What You Do When You're Alone Matters!

I was reading Brian Dodd's blog on leadership today, and buried in the the several posts I enjoyed was a comment on how a person's personal life always has an effect on his or her public life. I think anyone who's been to seminary has heard this admonition, but how often do we find someone forgets it to his or her great detriment? I find it especially difficult when that person is a fellow pastor, even more so when it's the pastor I see in the mirror every morning.

Little, seemingly insignificant decisions made in the privacy of my own mind\time\house has a profound effect on my public life when they come to light. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about any of the "sensational" big ones that get all the press, but decisions like how time is allotted and spent (like right now; there are visits to make, letters to send, sermons and Bible studies to write, but I'm on the internet, writing on the blog).

So take a look at these areas of your life;
-Am I spending my time doing what matters most in the long run?
-Would I want my spouse\kids\grandma to sit with me when I'm on the internet or watching tv?
-Are there words or phrases I use that I wouldn't if someone I respect was around?

Never underestimate the power of the private personal life on your public life....

Church Today

I brought a pumpkin to church today. For those of you who are unaware, I pastor two churches in Southern Ohio. I've been here almost ten years, so the people are used to, for better or worse, the way I preach. That's one reason why I'm changing my preaching style. I don't want them to get so used to the way I preach, that they lose interest. I have no desire in proving true the saying "Familiarity breeds contempt".
So I'm changing the way I preach.

That's why I brought a pumpkin to church today. My wife suggested I tell the Parable of the Pumpkin since it's Halloween. We carved the pumpkin late last night, and all I had to do waslift the top off, punch the eyes, nose and mouth out, and then light the candle inside.

There I was, trying to preach while pulling the stringy pungent guts out of a pumpkin. The eyes, nose and mouth came out fairly easy and the candle was lit. A few minutes after placing the top back on it, I smelled something burning. I guess (well I didn' really have to guess;; there was indisputable visual evidence) the candle was too close to the top. It scorched the inside of the pumpkin, so we ended worshipped in the midst of the holy incense of burnt pumpkin.

That's a new preaching style....

If I Was At Sychar Right Now

It would be cool... (in every sense of the word) It would be quiet....
It would be just what I need...
I wouldn't be watching the Buckeyes....score again.....
I wouldn't be prepping to preach in the morning...
.....I would be at peace