a new year’s resolution: to keep my new year’s resolutions

How’s this for a resolution: “This year I resolve to actually keep my New Year’s resolutions.

If following-through on your New Year’s resolutions is difficult for you. Here are some tips that will help you keep your promises to yourself in 2010:

1. Use your calendar. I’ve discovered what doesn’t get scheduled in my life doesn’t get done. If you’ve resolved to exercise more in 2010, schedule. Make a work-out appointment with yourself.
2. Establish a plan. A goal without a plan is nothing more than a wish. If you’ve resolved to lose weight this year, determine exactly how you’re going to do it. Set a goal and work towards it.
3. Ask for help. Studies have shown that we are much more likely to achieve our goals if we tell someone about them and ask them to hold us accountable. If you’re the only one who knows your resolutions, you’ll be the only one who knows whether or not you kept them.

What are your resolutions for 2010? Post them here or on my Facebook page and let’s get them out in the open. Let’s help each other achieve our goals.

go ‘09 christmas edition update

Got this information from Scott Bell in an email today. Check it out:

Hey gang,

I thought you might be interested in the results of the adoptions and child sponsorships for 2009.  ALL have been taken care of with the following numbers reflected:

20           Local Widows(ers)

29           Local Children at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio              

107         Middle East children in Iraq and Jordan

77           Local Families

233         Total lives and families impacted with the love of Jesus

Note:

· 146 Children adoption requests came in last Sunday alone

· One person adopted 10 children last Sunday

· A Louisville couple is spearheading a multi family effort to assist a woman with nine children in the Bolivar area that has nothing.

· These numbers do NOT reflect those that simply saw a need and filled that need without reporting it to us officially (there are many of those stories).

God is doing some wonderful stuff in and through the people of NPCC.  I am thrilled that we can be a part of it.  Thanks for all you do.  

Way to go NewPointe! What a great way to celebrate Christ’s birth!

read this book

About a week ago I received an advance copy of Mark Batterson’s new book, Primal. I started reading it right away (I put three other books on hold so I could get to this one).

Batterson’s two other books, Wild Goose Chase, and In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day, were both great reads. It’s easy for me to connect with Batterson. I like the way he writes. He uses stories, science, and sometimes quirky, little known facts to paint a picture and make a point.

Back to Primal. I was expecting it to be a nice, interesting read but I have to tell you: it has rocked my world. The tag line, “a quest for the lost soul of Christianity” is so fitting. That’s what this book is about. Batterson explains that we have a tendency to over-complicate Christianity. Jesus simplified it. He said the essence of Christianity is to love the lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

This book is all about helping you and I live in light of what matters most. Want to become a greater follower of the Great Commandment? Start with this book. I highly, highly recommend it.

And oh yes, you’ll be hearing stuff from this book in upcoming messages on Sundays. Good, good stuff.

Here’s the Amazon link: Buy Primal

great day

Today wasn’t a great day because I got to communicate at NewPointe (though I do enjoy doing that). Today was great because I had a friend come to church (her first time in church in a very long time). And she liked it. She said she’s coming back (that’s a “win” for our team—we want to a create an environment that makes people want to come back).

I believe God’s beginning to tell an amazing story in her life…and it started with someone inviting her to church.

Everybody can be on the invite team. Who are you investing in and inviting to church?

top ten list (things never heard at newpointe)

As mentioned in a previous blog post, we had an incredible time at the NPCC service programming Christmas party last Saturday. While the Hitler video may have been the biggest hit, the Letterman-style Top Ten list was also a lot of fun.

If you’re interested, here is the list (keep in mind this was a service programming party so the list is going to take on a sp flavor).

Top Ten Things Never Heard at NewPointe:

10. Since we’re all here early, let’s go ahead and start the service.

9. I’m having a hard time hearing the drums. Can you guys turn up the volume?

8. Camera 2, can we get a tighter shot of the organist?

7. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Lady Gaga and the NewPointe worship band.

