AnthonyMilas.net

WHAT AN HONOR!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:49:00 +0000

What an HONOR and PRIVILEGE it is for us to have a leadership role in GOD'S CHURCH, GRANITE UNITED! Being a LEADER and INFLUENCER in THE CHURCH is the HIGHEST PRIVILEGE on planet earth! Want some reasons why?

The church is the ONLY INSTITUTION that JESUS promised to BUILD and to BLESS
The church is the gathering of TRUE WORSHIPPERS
The church is the most precious assemble on earth since she has been purchased by the BLOOD OF CHRIST
The church is the PROTECTOR and PROCLAIMER of DIVINE TRUTH
The church is the launching pad of WORLD EVANGELIZING
The church is the environment where STRONG SPIRITUAL LEADERS are developed and matured

I love the LORD'S CHURCH and as SHEPHERDS we are blessed to be able to LEAD, FEED, NURTURE, COMFORT, CORRECT, and PROTECT, DA HOUSE! As Shepard's we are not called to be slick celebrities, but humble servants, realizing that what we do, or don't do has ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.

My prayer for us as LEADERS AT GRANITE, is that we will be as COMMITTED TO CHRIST, HIS KIDS, THE CHURCH, as CHRIST was to US, OTHERS, and HIS BRIDE!

DO WE BELIEVE?

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:26:00 +0000

GRANITE LEADERS IN DA HOUSE! I have a question I want us to chew on for a little bit, here it is. DO WE REALLY BELIEVE? Now before you get all spiritual on me, let me share with you a verse of Scripture following the resurrection of Jesus. This verse refers to the people Jesus hung out with teaching for 3.5 years. People who were told Jesus would be CRUCIFIED, BURIED and would RISE AGAIN. Ok, now for the verse...

Mark 16:11, "But when she TOLD THEM that Jesus was ALIVE and she had seen him, they DIDN'T BELIEVE her."

That’s heavy right! GRANITE LEADERS if we are going to see GOD DO THINGS in NEW ENGLAND that we can’t do, we're going to have to BELIEVE HIM, HIS WORD, and HIS PROMISES. We throw out EPHESIANS 3:20 all the time, my suggestion is to take time this week to PRAY through Ephesians 3:20 and ask God to INCREASE OUR FAITH.

RIDICULOUS recap

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Wright) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:20:00 +0000

This weekend's message was ridiculous. And in case you missed any of the ridiculousness, here's a recap...

Pastor told the story of David and Goliath. Everyone was afraid of the giant, and no one wanted to fight him. They stood in fear on the sidelines, in the safety of their tents.

David showed up and said “I'll do it.”

His brothers quickly try to stop him. “This is crazy, David. There's no way you can kill this giant.”

Saul even tried to dissuade him. “This is ridiculous! You can't do it.”

Here's the thing...God works within the realm of the ridiculous. Teenage David took down the giant Goliath with a slingshot. Now that's ridiculous!

The brothers had to have been on the sidelines choking on their words, thinking to themselves, “that could have been me!”

How awful it must feel to know you missed out on being used for something great. I think of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. A man gives three stewards money to handle while he was away. He comes back and the first and second stewards had invested the money and earned their master more. However, the third steward handled things a little differently...

“I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is safe and sound down to the last cent.' The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?” Matt. 25:25-26 (Message)

How often do we stand on the sidelines, in the safe zone, watching others slay giants and accomplish the ridiculous for God? David stepped out to face the giant KNOWING God was going to take over and make it happen. It's all about faith and a willingness to be ridiculous for God. We think our presence in church is sufficient to make God happy, but it is so much more. God's after the best, so why settle for less?

God can only use you if you are available. That may mean stepping out of your comfort zone. That may mean volunteering to help with children's ministry. It may even mean volunteering to help launch the Derry campus. But our attitude should be, “If God can use me, I'm all in.”

Whatever it may be, stop playing it safe and hold on tight. The ride is ridiculous!

When People Leave: Thoughts for Pastors

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:05:00 +0000

A lot of pastors deal with feelings of hurt And betrayal. Yes, pastors have feelings too. Here are some things I shared with them:

1. People will leave your church. No one likes it, but it can be the best and healthiest thing that could happen to your church.

