jump on over

I switched my blog over to wordpress.com. I'll be taking this site down in a few days. If you're a follower, please go with me:
rickwhitter.com will take you there.
Or try rickwhitter.wordpress.com

Grace!

Rick

a spilling of the beans

There has to be some benefit to you if you read my blog. So today, I am letting you in on something a few days before it becomes public. I can’t afford to buy you a steak dinner so maybe the advance info will be an OK substitute.

I have no problem keeping secrets, when it is appropriate to keep them. What I am sharing today is not a secret. It is more of an announcement. For months, we have been sharing at Maranatha Church that a big announcement is coming on Sunday, November 14. My only hesitation in sharing our announcement here today is I am concerned that some who were planning to come to church for the announcement will stay home. So we are feeding you barbeque after church on Sunday!

Here is it: (cue drum roll...)

We are changing the name of Maranatha Church to Cross Community Church.

After 43 years of Maranatha as a moniker, we think it is time to shift things up. Much prayer and strategy has gone into this but let’s keep the explanation simple: The word “Maranatha” means nothing to the people we are trying to reach. It is a foreign word (Aramaic), and we have found it to be counterproductive to the fulfillment of our vision. While we honor the history and heritage of Maranatha, Cross Community better states who we are and what we are doing. We think it will help us reach more people for Jesus.

Kudos to our leadership team, staff and Elders for their vision, support and hard work on this. Literally, years of dialogue have gone into this.

The change is risky. Some won’t like it. Some may even leave the church over the decision. But the truth is, we believe that this direction is from God. And that is the bottom line.

So, come on out to one of the worship events on Sunday. Do me a favor…if you already know the announcement, act surprised!

5 signs you are leaving your church

This piece is based on the assumption that you go to church and are involved in ministry. If you attend services but are not personally involved in volunteering, statistics show you probably won’t stay very long. Casual observers aren’t long-term. It is in investing ourselves that we build relationships that keep us connected with a faith family.

The disclaimer…
The evidence presented is not based on empirical data or scientific research. It is quite possible that I am wrong. No specific individuals or families are the subject of this article. Any resemblance is simply a matter of coincidence. My observations are based on 19 years of full time Lead Pastor work, as well as a lifetime in a local church.

The signs:

Moving back
People who sit in one location for a long time (especially toward the front) and begin to move toward the back of the church are possibly, subconsciously, headed for the door. I’ve seen it dozens of times. 3rd row … 12th row … back door.

Stop serving
Through the years, I’ve witnessed many people who “need a break” from their serving, only to realize that many of them never recover. There are sometimes issues of burnout or lack of support and/or training, but some who quit working are in the process of quitting the church.

Stop giving
Financial investments are a revelation of what’s in one’s heart. When those who are regular contributors to a church change their giving habits, it reveals an adjustment elsewhere. Unless there is a job status change, the decision to reduce or stop giving indicates an emotional break. This is one reason why church leaders should track contributions – many times, areas of concern can be addressed before they become problematic.

Stop coming
It may seem like a no brainer but you can always tell when a person is leaving a church when they stop coming around. As basic as it sounds, I have had numerous conversations with people who stopped attending services but had not come to terms with their departure from the church. In my experience, when a person or family misses as many as six weeks in a row, it is difficult to return. Many times they don’t start out with the intention of leaving. Sometimes they just lose interest or get involved in other stuff. But the physical absence creates a disconnect, a sense of a lack of belonging. Upon their return, many people feel left out. For the record, when I know a family has been gone from church for 3 consecutive weeks, I begin to get concerned.

Disconnect with friends
Quitting a small group, avoiding relationships, losing contact with friends is a surefire way to detect the departure process. Once relationships are lost, the connection with the church is broken.

Let me be clear - sometimes it is good to leave a church. Situations and transitions and adjustments happen. But many times, leaving a church is unnecessary and is totally avoidable. Don't let it sneak up on you.

I think I’ll work on a post about the proper way to leave a church. Seems that many people who depart aren’t quite sure of how to go about it.

Till next time…

orphan sunday

Tomorrow, November 7, is Orphan Sunday around the country. Churches everywhere will be discussing the plight of parentless children and what we can do about it. Maranatha will be observing "shoeless sunday" as a way to remind ourselves that there are many who are without the basic necessities in life - and there is something we can do about it.

Get this:
300 million children worldwide have no shoes.
1 million children die each year from preventable diseases caused by the lack of proper shoes.
We can do better.

Orphans have a special place in the heart of God. Adoptive parents are among my heroes. Let focus in on solutions, and make a difference in the lives of millions of kids. Or maybe just make a difference for one child.

For more info, go to orphansunday.org.

new shoes for kids!

Richard Whitter, our Missional Pastor (and my nephew) displaying the 616 pairs of new shoes that our Guatemala Mission Team distributed yesterday to needy children in Rio Bravo!


Maranatha Church: You are awesome!

sun stand still (review)

I had the opportunity recently to listen to Steven Furtick’s book Sun Stand Still. My favorite way to take in a new book is to listen to it on a road trip. That’s the case this time.

This was one of the more inspirational and motivational pieces I’ve been through in a while. It may be a matter of timing for me or it may be the quality of the material, but it connected on several levels.

The basic concept behind the book is that God has an audacious faith for each of us that He wants us to live out. He did not design us to be ordinary. The Biblical platform for the book and message is Joshua, a young leader of Israel. In Joshua 10, God is preparing to work a huge miracle utilizing the faith and leadership of Joshua. He had the courage to pray an outrageous prayer, “God, make the sun stand still.” This is exactly what God did.

Furtick utilizes this story to share his experience as the planter and leader of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He tells many interesting stories of his own faith development and that of the people who are part of this church. He documents many who had the nerve to ask and expect God to do amazing things.

I was motivated by what Steve shares. I was also motivated by some things I observed about him. One of the reasons I love to hear a book, especially when it is read by the author (which is the case here) is that you get voice inflections, accents and personality that simply reading a book does not provide. I was glad to learn that Steve Furtick is not nearly as cool as I had originally thought. He is a normal guy whom God is using to do great things. His simple speaking and writing style, as well as his straightforward approach to some touchy subjects, left me with a sense of trust of his work. He is even willing to utilize what some may consider to be cliché. This is refreshing to me in that we don’t always have to be original or innovative in order to be successful.

The book helped me to further resolve to pursue the audacious vision that God has given me.

Because the message is so vital to what people need to hear and act upon, I am considering starting a mens book group to go through it together. There are lots of free resources on the web site, in case you are interested in the same.

