All posts by mjfelker1980

Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Leadership, Life, Movies, Resources

Tuesdays Are For Development

So yesterday I laid the foundation for my whole week- I mapped out my To Do list and my Due Date list, I prepped for each of my teaching times, and I wrapped up loose ends from last week. Now that I have a base for operating out of it is time to move towards Development.

Development of Classes
I still prep for my teaching times today but I focus more on my Tuesday and Wednesday teaching times. For simplicity sake and for consistency- these teaching times are both traditional Bible study times. On Tuesdays we are studying through 2 Timothy and Wednesdays are focused on John. This allows for a bit of a pattern so that I’m not prepping for two completely different things back to back. It helps me and I believe that the students benefit from traditional Bible study. On Wednesday I’ll continue developing my Wed night class and dive deeper on Sunday AM and PM.

Development of Ministry
To develop my ministry I set aside time to read, process, evaluate and dream each week. Today I’m reading through a ministry journal to glean tips and ideas for the ministry. After that I’m making a few calls to set up some events for the coming months. I’ll wrap up the day reading and taking notes on developing community within our group. If I can get to it today I will also work on some art work for an upcoming series and I have an office administration form I need to work on. These two projects are low on the totem pole though. I have them scheduled under “if there is time” today. If I can’t get to them today I have room in my schedule to fit them in by Friday. That’s the genius of planning.

I have really benefited from implementing Covey’s 4 Quadrants into my life (more on Q2 below). Development of content, character, and vision always trumps the bells and whistles. It is tempting to just work on the icing and the design of the surface but if there is no cake underneath then you have failed as a baker.

Holistic Development
Covey defines Quadrant 2 (Important/Not Urgent) habits as those that lead to holistic development: Preparation, Prevention, Values Clarification, Planning, Relationship building, Empowerment. The fact that I spent Monday laying these foundations helps me develop these habits, my ministry and my self today. Covey would say that is putting first things first. I just say that Tuesdays Are For Development.

2009, Collecting Experiences, Ethos, Leadership, Life, Resources

Mondays Are For Foundations

This week the plan is to post some thoughts on my new schedule. As I stated last semester (I’m the son of teachers, I’m married to a teacher, I am a minister to students- I think in semesters) I was stretched a little thin. The problem wasn’t that I felt overloaded. The problem was that I felt like my schedule was out of my hands. Years ago I wouldn’t have cared but now that I’m staring down a baby that is on its way and a busy summer schedule I knew I had to change something. I decided rather than to ride the wave with a “come what may” attitude that I would take the initiative and make the wave work for me. I sat down and marked down the have tos– the things that I must do or must accomplish each week. From there everything kind of fell into place. I found that in order to start of my week right I would have to make sure that Mondays Are For Foundations.

Each week I make sure that my Mondays are set aside for preparation, study, meetings, and planning.

Have To: Prepare for Teaching
As it now stands, I have to prepare for 4 separate teaching times- Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Tuesday Night, and Wednesday Night. If I don’t adequately prepare for these teaching times than I’m cheating everyone involved from my teens to their parents to myself and I am ignoring my calling to “preach the word.”

Solution
One thing that I learned to do years ago is to approach classes, sermons, and teaching times with a “series” mentality. That way I know what I’ve done, what I’m doing, and where we want to go. By laying out about 3-4 months at a time I can keep my eyes and ears open and prepare “on the go.” This allows me to shorten the actual preparation time for a single class or lesson because I (in essence) have been working on it for weeks. Example: On Sunday Nights I know that in February I’m teaching a month long series on Gospel and Culture and in April I’ll be teaching on the Holy Spirit. I already have pages of notes on each that I add to as I come across things or meditate on these topics. When it comes time to write out these lessons much of the leg work has already been done. It is like I’m sketching the rough outline now and then I’ll come back with the paint when it’s time to teach that lesson. Be prepared helps me be prepared.

Monday I lay the foundation for the week’s teaching times. I fully prep for Tuesday and Wednesday (I’ll spend time those mornings to tie up any loose ends) and I map out for Sunday. I will work/study on each class throughout the week but I really prep hard today.

I lay the foundation early so I can hit the ground building each Monday morning.

2009, Books, Collecting Experiences, Discipleship, Leadership, Life, Music, Theology, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Friday Thoughts

This really has been a good week. Here are some of the highlights:

Schedule: As I stated last week, I’ve altered my schedule to make me a bit more productive and pro-active. Things went well. I found places to tweak and to change. Maybe my schedule can help you schedule. I’ll post on my schedule next week.

Reading: I finished 2 books this past week and started 3 more. I’m reading everything from theology to discipleship to Sesame Street. No fooling.

