Pivotal Thought's

Daily Wisdom

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."
- Audrey Hepburn

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The 4 Pillars @ The S.H.O.W.

I often look back on my personal vision, goals, and values to see where I am in the growth process of leadership. Today I re-looked @ the 4 Pillars of our church. How are we helping or not with them and what can we do to improve?

4 Pillars of the Church:

1. Learning: Always keeping the teaching of the Word first! vs. 42 - They DEVOTED themselves to the APOSTLES' teaching.

2. Fellowship: Breaking of Bread together.... Pulling Together...... Caring for each other........ Genuine Affection.

3. Prayer: Prayer is Pivotal to the Church's life & vitality.... "The vitality & strength of the church is a measure of the reality of their prayers"

4. Worship: We were created for this purpose.... vs. 46 - They worshipped together at the temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity. "Gathering throughout the week to engage in worship to our Lord"

Challenge: "Will we meet the Spiritual Conditions for Growth? A dedication to become a Learning, Caring, Prayerful, and Worshipping Church"

If we as a church and community engage this whole heartedly..... We to will experience His outpouring & full-devotion in this House of Worship..... Just as the first church did here in Acts 2.......

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Daily Wisdom: Character

"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries."

- John Albert Michener

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Leadership Journey - Week 4

This past Sunday was AWESOME!!! We had both our Youth Pastor's, Steve & Lauryn finish out our Leadership Journey for the month of June. It was a great tag team effort as they shared back and forth about the greatest leader ever to have modeled leadership...... Jesus.

It was great preperation on their part and also could tell it was sprinkled with much prayer. I am very proud of these two leaders as they have led with conviction, love, and grace. They are always ready for a challenge, always understanding, and this Pastor feels their support towards all that the S.H.O.W. is doing and involved with. They are truly leaders that others should follow and watch. They are making a difference on many levels.

Below I will post what I took from their message:

• Leadership is best when modeled through love and grace

• Jesus was quick to love others where they belonged.......verses condeeming them for where they were not

• Jesus did not do things according to most church standards.... He challenged the norm and status quo

• Most of all.......they modeled Teamwork and excellence. A spirit of working together. A attitude of putting others first. And most of all....putting God first in their lives.

Coming in July: Servantude (Service)

This week we will be hearing from Rev. Marc Fraley

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Leadership Journey - Week 3

This past Sunday we continued our leadership journey and had another amazing week of learning the leaders hearts @ The S.H.O.W. Pastor Michele (My Wife) brought a message on Father's Day that ways geared towards both Men & Women.

Michele spoke on the women's heart and how it longs to be captivated. Michele brought this message Saturday as well @ a Womens Conference in Waldorf, MD on Saturday. The S.H.O.W. Worship Team traveled as well with her as did several of our pastor's and minister's. Our very own C.A.S.T. (Creative Arts Team) performed as well during the message and tied in beautifully in this EPIC endeavor.

I am so proud of the doors that the Lord has opened in my wife's life and calling. All of these years have been a build up of God's Will in her life screaming out loud. My wife has had men tell her in leadership, "you are not called", and she always stayed with what the Lord told her. This is why I am proud of her. She stayed with her conviction and captivating voice of her Lord. Are you a Lady today who is in a battle of all these lies and statements? What is your Captivator (Jesus) telling you? Then believe it!

I would like to share the points that I got from Pastor Michele's message:

• Every women wants to be Romanced

• Are there walls that are up that need to come down? If they are not down we will not allow ourselves to be loved (captivated).

• Women are the femininty of God

• Women are the beauty of any story in life. They need to be loved, pursued, romanced, and captivated as well as invited to the story

• Really allowed us to see the deep needs of every women. Also invited us into the personal journey of every ladies heart.

We are proud of you Pastor Michele (Honey). You did an amazing job as you screamed out leadership and direction for both men & women.

