David and Goliath as told by Malcolm Gladwell

Favourite Line: "If you do the calculations on the stone in David's sling it is roughly the stopping power of a 45 millimetre handgun."

Moral of the Story: Don't bring a spear to a sling fight. With apologies to Sean O'Connery.

September 29th Small Group Questions on John 5

Carleton Ravens visiting the U of T Varsity Blues - Friday Night Lights! 7pm Varsity Stadium

Haiku for the U of T game:

5 games lost, over
Pedro Panda at stake next
The past is just that.

Andrew Murray quote for Week of September 22nd 2013

Didn't get to my Andrew Murray reading till today but it was worth the wait. Its long but read it through. Tough but life-giving words:

Some have said that they have seen perfectionism slay its thousands. All must admit that imperfectionism has slain its tens of thousands. Multitudes are soothing themselves in a life of worldliness and sin with the thought that as no one is perfect, imperfection cannot be so dangerous. Numbers of true Christians are making no progress because they have never known that we can serve God with a perfect heart - that the perfect heart is the secret of a perfect way, of a work going on to perfection.

The 1st V in the IVVSS Strategic Planning Process

Unlike a lot of other systems (1,2,3) that see values as flowing out of vision, the Arrow IVVSS process I have adopted sees - more correctly i believe - values as shaping the culture of your organization out of which flows your vision of a preferred future. 

As a corollary of this in many ways getting a company/charity's culture right is a pre-requisite for getting the vision right.

That is a way of saying that a group's culture is MORE important than its vision. Gulp. 

That is another way of saying: Have limited time and resources to devote to moving your organization forward? Work on your culture/core values long before you devote much time to getting your vision/strategy/goals right. 

That is yet another way of saying: Your current vision/strategy/goals are being achieved by your poor or lacklustre corporate culture. Start to change the culture first and you will see greater buy-in, adoption and excitement about the new vision/strategy/goals you eventually develop. 

For those of you that don't trust me... the primacy of culture/core values is backed up by others. 

Carleton Ravens versus York Lions

Ravens scored 34!
The Keith put "throw" in Throwback
One step at a time...

Nice to see the helmet inflated... the fireworks rocking... the Raven's rhythm was sparkling PLUS the Old Crows. Fantastic venue, "show" and "fan experience". 

2 Ravens flags STILL aren't as large as Stu's flag in Guelph or the giant Laval flag... but hey were on the flag leader board. 

Small Group Questions for September 22nd 2013

Here are the small group questions based on this Sunday September 22nd's sermon from John 4 in our sermon series From Nic to Laz: Changing the World 1 Person at a Time.

JUMP Bible Study on Exodus 18

Couldn't make it out to JUMP tonight? No worries... here are the questions from our study of Exodus 18. 

The Aspen Tree Leadership Strategy

Just read an interview with Leighton Ford about the "Aspen Tree" theory of leadership development.

In it Dr. Leighton Ford - a Canadian from Chatham, ON who worked for many years with Dr. Billy Graham and is married to his sister - likens the best kind of leadership to "aspen tree" leadership versus "banyan tree" leadership. I'll let him explain:

The I in the IVVSS Strategic Planning Process

As part of the re-visioning and strategic planning process our Board of Elders are going through right now I have proposed a new vision, 5 Key Strategies and 1-3-5 year goals to achieve all this. Before i post about those however, let me lay out how i understand over a series of posts how all the various parts of a strategic plan fit together.

From the Leighton Ford Arrow Leadership Course i took many years ago at Ontario Theological Seminary (now Tyndale) i was taught the following:

Cycling is for Lazy People

James Schwartz a Toronto lawyer and cyclist wrote a very funny and informative blog recently entitled Cycling is for Lazy People. Great stuff.

My favourite paragraph is:

I sold the last car I owned in 2010 and bought a couple solid bicycles because I was too lazy to maintain the car*. I was too lazy to renew my license plates each year, too lazy to fill up the gas tank, too lazy to shop around for insurance rates, and too lazy to take it to the car wash.

