Near and Far Faith

I don't purposelfully subscribe to many at all, but this one keeps me aware of the latest 5 or 6 albums from the indepnedant Christian band scene. Everything from Crowder to bands you've never heard of and can check out

Check out the independantbands.com promo blurb. Scroll down and subscribe on the lower left.

It's been a bit short with the holiday on Monday, but I did manage to get another podcast recorded. Check it out here. This week we discus the idea of goals and wins in ministry.

So I'm pretty inconsistent when it comes to this blogging thing. I'd love to blog more than I do, but I don't because of 20 different excuses. So I'm going to try something new that might allow me keep up with people and micro-blog - I'm starting to Twitter.

Here's a little video on what Twitter is...

Twitter, I hope, will let me do in a scaled down way what I want to do with this blog and that's simply get my heart out there - my thoughts. I'm not great at expanding networking. Especially on Sundays - go figure. But I hope that the people of Carpenter's at least will see more of who I am through this.

Ben Arment had a great article in the latest issue of Collide Magazine that we all got at Whiteboard about the creative artist vs. the vision-steering pastor. Read it if you can.

I'm reminded how much we need to stay connected to Christ. It's basic. It's overdone and redundant. It's a real temptation - that's why.

How I know when I need to reconnect: I'm irritable. I'm Frustrated with small things. I purposefully distract myself from what's important - like my family. I'm lazy.

If we as leaders are not open and honest, how are we going to grow? It's too easy for us to hide the reality of our lack of growth. We see too often fantastic examples of fakeness that are easily emulated. I have a problem with with disconnecting from the vine (John 15) and I want those I love and who love me to call me on it. 2 Corinthians 4 makes it obvious why we should know God - staying connected to Him through regular time with Him is synonymous with knowing him more - without that consistent growing knowledge of him, the trouble that he sends to us to overcome with him will derail us.

So The Whiteboard Sessions was awesome. Perry Noble talked about being called to ministry (everyone went "ooooo" a couple of times at what he said), Mark Batterson (author of In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day and creator of the Chase the Lion message series) challenged us to dream big, and Vince Antonucci (a new guy for me) talked about the screwed up way we often present the Gospel and used a Counting Crows song, On a Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago (I'm a huge Counting Crows fan), to illustrate and drive us back to the simplicity.

The best part by far though was going with Cherie. We had college fun together. It was a BLAST.

I got to connect with some really cool people and ministries that I have to let you know about. First, obviously I met someone that knows a thing or two about blogging and I made a big switch. Like I said in my last post, trying to figure out the best way to get The Little Big Church Podcast out has been a hassle. But Scott Magdalein at readscott.com and I had lunch and viola! A new site (now Wordpress) and lots of new goodies. To check out The Little Big Church Podcast, just go to the The Little Big Church Podcast page of tuckerhibbs.com or go to littlebigchurchpodcast.com. Thanks Scott!

Also hooked up with the guys at churcymedia.com. Anyone in church leadership should check them out for all your technology ideas. I'm looking forward to hooking up with them on the podcast

Finally, Ben Arment did an awesome job putting the conference together. And he's moving to HotLanta on tuesday. Looking forward to an interview with him as well once he gets settled.

Check out my links on the right for more people I met at The Whiteboard Sessions.

I've been going through Proverbs and here are the things I highlighted in chapter 11...

vs. 2 - When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Can't get more straightforward than that. Humility and wisdom come together.

vs. 9 - With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

For me, a reminder that growth, in knowledge, is never attainable. It's constant and continued.

vs. 13 - A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Here's a great definition of gossip, as it's so often skewed. Is trustworthy one of my tombstone words?

vs. 14 - Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

I love John Maxwell's theory of true leadership - that good leaders raise up and lead leaders, not followers. The idea of leadership is more than just getting people to follow you, and it's riddled with pride.

vs. 20 - The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.

I heard recently that the wealthiest people alive all have one thing in common - integrity. If you're on autopilot, integrity will flounder. Integrity necessitates devoted effort.

vs. 22 - A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

Sometimes I just highlight verses that are popular so that they're easier to find when I'm looking for them. This is one of those. But none the less, beauty is not everything, obviously. But how quickly do we dismiss a degree of foolishness at the sake of appearances?

vs. 24 - 25 - Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

It's refreshing to be reminded that God's been revealing about his purposes for generous giving thousands of years ago. I also love the NLT's translation of refreshing others and being refreshed. Finances can feel so muddy - they get you to slow down think of all the mistakes and failures. I'll stand by this principle financially for the rest of my life because I've constantly seen it at work - if your finances are in the toilette, give more of it away. Keep in mind, it's just a principle. You can foolishly give against God's plan.

Hopefully I'll get this project I've been working on squared away by tomorrow so I can role it out here. It's something that I've been overtaken by passion for.

What do you see? 2 black circles. That's 2 BABIES!


Among all of the new things we're finding out about, like saying "when the KIDS get here" and the phenomenon of increasing our kidage by 100%, we learned that when you have twins they name one A and one B. So here they are.

Apparently a few months ago I provided some false information (it's all I had at the time). My wife Cherie is NOT pregnant... with one baby. We're having twins. Just found out yesterday morning.

I had a really big post I wanted to put up this week about a project that I've been working on, but this trumps everything I've been thinking about.

We're double our kid account this year from 2 to 4 - yeah tax break (just looking at the bright side)! I'll post the ultrasound pics later today.

I was about to talk about how over used the term "vision" was and it auto-popped in the title bar of my blog - that means I already blogged a post called vision. So even I over use it. That's why it's part 2.

Here's the thought though... I've been digging through Nehemiah at Ben's suggestion and something has become evident. Nehemiah had a great vision. It was huge - to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem after it's destruction - but it went even further. It was not the wall that he saw being rebuilt, but the people's correct and honest relationship with God - see chapters 8 and 9. That's not what really hit me though. I have great vision similar to his - not just accomplishments, or walls, but continual growth in relationships with God and people. However with Nehemiah... well it wasn't simply organization and administration for the vision (chapters 10 and on), it was the specific walking out of the vision.

I'm a big-picture thinker. That's what I've shouted from the rooftops. I don't pay attention to the details. It's not my gifting. Not part of my A.D.D.D.D.D.D.D. skill set. But the problem with that is I don't think that God says "Use your gifts only and nothing else. If it's not comfortable, it's not your gift so stay away from it". It's uncomfortable for me to think small steps because, honestly, I'm afraid I'll screw them up and we won't hit my big picture. I'd rather delegate (sometimes a disguise for copping out). I avoid the grunt work which, for others with admin gifts, wouldn't be grunt work, but for me takes extra care and attention - discomfort. It's not natural for me like preaching has become.

For all the preaching and teaching I do and will do about continued growth and overcoming fears, I need this reminder about learning new things, even though they may seem like old unconquerables (not in the dictionary). That's why I got the tattoo on my arm.

With vision, we need to remember the steps in between here and the accomplishment are as important as the goal. It might reduce the use of the term. It has already for me just in expressing these thoughts.