Jesusgreek

There seems to be a lot of excitement about our part in Christmas For the City. Below are some quick facts about what it is and how you can be a part of it: 1) When & Where:  Friday, December 20th at the Benton Convention center in Downtown Winston-Salem from 3pm-9pm (We will be setting up all day Wed, Thur) 2) Website:  www.christmasforthecity.com  3) What is it:   Christmas for the City  began as a dream in 2008: could we dare to believe that churches, businesses, musicians and artists would come together  to create a meaningful Christmas experience for the whole community ? Now, in its sixth year, CFTC brings together 1,000 volunteers to serve thousands from a broad cross-section of the city across all socio-economic, ethnic, and generational backgrounds. Teams from over 40 churches as well as scores of non-profits & businesses link arms to bring this wonderful evening to life...and it’s FREE for everyone! 4) What will b...

Most of the time I dismiss the whole "Smaller is better than bigger" argument as it pertains to church attendance. If for nothing else because the people usually debating it are bitter small church pastors that are angry their cross-town counterpart has 10x the average size church then theirs. But this blog post I found does seem to be looking at things rationally and not through the lenses of secret jealous feelings. I personally believe both large and small size church have a lot to offer a person and community. To me it's not an either/or argument but a both/and. "Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better: 3 Reasons I'm Convinced God Most Often Builds His Church Small" by Chris Surber "Bigger is not necessarily better. When I need to tighten a screw in my glasses, I need the right tool for the job—a tiny little screwdriver. It’s the same with churches. God uses big churches for certain Kingdom jobs, and God uses little churches for specific assignme...

I found the following article very refreshing. I am more like a Mark Driscoll in that I usually spend 2-3 hours "working" over a sermon. I do send countless hours running over different aspects of it in my head (normally in the shower or car) but my actual prep/study time is pretty short. For years I felt guilty when I read how other pastors and speakers spend hours and days on their messages. I guess I just needed to hear it's different for everyone and for some a lack of quantity of time doesn't necessarily effect the quality of the message.  Should You Take 2 Hours or 32 Hours for Sermon Prep? By  Eric McKiddie There are various opinions on how long it should take someone to prepare their sermon for Sunday. There are minimalists, maximalists and everything in between. No matter where you are on the spectrum, it should comfort you to know that well-known preachers span the entire spectrum. So how long do well-known preachers take to prepare a sermon? Her...

If you haven’t had a chance to see Alfonso Cuarón’s new sci-fi thriller  Gravity , then you need to move it up on your action-item list. The film is as mesmerizing as it is harrowing. In fact, the film is so good that I am wary about sharing this synopsis with you; however, my worries about spoiling the plot are outweighed by my desire to draw your attention to the theological significance of the movie. So unless you are up against a tight deadline (Sunday is ever upon us!), I’d suggest that you stop reading now, go watch the movie, and then return to these thoughts after you’ve experienced the film for yourself. In brief, the film depicts Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a medical engineer who is putting her expertise to use to enhance the Hubble Telescope on her first space mission. Stone is accompanied by veteran astronaut Commander Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is enjoying his last trip to space. The work seems routine as Stone tinkers with the telescope and Kowal...

To be a leader today requires more than knowledge… Especially today. Here are 7 requirements to be a great leader today: You have to be adaptable  – Things change fast these days. Real fast. You must lead a team that responds accordingly. You have to be moldable  – You must personally change fast too…or you’ll be left behind. (This doesn’t mean you have to change your values, beliefs or convictions. In fact, that will work against you these days. People would rather be on your team and disagree with you some…difference of opinion is more acceptable today…than for people to think you are whimsical in what you claim to believe. This is actually one culture change that can be a benefit for the Christian leader.) You have to embrace a team approach  – There are no Lone Rangers today. (By the way…he wasn’t alone either. If I had a helper like Tonto and a horse like Silver…I’d have myself a winning team.) You have to consider social responsibility  – People ...