the reluctant leader

Michael Jackson, Steve McNair, Death and Eternity

Got the following note on facebook this afternoon from a church member: “Just curious, what are your thoughts on Michael Jackson?”

Honestly, I don't have many MJ thoughts. I’m probably the only person on the planet who cannot name 5 MJ songs. And, I haven't even seen 1 of his videos. (The closest I came to watching an MJ vid is a tribute dance by 1500 Filipino inmates.) So, I'm not really thinking about Michael Jackson a whole lot.

But I have been thinking about death and eternity.

Seems like all of Nashville is talking about death and the “consequences of bad decisions.” I’ve never seen anything like it around here. Since he was found dead with four bullets in his body on the 4th of July, Steve McNair’s life and untimely death has dominated barbershop and water cooler conversations. It has also dominated news, talk radio, blogs and print media.

Here’s the short version of the sad story: Steve McNair was an amazing athlete, a millionaire, a married man and a father of four. Coaches and teammates describe him as tough. Friends and fans describe him as humble, generous and approachable - one who “gave back” to the community.

And, he had a 20 year-old girlfriend who murdered him, then killed herself. Thirty-six years old is way too young to die.

I never met Steve, but I prayed for his wife and his 4 kids this morning. I can’t begin to understand their pain. They need the grace of God like never before.

What happens now? That’s the question the city seems to be wrestling with. All of us instinctively know we have an appointment with death. We can delay it, but we can’t avoid it.

Here’s what God’s word says about our unavoidable appointment:
“people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” Heb 9:27

The next verse explains what God did to get us ready to face death and eternal judgment:
“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” Heb 9:28

Was Michael Jackson ready? I have no idea.
Was Steve McNair ready? I don't know.
What about you - are you ready?

TUES TOP 10 LIST - Highest Paid Athletes

This Tuesday Top 10 List was inspired by two great weekend athletic events: Wimbledon and Nathan's Famous Hotdog Eating Contest. Joey "Jaws" Chestnut defended his world gluttony title by swallowing 68 hotdogs in 10 minutes, and Andy Roddick almost beat Roger Fed in the Wimbledon finals. Almost beating Roger is about as good as it gets, unless you are a Spanish lefty with freakish topspin.

While i was thinking about my new American sports heroes, Joey and Andy, I stumbled on Sports Illustrated's latest ranking of the higest paid non-Amr athletes, and the SI highest paid American athletes.

So, here they are, some of the highest paid people in the world:

10. Kevin Garnett
American Basketball Player
$34,750,000

9. Shaquille O'Neal
American Basketball Player
$35,000,000

8. Alex Rodriguez
American Baseball Player
$39,000,000

7. Lionel Messi
Argentinian Footballer in Barcelona
$39,900,000

6. Manny Pacquiao
Filipino Boxer
$40,000,000

5. Kimi Räikkönen
Finish Auto Racer
$40,100,000

4. David Beckham
British Soccer Player in Los Angeles
$45,200,000

3. LeBron James
American Basketball Player
$42,410,581

2. Phil Mickelson
American Golfer
$52,950,356

1. Tiger Woods
American Golfer
$99,737,626

COMMENTS:
- All amounts above are combo of athletic earnings plus product endorsements
- Gambling winnings and birthday cash not included
- Who the heck is Kimi Räikkönen? Anybody ever heard of him/her?
- Manny Pacquaio - too tough, too strong, too fast! He's da man!
- "To whom much is given, much is required" -- Jesus (Luke 12:48)

Creating & Maintaining a Healthy Church Culture

In order to lead healthy churches, leaders must intentionally build the right culture. But too many of us spend all our time working on sermons, programs, budgets and facilities. Those are all important, but not as important as culture.  

Here’s the culture we try to build at Victory-Philippines:
    - the relational community of a spiritual family
    - the spiritual life of an international church movement
    - the professional excellence of a multi-national corporation

Being relational, spiritual and professional all at the same time is difficult, but vitally important for us to be all God wants us to be.

Independence Day

I thank God that I was born in a nation with religious freedom.

I was not born in a religious family, but I was born in a religious state - Mississippi - the belly that the Bible-belt is wrapped around.

And because of freedom, Ron Musselman, an upstart Presbyterian youth pastor was allowed to visit my high school every week and do Bible studies during lunch break. Eventually, after about six months of Ron's pitbull persistence, I turned to Christ in repentance and faith. Many others did the same, and no one went to jail for expressing their faith.

I have been to many nations where people are persecuted and prosecuted for things Americans take for granted. We call them rights. I have friends who have suffered in jail, and some who are still in jail, for living out their Christian faith. They don't have rights. But they have convictions.

So many of my friends all over the world are ready and willing to make great sacrifices for their faith, while many in the West live anemic spiritual lives. But that is a topic for another blog. This one is about me being thankful for the freedoms my forefathers fought to preserve.

May God bless America with a spiritual revival that results in thousands of missionaries going to restricted and dangerous nations with the gospel.

What do you do with your freedom?

*** Here's last year's 4th of July blog. A less serious with a bit of humor.

*** Independence Day sports page... Serena beat Venus in Wimbledon finals, but who cares? THE international sporting event of the day features American Joey "Jaws" Chestnut against Japanese Teru Kobyashi in Nathan's Famous Hotdog Eating Contest. This is American Pop Culture at its best and worst. Can't miss TV.

Inside Steve's Brain - Escaping the State of Bloglessness

- I'm back online, after being off the grid for 9 days - the longest I've been in a state of bloglessness since i started this nasty habit June 9, 2005. 

- In DC last week for our Every Nation North American Conference. I get to work with some really smart, cool, talented and hard-working people. Conf messages by Brett Fuller, Stephen Mansfield, Jim Laffoon, Rice Broocks, Russ Austin, Lynette Lewis, Cynthia Fuller, me and Morgan Stephens are being edited and will be available anytime now on Every Nation's main site and on the Every Nation Podcast site.

- Teaching at Every Nation Campus Ministry's School of Campus Ministry in Nashville this week. My topic? You guessed it - DISCIPLESHIP.

- Trying desperately to finish an article on discipleship for Ministry Today Magazine. Missed my deadline last week - hope to finish sometime this decade. Good thing Marcus Yoars is such a patient editor. Check out his blog - good stuff for spiritual leaders.

- Just 23 days til our Victory@25 celebration - fastest 25 years in the history of the world. Time sure flies when you are having fun! Really looking forward to the "Victory's Got Talent" part. Don't let me down!

- Check out the new and improved stevemurrell.com. Special thx to master web guru, Danny VanOmmen.

- I'm now on twitter - i'm not always going anywhere - but you are welcome to follow.