Get Hope?

So Yesterday, a friend & I paid a visit to a church around the corner from me. A $40 Million Dollar Facility. Impressive. Or made me jealous in some ways.

Hope Community


There were some cool moments though. Meeting and hanging out with the staff. Hearing the stories of God's story.

The ones that really hit me was the ones about their receptionist.

She used to work for Thy Dollhouse, as a stripper. Came to the Lord. The finance committee helped her with her bills (Going from making loads of $$$ to hardly any was hard) and she on her own decided to not stay with her live in boyfriend and moved back home. (On a sidenote, my friend was taking pictures for his church because of their possibly using the same architect and recommendations and to get some ideas and the receptionist was Shy and didn't want her mug taken - we thought it odd, and still are like after hearing about her story ...makes some sense).

So the receptionist had friends come to the church as well. One used to work @ the Dollhouse - (was asked after winning Amateur nite via encouragement from her husband). After this women went to be stripper, her husband left her. She came to the Lord later, and now her and her husband are reconciled and there @ Hope each Sunday. It was good to hear the encouraging stories. I do wonder on the struggles the church has had to endure to get this far in 12 years.

Nice to have neighbours though that know the Kingdom of God is bigger than their own little community.

Top 10 Mistakes Youth Pastors Make

Some insight from an Interview



Some Resources:



Things They Never Taught you in Seminary
Practical tips for dealing with the nitty-gritty issues of pastoral life by Deborah and James Bushfield Herald Press, 1994.

The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Makes - Hans Finzel.
Victor books, 1994.

What I wish my Youth Leader knew about Youth Ministry by Mike Nappa

8 Habits of an Effective Youth Worker - Tim Smith.

All star Bloopers from All-star Youth Leaders - group.

Things They Don't Teach At Bible College ....
But you Really Need to Know About Youth Ministry! By Todd Clark. Foreward by Les Christie.

Ten Skills They Didn't Teach you in Seminary by John Gocke


And here are my Top Ten: (Adapted from Top 10 Mistakes Leaders Make)

1. Attitude - make sure our attitude reflects the Saviour.

2. Paperwork Before People - Ministry is about Relationships.

3. Absence of Affirmation - Encouragement goes a long way.

4. No Room for Lone Rangers - You are not alone in Ministry.

5. The "I know all the Answers" Guy - Don't give Pat Answers.

6. Dirty Delegation - delegated those things you just don't like to do.

7. Communication Chaos. It is always better to overcommunicate than to undercommunicate.

8. Missing the Cues about your Church culture. There are some Sacred Cows of the Community you work - and to touch them could me updating your resume.

9. Success without Successors - Idea to have those that to do ministry even if you are to go elsewhere.

10. No Vision. Cast Vision, Give perspective and hope for the future.

And of course there are more - have some boundaries and accountability when it comes to dealing with finances, the opposite sex, and dealing with conflict.

Plagiarizing and Ministry

My friends over at Think Christian
have this Blog Entry


I find it amusing. I enjoy doing research, offering resources for FREE, and helping out but there has to be some effort to put your mark and take for ministry. I had a Senior Pastor that preached from a Book word for word. (I still remember the title: How to Love someone you can't stand). Sad really. And then I heard one of my favourite authors was fired for plagiarizing from Bob Russell(Bob Russell's sermons from his radio show) (article here
. He wrote a book entitled, Escape From Church, Inc. That made me SAD. And then @ a Teen convention I heard a seminar plagiaring Mike Yaconelli and telling the story of Sadie as if it happened to them. And then also at a youth convention - where the Main Speaker was paid - He spoke from a book entitled Great Youth Outlines and Discussions.

Is plagiarizing something new? Nope. I just pray that the pastors that do it are convicted to STOP!

As someone once told me - Quoting only one source "Plagiarizing"

Quoting 3 or more sources : RESEARCH

Adding your insight to the Research "Priceless"