Life Journeys

What we lose

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Check out this quote from a book I'm reading:

"What we lose by excluding the distinctly feminine from the "official" ministries of teaching and preaching is of incalculable value. That loss is one of a few fundamental factors that account for the astonishing weakness of "the church" in the contemporary context."

I'm just getting into this book, but so far it's phenomenal. It's How I Changed My Mind About Women in Leadership: Compelling Stories From Prominent Evangelicals - it's a collection of chapters written by well known evangelical Christians (Stuart and Jill Briscoe, Bill and Lynne Hybels, John and Nancy Ortberg, Gilbert Bilezikian, and others), with a forward by Dallas Willard. Well researched, well documented, excellent exegesis of the Biblical text, and well written.

What a blessing to serve at a church like Southview where women and men serve according to their giftedness and are encouraged to live out the calling that God has placed on their lives!

January

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Southviewers, we are rolling into 2012 with some serious God-provided momentum, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what God is going to do next! The baptismal waters continue to move, and the Spirit of God has been present in worship in such an awesome way in recent weeks. We’ve got a lot planned for 2012, and I am looking forward to that – but I’m really looking forward to seeing how God will surprise and amaze us this year. I say it often, but I really mean it – what a blessing to be a part of a church that is committed to doing whatever it takes to reach people far from God and help them become fully devoted, mature followers of Jesus!

Don’t forget that on New Year’s Day, we’ll meet as normal at 11 a.m. but SMBS will not meet. And on Sunday, January 8, we’ll have a small groups kickoff event called CONNECT at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall, designed to explain what small groups are all about, answer questions about small groups, and give you an opportunity to meet our group leaders and plug into a group!

Many of you have already signed up for the neXt discipleship classes that begin January 15 – if you haven’t signed up yet, go to our website and click on the neXt banner in the rotating announcements and you can read information about the classes that will be offered and sign up online. The classes will be capped based on room capacity, so be praying through which class you'd like to sign up for and go ahead and do it! I'm excited about the class offerings this January and believe that they will assist us in our mission of reaching out to people far from God and helping believers to grow spiritually more mature into fully devoted followers of Jesus.

In January we’ll commission a new group of deacons and a new Elder at SCC; we’ll have a Family Experience on January 6 that is designed for our families to worship alongside their kids and learn about the new theme in Kids Worship for January; and we’ll have our first Night of Worship on January 18, when we will gather as a church and lift our voices to God in praise together. What a month it’s going to be!

Thank you for being a part of what God is doing at Southview and beyond – I believe the best is yet to come my friends!

Loving, growing, and serving with you,

--Pastor William

Christmas Eve offering at Southview

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:15:00 +0000

I have never seen an outpouring of response like we did for the Christmas Eve offering at Southview this year. We started the tradition of taking up an offering at those services in 2009, 100% of which would go to a missions project. This year, our focus was on clean water - working through Compassion International to provide clean water filtration systems, called Water for Life, to families in Rwanda. The total collected, as of today, is $55,757,50 - that's enough to provide these Water for Life systems to 1,013 families in Rwanda!! Way to go Southviewers - what a blessing to serve with a church that is focused on serving other people in Jesus' name!!

From the Willow Creek Association blog...

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

The local church is a paradox. In some places the church is flourishing and in others it is declining rapidly or dying out altogether. In regions of the world with limited religious freedom, the church is thriving. In China, for example, there are an estimated 100 million believers today, and the pace at which conversions are occurring will soon make China the largest Christian nation on the planet. In other regions where the church was once strong, the future is not as bright. In parts of Europe, less than 5 percent of the populace attends church regularly.

In the United States, with more than 162 million self-professed Christians, the news is sobering. Each year, between three to five thousand churches in the United States hold their last service, close their doors, and put up the “for sale” sign. Statistics indicate that from 1999 to 2009 the combined membership of the major Protestant denominations declined 6 percent, while the national population has increased 12 percent. The proportion of Americans who claim to have “no religion” has increased to 15 percent, up from 8.2 percent in 1990.

