Wednesday Showcase on Generosity

It is my honor to showcase Scott Ginsberg for His Generosity and Genius!!!

A few years ago I was led to check out Scott's website:

http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/.

His blog is one of my favorite hangouts.

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "the world's foremost field expert on nametags" and author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He works with people and organizations who want to become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/.

I found this tribute to Scott in the book:Marketing the Church: How to Communicate Your Church's Purpose and Passion in a Modern Context by Michael Daehn; published by Lulu.com 2006.ISBN 141167071X

p. 149-150 "I met my friend Scott Ginsberg at an NSA (Nat'l Speakers Assoc,). He was wearing a nametage that said, "Hello, My Name is Scott." There was nothing unusual about this; we were all wearing nametags.

His, however, was hand written in a different color than ours. Why? Because, Scott has been wearing a nametage every single day for over 5 years now. If you want to see the status of how many days he is at today, check out his website http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/.

Sounds a little odd, but Scott is one of the brightest and most innovative people I have met. The reason he wears a nametag is because it acts as a means of approachability. In fact, Scott has written two books on the subject.

He is a professional speaker who works with groups who want to learn to be more friendly and approachable. Understandably he has worked with several churches interested in becoming a more outgoing congregation.

Scott says if you want to start talking to people, you need a good front porch, like in the good-old-days when people would stop and talk to their neighbors on the porch. Today we need to figure out a way to make ourselves approachable by creating front porches that invite conversation and interaction.

Scott explains this way better in his book: The Power of Approachability. If you are looking for innovative and powerful ways to get your church to build relationships with people, I would highly recommend reading this book or talking to Scott himself, he's very approachable. On his site you can read about "52 Ways to Build Front Porches", such as wear a t-shirt that people will comment about. Some others:1) Smile2) Make eye contact3) Comment about someone’s jewelry4) Ask about someone’s t-shirt."

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Below is an excellent example of Scott's wit and self-effacing humor:

"I recently spoke at The Turnaround Conference at the St. Peters Church of the Shepherd. My keynote address pointed out the dichotomy of Unforgettable First Impressions. In other words, GOOD Unforgettable vs. BAD Unforgettable.

Judging by the audience's response, the speech went excellent. They were volunteering, echoing, clapping - everything a speaker hopes to hear. I also had the opportunity to meet many attendees afterwards who shared stories and examples about good (and bad) first impressions.

When the day was over I walked out to my car feelin' great. The cool wind brushed against my face as the sun trickled down the sky. Then, I got smacked with one of the biggest doses of irony in my entire life...When I opened the door to my Altima, I noticed the console of my 12 disc changer was ripped out of its socket.

Hmmm, that's weird. Must've kicked it on accident when I got out of the car earlier.I started the car and reached for my traditional post-speech celebration music, Counting Crows' This Desert Life. But it wasn't sitting in its usual cubby hole. Interesting. Guess the CD wallet fell on the floor.Well, it didn't.

I looked around the floor for a few minutes, and then it hit me: my car got jacked. Somebody broke into it, tried to rip off my CD console, then stole 30 of my CD's.

And in the parking lot of a CHURCH, no less!Un-freaking-believable.I ran back inside to grab my client, Amanda. She was furious. She couldn't believe it. She recommended we call the police, although I told her not to make a big deal of it."We have to file a report. This is ridiculous!" she said.

And about 20 minutes later Amanda and I found ourselves on the front drive of the church, filing a report with the St. Peters Police Department.

Inside the church were hundreds of people I'd just given a speech to who probably thought I was being arrested for some ridiculous crime.

Officers Bittle and Molynski of the St. Peters Police asked me all the necessary questions about the incident, namely, "Mr. Ginsberg, was your car locked?""No...why would I lock my car? This is a CHURCH, right?" I said with a hint of sarcasm in my voice. We all laughed.

Officer Molynski asked if I worked at the church. I told him no, but rather that I was giving a speech about UNFORGETTABLE first impressions. We all laughed even harder.

Once we finished the report, Officer Molynski gave Amanda and I a few tips on theft prevention. He was thankful for our cooperation. Then I offered to sign a free copy of The Power of Approachability .

I left the parking lot of the church and thought, wow - talk about an UNFORGETTABLE first impression. Unfortunately, not the kind I was hoping for.

