ACC - Leadership Online

We (my family) had a great time camping last weekend. We got together with 3 other ACC families and camped at a state park outside the Wisconsin Dells. It was my first time camping with little kids (and a pregnant wife!). We had 5 kids in the group, all under 3. As I'm sure you can imagine, that made for some interesting moments and lots of great memories.

Lisa and I were talking about the trip and both agreed that we came back more tired than when we left. Maybe that's just the way it is when you're camping with a 17 month old. :)

I've thought a lot this week about how my perspective on vacation has changed. As a kid, I was bored if we weren't going somewhere or doing something on vacation. As an adult, I'd be happy to lay by the pool or sit and read a book the whole vacation.

How about you? What's your ideal vacation? Where would you go? What would you do? I'd love to hear from you.

I know from experience that if I’m on my bike zipping down the street and I suddenly see debris in the road – in order to avoid hitting it I must look away from it. It might seem a bit counter-intuitive but it’s true. If you focus on what you are trying to avoid – you will hit it. If you focus elsewhere you’ll automatically veer away from the danger in the road.

In fact, www.megarider.com states it this way:

*****
Direction Perspective
The eyes play a major role in the control of a motorcycle. On a motorcycle, where you look is where you go and, to establish your direction perspective, the motorcyclist must use his eyes correctly. The way the rider uses his eyes also plays an important part in anticipating the actions of other vehicles around him and in the messages he sends to other motorists in conflict situations. Target fixation is also part of this. The rider who looks at the roadside furniture s/he is trying to avoid is sure to hit it!
*****
Me thinks there is a spiritual application here!

When we focus on our problems / sin / challenges - we will keep smashing our face into them repeatedly. Complaining. Pornography. Unhealthy introspection. Marital conflict. Stress. Fear. Worry. Gossiping. Addiction. Pride.

When we instead focus on God – we experience his transforming power. He changes us from the inside-out. Genuine – real – lasting change. We grow spiritually (focus on God) and we end up steering clear of those things that threaten to wreck us.

It reminds me of the Israelites focusing on Goliath – one gigantic problem (no pun intended). As long as they stared at him – the more freaked out they became and nothing improved – victory was nowhere in sight.
Young shepherd boy David comes along and promptly buries a rock into Goliath’s forehead. David wasn’t focusing on how big Goliath was. He focused on how big God is. You do that and problems are placed into a proper perspective.

Beginning this Sunday, June 6 we’re beginning an 8 week teaching series: Cross Training. We’ll be looking at holy habits – practices that can help us connect more deeply with God. Often these are referred to as spiritual disciplines. It’s about focusing our lives on God.

When we do that, we avoid a lot of problems!

I hope you’ll be with us for Cross Training. As a supplemental resource we are selling an excellent book by John Ortberg – The Life You’ve Always Wanted. Pick one up and read it! This could be a life-changing summer!

Peace,
Dave

As many of you know, Michelle Smith has been acting as our Children's Ministry intern here over the past twelve months. Michelle has done an outstanding job organizing our Children's Ministry and showing our kids the love of Christ, and this is her last week here as an intern.

Here's a few reasons why Michelle will be missed around here:

-She has brought organization to our awesome Children's Ministry, and has been a regular Sunday school teacher
-She has brought a female perspective to our leadership team (if it weren't for Michelle we might have made some rash masculine decisions, such as deciding to serve bacon every Sunday or display a Chuck Norris cardboard cutout in the church lobby)
-She has been a great example to our children of what it means to love Christ
-She has a passion for worship and prayer
-She plays a turquoise acoustic guitar - how cool is that?

If you have a favorite memory of Michelle and her time here at ACC, please leave a comment and share it.

We also ask that you would join us in praying for God's continued guidance on Michelle's life and future plans!

One of the many things I love about ACC is how our people are so unpretentious. Everybody is loved and welcomed - no need to be anybody but yourself.

Honesty. Authenticity. Just being real.

I know Jesus likes that too.

With that in mind - watch this: now my all-time favorite TV commercial. Right now I'm fighting off a strong desire to go buy a mobile home from this guy even though I don't even need one - just because of his being so honest! I love it.

May we never be tempted to try passing ourselves off as someone we are not.

Peace,
Dave

Last night, at Pit Stop (middle school youth group), I asked the question, "what do you want to be known for?" another way of phrasing it would be "If a friend was describing you, what would you hope that they would say about you"

I really like this question. I think it reveals a lot about who we are and who we hope to be. For some of us those are 2 very different things.

How would you answer that question?

My answer, I want to be known for being loyal and honest.

Grace,

Chris