A solution of global scale is needed to create a movement of transformed leaders who will turn around local churches that are struggling to survive, who will lead effectively in churches that are presently thriving, and who will plant new churches that are set up for success from day one.

--------

The challenge is before us - as Jesus said, the fields are ripe for harvest.

May God's church rise up and BE the church; may we lead well as we follow His voice; may we care more about helping people who do not know Jesus to meet him than about our own comfort and preferences; and may we do all that we can with all that we have to bring "up there down here" - may His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth just as it is in Heaven!

Great devotional by Rick Warren today on love...

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:54:00 +0000

The Bible Says Love Is a Choice

“That you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:20 NIV)

Today we’ve bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it’s something that just happens to us. In fact, even the language we use implies the uncontrollability of love. We say, “I fell in love,” as if love is some kind of a ditch. It’s like I’m walking along one day and — bam! — I fell in love. I couldn’t help myself.

But I have to tell you the truth: That’s not love. Love doesn’t just happen to you. Love is a choice, and it represents a commitment.

You must choose to love God; he won’t force you to love him (Deuteronomy 30:20). You can thumb your nose at God and go a totally different way. You can destroy your life if you choose to do that. God still won’t force you to love him because he knows love can’t be forced.

This same principle is true about your relationships: You can choose to love others, but God won’t force you to love anyone.

During the Christmas season, we gather to celebrate with family and friends. It is often a joyous time. But I’ve been a pastor for more than 30 years, so I know it can also be a time of tension and heartache.

Is there someone you might have trouble loving this Christmas season — someone in your family, a friend, or a neighbor? God will help you love that person if you make the choice to do so.

That doesn’t mean everything will become perfect; it doesn’t even mean that person will accept your love. But you are the only person who can stop you from loving someone else — because love is a choice you make.

October

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:43:00 +0000

Around Southview, in August and September we ask our ministry leaders to be praying and planning about their ministry plan and budget requests for the following year's budget. In October, the Elders meet to pray through and discuss the strategic plan, vision, and direction for the following year and beyond. We seek to discern God's leading and follow His voice wherever He leads.

Last night, we met for 3 and a half hours, and I walked away from that meeting more excited and encouraged about what's ahead for SCC than I ever have been. On November 6-20 in worship, I'll be laying out the pieces of the strategic plan and budget that we'll be proposing at the Annual Members Meeting on the evening of November 20. We are unanimous in believing that we have heard God's voice and direction in this, and we are excited about what's next.

Don't get me wrong - we're also trembling a little! This is the largest, God sized thing that any of us has been a part of putting together - and we are setting goals and dreaming dreams that only God can accomplish through the faithfulness of His people, the church.

Get ready SCC - the best is yet to come...

Optimism

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Check out this video from author and speaker Seth Godin on optimism - good stuff.

(Thanks to Scott Williams for originally posting this video)

Japan Update from the Willow Creek Association

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:36:00 +0000

One of the organizations that our church partners with to accomplish our mission is the Willow Creek Association. Here's an update from the WCA regarding the situation in Japan:

"In response to the recent tragedies in Japan, we continue to pray for the pastors and churches affected. Only 1% of the Japanese population identify themselves as Christian, yet we believe the Church can have a disproportionate impact on the relief efforts, bringing hope to that part of the world.

We wanted to share a brief update from one of the pastors who serves on the organizing committee for our Global Leadership Summit site in Tokyo:

“Lack of gas food and heating are the major problems for people who are taking refuge in various buildings in hardest hit areas. But this time special prayers are needed for church and church members who have evacuated from areas within the radius of 20 km of Fukushima nuclear power plant. Churches in the area are empty right now. Its reactors are having major problems and our worst fear is their meltdown which will bring radiation exposure--another major disaster. If this happens this will be like hell. They are trying hard to cool down these reactors but the news we watch gets worse every day. Please keep praying for the safety of church members and people and that somehow, by God's special intervention, the Fukushima nuclear power plant will come under the control."