6. And after the service, we’ll all gather in the lower level for fellowship and refreshments.

5. The trailers are here. With all these people helping, we should have everything unloaded and set up in no time.

4. I guess we can start programming another song every week because Dwight keeps finishing five minutes early.

3. Money is no object, here’s the corporate credit card. Get whatever need.

2. Let’s all stand and turn to page 278 in our hymnals.

1. Our service programming volunteers are a bunch of bums!

service programming highlight video

Here’s another video we shared at last Saturday’s NPCC service programming department’s Christmas party. It’s a photo montage of some of the stuff we did in the big room in 2009.

service programming christmas party

Last Saturday we rolled out the red carpet for NewPointe’s service programming department volunteers—dinner, door prizes, and a special program.

The highlight of the program had to be the video you’re about to watch. At church on Sunday I received multiple requests for another look a this video so…here it is…

sunday’s scuds (december 13, 2009)

Sunday was part two of the series Have Yourself a _____________ Little Christmas (I watched this message on the 3 big screens in Millersburg). Dwight talked about priorities—what’s most important. Here are some of the scuds:

• The word “priority” comes from the word “prior.” It means that it comes before everything else in your life.
• Establishing a priority in your life helps us simplify life.
• At NewPointe, we believe in simplicity. The simpler things are the more you understand, which translates to a greater degree of accountability.
• Christmas, in its simplest terms, is a celebration of Christ.
• Christmas is about faith (my relationship with God) which allows me to have good relationships with those around me.
• The three F’s of Christmas: Faith, Family, Friends (and okay, I’ll give you a fourth: Food).
• If priorities are not established, chaos will ensue.
• So often we start with good intentions, get distracted, and forget what’s most important.
• What’s most important at Christmas? It’s Jesus. It’s His party.

Distractions that keep us from the most important thing:

1. Perfectionism.
   • there is no right way to do a wrong thing
   • anything not done in love is wrong
2. Expectations (I’ll be happy if I get…)
   • some of the things you give and receive at Christmas will be broken before the day’s even over…and we allow those things to be a distraction
3. Finances
   • Christmas is not about money (it’s just another day)
   • it’s going to be Christmas whether you have money or not
   • don’t allow your finances to keep you from remembering what’s most important
   • you’ve got enough money to celebrate Christmas this year. All you need is love
4. Loss (I have experienced so much loss, I can’t be happy this Christmas)
   • you need to allow God to comfort you in your loss
   • we have to celebrate what we DO have
5. Comparison (theirs is better than mine)
   • this will get you every time
   • this will cause you to miss the most important things around you
6. Unforgiveness
   • be the bigger person
7. Memories (the good old days were better)
   • God always wants to do a new thing in your life
   • start something new! Don’t allow memories to become a distraction
8. Selfishness
   • Christmas is not about you!
   • Ask yourself this question: “Who could I bless this Christmas?”

merry little christmas duet

In case you missed it (or if you’re weird that way and you want to see it again), here is the opening song that kicked off the new series, Have Yourself a __________ Little Christmas last Sunday.

is it really better to give than to receive?

A study was recently conducted by the University of British Columbia. In the study participants were given $20 and then randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was instructed to spend the money on themselves (perhaps treating themselves to a self-indulgent present), while the second group was asked to spend their unexpected cash gift on someone else (perhaps by purchasing a present for a friend or family member). Participants who spent the money on their friends and family felt significantly happier than those who treated themselves to luxury gifts.

Similarly, happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky arranged for participants to perform five non-financial acts of kindness each week for 6 weeks (e.g., writing a thank-you note, giving blood, or helping out a friend). Those that carried out all such acts increased their happiness by an incredible 40%.

Become happier by providing for others rather than yourself. Spending a small amount of money on someone else, or carrying out an act of kindness, may be one of the best investments that you ever make.

We’re trying to instill this attitude in our kids. Instead of getting excited about what they will get for Christmas, Jenny and I want to see them more excited about what they get to do for others at Christmas.

What can your family do to bless someone in an unexpected way this Christmas?

primal

Received an advance copy of Mark Batterson’s new book, Primal, over the weekend. I’m excited to devour this one.

The release date is December 22. You can pre-order you copy by clicking here.

I’ll give a full report here, on my blog, sometime soon.

In the meantime, I’d be interested to know: what are you reading right now?

click series videos

Our video team did an excellent job with the videos from the recent Click! series @ NewPointe. I thought the videos were worth seeing again. So, if you didn’t get to see all of them or if you’d just like to see them again, here they are:

Dave Hartman

Doug Poole

Gene and Vina Hensel

Tom Ferris