Trivia: What do these have in common?

What do these have in common?

Protozoa
Echinoderms
Annelids
Mollusks
Arthropods
Arachnids

Who will get it right first? Leave a comment!
Trust me, there is a spiritual purpose behind this question.

Great thoughts for every Pastor

I just received this from my wife (Terri), and I thought it was very profound to those of us involved in ministry - at any level. Enjoy.

Ten Questions: Family

1. Am I closer to my spouse today than I was a year ago?
2. Have I read God’s word with my family this week?
3. Have I prayed with each member of my family this week?
4. Do my children know they come before the people in the church?
5. Are my children joyfully experiencing Christ at church or do they resent the church?
6. Does my spouse feel close to me spiritually?
7. If my spouse could have me change one thing about me, what would it be? (Why haven’t I changed in this way? What am I going to do about it?)
8. Are we honoring the Sabbath as a family?
9. Do my spouse and kids enjoy being around me?
10. Can my family clearly articulate our family values and vision?

Giving Every Day a Chance

It's Friday afternoon and I just returned from having a great time with my two daughters (McKenna and Madi) at the new Kwik Trip store located about a mile from our house. That's right - Kwik Trip. We spent about 20 minutes just hanging out together at a gas station (slash) food store. And catch this -- We made our "very own" smoothies from the smoothy machine - all by ourselves. (It did take me a minute or two to figure out how to dispense the ice into the cup. Weird looking machine. I was intimidated just a bit). Do you remember those days as a kid where you just "hung out?" Nothing really to do. As I look back, those were some of the best days of my life. But here's some great news: Today can be one of your best days too. I'm going to speak on this theme this weekend (Sunday) at Willowbrook. And I must say, this series has really opened my eyes to the reality of seeing each day as a gift from God. Each breath, each heartbeat, each smile - comes from the Father above - and we are the recipients of this gift (James 1:17).

So join me and the others this weekend at Willowbrook if you can. To learn more, go to: www.willowbrookchurch.org

Have a great day! It's your choice.

"Previet" - Hello from Ukraine

My friends in Ukraine sent me this short video clip of me speaking (they cut the best part out - my altar call was amazing! J/K). I had the chance to speak at their first EVER regional youth conference last year in Chigrin, Ukraine. Over 200 teenagers were present. Notice that my Ukraine language isn't the best - thus my awesome interpreter! We are supporting this exciting ministry in Ukraine and will be returning back again this year. To learn more about Sergei and his wife, Aylona, go to my archive. Enjoy!

Cultural Relevance

One of the challenges that every pastor must confront while preparing his or her message is the methodology of how to appeal to a wide range of people each Sunday? How to do church is undefined in Scripture for one very good reason: it would kill creativity. The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. That is one of my core convictions at Willowbrook. Unfortunately, it is easy to fall in the trap of routine. It's often safe and convenient. Too often, big companies are scared companies, and they work to minimize any variation--including the good stuff that happens when people who care create something special. As each year passes, I feel an even greater need to think outside of the box and to surround myself with creative people who have new and refreshing ways to illustrate the greatest story on the planet - to a culture that is ever changing.

If you're an out of the box person - there's room for you in this place called, the church. It's what makes Willowbrook - a different kind of church.