11 11 12 Sermon Image Set: Scripture Meditation & Memory Psalm 1:1-3

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Posted via email from Jeff Fuson

For All of the Goal Setters In My Life -- this may just may relieve a little stress! (this time with the link to the article from Fast Company! )

http://www.fastcompany.com/3002763/why-setting-goals-could-wreck-your-life?partner=newsletter

Gotta think about this one some more, but I think he's onto something profound .... Jesus even said, 'What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your soul?'   Matthew 16:26

So, how then do we move forward in life if we don't rely on 'goals' and goal seeking behaviors to propel us forward?  Perhaps it's to walk with God and to do the next thing He calls us to and perhaps it's to have a 'global sense' of who God has wired us to become and to lean joyfully and whole-heartedly into that future.  

I have taught this same 'goal setting' legend in many classes on success and how to move your life forward and yet I've found over the past few years I've not used that material much at all because it just wasn't working for me, either.  I simply cannot teach what doesn't work for me.  So, I'm not surprised by this article, probably more relieved and recommitted to simply walking with God as my primary 'success endeavor'.  

Enjoy Life More by NOT setting goals?  [maybe.  read the article at the link provided]

Jeff Fuson

PhosChurch.com

Journey + Adventure + Community = Phos Church

Posted via email from Jeff Fuson

3 Primary Growth Catalysts for Christ Followers … from Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

God uses three primary catalysts for changing us and conforming us to Christlikeness, but only one is largely under our control.  One catalyst the Lord uses to change us is people.  "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another" [Proverbs 27:17].  Sometimes God uses our friends to sharpen us into more Christlike living, and sometimes He uses our enemies to file away our rough, ungodly edges.  Parents, children, spouses, coworkers, customers, teachers, neighbors, pastors--God changes us through these people.

Another change agent God uses in our lives is circumstances.  The classic text for this is Romans 8:28:  "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Financial pressures, physical conditions, even the weather are used in the hands of the Divine Providence to stimulate His elect toward holiness.

Then there is the catalyst of the Spiritual Disciplines.  This catalyst differs from the first two in that when He uses the Disciplines, God works from the inside out.  When He changes us through people and cirumstances, the process works from the outside in.  The Spiritual Disciplines also differ from the other two methods of change in that God grants us a measure of choice regarding involvement with them.  We often have little choice regarding the people and circumstances God brings into our lives, but we can decide, for example, whether we will read the Bible or fast today.  

Page 17 of "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian LIfe" by Donald S. Whitney

I hope this finds many of my Phos friends finishing up their journey with ENGAGE using the S.O.A.P. Guidebooks -- you still have about 10 days to finish up!!  Invest in your relationship with God today.  Choose to read your Bible and pray today!

peace,

jeff

Posted via email from Jeff Fuson

Great Advice for Church Plants, Growing Churches and other High Impact Enterprises ...

The tendency as an organization grows is to complicate and to bring in the 'MBA's to create policy manuals and processes and procedures.  Whereas, the temptation of the start up is to 'play office' by buying all kinds of office supplies and furniture to help the start up crew feel like a 'real business'  or a 'real church' the temptation at the next phase is to over-complicate and to lose what made you great in the first place.  Don't cave into the illusion that more processes and procedures will make you 'better' or 'stronger' or whatever.  No question that there are a very few processes and procedures that have to be streamlined, defined and organized but be very careful to only add what will really benefit your growth and the health of the enterprise. 

And, don't confuse bringing on great processes with adding layers of complexity and management and oversight.  Some processes are necessary but some policies and 'policing' by boards and managers can cause the start up to lose her way.  

Bring on great processes as needed and build great teams but bring on overarching policy and polity carefully and only after tons of prayer, fasting and study.  In the long game nothing kills the momentum of a great church more than 'bad' polity -- i.e.  how the church is governed, etc.  [ except for radical changes in leadership or the moral failure of a key leader who fails to repent ]

I've been around church land long enough to see the devastation that bad structure and polity can bring to a church that could have & should have become a major force for good.  Instead, their bad structure has led to infighting, decline, loss of key players and lessened community impact.  It happens in churches all over North America everyday.  I've seen great pastors and great churches get chewed up and spit out because of 'traditional' church polity & structures.  Be very careful to put polity and structure in place that allows your enterprise to accomplish it's purpose.  

Here's an article from Fast Company that is related to these ideas that will give you something to think about.  

http://www.fastcompany.com/3002465/where-people-innovate-companies-complicate?partner=newsletter

I'll have more to share about this in the days ahead.

Have a great day,

Jeff

Posted via email from Jeff Fuson

The most stunning photos of 2012...so far!

A seahorse inspects a diver's watch

An illuminated snow tunnel in Russia

Everybody was kung fu fighting

The honeybee’s final sting

Street artist Sainer goes big in Poland

Mount Rainier casting a shadow on clouds

First contact

The Irish Sky Garden crater

Moon bridge in Dahu Park , Taipei

Flight of the devil rays

Gásadalur Village in the Faroe Islands

World’s edge

The Capilano suspension bridge in Vancouver

Fractal patterns in dried out desert rivers

Meditating monks at Pongour Falls

A sunset eclipse

Bora Bora from space

The largest raft of canoes and kayaks in the world

Adaptive roots in the concrete jungle

The Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve

Above the canopy

Colliding rivers in Geneva , Switzer land

The stunning green vine snake

Aurora australis (southern lights) from space

Mount Kilimanjaro from above

The amazing strength of an ant

Yarn bombing a bus in Mexico City

Felix Baumgartner jumps from 71,580 feet

The most incredible aurora of 2012

The Waterfall Island at Iguazu Falls

Overgrown railroad tracks in the forest

A pod of sleeping sperm whales

7 hours in one image

Pixel people perfection

Galactic monsoon

Striking artistry of multiple takeoffs at Hannover Airport

Sailing like a boss

A sea of purple in the badlands of Utah

Putting the size of a whale in perspective

Meanwhile in Switzer land

One boat and 145 water-skiers

Salar de Uyuni after some rain

Outdoor jacuzzi on the Matterhorn

The precious blue marble

Maelstrom at Kauai , Hawaii

Capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia from space

Serenity now

Seal LOL

Beautiful Bern from above

 

 

Posted via email from Jeff Fuson