Authentic Voice

“The Good Ol’ Days”

Ed Doerner — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:17:18 +0000

This morning I was with a group of older Christians. Collectively they have hundreds of years of wisdom to share with me and others. As I was teaching I was wondering about how many of them miss the Good Old Days. The days when you knew what to expect when you went to church. The days when there was little to no technology. The days when you knew everyone’s name and how they were doing. I asked how many of them have internet and about half of the hands went up and some of them are still on dial up. It must be so intimidating for them to see where the church is going.

One of the things that I am realizing is that the distance between the older generation and the younger generation is further than it has ever been. The younger generation is getting most of its information off of the web and many are doing it on their phones, which is much quicker and you don’t have to wait until you get home. Many of the older generation rely on personal sharing and information on a hard copy. I find it getting more difficult with each day to effectively reach both groups.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a table of teenagers sitting together. No one was talking. Everyone was texting, checking e-mail or playing DS, while the table next to them of older adults were talking non-stop. There is something precious about the personal relationships that develop without the technology. There is something amazing going on in the lives of young people as they fully embrace new technologies.

Bridging these two generations is going to be a challenge for the church in the coming years. How well we celebrate the Good Ol’ Days while at the same time embrace the exciting days ahead will determine our future.

Spilling Over?

Ed Doerner — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:55:16 +0000

If you had to name all of the things that God has given you, how many things do you think you would have on your list? Is it even possible to count them all? How many of the blessings that God has given to you have spilled over so that others are blessed? In the 23rd Psalm David wrote, “My cup runs over.” In other words, God blesses us so much that others benefit. When our cups run over, there are other cups catching what overflows out of ours.

Let’s say God is blessing you with an incredible day. Do you keep the feelings to yourself? Do you only smile at yourself? Are you happy with only yourself? Of course not. When God gives us a great day it spills over to other people. A few minutes ago someone walked into my office with this big smile on their face. I couldn’t help but smile before they said a word. She was so excited about Wonderful Wednesday (our midweek ministry to kids in our community) that she was bouncing. I couldnt’ help but feel the excitement and it made my day better. That’s what David meant when he wrote “my cup runs over.” We have an amazing God who loves to give, and give, and give. He gives until our cups run over.

Let me ask you a question: Do you share the blessings you have with others? It can be as simple as caring for others, loving others or showing grace towards others. God cares for us, loves us and shows us grace, to the point of overflowing. Do we share these same blessings with others.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving, may you be overflowing with gratitude towards God who has given you more blessings than you can possibly keep for yourself. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Leaving a Legacy?

Ed Doerner — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:22:31 +0000

Yesterday I had the privilege of preaching at a funeral for a friend of mine. He has lived an amazing life and it was fun to share some of those things with all those who attended. It was awesome to share with everyone how much he loved the Lord.

As you can imagine, it got me thinking about my own life. What have I done in my own life? Some people grade themselves by their accomplishments while others by the lives that they have invested in. Besides your family, who are you investing in to the degree that you would be greatly missed? If you stopped doing what you are doing, would people notice? Would you be quickly replaced and life would go on as usual? Or would the people that you are investing in realize that no one could take your place and you would be greatly missed? I have come to realize that God and people fill a hole in our hearts that only they can fill.

As you think about your life, I would encourage you to think about where you spend your time and who you invest in. It’s amazing what can be accomplished and the difference we can make when we take the time to invest in people. I think you will find that the words you share with others, especially when you make a positive impact, will be remembered long after you are gone.

Do you have peace?

Ed Doerner — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:28:41 +0000

If you have ever been in a storm where there is a lot of rain and wind, there is no relief. You can seek shelter but as long as you are in the storm there is nothing you can do to stop the driving wind and rain. There are times when life feels like a storm. Things get crazy and out of control; it seems like you are being driven and pushed. It can feel like pounding rain that never seems to stop and there is no relief. It’s during these times we need to seek God’s peace.