2. Never sell out on the vision. Because at the end of the day you will never be able to keep vision vandals happy anyway.

3. People who want an audience instead of guidance will leave your church when you speak into their issues. But at the end of the day, it's a pastors responsibility to share Biblical truth and make disciples.

4. Even God has had 1/3 of heaven bailout on him.

5. Sometimes God just moves people. He can do that because they are His sheep. However, He always moves them for mission.

How to Keep People

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:01:00 +0000

The past few weeks many of my conversations with pastors have had a common theme...how to KEEP PEOPLE. Honestly, no pastor wants to lose people, but as pastors, we have to guard against trying to keep everyone, or doing church to please everyone. I shared a few thoughts...

1. Help your church fall IN LOVE with Jesus. When people fall in love with Jesus, they wont exist in the church just to be pampered, but to worship.

2. Help your church to follow the example of JESUS who didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE for others. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

3. Don't fall into the trap of trying to please SOMEONE in order to keep them, because you will tick off EVERYONE, and the church is suppose to be about THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.

4. Help the church move people from KINGDOM USERS to KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS. Kingdom users can walk away at any moment. They have either no investment or very little investment in the church. HOWEVER, remember sometimes God moves good people, this is the exception to the rule. KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS are vested in the body, they are a part of HEALTHY SMALL GROUPS, and involved on a MINISTRY TEAM.

5. DEAL WITH SIN. This is a big one. As pastors, when we see SPIRITUAL DRIFT, we must love people enough to speak to them EARLY IN THE DRIFT, as opposed to when things are too far gone. Some will respond amazingly well and will grow and stay.

GRANITE let's keep on keeping on for Jesus. LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE! Let's keep the main thing the main thing! Come on somebody!

How do you spell HEALTH...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:52:00 +0000

I have been in coversations with our CAMPUS DEVELOPER (Court) about how to maintain healthy teams. We believe the result of healthy teams will be a growing church and growing minitry teams. So I wanted to jot down some of my thoughts here...

So how do you spell HEALTH as a leader? How does a leader stay HEALTHY? How does a leader promote HEALTH? How does a leader lead HEALTHY? Let me show you how to spell HEALTH, its...

C.O.M.M.U.N.I.T.Y.

Leaders take note of this, and listen very very carefully. You want to be in ministry for the long haul? You want to develop teams that stay in ministry for the long haul? You have to be encouraged in ministry? You want your ministry to encourage others? You better make sure you are creating INTENTIONAL, PURPOSEFUL opportunities for yor teams to be in COMMUNITY.

Jesus lived in community with His team and we are commanded to be in community with our teams. If all we are doing is showing up on church days to do our tasks with our teams, that is not community, thats how you spell D.I.S.A.S.T.E.R.

GRANITE LEADERS call a time out and and make sure we are not USING people, but we are doing life with people. That is of course, if you want to be in this for the long haul. Don't become a statistic. Remember the grass isn't greener on the other side. You want green grass water the grass you've been given.

I love what God is doing at GRANITE, but as we grow we must fight to stay connected in community. I love you leaders, dont get caught drifting off, thats where the enemy will pick you off. You are too important to the DREAM OF JESUS! Lets do this. If you're not living in COMMUNITY, you can't reproduce it as a leader. Take initiative, take a step. Make improvements, not excuses.

HEART FIRST

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:16:00 +0000

This weekend we were reminded that ministyr is not about using people to get things done. Its a PARTNERSHIP we enter into with anothe rperson in order to GLORIFY JESUS and to fulfill HIS DREAM for GRANITE! Knowing this it is important for us to remember as leaders that those we partner with are REAL PEOPLE, meaning they have feelings and a real need for community.

As leaders lets SLOW DOWN and clear the clutter off our plates in order to CREATE COMMUNITY for those we serve beside. No one needs anything else "to do", and SERVING should be a JOY! I believe that JOY comes not only when we ELEVATE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO (for JESUS and His glory), but when we CELEBRATE AND APPRCIATE WHO WE DO IT WITH!

Here is some food for thought:

How is the COMMUNITY going on your team?
What intentional things are you doing to build strong bonds between team members?
What good thing needs to go, inorder to do the better things, such as spending time in COMMUNITY with your teams?