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Thrive Christian Readers, You know the routine: get otta' here. Go visit Scott at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/ or his blog at:

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/

I Am Sorry: The Power of Apology

"I am sorry that I ran my mouth last night," I sincerely confessed to the cute twenty-something drummer in the praise band. "How unfair of me to get so animated and unrelenting in my rant of what was right and wrong. Please forgive me. I know I should have been quiet. If I had spoken calmly and with some openness, maybe it would have been alright. The news story you mentioned had just been discussed by someone who had been similarly hurt. You didn't hear that conversation and I treated you as though you had. But I was wrong. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?" I lamented very humbly.

This precious petite young lady tried to minimize my mouth-running-with-no-control rant. "Please accept or reject my apology, but please don't dilute my confession. I have been in prayer and I know I was wrong," I honestly told her.

All 90 pounds of her grabbed me and we hugged like only sisters can hug. Then I shared with her how musically "challenged" I am. So to pray for the band I always pray for the drummers. "So bank on me praying for you to 'get' the beat and keep the rest of the band harmoniously together with the sound that God will give you, " I told her. She lit up with a great smile and throughout the service I would see her radiating that smile as she was a great drummer all night.

Yesterday I shared with you a moment in my life I will treasure forever. God moved in the hearts of 250 women inmates; and all of us in ministry. It was life giving and life changing. I dare to call it revival and there was a sound that broke through the atmosphere when these women prisoners sang without any help from any of us "Holy Holy Holy."

Anyone God uses to join with Him in true revival will be "clean" and they must stay "clean." All during Saturday night when I would awaken I would relive my conversation in that bus with the drummer calmly stating the news report and I would hear my over zealous self.

These 10 words were necessary for me to speak from my heart in order to be clean enough to be a vital part of God's move Sunday night:

I was wrong. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Suddenly The Sound

The Sound of God's Presence



"We have a problem. Never have this many inmates come to church services before. So many have come in that we have exceeded the code limit of capacity for this room. There is only one guard and myself. Pray that all goes well," the prison chaplain shared with me and the 30+ church members prior to services. For several months our prison ministry has been coming for monthly services to the highest security level women's prison in our state.

This time we brought the sound equipment, our own sound engineer, 2 elaborate drumsets, 2 keyboards, the praise and worship team, dancers, the intercessors and me, the scribe, and two powerful preachers.

Revival is not a word I use lightly. I have prayed for decades to be present in God's true revivals. As a reader of old Chrisitan books, long years ago I naively prayed, "God, I know Chrisitans were in cities where Moody and Finney and Wesley preached that never knew anything great was going on. If You ever move in true revival will You let me know where You are mercifully moving in supernatural ways? I especially want to know if it is reasonable for me to attend." There will never be enough time to share the ongoing ways God has answered that prayer. He seems to take pleasure in "suddenly" surprising me anew with His answers to that request.

Last night was another experience of His mighty work suddenly in the hearts of men and women. Revival .... true revival as depicted in the Bible and throughout history is a sudden awareness of God's presence. It is a profound awareness of His majesty and the people are filled with the awe of God. No man or woman seems to be ultimately in charge of the meeting, rather the Holy Spirit literally seems to be presiding over the meeting and taking charge of it, and manifesting His power and guiding them, and leading them, and directing them. None of us can adequately describe revival, but we reflect its effect forever.

I don't know how long Thrive Christians Blog will dwell on what occured last night, but I know this is not a quick blog post on my trip to womens' prison. Something eternal occured within the two nights on the "inside."
Inside the locked walls and doors.

Inside my walls.

Inside the hearts of all of us in the presence of Holy God.

As we were packing up, the chaplain shared with us that "something" huge had occured in the two services this weekend. She could not elaborate, due to confidentiality policies, but we knew that many of her prayers had been answered.

She said many churches and ministries come to preach, but the inmates have talked to her about the "sound" that they hear when our church comes. Our church services are wonderful and the sounds are life-giving, but I agree with the inmates, I heard a sound Saturday and Sunday nights that was not church as usual.

That "sound" was like a mighty rushing wind. That sound of 250+ women singing Holy Holy Holy accapello for over ten minutes, opened up parts of my stoney heart to pour out prayers of mercy and love to strangers dressed in drab beige prison uniforms. I loved every woman with a compassion and a longing for their peace and joy that I simply cannot describe.