Practical Theology: I’ve been pondering this for a little over 2 weeks now- Read 1 Cor 9:19-23. Now, think of a specific issue in worship/ministry that causes arguments- you know, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Next ask yourself, “Would Paul have encouraged _______________ if it would advance the gospel?” or “Would Paul have changed the tradition of ___________________ if it would have led someone to Jesus?” I believe that the answers to these questions has a profound impact on our practices. There’s you some light thinking for the weekend. You are welcome.

U2: Tons of new info out about the album. Rolling Stone & Q have song descriptions. Radio stations are saying that the new single will be out in the next two weeks. Bono is talking about “outdoor” shows and a tour beginning in June (He must have heard my request to avoid the due date of my forstborn. He such a stand up guy.). If only there were some album cover pics. Oh well. We can’t have everything we wish for. Check out all the new information at @U2 New Album Info page.

Technology: I’ve been asked to teach a Youth Ministry seminar in February. One of the sessions will be on “Using Technology in Ministry” I am looking forward to Bobby’s posts on Swerve on using mobile devices for ministry. Check out his quick Mobile Primer.

You: I hope you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.

Awe, Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Theology, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

Expansion

“The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.

No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God… But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe… Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity.” -C.H. Spurgeon (by way of J.I. Packer)

2009, Experience, Leadership, Ministry, Resources

Staying On Top Of It All

“If we center our lives on correct principles and create a balanced focus between doing and increasing our ability to do, we become empowered in creating effective useful, and peaceful lives.”– Steven Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

With a new year and a new semester upon us I have been taking a few steps to make my schedule work for me. I’m glad that today is a Friday so I could spend a little time thinking and preparing for the first full week of the new year. I have mapped out my week and look forward to seeing how everything fits together. It is my hope that this new schedule will help me be better- a better disciple, husband, minister, friend, and parent-to-be.

Last semester I was stretched a little thin. The problem wasn’t the load but the schedule. I was out three nights in a row- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday- with ministry related events. No bueno. This semester I am changing my day off to Thursday and I am only involved in ministry related events on two nights in a row- Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I know what I need to get done each week, how to do it, and when it needs to be finished.

Proactive scheduling is my attempt to be my best in every area of my life. I try and schedule my time the way I drive my car.

When I drive my car I don’t stare at the hood or just in front of my vehicle. That’s too often how we schedule our lives. We focus on the most pressing issue or we only have enough energy for the thing right in front of us. This leads to emergencies, pile-ups, accidents, and dented backends!

When I head out in my car I keep my eyes on the road ahead. I note the traffic, I stay a few moves a head of my directions (No GPS for me- I want to know ahead of time where I’m going. Turn by turn doesn’t do it for me), I observe any road closed signs, and I anticipate the gridlock or an accident. There are too many things to do or get done to be blindsided by a foreseeable incident.

Sure there are things that come up that I can’t anticipate and emergencies I could never account for. I forget things and miss things at times. I get interrupted with real emergencies and with time bandits. That’s ok.

I believe being proactive accounts for the unseen. It allows for breathing room because I am not overloaded with the tyranny of the urgent. This allows me to be fully present when an emergency occurs. It also gives me a sense of peace and clarity and energy to engage an interruption because I know that I’ve done the legwork and that I’ve been faithful to the process of preparation.

How do you schedule your time? What out of control areas of your life could benefit from a few moments of focus and proactive engagement?

General

All Is Quiet…

On New Year’s Day!

Here us wishing you and yours a wonderful 2009! Thanks for reading my little blog. We have some great stuff “on the horizon.” Have a great weekend! See you on Monday!

Peace,
Micheal

2008, Music, Popular Culture, Review, Twitter

Song of the Year Tweets

I spent most of Friday on the road heading out to see family. As I rode in the back and listened to my iPod I posted a series of tweets about my favorite songs of the year. I had fun trying to condense my thoughts down to only 140 characters. Enjoy the tweets and leave me some comments about your favorite songs of the year!

Love Lockdown– Kanye, keep your live performances of this track on lockdown (see SNL) but keep releasing these heart wrenching and intense songs. I’ll keep buying.

Shadow of the Day– Linkin Park gets all sentimental and balladesque. Great song and a good hook

Say– John Mayer says what he needs to say… now go get his “Where the Light Is” LP.

Lost!– Coldplay’s second appearence on the list. Check out Lost+ with Jay-Z. So good. Viva la Coldplay! 11:48 AM yesterday from mobile web

American Boy– Hey Estelle. English sista it’s really really nice to meet ya.

Better in Time– No need to wait. Leona was pretty great from the word go. The best breakup song of 08

Pork & Beans– Dance to a happy tune while Weezer tells their record comp to suck it. Red is the new Blue.

Pocketful of Sunshine– This earful of sunshine will most definately take you away. Nat Bedingfield is my guilty pleasure.