Thanks Steve for writing Sun Stand Still. I highly recommend it!

i'm not wearing shoes to church on sunday

This Sunday is International Orphan Sunday. We are planning a worship service sans shoes. The purpose is to be able to briefly relate to the peril that millions of children around the world face on a daily basis.

We'll put up with the smell and the stubbed toes and the awkwardness if the result is a child receiving shoes.

We have a team in Guatemala this week delivering almost 600 pairs of shoes to the needy children of Rio Bravo. We are serious about doing something to help impoverished people.

I plan to present a message from Exodus 3 called "Holy Ground". While I don't think I have ever had an original thought, I don't recall anyone saying what I plan to say about this passage. I hope you can join us.

check out the details at maranathachurch.org.

grinding it out

Tomorrow marks the completion of 31 days of prayer, reading, fasting, tithing and serving for the great people of Maranatha Church! It has been a long month and our ONE series has been quite a challenge. Some have done very well with sticking by their commitments, a few have stumbled a few times but we are celebrating God’s great grace!

While we know better than to think we can earn our blessings, we realize that God rewards those who put Him first. That’s what this series has been all about! God is #1 in our lives and in our church!

If I have anything to say about it, the momentum will continue. This sort of reminds me of an old fashioned revival. Back in the day, churches used to have services every night for weeks. The result was people being revived, drawn closer to God. Well, we didn’t have worship services every night but the results are the same. I truly believe that we have been drawn closer to God. It’s been fun!

Thanks to the hundreds of people who participated in ONE. Now, let’s shift gears and see what great things November has in store! It's gonna be awesome!

helping the helpless

A team from our church is going to Guatemala next week to take shoes and food to some very needy children. We have been working in Rio Bravo, Guatemala for over a year now and lives are changing.

God bless the guys who are going to serve and the children who will receive the love of Christ that our team will be sharing.

the stuff that matters

Like this picture? I took it in Monte Rico, Guatemala, in April 2010.

We are all constantly barraged with issues that demand our attention. In a matter of a few years, very little of it will actually be worth a hill of beans. How can we keep from getting cheated in life by spending too much time and energy on things that won’t last?

Unfortunately, most people come and go. The vast majority of your current relationships are temporary. While we should never treat people like they are disposable, we can’t be fooled into thinking that every person in our life is permanent fixture. People will walk and we all know it. And everyone will die some day.

Jobs don’t last. You get fired, downsized or you quit.
Houses, cars, clothes...they all wear out.
Even your health and youth are slipping though your fingers.

So how do we avoid investing in things that have no yield, while possibly overlooking things that have real lasting power?

The problem with this kind of thinking is - we are wrestling with our desire for permanence. We like the security of knowing that things will be around for a while. When it comes to people we love and stuff we value, we are making long-term plans. But nothing on earth is eternal. And only the eternal things really matter.

I have to face each day knowing full well that a vast majority of my interests and desires won’t matter in 100 years. While it’s not realistic to live your life enthralled in matters of eternal consequence (you still have to answer your emails) be sure that your passions are comprised of issues that will be around for ever. Don’t get caught up in the seemingly important matter that is here today and gone tomorrow.

By the way, this blog won’t be around in 100 years so how about letting it go for now?

big day coming

If Maranatha Church has any place in your heart, you will want to be here on November 14. This will be one of the most important worship experiences in our history. There is a very big announcement coming that day. To help celebrate the big event, we have planned a massive picnic, complete with barbecue, a big tent, bounce houses…you get the idea.

I don’t often ask this, and it may have no impact, but here goes: if you have other plans on November 14, consider changing them.

24 days and counting…

a personal announcement!

We just discovered that we (Letha and I) are going to be grandparents! And I don't mean to the 50 plus kids at Casa Shalom Orphanage. I mean our daughter, Jessica and her husband, Josh are going to be parents.

Please pray for the health and safety of this new little one. Thank God for new life. Awesome!

promo for tomorrow

Name That Dummy! from Maranatha Church on Vimeo.

Join us tomorrow at Maranatha Church! And how about emailing a name for the dummy?

when stats create passion

I read the results of a national survey that really set me off. The Barna Institute conducted an inquiry among 40,000 people across America, over the last 7 years. The goal was to determine the number of people in various cities that are involved in a local Christian church. You can read the results here.

This is what I learned: Of the 85 largest cities in the US, our city, West Palm Beach, is the 12th most unchurched city in the country! We have around 37% of our residents who go to church. That’s 63% non-church attenders. With a conservative population estimate at 352,618 (people who use “West Palm Beach” as their mailing address – if you live here, you know it is MUCH larger than that!), that’s 222,149 who are not going to church. These people are within a 15 minute drive of one of our two locations. But they are not coming.

I am on fire about this!

While I do not believe a person has to go to church to go to heaven, I do believe that we cannot be an obedient Christ-follower without being a part of a local church. What this means to me: we are right in the middle of a mission field! And we need to start acting like it! We have to do whatever it takes to reach people. We’ve got to increase our level of passion. We’ve got to stop focusing on ourselves and start reaching out – whatever it takes!

Within the past few weeks, I have heard these statements from “churched” people:
“I like a smaller church”.
“There is no need to start more churches, there are plenty around already.”
“We don’t need to go to additional locations, let the people come to us.”

I can’t think of any attitude that is farther from the heart of God. In essence, we are saying, ”those unchurched people can just go to hell”.

Without blowing a gasket here, I am more determined than ever to build the church. We have to reach some of these people. Thinking in terms of bite-sized chunks, in order to change these stats by only one percent, we will need to reach 350 new people. Let’s break it down even further: if every adult in our church would be responsible for leading one person to Christ and to our church, we would bump from 37% to 38% of the people in our area going to church. How cool is that?

That’s a place to start, huh?

the good news conspiracy

Jesus messed up everything.

The religious brokers had a great gig going. They were responsible for judging others. They were the rules makers. They made a good living making the kingdom of God unattainable to most. But Jesus messed them up.

This is what Jesus had to say about these Pharisees – these religious egomaniacs:
Matthew 23:4 “They crush people with impossible religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.”

Jesus came to earth and revolutionized religion. He broke the power of legalism. He set free those who had been held captive by excessive regulations.

Jesus was The Gospel. He came to bring good news.

The only people who don’t like Good News are the ones who gain money and power from bad news. Everybody else loves good news.

So here Jesus is, in the face of the haters. He confronts the hypercritical judges. He won’t let them get by with replacing God’s laws with human-made rules.

These Pharisees were insecure. They were confused. But instead of reaching out to God for help, they did their best to drag others down with them, and they did so with great pride and self-righteousness. Jesus exposed all of this publicly. He foiled their plans to destroy others. And they hated Him for it.

