tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59663913923682085282024-02-18T20:38:59.217-08:00Life is whatz up...Its a query into the thoughts of a man who loves Jesus but is difficult to label!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-76090776893718442702014-12-24T06:28:00.002-08:002014-12-24T06:28:40.988-08:00The vulnerable Christian Leader...<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/114518965" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/114518965">CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP BY PASTOR ANTHONY BASS</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user20185151">thefitnessking</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-30657908857816389892014-12-24T06:27:00.001-08:002014-12-24T06:27:15.482-08:00God is in Control! <iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/115145182" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/115145182">12-21 002</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user20185151">thefitnessking</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-28622423797197021822014-10-06T08:40:00.001-07:002014-10-06T08:40:12.510-07:00Ethiopian girl reportedly guarded by lions<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/8305836/ns/world_news-africa/t/ethiopian-girl-reportedly-guarded-lions/#.VDK30PAsVCM.blogger">Ethiopian girl reportedly guarded by lions</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-74951915327383991772014-06-25T07:34:00.001-07:002014-06-25T07:34:40.141-07:00Kick off Service Sunday September 14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2_tFA-uXGvYvDU-z7m0INQJ1Zy-N4YGKaftjZb5Yh_l4BeZDWcCVBldEtf_-zgG6gzVLTCtU80aHNhkMpDQ1IRHgdqiRyVnXVydtfb5m29CHa-NSkbzAjEpzlF-jhqjwFvoJNn0oc00/s1600/endurance-church-kickoff_f7dc02a643.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2_tFA-uXGvYvDU-z7m0INQJ1Zy-N4YGKaftjZb5Yh_l4BeZDWcCVBldEtf_-zgG6gzVLTCtU80aHNhkMpDQ1IRHgdqiRyVnXVydtfb5m29CHa-NSkbzAjEpzlF-jhqjwFvoJNn0oc00/s400/endurance-church-kickoff_f7dc02a643.png" /></a></div>
4501 Oak Grove Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55443Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-10038026440537882512014-06-13T09:43:00.001-07:002014-06-13T10:25:20.037-07:00
Hello,
My name is Anthony Bass; my wife and I are in the process of planting a Church in Brooklyn Park, and we are looking to develop a Team of leaders to help us build this Ministry. Endurance Church's vision is to build faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in order to live well and finish strong. As far as my background, I attended undergraduate School at West Virginia State University where I earned a Bachelors of Arts in Independent Studies and Communications. Additionally, in 1998 I was signed on as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings during our serendipitous 15-1 season. After leaving the NFL, I went on to start my graduate studies, and in graduate school, I obtained a double Master's in Divinity, Practical Theology and Business Administration from Regent in 2008. I’ve been in active ministry for the past 14 years. My ministry experience is diverse: Christian Education Teacher, Student Ministry Admin, Youth Pastor, Church Planter, Bible Teacher, Conference Speaker, and at-risk children and adult mentor. Additionally, I’ve been on mission trips to Bosnia Herzegovina, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Iraq. I currently hold the position of Church Relations Manager of Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, and I am in the process of planting a church in Brooklyn Park, MN. My wife and I currently live in Plymouth and we have 4 children with one more on the way. The intent of my long introduction was to let you know a little about myself and hopefully to encourage you to come join in our effort to combine faith and fitness that will produce endurance for true discipleship to Jesus Christ. Endurance Church's mission is to make faithful disciples of Christ through offering loving disciplined faith-based teaching, providing practical physical and spiritual training, and giving constant encouragement and care, while presenting multiple opportunities to develop and fulfill personal callings.
If you are interested or you know someone who may be interested in joining this team, please let us know.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-91477205665788461722014-05-27T08:38:00.002-07:002014-06-13T10:25:41.140-07:00Church Nursery Supply ListWe are very excited to say that Endurance Church will launch September 14, 2014 at 4501 Oak Grove Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55443. We are in the teambuilding, preparation, and planning stages now of our launch; and, we are in need several items so that we can get off to a successful start. Our current area of focus is the nursery room. We have listed below several items that we are in need of. If you or someone you know is in possession of these items and is willing to give them away or sell them at a reasonable price, please let us know.
