If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you’ll know the tension I feel between how much “business” should be incorporated in our church organization structure. I was reading over on my buddy Los’ blog, and he has this great quote:

Mark Dever, in A Display of God’s Glory, quotes the interaction of a Japanese businessman with a visiting Australian…

“…Whenever I meet a Buddhist leader, I meet a holy man. Whenever I meet a Christian leader, I meet a manager…” (originally from reformissionary)

Please do not read this as a cynical jab at gifted administrators and managers. Biblically, people with those gifts are integral to the Church’s survival. But obviously, the outside world often perceives the church as a machine.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this…

3. Are we too busy worrying about leadership and in doing so, neglecting our call to follow?

Sleeping in is quite wonderful. For the 2.5 years I was on staff at Westside, my schedule varied which meant I slept in quite a bit, except for the weekends. Now that I’m on staff at Lake Pointe, I usually arrive in the office around 8:30. Really, it’s not too terrible.

Around 10 am or so, Chris & I were still lounging around when we got into a conversation about appearances. In the three years we’ve been married, we’ve both gone up a size. I know this isn’t because of my great cooking skills, since I cook about twice a year.

Something I have always battled is comparing myself to other women. It’s almost natural for me to see someone and think, “If I were that skinny…that tall…that confident…if my teeth were that white…my skin that clear…” but on the flip side, I also think, “I’m glad I’m not that fat…that short…that gangly…that wrinkled…”

Thinking those thoughts are awful. They’re harmful to me, and unfair to others. And for some reason, I’ve been doing it a lot more frequently.

There is so much pressure for women to be perfect. Everybody we see on TV is flawless. It’s difficult not to feel like a disappointment when I’m carrying an extra 10 or 15 pounds, my hair needs a good deep conditioning and haven’t shaved my legs in four days.

Is this comparision thing something other women do and just don’t talk about?

We are close to purchasing our airfare for our mission trip to Scotland, and partially due to the increase in gas prices, our tickets have gotten a little more expensive. Basically, we have $1350 collected for Scotland, and our tickets are $1500. So, if you feel led to pray for us, please pray we’d be able to come across this money quickly. If you feel led to give, please email me or donate via PayPal.

Happy Friday!

Now Up – Link to Scary Movie 4 Review

Sorry – I don’t know what I was thinking. Week before Easter, working in a church, trying to finish finance details for the car…and a couple of great surprises! I haven’t had much time to think about anything.

Yesterday, I received an email from Relevant Magazine and will be sending them an article in the next couple of weeks. Please pray for me to discern what God wants me to write, and that I’ll be able to communicate clearly.

Also beginning, well, yesterday, I’ve started reviewing movies for The Mungles on Movies so Chris & I went to the Scary Movie 4 Premiere last night. When the review is up, I’ll link to it.

I hope you’re having a great holy week. We sure are!

There appears to be a trend catching on in this postmodern clique of Gen Y’ers: Swearing.

I remember the first time I read a four-letter word on another “clog” (church blog). I thought it was so amazing and remember thinking,

“That is what it’s all about! If I only had the cajones to be that authentic – that real with people…fearlessly staring down our legalistic forefathers. And, if Donald Miller can say bastard in his book, well, heck – no – well, hell, I can say whatever I want to! Yeah! – no – Hell, yeah!”

Many of my real life friends and virtual cohorts have taken the liberty in their verbiage. After all, it’s not about rules. It’s about Jesus. And love. And relationships. Whether or not we use soft swear words isn’t life or death. Nobody’s losing their salvation. Those who are more “conservative” just need to let it go…

Right?

Maybe not…

I was reflecting back on the summer a couple years back when I got my eyebrow pierced. It was my seventh piercing. If you’re not familiar with the culture in Kansas, piercings aren’t exactly acceptable. In the back of my mind, I knew this – but I wanted to be different. I was working full time in student ministries, and I wanted to relate to some of the skater kids I worked with. And I wanted to present a non-conformist attitude to the Banana Republic wearing culture I lived in.

Ironically, more and more people were getting facial piercings and jumping on the same rebellious, body modification bandwagon I was on. It may have been nonconforming in intent, but the truth of the matter was I was just as guilty as conforming to that particular culture as the Johnson County soccer moms were to theirs.

In the same vein, there are those of us who intend to be authentic. To be real. To show the mess, the dirt, the rawness of our imperfect lives and need for grace. But I really have to wonder – how much of it is necessary? Do we really have to cuss or brag about our liberties to drink in moderation while expecting those with different viewpoints to get over it and realize we are “just being real?” Are we being real – or are we just being…edgy?