Remember we need to be connectd to the HEART before we ask for the HAND.

DROP THE AGENDA!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:03:00 +0000

Its been a few weeks since I have BLOGGED, did you miss me! TEAM GRANITE UNITED, I love you, I am proud of you, I am honored to serve with you, and I believe GREATER THINGS ARE YET TO COME FOR YOU and THROUGH YOU. I believe in you TEAM GRANITE, more important than that is JESUS BELIVES IN YOU, He believes in you so much that He has left to you the GREATEST PRIVELEDGE and RESPONSIBILITY in the UNIVERSE, THE GOSPEL!

Now that we have entered 2012 I have somehting I want you to do, DROP YOUR AGENDA! What in the world do I mean by that, because you know how serious we are about systems and organization. Here is what I mean

It's not about preaching and teaching, its about JESUS
It's not about music, its about JESUS
It's not about kids, its about JEUS
Its not baout students its about JESUS
Its not about singles, its about JESUS
Its not about small groups, its about JESUS
Its not about locaitons, its about JESUS
Its not about numbers, its about JESUS
Its not about "salvation notches" in our belts its about JESUS
Its not about gathering together its about JESUS

My point is this everything we do, the PURPOSE IS JESUS! To EXALT, PRAISE, WORSHIP, DRAW ATTENTION TO, FALL DEEPER IN LOVE WITH, INTRODUCE PEOPLE TOO, JESUS!
All the things we do at GRANITE if they dont lead to JESUS, all the agends we have, if they dont lead to JESUS, all the ideas we think of, if they dont lead to JESUS, DROP THEM, DROP THOSE AGENDAS!

Let me remind you of two things Jesus said about Himself. He said HE is THE BREAD OF LIFE, and HE is LIVING WATER. What people need when they step onto our campuses are not agenda's, THEY NEED JESUS.

So this week, before you step onto your campus, YES BE READY, YES BE ORAGNIZED, YES BE PREPARED, but do each of those things to DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF, IN ORDER TO BRING GLORY TO JESUS!

I love you team, lets keep the main thing the main thing, lets keep everything about JESUS! Please make sure every person on your leadership team reads this blog, NO EXCEPTIONS!

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS at GRANITE!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:56:00 +0000

CHRISTMAS is our chance to CELEBRATE thatGod went out of His way to do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. This is one of the things we say at GRANITE all the time, but it's truth. Where would we be without the LOVE OF JESUS! This past week we took a look into the EXTRAVAGENT OVER THE TOP LOVE OF JESUS, and walked away asking ourselves tow questions:

1. Am I as COMMITTED to JESUS as HE WAS and IS to me?

2. Is it as easy for others to see MY LOVE FOR CHIRST, as it is for me to see HIS LOVE FOR ME?

As leaders our LOVE FOR CHRIST, that is rooted in HIS LOVE FOR US, should be the FUEL that sets on fire when it comes to SERVING. CHRISTMAS at GRANITE with 11 services, in 4 cities, located in 2 states, spanning over 6 days, gives us a wonderful opportunity to GIVE BACK TO JESUS, by GIVING OUR BEST TO PEOPLE!

So let me just say it right now, LEADERS THANK YOU for doing all you do to DRAW ATTENTION TO JESUS, so that those close to us and far from Him can know the true meaning of CHRISTMAS! What your doing is CHANGING ETERNITY, and isn't that what this is all about!

7 REASONS TO GIVE JESUS YOUR BEST

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:41:00 +0000

1. The TRUTH - JESUS did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves so we could have what we don't

deserve!

2. The INCARNATION - The WORD was made flesh!

3. The CROSS - No one took His life, He gave it!

4. The BLOOD - No BLOOD, No CLEANSING!

5. The LOVE - We love JESUS, because JESUS first loved us, UNCONDITIONALLY!

6. The PROMISE - Eternal life!

7. THE WORD - Our LAMP, our LIGHT, JESUS never comes up short!

BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAMS

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:13:00 +0000

The third question that I was asked to address at a recent pastors meeting was HOW IS IT THAT GRANITE HAS SO MANY HIGH LEVEL LEADERS, HOW DID WE GET THERE? So here are a few of the things I shared.