Church Nursery Supply List
• Diapers in all sizes
• Baby wipes
• Antibacterial soap
• Receiving blankets
• Fitted crib sheets
• Crib blankets
• Changing table sheets or covers
• Diaper pails
• Diaper pail sleeves
• Garbage cans
• Garbage bags
• Goldfish snacks
• Plastic food storage containers with lids
• Small refrigerator
• Juice
• Water
• Digital ear thermometer
• Toys
• Sippy cups
Cleaning Supplies
• Plastic pails
• Bleach
• Vacuum cleaner
• Vacuum cleaner bags
• Broom
• Dust pan
• All-purpose cleaning wipes
• Toilet wand
• Disposable wand pads
• Rubber gloves
Church Nursery Furniture
• Rocking chair
• Rocking chair pads
• Cribs
• Changing tables
• Television
• DVD player
• Christian DVDs
• Play/Activity Mats
• Pagers
• Visitor information cards
• Volunteer training manuals
• Training toilets
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-85567568536920644022013-11-08T15:48:00.002-08:002013-11-08T15:49:41.578-08:00Missions Support
November 5, 2013
Dear Friends:
I hope and trust that this letter finds you well. I wanted to share an exciting opportunity I have been afforded by moving to Minneapolis and planting Endurance Church. One of the new partners we have connected with is David Gibson who is the Missions Pastor of Grace Church.
Because of this partnership, this winter, I will be embarking on a missions’ trip to Northern Iraq from December 1 – December 11. I will work very closely with Pastor David Gibson and former Denver Bronco Steve Fitzhugh while in Iraq. Pastor David Gibson is a former leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is heading up a conference to support and equip first generation Christians in Iraq. We will also be plenary speakers at a Conference where we will be giving our testimonies as well.
Here is my request:
•Your prayerful consideration of giving financially to help meet these needs:
The estimated budget for the Iraq trip, which includes airfare, transportation, accommodation, and meals, is $2,000. Checks can be mailed to Grace Church and are to be made payable to Grace Church as well. Additionally, in the memo section if you could write my name and Iraq missions trip. Our deadline to have money turned in is December 1.
Please see details below:
Grace Church - Missions & Evangelism
Attention: Joanie McKeever
9301 Eden Prairie Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
Phone: 952-224-3093
www.atgrace.com
• Please pray for traveling mercies, ministry opportunities, and good health as we get ready for the trip and while in the Middle East.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the trip, please feel free to contact Joanie McKeever at joaniemckeever@atgrace.com or (952) 224-3093.
Thank you for affording me this opportunity to share this letter with you.
Grateful,
Anthony Emanuel Bass
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-47390759340809752442013-09-25T10:19:00.001-07:002013-09-25T10:19:33.029-07:00Misty Edwards - I Will Waste My Life + Do You Know the Way You Move Me<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k1AwR7MQGDE" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-5357895462924921762012-10-11T14:01:00.000-07:002012-10-11T14:02:31.921-07:00Highlights from my wedding! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nf4_oXorW1k?list=UUGwIyO0asAlz9AkjaptvskA&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-50378340143599328022012-10-11T13:52:00.001-07:002012-10-11T13:52:15.056-07:00Bass responding to opportunity's knock.(SPORTS)
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December 30, 1999 | Seifert, KevinAnthony Bass is having fun now, clearly enjoying the scenery after his arrival in the Vikings' starting lineup. A Division I-AA college player two years ago, a member of the practice squad last season and a reserve until last week, Bass figures he has nothing to lose.
Jokingly describing his responsibilities Wednesday as a free safety, Bass said, "I'm the deep man, so if anyone gets behind me, I'm the one getting pulled out of the game."
An unlikely scenario, to be sure, especially after Bass set a career high with seven tackles and intercepted the first pass of his career in the Vikings' 34-17 victory against the New York Giants on Sunday.
Because of a season-ending shoulder injury to starter Orlando Thomas, and the Vikings' desperately thin depth at the position, Bass seems destined to stay put, no matter how he plays.
The third man to start at free safety and the eighth to start in the Vikings' secondary this season, Bass is aware of his unlikely ascendance.
"I had no idea, no idea at all," Bass said."I was just trying to make the roster. Once I made the roster, I was just worried about trying to get playing time, whether that be on special teams or defense. Then once you get playing time, you worry about trying to make the best of the opportunity as you can."