Coming this Sunday: Pastor Steve & Lauryn (Both finishing off the leadership journey for June. As well as preparing the stage for July as we speak on Servantude)

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Daily Wisdom

To be successful in the projects you undertake today, you must believe in yourself and your abilities even if you are walking on new ground.  Lord, guide me in my endeavors and open my mind to new solutions if things aren't going as I have planned.

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Daily Wisdom

"Celebrate what you want to see more of."

- Thomas J. Peters

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Leadership Journey - Week 2

These weeks are truly amazing! Two Sunday's ago we started out on a journey....... A Leadership Journey of all Staff / Leadership speaking through the months of June & July. Some commented and stated, "It is going to be hard for you to sit back and not speak for 9 weeks." Can I just say, I am enjoying it in a way that is almost allowing me to see after these 9 weeks completed to start looking ahead and incorporating it more often : ) If you are missing these messages.... You are missing out!

This past Sunday The S.H.O.W.'S other Youth Pastor Lauryn Schroth was so transparent that it challenged every heart @ ground level of who we are in Christ. Are we in His Will? Pastor Lauryn came from several angles of giving up what it is that we hold so tightly in life (Our Agenda). She shared that our viewpoint of where we are and what we are doing could be opposite to what His Will is for us....... Wow!!! What a challenge!

The awesome thing that I personally witnessed is the awesome testimony that Lauryn holds. She is currently 21 yrs old. Lauryn was with my wife and I when I was a Youth Pastor @ the age of 13. Look what the Lord has done. She did not stay all these years because she felt it was right, she stayed because it was His Will for her life. What is His Will for your life? Are you in the center of it today, or are you miles away? Remember, one degree over any certain period of time can knock you way off course. Today it is not to late to get back in the center of that Will........ God's Will. Below are some points that Pastor Lauryn challenged me with.

Pastor Lauryn's Message: God's Will

• The Rich Young Ruler was concerned on the things he had so called already accomplished. The question Jesus had, "Where are you now?" Go sell all you have and follow me! Could you do it?!

• The level of compromise that we allow in our life will ultimately remove us from His Will.

• What we think we do away from our accountability (In Secret) (Leaders, Church, Small Groups, etc.) will effect where we are going in Him and where we end up.

• When we are in the center of His Will, then we will receive the things we have been waiting on. Lauryn, you did an awesome job delivering and feeding the people. You are definitely Emerging Beyond Tradition.

This Coming Sunday: Pastor Michele Darr

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Daily Wisdom

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

- Winston Churchill

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Blue Like Jazz

On Saturday I finished a book that truly challenged the way that I view this walk called Christianity. To be honest from the jump... many people (Christians) would not be able to stomach this book and its pure form of honesty and Donald's true introspections. It rattles and shakes loose the cob webs of religion and makes a definitive mark on ones mind of how this relationship with Jesus is a personal, up close, and remarkable thing. Not just remarkable... but very challenging and difficult @ times.

I have always believed that when others give their lives to Jesus, they truly are left to wrestle with what to do next. As if the ultimate goal is to just except and thats it! No more to do.... everything is done, finished, alright, etc. No! We are invited at that moment into a history of mistakes made throughout religion that we somehow need and have to figure out for the rest of the world.

Donald uses the metaphor of his dislike with Jazz music as the premise for this beautiful story. He explains how one day he actually hears Jazz being played and it sounds different then he has ever heard before. As he approaches the player of this beautiful sound he notices that the individual is playing with their eyes..... closed. Maybe we ought to do religion this way. Would it sound better? Look better? Feel better? And would we become more attractive to others as we show Jesus more in our circumstances, affairs, and lives.

I highly recommend this book to all people looking to be challenged by the unveiling of what religion can be. What we have made it. If you have ever felt blue about something in your walk with God and questioned why things are the way they are.... read this book! This book has not just allowed me to see the Lord more..... but I have seen the lines in His face. he is amazingly awesome : ) Donald.... great book and keep up the out-of-the-box thinking concerning life, religion, and this thing called Christianity.