1. Developing leaders is both the hardest and most rewarding thing we can do as leaders.

2. Not developing leaders is to set Gods church up to fail.

3. Develeoping leaders requires an intentional plan.

4. Outside of prayer and study, NOTHING is more important the developing leaders. Without
raising up and developing leaders the church is one generation from failure.

5. Recruiting leaders is seeing things in people that they sometimes don't see in themselves.

6. You want leaders who are initiaters, they do not need to be pulled along.

7. Schedule times to meet, pray, and read together, REGULARLY.

8. Show me your leaders and I will tell you what you believe God will do in your church

Remember these are things that I shared with a group of church leaders, church planters who asked me specific questions because of their desire to reach people for Jesus Christ. At the end of the day all we are doing is tring to cooperate with the calling and gifts that God has placed in people. we can never forget that we are not building "organizations" but working with God to mature and develop His church.

What an awesome privilege we have as leaders to pour our lives into people!

HOW TO SURVIVE MINISTRY...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 02:16:00 +0000

One of the quesitons that came up at the PASTORS MEETING was how is it that I have survived ministry for 26 years? I thought this was a great question because there are way to many people who start ministry and never finish. I though about the question, and I also though about it in relationship to my personal life and marriage. I came up with a ONE WORD ANSWER. If the leaders that day were looking for some deep theological answer I am sure they were very dissapointed with my answer, but it was an hooest answer. What was my ONE WORD ANSWER? Its simple really, to SURVIVE MINISTRY, and to HAVE AN AMAZING MARRIAGE, you have to keep it... ready...no i mean are you really ready? You have to keep it...

F.U.N.

Thats right, you have to have F.U.N.! Study the life of Jesus, I mean really study it, and you will see Jesus was a man, a leader who was ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENJOYED life! Really, with all the responsibilities He had on His shoulders, JESUS HAD FUN!

I know we usually dont think of Jesus in these terms, but it is one of the beautiful things about Him! Remember he is the one who said...

Proverbs 17:22a, "A cheerful heart is good medicine,..." NLT

Ministry is tough enough, and the stresses it brings are real to us as leaders and to our families. So make sure one of the things we all work on is KEEPING IT FUN! What say ye?

IF IT WERE EASY...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:35:00 +0000

I HAD THE HONOR OF SPEAKING TO OVER 50 CHURCH LEADER, PLANTERS AND TEAM MEMBERS IN MASSACHUSTTES. THE NEXT FEW BLOGS WILL BE THINGS WE COVERED AS A RESULT OF THIER TOP FIVE QUESTIONS ASKED TO ME. I PROMISED THESE GUYS I WOULD BLOG MY ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS.

MINISTRY - If it was EASY everyone would be doing it. Did you know that in JOHN 6 there were a number of people who QUIT ON JESUS and HIS MISSION? There have always been those who rweach a certain level of committment then fing an excuse, a reason, to ABANDON, to QUIT the mission.

If you read JOHN 6:61 you will discover the seed of DESERTING CHRIST is COMPLANING. The truth is the BIBLE doesnt sayanything else about these "disciples" their story, their opportunity seemed to have dissapeared. How sad! So let me encourage you with a few thoughts.

1. COMPLAINING IS ALWAYS THE FIRST STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

2. Jesus never said our calling would be easy, what He did promise was to never leave us or
forsake us.

3. Not everyone who starts will finish.

4. John 6:64 says Jesus knows exactly whats in a person heart, dispite thier reasoning.

5. Jesus didnt beg the DESSERTERS to stay, He let them go, He honors CHOICE.

6. After the ABANDONMENT of those disciples Jesus looked at those who were left and said, ARE
YOU IN OR OUT, lets settle this now.

I love our GRANITE leadership team, but what we have been called to give our lived too, will not be easy, but it will be worth it. My prayer is that as we enter into the CHRISTMAS SEASON we will decide before hand to BE ALL IN. Lets not let anything or anyone sway us from giving our best to the KING OF KINGS and THE LORD OF LORDS!

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:26:00 +0000

I love this picture, and I have been thinking about HOW LOVED we are by Jesus. Doesn't the thought that JESUS DID FOR US WHAT WE COULDN'T DO FOR OURSELVES just flood you with all kinds of emotion? He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD!