Jesus comes in the face of pain and brings peace. He confronts sickness and brings healing. He breathes the love of God on sinners.

Jesus led a Good News conspiracy.

a mixed bag

When I was a little kid, my mom would occasionally (OK, rarely) allow me to select some Brach’s Caramel Royals candies from the grocery store. It was a candy-junkie’s dream - an entire vat full of tooth-rotting treats. They sold the stuff by the pound but I never got a full pound. That’s because my mom knew I was a pig and would eat ALL OF IT, immediately. However, my gluttony served a practical purpose; my brothers would’ve eaten it all if I hadn’t. -

Connect this with a leadership observation. I receive a mixed bag of responses to my leadership responsibilities. Today I had three separate conversations with leaders who are of a different cultural background than me. These leaders were amazingly respectful and gracious. They made me feel important, they were careful to honor me as their leader. This sometimes happens to the point that I feel a bit uncomfortable. Conversely, I find that some folks I lead who share my ethnicity and cultural background are less likely to present themselves as respecting their leaders. Rudeness is sometimes not uncommon. And making the leader feel important is not always a top priority. It is truly a mixed bag.

I had a favorite Brach’s candy flavor – chocolate. I would eat the others first; the orange, the maple, the vanilla…, but save the best for last.

I also have a favorite response to my leadership – the nice one. I like positive. Supportive is good, as is cooperative. If I could choose, I would select respectful every time. It feels good to feel good. It could be tempting to gorge myself on my favorites. I may even want to "pick over" the flavors I am not crazy about. But it is a mixed bag. I have to learn to enjoy the not so gracious responses to my leadership as well as the gracious ones.

God, help me to appreciate the variety. Help me not to select only my favorites. Help me to value the not so great flavors. And help me not to pig out to the point that I get sick.

is the gain worth the pain

We are in process of initiating change at our church. This mention should not raise concern, you should get concerned if we ever get to the point to where change stops happening. But I bring the point because we are now at the place in the process where the resistance to change begins. We knew it would. It is like clockwork. You cannot implement change without living through kickback. But this episode inspires me to assist someone else who is considering an effort to fulfill a vision.

If you plan to initiate change, it will be painful. Some will oppose you. And you have to be sure that it is worth the cost.

Frankly put, if the proposed change results in the loss of someone who is more important to you than the fulfillment of the vision, stop now. Some of the greatest change agents in the world have no long-term friends. There are times that you are better off staying put, even becoming stagnant, than to move ahead alone.

But then there are times when you would rather be alone in the desert of your vision than to be in a crowded cesspool of people who can’t or won’t move forward.

You have to decide: is it worth it?

Strong leaders have to know the difference between crowd approval and critical mass. You need a certain number of people to pull off your idea. But you probably don’t need a majority of popular opinion. Insecure leaders won’t get this. If that’s the case, no offense, but your leadership level is limited.

If God has given you a vision and you are certain about that…If you are possessed with doing whatever it takes to realize the desired future…if you can live with the fact that some people will demonize you for leading change…lead on!

The gain will be worth the pain.

is this unrealistic?

“Live up to the life to which God called you!” Ephesians 1:6b (NCV)

There is no doubt, God has bigger plans for us than we are living. Most people would agree that they are living beneath their potential. But there are some who think I am Pollyanna when I talk about the possibility of doing something extraordinary in life. There are some who have given up. There are some who have been consumed by cynicism. I have heard, “you are too idealistic.”

I guess if you refuse to believe that there is hope for anything more, God will allow you to stay stuck where you are. But try to muster enough faith to believe that God still has hope.

I don’t believe that we can just dream it and it will happen. I do believe that God sees something great within most of us and is trying to get us to also see it.

Let’s set a goal of living up to God’s plan today. We can work on tomorrow tomorrow.

Join us on Sunday at Maranatha Church for part two of One. I like saying that: part two of One.

a humbling response to One

“Live up to the life to which God called you.” Ephesians 4:1b (CEV)

Last Sunday marked the launch of ONE, a new preaching series at Maranatha Church that is emphasizing the importance of making God first in our lives. As part of the message, I issued a challenge for people to commit to some very important spiritual foci. The challenges utilize the number 1:

31 Days of Prayer: Pray at least one time each day this month.
21 Days of Reading: Read the per-selected portion of Scripture (list here)
11 Days of Fasting: Give up something (a meal, TV, certain types of foods, etc.
1 Day of Serving: Serve one time this month.
1 Tithe: Tithes (give 10%) at least one pay-period this month.

I was absolutely blown away when I saw the completed ONE Commitment cards.
215 praying
204 reading
171 fasting
174 serving
176 tithing

That is a bunch of response!

People are still submitting the forms online (here) and we plan to distribute them this Sunday to those who were not with us last Sunday.

There was also a huge number of prayer needs submitted. People are expecting God to do some great things! And we are praying for those needs!

I don’t take commitment for granted. Cooperation is not a given. Positive response to personal challenge is significant these days, people are generally slow to follow. But not this group!

We are expecting some awesome things to happen as a result of all of this. If you would like to join us, feel free! You can listen to part 1 here. Be with us next week!

the storm

They should have known better. If Jesus was on board, the ship would not sink and they would not all drown.

I am talking about the disciples in Matthew 8:23-27. They were in a boat in the sea when a huge storm came out of nowhere (actually, the storm probably came from God – at least He allowed it). When the waves began to crash over the sides of the boat, they panicked and ran to awaken Jesus, informing Him that they were all as good as dead. They should have known better.

Jesus wasn’t destined to drown. As long as He was in the boat, they were going to be OK. But they wanted Jesus to stop the storm, so He did. But He also rebuked them for being so afraid and for having so little faith. They didn’t care about that, they just cared that they were on calm waters again.

And that’s how it goes. We want an easy life. And sometimes Jesus calms the storm, despite the fact that we haven’t learned what we need to learn, we haven’t increased in our faith. We still haven’t learned the lesson of God getting us through the storm. We want Him to shortcut the process for us. So sometimes He does. But down the road, we will have to endure the storm again and again until we learn the lesson of trust.

He is powerful enough to stop the storm. And He is powerful enough to keep us safe through the storm.

Sometimes, we have to embrace the storm.

cool is not missional...missional is not cool

You can spot them a mile away. The young, dynamic preacher-leaders of today’s hip churches. They wear holey jeans and elaborately decorated t-shirts. They spike their hair. Their churches are young and energetic and have non-traditional names. They are reaching a lot of people for Christ. And many of them are missional. This simply means that they have, as a focus, the practical delivery of the message of Jesus to those who are without. They want to show the love of God to the world in need. They want to “be the church” rather than just going to church.