Please continue to pray for the churches and people affected by this terrible disaster. Tomorrow at Southview, we'll have an opportunity to contribute financially to the relief work going on in Japan.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." --Galatians 6:9

Men and Women in Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:42:00 +0000

I've been reading N. T. Wright's book Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters - it's his commentary on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. Much has been said and written on the topic of men and women in church leadership, and anyone who's at Southview for any length of time knows my position and that of the church. I believe, based on the teaching of Scripture, that in Christ we find a restoration of life as it was meant to be - a restoration of what God created and we see in Genesis 1-2, before the Fall and the Curse. The hierarchy and "ruling over" that has been a part of human relationships since the time of Genesis 3 were not God's plan - and we see that in the life, the ministry, and the teaching of Jesus and the early church. Galatians 3:28, Luke 10, Romans 16, and John 20:17-18 illustrate this, among many other passages.

Paul in particular is often quoted by those who hold an opposing view, specifically 1 Timothy 2:12. N. T. Wright offers a compelling interpretation of this passage that you might never have heard or considered. This blog references a paper he gave at a symposium in 2004 - this link to the full text is in the blog.

It is worth your time to read and research this topic. For too long the church of Jesus has chosen to err in how we have treated women, denying them the ability to be all that God created and gifted them to be and do in His church. At Southview, we not only allow but encourage all of our members to serve as God has gifted and called them - no leadership position or service role is open to only men or women. Those whom God has called and gifted, we encourage to serve.

Some may disagree with my/our position on this topic, but I want to be clear that our position is not based on being politically correct - our position is based on the teaching of all of Scripture in its proper historical and cultural context. We always seek what God's Word says on an issue, and we seek to follow that completely. May we always choose to grow in our understanding and obedience to His Word; may we remain teachable and strive to be lifelong learners as we follow our Savior and Lord.

Books for this week...

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:33:00 +0000

I read two books this week, both quite good for different reasons.

First, I read Craig Groeschel's book It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It. Groeschel is pastor of LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma. I heard him give a talk at the Summit a while back based on what he wrote in this book. Groeschel writes exactly like he speaks - you almost feel as though he's in the room with you while you're reading this book. He discusses the intangible "it" that exists and is present when God is moving in a church and in a leader, and how it's far too easy to lose "it" when we take our eyes off God. "It" is not something we can get on our own - we can't make it happen - but we can make ourselves available for God to move and use us. It's a good read - short, but good.

Second, I finished John Ortberg's Love Beyond Reason, a book about the incredible and amazing love of God for each of us. Ortberg is one of my favorite writers and teachers - he's the pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California. Anything you have a chance to read by Ortberg, it's worth your time. This is one of his older books (2001), but as timely as any I've read recently. His writing on the love of God is powerful and moving. Highly recommend it.

Focus

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:27:00 +0000

"If you chase two rabbits, both will escape."

"Do less, accomplish more."

Two quotes from books I've read this week. Both deal with losing our focus by attempting too many things. Instead of trying to do too much, of trying to please everyone and do everything, we need to do a few things well.

What is SCC about? Helping people far from God meet Jesus and grow into fully devoted Christ-followers. That's what we're about.

We do that by loving God and others, growing spiritually and together in community, and serving other people in Jesus' name.

That's who we are. That's what we do.

The temptation, though, is to lose focus - to stop focusing on the main thing and start doing a lot of good things. Jim Collins is right - good is the enemy of great. Far too many churches try to do too many things at once and do them poorly.

Let's focus on what God has called us to do. Let's be the church that God has called us to be.

