5) JOY IN CIRCUMSTANCES

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Today we continue our current series, “CHOOSE JOY.” We have already acknowledged “The Confidence of Joy” is found in Christ alone. With this confidence, we can “Defend our Joy.” When we have confident Joy, we can then have “Joy in our Relationships” and “Joy at Home.” Today we realize that we can have “Joy In Circumstances” no matter what is happening in our lives.

 PROBLEMS: CHARLIE BROWN & THE RAIN CLOUD

  • In the comic strip, Peanuts, a hapless Charlie Brown occasionally would be stalked by ominous rainclouds. Although the rest of the sky would shine bright and blue, poor Chuck would be stuck under a dark cloud, getting doused by its showers. While his friends and neighbors enjoyed the beauty of the day, a drenched Charlie Brown would be a scowling onlooker.
  • The lingering raincloud seemed to suggest Charlie Brown’s inability to break clear from his problems. A melancholy character, he was prone to fits of worry and self-doubt. He concocted problems where none existed and fretted about those which were real.
  • While we do not have to contend with perpetual drizzle like Charlie Brown, many of us live under the gloomy shadow of self-induced rainclouds. When life’s twists and turns work against us, we retreat into a rotten attitude or heap blame on our surroundings. By doing so, we neglect to deal with our problems and only add to our misery.

1) PROBLEMS ARE UNAVOIDABLE

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

In his article, “Problems,” Dr. John Maxwell states, “For the aspiring leader, problems may be the most faithful companions of all. The road to success is seldom paved smoothly, and is oftentimes under construction. Potholes and barricades abound. At every bend in the journey, a leader’s vision must peer around obstacles and through formidable walls to foresee a positive future. Leaders who sidestep problems stunt their growth – they end up shallow and debilitated. The successful leader stares down problems and resourcefully addresses them (https://www.idisciple.org/post/problems).”

2) PROBLEMS GIVE US PERSPECTIVE

Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

GRAND CANYON 

You go to the Grand Canyon and you are viewing this magnificent view when all of a sudden a Winnebago parks right in front of your view.

YOU HAVE FOUR POSSIBLE REACTIONS:

  1. GRIPE AND GROAN (COMPLAIN) This is not fair
  2. I DESERVE THIS (PITY) – This is my lot in life
  3. Look at others who have a better view and GET JEALOUS (MAKE IT ABOUT OTHERS)
  4. MOVE YOUR CHAIR (TAKE ACTION) – Look beyond the motor home. You change your focus. You don’t pretend the circumstances are not there.

Although you have at least four possible reactions within your power, your actual response is up to YOU! It is up to us to TAKE ACTION and determine to CHOOSE JOY!

(Podcast: Saddleback Church: DriveTime Devotionals | Episode: Philippians: Week 1 Day 4)

3) PROBLEMS CAN PROPEL US FORWARD

  • Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the JOY that was set before him ENDURED THE CROSS, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • In the face of extreme pain and death Jesus allowed the cross to propel Him forward because He:

    • A) LOOKED PAST CIRCUMSTANCES
    • B) LOOKED PAST PERSONALITIES
    • C) LOOKED PAST TEMPORAL

JOY IN CIRCUMSTANCES

  • 2 Corinthians 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
  • 2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 32. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33. And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
  • Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
  • Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CONCLUSION

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN

  • An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It’s an old mariner’s chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters.
    • HERE BE GIANTS
    • HERE BE FIERY SCORPIONS
    • HERE BE DRAGONS
    • HERE BE GOD

CHOOSE JOY SERIES

 

WHO ARE YOU?

who-are-you-500x333

Pop quiz time! WHO ARE YOU? This is a fun activity to learn your group a little bit better. Pass out a brown paper bag to each participant. (An index card or any type of paper will work.) I tell the group that we are having a pop quiz and that they have 10 seconds to write down the answer to each question down on their bag. After I have asked all of the questions, I then go around the room and have them share their answers.