“Missional” is most certainly a buzzword in church circles. The concept is not new but the interest is renewed. There are a dozen large conferences around the country every year encouraging thousands of leaders to get their people outside of their four walls and live out the Gospel. Do practical things to meet the needs of people so they know that Jesus loves them. It is definitely in style to be missional.

But being missional is not necessarily being cool and visa-versa. What I mean by this is that one doesn’t have to be hip in order to be missional. I have a great example of this.

This week, our daughter and son in law, while intenerating to raise their missionary salary, visited with some good, solid people. This little church is out in the middle of nowhere, nothing but cow pastures. Their music is old-school. They are very conservative by most people’s standards. But they complete get “missional”. They give heavily to missionaries in other countries. They feed the local hungry. They are proponents of foster care and adoption. They serve their community and the world. They do most of the stuff that is considered by most to be cutting-edge Gospel expression. But the Pastor doesn’t speak at the world-renown conferences – he doesn’t have time to because he works construction to take care of this family. They don’t sing new music. They don’t read or write books about living out the Great Commission. They don’t wear holey jeans to church. They don’t even have a cool website. But they completely get “missional”. They don’t do this stuff because it is in style. They do it because Jesus said to do it.

I am refocusing. These people inspire me. Maybe it’s time to quit talking so much about it, philosophizing about it, stereotyping about it. It’s time to do it.

Cool is not missional…

Jesus is ______.

I really like this video from our friends at Churchcreate.com. It allows for creative thinking and expression of imagination. Take a look and pass along to a friend.

JESUS IS ___. from The City Church on Vimeo.

invite someone

This Sunday starts ONE, the newest series at Maranatha Church. I am usually not much on hype, I know of too many cases where big promises were made by aspiring preachers only to result in disappointed worshipers.

But this is one you don't want to miss. I will be challenging everyone to make God first priority in life. We have some specific things we are targeting. It will be fun but it will be a bit demanding on our comfort zones.

Can you do your best to attend on Sunday and bring a friend?
Palm Beach Shores: 8:00 AM
Palm Beach Gardens: 9:30 and 11:00.

If you live too far away (a one hour drive is reasonable, isn't it?), we forgive you, but you have to listen online!

For more details, check out Maranatha Church.

big news coming

I am preparing for a leadership meeting at Maranatha Church this Sunday evening. If you are a leader and are coming to the meeting, buckle your seat belt. We have some very exciting news for you! If you are not a leader, this is something you will be hearing about soon. I hate to be secretive (it always seems so disingenuous and manipulative) but the timing of the release of this information is crucial. Suffice it to say, the last quarter of this year for our church will be seismic.

Be listening…

starts this sunday @ Maranatha Church

One-Promo from Maranatha Church on Vimeo.

click here for details

jessica and josh

We got some big news last week. Jessica and Josh (our daughter and her husband) have been invited to serve as Directors of Casa Shalom orphanage in Guatemala! This is the childrens home at which they have worked for the last 2 plus years. We are very proud of and excited for them.

This is a huge responsibility. They will be the legal guardians for 50 children. They will lead a staff of 10 full time and 5 part time employees as well as a school staff. They are in the mid 20’s.

When you get a chance, pray for Jessica and Josh and their new venture. They are currently in the States raising their budget for the coming year. Money is tough to come by, but they are working hard at it.

For more info on their work, take a look at their blog or like them on facebook.

Grace!

a change of pace

Today was a bit different for me, as will be tomorrow.

I attended and participated in a 4 hour and 35 minute funeral service today. Bishop Alonzo Palmer of the New Testament Church of God passed and today he was laid to rest. 23 pastors spoke at his memorial service. I was honored to be among them. This extended event set my usual routine on its ear. I usually lock down on Saturday to do final prep for the Sunday worship events at Maranatha Church. I pray, listen and make adjustments. Today was different. I left home at 9:15 and did not return until 5:00 or so.

All of that is OK because tomorrow’s message has continued to evolve in an unexpected way. While speaking at our Palm Beach Shores location last Sunday, I got the distinct sense that this week’s message was going a different direction. It has been doing that all week. I am still delivering part 3 of A Confident Future and still launching from Isaiah 41:10, but that’s about all that hasn’t changed.

God knows I am a scripted person. I like to plan. I like to know ahead of time what is going to happen. And sometimes, God lets me know who is driving. This weekend is one of those times.

Thanks for keeping it fresh, Lord!

vision lives forever

I spent a couple of hours with a friend yesterday. He has a terminal diagnosis from his doctors. They have informed him of his short time left.

He spent the entire conversation talking about a project he is working on and hopes to complete by a certain date. This date goes beyond the amount of time the doctors have given him. I’m confident that he will complete the project. I am not sure that he will be around to see it’s fulfillment but I believe the project will be completed and that he will be responsible for its completion.

Vision doesn’t stop because life does. Real vision outlives us. True vision resonates long after we are gone.

Do something that outlives you.

one sign of a good church

This Sunday, we will enjoy a membership luncheon at Maranatha Church. This is a time for us to discuss the topic of church membership with some great people who have more recently been involved in the life of the church.

Church membership is a dicey topic these days. People seem hesitant to join the church. “Membership” in a church is a frightening proposition for lots of folks. Joining a gym or a warehouse shopping club is not a big deal but commitment to a church is apparently a mine field for some.

That being said, I plan to share with our new prospective members one way in which they can spot a good church that they should join.

What is one sign of a good church?

It has needs. Things about it that you don’t like. Obvious issues in a variety of areas. And here is the kicker - these needs should be something that you can address and meet. If a church is functioning in perfection without you, you are not needed there. If it will not change whether or not you join, don’t bother. You need to be able to make an impact. And the church needs to need you.

I get disturbed when I hear of people who find something wrong in a church and decide to depart to another church that does not have that problem. I think the better approach is to try to be a problem solver.

I always joke with people who are considering membership at Maranatha. I say, “we are not a perfect church. If you are looking for one, keep looking. And, if you ever find the perfect church, please don’t join it. You will only ruin it!” Seriously, the church is imperfect because we are imperfect people, and we are the church. If God directs you to a church and you spot imperfections, ask Him how you can be involved in making things better.

If you are at a church where you can use your gifts and abilities to improve the ministry, that is a good church. And you should become a member.