In a more ideal situation, Bass would be continuing a gradual development process that began last season. But starting in a secondary that also includes rookie cornerback Kenny Wright and converted wide receiver Robert Tate in the nickel, Bass held his own against the Giants.
He gave himself a "B" for the performance, although Bass admitted, "If I was a veteran, I'd give myself a `C.' "
"Anthony Bass is a very good athlete that we've had in our program for two years now," Vikings coach Dennis Green said. "He's worked his way up. He has tremendous range. He's playing a position where a lot of veterans play, because you have to do a lot of [play] calling, but Anthony has handled it."
Signed as a free agent out of Bethune-Cookman last season, Bass was released in 1998 training camp before joining the practice squad in September. He was activated and played in three regular-season games and also served as a nickel back in the playoffs after Thomas and fellow rookie Ramos McDonald were injured.
Bass played sparingly as a backup to Thomas and strong safety Robert Griffith this season, and he had a total of six tackles before Sunday's game. Despite increasing shortage of personnel in the secondary, Bass seemed to fall more out of favor each week.
Rookie free agent Chris Rogers moved past him as the nickel back after McDonald was released, and another free agent, Antonio Banks, started ahead of Bass at strong safety, with Griffith moving to free safety, when Thomas was sidelined by a sore hamstring against Kansas City on Dec. 12.
Bass had been deactivated for the previous two games, and his roster spot seemed in jeopardy.
"When you're not on the field, you're concerned," Bass said. "You're an NFL player, and you want to be on the field. I don't know of anyone with any competitive spirit who would not want to be dressed."
Bass ended up splitting time with Banks in Kansas City. At 6-1 and a lean 200, however, the Vikings thought he was better suited to play free safety than Banks was to start at strong. Thomas returned to start the following week against the Green Bay Packers, but Bass got the call after Thomas broke his scapula in that game.
"Last year, Coach Green kept saying we have a lot of players on our team that came from the practice squad," Bass said. "So I knew it was possible. I was just waiting my turn, and I'm happy it happened the way it did. I can't look back and say, `Man, I wish it happened any other way,' because it happened."
Responsible mostly for covering the middle of the field, Bass benefited from the Giants' insistence on throwing sideline routes last Sunday. And he picked a good time for his first interception, a play cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock called "one of the biggest plays of the year."
With the Vikings leading 14-6 in the third quarter, Bass made a diving catch of a twice-tipped pass and returned it 4 yards to the Giants 27. On the next play, Randy Moss' touchdown pass to Cris Carter gave the Vikings a 21-6 lead.
"You see things like Cris Carter playing on a bad ankle, and Robert Tate going from offense to defense," Bass said. "You say, if those guys are doing that, I've got to hold up my end of the bargain. So I think that playing free safety, I've got to show I'm doing the things I need to do to help the team."
Revolving door
Ten different players have started in the Vikings' secondary, including nickel backs:
.
Position Player GS
- CB Jimmy Hitchcock 15
- CB Kenny Wright 10
- CB Ramos McDonald 5
- SS Robert Griffith 14
- SS Antonio Banks 1
- FS Orlando Thomas 13
- FS Robert Griffith 1
- FS Anthony Bass 1
- NB Chris Rogers 4
- NB Kenny Wright 1
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-59311031219874926982012-10-11T13:51:00.001-07:002012-10-11T13:51:00.267-07:00TROY AIKMAN VS. ANTHONY BASS.(SPORTS)
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January 7, 2000 | Seifert, KevinAs the free safety, Bass is responsible for playing a kind of center field and is often the last man standing between a receiver and the end zone.
Bass has started two games in place of Orlando Thomas, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, but neither the New York Giants nor the Detroit Lions went out of their way to test Bass.
Rest assured Aikman will. A three-time Super Bowl champion, Aikman is especially adept at seeking out and attacking the weakness of a defense.
A likely target for that search is receiver Raghib Ismail, the speedster who caught 80 passes for 1,097 yards this season.
The Vikings' improved pass rush is to Bass' benefit, and he may well develop into a front-line NFL safety. There is no way to tell, however, until he matches up with a few quarterbacks such as Aikman.