God’s peace is like being in the eye of a hurricane. Life is still whipping around us and the winds are still blowing but we don’t feel it anymore. Things are still out of control but somehow we have peace in the midst of it. God does not want us to live in the hurricane, but to live in the eye. He wants our hearts at peace and only He can provide it. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

What are you doing in the hurricane when God has invited you into the eye? God’s peace is different. It gives us rest when there seems to be no rest. It calms our hearts so that even though it seems like we should be anxious, we are at peace. Peter said in his first letter, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” Amen. May God give you peace.

What do you focus on?

Ed Doerner — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:14:55 +0000

This morning as I was reading the Bible, I came across this verse: “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite.” It got me thinking about what I focus on. Do I focus on the things that I have? My faith, my family, my home, the church, the things that we all enjoy; or do I focus on what I don’t have and the things that I want. It’s so easy in life to see what we don’t have, rather than focus on the things that we have. When we think about what we have we are doing what the writer of Ecclesiastes is saying; we are focusing on what we see, rather than on what our appetite desires.

I’ve noticed that when we focus our attention on what our appetite desires, as soon as it is off the list, something else takes its place on the list. Our appetite is never satisfied. However, when we focus on what we have and enjoy what God has given us, it usually results in thanksgiving.

Better life?

Ed Doerner — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:04:12 +0000

Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” What exactly did he mean that we can have life to the full? As I look around I see that life is hard, but I am reminded that God is good. Being in a relationship with Jesus does not mean that life will be easy. Just because we are a child of God and a follower of Jesus does not mean that our lives will suddenly be easier. However, I do believe that life is “better.”

Life is better when we know that we are not alone. Whatever we face, we face it with Jesus. Life is better because we know that God is in control and not us. Nothing can happen to you today without God knowing and approving whatever happens to you. Life can spin out of control and yet be better at the same time because God promises never to leave us. I may be in the fire, but somehow God is protecting me from getting burned. It doesn’t mean things will be good, but it does mean that life can be better. If you want a “better” life, which is a faith-filled life, then ask the One who can give it to you. Life is hard; but God is good.

Scared?

Ed Doerner — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:46:46 +0000

During these economic downturns it’s easy to be afraid. I heard yesterday that this is by far the worst economic situation our generation has ever faced and there are a lot of people scared. People are scared that they will lose their jobs, lose their homes, lose their cars or lose their lifestyle. Some of you have already lost your job and you are downright frightened. What does it mean? Why did it have to be you? You may be wondering why God allowed this to happen, or why didn’t He intervene and spare your job. You may be a single mom and wondering how God could do this to you. Now what?

I hear people angry about the exorbitant salaries or bonuses that top executives are receiving at the cost of many jobs. I hear people upset about what is happening on Wall street, the government bailout and the excessive expenditures of companies while hard working people lose their jobs. What does it all mean?

As I try to make sense of it all, I know this to be true…God is still in control and He still loves us. Why He allows people to be hurt and lose their jobs or homes I can’t answer. I don’t see God playing favorites about who keeps their job and who doesn’t. What I do know is that God has not abandoned us. He is still here, He still cares and He still loves us. I pray that in these trying times that you will turn to Him and not away from Him. I pray that you will reach out to Him and not reject Him. He is our only hope in times like these. You may be scared and even angry about your situation. Always remember, God loves you, no matter what.

Dare to Dream

Ed Doerner — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:36:23 +0000

What do you dream about? I don’t mean your goals or aspirations, I mean your dreams. The kind of dreams that say “one day…….” These are the dreams that keep you up during the middle of the night thinking about. These are the dreams that you can’t seem to get out of your mind.

The inauguration of President Obama was the most extraordinary fulfillment of a dream for millions in America. Who can forget on August 28, 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream….” And then with tears in our eyes we watched as President Obama took his oath to be the 44^th President of the United States.

The last time we saw such an extraordinary dream fulfilled was when we heard President Kennedy say on May 25, 1961 that before the decade ended we would land a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth. Then on July 21, 1969 we saw Neil Armstrong take the first step on the moon. What amazes me is that both of these men inspired our nation to dream and both lives were tragically cut short and never saw their dreams fulfilled. Their dreams became our dreams and we were privileged to see them happen. There is nothing more fulfilling in life than to see dreams fulfilled.