I’m Yours– Jason Mraz manages to out Jack Johnson Jack Johnson. Summer all year round with this track.

I Will Possess Your Heart– the album version is an 8 min plea from a stalker to his obsession. A slow burn about smoldering love.

Live Your Life– I have a bit of an audio crush on Rhianna right now. Turn this to 11 and just Live Your Life: Hey!!!! Ohhhh!!!

Paper Planes– All I wanna do (blam, blam, blam)is put this song on repeat (click) and thug out. (ching!)

Who’s Gonna Save My Soul– the eternal question gets the deep soul slow jam treatment from Gnarles Barkley.

Viva la Vida– Jerusalem bells toll for thee. A lonely king roams his former kingdom in search of meaning and an elusive legacy.

Follow me on Twitter!

2008, Advent, Christmas, General

Merry Christmas From The Felkers

5 Comments

Hewson Christmas

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.” (Psalms 139:13-18 TNIV)

A very Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Peace,
Micheal, Sandy, and Hewson (It’s a boy!)

Discipleship, Faith in Action, Ministry, Preaching, Theology, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

From Theory to Practice

This is the second part of my lesson from last Sunday. Our church has been going through the book of Romans. I got to focus on Romans 12, my favorite chapter in all of Paul’s writing. Enjoy the second part of The Gift of Life.

From Theory to Practice
This brings us to Romans 12. Paul has spent the first 11 chapters telling us this good news- that life apart from God is death, that Christ brings us all – Jew and gentile, male and female, slave and free – the gift of life, and that we are now free to really live for Him. He has spent 11 chapters on the theory. In Chapter 12, Paul finally gets practical.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Therefore– There is so much theology wrapped up in this one word. Therefore, because of, in light of EVERYTHING that God has done, the history of his gifts, the grace he offers, the life he lived, the sacrifice that he made. Because of these… now this. The previous eleven chapters are summarized in this one word.

Offer your bodies as living sacrifices– God no longer requires the blood of bulls and goats to atone for sin. The innocent blood of Jesus met the requirement once and for all. Now our lives are to be lived out as an offering to God.

This is true worship– I have had my fair share of discussions with people about what worship is and what it isn’t. Unfortunately most of these conversations end with hurt feelings and cold shoulders and in reality they miss the point.

In scripture we see two words translated as worship.

proskuneo- “to kiss forward” , bow down
Anytime we see someone coming to Jesus for healing we see them in proskuneo worship. they are bowing, they are honoring.

latreuo- SERVICE IN RELIGIOUS DUTIES
The word that Paul uses here in Romans 12 is from latreuo. It means the duties or actions of one’s worship.

I believe Paul is telling us that Worship is not just an event. It is a lifestyle.

Tomorrow: We Love Our Proskuneo

Discipleship, Faith in Action, Ministry, Preaching, Resources, The Word, Theology, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

The Gift

I had the chance to preach again yesterday. I don’t do it very often but I really enjoy sharing a message with the people of our church family whenever I get the chance.

I taught on Romans 12 and the Gift of Life, Jesus.

Since it is the week of Christmas I could let the opportunity of teaching a Christmas lesson pass me by. We’re taking off to Tennessee later this week so I want to post some of yesterday’s message with you here. These posts are from my teaching notes.

I hope that it helps you focus on the greatest gifts that we have been given- Jesus Christ and a new life lived by his Spirit. It don’t get much better than that.

The Gift of Life- Romans 12
We love giving gifts don’t we? Of course we do! I know the reason we love to give gifts- Genesis tells us that we are made in the image of God and He is a gift giver. In fact he is the ultimate gift giver. Scripture chronicles the great and mighty gifts that God has given mankind:

Creation
Life (that’s a biggie)
In the fall we deserved death but he showed his loving kindness
Saved Noah
Chose Abraham (To be blessed AND to bless the whole world)
Provided for Isaac
Renamed Jacob
Rescued the world from famine through Joseph
Repurposed the price of Egypt, Moses, and gave freedom to his people
The Law- knowledge of what is required
The promised land
Teachings from the Prophets

Finally God gave us himself through his son Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter the date because Galatians 4 says,

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer slaves, but God’s children; and since you are his children, he has made you also heirs.” (Galatians 4:4-7)

Do you see that? Do you hear that? God didn’t just send his Son for us. He didn’t just send us his Spirit. It wasn’t enough for God to just give us freedom. Scripture tells us that on top of all this God also adopts us as his own sons and daughters.

Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection were the ultimate gifs given to mankind.

From our human father, Adam, we received the gifts of sin, death, selfishness, murder, wrath, and spiritual poverty.

From our heavenly Father we have received life and resurrection. This gift of new birth and everlasting life is for all who wish to have it.

Tomorrow: From Theory to Practice