This picture also reminds me of the responsibility and privilege we have been given by the Lord to care for HIS SHEEP on His behalf. As leaders we have the AWESOME OPPORTUNITY to pour ourselves into our teams. So here's what I want to ask you to do. Over the next few days look at this picture, over and over, and think about how THE LORD'S EXAMPLE should influence your leadership and what does that look like practically.

Take the time when you are ready to comment on the BLOG PAGE.

THE SNAKE THAT POISONS EVERYONE

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Team Granite, I found this little ditty and it is worth sharing. As leaders you are held to a higher standard both by JESUS and OUR CHURCH. The bar is set high, and never forget that as a leader you have an enemy looking to use anything and everything he can to DESTROY YOUR INFLUNCE and YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD. So please take the following words very seriously. Its not your reputation I'm only concerned about, its JESUS' and His brides.

It topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, busts reputations, causes heartaches, nightmares, indigestion, spawns suspicion, generates grief, dispatches innocent people to cry in their pillows. Even it's name hisses.

It's called GOSSIP. Office gossip. Shop gossip. Party gossip. It makes headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story, ask yourself:

Is it true? Is if fair? Is it necessary? If not, shut up!

TEAM GRANITE let me know you have read this, and if you are a H.L.L. let me know that you shared this out with your team. There's too much at stake to play games. GRANITE is in an amazing time of BLESSING and FAVOR, and nothing will sacrifice that quicker than GOSSIP, and LACK OF UNITY!

Proverbs 11:9A, "With their words, the godless destroy their friends,..." nlt

GOSSIP will not be tolerated in our church, not here, not now, not ever, CAN I GET A WITNESS!

Ephesians 4:29, "When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you." NCV

LOVE PEOPLE, NOT PROGRAMS

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Jesus calls us to pour our lives into people, just like He did. Jesus did not come to pour His life into programs but in real living breathing people. Programs are not created in the image of God people are. As leaders we need to make an COMMITMENT to the people God brings to our church each and every week not to a program. PROGRAMS WILL COME AND GO, PEOPLE WE WANT TO REACH AND KEEP, IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE!

Programs are nothing more than vehicles to bring people to the place Jesus calls them, DISCIPLESHIP. Programs should be sharp, followed through with, updated, and changed at times. But they are always for and about people. Programs are run by people for people.

So get to know the people who are connecting to your programs. I hope you wrestle with creating better programs that will PUSH THE VISION AND MOVE PEOPLE to become full court followers of Jesus.

So this week, LEARN A NEW NAME, address someone by their name. PAY ATTENTION TO PEOPLE. Work on your programs during the week and then let your programs work for you on the weekend so you can GIVE YOUR FULL 100% ATTENTION TO PEOPLE.

PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD, THEY BETTER MATTER TO US.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Eccl. 11:4, “Farmers WHO WAIT for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they NEVER HARVEST.” NLT

I have been spending a ton of time MEDITATING on this verse. I don’t want to be the person who NEVER HARVESTS. I believe Jesus who gave me the best of Him, deserve the best of me. I know I fall woefully short at times, but I want to be the guy who isn’t afraid to GO BIG for GOD!

As leaders if we are going to ADVANCE THE KINGDOM OF GOD then we must not sit around WAITING for perfect circumstances, waiting to find the time, thinking one day I’ll get to it. We cannot and must not HOLD BACK! LEADERS LEAD, that why it’s called LEADERSHIP. We are blessed at GRANITE to have a team of AMAZING LEADERS, but let me ask you to consider a few things.

1. Are you giving your BEST to Jesus in your MINISTRY, or are you holding back? If you are you’re going to miss the HARVEST.

2. Are you giving your BEST to Jesus with your OFFERINGS, or are you waiting for perfect circumstances? If you are you’re going to miss the HARVEST.

3. Are you giving your BEST to your TEAMS or are you thinking about one day you’ll get to it? If so YOUR TEAM WILL MISS THE HARVEST!

See the decisions we make not only affect us personally, but affect the people who TRUST US as their leaders. One of the greatest things we get to do is to LEAD PEOPLE in such a way that sets them up to hear WELL DONE from Jesus Himself. How cool is that!

