I AM ...

Saw this writing and thought to post here: (Quote I've come across)

"I am ...

I am only one

but I am One!

I can't do everything

but I can do something!

I will not let what I can't do

interfere with what I CAN do!" from Edward Everett Hale

What We, as Christians, need to be doing ...

Pray ....


Give ....




Serve .....



Love .....



Go ......




so let's get busy.

My wish List

So Christmas is coming up and my kids have a wish list like a mile long .....

So here is my Wish List:

I. Susan Boyle's The Gift.

II. How Great is Our God collection by Chris Tomlin.

III. Pastor's Handbook - John Bisagno.

IV. Win the Pastor2youth contest.

V. Maple Leafs shirt.

VI. Find out what my wife wants for Christmas.

Sneak Peak: Men's Retreat 2012

So ..Lord Willing .... I'm the dean for the Men's Retreat for Tri-State Christian Service Camp. I'm having my friend, Jim Dewar ...speak and Kenny Gillaspy lead Worship. New this year will also be offering a Golf Outing for Saturday Morning. (Thanks to several for suggesting it)

So if you're available April 20-21, 2012 - Why not Mark your Calendar today!!!

Top 10 Over played Christian Songs.

This blog had the worst Christian Songs


So I thought I give a list of the most overplayed and overdone Christian Songs ....


10. I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me.

9. El Shaddai - Amy Grant.

8. O Praise Him - David Crowder Band.

7. Another Time, Another Place - sandi patty

6. Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle

5. Thank You - Ray Boltz

4. Cartoon Song - Chris Rise.

3. Heart of Worship - Matt Redman

2. Friends - Michael W. Smith.

1. The Champion - Carman.


What ones would you add? Others take off?

Honorable mention:

Blessed be Your Name

The Great Adventure

I will be Here.

Trading my sorrows

As the Deer

O Lord

And any overdone Gaither Song.

I Can See Clearly Now.

I losted one of the lenses in my glasses. I can still see .... but boy has it been different. I have a pair of reading glasses that I've been using.... and sometimes it isn't as clear as it should be.

I'm wondering though if this is like the Christian walk. We are all excited and have our new pair of glasses only to lose focus and get off track ... what we need is a our vision repaired to be back on the path that God has called us. I feel a lot of "Christian" people are just like me - not seeing very clearly ...needing to get back on track and back to where God wants them to be. Hopefully they heed the call before its too late.

Humour Versus Coarse Joking.

Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

I like to joke, and enjoy life just as much as anyone. So where is the line between coarse joking and joking?


You have to ask yourself several questions:


1. Is it in fun?

2. Is it hurting someone's feelings? (I've seen many people insult others thinking it was funny but was far from funny ... you can poke about yourself, and your life, but please don't others or put them down - sometimes I'm guilty of this)

3. Is the joke rude or crude or not pleasing (Phil.4:8,9 comes to mind: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. )

4. Does it make others encouraged or think what was that?

5. Will you and others laugh at it later?

6. Sometimes it is good to learn from your mistakes and laugh at them ... and other times it is best to leave things alone.


7. Will this come back to haunt me? (I remember some of my practical jokes in college and now am thinking - what in the world was I thinking? - I'm just glad they didn't have the internet back then - but reminds me of Ed. Young Jr. Rebuking Cursing Church leaders
and yet has this play on words video Can of Woop Bass


8. In all things does it bring God the glory?


What jokes do you like? What jokes have you told you wish you didn't?

I laugh alot because I also cry alot. Ministry can be tough; but also can be seen through the laughs and the tears.

Announcements for this Sunday

My next seminar.

I plan on going to this event. If you live loically ...why not plan to go as well?

Some good advice from Hospice.

Community Leadership Event sponsored by Chik-fil-A

Yesterday I went to a Leadership Event (FREE) sponsored by Chik-Fil-A and heard Mark Miller (@LeadersServe) speak.

Basically he gave his story and in the morning we learned on Leadership .... and in the afternoon (after the FREE Lunch) learned applying it to teams.

