“The Retrial of Jesus Christ” was a major success for FBFC!  I will download the photos in the next day or so.  This congregation should be very proud of the work that they did for our God.  We took Psalms 51 and presented the gospel in a very unique way.  Lives were truly touched!    

Missions project:  We will now change focus and begin our missions project.  We should break ground on the garden in the next couple of weeks.  Again, everything that we grow will be handed over to the local food pantry.

I got a little reminder of what resource is the most tapped and needed:  time.

In my adult development and aging psychology class, I have to read a (huge) chapter each week, answer four questions (which require a rereading and searching for other material), and then post an answer to a weekly question by midnight (every Wednesday).  Not paying a lick of attention to the calendar, I missed the fact that our extra-credit assignment was due this week (I decided I didn’t have time or the need to do this one) and not the reading and questions for chapter 10.  I did read the chapter, but realized that the questions weren’t due for a week.  

This was better then finding a fifty dollar bill in one of my coat pockets that had been forgotten!  To get 5 extra hours to concentrate on the next deadline…Wow!  

You can find these “leaders” in every organization (including our churches): men/women that enjoy the title that they are given; first to bask in any success (even the successes of those they lead); never one to take responsibility for any failures (this is where they start remembering those that grudgingly follow); and even fail to rise up new leaders.  They lead out of trepidation…that is, they force a person to move out of fear of personal loss; be it loss of friendship, job, money, security, or advancement. 

By the way, if you got one of these leaders in front of you and you do desire to lead, you might want to know that advancement may be out of the question (that is, if they have all the say).  The last thing an insecure leader wants is to share “power.”  Out of stupidity or job security they believe that their success means everybody must remain powerless.  I believe it was Maxwell’s 13^th leadership trait that says good leaders duplicate themselves.  Bad leaders choke possible contenders.

Ask yourself this question:  Is your desire to lead based on a deep need to be personally recognized.  If so, I wouldn’t serve with you even at gun point.  Your motivation is based on your own egotism and you are destined for failure.  Now, if you have a deep desire to see the mission accomplished at all costs…then, even if you don’t claim to be a leader, I would follow or lead with you (that is, if your mission and my mission are compatible).