We're Moving!

We have changed The Journey Experience to the Journey X to give you a more enhanced experience. In self-hosting we able able to add new features.

Yes our new Self-hosting site is:

www.TheJourneyX.org

Disclaimer: Our new site is up but we are still working on it so Please excuse our dust as complete the construction of our new site.

This site for a while still be live for a while but we will be posting on our new site. We have to figure how to transfer our post to the Journey X.

Thank you so much for your support! 

You are a outstanding group and we really enjoy sharing with you. And look forward to continuing our conversation on our new site at www.theJourneyX.org .

God Bless!

Christ Is Risen

Christ Is Risen - Matt Maher - LifeChurch.tv Church Online 

No matter where you are spiritually as Christians we believe in resurrection. God can take what has died and bring it back to life again. He promises to do it for His Bride...the Church! 

 

What does it mean to be the risen Church?

Red Letter Revolution: a Review

by Philana Crouch

Red Letter Revolution: What if Jesus Really Meant what He Said is a new book by Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne. I have read books by both men in the past which I have really enjoyed. So I was excited about the prospect of a book co-authored by both. Red Letter Revolution did not disappoint.

The format is a bit different than most books. It's almost like a screenplay or transcript with both Campolo and Claiborne in a dialogue. I really liked the format, it allows you accurately see what each is saying. I've read books in the past by more than one author where it was difficult to tell the difference.

The book covers a variety of topics that are being discussed within Christianity today and across denominational lines. But the basic premise on addressing each of these issues is what should a follower of Christ do in light of the words He spoke. They desire to be Red Letter Christians, a reference to some editions of the Bible where the words of Christ are printed in red ink. Its a reaction to the negative connotations of the label evangelical. They adopted this because they wanted "to emphasize that we are Christians who take the radical teachings of Jesus seriously and who are committed to living them out in our everyday lives." They do not ignore the rest of the Bible, but believe everything in Scripture must be filtered and interpreted through the life and teachings of Jesus.

I think Shane Claiborne expresses well what the goal of being a Red Letter Christian is and what questions each person can ask themselves:

We read the Bible again, without all the commentaries, and ask, What if he did really mean this stuff? I’m not as concerned with figuring out every minute theological question as much as I am reading the simple words of Jesus and trying to live my life as if he meant them. If I can be a little more faithful today than yesterday to love my neighbor, pray for my enemies, and live like the lilies and the sparrows, I’m doing well.

Do Campolo and Claiborne succeed? At times yes and at times no. This would be true of any book. No author will ever get it all right. But what they succeeded in doing in Red Letter Revolution is to get me to think and ask questions. I think that's a good place to start.

Both seek to get beyond the labels of Right or Left, liberal or conservative, and focus on Jesus and what He taught. They point out that their are things both sides get wrong and right. That to truly be a voice for truth in our world, we need to take a page from the Hebrew prophets. By boldly speaking truth to power, just like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, or Daniel did. To imitate the lives of the "holy troublemakers" of the Bible and history of the church. They want the focus to be on Jesus!

I think the authors were attempting to look at different issues in light of what Jesus said and did in the Bible. In much of the book I think they accurately reflected what we read in Scripture. The areas where I think they fell short have nothing to do with salvation, but are differences in biblical interpretation that exist within the Body of Christ. My purpose in writing this review is not to get specific, that's something each reader must consider in light of what Scripture teaches.

You will not agree with everything in this book. But it will get you to step back and seriously consider how Jesus said we should live. This would be a great resource to use in a group study.

Let me give a few suggestions on how this book might be used profitably. Take a chapter and consider what Tony and Shane have to say. Discuss it with a group. Spend some time studying what Scripture says on that topic.

Readers will find at times that they disagree with them. At other places readers will think they missed something, or failed to look at all sides. But they will also find that Tony or Shane will also point at some things that have been missed or overlooked by Christians. They challenge us to take seriously what Jesus had to say and then to go and live it out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Amazon Purchase Links:

• Kindle Version
• Hardcover

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5 Ways Leaders Can Kill a Team

by Daryl Crouch (crouchdk)

Enable others to slack off

As a church leader it is easy to jump in to get the job done. After all you want it done right. As a pastor I have noticed that in the church you have an 80/20 scenario. 80% doing little or nothing and 20% doing most of the work. Now be careful, it is not because the 80% doesn’t want to do anything. The 20% is usually doing so much that they are enabling 80% to do little or nothing.