Troy Aikman, Cowboys quarterback
- Age: 33
- Season: 11th
- Height, weight: 6-4, 226
- College: UCLA
- How acquired: Drafted first round (first overall) in 1989.
Anthony Bass, Vikings cornerback
- Age: 24
- Season: 2nd
- Height, weight: 6-1, 203
- College: Bethune-Cookman
- How acquired: Signed as rookie free agent in 1998.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-727401912249899672012-10-11T13:49:00.003-07:002012-10-11T13:49:52.986-07:00Safety Anthony Bass steps up for Vikings.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
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December 30, 1999 | Johnson, GregEDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. _ For someone who had to be talked into playing football in high school, Anthony Bass has overcome the long odds of becoming an NFL player.
Bass' professional career could have taken a different turn if he hadn't accepted an invitation from Bryce Casto.
Before two-a-day practices started at South Charleston (W.Va.) High School in 1991, Casto made a request.
``(Bass) didn't play football his sophomore year, and when he came to our school he was a basketball player,'' said Casto, who was Bass' high school football coach and now is the athletics director at West Virginia State. ``We asked Anthony to come out before his junior year. I asked him to give it a week to see if he liked it. If he did, then stick with it, and if not, there would be no hard feelings or anything. He came out and excelled. I knew he had been an excellent football player in junior high school.''
Bass, a free-agent signee by the Vikings who has become their starting free safety because of season-ending shoulder injury to Orlando Thomas, competed against DuPont High School stars Randy Moss, Eric Moss and Bobby Howard, who later became Notre Dame's captain.
Bass, 24, remembered those days as he prepared for the regular-season finale Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
``At first I was like, `Man what is (Casto) talking about,' '' said Bass, who made his first career interception Sunday in a 34-17 victory over the New York Giants. ``But he really wanted me out there, and it made me feel good. The first game I caught a 50-yard touchdown, so I said, `Oh, I can still play football.' They had a lot of talent in that area around that time for whatever reason. Most of the guys didn't make it to college. But we had a plethora of talent in that area, so I went against good competition.''
Bass, whose father, William, was his secondary coach, became a better football player and was West Virginia's player of the year after his senior season, when he played wide receiver as well as on defense.
He played at Division I-AA Bethune-Cookman and spent most of his 1998 rookie season on the Vikings' practice squad. Bass was signed to the 53-man roster and played late in the season, including in the 41-21 divisional playoff victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
This season he has bounced from being on the first nickel defense to playing exclusively on special teams to being inactive to starting.
``Mentally it's tough, but realistically the whole time I could say, I'm in the pros,'' Bass said. ``I could sit here and complain about not getting a shot but like (former Viking and current West Virginia State
coach) Carl Lee said, `You're getting paid and you're still living your dream.' Chris Doleman told me it's best to be on the inside looking out than the outside looking in. I took that into consideration and kept my mouth shut. I just kept working as hard as I could.''
Bass has used Lee, a Viking from 1983-93, as a mentor in the offseason whenever he visits home.
Applying what he has learned from others who have traveled a similar path is one of Bass' strengths.
``(Bass) is a product of what everybody around here wants,'' Vikings defensive coordinator Foge Fazio said. ``You develop a young guy, and you keep him around. You put him on the practice squad, then you elevate him and he learns. If he stays with it, then he probably is going to get a chance to play. He has done everything. The big thing with him is he listens.''
Bass is making sure he enjoys the moment.
``It's very exciting,'' he said. ``When I wake up in the morning, I'm just smiling for more reasons than just football. Life is so short, and this is an opportunity to do something I love to do every single day. It helps me feel good, and when you go out on the field, the whole city is cheering for you. We're all working together for a common bond. When people support you like that, it makes your job a whole lot easier.''<
X X X
(c) 1999, Saint Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.).