  • What ANIMAL describes you best?
  • What NUMBER describes you best?
  • What FOOD describes you best?
  • What VEGETABLE describes you best?
  • What BOOK describes you best?
  • What MOVIE describes you best?
  • What SPORT describes you best?
  • What SONG describes you best?
  • What SCRIPTURE describes you best?
  • What CAR describes you best?
  • What SUPERHERO describes you best?
  • What SEASON OF THE YEAR describes you best?

WHO ARE YOU? Do the answers to these silly questions make of the essence of who you are? Is there more to you than this?

BIBLICAL APPLICATION:

(This activity above can stand alone and simply be used as a fun activity or you can use the discussion questions and scriptures as a launch pad for dialogue with your group.

Psalm 139:14 (KJV) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Let’s take a little different look at this verse than we are used to. I realize that in this scripture it says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The “fearfully” in this verse is intended to mean “in the reverence of God.” However, one day I was driving around town and was praying and this scripture came to my mind. I began to think about this verse in a different way. I began to think that my life is made up of “FEARFUL” – not so good – pieces, and “WONDERFULL” – incredible – pieces. I then realized that it takes both of these pieces to make the person that God created me to be! Let’s look at each one of these separately. 

1) FEARFULLY MADE

What are the FEARFUL parts of yourself? Psalm 139:14 (KJV) I will praise thee; for I am FEARFULLY . . . made. Within each of us, we have parts that we are not so proud of. Within me personally, I have anger, lack of follow through and depression. You do not have to share out but on the back of your paper bag write down some things that are FEARFUL to you.

2) WONDERFULLY MADE

What are the WONDERFUL parts of yourself? Psalm 139:14 (KJV) I will praise thee; for I am WONDERFULLY . . . made. Within each of us, we ALSO have parts that we are proud of! It’s interesting to me that most people I talk to, it is easier for them to identify the fearful parts of themselves then it is the wonderful parts. However, It is crucial that we dig deep within ourselves and find those qualities that make us special. Within me, I have creativity, passion, and energy. On the other side of your paper bag TAKE TWO MINUTES to power write some things that are WONDERFUL in you. 

DISCUSSION: Go around the room and have each participant share out their WONDERFUL qualities. 

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, please help each of us to understand that you have made us in YOUR IMAGE. I pray you will help us to embrace the FEARFUL and the WONDERFUL within each of us. Please help us to have confidence that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).”

 

 

9) L.EISURE GOALS

Leisure

This is the conclusion of a series that was started on this site a few years ago.

  • We have discussed many important issues pertaining to our daily lives.
  • We have done our best to approach these subjects from a Biblical perspective.
  • Tonight we are going to close with a subject that I am sure that we can all be passionate about – LEISURE (fun, health, fitness). There are three things we will discuss about L.eisure:

 1) OUR LIVES MUST HAVE BALANCE

 

  • As we dig into this lesson tonight, the first thing we must realize is that our life must have balance.
  • Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”
  • Consider another verse with me – I understand it’s original intent, but think about this verse in the context of balance in our daily lives.
  • Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
  • I understand that in Biblical times people would fix the weights and rob from people and this was considered an abomination from the Lord.
  • Let’s think about this in a broader context. If we represent a false balance of:
    • The family only and no church
    • All church and no family
    • All focus on our physical condition and not on our spiritual condition
    • All work and no play
    • All play and no work
    • All education and no practical experience
    • All practical experience and no education
  • Isn’t this representing a false balance
  • Aren’t we robbing from God, when we come to church to tired to worship because our work is not balanced?
  • Aren’t we robbing ourselves when whenever we DO NOT take time to relax?
  • Aren’t we robbing others if we relax 24 –7?

2) BALANCE IN OUR EMOTIONS

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Ecclesiastes 11:10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.

In his book Laugh Again, Charles Swindoll suggests three common “joy stealers”—worry, stress, and fear. Resist those “joy stealers” by renewing your confidence in God each morning. Then relax and rejoice.

JOY STEALERS – There are various causes of stress and today, I’m going to show you 5 causes of stress that people believe to be the major contributor to stress.

1) MONEY – Many people are stressed because they lack money to pay their bills, their necessities, and many others.

2) WORK – Working under someone has always been a cause of stress. You need to do your job well, you hear gossips about you. You are worried whether the boss will fire you or not after that mistake you made.