Coming to Maranatha Church October 2010

pure ministry

Today’s worship experiences at Maranatha Church were remarkable for gut level, raw ministry. It started at our Palm Beach Shores location. Although we are right in the middle of a beautiful sea-side community, many of the people coming to the services don’t have it all together. The coffee and donuts we served were the first meal one guy had eaten in a couple of days. One couple had stayed up too late drinking (or maybe they started early in the morning!). I saw at least 3 people that I am sure are living on the street.

Our Palm Beach Gardens campus brought more of the same. Hurting people came to the services. I talked to people with serious marriage troubles; a guy who has been without electricity for 3 weeks; a couple of people with significant health issues … and the stories go on. Our prayer partners prayed with a woman with stage 4 cancer - the doctors have given up hope.

We are right where we need to be. Our locations are no accident. God knew that our communities would need us. We want to offer life-giving ministry and I believe we are. We want to see lives change, and we are. I never want to be in a sterile ministry environment. I can’t connect with people who have it all together. If God ever sends us perfect people, I doubt that they will feel comfortable.

It is humbling to think that we may have made a difference for someone today. Actually, we didn’t help anyone. God did.

proud to be a tither

I was raised in a home where my parents tithed… to the penny, on every cent that was made. Letha was raised in a similar atmosphere. She and I have tithed our entire lives. That means that 10% of everything we have made all these years has been given to God. When I made $150 a week at my first full-time ministry job, I tithed. And we have never been poor. We have always had a decent home to live in, a safe car to drive, could afford medical care, have had plenty to eat, have even had money for some fun things in life.

God has been faithful to us because we have been faithful to tithe.

Tithe means “one tenth”. We cannot give God less than ten percent of all we earn and call it tithe. According to the Bible, here’s how it works: God gets the first ten percent of whatever we make – we give it to the church (the storehouse where it is distributed to meet the needs). Anything above that ten percent is called an offering. At the risk of bragging we personally target giving away over 20 percent of our income though tithing, offerings and charitable contributions.

“Paying tithes” is not an accurate term. This is not like paying the electric bill. Everything we have belongs to God. Tithing is simply giving back the small portion that God requires.

Some people who throw in a ten dollar bill at offering time think they are tithing. Unless they made only $100 that week, they are not tithing. I am amazed that some people give nothing to the church and yet take advantage of all of the ministries that the church offers. How do they sleep at night? The latest statistics show that is costs the average church in America about $2,000 per person attending (not families) to operate a church. It costs a lot of money to operate buildings, provide a staff, support missions, help needy families and provide other programs. Another way of looking at it is: for every person who gives nothing, someone has to kick in an additional $2,000.00. Who’s going to do that? And who really wants someone else doing that for them? The result is, churches are almost always pressed for enough money to operate effectively.

This article is not guilt motivated but I’m sure it will make some people feel guilty. The point is, God can do more with the 90% He leaves you than you can do with 100%. Do you trust God or not? Are you willing to be identified as one who steals from God? (Malachi 3:8). I guess a bigger point is: God blesses obedience.

Go ahead and take the leap. Give God the first 10% you make. I have NEVER seen a true tither in financial trouble. I have seen them need to be frugal with resources but I have NEVER seen a tither homeless.

People of Maranatha Church: fair warning – you will be hearing more about this in the near future. But I’m not going to tell you when. :)

the essence of missional

I saw something recently that really rang my bell regarding sharing with others. Most of you know that my daughter and her husband are missionaries to Guatemala (their blog). They are currently in the States raising their salary for the coming year. They have been visiting churches, presenting their work and building relationships.

On Sunday, they were invited to Salem Community Church in West Palm Beach, FL. This church was founded and is led by Serge Jerome. Serge is from Haiti and the vast majority of the people in his church share his heritage. I was struck by the profundity of a Haitian/American church financially supporting North American missionaries who work in Guatemala. Having just returned from Haiti two weeks ago, I can attest to the fact that their country is in absolute dire need for every penny they can get. The people of Salem Community Church have every reason in the world to form the opinion that they have obligations at home. No one would blame them if they sent every spare dollar back to families in their homeland. They all lost loved ones in the January earthquake. They all have family that are homeless. They all know people that are hungry and helpless. Yet they chose to give to two 20 something missionaries who are taking care of orphans in Central America. Astounding!

This elicits several emotions in me:
Gratitude for people who have little, but give much.
Anger at people who have plenty, but share little.
Shame at how much more I could give away.
Passion to help Haiti more.

One thing for sure I know: God will bless the great people of Salem Community Church!

still trying to recover

I know I’m going to sound like a whiny butt but I am still trying to catch my breath from Sunday. We had our usual 3 morning worship services at Maranatha and I was privileged to be able to speak in them all. But Sunday evening took on a life of itself. I was asked to speak at Central New Testament Church in Mangonia Park, Florida. As part of my denominational responsibilities, I was asked to install a new pastor. The former pastor, Bishop Alonzo Palmer passed away after 60 years of ministry and 30 years at CNT.

This church is primarily a Jamaican/American church. Their worship reflects their culture and time is not an issue. The service lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes. They introduced me at around 8:30 PM. I was hungry, tired, sweaty (it was hot in there) and I needed a shave. Remember, I had preached first at 8:00 AM at our Palm Beach Shores location. It was 12 hours later and I was still going. Not having the strongest of preaching voices, and realizing that they wanted me to “preach”, I gave it all I had. About 20 minutes into the message, I felt my voice going. But I finished strong and the people responded favorably.

I felt like crawling home that night, I got home around 10:15. It was a great experience but I am still feeling the effects. My voice is still scratchy.

God bless the great people at Central New Testament and Pastor Henry Wisdom!

salesman or preacher?

One of the more difficult things I have ever tried to do is to convince someone to believe in something that I did not believe in.

At times, preachers are guilty of preaching a “gospel” they aren’t living. I am not necessarily referring to the problem of duplicity or a hypocritical lifestyle. I am more talking about the times when a speaker deals with a difficult topic and does so because he has to, not because he is passionate about it or buying into the concept being presented. He is not there himself but he is trying to get his followers there.

This Sunday’s message could be (won’t be) an example. I am talking about A Confident Future. People really need this message because there is so much trepidation about the future. People are scared of an uncertain tomorrow. So my job becomes giving them a biblical view of the future and showing them how God has promised to be with them no matter what.

I have to believe this or I have no business trying to talk others into it.

I do believe it. I do not believe that the future will be easy. I know it will not be problem-free. And I am not dumb enough to try to sell people on the idea of times getting better. But I know for sure that God still loves us and, even though He has told us that things will get very difficult in the future, He will be with us and He will see us through. I am confident about the future.

