PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Ever wonder why on Thanksgiving afternoon you always get tired and sluggish? Most scientist would say it is because of some strange chemical in the turkey. Well I am not a scientist, but have I have done a few experiments in my day. Through my extensive years of research I have determined that the sluggish feeling you have is because you have not properly warmed up for the big event. Your body does not know how to react to the abnormal amount of joy it will have to process on that fourth Thursday in November.
This year I don’t want you to worry about it anymore. Your Thanksgiving let down does not need to happen. The afternoon blahs will be no more. All because you prepared yourself for the big event. Research has shown that if you properly stretch and acclimate your body to the upcoming onslaught four days in advance your Thanksgiving let down will be no more
This is where the ‘Pre Thanksgiving Warm Up’ comes into play. A public service we have offered at South Everett Foursquare for the last two years. We have propelled many happy clients through the Thanksgiving holiday with a full head of steam heading into Christmas.
So this year we would love to invite you to partake in the warm up Sunday November 22 from 10:30-12:30. The tables will be set, you will have plenty of trainers nearby to help you and the whole morning is free. Don’t let your friends and family suffer through another slow Thanksgiving, bring them along.
Act 1:12-26 gives us a wonderful story that falls between two of our faith’s greatest occurrences, the ascending of Christ and the descending of the Holy Spirit. Many times we blow past this section to get to the “good stuff”. As I was reading it I was struck by the wealth of wisdom that it had for us today. We all have to agree that the selection of a new apostle was a pretty big deal. There was going to be twelve leaders of the first church and they were one short.
With no polity manual or procedures for selecting a new one the few gathered forged ahead. We are left with this brief interaction with a lot to learn about leading. Will probable see some more as I continue to read, but here is a start.
Thought #1 : Leaders will fail you. Judas hung out with Jesus for three plus years and still messed up.
Thought #2 : Clueless? Prayer and scripture are a great place to start. When in doubt take some time to pray and the scriptures that you have put in your soul will arise.
Thought #3 : Keep it simple. Nothing easier then just picking two guys that happen to be in the room.
Thought #4 : Yes even you can be a leader. These were just ordinary guys that had seen what Jesus did. That qualifies most of us to be spiritual leaders.
Thought #5 : Our call to leadership can happen at any point. We can only assume these two guys were not expecting to be the first apostles of Christ when they woke up that morning.
Thought #6 : Sometimes you just need to flip and coin and get busy! Quit trying to figure it all out. Sometimes you are choosing between two good options and just need to get at it.
Thought #7 : We need to get organized before the miraculous happens. I just wonder if the supernatural things of Acts 2 would have happened as quickly if they wouldn’t have gotten some structure in place to handle the outflow of the miraculous.
Thought #8: It took Jesus three years to get to 120 people in His church. We can draw crowds but it took the Son of God three years to get a small committed core of believers. We have to cut ourselves some slack when we don’t grow as fast as we think we should.
What do you think? Do you see anything else?
Joseph Fehlen- Principals of Leadership Part 1 – Acts 1:12-26 – November 8th, 2009
Todd and Mary McNeal were spotlighted this months online at Foursquare.org. November is adoption month and our national Foursquare Church wanted to spotlight a family. I could think of no better family than our friends the McNeals.
Check out the article. http://www.foursquare.org/articles/1093,1.html
Joseph Fehlen- Second Coming – Acts 1:9-11 – November 1st, 2009
From the multi-part series “The Book of Acts”