Morguefile  http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/694504

It is crucial for a healthy church to empower its people. As Leaders in the church we need to permit people to learn and grow. This is scary to most because we want everything to be just right. The how to’s will be another blog later on. We are going to do a series on discipleship. Getting back to the point. By allowing individuals to move forward and even fail we are allowing them to grow.

Try and Second Guess  

I have done this myself. You are working together with a team and make the assumptions that you know what the thoughts, agendas, and motivations are. When this happens you are in trouble. The trust and ability to work together begins to breakdown. The malfunctioning disintegrates slowly and before long you have team members bailing out.

Don’t Listening to others

Communication is essential to the health and welfare of Leadership. An important principle that is paramount to the cohesiveness of the church is good listening skills. To communicate well we simply need to listen!

Look out for your own interest

The best example is to look at Jesus’ life. Do we have the best interest of others at heart? Christ whole life was for others. He laid aside Himself to do for others. Read Isaiah 53.

Lack of Community

A Church needs to have a sense of community. With community you are not forcing work on each other but working together for a common good. A community sets up a situation that invites everyone to be involved.

Though this list is not exhaustive it represents some of the killers that is prevalent in our churches.

What else can you add to the list? What do you think can be the main killer in church leadership?

"With: Reimagining the Way you Relate to God" by Skye Jethani

Reviewed by Philana Crouch

Many Christians desire a closer relationship with God, but feel like they are missing something. They follow the formulas and read the Christian Living books found at their local Christian bookstore. They read their Bibles and pray their prayers and know something's missing. But what? Skye Jethani proposes in his book With that what's missing is how we relate to God.

Four Postures

Jethani delves into four postures or ways we relate to God that are unhealthy and definitely unbiblical.

• Life From God - people desire things from God, but have no interest in God Himself.
• Life Over God - if you do the "right things" God will have to do what you want.
• Life For God - the focus is on doing lots of things for God.
• Life Under God - live a righteous life and everything is supposed to go well.

A Fifth Way

Jethani proposes that what is missing is Life With God, where the focus is on desiring and treasuring God. He describes it powerfully by connecting it the Book of John.

The opening verse of John’s gospel is one of many texts in the Scriptures that support the Christian belief in a trinitarian God. The Trinity, the notion of one eternal God existing in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) is a foundational, and admittedly mind-twisting, doctrine of Christianity. But it is also where LIFE WITH GOD finds its origin. The Trinity reveals that we worship a relational and personal God. He is not an impersonal force as some Eastern philosophies teach, nor is he a disinterested creator as Enlightenment deism has advocated. The Christian God is a personal deity who exists in eternal community with himself. (pg. 13)

Life With God is based on desiring that personal relationship with the Creator...a return to the Begininng...to Eden! It's a journey worth taking!

Purchase Kindle eBook

Purchase Paperback

 

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5 Ways to turn Your Life Upside Down

by Daryl Crouch (@dkcrouch)

We Think we are heading in the right direction only to find out we really don’t know where we are. We are Lost! Jeff Goins in his book Wrecked says this, “Most people don’t know who they are—sounds trite, but it’s true...They’re struggling to find meaning in their lives. They’re floundering, lost in a cloud of insignificance and mediocrity.”

Morgfile http://mrg.bz/9NLU5L

Is that you? Are you only satisfied with mediocrity. With living a status quo life? Here a 5 ways to turn you life upside down. You will not be the same.

1. Upside Down Start

Oh No! I slept through the alarm! I’m going to be late to my appointment! Sounds familiar? One morning I had an appointment to meet with a couple to regarding a crisis they were facing. I slept in because of a late night church board meeting. As I was driving to meet with the couple it hit me. As a pastor I was dealing with something that is critical to this family. It turned my life upside down. I had to do something different to be effective. I had to try something different.

Try something Different

Instead of jumping up and racing off l find if I spend a moment in quite reflection - I change. This change is accomplished by spending a quite time with God. Reflecting and talking with Him. This helps me to be more effective in dealing especially in a time of crisis.

Prayer is of the utmost importance to the life and attitude of an individual. Begin your quite time by asking God to open your eyes to people you come across. To see, hear, and feel people like Jesus did. Then with compassion reach out and touch a life.

 2. Upside Down Approach

It is easy to be critical about people. I have evaluated someone and when I understood their situation I discovered I was originally way off base. None of us appreciates someone judging us. With an upside down approach we genuinely care for individuals without any strings attached. We accept them at their point in there journey.