I am not selling that. I am living that.

come together

At one of our worship services on Sunday, a practicing Buddhist (yes he has been attending our church for about 2 months) asked me why there are so many branches and denominations of Christianity. Why are you guys so fragmented? Why do you have so many Bibles?

Then he said something that stabbed my heart:
“And it’s no wonder why young people in America are running away from your churches.”

After I got over my initial defensiveness, I was able to express my quick view and explain how I see things differently. I am not an overly denominational guy, although I do belong to a particular tribe (Church of God). I don’t see a great denominational divide, at least not as much as there used to be. The particular areas where I am involved are not defined according to sects or labels. I see a lot of people from a lot of backgrounds doing the work of the Lord.

But I see his point. We give ammunition to our detractors. Every time a church splits, the reputation of Jesus suffers. When denominations fight publicly, we all pay for it. When two Christians squabble like little children, we chase people away from Christ.

Let’s get it together. Get over your pettiness. Stop the wars between churches. If you have something against another Christ-follower – forgive and move on.

I am praying that my Buddhist friend comes to Jesus. I am hoping that our behavior inspires that.

i don’t want to be a crabby old man

I blew it yesterday. After church, Letha, Jess, Josh and I went out to lunch at a local restaurant. We were seated at a booth a few feet from a large family: mom, dad and 5 younger kids. We noticed immediately that the kids were loud and unruly and I was annoyed right off the bat. Since the kids were little, I had trouble seeing them all. When dessert was delivered to them, the kids raised their hands and yelled. The dad joined them. I was a bit shocked at how loud they were and I looked over, giving my best “what is wrong with you?” look.

The family finished their meal and left, walking by our booth. Dad left first, leaving mom to herd the kids out. When she passed, the mom looked sheepishly at me and said quietly, “sorry”. I immediately felt like the biggest jerk in the world. I got the feeling she was overwhelmed both with five kids under 8 and with her useless husband.

I don’t want to be a crabby old man. That means I have to stop being a crabby middle aged man.

“Love is patient, love is kind…” I Corinthians 13.

Haiti - parting shot

On our Last day in Haiti, we are experiencing the typical questions and emotions. Did we do any good? Is this place and are the people we met better off because we came? What are we supposed to do with this once we get back home?

I think an appropriate scripture is Matthew 25:37-40: ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (NLT).

In a strange kind of way, I feel like one of “the least of these” that Jesus referred to. I am not hungry or naked or in prison but I am in poverty in many of the ways I live.

When I see the people of Haiti, the people in this community, coming together for prayer and worship every morning at 5:30, I realize I am poor. This morning, they were singing at full volume: “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” These singers lost loved ones in the quake in January. These worshippers have lost everything since then, most of them living in a tent city on the side of a hill with no comforts and little to eat. Yet they sing that everything but Jesus is sinking sand.

I am poor.

Without fail, every missions trip I have experienced left me with the feeling that I came to help but was helped. I came to serve but was served.

I am one of the least.

Haiti day 3

On day 3 of our visit to Haiti, we witnessed a great story. My buddies, David and Paul Weaver, who lead a church in Vero Beach, Florida, met up with the family of a guy (Walta) who is part of their local church back home. He immigrated from Haiti six years ago without his family and has not seen them since. The ladies in the picture are his wife and oldest daughter; the gentleman, his brother. David and Paul took video and photos of the family and emailed them to Walta, back in the States and talked on the phone while he viewed them. His family had traveled 3 hours one way in terrible conditions just for this meeting. He was overwhelmed with emotion during this personal connection with his family. It was an amazing moment. Not a dry eye in the place.

David and Paul said this experience was worth all of the effort and expense required for the trip.

Just another reason why we do this stuff.

day 2

Today, our second day of visiting Haiti, was intense. We worked hard in the heat, putting up several large tents at churches and at a Bible school. This project allowed us to travel, riding in the back of a pickup truck, all over the city of Port au Prince and beyond. In fact, we drove within 30 miles of the Dominican Republic border.

The need of this nation is immense. Mile after mile of utter destruction. The news video from the January quake did not tell the story. And the people are literally all over the streets. Tent cities and homelessness are very common.

I remarked at one point, "I haven't seen anyone smile." There is so much sadness and anger. In fact, several young men yelled obscenities at us throughout the day. They weren't angry at us, they just hate life, and with good cause.

I would describe Haiti as despairing. I sense much hopelessness. The need is overwhelming.

We all feel so insignificant, as though whatever we do, we will not begin to make a difference. But i know better. I know we are helping people. I believe we are making a difference, albeit small. And I cannot succumb to hopelessness.

God help Haiti!

Haiti at last

We arrived in Port au Prince today around 3:00 PM. It is hotter than blazes and the place is a mess. We are strategizing about the week's work. We are all a bit overwhelmed. We would appreciate prayer support.

I'll do my best to keep you updated as the week advances. Should be lots of stories and pictures.

Grace to you!

life changes fast

Last night, we enjoyed a really great time with our immediate family. This is a special and rare treasure for us. In fact, these times only happen every few years. I consider my immediate family as me and Letha, Jessica and Josh (daughter and son-in-law) and Richard, Janet and Grace (nephew, his wife and their daughter). As we were eating a nice meal around our table, I thought that this is the first time that we weren’t missing someone in a long time.

Only a few years ago, 8 to be exact, Letha and I and Jessica and Rich were enjoying happy days in Minnesota. Now, none of us live there. Richard moved to China for four years, met and married Janet and then Grace came along. Jessica went to school in Tennessee, married Josh and now they live and minister in Guatemala. Thankfully, Rich joined our church staff a couple of months ago and Jessica and Josh are itinerating in the States for a few weeks – so we all get to be together for a short while.

I’m telling you, embrace your family when you can be together. Time flies and things change fast. I am soaking this up.

countdown to Haiti

We are 4 days away from our trip to Haiti. I have been on the phone today with our hosts in Port-au-Prince and they have everything in place for our visit. Looks like we are going to spend our time putting up tents for churches and a Bible School. I was kind of surprised that they still need tents, considering it's been over 8 months since the earthquake. I assumed more long-term solutions would be the focus. It just lets us know how very far this country is from recovery.

My prayer today is that the people of Haiti will see the love of God made clear. This will happen at the hands of other people: People loving, people serving, people giving. If I can be a small part of that process, it will be awesome.

my new favorite quote

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.” Peter Marshall

secret passions of pastors

I am betting big money that this title will pull in some readers.

Cool off, no exposés or confessions here. This post has nothing to do with moral failures or temptations or high-dollar TV preachers who are cheating on their fourth wife. This is not as titillating as those things but it is way more important.