Visit PioneerPlanet, the World Wide Web site of the Pioneer Press, at http://www.pioneerplanet.com/
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-69792816022468166322012-08-20T12:41:00.000-07:002012-08-20T12:41:52.125-07:00Meekness is not weaknessIn the New Testament language of “Koine” Greek, the word “praus” was a military term, used to describe the training of horses. The Grecian army would capture the wildest horses roaming in the mountains and train them for use in the army. <br /><br />Some horses were broken and made useful for ordinary duty and a few became war horses. When a horse passed the conditioning required to become a war horse, its state was described as “praus”. No longer wild and unmanageable, he was now trained to be under the control of his master.<br /><br />The war horse hadn’t lost any of his power or strength, it was just harnessed and under the control of his master. It gave up being wild, unruly, out of control and rebellious; and, instead, learned to be submissive and responsive to the slightest touch of the rider. <br /><br />A war horse was trained to stand in the face of combat, thunder into battle and then stop when his master tugged on the reins. It was now considered to be “meek.”<br /><br />Retrieved from: http://www.lifetv.org/Web_HTML/html/Commentary%20folder/Meekness.htmAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-52914425527856794652012-08-20T12:16:00.002-07:002012-08-27T08:59:09.271-07:00Planting a Church in MinnesotaDear Co-laborer in theLord,
Let me tell you a little about my growth in the Lord.In 1993, I was a graduating senior at South Charleston High School in WestVirginia. At that time, I was the West Virginia High School Football player ofthe year, and was nominated a blue-chip High School All-American by nationalsports reporters. I received a full football scholarship to Bethune-CookmanUniversity in Daytona Beach Florida where I played four years. I played so wellthat I caught the eyes of many professional football scouts. I was projected to get drafted in the fourthround of the NFL draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, at the start of onecollege game, the question of the day was how many touchdowns would theopposing team’s quarterback throw that day? Well, I am happy to say that he hadthe courage to throw my way, but like the other Quarterbacks that year who haddared to throw my way, I had picked him off just the same and reveled in theglory. He decided after the second interception he would not throw the ball inmy direction again. So I had come outvictorious. But an interesting thing happened following the secondinterception, after extending my body to dive and snatch the ball out of the airand away from my opponent I stood up in the end zone to celebrate my victorywith the traditional end zone dance. It was there in the middle of mycelebratory dance my future was forever altered. As my body was gyrating andcontorting I stretched, strained, and injured myself. Believe it or not, I wasunaware of the injury until the next Monday in the training room. When I becameaware of it, my number one question was “Why, God?”
I was a youngChristian then, and I did not understand why God would do this to me. I barelyfinished out the rest of the football season, and as a result of my injury, mydraft status plummeted. On draft day my name was not called. Fortunately, I waspicked up as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings, but my situation lookedbeyond hopeless. I now realized that Godput me in this position where I had to trust in His ability and not myown. I was called to tryout to makeMinnesota’s 53 man roster even though they had drafted three other people whoplayed my same position and picked up two other veteran players who also playedmy same position. Like I said, my situation seemed hopeless. However, as theold saints used to say “BUT GOD” Iimpressed the coaches more than any other player that year - except for RandyMoss that is. And, during this process God gave me two dreams: One, I wasstanding inside of the Minnesota Viking’s home stadium and two, God showed me Iwould produce abundant fruit from playing football. There I was with one legand trusting God that He would follow through on His promise. Do you know what happenednext? I was cut. But, even though I was cut something inside of me would notallow me to trust my circumstances more than I was trusting in God’s promise.So, two weeks into the season, who do you think called my house? The MinnesotaVikings! They called and asked me to play on their team. And, forthe next two and a half years I did just that, starting the last six games ofmy career and even being named most valuable player for one of them.Personally, I think the most remarkable thing in my whole experience was thefact I learned to trust in God, no matter what. At times God allows you to get in hopelesssituations so that you are forced to trust in Him so that he can give hope toothers.
Saints, we are in anextremely polarized society, and in a day when people doubt the very existenceof truth itself. This is a time when many people’s faith seems to be ebbing. Icould go on and on and speak about unspeakable horrors in the world, yet Ithink the Scriptures summarize our situation best. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers ofmoney, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful,unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control,brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasurerather than lovers of God, holding to aform of godliness, although they have denied its power. You know Paul paints ableak picture of our times. However, as the old saints used to say“BUT GOD”. Remember God allows you to get in hopeless situations so that you are forced totrust in Him so that he can give hope to others.