Did you know Jesus showed us how to let others know we are His follower? John 13:34-35. I like how the NLT puts it. “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” For further reading on this check out: 1 John 4:7-8, 1 John 4:19-21.

Our life begins to shift when we look differently at people. We begin to stop pursuing our own selfishness.

3. Upside Down Ideas

Try to help alleviate suffering. “To Alleviate is to make something easier to endure.” Try some of these ideas.

Volunteer:

• Food Pantry
• Soup Kitchen
• Mentoring someone else
• Tutoring
• Hospital
• VA
• Homeless Shelter
• Senior Citizen Center

Get involved:

• Get involved with a small group ministry
• Local church
• Start a ministry
• Community projects

4. Upside Down... Forgiveness

This is a hard one. Probably because we don’t understand forgiveness. In Micah 7:18 we see God’s Forgiving Grace. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” (Micah 7:18, NIV)

We have a God who delights to extend His mercy and grace to us. No matter what you have done God will forgive you. What about forgiving others? Luke 6:37 gives us three fold guidance. One do not judge others. Condemn ... Second forgives others. The result would be we are forgiven.

Imagine someone has just done something wrong against you. They are expecting you to come unglued. Instead you forgive them. That’s turning your life and their’s upside down.

5. Upside Down End

Close the day as you begin. Spend a quite time with God. Part of my quite time is reflecting on His Word. Read the Bible and applying it to my life.

What are some of the ways your life is turned upside down?

What Happens in a Compassionless Environment

by Daryl Crouch (@crouchdk)

George (fictitious name) was a leader in our church. He was accused of mismanaging the church’s funds by the pastor. It was totally a false accusation. With this scenario there are one of three choice that people could make. First, they could side with the pastor. Second, they could have empathy. Third, they could have compassion.

 Siding with the pastor 

Courtesy of Morgfile  http://mrg.bz/q3b1J

Let’s role back the clock and give a little background on the pastor and the situation. The pastor shared with me several months before that he wanted me to help him take back control of the church. He felt George was standing in his way of controlling the church. My response was that no one should have control of the church except Jesus. He is the head. We all are here to work together as a team because we are the body.

There were some who sided with the pastor. The problem you have once you start fabricating a lie about someone or something it doesn’t stop there. The pastor set in motion a misrepresentation of George that he could not stop without revealing his own untruthfulness. The lie exploded like dynamite. So now the pastor has created a toxic church environment.

Showing empathy

It is important to have empathy towards others. Empathy gives us the understanding what someone is going through. The dictionary says empathy is, “The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”

In the situation with George there were some who showed genuine empathy. During this time George and his family needed more than empathy. Some people at church really felt bad for George. Despite the injustice these members were so comfortable with the status quo at church that they did not want to rock the boat. It was bad enough that myself and George had to take a stand and simply walked out of the church not to return. This group did not understand why. They thought it is was a bad situation but church should go on as normal.

By their lack of action they began to live a lie. This church was being transforming into a dangerously toxic church. You cannot live a lie for long without becoming deadly. Sin is sin and has to be dealt with. Read Matthew 18:15-17.

Showing Compassion

George and his family needed people who genuinely cared. It is good to have empathy toward others. It is essential for empathy to be transformed into compassion. Matthew 14:14 says, “He had compassion on them”. You see with compassion there is an action that takes place. The scripture goes to say He “healed their sick”. What would have happen if Jesus had empathy instead? Then scripture would have said, “He had [empathy for] them” then instead of the healing it would have said, ‘He walked on by.”

Philana Crouch (@prcrouch) shared with me-“compassion is empathy with action.” The word compassion simply means to be along side of someone in their suffering or passion. So in this scenario what George needed was people to be along side of him and help along the way.

I like how Jeff Goins puts it in his book Wrecked. “If you’re really helping someone in pain—if you’re really experiencing compassion—you can’t help but hurt, too.” We live in a world that is broken. The only way to fix it is to allow Christ to reach through us. Change comes one person at a time.

Jeff Goins goes on to in his book Wrecked and says, “And if you are going to change something, you are going to have to enter into the brokenness and experience some of the pain therein. The only escape from this reality is to live only for yourself. And we all know what that gets us: exactly what we already have.”

It’s sad but this church has dwindled down from a growing church to only a small handful of people. Christ calls us not only to empathize but to show compassion to those around us.