There were church leaders, business leaders, and people from Kaplan, Heritage Academy, First Data there and so forth ...and of course Chik-Fil-A.

Of course, at the end we had someone ask what if you have someone that has no talents, and no skills ...(Which I yelled out "Just Hire Simon Cowell to tell them "...)

So what is the Secret of Great Leaders? (Based on His and Ken Blanchard's book The Secret - having nothing to do with the DaVinci Code BTW or the Movie: National Treasure)

Here is the secret what great leaders do:

See the future
Engage and develop others.
Re-invent continuously
Value results and relationships.
Embody the values.


In other words, Great Leaders serve.

In the afternoon, Mr. Miller broke down what different models of leadership looked like and what we need to aspire to be.

All in all a good day. And got his book, The Secret, Free too!!

Here are some quotes from the day:

"Content without context is not very useful"

"If my bullet fits your gun ...shoot it."

"Over 70% of people have to have a picture of some sorts"

Peter D. "The quality of character does not make a leader; but the absence flaws the whole process."

Henry Cloud "Nothing alive will thrive without pruning."

"If there is mist in the pulpit; there will be fog in the pew"

"Good things happen when Great leaders lead."

Recommended reading:


Necessary Endings - Henry Cloud

The Great Game of Business - Jack Stack

Good to Great

Interesting Picture!!

Remember 9-11

Here is what I wrote only a few days after Sept 11 - Sept 15,2001

In a week, where healing, comforting and tragedy has overtaken us; the only words I find myself asking is "What can I do?" Than I found out I wasn't alone. Knowing God was in control; and uplifting prayers; and having prayer services; making phone calls to check on churches in DC and NY. Getting donated goods; getting people to donate blood ..but there has to be more. So without delay; last nite - a band of Christians left to deliver good to NY. A six hour drive. Left 8pm back before 3pm Saturday. In the several hours we spent dropping off goods; praying with others there; and seeing as close as we can the devastation ..I don't think I'll ever be the same.

It is worse than even what you see. In walking by Vincent Hospital ..the "lost" notices ....the New Yorkers telling their stories at 3am in the morning; and the scenes of police; workers; and heavy equipment being transported. I was wondering; and hoping; and praying. I'll never be the same. It was a memorable; sleepless; prayerful nite. One in which you sense evil; see good; and embrace and seek God.

 It took me a 10- 12 hour trip late last nite to find that my journey is different now. God is there even as the dust is settling in the midst of Manhattan. Picture, after picture ..it is not just the faces on TV; but these were real; real to me. I talked with some; prayed with some. Hoping God used me; yet questioning; not having the answers; but knowing Who does. Just thought I'd share my adventures as a band of Christians late last nite dropped off some goods for the WTC relief. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As I reflect after 10 years, where was I? I was in a Student Ministries of Virginia meeting when the phones started going off telling us to turn on the news. What we saw was devastating. Soon, we had to leave. One youth minister's wife worked near the Pentagon. Several were from VA Beach area and had to head home because the Naval Base and their families were being put on lock-down. It was a quiet ride home listening to the radio, wondering.

 I was a solo Minister of a church of over 100 and young, naive, and yet wondering Why? I left my pregnant wife to go to NYC to help later that week. We help our chapel open and several prayer services. Praying, seeking..

Through the years I would even meet the Beamers (Parents of Todd Beamer of Flight 93 "Let's Roll"). I had the opportunity to introduce their preacher at a local convention and the Beamers. It was quite an honor helping behind the scenes with one of the final North Carolina Christian Convention that year. (2005 I believe it was) Through it all God was in control. To this day, I can never forget some of the faces, people we prayed with, seeing

9-11 Review

An Interesting Sign!!

Though photoshopped .... it still proves to be amusing ...

HT to my friend, Lonny.

A Dream Comes True!!

It all started as a conversation on the ole YS listserv and then forums - it went to a meeting in Chicago with a handful of youth workers to discuss what they can do to help "Hurting" youthworkers in the trenches. From there several of the moderators of the YS Forums and the members of the ole listserv and those from YS had a heart for those youth workers that were hurt by ministry while in the trenches. As the YS forums transitioned to YMX (and another called area called Raising Lazarus) - there was still this idea of how can we help those youthworkers being beat up by the church, and yet how we can support and encourage those youthworkers and the church to be Jesus to others?