3) FAMILY – The daily chores you have to do, fulfilling the needs of your kids, arguments with your spouse and family members.

4) PERSONAL CONCERN – Too many tasks at hand, getting all the bills paid and you’re concerned about your kid’s health and why bad things happened to you.

5) PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY – They are worried about their health and safety. They are worried about all the diseases that strike them.

3) BALANCE IN OUR HEALTH

I Timothy 4:8 instructs us, “For bodily exercise profiteth little.” Many people want to use this verse saying that there is no need to exercise at all. The verse does not say exercise does not profit you AT ALL, it simply says that “Godliness is profitable unto all things.” However, exercise does profit you a little.

Admittedly, I have NEVER been a healthy person. I haven’t had any health problems, I simply do not eat right. I have become very lethargic and don’t sleep well. I received an electronic ad for Tom Rath’s new book EAT MOVE SLEEP. As I read the reviews, I knew I needed to make some changes. I purchased the book and reading it has changed my everyday life. I will let you read the book on your own, but here are my main takeaways and personalizations of the book:

  • EAT – Tom states, “Making a commitment to eating the right foods every day is a lot easier than jumping from one diet to the next. The body takes a long time to react to these dietary changes, usually a year or more, according to experts.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: Tom talks about “impulse eating.” We eat what we see. I’ve been intentional about keeping healthy snacks at eye level.
  • MOVE – Rath warns, “Sitting is the most underrated health threat of modern times, inactivity now kills more people than smoking.” His research concludes, “10,000 steps per day is a good target for overall activity. This equates to roughly five miles. On the other end of the continuum, people who walk fewer than 5,500 steps are considered sedentary.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: I have made a habit of walking 10,000 steps a day and already feel better.
  • SLEEP – “Sleep is not a luxury. It is a basic necessity. Every extra hour of sleep is a positive investment. It is not an expense.” Tom cautions, “If you do not get enough sleep, it can lead to a cascade of negative events. You achieve less at work, skip regular exercise, and have poorer interactions with your loved ones.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: I am implementing a consistent time to go to bed and get up.
  • SMALL CHOICES LEAD TO BIG CHANGES – Rath concludes by saying, “Choices count. You can make decisions today that will give you more energy tomorrow. The right choices over time greatly improve your odds of a long and healthy life.” He continues, “Small Choices Change Everything. Making better choices takes work. Movement comes in small changes. Small changes equal large growth.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: Follow the “30 Days Challenge” and other tools to use with friends, groups, and teams.

CONCLUSION

Take some time to write down all of your LEISURE goals on this page. We are much more likely to complete these goals when they are set before us.

1) ________________________________________________________

2) ________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________

4) ________________________________________________________

5) ________________________________________________________

6) ________________________________________________________

7) ________________________________________________________

8) ________________________________________________________

9) ________________________________________________________

10) _______________________________________________________

LEISURE GOALS COULD INCLUDE: 

1) Go Canoeing

2) Visit Seven Wonders of the World

3) Attend opening ceremonies at the Olympics

4) Visit the Sistine Chapel (Vatican)

5) Visit the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NCAA Hall of Fames

6) Visit Mt. Rushmore

7) Visit the Smithsonian

8) Visit the Holy lands

9) Visit the Wailing Wall

10) Visit Alcatraz

LIFE SURVIVAL SERIES

 

 

7UP’S OF A CHRISTIAN – KIDS SERVICE

Screen Shot 2018-11-12 at 7.48.17 PMThis is an outline of a Sunday school lesson that can be used in your super church or any setting you deem necessary. I was asked to speak at a church who is having an anniversary service and they told me it would be an extra long service I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of content prepared for the children. So this lesson was a little longer than normal for me but it can be altered to fit any occasion. You could very easily turn this into a seven-week series.

INTRO       

(We read the story to the kids who we usually have sit on the floor and we have the pages of the book on PowerPoint so they can read along.)

1) STAND UP

  • ACTION: Stand to attention

  • OVERVIEW: As Christians, we are to stand up against sin, meanness, and bullying.  It is not our goal to be like everybody else, it is OK to be different.

  • SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:10-18 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
  • SONG: When you’re up, you’re up, and when you’re down, you’re down, but when you’re only halfway up, you’re neither up or down. ACTIONS: Slow motion, fast forward, reverse, etc.

2) HUSH UP 

  • ACTION: Cover mouth
  • OVERVIEW: All of us love to talk. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to be quiet.
  • SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
  • ACTIVITY: Quiet Ball
  • SONG: Quiet Please

3) LOOK UP

  • ACTION: Look up with hand visor
  • OVERVIEW: Any of us can get sad from time to time but we must look up and know God loves us.
  • SCRIPTURE: Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
  • GAME: Look down – Look up
  • SONG: Open the Eyes of my Heart

4) LIFT UP

  • ACTION: Lean over, put your hands by your knees, palm up and lift up
  • OVERVIEW: If we see other people around us our sad, it is our job to talk to them and be nice to them and help them smile.
  • SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
  • ACTIVITY: Kudos Beachball
  • SONG: Laughing Song

5) GIVE UP

  • ACTION: Both hands straight in the air in a surrender position 
  • OVERVIEW: What are some things in your life that you need to give up in order to love Jesus more? Anger, meanness, or lies?
  • SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 12:1 Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
  • ACTIVITY: Have kids write something they need to GIVE UP in order to get closer to Jesus on a piece of paper and then have them throw it in the wastebasket.
  • SONG: My God is So Big, So Strong and so Mighty (Somethings are really hard to give up and we need a Big, Strong and Mighty God to help us give things up).

6) WAKE UP

  • ACTION: Rapidly lift your head up and open your eyes really wide
  • OVERVIEW: We must wake up each morning with praise and Thanksgiving. We must prepare our south to be used of the Lord.
  • SCRIPTURE: Psalms 118:24 (KJV) This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
  • ACTIVITY: Prayer March – Lead students in a march around the room and praise God for all he has done.
  • SONG: Sunday School Swing

7) REACH UP

  • ACTION: Hands in the air, praising God
  • OVERVIEW: We need Jesus more than anything in the world. We reach up to Jesus through prayer.
  • SCRIPTURE: Psalms 34:1 (KJV) I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
  • ACTIVITY: Prayer Journey

CONCLUSION

SNACK

  • Serve 7up of course!!! (Thank you, Sis. Nancy Norris for the idea)

“BACK TO BASICS” 2019 TEACHING CALENDAR

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Do you know what you are teaching next Sunday Morning or next Wednesday Night? Do you know what you taught a year ago during your teaching time? We tend to teach and preach out of our niche’ comfort zones. If we are not careful we can preach the same general themes over and over. While I understand some repetition is good, the Bible is a big inspired book with many themes and subthemes. By using a teaching calendar you can be much more intentional with what you are teaching and you can more effectively reach the varied backgrounds of the people in your congregation.

Along with being a full-time evangelist, I also work as the Executive Pastor at Apostolic Faith Tabernacle alongside Pastor David McCool. Below is our 2019 theme – Back To Basics – that Pastor McCool felt drawn to for this year. I created the framework for this series based on the Pentecostal Publishing House resource “SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: Essential Practices Of The Christian Life.” This schedule is for the 10:00am Adult Bible Class. Feel free to use the rhythm and flow of this teaching calendar to meet the needs of your own church.

1) THE DISCIPLINE OF PRAYER  

  • January 6th – The Prayer of The Believer
  • January 13th – The Lord’s Prayer – The Model – Part 1
  • January 20th – The Lord’s Prayer – The Model – Part 2
  • January 27th – Personal Application

back to basics_prayer

2) THE DISCIPLINE OF FASTING

  • February 3rd – The Goodness Of Food
  • February 10th – (VALENTINE’S DAY) 
  • February 17th – Reasons For Fasting
  • February 24th – Inappropriate Fasting

back to basics_fasting

3) THE DISCIPLINE OF FOOT WASHING

  • March 3rd – Historical Progression Of Foot Washing
  • March 10th – Foot Washing In Scripture
  • March 17th – Foot Washing In Scripture 
  • March 24th – Personal Application
  • March 31st – (5TH SUNDAY) – 11:00 Service Only 