How do you show compassion? How have you experienced compassion? Share a moment you have shown or experienced compassion.

Bold Prayers

This is a short 9:53 video clip by Greg Groeschel.

Watch the entire message here: http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/bold/2

We have a choice. We can play it safe or we can seize the life God has in mind for us. What's it going to be? Come explore what can happen when we become Bold.

10 Easy Ways to make Church Services More Boring

This is from Tony Morgan Book Killing Cockroaches. It give us some insights on what we are doing in our churches. How can we make the worship experience more interactive and creative for all involved.

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com/archive/display/724487

Don't worry about when you finish

I'm sure no one has plans after the service.

Straight Scriptures, no stories

Jesus didn't teach that way, but you're obviously a better teacher than Jesus.

No television, no movies. 

It's just a phase. People don't really need visual stimulation. They prefer talking heads.

Use the same service order. 

Every week. No exceptions. Ever.

Make more announcements..

Encourage elementary school kids to sit through your services. 

They love lively 45-minute sermons. It's good for them. It builds character.

Talk more about the past 

and less about the future.

Use the same song every week. 

And try the chorus one more time.

Use lots of big words 

that no one uses in normal, everyday life.

Forget relevant topics and life application. 

That's overrated. People are really only interested in hearing what you think, not why it matters to them. OK, you probably get the point. The question is this: What are you doing to make your services memorable and impactful? Or do you believe unchurched people, people who aren't already in a relationship with Jesus, should just be expected to to show up and put up with something they perceive as boring?

Morgan, Tony (2009-03-01). Killing Cockroaches (p. 19). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Get the Most out of the Road Map

By Philana Crouch

Tools to Start

The Bible is truely a remarkable book! But sometimes as we begin our journey it can be overwhelming. We can even feel a little bit lost. So we are going to look at some tools that we can use to better understand the Bible. Then we will look at some steps to take while studying.

Choosing a Translation

The first thing you need to study the Bible is a Bible. Since the Bible was originally written in Hebrew in the case of the Hebrew Bible [1] (with a few portions in Aramaic) and Greek in the case of the Greek Testament [2] most will have to read the Bible in translation. There are many excellent English translations available. In fact you can visit a site like YouVersion or Bible Gateway you can read and compare them to find one that you can understand.

Let me share a few translations that I enjoy using. These translations were all done by various translation committees, they include scholars from a variety of denominations. This is important! Whatever translation you choose for the purpose of studying the Bible you want to avoid a version done by one denomination or a single individual. This will prevent a biased translation.

New International Version (NIV)

The NIV has been a popular translation for many years. In 2011 it went through an update. I have enjoyed using it both for reading and studying the Bible.

New Living Translation (NLT)

The NLT has also recently become a popular translation of the Bible. It renders the ancient text in clear English and due to changes in the English language it has been updated to reflect current usage. While it is at times confused with the Living Bible, a paraphrase of the King James Version, the NLT is a translation from the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek languages.

Common English Bible (CEB)

The CEB [3] is a completely new translation that was released in 2011. The goal of this translation was both accuracy of translation, but one that is clearly readable in English. They have done an excellent job in doing so. I am currently making my way through the Bible using the CEB.

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The NRSV [4] is an excellent translation. It is more literal in its translation, but very readable. It is often a favorite with scholars. I found it used by many of my theology professors both during my undergrad studies and my years at seminary.

Whichever translation you choose it's important to read it. If you are an auditory learner consider using an audio Bible. You can find several on the web at sites like YouVersion and Bible Gateway. You can get Faith Comes by Hearing NRSV Hebrew Bible and Greek Testament audio Bible in Amazon's MP3 Store for free. They can be downloaded on iOS devices using the Amazon Cloud Player app.

A Reading Plan

The Bible is a large collection, so having a reading plan is important. A reading plan is a list of passages or chapters of the Bible to read each day. Thankfully over the years many committed followers of Jesus have complied a variety of them.

In his book The Divine Mentor, Wayne Cordiero writes the following insight into the need for a Bible Reading Plan:

The loneliest people in the Bible are the Minor Prophets. I can almost hear one complaining: ‘‘These Christians never come to my house! They visit David and Solomon consistently. They visit the disciples and Paul regularly. Maybe once a year they even visit our eccentric cousin, Jeremiah. But they don’t ever come to my house.’’ And immediately all the other Minor Prophets shout their agreement: ‘‘Amen! Alas, we make much food—yea, even a banquet—and yet they come not!’’ (pg. 94)

Without a reading plan it become too easy to just read only certain portions of Scripture, and sadly ignore others. The Apostle Paul tells us that the entire Bible is useful for teaching sound doctrine and setting the limits of Christian orthodoxy (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But if we don't get to know all of the biblical writers we will have an incomplete understanding of who God is.