It's going to be great! :)

Next Generation Leader

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:51:00 +0000

I guess you can tell I've been on an Andy Stanley reading kick lately :) I reread Next Generation Leader over the last few days - still as good as the first time I read it, and insightful with some of the things I'm juggling and dealing with these days. Stanley's five essentials are critical components to leadership in our day:

1) Competence - do less, accomplish more
2) Courage - courage establishes leadership
3) Clarity - uncertainty demands clarity
4) Coaching - coaching enables a leader to go farther, faster
5) Character - character determines the leader's legacy

These five are similar to the 5 things I'm always looking for in a new team member or staff member (credit to Bill Hybels, from whom I learned the value of each of these): calling (if you don't have that, you won't survive the hard days of ministry), competency (crucial - I don't want to do your job for you), character (non-negotiable - teachable spirit and Christ-like character are a must), chemistry (does this person fit well with the team, is there chemistry with the current team dynamic), and culture (every church has one - is this a good fit for ours?).

I love Stanley's writing style, and his Biblical examples of each of these are very helpful in seeing that what he is teaching comes from the Word of God. I'd highly recommend this one to you.

The Truth About Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:34:00 +0000

I got this book on a recommendation from someone else (I can't remember who, or else I'd give you credit). I was introduced through it to the work of James Kouzes and Barry Posner, two names I didn't know but who are "among the most sought after scholars and educators on the subjects of leadership and leadership development." They are both professors at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University.

Based on a TON of research, this book lays out ten truths regarding leadership - they apply in the business world, in the church, in the family, in the community - in ANY leadership context. If leadership is one of your spiritual gifts, or if you are in a leadership capacity of some type, you want to read this book - it's chock full of some of the best advice on leadership I've ever seen.

Some of the truths (actually, most of them) sound like common sense - any seasoned leader will recognize that and remember times in their own leadership when they have seen the truths illustrated (or how a failure to follow them caused serious problems). The conclusions here are the result of over 1 million surveys (I'm not making that up) on leadership from people all around the world. These truths are applicable across generational lines - across gender lines - across national boundaries. They just work.

This is a book I wish I'd read 14 years ago when I was just starting out in ministry (but it was only published last year) - I'd say this is one of the most applicable books I've read in a while, and I'd highly recommend it to you.

Choosing to Cheat

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:27:00 +0000

I finished Andy's Stanley's book Choosing to Cheat on Thursday - a provocative title, and an OUTSTANDING book. This is not one of his more popular ones, but it should be. At only 144 pages, it's a quick read and is written in Stanley's usual style. He's one of my favorite preachers to listen to and learn from (he pastors North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA), and his books are incredibly well thought out and well written. This one is no exception.

The premise of the book centers on the age old tension of work-family balance - how can you succeed at work while succeeding at home? Can you ever successfully balance the two? Stanley's conclusions will surprise you and challenge you - and seeing what God has done in and through his ministry, he has a ton of credibility.

If you are in church leadership or ministry, serve as a volunteer in a church, have a job, or are breathing, this book will be beneficial for you. This will be one of my top 10 recommended books for church leaders from now on!

Surprised by Grace

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:18:00 +0000

I finished Surprised By Grace on Tuesday - it was the first book I've read by Tullian Tchividjian, the pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. I really like his writing style - a great blend between a more academic treatment and a popular work. This book focuses on the book of Jonah (one of my favorites), and Tchividjian does a really good job of covering a lot of the bases that so many miss when they study this book. It's a marvelously rich book - only 4 chapters, but what a punch they pack.

Jonah is a book about God's grace, and Tchividjian does a good job pointing readers not only to the historical and cultural context of the book of Jonah, but also to the New Testament implications and teachings that are relevant to the study.

I'd highly recommend this book - it's pretty short, only 208 pages (about 25 pages of which is end matter), but worth your time.

Come Be My Light

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:43:00 +0000

Over the weekend I finished Come Be My Light, a biography of Mother Teresa that is really more of an autobiography due to the fact it contains so many of her personal letters and writings. One truly feels that you have heard the voice and heart of Mother Teresa after reading this book.

I wanted to learn more about her and her ministry in Calcutta, and the book was very valuable in this regard. One thing that amazed me was the fact that for most of her ministry, she lived and ministered in the midst of spiritual darkness, similar to St. John of the Cross and his "dark night of the soul." She knew the feeling of walking closely with God, as she had experienced feelings of closeness to Him early in her ministry, but as she sought holiness more and more, she entered into this most difficult season of her life.