The "sound" had women dancing with smiles on their faces as they sang on their way to their cells. Free in Christ: oh yes, I will see that lively "ocean" of beige dressed beautiful women as my visual for that phrase forever. These same women had marched into the room with sad long faces and drooped postures.

The Bible shares a moment in John 4: 27-42 when Jesus compassionately and in full authority spoke to the Samaritan immoral woman at the well that reminds me of what I have experienced.

She must have had similar pains of regret with these women in prison. There was a "sound" in His voice that she realized that this was not just another day at the well.

And last night was not just another prison church service.

"And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did! So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." John 4:39-42

I've heard the "sound" of Heaven here on earth and I will never be the same again.

Holy Holy Holy.

Life Unwasted

Showing Mercy is the way to live in Christ, a life unwasted.

Amber Riebe's song "Life Unwasted" gives us the way to life a life that matters.

Life Unwasted

A sweeter love

my heart had never tasted and

Along with Your forgiveness

Came the opportunity to

Live life un-wasted.

Now I'm living this life un-wasted and true.

I'll spend the rest of my life living un-wasted for You.

Life Unwasted by Amber Riebe

In its most fundamental sense, gentleness traces its deepest root to a thoroughly, theological word: "mercy."

The Bible has one word that expresses mercy beautifully: the Hebrew word hesed. This word expresses covenant loyalty, a love characterized by solid fidelity. No matter what people have done throughout the ages God faithfully loves His people.

When I think of God's mercy to me and mine, I can only think of being merciful to others. In this flow of love is the reward of life fulfilled; unwasted.

May we celebrate this sabbath and rejoice that we live lives unwasted!!!

Smile The World Looks Better When You Do

Smile....the world looks better to you....and you look better to the world, when you smile.

During mid-week service at church the other week I noticed some new people in our sanctuary. After introducing myself they shared that they had driven 4 hours to attend our services. They had been impressed with our church on the tv service they had been watching. We're a BIG church with over 10,000 in worship every Sunday morning.

I told them to expect to experience the presence of the Lord and to expect to enjoy themselves.

A good friend hugged me and told them to expect to have plenty of fun as well as discover deep and wonderful things about our Lord. Then some other folks gathered around together before the service began. I surveyed our group and chuckled.

We represented 3 different races and a great diversity of ages and dress.

This very diversity was what caught my eye when I saw a service on television. I drive 45 minutes one way to be a part of this wonderful body of Christ. Down here in the deep South this is the only church I have found that you cannot say we are a "white" or "black" or any other race church. Gas prices rising and I just pray for the Lord to provide. Until the Holy Spirit moves on some Chrsitians in my town to come together in all colors and social status I will keep on driving to be a part of this beautiful work of God.

My hope is that worship in America will never be of one race. I dream of a day where there is no white, black, Hispanic, etc. church. May we be the Body of Jesus Christ!!!

We did laugh, we sang, we jumped and we cried in that service. I looked back at my new "sisters" and "brothers" in Christ and they were jubilant.

I find myself wondering if this race issue in church could be a piece of the "deadness" and lack of joy in some churches. Our church could never be called "dead". We have 100+ hands on ministry in the community and internationally. Laughter and smiling are a natural part of life among the members of my church. We are wide open to becoming Chrisitans God can trust with His best.

I love God's church and I am praying for all churches to thrive and be so full of the Spirit of God that people will recognize us all by the zip to our step, the smile of joy on our faces and the compassion of our merciful hearts.

Smile ....it's good for you. Looking at you is easier when you smile.

Fun Friday, Laugh, You'll Be Healthier If You Do

Laugh...I mean really laugh. All the medical experts agree that our bodies get a great jolt of life when we laugh. So, I am setting myself up to intentionally laugh often. Remember, you have landed on Thrive Christians; we're into really living!!!

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Bill, Jim, and Scott were at a convention together and were sharing a large suite on the top of a 75 story sky scraper.

After a long day of meetings they were shocked to hear that the elevators in their hotel were broken and they would have to climb 75 flights of stairs to get to their room.