We walk around donning our “It’s about loving people” halos but seem to neglect – whether we like it or not – fundamental truths about living like Christ in all aspects, in addition to the clear command to love.

Are we really being honest when we do these things, or are we just conforming to an edgier fad of Christian living? More importantly, are we accurately representing Christ?

Below, are some of those things that have been consistently communicated in many avenues.

Prayer: Call me Captain Obvious, or even puritanical and idealistic, but a focus on prayer should be central and at the forefront of a church staff. (You think?) From my first conversation with Wes & Christina back in February which started out with prayer – to the time today as a staff walking and praying over the worship center for the people coming in over Easter, prayer has intentionally been made an obvious priority. Each month there is an Elder and Staff focus on prayer (April is for marriages to be strengthened) and a weekly list is published for the entire church to use.

Reaching Out: I realize every local church has different ways and means of reaching different people. Something that Chris & I personally believe in supporting is global missions. Lake Pointe has close to (if not over) 100 global missions trips available for people to serve on. A considerable amount of the money people give is sent out to help others in a variety of different ways.

Using your gifts & passions: Whenever I started interviewing, I asked for a job description. Wes said there really wasn’t one, but that we’d sit down and go over my strengths AND my passions and see where they led. If they fit in, great – but if not – there are other opportunities to use them, whatever they are. And sure enough, after some discussion we found working the media content creator position wasn’t the primo fit. So, they connected me with their communications director and here I am today. At first, I thought maybe that was just Wes’ philosophy for his team, but after talking to other people in other departments, it’s just the way it works. They know people’s passions, dreams, and strengths develop and even change and they realize in order for someone to be most effective, it’s best to put them in that perfect place. Many people who work there now have shifted through other positions and their responsibilities have changed as they have grown not only professionally, but spiritually as well.

TRUE Community: I say TRUE because we all know what it’s like to be in forced community. Where you have to join a small group or Bible study out of obligation to avoid feeling guilty. The first example of this was the Super Bowl party Chris & I attended when we were down here the first time, back in February. Everyone accepted us with open arms (and lots of food – technically, Lake Pointe is Baptist you know…) and we felt free to be ourselves. Everyone I’ve met is casual and laid back and there is no hoity-toity or “fake nice” pretense lingering on my perception tastebuds. Even after we had said no to moving here initially, the media team (staff AND volunteers) kept in touch faithfully without any expectation that we’d even see them again. The communications team (there are 7 of us between full time & part time) hangs out and has fun in the office and outside too. Going out to lunch (or even just eating in together) is common. Kim (a designer) asked if we wanted to go play old school BINGO Friday night. Everyone is great!

I’m sure some of you are thinking I’m still living in the idealistic world of Lake Pointe, only breathing in the good stuff to get my high – that I’m infatuated and sleeping in the honeymoon suite. And while maybe some of it is true, the newness of the job and people are refreshing and inspiring, I grew up a preacher’s kid, I’ve worked in churches or para-church organizations, and I’ve visited friends who work in churches. Each church is always a little different in the vibe they project and I can honestly say not one time in my experience here have I felt uncomfortable or unable to be myself, and that is not a common thing. Usually I’m overly concerned and protective of getting hurt or what people think of me.

Sure, Lake Pointe has its faults and blemishes and room to improve – but so do I, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunities they have give Chris and me to heal, grow, learn, screw up and succeed – all for one great purpose.

I met Matt Mungle back in 1999 or 2000, I really don’t remember exactly when or where or how, but it had to do with the Dallas radio station 89.7 PowerFM and bands…or…a company I worked for called GroceryWorks. If that was the case, I was in marketing and did on-air live GroceryWorks plugs for several radio stations here in the DFW area (Mix, Kiss, and I really don’t remember them all to be honest.) It was incredibly fun and as shy as I am about speaking in public, radio never freaked me out since people can’t really see you…

Anyway, through the years, Matt and I have kept in touch and I noticed in January, he added me to his “top 8″ on Myspace. When he did, he sent me this message:

—————– Original Message —————–
From: The Mungle
Date: Jan 14, 2006 9:11 PM

… how are you feeling these days. I have been so busy I haven’t had time to ask. I hope you are having a great 2006. This will no doubt be a huge year of change. Im just telling you up front. It is the curse of being number one in my top 8 ;-)

Happy day yo.

—————– End Message —————–

Now, little did Matt or myself know that only a week after this message, I would be resigning from Westside, two weeks later interviewing at Lake Pointe, a month later, interviewing there again, or two weeks after that moving to Texas.

At this point, I’d like to say thanks, Matt…as much as I laughed at your “top 8″ curse when you emailed me…I gotta say now it’s a little freaky! But I’m glad you were right.