So as we go into fall and we GRANITE prepares for HARVEST, the question is ARE YOU READY FOR HARVEST?

I'VE GOT BUTTERFLIES

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:08:00 +0000

I know it doesn't sound very manly but I am so EXCITED and PUMPED for what I see in our NEAR FUTURE. We have had the GREATEST SUMMER in our 14 year history, we have seen DOZENS OF SOULS SAVED, RECORD ATTENDANCES, we will BAPTIZE OVER 100 PEOPLE this summer (Beach Bash 3 Churches), and our giving has been solid. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. What i just described was our SUMMER AT GRANITE, not the year, the last couple of months.

CAN YOU IMAGINE how amazing the fall is going to be?! This is why I have butterflies in my stomach, I love being a part of what God is doing, and GREATER THINGS ARE YET TO COME. I love our church, I love our churches spirit, attitude, sacrifice, love for each other, and our churches LOVE FOR THE LORD. I love our leadership team, thier commitment to honoring Jesus and each other, winning souls, sacrificially giving, and not being afraid to TO LIVE OUT EPH. 3:20. I love our volunteers, there are hundreds who have stepped up and not out, they show up rain or shine, they EXTEND, EXPRESS, AND REFLECT JESUS in amazing ways to our church and our guests. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE doing ministry with so many AMAZING PEOPLE!

I get butterflies in my stomach when I think about the LAUNCHING OF OUR HAVERHILL CAMPUS! Almost 60 leaders have committed to going, to bring Jesus to HAVERHILL! Dozens more will jon them to make room for more people in SALEM, AND TO BRING HUNDREDS MORE TO JESUS IN HAVERHILL. I am so glad we have a church willing to BE LIKE JESUS, and unwilling to sit on their butts "getting fed" whatever that means, lol.

Anyway its been a while since I BLOGGED so I thought I would share what I was sitting here thinking about, BUTTERFLIES, lol.

BOSTON BRUINS THOUGHTS ON CHURCH LEADERSHIP

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:21:00 +0000

1. DON’T CRITICIZE - Vancouver’s goalie criticized Boston goalie on a missed save, suggesting he would have made it. The very next game the BRUINS scored 3 goals on him and he was YANKED from the game, OOPS! Don't get caught up in criticism, focus on bringing your A game each and every time you play!

2. PROTECT EACH OTHER - I love how the BRUINS have each others backs! If you mess with one Bruin, you’re gonna find a bunch of guys standing by the side of their fellow teammate! UNITY MATTERS!

3. EVERY MINUTE MATTERS - Remember how the Bruins lost the first game of the series in the last 18 seconds? Focus and intensity matter for the full 60 minutes, (ha-ha I'm not being critical, it’s an observation). What it shows me is that there can never be a time where we just go through the motions, because there is an opposing team, looking to beat us! MINSTER HARD OR GO HOME!

4. CELEBRATE - I love watching the BRUINS celebrate after each goal. We should celebrate the GREAT THINGS JESUS IS DOING and CELEBRATE BIG! Celebrating not only fires up the team, it fires up the entire stadium. CELEBRATING is CONTAGIOUS!

5. KNOW YOUR ROLE - It is critical that every BRUIN know their role and position and then function accordingly. When they do there is harmony and balance. The results speak for themselves. Tim Thomas can't win a game alone and neither can Krejci. As leaders we must know our roles, and strive to bring HARMONY and BALANCE to the team!

Anyway these are just a few thoughts I had, what would you add?

EASTER CELEBRATION

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:28:00 +0000

WHERE TO BEGIN?!

1. WITH JESUS - Thank you Jesus for all you did so that we could know you. Your sacrifice and unconditional love is beyond comprehension! We love you and celebrate you, and our prayer is that this weekend your name was honored and lifted up in such a way that brings brought you glory!

2. PASTORAL TEAM - I am so proud to work alongside such an awesome passionate group of pastors and their wives, who love the dream of Jesus, their church, and people. Thank you pastoral team for going the extra mile the past few weeks, because of your efforts lives have been forever changed!

