TonyMorganLive.com

"That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do."

II Corinthians 5:11-15 (The Message)

Well, I was afraid this was going to happen. Following on the heels of their decision earlier this week, the NCAA Executive Committee stepped in yesterday and banned the use of penguin mascots by blogs during weekend blogging. Bloggers may still use penguin mascots during weekday posts, but the committee has determined that we’re not allowed to use these mascots during weekend blogging after February 1. More importantly, beginning in 2008, our blog marching band and cheerleaders will not be allowed to have the penguin logo on their uniforms.

As I feared, all the conversation about finding a mascot that’s pugnacious and feisty has led the NCAA committee to deem this action as "hostile and abusive" to penguins.

Does your organization have a culture where positive change and creativity is both expected and embraced? If so, your organization probably:

• Values mission over methods.
• Values people over programs.
• Values innovative breakthroughs over incremental improvements.
• Values risk over safety.
• Values superteams or superstars.
• Values empowerment over control.
• Values action over analysis.

Here’s my most recent article from The Church Report that some of you helped write.

I’ve always been fascinated with the unique ways God designs all of us and how that impacts how we relate to each other. That’s probably why I’ve enjoyed reading Marcus Buckingham’s books. He really challenges us to consider where we have strengths and to focus our career/ministry in ways that play to those strengths.

As I was checking out cool churches this weekend, I found that Cascade Hills Church in Columbus, Georgia is helping people discover their unique design. They are launching a new series this weekend called "Animal House" that will help people determine their God-given personality. It looks like a fun series. Their website even includes a quick personality test that you can take.

While you’re there, check out their new Kid’s World Clubhouse. I always love to see other churches that are making kids a priority. Cascade Hills obviously understands the value of age-appropriate ministry. That’s pretty fun.

This weekend if I wasn’t attending Granger Community Church, I’d visit Cascade Hills Church and learn more about why God created me like he did. (And I’d probably try out one of those fancy new slides.) That makes Cascade Hills my "Cool Church of the Week."

I didn’t have a chance before vacation to post our notes from the Simply Strategic Growth workshop we hosted here at Granger a couple of weeks ago. Here’s the handout we distributed with all the answers. There are a couple of schedules included in the handout that may be beneficial to your teams that are responsible for planning weekend services.

As I’ve been considering options for a blog mascot, I mentioned the other day that our publisher originally thought we should include a penguin on the cover of all the books in our Simply Strategic series. Tim (the other simply strategic guy) went through our archives yesterday and tracked down the original concept for our first book cover. The title of the book changed. And, most of the elements on the book cover changed…including the penguin. Had we known penguins were going to be so hot in today’s culture, though, we would have stuck with it. I can’t live in regret, though. I must press on. Here’s the original book cover concept. Thanks for tracking it down, Tim.

Earlier this summer I wrapped up Andy Stanley’s The Best Question Ever. And, just to put your mind at ease up front, I’m not going to tell you what Andy thinks is the best question ever. You’ll have to pick up the book and read it for yourself.

Here, though, are some of Andy’s thoughts from the book that grabbed my attention:

• "You don’t sit around looking for reasons to do the right thing; it’s the bad decisions that require creative reasoning."
• "The random pursuits that interrupt our important routines don’t add up to anything."
• "There is nothing unique about your circumstances, your emotions, your desires, and your passions. And as long as you deceive yourself into thinking that you are the first to feel what you are feeling, you will chase those feelings to the neglect of wisdom."
• "No one rises above the need for wise counsel. No one. In fact, the more successful we become, the more we need it because there is usually more at stake in the decisions we must make."
• "Experience is a good teacher, especially if it is other people’s experience."

Andy’s book will help you bring clarity to the decisions you make in your life. I highly recommend you pick it up.

Before I left for vacation, I promised I would get you some stats that were shared in a recent weekend service at Granger Community Church. The stats were used to help tell the story of how God is moving in India.

Here’s the quick story. In 2001, Rob Wegner, a pastor from Granger was invited by Ron VanderGriend to visit India to determine the possibility of a long-term impact ministry relationship between Granger and the Bible League. Ron is a vice president with the Bible League and a member at Granger. Since then, Granger has sent nearly 100 members, pastors and staff to India to work with Bible League leadership and church planters who are working in some of the most unreached people groups in the world.

Through the partnership between Granger and the Bible League church planters and staff and a significant move of God, the following stats have been achieved:

• Nearly 300 church planters have enrolled in training classes.
• 171 church planters have graduated from church growth training classes.
• On average, church planters who attend church growth training double or triple the average size of their congregations in 12 months or less.
• 124,935 people have been through a core class (using Purpose Driven model).
• 74,432 people have finished all core classes.
• 50,000 people have been trained to be coaches or trainers to take other people through core class materials.
• 36,123 people have come to faith in Christ.
• 10,630 people have been baptized.
• 739 new cell groups have been formed.
• 190 new churches have been planted.
• 37,209 people have received a New Testament.
• 16,240 people have received a Bible.

God is up to something incredible in India. The story continues. I’ll try to keep you posted in the coming months as we receive more news.

"You get a different perspective on the world when you go out and participate in it."

Jonathan Schwartz, President and COO of Sun Microsystems as quoted in Fast Company (August 2005)

Daryl commented on my suggestion about finding a mascot for my blog. He recommended we also get a mascot for our Simply Strategic book series.

I think Daryl may be on to something. Early on in the conceptual stages of our first book, the publisher was suggesting we use a penguin on the cover of the book. Maybe the mascot for my blog should be a penguin. What do you think?

It wouldn’t be a pansy penguin like the one Linux uses. It would be a scrappy, pugnacious penguin. We need a feisty mascot that’s willing to put his neck on the line for the team–a mascot that’s willing to ruffle a few feathers if you will. I think this has potential…powerful penguin potential.