Electronic Tools

YouVersion

This free website an mobile app provides access many Bible translations (in many languages). It also provides several Bible reading plans, and the ability to take notes. You can listen to audio Bibles and will find many reading plans. Scripture verses and your notes can be shared on Facebook and Twitter.

Faithlife Study Bible

The Faithlife Study Bible is a brand new digital study Bible. You can currently get it free until March 2014 where it will change to a modest subscription fee (this will be constantly updated with new content, so the fee is to help cover the costs of expanding the content). They will not ask for any payment type unless you wish to purchase extra Bible translations beyond the free Bible given. It includes the Lexham Bible Dictionary, a quality Bible dictionary that will assist you in studying and understanding the historical and cultural context of the Bible. You can find information on how to get it for free here.

Steps for Study

Pray

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (part of the Triune God) to lead us into all truth (John 14:26). Peter, an eyewitness to the earthly ministry of Jesus, points out that this same Holy Spirit also was the one moving the writers of the Bible (2 Peter 1:20-21). Being in communication with the Divine Author of the Bible is an important part of studying the Bible. We are also told that we need the aid of the Holy Spirit to understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). Since the things of Scripture have their origin in the mind of God, we need God's Spirit to help us understand them.

The means of communicating with God that is taught in the Bible is called prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. So it's important to talk to God and ask Him to help you understand what the Bible is saying.

Read in Context

Don't just read a bit hear and there. That's not how the Bible was written. It's important to read it in context. Don't skip from verse to verse or book. Read through the entire work. For example, if you decided to read and study through the letter of Philippians, read through the entire letter. That way you will understand what the Divine and human authors were trying to say. When you choose a portion of Scripture to study you need to read its surrounding context.

As you read you will come across people, places, or things you are unfamiliar with. This is where tools like the Lexham Bible Dictionary can help. Let's say you decide to study Luke 18:9-14 and as you read you see two people described as a Pharisees and a Tax Collector. Now you may think you know why they didn't like tax collectors (but in the 1st Century there is more going on than hating the IRS). You might also not be very familiar with who the Pharisees were. If you decide to get the Lexham Bible Dictionary (you can use it for free for until March 2014) and its a great resource, or another Bible Dictionary/Encyclopedia, you will find very helpful articles on the Pharisees and taxation. This type of resource will help you better understand the historical and cultural background of the Bible.

Take Notes and Mark-Up

It is also important for you to take notes and mark-up your Bible as you study. It's not sacrilegious to mark-up your Bible...it will help you as you study. If you use a paper Bible make sure the marking tools will not bleed through the pages. You want to use a dry highlighter or Micron Pens. You will also find a wide-margin Bible helpful. There are two from The NoteWorthy Collection, I have used the TNIV edition and enjoyed it.

• TNIV Bible (The NoteWorthy Collection) by Zondervan
• NIV Bible (The NoteWorthy Collection) by Zondervan (1984 edition of the NIV

I currently use an electronic Bible. My favorite app is the one I recommended earlier, the Faithlife Study Bible app. It's got great marking tools, and if you download the desktop app from Logos Bible Software (they own Faithlife) you can create new mark-up styles that will sync with mobile devices.

Apply It

There is no value in studying the Bible merely for the sake of studying it. It must also be applied to our lives. The Psalmist tells us that we need to have God's word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). In Ezekiel 36:26-27 we are told that God will give us a new heart, reading, studying, and applying the Bible is part of the process.


Notes:

[1] While the Hebrew Bible is often called the Old Testament this designation was used as a way to deem it inferior. This was based upon the horrible sin of anti-semitism, and based upon a misinterpretation of the writings of the apostles. These were the Scriptures of Jesus and His followers. I have chosen refer to this portion of Scripture as the Hebrew Bible.

[2] These are the writings of the disciples of Jesus and early leaders of the Christian church commonly called the New Testament.

[3] The CEB also includes editions that contain the deuterocanonical books (also commonly called the Apocrypha). These books are considered Scripture by the Roman Catholic church, but are not considered to be Scripture by Protestants and Jews. As a Protestant Christian I do not consider them to be Scripture, but they do have historical value in understanding the beliefs held by Jews prior to the birth of Jesus.