3. TEAM GRANITE - I am convinced we have the greatest team of volunteers in the world, yep probably even in the universe! Without the hundreds of people serving their would have been no way to do 6 services in two locations. I am humbled by your dedication and honored to serve Jesus with you. Because of you the family of God grew this weekend!

4. SALVATIONS – How amazing was it to see and be a part of 27 people bowing their hearts and calling on the name of Jesus to be their Savior! May we never get over ONE PERSON let alone 27 PEOPLE coming to Jesus. We are honored almost every week to see LIVES FOREVER CHANGED and my prayer is that we will continue leading these people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ!

5. NEW FRIENDS – This weekend the Lord brought tons of new friends out to GRANITE. Our church has done their part, God has done His, and now it’s time for our leadership team to do ours. Our goal is two-fold, to REACH PEOPLE and KEEP PEOPLE. Please pray for us as we work to reconnect with those who were in church this past weekend.

6. NETWORK CHURCHES – Thank you Jesus for blessing all the churches in our network. Together Lord, we want to reach a world for you. I am so proud of all our pastors and the way they lead!

FEAR THIS...#2

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:04:00 +0000

I once read an article about fear. It said "All of us are born with the fear of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, of public speaking, and of the words "Some Assembly Required." I would like to add my two cents and share A FEAR that is a HUGE THING leaders in church world deal with. It’s called the fear of THE UNKNOWN.

Now let’s be honest FEAR IS A VERY POWERFUL EMOTION! Plus it does not always have to be a negative one. For instance, as leaders we can FEAR missing OUR GOD GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT OUR WORLD FOR CHRIST, and TO LEAD OTHERS TO HIM. This is a good fear, because it can be used to MOTIVATE US to EMBRACE all that God brings our way.

However FEAR CAN BE HARMFUL, paralyzing, and eliminating. It can eliminate you and keep you from the things that you should and are called to do. Your fear comes because we may feel UNWORTHY and UNPREPARED, and it’s this FEAR that becomes DESTRUCTIVE and DEBILITATING.

The enemy tries to plant this FEAR IN OUR HEARTS to keep POTENTIAL KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS from ever becoming all that God intends for them to become. So I have a few words for every leader out there, actually there Paul’s words…

2 Timothy 1:6-9, “6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” NLT

Now hear my words, YOU ARE A ONE OF A KIND, GOD DESIGNED MASTERPIECE, CALLED, EQUIPPED, AND COMMISSIONED BY GOD, FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT! So FEAR THIS…fear potential missed opportunities and embrace what God has saved and called you to do!

PS. This blog has not been COURTLAND approved or corrected, lol, haha!

FEAR THIS...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0000

I think I'll do a couple blogs on FEAR. Did you know FEAR and FAITH cannot coexist? It’s true, and as followers of Jesus we are called to LIVE BY FAITH, and to PUT ASIDE FEAR. So, what are you afraid of? What it is that sends GOOSEBUMPS up and down your spine, brings your heart to your throat and makes you want to get sick just thinking about it? Snakes, heights, spiders, enclosed spaces?

How about the thought that JESUS has entrusted to us the SPREADING OF THE GOSPEL? How about the thought that WE MUST NOT FAIL because ETERNITY HANGS IN THE BALANCE? How about the REALITY that there is no time to play games? The weight of the responsibility JESUS has called us to can be cripple us through FEAR. These thoughts can become intimidating, overwhelming, and scary! These thoughts have the ability to stir up all sorts of NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, but I have some good news for you LEADER. As a follower of JESUS CHRIST, you and I do not have to submit to those EMOTIONS of inadequacy, failure or FEAR! WHY?!

II Tim. 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

So to all the forces of evil, to all the negative emotions, to all those who oppose the church and work of God, I have to say, FEAR THIS! God has filled His kids with HIS SPIRIT, His church with HIS POWER so we will not back down, we will not be intimidated, we will not go with the flow, but WE WILL trust in the Lord with all our heart. WE WILL face the giants, WE WILL fight the good fight of faith, WE WILL lift Jesus High, because the battle is the Lord’s!

So FEAR THIS child of God coming through!

SERIOUSLY...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:23:00 +0000

So I got this phone call the other day from a pastor who was deciding to continue supporting Brother Kim, you know the Brother Kim who sold everything and left everything to move to a communist nation to feed starving children and adults, both physically and spiritually, that Brother Kim. These were the questions this pastor asked me...