To continue in obedience, decade after decade, without the "feelings" of God being present - that's powerful. So many of us today rely on our feelings to lead us and guide us, and when it doesn't "feel good" anymore, we move on to another church, ministry, relationship, etc. Yet here is this woman who decided to refuse Jesus nothing - and though she felt distant, she chose to walk in obedience. What a lesson for us all.

Decision Points

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:38:00 +0000

I finished George W. Bush's book Decision Points this afternoon after checking it out from the Reston Library. Wow. An excellent read, and one I'd highly recommend. It gives his perspective and insight on everything from 9/11 and the Iraq War to Katrina and the financial meltdown that took place shortly before he left office. He does an outstanding job of owning it when he made bad decisions and showing how it was a team effort when the right ones were made.

Over and over, he says what I believe to be true - "government didn't change my life" (and can't) - "Christ did that." Only Jesus Christ can change a heart, and the heart condition of people is what's wrong with our world today. The government cannot fix that, and though some try to increase the size, reach, and impact of the government in our homes and lives, it will eventually be seen that only Jesus can fix the real problem - sin.

I'd recommend this book to you - it's worth your time.

Jack

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:33:00 +0000

Just finished Jack Welch's book Jack: Straight from the Gut. I heard him speak at last year's Leadership Summit when Bill Hybels did an interview with him. Fascinating man.

Couple of interesting things from the book:

- “Only a healthy, winning company has the resources and the capability to do the right thing.” Interesting perspective. I'd like to thing doing the right thing is just what you do. But those things can make it easier (and yet more difficult, depending on your moral center....)

- “We learned the hard way that we could have the greatest strategies in the world. Without the right leaders developing and owning them, we’d get good looking presentations and so-so results.” Absolutely true. John Maxwell says it well - it all rises and falls on leadership. I have yet to see a team, a business, or an organization that has a clear vision and pursues it without a strong leader.

- Again and again, he came back to the point that of all his decisions, he couldn't think of a time when he wished he had waited to make a decision. Far more often he waited too long to make a decision, and he had to deal with the results. Makes a good point regarding decisiveness and not wavering between two opinions...

Good book. I'd recommend it, mainly as a good autobiography of an interesting man.

At the Summit, he seemed very close to crossing the line of faith in Christ - that would be awesome. Pray for Jack Welch, that he would see Jesus as who He is, and that he would accept Him as Lord and Savior.

Revolutionary Parenting

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:57:00 +0000

One of the books that I've used in my current sermon series on parenting in wisdom has been George Barna's Revolutionary Parenting. Barna's book is simply outstanding. If I could purchase a copy of this book for every member of our church, I would. It's just that good.

Barna mixes the result of his pain-staking research with examples that illustrate his points. This is a relatively short read (158p), and if you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. Barna's focus on biblical principles, rock solid research, and a commitment to help us all get better really comes through. Every parent I know can benefit from this book; every adult I know can benefit from this book!

Book Review: The Twelfth Imam

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:11:00 +0000

I checked out a copy of Joel Rosenberg's new book The Twelfth Imam from the Reston library. I normally prefer to borrow fiction as there are very few fiction books that I'll read again (though there are some - like Dekker's Circle series - but I digress).

Rosenberg's latest fictional thriller is well written, fast paced, and seemingly well researched. If you are at all interested in current events in Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, and you enjoy the genre of historical fiction, this book is worth the read. I will say I liked some of his other novels better (Dead Heat, for instance), but this one kept my attention. It's the first in a trilogy, so be prepared to be left hanging...

Compassion's Work in Rwanda - How Important Is Sponsorship...

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Check out this blog post from Compassion's website re: their work in Rwanda:

http://blog.compassion.com/life-or-death-sponsorship-makes-the-difference/

The power of one...

Have you sponsored a child yet? You can do that here. Southview partners with Compassion International to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. We work specifically in Rwanda, partnering through the child sponsorship program, the child survival program, the leadership development program, the Bite Back malaria prevention initiative, and the clean water project. Join with us in leveraging the power of one - make a difference in the life of a child in Jesus' name!

