This Guy Intrigues Me

This is Mike. He comes into the coffee shop about every day. He has
built up a respect from the employees that no one else has and the way
he's done it blows my mind. He tells the Batista his drink and if they
question anything about his order he is quick to make them feel
stupid. The thing that blows my mind is that now that they know not to
say anything back they all think he's a nice guy. He's controling
these guys like puppets. Don't get me wrong the guy has played me too
just sitting here watching. People like this captivate me. People
that hold a high level of influence. I hope to be a guy like this
someday except through love not intimidation.

360 Degree Leader Section 1

Some Key points I need to remember.

Myth 1: I can't lead if I'm not at the top

5. People Follow because of who you are and what you represent

4. People follow because of what you have done for them

3. People follow because of what you have done for the organization

2. People follow because they want to

1. People follow because they have to

Myth 2: When I get to the top, then I'll learn to lead

If you want to succeed, you need to learn as much as you can about leadership before you have a leadership position.

Good leadership is learned in the trenches.

Myth 3: If I were on top, then people would follow me

A position gives you a chance. It gives you the opportunity to try out your leadership. It asks people to give you the benefit of the doubt for a while.

A position doesn't make a leader, but a leader can make a position

Myth 4: When I get to the top, I'll be in control

If your a leader and leaders work for you, they think they can do a better job than you. They just do (just like you). And that's not wrong; that's just leadership. WOW

In leadership-no matter where you are in an organization-the bottom line is always influence

Myth 5: When I get to the top, I'll no longer be limited

When you go higher, more is expected of you, the pressure is greater, and the impact of your decisions weighs more heavily.

Learning to lead will blow the lid off your potential

Myth 6: I can't reach my potential if I'm not the top leader

Dick Cheney Story Awesome!!

Myth 7: If I can't get to the top, then I won't try to lead

You do not have to be the top Dog to make a difference

New business cards and their nasty!!

These Guys are just sayin..

Im Just Sayin....

just sayin

Humility

The last couple weeks or months for that matter have been some of the hardest of my life. I have faced things that I have never had to face before. I am learning the true meaning of humility. I have learned that no one is ever invisible to the traps of the devil and the biggest mistake you will ever make is thinking that exact thing. God is so unbelievable to me in the way he speaks in different situations of my life. Going through everything that I am I still have a joy that surpasses all understanding. There is something so fulfilling about helping people that are less privileged than yourself. I know that it's a time to take my eyes off me and put them on the least of us.

The next few months are probably not going to get any easier but I know they will get better. If you would just pray with me that I keep an attitude of humility and resist pride.

Wednesday Night Reflection...

I decided that I would give the reflection thingy a try. Tonight's service was amazing for me and I'm sure a lot of other people. Pastor Justin talked about small groups and how important they were to the disciples and Jesus. Although that part of the service was amazing it was before and after that, that really got me. Pastor Joshua from Fishers of Men once again got up and showed his gratitude and poured his heart out about what's going on and what we did in Africa. I am in shock!!! I never knew the severity of what is going on over there. This 30 dollars I give every month literally saves a childs life. Literally!! I was sitting there thinking after service during our meeting about the day that I meet the child I sponsored. How overwhelmed I will be and how much more I will want to do. This sponsoring a child has done more for me than I ever imagined.

P.S. I got $500 dollars worth of tickets today and It doesn't really bother me because I still have so much more than any of those kids could dream for in Kenya.

I love our church!!

Iphone Down!!!

The iPhone took a spell yesterday and now I will be forced to somehow get a new one very soon.

How to...

1. How to grow a Children's ministry numerically just using Sunday morning services and not special events
2. How to save money when I don't have any extra
3. How to save up and buy a dual sport in the spring
4. How to become the best leader I can w/out reading boring books and going to college
5. How to get abs w/out starving and working out ridiculously hard
6. How to finish all the projects on my house

Just a few how to I have running through my mind. If you have any wisdom on any of these let me know.

Rock Xtreme

Yea that's right that's the cheesy new name of the kick butt race team coming to a church near you. Austin, Brandon and myself have set a goal for ourselves to buy dual sports in the spring. We all want motorcycles due to the high gas prices and incredible fun that were going to have. Last night we had some time trial races to get a feel for a bike before we buy one. We definitely made some progress whipping through trails in the woods. Here are some pics of Vallejo doing work on me.

People of the Second Chance...

I joined an amazing group that Deadly Viper created and I think everyone should go check it out. People of the second chance is all about radical grace and receiving radical grace. I'm Rocking my new tee and I'm pumped about it. Here are three things we stand for...

1. People of the Second Chance are individuals who are fast to forgive. In a culture that believes in revenge and payback, we rebel with grace.

2. People of the Second Chance receive second chances in their own life. When we have experienced personal, professional, or relational failure, we refuse to be defined by our mistakes. We learn, we grow, and we have the courage to move on.

3. People of the Second Chance serve in places where people need second chances. We advocate for the vulnerable and fight for equality for the poor, the prisoner, and the voiceless.


