Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Ambition and Arrogance

Just read this from Pastor Steven Furtick, good stuff...

There’s a word many Christians are afraid of. It’s almost a bad word. If you have it, many people assume it means you’re self-serving. Power hungry. But most of all, arrogant.

I’m talking about ambition.

It’s almost like if you want to excel at something or do big things with your life or organization, then you must have a God-complex. An all too elevated sense of self-importance.

There’s no denying that that’s definitely true in the case of some people. But I also fear that our fear of ambition is severely limiting other people who have been called to do great things for God. Why should we put a cap on their potential because some people can’t put a cap on their pride?

I’ve seen too many pastors settle for reaching hundreds when God called them to reach thousands. I’ve seen too many talented businessmen stop short of the impact God had called them to make on their field. All because they feared being thought of as ambitious.

So let’s clear this up once and for all: nowhere in the Bible is ambition condemned. Selfish ambition is definitely warned against. But ambition for the sake of God’s glory is not only condoned, it’s commended. It’s a required asset for anyone wanting to rise above the mass of men and do something extraordinary.

Ambition led Noah to build the ark. David to expand the borders of Israel. Solomon to build the Temple. Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. Paul to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

I wonder if people accused them of being arrogant? Maybe. But then again, if you’re never accused of being arrogant, it’s probably a sign that you’re not being ambitious enough. You’re dreaming too small. Your goals are too easily attainable.

Let me free you: it’s ok to want to be the best at what you do. It’s ok to want to achieve as much as you can with your life for the sake of the God who gave it to you. I sincerely doubt God is going to look at you at the end of your life and say, “you did too much for me.” But I do sincerely believe that God is going to look at many people and say you were too “humble” for your own good. And the good of countless people you could have impacted if you had a little more ambition.

Don’t let anyone ever tell you that ambition is synonymous with arrogance. Godly ambition is what God uses to do incredible things in our world.

If that makes you look arrogant, don’t back down from what God has called you to do. Instead mourn for the people who are living so far beneath their potential that anything greater must be arrogance.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Unfair

When life is unfair remember...

"You don't have to understand everything to believe in something." - Andy Stanley

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Wednesday Mind Dump



I feel like I am on a steep learning curve right now. We hosted the Chick-fil-a Leadercast last week and I have been watching last year's Catalyst Conference over the last two weeks. So much to process and take in right now. I'm mining for the gold nuggets that God is seeking to infuse into my leadership.



Been wrestling lately with the question - Am I delegating tasks or authority? When I delegate tasks I'm raising up followers. When I delegate authority I am raising up leaders. I say I want leaders, but do my actions demonstrate and lead to where I want to go? I'm not always liking what I am hearing as I am wrestling with God on this one.



God lead me to Psalm 42 today. Wow, I needed to read that more than I realized.



Kelli and I have been invited to spend some time this summer in Honduras with Don and Suzanne Rumbaugh. I really want to go, but for all the right reasons. Listening to God on that one.



Interesting reading on the state of our denomination and the "Call to Action" to become vital congregations. I wonder if this will merely be a report or if it will truly turn into a call to action that will lead us to make disciples of Jesus Christ? My commitment has been and always will be to be obedient to God. This has put us into the category of a vital congregation, today. But every church on that list, including us, are only three or four decisions away from no longer being vital and obedient to God.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Spring Jubilee


Sunday, May 22 · 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Join us as we turn back time in celebration of our 50th anniversary with an evening of music under the direction of former music director, Alan Lomicka.

Enjoy hearing your old favorites sung by Charter Oak Church's choir and musical solos on piano, flute and organ followed by an old fashioned pie social.

Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP. Hope to see you all there!