[4] Like the CEB many editions of the NRSV contain the deuterocanonical books.

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Understanding Your Journey’s Road Map

Photo Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1058605

By Philana Crouch

The year I turned six I got a pretty cool birthday gift...a little brother! One thing I noticed really quick was that he needed to eat. He needed to eat a lot. Why? Because he needed to eat to grow!

In growing up our parents would read to us, something we both enjoyed. But we did not stop there, we both not only learned to read on our own, but we both developed a love of reading. Recently my brother graduated with his Masters in Public Health, I am pretty proud of him. I received also my Masters in Divinity a few years ago. We were able to accomplish this because we had learned to not just be read to, but to love reading on our own.

It's the same way with our spiritual life. We both need to eat spiritually, and grow to the point where we spiritually feed ourselves. The Bible is our spiritual food (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). But what is the Bible?

The Story

The Bible often called the "Word of God" is a collection of books, histories, songs, poems, prophecies, biographies and letters. These documents were written in Hebrew and Greek by people called by God to write down how He has interacted with humanity. The Bible is the Story!

The Story begins with a home of perfection lost by the tragic choice of its inhabitants to both believe a lie instead of trusting a God with whom they walked in intimate friendship. It continues with God's sole purpose to woo and reclaim a relationship with those He created with His hands. It tells the story of how He sent messenger after messenger with His words of love and warning. It tells of how He refused to allow people to think inanimate idols could actually save them, that if danger came He was the Only One with the ability to save. It tells ultimately of how people kept misunderstanding Him, so to set the record straight He incarnated and dwelt with His creation!

Its the Story of the Infinte God became a human being named Yeshua or Jesus! His name means Yahweh Saves. The climax of the Story is the death of Jesus on the cross, where He took on the sins of humanity and through His death brought healing for the damage the disease of sin has caused. But He did not stay dead, on the third day He was resurrected from the dead. Through that death and resurection He can offer both new life here and eternal life in His Kingdom when He returns. This event is called in the Bible The Appearing (Parousia). It's a compelling Story, and we are invited both to read and enter into the Life of that Story.

So let's discover how to enter into the Story!

Some quick tips as you read:

• Pick a book of the Bible to start, a good choice is the Gospel of Mark. It's short and you get introduced to the life of Jesus at the start.
• Go to a quiet place to read.Pray!
• Take Notes...try the SOAP method
• Scripture - write a verse or two down after reading the chapter
• Observation - write out what the passage means
• Application - write out how you can apply what it is saying to your life
• Prayer - write out a prayer based upon the passage and it's application asking God for help in putting it into practice

Question: Where did you choose to start reading the Bible? How did you apply it?

 

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How to Organize Your Job Search

by Daryl Crouch

This pass week I applied online again for a position at McDonald’s. Their application is fairly simple and not as time consuming as some. I still have a problem with just filling out the app online and leaving it to chance to get the job. So I visited out the local McD’s.

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com/archive/display/9472

I found the manager walking around checking on everything in the seating area. He was very approachable not like the last experience I wrote about last Friday. I ask him about the process to get hired. On Sunday he looks at the approved apps and makes the phone calls. I expressed that I have concerns about online applications and wanted to make sure he received it. He the said if I don’t hear from him go ahead and come in on Tuesday because that is when he interviews.

Review process:

• Fill out the Application Online
• Wait a few days then go and introduce yourself
• Keep it simple and ask a few question about the process
• Remember the manager is a busy person so keep your time short

We are switching gears now. Here is something I feel is extremely helpful in looking for work. Its call Time boxing. When looking for a job unless you organize your time it is easy to put it off.

Time Boxing

Time boxing is simply scheduling time to do a task to get results. Basically, you allot a given amount of time that you think you can get the task done. You can use it to organize your day to accomplish the items that are important by blocking out time to get results.

Procrastination

Have you ever had that task that you need to complete but you keep putting it off. With time boxing it becomes a little less intimidating. So if you have problems with procrastinating on a task all you have to do is forget about it and put it in your time box. If it is a large task you keep putting off break it into smaller task and you soon will build up enough momentum to complete the task.

We only touched on this topic so I wanted to give you some references to develop your skills in Time Boxing.

WorkAwesome

J.D. Meier Blog

Litemind

Dave Cheong

What plan do you have to organize your time?