back to basics_footwashing

4) THE DISCIPLINE OF SUFFERING

  • April 7th – Occasion For Rejoicing – Noah, Daniel, And Job
  • April 14th – (PALM SUNDAY) – Other Causes For Suffering 
  • April 21st – (EASTER) – Embracing Suffering As A Friend 
  • April 28th – A God-Honoring Response To Suffering & Personal Application

back to basics_suffering

5) THE DISCIPLINE OF WAITING  

  • May 5th – Time
  • May 12th – (MOTHER’S DAY) A Positive Example Of Patience
  • May 19th – Some Negative Examples Of Patience
  • May 26th – (MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND) Personal Application

back to basics_waiting

6) THE DISCIPLINE OF FRUITFUL CHRISTIANS

  • June 2nd – Exceeding Great And Precious Promises
  • June 9th – (PENTECOST SUNDAY) Growing In Grace
  • June 16th – (FATHER’S DAY) Becoming Mature Christians
  • June 23rd – Personal Application
  • June 30th – (5TH SUNDAY) – 11:00 Service Only

back to basics_fruitful christians

7) THE DISCIPLINE OF WORSHIP

  • July 7th – What Is Worship
  • July 14th – Why We Worship
  • July 21st – How We Worship 
  • July 28th – Personal Application

back to basics_worship

8) THE DISCIPLINE OF FORGIVENESS

  • August 4th – The Reality Of Living In A Fallen World
  • August 11th – Parable Of The Unforgiving Servant
  • August 18th – The Cost Of Unforgiveness
  • August 25th – The Freedom Of Forgiveness &                                                                          Personal Application

back to basics_forgiveness

9) THE DISCIPLINE OF MEDITATION

  • September 1st – (LABOR DAY WEEKEND) – Careful Knowledge Of Scripture
  • September 8th – An Intense Commitment To The Faithful Application Of Scripture – Part 1
  • September 15th – An Intense Commitment To The Faithful Application Of Scripture – Part 2
  • September 22nd – Personal Application
  • September 29th – (5TH SUNDAY) – 11:00 Service Only  

back to basics_meditation

10) THE DISCIPLINE OF SELFLESSNESS  

  • October 6th – To Be Human Is To Struggle With Selfishness
  • October 13th – Victory Over Selfishness 
  • October 20th – The Testimonies Of Two Women
  • October 27th – Personal Application

back to basics_selflessness

11) THE DISCIPLINE OF CONTENTMENT 

  • November 3rd – Paul’s Prescription For Contentment – Part 1
  • November 10th – Paul’s Prescription For Contentment – Part 2
  • November 17th – Lessons Learned From Paul’s Life 
  • November 24th – (THANKSGIVING WEEK) Personal Application

back to basics_contentment

12) THE DISCIPLINE OF GIVING

  • December 1st – The Nature Of God
  • December 8Th – Giving Partners Us With God
  • December 15th – Personal Application
  • December 22nd – (CHRISTMAS SUNDAY)   
  • December 29th – (5TH SUNDAY) – 11:00 Service Only

back to basics_giving

ADDITIONAL POSTS:

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) iLead – LEAD WITH CHARACTER

iLead Cover Graphics.003

This lesson is part of a 13-part student leadership teaching series. Each lesson is broken down into seven parts:

  • 1)TALK (An interactive question)
  • 2) ACTIVITY TIME (A thought-provoking activity)
  • 3) THE HEART OF THE MATTER (This is the value-based portion of the lesson)
  • 4) TAKING IT FURTHER (The optional faith-based portion of the lesson)
  • 5) DISCUSSION (Interactive questions to conclude the lesson)
  • 6) TAKE ACTION (An action step to challenge participants)
  • 7)OVERTIME (Extra activities to use at the teachers discretion)

This curriculum can be used with students in Small Groups, Sunday School, School Clubs or any other student setting.

The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching — John Wooden



TALK:

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF CHARACTER? (Go around the room and have everyone answer)

 

Give each participant a pipe cleaner. Have students use the pipe cleaner to create a symbol of what character means to them. Go around the circle and have each student share what they created.

