The Name Game

Have you ever wondered if Acorn Ministries has anything to do with the A.C.O.R.N. group that's in the news? If so, you're not alone.

The A.C.O.R.N. group found itself in hot water over some very suspect, if not criminal, behaviors. For the record, Acorn Ministries has nothing to do with that group!

Not surprisingly, I have had many people suggest that I should change the name of my ministry to avoid confusion. The truth is that after seven years (our "birth date" is January 2003) I'm pretty attached to the name. Plus, my office is full of acorn-related knickknacks that people have given as gifts of encouragement.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I believe that God is at work even in this, how to put it, inconvenience. Perhaps as I work to clear my name someone will take notice of my work that otherwise would have overlooked me. Who knows how, but I believe even in this, God is at work for my good.

If you'd like to learn how I came up with the Acorn Ministries name, please check out this link for the whole story:

The Acorn Ministries Name

Lon

Heart Starter #3: Tower

Recently, I introduced a tool called "Heart Starters" to use at the beginning of church meetings, youth group, retreats, small group or anywhere else you want to focus a group on God. As I argued in the initial post (Introducing "Heart Starters") I believe that when the church gathers for a meeting it ought to look different than the secular meetings we attend. With this in mind I started creating Heart Starters.

Today I am excited to post a third Heart Starter titled "Towers"! This activity will guide your group into a discussion about the need for cooperation between the parts of the body of Christ. Click on this link for a one page PDF that describes the entire activity.

Heart Starter #3: Tower

Please let me know if you have any questions. Also, I'd love to hear (and share) how people are using these. And, if you have an idea for a Heart Starter, please let me know so we can share it with everyone!

Enjoy!
Lon

For a complete list of Heart Starters, click on the Heart Starters label below.

Now what?

Last month was Pastor Appreciation Month and people all over the country celebrated their pastors! It was an awesome month for me for two reasons. First, as a part-time pastor myself I felt a great surge of appreciation from the people I serve. Second, as a person devoted to encouraging and equipping pastors, it was great having other people joining me in this work for the whole month!

The cards have been read and the gifts have been received.

Now what?

I can't get this article out of my mind:

Suicide: When Pastor's Silent Suffering Turns Tragic

In my work I interact with many pastors that are suffering silently. The expectations placed upon their work are, in a word, unattainable! Few if any are fully equipped for the tremendous breadth of professional skills and spiritual gifts needed for the job! This reality is exacerbated by the fact that most hurting pastors feel they can't ask for help and resign themselves to keeping silent!

The result is beat up, stressed out, and frustrated pastors. Seems to be a far cry from this scriptural directive:

1Timothy 5:17
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

I love Pastor Appreciation Month, AND there must be more we can do! I'd love to hear your thoughts! And, I'll start rolling out some of my own as well.

What can we do to change the cultures, systems, and habits that produce these outcomes?

Now what?
Lon

Creative Cooking in the Church

As I travel from church to church, I hear a common lament. The details are different but the refrain is the same.

"If only..."

Sometimes the phrase culminates with longings for a younger congregation. Other times it concludes with musings of a different style of worship. Other times it ends with harsh judgments of the people that aren't participating in their church. Still others grieve the loss of generations of their own that have left for greener pastures.

"If only..."

But what if we took the creative cooking thoughts expressed in an earlier blog (Creating a Masterpiece) and applied them to the plight of the church? What if the local church looked around the "kitchen" and made a masterpiece out of what they found?

God has, in His almighty providence, allowed each church to remain open. Therefore, it seems clear that for each church God has a kingdom purpose in mind. And, with God's help the church has within itself all it needs to complete that task.

However, success requires a fresh assessment of the church's current reality! The church must remove its fixation from what is missing and begin to number its assets. These assets are the ingredients of a masterpiece! Then, the church must take these God-given ingredients and get cooking!

A creative masterpiece is waiting! A masterpiece that will bring wonderful glory to God.

Let's get cooking!
Lon

2Corinthians 12:9-10
But [Lord] said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Heart Starter #2: Treasure

A couple of days ago I introduced a tool called "Heart Starters" to use at the beginning of church meetings, youth group, retreats, small group or anywhere else you want to focus a group on God. As I argued in the initial post (Introducing "Heart Starters") I believe that when the church gathers for a meeting it ought to look different than the secular meetings we attend. With this in mind I started creating Heart Starters.

Today I am excited to post a second Heart Starter titled "Treasure"! This activity will guide your group into a discussion of what is God's treasure and what is not. Click on this link for a one page PDF that describes the entire activity.

files.me.com/lon.alderman/juhgle

Please let me know if you have any questions. Also, I'd love to hear (and share) how people are using these. And, if you have an idea for a Heart Starter, please let me know so we can share it with everyone!

Enjoy!
Lon

For a complete list of Heart Starters, click on the Heart Starters label below.

Creating a Masterpiece

Here's another odd part of my personality. When I have sufficient time, I really enjoy creating meals out of whatever I can find in the kitchen. I enjoy the creative process of taking what is there and making it into something edible. I jokingly refer to these concoctions as masterpieces!

The goal of my creative endeavor is to make something to eat. The challenge is to make something edible out of the ingredients available to me in the house at that time. This isn't about running to the store for groceries or planning the menu in advance. It's simply using what is available to accomplish the goal.

What if we applied this to our walk as followers of Jesus?

Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (John 15:8)

If we are disciples of Jesus, then we will "bear much fruit" for the purpose of God receiving glory. In other words, the goal of our discipleship is to glorify the name of God, the Father, through the "fruit we bear" in Christ.

What then are the ingredients for achieving this goal? I propose that we creatively use whatever we find in the "kitchen".

Paul wrote, "...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." (Philippians 4:11)

The ingredients for the masterpieces we are creating are found in every circumstance, person, difficulty, and joy that we face today. Our masterpiece depends upon our willingness to take what we find and do something creatively with it with the goal of bringing God glory!

This isn't about wishing things were different. Rather, it's about taking what God places in our path and creating a masterpiece for His glory!

Get creative!
Lon

Introducing "Heart Starters"

I attend a LOT of meetings! And, a LOT of the meetings I attend are church meetings! I struggle with the fact that church meetings don't look much different than the secular meetings I attend.

Wouldn't it be great if we could engage in an activity that would change the tone of the meeting? And, wouldn't it be great if these activities focused the meeting on God? And wouldn't it be great if along the way the participants grew together as people, parts of the body of Christ?

I answered "yes" to all three and began developing "Heart Starters: Defibrillation for the Heart of Christian Meetings". Heart Starters are simple activities designed to change the look of our church meetings! And [drum roll please] it is FREE!

Here's the first one:

files.me.com/lon.alderman/b357ja

Please let me know if you have any questions.

If you like these, please let me know and I'll share more of them!

Thanks!
Lon