What do you dream about, friend? I believe that God puts dreams into each of our hearts that are in line with His dreams. God has revealed to us a number of His dreams in the Bible. He dreams that one day everyone will know Him and believe in Him. Jesus gave up His life so that every person in the world could have a relationship with God and He longs for the day when it is fulfilled. I believe God dreams about the day when we will love each other with the same love that He has for us. I can only imagine how God’s heart breaks with the way that we treat each other.

When asked, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord our God with all of our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength.” And the second is like it, that we “Love our neighbor as ourselves.”

The challenge with dreams is that they take years to be fulfilled and we lose focus. Many times people get discouraged, don’t work towards them or think they will never happen so they abandon them. I wonder how many dreams have died.

So what do you dream about? What are you doing to fulfill those dreams? What does God want you to do to fulfill the dreams that He gave you?

Do you really want to grow?

Ed Doerner — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:00:41 +0000

How many of us really want to grow? It’s easy to say that we want to grow, but few people are willing to do what it takes to grow or welcome growth opportunities. It’s so much easier to keep things the same and to settle in to the “comfortable,” but then our growth stops. At the same time, constant growth comes with a price also. There are times when our environment and circumstances change constantly and without a time of rest the affects can be more harmful than good. During these times of constant growth the stress can take a toll on our attitude, our relationships, our faith and our body. Without a time of rest, Instead of growing, we become weaker.

If you have ever lifted weights, you may understand how growth occurs. If we lift with fewer weights and more repetition, we tone up our muscles and build up our endurance. If we want to grow, we need someone to help push us beyond our limits and lift more than we are capable of lifting. However, this is not when growth occurs. Growth occurs when the muscles are allowed to rest. During the weightlifting we are stretched, during the resting we grow.

The same is true with professional growth. When we are pushed beyond our limits; when people push us out of our comfort zone; when we have to do things we have not done before; when we have to work harder or faster to produce results than our comfort zone allows; when we are asked to do things that we know we cannot do by ourselves, then we are stretched. Without being pushed beyond our limits, we are only maintaining. Then growth occurs during the time of rest. We need to be stretched beyond our limits then rest; stretched, and then rest. Are you allowing others to push you beyond your limits? Are you taking the time to rest? Jesus said, “come to me all of you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” May God bless you in your growth.

Growing together,

Facing the Future

Ed Doerner — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:54:33 +0000

One of the hardest parts of leading is anticipating the future. Making sure that the organization you lead is aligned to meet the changing needs of the culture is a great challenge. If only we could foresee the future it would be so much easier. As a leader, we have to read the signs and anticipate what is to come. Then the challenge is helping others see what is on the horizon, even though most people are not capable of doing this. The majority of people see what is, not what is going to be. In many cases, aligning the organization to anticipate what is to come and then retooling the leadership to buy into the futuristic picture of what is to come so that they begin to make changes accordingly results in people getting frustrated and turning against the leader.

We live in a time that we have not experienced been before. We live in a culture that seems to be changing constantly. All you have to do is go into an electronics store and see all of the new technology. I watch some people throw up their hands and don’t try to embrace any of it unless there is a good motivation to do so, like grandparents who are using the technology to stay in contact with their grandchildren. I see others make an attempt to use the new technology in a limited manner and get frustrated at what they don’t know or understand and generally have a negative attitude about it. I see others who use it quite well. And then I see others who love it, embrace it and make full use of it. I see the same thing in organizations. Some people throw their hands up and reject change. I see others try to understand it and then have a negative attitude. In both of these instances, it usually results in a rejection of the leader. I see others accept change and I see others who love it and embrace it.

So what happens in an organization that is trying to align itself for the future, while at the same time is trying to help those who are either rejecting or struggling to change? Some people embrace the change immediately while others soon after they understand it. Some people need extra time to accept change and then there are others who no matter what is done, they will never accept change. Because there are so many cultural and technological changes occurring rapidly, leading an organization feels like a rubber band that is being stretched. Some within the rubber band what to keep things the way they were, while others are out in front leading the change according to what they see on the horizon. If you are leading an organization you are probably feeling stretched like never before. The challenge for leaders is to move the organization without breaking the rubber band.

Until all have heard,
Ed Doerner