Continue reading “3) iLead – LEAD WITH CHARACTER”

ABC’S OF LEADERSHIP – CHILDREN’S​ WORKSHOP

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ENGAGE  

  • GREETING – Shake hands at the door and welcome each person and have everyone fill out a nametag.  
  • GOOD THINGS…Tell me something good about anything positive in your class/area of leadership this past year

X-PLORE 

  • ACTIVITY: Flexible Trollies 
  • DEBRIEF: Who won? Why? What were your observations of the two teams?
  • APPLICATION: Today we are going to talk about the ABC’S of leadership. The three keys of the previous activity are:
    • 1) ACTIVE LISTENING (Listening to your teammates)
    • 2) BEST EFFORT (Trying your very best)
    • 3) CAREFUL COMMUNICATION (Talking with your teammates about the activity)
  • 1) ACTIVE LISTENING – Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
  • 2) BEST EFFORT – Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
  • 3) CAREFUL COMMUNICATION – Revelation 12:11 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

COMMUNICATE  

  • 1) ACTIVE LISTENING  
    • Telephone Game
    • POWER WRITE: What is your definition of Active Listening?
  • 2) BEST EFFORT  
    • POWER WRITE: What is your definition of Best Effort?
      • Being present | Showing up early | Preparing early 
  • 3) CAREFUL COMMUNICATION  
    • 55% body language 
    • 38% Tone
    • 7% Actual WORDS we use
    • Greet 3 people with this in mind!
    • Notes from chapter “Negotiate Success”
      • Read aloud – The group will simply listen 
      • Individually read again silently (Need pen or highlighter)
      • Note 1 wow you discover and 1 ow (as in ouch)

“The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter” by Michael Watkins

CHAPTER 4 – NEGOTIATE SUCCESS

DON’T EXPECT YOUR BOSS TO CHANGE. You and your new boss may have very different working styles. You may communicate in different ways, motivate in different ways, and prefer different levels of detail in overseeing your direct reports. But it’s your responsibility to adapt to your boss’s style; you need to adapt your approach to work with your boss’s preferences.

TAKE 100 PERCENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THE RELATIONSHIP WORK. This is the flip side of “Don’t stay away.” Don’t expect your boss to reach out or to offer you the time and support you need. It’s best to begin by assuming that it’s on your shoulders to make the relationship work. If your boss meets you partway, it will be a welcome surprise. 

AIM FOR EARLY WINS IN AREAS IMPORTANT TO THE BOSS. Whatever your own priorities, figure out what your boss cares about most. What are his/ her priorities and goals, and how do your actions fit into this picture? Once you know, aim for early results in those areas. One good way is to focus on three things that are important to your boss and discuss what you’re doing about them every time you interact. In that way, your boss will feel ownership of your success.

THE STYLE CONVERSATION. This conversation is about how you and your new boss can best interact on an ongoing basis. What forms of communication does he/ she prefer, and for what? Face-to-face? Voice, electronic? How often? What kinds of decisions does he/she  want to be consulted on, and when can you make the call on your own? How do your styles differ, and what are the implications for the ways you should interact?

LOOK FOR MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL EXCHANGES. Seek resources that both support your boss’s agenda and advance your own. Look for ways to help peers advance their agendas in return for help with yours.

  • Lineup up quietly in the order of your spouse’s birthdate. If you don’t have a spouse- your birthdate. Jan- Dec
    • Fold the line 
    • Think/ Pair/ Share your Wow and Ow. 
    • The whole group will share out
    • We will have everyone go around the room and state ONE WORD that shows your biggest takeaway from “communication.”
    • QUOTES
      • “Communication is the real work of leadership.” Nitin Nohria 
      • “Communication works for those who work at it.” John Powell 

EMPOWER  

LAUNCH 

  • WEB OF PRAYER – Everyone will share a prayer request while building a “web-like community” in the process. This will take ACTIVE LISTENING to hear each other’s prayer request, BEST EFFORT as we see what happens when we hold the web in prayer and when we let loose, and finally CAREFUL COMMUNICATION as we lift our voices to God in prayer for ourselves, each other and the church.