What version of the Bible do we use
What kind of music do we play
How do we view sanctification
Are we on the left or right (whatever the heck that means)

Questions he didn't ask me...

How many souls have been saved the past year
How many people have been baptized
How many lives have been salvaged by the Gospel
How many churches are you planting

SERIOUSLY! I almost couldn't believe this phone call. Here was a church deciding to continue supporting Brother Kim not based on how many souls are being saved and fed physically AND spiritually (BY THE WAY HE DID NOT ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT BROTHER KIMS MINISTRY), or how many leaders were being developed in these communist nations, SERIOUSLY! Are you kidding me?

Then I got to thinking, how many of Christians jump ship never asking the new church

How many souls have been saved here in the past year
How many people have been baptized here
How many lives have been salvaged by the Gospel here
How many churches has your church sacrificed to birth

SERIOUSLY! I believe it is this attitude that makes God throw up! SERIOUSLY, you are deciding to support a man who sacrificed everything based on what we wear to church? SERIOUSLY, you will leave a church that is seeing lives forever changed, to sit in a church where you are more comfortable? SERIOUSLY you'll let kids and adults starve pysically and spiritually because of a Bible version? SERIOUSLY, you would rather go to a church and soak it in, then stay in a church and pour it out! SERIOUSLY! SERIOUSLY?

Hey Mr pastor man if Jesus comes back today I don't think the questions you're asking, He will be asking, THINK ABOUT IT! To My GRANITE family I am so proud of you, and honored to serve with you and by your side, the stakes are too high for us to seek to be comfortable. Jesus told us to DIE TO SELF, and to TAKE UP A CROSS.

SERIOUSLY, lets do this for Jesus, eternity hangs in the balance for those close to us and far from God. To my pastor friend in the Mid-West who has been hurt by those leaving the church because of your vision, remember the vision is not for sale, remember we need to focus of the LOST WHO ARE NOT HERE, not catering to the already committed. SERIOUSLY!

To my GRANITE leadership team, lets help people down from their HIGH-CHAIRS, hand them a towel and lead them to die to self and serve like Jesus died to self to serve. SERIOUSLY!

THE BIBLE MATTERS @ Granite United

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0000

Somebody HONOR Somebody, Pt.5 [stevejesmer.com]

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony Milas) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 06:00:00 +0000

This is reposted from www.stevejesmer.com.

HONOR THE WORD OF GOD

I honor and love Your commands. I meditate on Your decrees. (Psalms 119:48 NLT)

We all have questions we want to ask God, big questions. And every weekend we get the opportunity to hear from God through His Word. But do we really listen? Do we really expect to hear from God? Are we honoring God's word in how we attend church, how often we attend church, how we focus during the preaching of God's word?

Honor the Word of God by attending your local church's worship experience every weekend. We get 6 days to work for our families, but we only get one day to worship with our family! Make the weekends count, don't waste your weekend, worship with it!

Honor the Word of God by listening intently to the Pastor's sermon. If you have trouble staying awake, drink more coffee, grab a 5 hour energy, pop a caffeine pill;-) BUT DO SOMETHING... Don't just let week after week go by and you are sleeping through God's message for you! Try taking notes on your smartphone. Try tweeting important statements or principles from the sermon. Try updating your facebook with a Scripture verse from the sermon. And most importantly write down in your notebook or journal HOW YOU CAN BEGIN APPLYING THE SCRIPTURES RIGHT AWAY!

Honor the Word of God by reading it every day. Grab a journal and a bible. Take notes, write down questions, and look for answers in the Bible. Try getting a Bible reading plan from www.youversion.com. I also love THE ONE YEAR BIBLE by Tyndale.

Honor the Word of God by studying it in a small group every week. It's fun to learn the bible in community, and often times its necessary to have accountability and encouragement from other believers in order to apply and live out the Bible. Try joining a life group at www.theDC.tv/groups.

Honor the Word of God by responding to the sermon each week. This might be taking a faith step at the end of the sermon as the pastor leads you, or simply clapping, shouting, or responding when the Pastor prompts you to do so during the message.