What Would Billy Graham Do Differently If He Could?

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 02:06:00 +0000

From Mark Beeson's blog...

Billy Graham (a man who, in my opinion, personifies one of history's greatest examples of a life well-lived) was recently interviewed by Christianity Today. He was asked, "If you could, would you go back and do anything differently?" His response informs my future. I'm planning to take his advice...and I'm passing it along to you.

Graham answered:

"Yes, of course. I’d spend more time at home with my family, and I’d study more and preach less. I wouldn’t have taken so many speaking engagements, including some of the things I did over the years that I probably didn’t really need to do—weddings and funerals and building dedications, things like that. Whenever I counsel someone who feels called to be an evangelist, I always urge them to guard their time and not feel like they have to do everything.  I also would have steered clear of politics. I’m grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn’t do that now."

The Good News About the End of Christian America...

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:13:00 +0000

This is the subtitle of a book I received for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for review, titled "The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith." I have to say, the subtitle caught my eye! This is an outstanding book that will make you think. Whatever generation you find yourself in, you will find much to ponder here.

His examination of the values of the 20th century Christianity in which most of us were raised is excellent. His question: "Did Jesus die only so we could get out of this place and go somewhere else?" is quite challenging, especially to those who only know church as a place where the altar call is the method of introduction to Jesus.

Lyons explains that "God's story is made up of four key parts: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration (and ultimately consummation). The truncated Gospel that is often recounted is faithful to the fall and redemption pieces of the story, but largely ignores the creation and restoration components. These missing elements are at the heart of what a new generation of Christians are relearning, and subsequently, retelling."

Gabe Lyons is an excellent writer who illustrates each chapter with read world examples of what he is seeing in the world with regard to the next generation of Christ followers. We find ourselves now in a pluralistic, postmodern, post-Christian culture - but Lyons speaks of a new focus on the church as it was meant to be. Here is a book about Christ followers in the 21st century that are more concerned with what they are for than what they are against. His chapters examine these Restorers who are provoked, not offended; who create rather than criticize; who are called, not employed; who are grounded, not distracted; who value being in community, not being alone; and who are countercultural, but not relevant. The countercultural chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

I'd highly recommend this book to all who seek to carry out the mission Jesus gave us in our present context.

Four Guardrails

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Last Sunday I talked about four simple guardrails you can put in place in your life in 2011 to help you grow in your walk with Jesus:

1) Read the Bible every day.

2) Pray every day.

3) Work on one or more areas of discipline in your life (physical, financial, etc.)

4) Seek out an opportunity to put into practice what God is teaching you through His Word - an opportunity to serve others, show compassion, or use your spiritual gifts, talents, and passions.

If you do these things consistently, then on January 1, 2012, you will look back at 2011 as a time of spiritual growth. But you have to commit to do it - to be consistent - that's crucial.

This sounds so simple - and that's because it is. By starting here, we lay the foundation for all that God wants to do in us and through us in 2011. By spending time in God's Word and in prayer every day, we open lines of communication with God, hearing His voice and seeing His will for our lives, that we would not have heard or seen otherwise.

I'm using YouVersion for my Bible reading this year. I'm kicking it off with a 90 day reading plan - through the Bible in 90 days. It sounds like a lot, but read the description of the plan:

How long does it take to read through the entire Bible? Would you guess just 90 days? The Bible in 90 Days is a Bible reading plan created by Ted Cooper in 2002, designed to walk you through the Bible over the course of just three months. That works out to 12 pages of reading each day—a commitment, but certainly manageable, and one that’s well worth making.

12 pages a day - you can do this! You can join Southview's community reading group here and we'll share what we're learning together.

Disturbing The Present

noreply@blogger.com (William) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Saw this in Dawn's weekly email to Southview's worship team:

"There is no improving the future without disturbing the present."
--Catherine Booth

Wow. So true. Thank God that He "disturbed the present" by sending us Jesus!!