Nunchucks, Warriors, & Master Po

HE WHO CONQUERS HIMSELF IS THE GREATEST WARRIOR.

-MASTER PO, KUNG FU

When was the last time that we were completely honest when someone asked us "How's it going?" I must get this question ten times a day and I honestly cannot remember the last time that I really gave the honest answer. Why is that? Why are we so afraid to share with someone how are lives really are, what challenges we are facing, where we may be struggling? This book really jumps right into it.

• How come we never talk about the really important stuff?
  
• What are those big and nasty issues lurking out there ready to take us down?
  
• What are those stupid choices we are on the verge of making that would deliver a knockout blow and wreak our lives?
  
• How could we help each other be healthier leaders and find true meaning for our lives?
  

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE INTRODUCE YOUR ENEMIES

There are seven enemies to your character, The Deadly Viper Character Assassins, as Mike and Jud call them. These ninja are always after us in an attempt to undermine our integrity, leadership and success. And just like the ninja, all to often once you see them it is already too late.

Too many of us think we can skate by on our business savvy, stellar successes, and our impressive ability to jive talk ourselves out of anything. But here's the deal; the Deadly Vipers aren't in the mood for small talk. They're in the mood for spilling blood. They're like our favorite karate legend, Chuck Norris; the Deadly Vipers don't go hunting, they go a killing.

This is so very true. More often than not, we make a mistake and before we even know it, the walls are shaking and it's looking like the whole place may cave in. If you have not been in that position yet, just wait, you will. You need to be ready to face these assassins. As leaders, we need to be warriors who are ready fo whatever attack may come and as Mike and Jud say;

The Character Assassins are on their way. For some of you they are pressing a steely blade to your throat even now.

UGLY DANCE PARTNERS

Character and integrity are like those girls or guys at the high school dance you would only cut the rug with as a last resort.

Who wants to really talk about character and integrity? I know that most people I know don't. In fact, I would be surprised if anyone is still reading this (if anyone reads it anyway). The issues of character and integrity have been removed from or vision, we simply don't care. Everywhere we look we see a lack of integrity, morals and good character so we seem to have forgotten what integrity and character looks like. It's all over the media, in print, on TV in movies, music and even in the church. All too often though we are completely blind to it until something happens that shakes your world. It is critical that we begin to open our eyes to this. If we are going to protect our character and integrity, than we have to be prepared and we have to be on the lookout. But fist, we have to really open our eyes. You may be surprised, Character and integrity are more like that guy or girl you picked on in high school and then you come back 10 or 20 years later and they turned out to be pretty hot.

NO PERFECT PEOPLE

Many think being a person of integrity is about perfectionism, legalism, and the glow of a halo illuminating your face.

Character is too often associated with those finger pointers out there with their big lists of do's and don'ts. It's not about that as Glenn Frey of The Eagles once said,

"Rock and roll isn't about perfection. It's about excellence."

No one exists without character flaws. We all have stuff, in some cases it's big, in others it's small. But regardless, we still ALL struggle with issues of integrity.

Maybe we

• Under-report our taxes
  
• Exaggerate successes
  
• Say things we don't mean
  
• Carry on an illicit affair
  
• Take advantage of people
  

Or maybe we

• Steal pens and paper from the office
  
• Surf porn during work hours
  
• Enjoy gossiping and undermining people
  
• Rip our kids off with the lack of quality time
  
• Bail on friends in their time of need
  

Bottom line: We're all a mess, and we all have character issues.

This really hits me hard. I have always looked at myself as a man of integrity. But now that I really reflect on it, I am pretty damn screwed up to be completely honest. I see that I am far from being a character warrior. If you are already there, I applaud you, but if you are not, there is no shame, that's what great, no matter where we are, there is a starting point to achieving a life of integrity.