Time Well Spent

By Daryl Crouch

When prayer is a new experience people at times feel uneasy to pray. It is important to take a look at prayer. Prayer effects our entire being but most of all our relationship with God.

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile By: xandert

What is Prayer?

To understand prayer take a look at our relationship with people. If there is no communication between individuals how can we expect a relationship to grow. It is the same way With God, He is eager to hear from us. God has a sense of expectation when it comes to His creatures.

If a relationship in a marriage is going to grow communication has to be entirely on a more personal dynamic. Communication is critical for growth in a relationship. In the same way we can only grow in our relationship with God through communicating with Him. It is called prayer.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 says when we come to Him and pray - He listens. Wow! Can you imagine when we pray, the God of the universe stops and listens to you. Prayer is critical for growth in a relationship with God. We began to open our hearts and mind to Him. Its the beginning of understanding about God Himself.

The Disciples went to Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1. In Luke 11:1-4 models prayer for us. You can break it up using the acronym P.A.R.T. Becky Tarabassi used this in here book and prayer journal.

P.A.R.T.

Praise

This is where we praise God for who He is. He is our Creator. When you start with praising God you whole attitude changes. Daniel 2:23

Admit

Next we admit our sins, the times where we fall short. It says in Romans 3:23 that all of us fall short- we have all sinned. Also we know that if we confess those times we fall short He will forgive us of our sins (1 John 1:9).

Requests

Here we ask God for the things we need, its also important to pray for others and uplift those in leadership.

Thanks

Here we thank God for the things He has done. Its a way to end the prayer with giving Him the glory and being thankful for what has done and what He is about to do. (Ephesians 5:20)

I have used this for years and it has enriched my relationship with God. Start today! Try journaling your prayers using this.

With busy schedules - How can I set aside time to spend with God?

The Job Search Goes On!

By Daryl Crouch

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com

After talking with several people because my experience was in a negative nature I have chosen not tell the name of the company I applied at. I simply refer to it as Store X. Its more about what we can learn from our experiences.

The Search goes on

In my search for employment led me to the old stand by –Store X. I went online and filled out the application. I figured I could fill it out in quickly. After all its Store X. About an hour or so later I was done. There was intriguing section on how you would interact with customers and fellow employees. I was impressed with the questions the asked. Although some where humorous.

Problem with online applications you loose that face to face contact. So to make the experience more personal I drove down to the local Store X. After all introducing myself to the Personnel Department in order to show initiative.

They blew me away. When one of the head staff in the front of the store called the Personnel Department Lady she just gave him a message to tell me. Actually I could hear it over the phone. “They keep your application online for 60 days and if it fits our criteria we will call you.”

No thank you! No "we appreciate that you in person"! No nothing! They where very rude.

What did I learn?

To tell the truth a church I Pastored was actually similar. Our ministry there began in simply educating the church how to interact with people.

Six Skills We Could Learn.

These six skills are important whether you are looking for a job or if you are an employer. They are even good to use in everyday life.

Attitude Adjustment

Each of us can use an attitude adjustment once in a while. Everyone on the job is a Customer Service Representative. Especially people who are in charge. This is true whether you are in a business or a member of a church. A Customer Service Rep is all about attitude not just a department.

Learn how to treat potential employee’s as potential customer. Because everyone is a potential customer. If people are treated people rude and inconsiderate where do you think they will take there business.

Listening

These points are true not only for the employer but also for the individual looking for work. Going with the right attitude is important. Being an active listener is essential. It involves restating the issue to ensure the person knows they are understood.

Understanding

Understand where people are coming from is vital. Each person is different. Part of understanding s showing empathy. My dictionary says Empathy is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”.

Courtesy

At one Pastorate I had several people where unintentionally rude. They were good people they just needed to develop healthy people skills. After church we would have a fellowship lunch at different homes each week. When they wanted something passed to them they would say something like “give me the butter” “give me bread” and so on.’

Naturally when our two young children (10 and 4 years old) picked up on these habits my wife would correct them and have them say “would you please pass the butter” and “thank you.” Before long even these stoic, set in there way, adults started to say “please” and “thank you.”

It is so important to show respect to people. By not giving an individual the dignity, respect, and courtesy they deserve you tear down that relationship. I have seen people miss the opportunity to get that ideal job because of not showing a little courtesy.