They have some great videos of people who deserve a second chance and there are more to come. Make sure you go check it out, Deadly Viper blog is awesome..

Off Site Creative Meeting..

we had our first off site creative meeting for the Mix. It was surprisingly successful. We came up with some great ideas and the Mix is going to be bomb.

Children Need You NOW!!

This week God has done some amazing things down here at Areopagus coffee shop. God has given our ministry a big passion for overseas missions and helping children that don't have anything. I met a man named Joshua Ngao who is the head of Fishers of Men Ministry and he is very sincere. He works for nearly nothing and has a huge heart for these Kenyan children. Last night Pastor Justin preached on shutting up and doing something. (sponsoring a kid) Once I sat in here at the coffee shop and listened to Joshua pour out his heart it was impossible for me to not sponsor a kid. 98% of the money goes straight to the child. That is awesome!! I really want to encourage all of you to sponsor a kid. We told Joshua that we would take care of the last 24 children he has. 30 bucks a month is nothing to us in America. God will provide the money you give back to these kids. I cutt down my cable bill and just got basic chanels and saved 50 dollars a month. Do it.......

Kenya

Just met a pretty cool guy down at Areopagus who started an orphanage and school in Africa. He is super pumped about our coffee and is hoping we will take a team to Africa with him someday. He also has it set up so you can sponsor kids right from his website and he says they are 100% supported. This is awesome...

Family Photos..

I got some sweet new family photos taken by Amanda Williams and I'm pretty pumped about them.

Butch

It has really hit me the last couple of days that we lost one of our greatest leaders at Rock Church. Butch Studer came to our church a little over a year ago and gave his life to Christ. In that one year I saw a true conversion. He laid his cigarettes down after 50 years and never touched them again. (that is a miracle) He was hired by the Rock Church a couple of months after he started coming to help with cleaning and maintenance. He was an absolute Joy to be around at the church. He was always positive, impossible to offend, and led by serving. He truly loved our church and our pastors. I'll never forget practicing with our praise and worship band while looking at Butch in the back doing his Indian jig loving our funky praise music.

His funeral is today and we are doing a full worship set. He would of wanted us to celebrate not mourn, because he is exactly where he wanted to be, with Jesus. Butch was fearless and I pray to God that I get that someday. I pray to God that all of us can learn from Butch on what it means to really means to be a servant and how to lead by example. Nothing was too low or below that guy when helping in the church. He would do whatever needed to be done and that's the way I'm trying to become and that we all need to become.

President

The election is coming up and I as of right now have no Idea who I am voting for, and I'm sure I'm not in that boat alone. I just found something that may help you all have to check it out. Pastor Rick Warren is doing a question with both candidates at his church in August. It is at saddleback and will be broadcasted live. This will be awesome...

Big Show Tonight..

So tonight we have a show at our local minor league ball park. New Wine is going to be playing a worship/jam session after the game tonight. These shows are always a test for me due to my need to look cool. I know there will be people there who aren't connected with a church or with Christ and It always makes me nervous that they will think we're weird or whatever. I guess I don't know which is right to worship like no one is watching or keep them more in mind by just playing good relevant music. It should be an interesting night. Ill let you know how it goes.

what do you think, worship like no one is looking or keep them in mind?

John Mayer Concert..

So I know you all have been expecting a post about the John Mayer concert so here it is. It was the most amazing "musical" experience I've had in a long time. I could not believe how much energy was in the amphitheater. To be honest going up to the concert I was pumped but it surpassed my expectations by a bajillion. (yea bajillion is a word) I sometimes stop and think why John Mayer is my favorite artist and I still haven't pinpointed it. He's not the best singer, not the best guitar player, nor the best songwriter. I think it might be his imperfections that turn me onto his music so much. I have watched him grow as a musician since his 1st Cd came out and he has progressed every year. I love it when "famous" musicians never get the attitude that they've made it. As a musician no one ever "makes it". That's the beautiful thing about it you can never get too good, you can never know your instrument too much. So anyway before I get on a ramble about music, yes the John Mayer concert will be a night I never forget.

Check it..

So guys check it out The Rock Church recently used a picture of a pretty cool family thanks to them and Daley Hake. His name is Brody Harper he's a pretty sweet blogger check it out. He wrote a blog about it..

Things

So things are happening right now at The Rock church in the body and in the staff and in my personal responsibilities. For the last 2 years I have been working in the Kids Ministry at Rock Church and I have finally come to a place where it basically can run itself with a little overseeing. The final straw was getting new curriculum but the people to operate the curriculum are in place and are awesome. I have personally took it upon myself and help the Pastor (my father) with some responsibility in the church. I decided what Senior Pastor doesn't have a side kick? I am also helping Pastor Justin with whatever he needs to happen. I am pretty pumped about this new responsibility. I have a huge passion for seeing our church grow. Number=Souls That is what were about. If your reading this please take a sec and give Rock Church a prayer.