Andrew Murray Quote for Week of September 15th 2013

His prayer from chapter 11... i pray it for myself and hope that you will pray it for yourself this week:

I desire this day to come as near to perfection as grace can make it possible for me. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Glengate's Welcome Back BBQ

A-M bring salads. N-Z bring desserts. 

2 Elders, 4 hands, lots of burgers! 

Enjoying the picnic tables donated by Project Share. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Small Group Questions for September 15th

Here are the small group questions for September 15th 2013's study of John 3 as part of the From Nic to Laz: Changing the World 1 Person at a Time sermon series based on the Gospel of John.

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Carleton Ravens Football game at the Windsor Lancers September 14th 2013

3rd Game Haiku

Ravens Ground and Pound

Austin's Lancers last go round?

Red Ravens take flight! 

Kyle Van Wynsberghe is 12th is OUA Receiving through 4 weeks of the schedule. Go Ravens! 

The D is showing more tenacity and better "unit play". 

Pastor Jacob Birch and GAC's proposed new Vision Statement

I want to roll out here on my blog today a proposed new vision statement that GAC is currently considering. I want to do a little reflecting on it for my own benefit and yours perhaps as well. This also gives you the opportunity to react to it in the comments.

GAC is following Christ 

as He disciples people from all nations and every generation 

through us 

for the glory of God. 

What is vision? A short, inspiring statement of the "preferred future" you are trying to achieve. 

It can't and shouldn't do everything but a vision statement should summarize the Why? and the main What? questions of any organization. Why are we doing something as opposed to nothing? and What is it we are trying to do. 

Things i like about this version of the vision statement are:

1. Its use of biblically rooted verbs, nouns and concepts. 

    Follow - This is the most ancient call of the gospel ... to follow Jesus. Matthew 4:18, 8:22

    Christ - or maybe we should use Jesus? Christ emphasises his position... as the Messiah. Jesus emphasizes his mission... as the preacher, healer, convict from Galilee Matthew 26:71, Mark 1:24

    disciples - This is the most ancient title of the closest followers of Jesus Mark 10:32

    nations - Jesus' target market from the beginning Matthew 28:18-20

    generations - A vision for people in each age group... not just seniors or young families or youth Psalm 145:4

    glory - The uber motivation for everything the believer should do. 1 Corinthians 10:31

  

2. Its focus on Christ being the prime worker. 

We are not the subject of our own vision statement. Christ is the worker. He is the one discipling the nations and generations through us. Which is of course very biblical. John 10:14-15

I think that too many vision statements are too enamoured with what the church is attempting and not connected enough to WHOM is attempting it. It is God working, God enabling, God empowering, God changing, God giving, God transforming. 

What is our responsibility in this revamped statement?

To follow Christ

To stay connected to Him so that He can complete His mission through us. 

3. Its explicit inclusion of people from many nations and generations. 

Our new vision for GAC is competing with other visions for GAC... most notably among some of our critics that we are becoming "a seniors church". By specifically branching out to include congregations and to start church plants among different cultural groups and generations, GAC wants to offer worship services in the "heart language worship services" of as many tribes, nations and generations as possible. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and More Golden Proof of the Temple's existence

Great news out of Jerusalem about gold coins found probably within about 50 metres of where i was standing in May 2012. Amazing.

Pastor Jacob Birch and Andrew Murray quote for this week

From #AndrewMurray "And who are the spiritual? Those in whom not only the gifts, but the graces of the Spirit have obtained supremacy and are made manifest"

Pastor Jacob Birch and PSA about the Dangers of Texting while Walking

From the same guy that brought us the hilarious Public Service Announcement "Bike in the Bike Lanes" here is The Dangers of Texting while Walking. Classic.

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Carleton Ravens Game Versus Waterloo September 7th

Check back on this page often for pictures and commentary during and after the game.

Home opener haiku:

The Keith was rocking!

Fifteen years of waiting: over!

