A little risky business

I have a confession to make.

Many think that because I am a public speaker and a leader that that I am a bold individual. They assume the stage persona that delivers the weekly message is the same guy wandering around my house.

Well, I hope I am the same kind of man with the same kind of character both in and out of the spotlight. But, truthfully, my persona on stage is not the same as it is when “the switch is off.”

That’s why it always cracks me up to have people say to my wife, “Wow, it must be a real blessing to be married to him. You’re probably laughing all the time!”

Her response is usually a very dry, “Yeah… he’s a real riot.”

In fact, one of the secrets to my message/sermon preparation is that 90% of the lessons I teach, I am delivering to myself. I feel them because I need them.

So, what about this confession I need to make?

Tags: Bible, C3, capacity, Creative Church Conference, Isaiah 54, John 4, leadership, Luke 5, maturity, risk, Sam Chand

I’m All Out Of Love

For those who are not geographically aware of this bloggers location, the following statement won’t mean much:

It’s State Fair time!

Living three blocks from the fairgrounds is a good or bad thing depending upon what you think of the fair.

The Addis from high atop the Weenie Wheel.
The Addis from high atop the Weenie Wheel.

I get most of my fair jollies just sitting on the front porch. Watching the parade of happy people walking to the fair early in the day as they park somewhere beyond my house.

And, then, I am blessed with the occasional treasure of seeing the exact same people coming back later that night… transformed.

Tired, broke, sun burnt or freezing (it’s Kansas, you know) and almost always “less happy.”

This people watching is a little thing I have learned to enjoy in the last seven years of living here in Hutch. I do it every year as I listen to the concerts from the comfort of my porch swing.

You know what else doesn’t change? The Fair!

That’s amazing to me.

Tags: Air Supply, Bible, change, fear, growth, Mark 2:21-22, maturity, obedience, Phil 1:6, Spiritual Growth, State Fair

So, maybe I was wrong…

So, have you had a chance to percolate on the previous article for a couple of days?

I’ve never written a ‘to be continued’ before but I thought I would give it a shot. If you haven’t read “I knew I was right” from a day or two ago please take a minute, or none of this will make any sense.

Honestly, the way I write, it might not make any sense if you read it anyway, but it’s worth a shot.

I decided to continue the article, or at least make it a two-parter when I saw that Acts 16 (the continuation of the passage we were looking at) appeared to be a contradiction of Acts 15.

Tags: Acts 16, Bible, evangelism, leadership, legalism, sacrifice, submission

Bucket Theology

So what are you afraid of?

Financial issues, health concerns, family matters, ending opening sentences with prepositions…

The only people who really have anything to worry about as it relates to their fears are the ones who say they aren’t afraid of anything. Take it from me, I’m an expert in fear as one who is afraid of a multitude of things (not a positive, of course, just a statement of fact)… everyone is afraid of something.

The problem is our fears tend to camouflage themselves. We see the obvious ones:

· “I’m afraid of dogs” – Well, you were probably bitten as a child

· “I’m afraid of getting pulled over by the police” – Well, slow down genius

· “I’m afraid of tornados” – Well, you’re not an idiot

· “I’m afraid of those creepy sounds downstairs in my house at night” – Well… Well, actually, I agree. Do you mind going down to check? Thanks.

The obvious fears we get. They are easy to spot, label and either accept or deny. The problem is many leaders are leaders because they have learned to wrestle these obvious fears to the ground and knock’em out with the classic sleeper hold!

Tags: Bible, courage, family, fear, Great Wolf Lodge, leadership, risk, trust

I Feel So Left Out

Have you ever missed out on a good thing because you haven’t been willing to do the hard thing?

The obvious answers lie before us like broken toys on a toddler’s bedroom floor (man, I have to get some non-parental metaphors):

· The better body we always wanted, but never produced because sit ups cost more than Ding Dongs

· The training and education we were always going to pursue later when we had more time (you can stop laughing now)

· The career or life goal that was actually achievable, but never achieved because it required a change that you still haven’t found the words to share with “you know who”

· The savings account that never was because the flat panel, the ipod, the boat, the new car, the… oh, you get it!

Tags: Bible, do the hard thing, friends, leadership, Matthew 17, metamorphosis, relationships, transfiguration