Great New Things

I'm thrilled at the response to my last blog entry about "The Go-Giver." Since then, many in our circles have purchased and read the book. Thumbs up every time. People go out of their way to thank me for it. Funny. All I did was read and like it. And, by now, all have seen that one of the authors (Bob Burg) and one of their friends (Fiona Ashe) left short, encouraging comments here! So cool, eh? It's like they do and live what they say in the book! Imagine this. If this catches on, this world may start really changing!

Here are some other great new (to me), potential world-changing things to be excited about:

1) Kiva - At the 2009 Willow Creek Leadership Summit, they interviewed a young woman who is one of the founders of this ministry. It is enables regular people to participate in international microfinancing! Simple and amazing.Check it out at www.kiva.org.

2) Stickk - In reading another great book, "Who's Got Your Back" by Keith Ferrazzi (author and book pictured below), I learned about a web site that is designed to help people keep their goals. The site, www.stickk.com, does two things: 1) It provides a means of costly feedback that works, and 2) it teaches us, by its design, the essence of goal-keeping, which is that we don't do it alone.

We don't do it alone. This is the truth.

May you be unalone today.

The Go-Giver

Every once in a while a cool little book comes along that has the potential of changing big things in the lives of those who read it. The "Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann is just such a book. It may be just what you need. Though it is technically a secular business book, I hesitate to label it as such because its implications touch on things sacred and certainly span past business. I have found its principles to be true in my life. More importantly, I have found them taught in Scripture. Giving is everything. 50-50 is a losing proposal and "thinking win-win" never works. Go for the other guy's win. Make it a 100% win for the person on the other side of the table and you will be everything the world calls successful and more. From a pastor's perspective, you will be living like Jesus. This is what He did. This is what He taught. Don't negotiate with life and people, keeping score the whole time. Abandon yourself to the true blessing of others and stop keeping score. If you get a chance to read this little parable/story and find it valuable, let me know.

Reading

Reading is the key to learning and knowledge. Reading the Bible is literally as important to me as eating food or breathing air. I need it to live. Other reading - the reading of good books - is also tremendously important to me. I moved from preaching 4 services a weekend to 6 in February 2008, as part of what we're calling a "60 week sacrifice." By Easter 2009 we hope to be in our new building; we won't have so many services then, at least not so many that I preach at. Since the "60 week sacrifice" began, I've noticed a reduction in the amount of other reading I do. I hope to counter this soon.

Here's 4 reasons why this other reading matters to me: 

1) When I read a well written book, I get the best of what that author has to give me. No other media can hope to offer as much in quality and heart as literature. Film, internet, music and anything else that requires electricity to work can and usually does get caught up in itself.  A book must deliver. Its content must validate it. Only cool cover art can help it, otherwise.

2) Reading is thinking. Most of us, when we read, actually think through the words that our eyes are passing over. If we don't, we miss it. Media like television are not so demanding. One can easily turn one's brain off to enjoy television. Books, on the other hand, never reward a blank stare.

3) Reading is feeling. Instead of the background music telling you how to feel, like in television or film, you have to conjure up the emotions yourself when you are reading. The emotional interaction with a book, then, is authentic. This authenticity is not only good for your brain, but also good for your soul.

4) Reading is relating. We read to know we are not alone. Reading, like nothing else, staves off experiences of loneliness. Other media offer better escape and entertainment, but do nothing for one's sense of being alone. Every good author writes for only one reader at a time. The connection a reader and an author make is undeniably credible, especially when the book is good.

What are your thoughts and experiences of reading? Is what you're doing now reading? Does the internet rise to this level? I hope so.