I am going to leave you with this for tonight. I will conclude chapter 0 tomorrow (I hope). Be thinking about how it is that you may lack integrity. Also I encourage you to find a person who you trust, and really open up to them. Just like working out in a gym, the going is a lot easier when you have someone to encourage you along the way. I know that in the next few days, I will be seeking out a person that will give me a spot when I just can't get the weights up.

Deadly Viper: Character Assassins

This past October, I received a book at the Catalyst Conference by Mike Foster (founder of xxxchurch.com) and Jud Wilhite (Senior Pastor of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas). My first thought when glancing over the book in October was that this might be good. Who better to write a book on character and integrity than the man who coined the phrase "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" and then printed it on a Bible to hand out at porn conventions, and a Pastor from the capitol of sin and sex the world over. Well, as catchy as the title was and concept was, the book quickly ended up on the bookshelf at home with all the other volumes that I will probably not even attempt to read until I am finished at school. Well, tonight, that changed. I was walking past the bookshelf to get a drink in the kitchen and the book just happened to catch my eye. I was literally drawn to it, like there was something inside that I just had to know at that very moment. So I forgot about the class of water I was getting and I grabbed to book and sat down to read. There was something in the book for me, and I have to share it with all of you (the 2 of you who read this). So over the next week or two I will be posting about each chapter. I really encourage you to get this book and read it along with me, also feel free to leave comments, I would like to know what you may be thinking.

A Long Time Coming…

Something has really been bothering me for a while. I have written about this before abut I am going to try to dive a little deeper into it this time. I have had a unique opportunity to have been involved in several different churches within several different denominations during my life. I have attended Baptist churches (where I accepted Christ), Pentecostal churches (where I dedicated my life to serving Christ) and most recently Reformation/Restoration Movement churches (where I was baptized). I even have a close friend who is heavily involved in the house church movement that I would have to say may be onto something. Each church was very different from the one that I attended before it. At each one, my faith and understanding of Christianity grew. But looking back I see one disturbing trend. For the most part with only a few exclusions, each church was convinced that the other denominations had it all wrong. I would even go as far as to say some churches felt that other denominations were so wrong that a person who attended a different church in the past should question their salvation.

This really strikes a nerve with me. Something deep within me tells me that the churches of the world "united" are the body of Christ. I can point out what I don't like about every denomination that I have experience with from Catholic to Baptist to Pentecostal, but I can't say that in my heart I feel that they are wrong. I may not agree with some methods that are used, I may not agree with someone's interpretation of a part of the Bible, and I may not agree with how a church uses or teaches about finances and money but who am I to say that Christ is not working through the followers of any specific denomination. I do feel that there are church leaders out there who are leading people in the wrong direction. I feel that there are churches out there that have perverted the Gospel and turned it into a get rich scheme, but I also know that there are people out there who are being exposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ and there is a spark of life within them.

The churches and their leaders are so quick to try to point out where everyone else is wrong, have we forgot that we all are here to serve the same purpose? I do believe that we need to take a stand against false teaching that clearly goes against the Bible, regardless of translation or interpretation. But we need to be more careful in our condemning of other denominations or church models. I think that too often we forget that if a person is truly seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ, they will be led to the truth. It goes along with the mindset that we go out into the world and save people. I don't know about you, but I have never saved anyone and I can assure you that no one saved me. I have been saved by the grace of God alone.

Been a Long Time

Ok, I know it has been forever since I have blogged but now that life has settled down a bit, I want to make a point to start blogging again. I have lots on my mind that I want to get out and there are a lot of updates regarding school, church and other stuff that I would like to share.

I will be attending a rally today at the Georgia State Capitol hosted by the Georgia Right To Life. The rally is to draw attention to today being the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. The group will hold a prayer service for the lives lost to abortion. Presidential hopeful, Gov. Mike Huckabee is one of the speakers at the rally. I am excited to attend this and if anyone want to go with me, e-mail me before 8am.

There is lots more to come, I promise. so check back, tell your friends and families.

God Bless!