2) iLead – LEAD WITH RESPONSIBILITY

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This lesson is part of a 13-part student leadership teaching series. Each lesson is broken down into seven parts:

  • 1) TALK (An interactive question)
  • 2) ACTIVITY TIME (A thought-provoking activity)
  • 3) THE HEART OF THE MATTER (This is the value-based portion of the lesson)
  • 4) TAKING IT FURTHER (The optional faith-based portion of the lesson)
  • 5) DISCUSSION (Interactive questions to conclude the lesson)
  • 6) TAKE ACTION (An action step to challenge participants)
  • 7) OVERTIME (Extra activities to use at the teachers discretion)

This curriculum can be used with students in Small Groups, Sunday School, School Clubs or any other student setting.

The price of greatness is responsibility. Winston Churchill

TALK:

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP? (Go around the room and have everyone answer)


Below are some actual responses from middle and high school leadership students:

  • Responsibility means that you do or need to do, an excellent job, and sometimes even do extra
  • Remember your homework
  • Responsibility means to take action for your decisions, and do what you’re supposed to be doing.
  • Being responsible is someone who takes care of herself and their belongings and sometimes others.
  • Responsibility means you take ownership for your actions and do what you are supposed to do just because you’re supposed to.
  • Responsibility is to be non-foolish and smart and mature — not childish
  • Responsibility is when someone takes ownership for his or her own actions
  • Taking care of what you’re supposed to even when you’re not told.
  • Responsibility means to take actions for yourself and/or others
  • Responsibility means to be on-task and get everything done!
  • Responsibility – to do what is told

Continue reading “2) iLead – LEAD WITH RESPONSIBILITY”

1) iLead – INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP

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This lesson is part of a 13-part student leadership teaching series. Each lesson is broken down into seven parts:

  • 1) TALK (an interactive question)
  • 2) ACTIVITY TIME (A thought-provoking activity)
  • 3) THE HEART OF THE MATTER (This is the value-based portion of the lesson)
  • 4) TAKING IT FURTHER (The optional faith-based portion of the lesson)
  • 5) DISCUSSION (Interactive questions to conclude the lesson)
  • 6) TAKE ACTION (An action step to challenge participants)
  • 7) OVERTIME (Extra activities to use at the teachers discretion)

This curriculium can be used with students in Small Groups, Sunday School, School Clubs or any other student setting.

KNOWING what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you DO what’s right -Theodore Roosevelt

TALK:

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP? (Go around the room and have everyone answer)

Below are some actual responses from middle and high school leadership students:

  • When you can stand for what you believe in
  • Someone that you or someone else can look up to and believe what he/she says
  • Someone people can look up to
  • To have wisdom
  • Making witty decisions to benefit others and going against the grain!
  • Being respectful to others
  • Helpful
  • Don’t be afraid to step up and lead
  • To be honest and have a strong voice  
  • Being a leader and not a follower – Tell people what to do when they need help
  • Not afraid to be different  
  • Character – doing the right thing

Leadership — A leader is one who KNOWS the way, GOES the way and SHOWS the way – John C. Maxwell

Continue reading “1) iLead – INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP”

“THE MOVEMENT OF YES”

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This post is the transcript of a message I preached entitled, “The Movement of YES!”

E.F. Borish — Product Manager, Milwaukee Gear Company, Product Engineering Magazine — wrote an interesting article in the business magazine, Fast Company, entitled, 50 Reasons Why We Cannot Change. Here are some of the reasons Borish listed as for why we can’t change:

  1. It has never been done before.
  2. We tried it before.
  3. We’ve been doing it this way for 25 years.
  4. It won’t work in our company.
  5. Why change — everything’s working OK.
  6. It can’t be done.
  7. We don’t have the money, personnel or equipment.
  8. It’s not my job.
  9. It’s contrary to policy.
  10. You’re right, but ….
  11. It needs more thought.
  12. It needs committee study.
  13. It’s impossible.

Continue reading ““THE MOVEMENT OF YES””