DAILY GROW...OR...GRADUALLY DIE

Wayne Cordeiro, the pastor of of New Hope Fellowship in Hawaii wrote an amazing book I finished a few weeks ago called, Divine Mentor.  (More will be posted on this book later in an expanded review.)  However, I wanted to share a powerful plan for daily growth and growth that I have been doing for the past several months that has been life-changing for me.

I have taught through the years that it's not how you mark your Bible...but how your Bible marks you.  I have also said that it's not staring up the steps that is important...it is stepping up the stairs!  This book is not just casting vision for devotions and marking up your Bible...it gives you some practical steps to dynamic life changing devotions that will mark you for life.

The Divine Mentor promotes personal interaction in the Word of God. This book is an introduction to the importance for devotions and a tool called the SOAP Journal. It is a systematic way to read through the Bible and record what God says to you personally.

S - SCRIPTURE: What Scripture or Scriptures stood out to you?
O - OBSERVATION: What stood out to you in the passage?
A - APPLICATION: What does the passage mean to you and what are you going to do about it?
P - PRAYER: Talk to God about what you learned. 

I would recommend this book and the SOAP Journal for new and experienced believers!   Here is a quick description of soap journals that Heidi & I have designed for the students in her youth ministry.  Click here to download:  SOAP JOURNAL | DOWNLOAD

Quote of the week!

It is not enough to stare up the steps...we need to step up the stairs!

Fred Factor | Freducation!

 -----------------------------------  Favorite Quotes  -----------------------------------

"The Fact is that everybody is already making a difference every day.  The key question is, What kind of difference is each of us making?"

"The things you do, both small and large, cumulatively create a lifestyle that becomes apparent to anybody paying attention.  It is that kind of example that most influences others."

When you don't see much meaning in what you do, you won't bring much value to what you do."

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.  He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.'"  

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"There are no unimportant jobs, just people who feel unimportant doing their jobs."

-----------------------------------   Book Summary  -----------------------------------

This short book focuses on a mailman Mark Sanborn met, a man named Fred. When the author first met Fred, Fred took an effort to get to know his new customer, and find ways to do a better job as a mailman. This book about the value of doing a better job, how to build relationships, and why we should take initiative. In short by going the extra mile we'll have a better life, and others will benefit.

It is a good book, and a short book. It is well written. The book is entertaining and at the same time makes many good points.

The first of four sections covers how the author met Fred the mailman, and how very quickly the author realized that Fred was a superstar mail carrier. The basics of what a "Fred" is are explored, and then the author mentions sightings of other "Freds."

The second section explains how you can become a Fred. Basically you need to build relationships with others so you know them well enough to then be able to be create, take initiative and make a difference.

The third section gives pointers on how you can help others grow into being Freds. The basic steps are to:

1) Find - how do you recognize a Fred

2) Reward - how should Freds be rewarded

3) Educate - how help people improve their Fredness

4) Demonstrate - model the correct behavior

The final section recounts the value and importance of being a Fred.

This is a book worth reading. It provides a good reminder and motivation to go the extra mile and do a better job.  I will always remember a statement I once heard, "There are no traffic jams on the second mile...everyone got off on the first exit!

Quote of the day! "Dave, does your hair dry as fast as my daddy's?" Macy Dayne Zweifel

Love, the new killer app!

"Love is the Killer App! How to Win Business and Influence Friends."

I just finished a great read that a friend of mine encouraged me to read. It was a quick read...and a very enjoyable one I might add!

The premise of the book is that love (in business) is made up of three things. He calls it the business "trinity". These three elements being:

1. Knowledge
2. Networks (connecting people with people) I have always believed that we need to network because "nets" work!
   
3. Compassion!

I have, for my own sake defined them as the three "N's" of winning people and influencing friends. (k)Nowledge | Networks | Needs... Tim explains that in the past longevity meant advancement in business, however in our new economy it is not longevity but knowledge that gives you the ability to advance in business or in life.

I loved how he discusses beginning to invest in your future by currently investing in your knowledge base. We must read. I have always believed and "preached" that God gave us two ends...one to sit on and one to think with...all the success in the world depends on which end you use. 'Head's you Win....Tails you LOOSE!" Just a thought!

I would recommend this book to those who want to develop a habit of investing in your future!

Enjoy!

Embodiment or Impediment?

Jesus made a statement that I have read many times that today leaped off the page and began to speak to me in a whole new way.  He said one day in his teaching, "I am the light of the world."  What a powerful statement.  He also said, "Tear down this temple and in three days I will raise it up again," he was giving a clear message:  I am the mission.   The mission is in every fiber of my being and Spirit.  Tear down the outer walls of my authority and the inner walls will spring up again. 