I want to write about the high number of North American pastors who secretly, or not so secretly, wish they were doing something else for a living. And I am not talking about the guys who would rather be a plumber because they are discouraged in ministry.

I want to talk about the pastors who would rather be missionaries.

I have a friend who was a successful pastor for 25 years. Six months ago, he resigned his church and is now a full-time missionary. He has never been happier. I have another friend who was a pastor, left there to be a missionary for 5 years and then tried to return to the pastorate. It didn’t work. He lasted about 18 months in the local church and, you guessed it, he now travels around the world doing disaster relief and working with orphans. And he is quite fulfilled. There was a well known and successful Assembly of God pastor named Dean Galyen who, several years ago left a large church in Missouri to become a missionary in Africa. People thought he was crazy and said he was making a huge mistake. He proved them wrong.

I have had numerous discussions with my pastor friends, and I don’t mean a few, about this topic. On Saturday, a successful pastor a couple of hours away told me, “the only thing that is keeping me from making the leap into full time missions is my personal finances.” This guy has been in local church work for 25 years, his current church for 20. I personally know of a dozen or so pastors who, over the past several months, have told me something very similar.

So what is behind this phenomenon? What is going on in the heads of local church pastors that cause them to desire to work in third-world countries rather than in comfortable suburbs? In just a few words: they are tired of beating their heads against the wall with little or no results. Ministry in North America is resulting in miniscule numbers of converts and disciples. Measurable life–change is microscopic. According to most stats, the conversion rate is almost at nil. Many of these same pastors have had the honor of doing short-term missions work and have seen the results of their efforts. They have seen how far money goes in other countries as it reaches the poor. They have experienced jam packed churches with no air conditioning and no running water and no creature comforts. But they have also witnessed these people worship God passionately for hours without complaining. In fact, there are no complaints about how loud the music is or how long the pastor preaches or what songs they were singing. You need to know that, in North America, these are the trifecta of church complaints! The pastors who have seen this on the mission field have a very difficult time staying inspired at their churches where commitment wanes and where most of their times is spent dealing with disgruntled church members.

I hope you are not offended. Don’t be. And I hope you won’t adopt the attitude that says that these guys should just quit and go on to do their happy little missions work. Maybe it would be more helpful if we would start looking at America as the mission field. Possibly we need to call it like it is and agree that the church in North America is in serious trouble.

Pastors, hang in there! If God is calling you to the mission field, get going as soon as possible. But don’t let the discouragement of no progress cause you to go searching for greener grass. The mission field is no picnic.

Bottom line: let’s know what God called us to do and get on with it.

sunrise at Palm Beach Shores, FL

Enjoy these pictures from our sunrise worship service at Palm Beach Shores this morning.

got 1:55?

Helping Haiti from Maranatha Church on Vimeo.

4 steps to changing course (finale)

The last part of this series will focus on making the move – actually engaging the change.

If, after assessment, change is still needed, take action- make the move.

Now, this is gut-check time.

There are a million reasons not to lead change: Change is not popular. It will get you criticized. It is easier just to stay the same. They may even want to kill you (refer to Moses in Exodus 17:4).

There is never the perfect time for change. Sometimes, we get stuck in the process of evaluations – to the point that we freeze. I like the little phrase - "the paralysis of analysis". Don’t try to wait for the perfect time. Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” (NLT) Let’s not get stuck doing nothing and blowing our greatest opportunities. As John Greenleaf Whittier said, “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been’.”

Leaders lead. And many times, change is exactly what needs to happen. A leader that is afraid to shake things up won’t last long in leadership. You have to be strong and be able to withstand opposition. And another consideration – you have to be in it for the long haul. It is completely unfair for a leader to change course and (sorry for the mixed metaphors), jump ship. If you don’t plan to hang around, don’t mess things up for those who are sticking around and for your replacement.

I have yet to mention a very important aspect of impacting transition – consensus. If you are smart, you’ll be sure that you are not alone in your quest for change. Good leaders don’t lead by popular opinion, and God’s kingdom is not a democracy but you’d better be sure the key people and the influencers are on board with you. These people need to be the kind that will run through a wall with you.

So, you are in charge of something, are you? Well, you’d better be ready to bring change. Slow, strategic, deliberate change. If done properly, the result will be worth the pain.

So a quick departing recap:
#1 Identify the need/problem – what’s wrong with this picture?
#2 Set the vision – where do we want to go?
#3 Answer: Is it worth it? – am I willing to pay the price?
#4 Change! Just do it!

Thanks for sticking with me on this series. Feel free to send it on to Twitter or facebook or share it on your blog with the buttons below.

Grace to all!

Rick

4 steps to changing course (3)

Is it worth it?

Did you have growing pains as a kid? I did. My legs used to ache terribly, especially at night when I couldn’t sleep. Growing hurts.

Organizational transformation is costly. There is usually a financial cost associated. There is almost always an emotional cost. Sometimes, change hurts so much it seems like it just isn’t worth it. And maybe sometimes it isn’t.

When changing course with a group of people, there are a lot of considerations. It can be emotional and stressful. People fight change. I think the older and more stayed a group, the more difficult it is to effect change.

The “is it worth the cost” question must be answered in light of the health of the organization. If a group of people is strong and healthy, well-adjusted and vibrant, change is welcomed, even encouraged. Short-term pain will result in long term gain. But if an organization is sickly and diseased, one minor shift can be fatal. The mere suggestion of transition can be viewed as lethal. In these cases, the results of the change may prove worse than the original problem. Reality is, most organizations that are that weak are already dead. Arne Larson said, "If you're green, you're growing, but as soon as you're ripe, you begin to rot." I really hope you are not trapped in one of these situations. If so, get out now.

For the rest of us, change is simply a matter of inconvenience. We don’t want to change because we are comfortable. People resist transition because they are too lazy to change. We have to move beyond these temporary hesitations.

When all is said and done, you have to decide if your group is strong enough to survive the changes you are considering.

If you are on the wrong course and can’t be happy going in that direction, you need to change. Here is something to consider: while change is painful, stagnation is also painful. Nothing makes me more miserable than to be in a dead end situation with no way out. So, you have to decide between the pain of stagnation and the pain of growth.

Weigh the pros and cons - of not changing course and of changing course. Make a list, talk through it with trusted confidants. Do your homework. Then decide, is the change worth the pain?

If so, get moving, launch the change!

To recap the last few days:

#1 Identify the need/problem
#2 Set the vision
#3 Answer: Is it worth it?

The last part of this series will focus on making the move – actually engaging the change.