Bill said to Jim and Scott, "Let's break the monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating on something interesting. I'll tell jokes for 25 flights, and Jim can sing songs for 25 flights, and Scott can tell sad stories the rest of the way."

At the 26th floor Bill stopped telling jokes and Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor Jim stopped singing.

Then Scott began to tell sad stories. "I will tell my saddest story first," he said. "I left the room key in the car!"

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This is supposed to be a true story from a Georgia trooper. A law enforcement friend said it probably is:

A highway partrolman pulled over a man for speeding slightly over the speed limit. On checking the violater's driver's license he noticed a Juggling Event flyer in the seat showing the driver as the star of the show.

The Trooper told the driver he was fascinated by juggling, and if the driver would do a little juggling for him that he wouldn't give him a ticket. The driver told the Trooper that he had sent all of his equipment on ahead and didn't have anything to juggle.

Checking his patrol car trunk, the trooper pulled out some flares and asked if he could juggle them. With a nod, the juggler lit the three flares and began to hurl them in the air.

While the man was doing his juggling act, a car pulled in behind the patrol car. A drunk good old boy got out and watched the performance briefly. Then he walked over to the patrol car, opened the rear door and got in.

The Trooper was baffled. He ran over to the patrol car. He opened the door and asked the drunk what he thought he was doing.

The drunk replied, "You might as well take me to jail; 'cause there ain't no way I can pass that sobriety test."

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To close today, may I offer you a series of church outdoor signs:

http://funmeme.com/ has been inspiration for some of the humor here today. Check them out; they have some funny stuff ... lots of humor. I want to give them credit; but I also want you to know places to visit to plan to laugh when you don't see anything in your life that's funny.

Remember.................laugh!!!

Come in 1 Accord

Christians Powerful in Confluence

Thank you for your comments on confluence this week. I love words and weaving a new one with other words to create a tapestry of truth and beauty. I pray this confluence tapestry is blessing you.


Years ago someone told a joke about the scripture in Acts that describes the confluence of the believers in the upper room at Pentecost. I was told the first church preferred Japanese transportation: they were in one accord. Whenever I read or hear that scripture read I have to smile. But today I am so into confluence I am deliberately thinking of Christians' willingness to be cramped, pushed or jammed for the Kingdom of God. Yeah! We'll even come in one accord or 1 Accord. We'll do whatever it takes.



To wind up confluence pondering, let me share your comments:
Nicki from http://threegirlygirlz.blogspot.com/: People aren't rejoicing with each other anymore.
Response: Spent...that's what I see among the saints. $, time, energy, and hope. May God show us how to balance our resources to fulfill His destiny for each of us and all of us together. Then I believe we will want to celebrate with one another.



http://hkudla.wordpress.com/ wrote: I think that my biggest problem is obsessing about what others think about me. Rarely happens out loud, but most of the time in my head and makes me incredibly self conscious. It is insane sometimes, and I am really working on it, and giving it over to God almost daily....Response: I loved the honesty and repentant tone of this comment. I remember thinking what I didn't say would not hurt anyone. Wrong! Repeatedly the Bible warns us to guard our thinking. All sin originates in our thinking. I have a vivid imagination and two books that have helped me are The Mind of Christ, by T.W. Hunt and The Battlefield of The Mind, by Joyce Meyer.

Patrick at http://www.spinningsilkmultimedia.com/ wisely commented: The enemies number #1 attack is trying to make us forget about God's grace through Jesus Christ. When we fail it's so easy to kick ourselves and forget he is there holding and sustaining us.
Response: Life is coming crashing down on many saints these days. Pastor Seth opened up some new thinking for me with confluence. When my hope and faith wane I can draw on my brother's or sister's to keep up the fight. My fear is that the great independent spirit of Americans is actually crippling the church from being the united famiy God has called us to be. When our hope leaks; we become less cautious and mindful of the important things. So when life happens in big rushes and major storms; we can fall into hopelessness to one degree or another. We truly need one another and most of all the Lord. There are no solo heroes in the Kingdom of God.

Don Moen's lyrics seem the best way to close today. May confluence be the mark of you and your church; your family; your work; the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Come to the river of life
You will find healing there
Come to the river of life
Come and drink freely here
Come if your heart is searching
O, come if your soul is thirsty
Draw near and drink of
The mercy of Jesus Christ, oh yes
And the river of life.