The Pharisees and scribes were saying, "But it took Solomon thirty years to build this temple!"  Their eyes where on the outward appearance - the tangible expressions only.  They were completely missing the picture and function of "embodiment" that was being presented to them.  Thus, they thought that killing the body of Jesus would end the body of his work.  History has proven otherwise - just as he predicted.

The word embody means to give physical form to something invisible or incorporeal.   So when Jesus said that he was the light of the world he was letting everyone know that I embody light.  He didn't just house light in his physical body but in his soul.    Embodiement is internalizing and "becoming" your mission.  

At salvation, I have righteousness imputed to me...however I must now embody righteousness and internalize it.  

As youth pastor's do you embody the vision of your church and your pastor...or do you impede it?  You are either the embodiment or the impediment.  Could teens and parents in your church pick up on who you are without you saying a single word?  

Leaders who embody their mission will not lack for followers...

Just a thought....

A New Day!

The past month has been very busy. I packed up my office...said, "See You Later," to my beautiful wife and girls (They are finishing school up in Vegas & will be joining me in May) and drove my 1999 Dodge Durango to Tacoma, Washington. I put my truck on a ship and shipped it up to Anchorage, Alaska! What a weird day that was...shipping a car to Alaska from Tacoma, Washington.

What is so unique is that I purchase my car in Tacoma 1o year ago. It was my car when I youth pastored with Pastor Fulton Buntain at Life Center in Tacoma. From Tacoma our car made the move to Modesto, California where we served for a brief season at Calvary Temple Worship Center helping them develop their school of ministry - Chamption's Collge.

From Modesto, Heidi and I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where we became the Senior Associates at the International Church of Las Vegas and the Lead Youth Pastors for their student ministries. June 0f 2006 we took a step of faith and became full-time youth evangelists. When we drove away from our last youth service we were not sure if we should be happy, sad...or if we should laugh or cry. We sensed in our spirits that it may be the last time we would ever be a youth pastors....we didn't really know what to feel. As we drove away we decided to treat our girls to some frozen yogurt. When we stopped at the light to turn into the mall complex I glanced down and noticed the odometer on my truck. I told my wife to look at it... to our amazement it read, "99,999.9" miles. We started to shout because we realized that God was bringing one season to an end and was begining a new one!

It took my Dodge several days on the open waters to finally land in Anchorage...My desert car had a rude awakening...transitioning from Vegas to Anchorage! AS I drove my car away from the dock I needed to get some gas and change the oil. After my oil change I was driving back to my apartment at First Assembly in Anchorage and again looked down at my odometer reading...to my amazement it read, "111,111.1 miles." What are the chances of that? I started to weep in my car as the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said...I have started a new chapter. Mark...the transition is complete...I have closed one chapter and opened another.

I am excited about this new chapter. I am still trying to wrap my mind around what the role of a DYD is! I have a job description and I understand the "job" side of things...however...what is my role in the kingdom as it relates to leaving a legacy. Here are a couple of thoughts that I have come up with:

My role:

1. As far as events are concerned - ie. youth conference, summer camps....

I lead people and manage events...I don't lead events and manage people!

My role is to help leader's lead... if you don't own the event...you will not buy into the vision. In other words... if I don't find a way to turn you on...you will turn me off!

2. As far as district events go...

A district event must serve the needs of the local church...not the local church serve the needs of the "district" event!

IN other words...my philosophy is that I am here to serve you as the pastor and your church...if what I do doesn't serve you then I need to figure out how I can best serve you! Please let me know if I am "NOT scratching where you are itching..." In other words...I want to make sure that we are facilitators of ministry not frustrators...

3. I see myself as the steward of youth ministry in Alasksa and the Alaska District Council of the Assemblies of God!

I am not the owner...I am the steward...It is God's state, His church, His leaders... I have been entrusted with the honor of serving His vision for His church and His Leaders (That's You)! I sense a great accountabilty for what the king has entrusted me with. How do I choose to lead knowing my accountablity:

1. I want to be teachable! God teach my abilities!
   
2. I want to be trainable! God train and prune my abilites!
   
3. I want to be responsible! God let me respond with all my ablities!
   
4. I want to be available! God let me be available...with my ablities!

Why? Because I will give an account of what I was able to do if I was teachable...trainable...responsible...and available!

Just a few thots I have been thinking about!

Till next time! God loves you, I love you, and there isn't anything you can do about it!

Mark

check out our new website: www.akyouthministries.com