Men are either passive or overly active as a skew of what real masculinity is.

Chauvinists:

1. No sissy stuff Sam–Whatever a man is, he will be the opposite. (Mom hugs, so he doesn’t hug) They spit, fart, and punch hard to prove their manhood.

2. Success and status stuart–Defines success by what he has and treats wife as a trophy.

3. Give em hell hank–Scary, mean, brash man.

4. I’m the boss Bob–Thinks he’s in charge wherever he goes. Has a hard time holding a job. Overbearing.

Passive:

1. Little boy Larry–Total sweetheart, can’t keep a job, doesn’t set an alarm, works part-time. Mom still takes care of him and is looking for a wife to do the same. This man tends to be a majority in the church.

2. Study oak Owen–Works hard, comes home and checks out.

3. Hyper Spiritual Henry–Trendy, overly spiritual. Everything is about God, but he never really makes sense.

4. Good time Gary–Everyone loves him and noone respects him. He doesn’t just tell jokes, he is one. Can’t keep a job, can’t follow through. He’ll draw a crowd but won’t follow him.

Jesus is the example. He took responsibility for Himself, and He took responsibility for our sins even though it wasn’t his responsibility, it was ours. You have to do the same and take responsibility for yourself, your family, and your city.

(notes on John Maxwell Teaching from Catalyst Conference 2008)

“Intentionallly add value to people around you every day”

The greatest way to add value to is to find your strength zone and operate in that. The greatest sin of a leader is to put yourself first. Just because you see what others don’t see doesn’t mean that you use it for yourself…you are to use it to serve other. Don’t worry about the reaping, just sow. Today you are either adding value or taking value from people. Do you add value or do you subtract? The people that add value, do so intentionally.

4 Ways to add value to people:

1. To add value to people, you have to value people. The only reason to lead people is to add value to therm. If you don’t value people, you will devalue people.
2. Make yourself more valuable–get better, keep growing and learning so you can add value to others and teach them.
3. Know and relate to what other people value.
4. If really want to add value to others, then you have to do the things that God values. They are the things that have eternal value. We need to touch people the way Jesus would touch them and teach people the way Jesus would teach people.

Quoted Verbatim from Frank Viola’s Blog Post, “Dialogue with a Liberated, Free-Thinking, Postmodern Christian“

–Note…this isn’t Frank Viola being interviewed here, it is a kind of poke at what is trendy in Christianity today.

____________________

So, tell me about the changes you’ve made the past few years in your Christian walk.

Well, I used to be a card-carrying Republican. My parents raised me that way. But I’ve come to see that this party doesn’t represent Jesus or the kingdom. So I’m an Independent and I lean toward the liberal side of politics.

I see. What else?

I used to be pretty entrenched in human-made traditions, religious and political, but I’ve come to see that so many of our traditions have a choke-hold on us and smother free thought. So I’ve abandoned much of them.

Like what? Can you give some examples?

Sure. Well, like going to war to protect national interests. I believe that’s wrong now.

I no longer eat the classic American diet.

I no longer disregard the environment, and I will not buy an automobile that’s not fuel efficient.

I no longer use disposable plastic and paper bags when I go shopping.

I no longer am intolerant of other religions.

I no longer am indifferent to the poor and oppressed.

I no longer accept the Reformation doctrines of penal substitution and the complete sovereignty of God.

I am no longer certain that homosexuality is a sin.

In fact, I no longer believe in absolute certainty. We can’t be certain about anything, I feel.

I see. That’s quite a list.

Yes, I’m pretty proud of my new outlook. I’ve become a free-thinking Christian. I question all human-made ideals and traditions now.

I see. What about the clergy system and the modern pastor?

What!? Are you out of your mind! How dare you question that.

I’m finished with this conversation.

I can’t wait to hear my pastor’s reaction to such a ludicrous question.

A missional community–”A Community of God’s people that defines itself, and organizes its life around, its real purpose of being an agent of God’s mission to the world.” (Forgotten Ways, 82)

This means that when a church is on mission it is really being church. The organizational principle is mission. The church is a product of the mission and is obligated and destined to extend it in whatever means possible.