Follow-up

This is a critical area so many have fallen short. Once I had called to follow-up on an resume I sent in. When I called the secretary said “you are on my task list after I talk with the director I will get back to you.” After two weeks nothing happen. I ended up having to call back because the secretary did not follow-up with me.

Not following up convey a message there is a breakdown in the office. When an individual request or need a solution they should be contacted within 48 hours and:
Let them know what you will do.
What the next steps will be.
How the situation will be resolved.

Available

Whether you are looking for work and an employer you need to be available. The Store X Personnel Department lady Could have answered 2 or 3 quick questions and I would have been on my way. Her being unavailable I questioned is this a healthy work environment I would want to work. Maybe I can shop a little more Store Y instead. After all there are other places I can go.

How we interact with people can make a major difference in our lives. Learn some basic skills can save us a lot of headaches.

How do you apply these skills in Your Life?

How is My Job Search Going?

By Daryl Crouch

Even though the economy is slowly getting better many are in situation that they have to look for employment. I’m a pastor and in between churches. Meanwhile my daughter (who is also a pastor) and I have started a ministry called Right Now Ministry. The Journey Experience is part of the that ministry. Our passion is to reach out and help people. 

Getting to the Point

So making the story short - in-order to help with the expenses while waiting for an opening at church or our ministry to take off we have had to look for a job to earn a little more income.

Finally Here it is

On each Friday we are going to share some of our experiences in looking for employment. I have already learned some important lessons not only what a person goes through but also what can company’s and corporations learn from this experience.

I hope this helps. What experiences 

have you gone through 

looking for a job?

How to measure up!

“What is the favor line? It’s the invisible line that tells us whether or not we’ve met enough of someone’s expectations to merit approval. It’s impossible to live in this world without recognizing the favor line’s impact on every area of life”. Wayne Jacobsen, He Loves Me!

We Don’t seem to measure up!

 

We want to find the favor line with our family, friends, work, and people we meet. We do the same thing with God. We want to reach for the favor line to be accepted. We so often fall short. We don’t seem to measure up.

After we accepted Christ into our lives we go through a mountain top experience. Then comes the valley experience. You know, temptations and problems that overwhelm us. And again we don’t seem to measure up!

Reason why?

1 Peter 5.8 tells us that the Devil is active and not going to stop. Have you ever been in the mountains and have a mountain lion stock you. I was walking along the trail by myself and there was a feeling that something was out there. I could here him stepping in the dry leaves and a brief look of brownish fir between the trees. But he stayed at a distance.

Today we have the same thing taking place. The devil is a roaring lion seeking people to destroy. We are going to look what Paul says in Romans 7:18-24 about his struggle trying to measure up to that favor line.

Realize our condition.

Romans 7:18 Paul says that he has a sinful nature. That there is nothing good in him. He realize that true goodness is a product from God. So the first step Paul take is to realize his condition.

Also realizing the condition of the world we live. We live in a sinful environment. Our nature and the nature of this world moves towards sin. If you have become a new follower of Christ you can expect trouble. Satan is going to double his effort. He will go out of his way to try and tempt, discourage, and destroy you.

Desire.

The rest of Romans 7:18 says that Paul has the desire to good. The desire to do what Gods wants to keeps us in motion toward Jesus. So when we don’t measure up to the favor line we began to look toward God.

Battle wages on

Romans 7:19-21

We need to understand that there is a battle going on within each of us. That battle is surrendering ourselves to God. I knew a pastor who would always say “all you need to do is die. He would go on to say can a dead man sin”.  The problem is he is missing the point. Once we put the emphasis on us it take away from look toward Jesus.

We all go through a struggle each day. The battle rages on!

Victory

Romans 7:23-24 Paul finally gets to the end and simply says there is no hope within us. He calls himself a “wretched man.” I know I have felt that way before. That everything I do is simply does not measure up.

Romans 7:25 - The only one who can save us. There is only one who can rescue us from our condition that is Jesus Christ. This is the key. As long as we try and try we will never make it. We will never measure up the favor line. Its when we stop trying. Because the victory comes through Jesus Christ only.

I read a book I highly recommend is a book by Chip Ingram, The Invisible War. In this book he make an observation that I believe is true. We are in a battle that is going on around us. Our job is to claim the victory.

So often we think that we are fighting for victory But as Chip Ingram points out “As believers in Christ, we do not fight for victory; we fight from victory.   Christ has already won the fight. He the only one that can be measured up to the favor line. We don’t have to because He has done it for us.

Are you willing to stop trying and let go and let God?