And so YS(NYWC) and Simply Youth Ministry had soul care aspects of their youth ministry conventions - which was fine for a few days but what about the rest of the year?

My friend, Len Evans, shares the new adventure Here
and along with great people like Patti


Here is the


Here is the Simply Soul Care Site


Now Len might not be a Big Room speaker but He definitely has a Big Heart for those in the trenches of youth ministry and a Big heart for God.

It all started with a few people .... and some who been praying for years for something to happen ... and finally it has with a Great Leader.

An Open Letter to those that trust Politics to Save ...

1 Thess. 1:1-3 reminds us who our hope is in. It is in Jesus.

To trust in some politician because he said a prayer.
http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=4121620
Or to think some politician is all that ...

Or to bring back America to what some think are the good ole days ... (I've always wonder what year and date were those days?)

Here's some news: Politicians don't Save. They won't save. They shouldn't save. The government you cannot put your trust.

We can play the "what if ...." game all you want but the fact of the matter is only ONE PERSON gives us Hope, Trust and who We should trust.

The whole Democrat versus Republican is getting old. It is like I'm watching a Middle School fight. "Oh, yeah well my political party can beat up your political party" "Oh, yeah but my political party is more 'Christian' than your political party."

And thus people choose sides and get lost in all the rhetoric.

And then there are even those that equate America as being the "chosen nation" on the same page as the Church. (Now hear me out i'm as patriotic as the next guy but this goes too far) The Church is the Bride of Christ. The church is for WHOM Jesus died for. There is a difference between the freedom we have in Christ and the freedoms (which we shouldn't take for granted) given to us as citizens. (Ultimately our citizenship is in heaven)

So what is the solution?

1. Know WHO is your Hope.

2. Let's quite playing the political games.

3. Let's keep the Main thing - the main thing: Jesus. Politics aside - the Church has a lot of work to do.

4. Let's pray for our leaders.

5. Let's be discerning. I've been known to have a debate or 2 and offend. Maybe show love for each other.

6. Love one another ...especially your enemies ...

7. Quit dwelling on the past ...live in the present strive for the future. (come Lord Jesus, come)

8. Love God and love others. (see #6)

Won't you pray for every one?

Giving a Pounding

THE POUNDING — This custom dates back to pioneer days, and was practiced widely. I don't know its origins, but it's something we should continue today.

When a couple got married and set up housekeeping, it was customary to have a "pounding party". This meant that each guest brought a pound of something: flour, salt, butter — whatever was needed to stock a house — in order to give their friends a good start on their new life.

I had this done when Valerie and I first got married. The Church helped give us a "Pounding."

When we first started a new ministry we have had several ministries help stock us up for food as we moved.

I wonder if churches still do this?

How to Fix Anything . . .

What are your Baptismal Procedures?

I got asked this question the other day.

Basically in a nutshell:

have resources and ask the person about what, why, where, how, when of Baptism. We talk about salvation ... that of head knowledge to heart knowledge. that God saved us by Grace .... through Faith (putting your trust in Him), Repenting (A change in mind that leads to a change in action), confessing Jesus as Lord. (We usually recite Peter's confession from Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”) and Baptizing them (Matt. 28:19-20) by Immersing them in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6 and Acts 2:38) unto Good Works.

As adults, we look at the various scriptures. Some simply state I know I need Jesus and to follow what He says ...so I need to be baptized. With children we have a little fill in the blanks, take home study to which I do with discussing with them and their parents.

Baptism is a BIG THING. It is a celebration. Unfortunately not all parents agree with it or understand it. I've had only one time where I regret baptizing a young teen without the parent's input. Lesson learned.

What lessons have you learned with doing an important thing such as a Baptism? Any regrets or misunderstandings that could of been avoided? (I remember baptizing a young man when the water heater over cooked the water --fastest baptism ever ... and apologizing ...)