Spinning Friday

It was a long day yesterday. Up at 4am because I was so excited to attend "Unleash" in Anderson SC. It is a one day church conference put on by NewSpring church. It was simply incredible. I told a few of my "peeps" all week that they would be jaw dropped and sure enough - it happened. We got to hear Pastor Perry teach Gods word, listen to the band rock the place out - we lauged, cried and laughed some more. Got to meet a lot of folks and learn a ton about the areas of ministry I am involved with. It is hard NOT to come back all fired up and ready to take on hell with a straw ... I love the people in my church that much ... I can't wait for Sunday. I can't wait for the birthday party that we were invited to last weekend from some new friends at church. I can't wait to serve our good friends Sherry and Donnie by helping them at their new Zumba studio tomorrow morning. I am just really pumped up and being this way is contagious - so look out.

Here are a few things that I took away from Unleash.
- Vision has to be casted and caught for it to work and be followed through. Am I doing that in the ministry areas I am leading? Do folks really know why they are serving God and how much of an impact they are making in the community for Jesus? Every Sunday is someones first time and first impressions are never given a second chance.
- We can juggle 3 things pretty well, these are things we are passionate about and can do really well. Add a 4th or 5th thing and we begin to drop the ball and the once good things we did, we begin to not do so good. Hand those balls off to someone else who needs another ball and get out of the way.
- People have to take ownership in what they do. For me, that means when leading in my Setup/Breakdown teams, I need to show people what needs to be done and then let them do it. Its now theirs.... I can't put out 400 chairs on Sunday mornings, they would be all over the place but there are some who can set chairs up in straight lines and make the Worship Center look awesome. Its there ministry - they own it and when they own it, they are behind it and believe in it.
- My Sunday school kids are not just kids - they are like "MyKids" and their families go with them. I love their families and I want to reach out to them by making a difference in the lives of their children and in the lives of their families. For the child to really know Jesus - they need Jesus at home also. Its a partnership .... and a team. So as mom or dad come to pick up the kids after Sunday School - we have to have done the best job possible to make sure we have given each of them the best possible environment to know Jesus and to be leaving with a smile!
- Showing "MyKids" Jesus is not just a Sunday morning thing but a life style that reflects the love of Jesus in everything I do and everywhere I go. That means even when my family and I are out to eat ... be prepared to share Jesus - not so much in your words but in your actions

- Leadership is not about being the best - it is about bringing out the best in others
- God gets all the glory for everything we do
- God can use the little ones just as affectively as adults

If its a God thing, you won't be able to excuse it, explain it, contain it, fully understand it or even handle it. Its bigger than we are ....

Love you all,
Lonnie