Conspiracy rises! 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Robotic Companions for the Elderly

Macleans has a truly sobering article about the realities facing Canada as its population ages entitled: The Curse of Small Families. 

I'll blog about this article and its realities at a later date but let me simply quote one sentence for you to think about:

“That’s why they’re working so hard on the robotics.”

Why robots to care for the Elderly?

Pastor Jacob Birch and the PM's Book on Hockey

Yes, that Stephen J. Harper, Prime Minister of Canada AND a member of the Society of International Hockey Research has a book coming A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs and The Rise of Professional Hockey. 

Christmas list gift for all the Leaf and hockey fans in your life... for sure. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and From Nic to Laz: Changing the World 1 Life at a Time

Update - September 12th 2013

Discipleship starts with an animation not a transformation. John 3:8

Using Paul Rubens' Jesus Christ Teaching Nicodemus

How does this painting shed light on John 3:1-12?

Original Post - September 4th 2013
Sundays September 8th, 15th and 22nd we'll be having sign-ups for small groups both old and new at Glengate.

Pastor Jacob Birch and your Church is NOT for Everyone

Updated - September 24th 2013

Listented to Carey interviewed on my brother's Unseminary podcast about Change. Fantastic stuff. Best line for me was: "Are these the people to build the future of our church on?" 

Original Post - September 4th 2013 

Carey Nieuwdorf's post Why You Need to Stop Thinking Your Church is For Everyone is a great one-stop-shop on the thinking behind the long standing conviction they drilled into us at church planter's boot camp on the need to "define your target audience".

Great post.

Without wanting to be accused of proof texting, i would ever so gently offer that not only is that strategy a sound one from an organizational, financial, vision and staffing perspective but also from a Biblical one as well. (Wish Carey had included at least 1 or 2 Bible verses.)

Jesus - even though we don't like to admit it - had a target audience. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Intern Marcus Wybrow

So this past Sunday Glengate Alliance Church sent Marcus Wybrow off to Bolton Alliance Church and Pastor Jeff Enns for an 18 month pastoral internship. So privileged to be part of working with other churches in the training, education and shaping of the next generation of congregational leaders.

Follow Marcus' Bolton adventure here on his blog.

God Bless and God Speed Marcus!

Pastor Jacob Birch and a Day to Pray for Syria

So Pope Benedict wants Christians to pray for peace in Syria this Saturday.

With a member of my wife's extended family in Syria, married to a Syrian, i am asking our church to join in praying for peace in Syria and for each Syrian through Christ.

Would you join us?

Pastor Jacob Birch and Andrew Murray's Quote to Muse Over this Week

Andrew Murray continues to hammer my soul each Monday as I read his "little" book The Secret of God's Presence. The line from this morning's chapter that got me was:

As the inner life of the Church grew feeble, the spiritual truth was lost in external observances and the fellowship of the poverty of Jesus was scarcely to be seen. (page 56)

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Carleton Raven's 1st Game of the 2013 Season

A 71-4 loss is a tough way to start in the OUA for sure. But no where to go but up I suppose. Lots to "coach-em-up" on all sides of ball. But i mean how can anyone really be down... the 1st game and loss are out of the way. Watch the film, heal up, make the adjustments, get ready for the Warriors.

#13 did make a leaping, punishing catch over the middle in the 4th quarter which set up the Raven's FG.  4 catches for 38 yards in total i think.

Official OUA stat page on the game is here.

They battled to the end. #feartheconspiracy

Here is Carleton's official article and pictures.

#13 and Coach Sumarah are in picture #10 during the singing of Oh Canada.
Uncle Nate makes an appearance in picture #17 in the stands.
My knee, Heather, Nate and Dana all appear in picture #21 in the stands.

Here is just a photo dump. I will edit and editorialize on these later.

1st game haiku:


Ravens conspired
But Sanvido slashed us, Finch!
The Loo next at Home.

Pastor Jacob Birch and Watching the @CURavens Football online

To watch the Carleton Raven's Football game at Western Mustangs today at 7pm online go here.