this sign at the Catholic Church in Minong, Wisconsin today, and thought it was funny.  There must be some story behind Glenn and the special parking space for his scooter.

Do not despise small beginnings. Every giant redwood started out as a little seed. Every skyscraper began with a shovel of dirt-digging down to go up! Every eagle hatched from an egg, and every butterfly from a cocoon. Every best-selling book and blockbuster film started as a thought. Every grand invention began as a little idea. Every good marriage started with a small glance and a smile. Every great hero used to be a little baby. Every world record musky started as a tiny fish egg! Every heart-stirring song began with a single note. So -- the world of small seeds, little ideas, single notes and fish eggs is the place where true greatness is born! Do not despise small beginnings -- they contain the magic of wonderful hopes yet unfulfilled.

My friend, Wes Oden, senior pastor of Houghton Wesleyan Church, wrote an insightful blog post recently, reflecting on the Christian response to the recent Muslim violence in reaction to the film insulting their prophet.

A poem I wrote a while back upon the grand finale of summer, and recalling my daughter's ballet recital: Summer danced upon the stage A slow ballet -- but halting. The curtain, parting, whispers hints of happy moments this summertide may bring A timid pause, then from the spring on tip toe pirouetting -- Summer's here! Magic gliding to the tune of green grass, orange flowers, blue skies A choreography that flows so gracefully from June into July. Capturing our breath, our hearts, uniting and soulful happy thoughts begetting The shorter days of August sadly hinting that the dance is almost at an end. And hardly just begun -- Septmember coda our summer dance is over. how quickly good times fly. A graceful bow A glorious end, and then The lights are dimmed. The curtain falls Green fades to autumn tones. The silent dancer leaves the stage -- contented, but alone While the audience rises and wiping an eye, salutes the glorious coryphee With grateful hearts, and ...

1.  Remember, you can be wrong in your "rightness." 2.  Recongnize the damage of uncontrolled anger.  (It's only one letter away from danger.) 3.  Prayerfully face the underlying issues -- why am I angry?  What triggered it? 4.  Deal with it directly -- keep short accounts. 5.  Replace anger with kindness. 6.  Guard your responses.  An angry response to anger escalates anger.

In honor of the thousands of bikers who will race in the Chequamagon Fat Tire Festival, this weekend, I share this poem I wrote a couple of years ago: Amid cheers of loved ones, out-of-towners, and smatterings of locals congregated on Main Street's crowded side The vast Bicycle Armada glides. Two thousand five hundred, did I hear? Sailing furiously down Main Street Into the wooded wilderness. Two thousand five hundred look-alikes On fat tired bikes. But they, themselves seem neither fat nor tired (yet!) Hunched over handlebars, determined The helmeted hopefuls fly In wild-eyed animation. Wave after wave, the countless waves go by inspiring awe, and even tears from sidewalk sentimentalists who with wave and cheer, race on with them -- vicariously. Two thousand five hundred souls hodgepodged, Cobbled together from different ilk. Following the clarion call. . . From Minnesota and Montana Texas and Kentucky. From urban sprawl and hamlet Together, they ride. Farmer and Banker Underta...

A profound post from Dan White Jr.'s blog, The Holy Mess:  Missional-Marinating. Sometimes, in our hurry to build a great, effective ministry, driven pastors end up making a bad stew.  We can't rush discipleship -- it requires patience.

Here's great post from my friend, Ron McClung:  I have a friend who lives in another country, where the predominant religion is not Christianity. He told me about some Christian schoolboys who were walking along, minding their own business. Some other boys stopped them and said, “Why are you Christians? Why don’t you become one of us?” and they named their religion. Instead of giving a direct answer, one of the boys replied, “If you were going to a certain village, what if you lost your way and could not remember how to get there? If you saw two men lying in the grass, one of them dead and the other one alive, which one would you ask for directions?”   The boy who asked the first question said, “I would ask the man who was alive, of course.”   The wise young man said, “This is why we follow Jesus. He is not dead. He is alive.” What a great answer. He did not put down the other person’s religion. He simply affirmed his faith in a living Christ.   Jes...

When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean, And billows wild contend with angry roar, 'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion, That peaceful stillness reigneth, evermore. Far, far beneath, the noise of tempests dieth, And silver waves chime ever peacefully, And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er it flieth, Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea. --  Harriet Beecher Stowe

Here are 16 questions to help you as you face major decisions. 1. What is the real, bottom line issue here? 2. What would be most honoring to God? Have I prayed about it? 3. What are the pro's and con's? (Write them down.) 4. What do your respected advisors say? 5. What factors push you towards "yes"? Are they noble, upright, positive, and true? 6. What factors push you towards "no"? Are they noble, upright, positive, and true? 7. What new problems does the decision bring? (Every new plan brings new obstacles.) 8. What is the right thing to do? 9. T.H.I.N.K. (Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, & Kind?) 10. How will this decision impact other people? (both positively and negatively) 11. What have other, wiser people done in similar situations? 12. Do I have all of the information necessary to make a good decision? 13. Is the timing right? 14. Is this a "long haul" decision or a temporary fix? ("band aid" solutions...

Great interview at Churchnext with our wonderful leader, Dr. JoAnne Lyon:   Social Justice and Evangelism Grows the Church .  It's a joy to be on her team.

On a remote Alaskan island about 1000 miles from Anchorage , the Cleveland Volcano has been steaming lately. Pundits wonder when a full eruption will occur. That reminds me of some human relationships -- steam, steam, steam -- and "Thar She Blows!" Some people have a low frustration tolerance. At the slightest annoyance, they over-react with tantrums. A sticker on a box I saw a while back made me smile. It said, "Warning: contents may explode under pressure." Wouldn't it be great if people wore stickers like that? "Warning: if you bother me right now, I'm going to snap your head off!" Sometimes, we're tempted to stuff our stress and pressures down into our souls. Instead of resolving issues, we shove them down and try to ignore them. Unfortunately, an unresolved issue is like a dead skunk. You won't get rid of it by shoving it under the bed. Ignoring it just makes everything smell worse! For the times you are all...

The Boys and Girls Club @ LCO is organizing a fundraiser called Healing Field: Finding Common Ground | Hayward 2012 . Individuals or organizations can purchase a full flag (a U.S. flag or an LCO flag) for $35.00 in memory of a loved one and the flags will be displayed in unity in the field on the corner of Hwy B and K from August 12-September 20. You can read more information about this fundraiser here at the Healing Fields Website. Here's an official description of the tribute: The Boys & Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles will host the Hayward, Wisconsin – Lac Courte Oreilles Healing Field flag display this summer with a massive display of U.S. Flags and Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Flags at the corner of Highways B & K. The three-by-five foot flags posted in ordered lines on eight-foot white poles will be an awe-inspiring honorary display to pay tribute to the strength of our community while we continue to find common ground. In addition to the fu...