4 steps to changing course (pt. 2)

#2 Set the vision

We are talking - changing course. This is the 2nd installment (first take a minute to read the previous post).

There are times when we simply have to do something different. When we hurt badly enough … when we are sick of no forward movement … when going back is just not an option. These are the times that call for vision.

Vision has been defined as “a view of a preferred future”. Considering our topic is how to shift directions in an organization, we should think “forward” rather than “backward”. Change can be painful and that is why many people avoid it. Those who resist change spend time talking about history. Those who embrace change talk about the future.

While it may not seem like it, the key question concerning setting vision is: "What will solve the problem?"

Take yourself all the way through and beyond the issue that is holding you back and at the completion of that journey you will find vision.

Leaders find solutions. Peter Arnell said, “True change springs from an idea whose time has come. It is powered by dissatisfaction with the way things are.” Visionaries despise the status quo and are willing to take the risks necessary in order to break out.

I shared in my last post that our church is in process of making adjustments. We usually are. These transitions come from our assessment that we can do better, we can be more effective. It starts with dissatisfaction with the way things are or how they are going. We then develop a vision for what could be. This is our target. "What could be" is our motivation.

You can’t change course unless you know which course to get on. It is equally important to get on the right track once you have abandoned the old one. The end of the course is your vision.

If you need to change course, first figure out the problem. Then, decide your goal. Vision obsession is necessary in order to succeed. Lock in on it, pursue it with passion. You are already half way home!

Now, set the vision and get going toward it!

Next time we are going to talk about the cost of changing course: the big questions: – "is it worth it?"

Com’on back!

4 steps to changing course

This is a four-part article on effecting change. Please stay with me for a few days as each of the four topics require more time than any of us have at one reading.

We are in process right now of some adjustments at our church. These changes are fun and exciting and necessary. But our steps to these changes must be calculated and deliberate. While we navigate these adjustments, I thought about how many people could benefit from knowing how we are going about them.

So here goes:

#1 Identify the need/problem:

Being a “fixer” is not healthy. People who are on a mission to make the world a perfect place won’t survive in real life. But there is something deep inside every leader that desires to see wrongs righted and problems solved.

A skill we need in order to function and stay emotionally healthy is that of distinguishing between what problems we are to tackle and what problems we are to avoid. If something is wrong – in that – someone is getting hurt or in danger, we just have to step up. But how about if an organization is not as effective as it could/should be?

Let’s learn to think solutions. But before we can find the answer, we have to know the question:
Why are we not making progress?
What is holding us back?
What adjustments can be made that will result in greater effectiveness?

Wrestle through these questions with your team. Put your finger on the problem. Call in an outside consultant, if necessary. But shine a light on the issue. It may be difficult. It may be that one of the team members is the issue to lack of forward movement. It could be tradition. It could be lack of leadership skills. But the source of the problem must be exposed.

It is only then that you can think about a solution. Solving a problem is generally the result of a willingness to do whatever it takes. Be brutally honest about what is killing the fulfillment of your mission. Kill or be killed.

Apply this concept to your situation. What is holding you back from become all that you should be?

Next thought in this series: Set the vision. Join me.

God Heals . . . tomorrow

It will be interesting to see how people react to our worship services tomorrow. We are dealing with some raw topics. God Heals is a comforting and therapeutic series that is taking us into spiritually healthy places. But it is necessary to expose the hurt before healing can begin.

Tomorrow we are talking from John 4, the woman at the well. I'll be sharing how Jesus healed her life and how He also wants to heal ours. We are including a testimonial video from Brian Welch, former guitarist for Korn. Check it out.

Brian Welch - Edited from Maranatha Church on Vimeo.

Be with us tomorrow, if you can. If not, maybe give a listen online here.

Sunday evening update: It was great day of ministry at Maranatha. The response to the message was in-depth. People prayed and confessed some very painful past experiences and saw the healing hand of God. We have one more week of God Heals. This is a good season of God's work.

WCAGLS

This week, our leadership team is attending the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit. This is a video simulcast taking place here in Palm Beach Gardens. It is live in Chicago.

While we are only half way through the process and there are a lot of great speakers yet to hear and material to process, I already have been impacted.

As usual, Bill Hybels is speaking to my heart, he is one of my perennial favorites. But this year, Jim Collins is also leaving his mark. I have read his book Good to Great and I own, but have not yet read all of How the Mighty Fall. I love his quote: "Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline."

You can check out his materials and resources at jimcollins.com.

I'll be hitting you up with some more highlights in coming days and weeks.

Grace!

local news media coverage

The following story was in TCPalm newsblast yesterday:

Maranatha pastors prepare for Haiti missions trip

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Two area pastors will travel later this month to Port Au Prince, Haiti, to assist in building homes, security walls and churches. Eight pastors will make the trip—seven of whom reside and pastor churches in South Florida.

Maranatha Church Senior Pastor Rick Whitter and J Simms, Maranatha’s Executive Pastor, will depart on Aug. 28, for the Caribbean country. The Palm Beach Gardens pastors have made a monetary commitment of $5,000 to build a prefabricated house for an elderly Haitian pastor and his family who have been without permanent housing since the January earthquake. During the weeklong trip the team will also be involved in minor rebuilding projects throughout the city. Additionally, the pastors have committed to bring with them basic supplies and monetary contributions to help the people of Haiti.

“We're going to do our little part to try to make someone’s life better,” states Pastor Whitter. “The need is major and I can’t imagine taking enough money to cover everything that needs to be accomplished. We can’t do it all, but we can all do something.” He continued, “We hope to take a good amount of supplies for those in need, along with money to help them with practical needs. We are raising money to help fund these projects. Our tickets are paid for, so every penny that is donated will go directly to assist the people of Haiti.”

For more information on the upcoming mission trip or to make a secure donation please visit Maranatha’s outreach website at www.wecanshareit.org or Pastor Whitter’s blog at www.rickwhitter.blogspot.com.

Maranatha Church is an interdenominational fellowship of believers committed to impacting the world with the love and message of Jesus Christ. The Church is located at the intersection of Prosperity Farms and Lone Pine Roads in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Worship services are held at the Palm Beach Gardens campus Sunday mornings at 9 and 10:45 a.m. and at the Palm Beach Shores campus Sunday mornings at 7 a.m. The Palm Beach Shores campus is located at the Palm Beach Shores Community Center, 120 Ocean Avenue, Palm Beach Shores.

For more information on Maranatha Church please contact the church office at (561) 622-8330 or visit the website at http://www.maranathachurch.org.

to seethe story on their site, check out tcpalm.com.news.