We have another prophecy about our times that doesgive us hope. In Joel 2: 28-32 'and it shall be in the last days,’ God says, That I willpour forth my Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shallprophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dreamdreams; even on my bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pourforth of my Spirit, And they shall prophesy... 21 and it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of theLord will be saved.' Eventhough God does tell us that times will be difficult, He also says that He willbe with us and empower us to overcome, to endure, and people will besaved. I don’t know about you butsomething inside of me will not allow me to solely trust what I see around me,something in my heart is screaming, trust in God. Without faith it is impossible to please God,but without trust it is impossible to know Him. God’s word says these days willbe difficult. And, they are. However, God also says that He will empower us, bewith us, and ultimately gain victory through us if we choose to trust in Himuntil the end.
So,I said all of this to tell you again “BUTGOD”. I am not playing in the NFL now, but after allowing me to endure aseason of great suffering, God hascalled me to help give hope to others as He gave hope and deliverance to me.He has led me to plant a church on the mission field. This field is ready forharvest even though it is in a difficult place. The United States of America!Yes, in this country of many churches we need a church to reach those who mayhave given up on church or who have never heard the Gospel (yes even in the USthis is true). Help me by praying for this plant of the Endurance Church inMinnesota and, as the Lord leads, sending a financial contribution to beginthis part of the body of Christ. I need your help to accomplish this task.
Ivalue this opportunity and your support for the ministry. Romans 5:3-4 says,“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering producesendurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
Please make yourcontribution payable to:
MinnesotaDistrict Council: Assemblies of God
Inthe Memo line please write: Endurance Church
Please Mail yourdonations to:
1315Portland Avenue
Minneapolis,MN 55404
612-332-2409
In Christ,
Anthony Bass – Lead ChurchPlanterAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-76565628847809183342012-02-11T20:10:00.000-08:002012-02-13T07:13:50.815-08:00I'm so busy!I am so busy. If I even attempted to explain how busy I was, it would take me the length of this article to explain all the things I have to do in order to accomplish my goals on a daily basis. Now, if truth be told, the fact that I am too busy to articulate my schedule may in fact be an indication that something is severely wrong with my life right now. I was asked to write an article on the Sabbath and rest seems to be the very thing I need right now. Carl Gustav Jung is quoted as saying “Busyness is not just FROM the Devil, it IS the Devil.” This way of thinking seems foreign to my current life. The fact that I am American speaks volumes to the current state of my day. It seems like it is conventional wisdom to think that if you are going to be successful in the United States, then you must always be busy. I don’t know if busyness is the Devil or not, but I am sure that the busier I get the less chance I have to develop intimate relationships in my life. Again, I look at my life and I think, what is this success that I am striving for? Is this type of success worth it if it pulls me away from genuine relationships that matter? In order to understand the spiritual significance of the Sabbath we must look at this as a command, then as an invitation. Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.' (Mark 2:27, 28) Here we see that Jesus is verifying his authority with the religious leaders of his day, but he also makes a periphery point that is essential for our understanding of God’s intent of the Sabbath. Jesus declares that this command was given to ‘benefit man.’ The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had it wrong. Mankind did not exist to obey the Sabbath. The Sabbath was created to benefit man. How is this so? Let’s look at the next Scripture of importance. The Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel, “I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I, Jehovah, sanctify them” (Eze 20:12). The prophet says clearly that the Sabbath was given that the people of God may know him! How is this so? The Sabbath restricted the movements and work load of the Jewish people. The only thing a Jewish person could do was to spend that time developing his or her relationship with God and his or her family. The fact is many people looked at the Sabbath as simply another command instead of seeing the reality that God’s heart was that his children would use the Sabbath as an opportunity to build on their relationship with him and their families. Hebrews 4:9 says “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.” Thus for the believer observing the Sabbath is getting a glimpse at a profound spiritual truth that has been revealed by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Jesus’ amazing sacrifice has opened the door for all those who believe to enter the ultimate Sabbath. His death opened the door for an unending and an uninterrupted intimate relationship with God. So, we wait on the day that this web of rest, busyness and relationship, that can best be observed in the lives of the great patriarchs in the Scriptures will become a habit of our own. And, our hope is that the fruit of this habit will develop a greater hope for the Ultimate rest that will be ours because of the busyness of Christ.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-88082813454132388392011-11-20T10:07:00.001-08:002011-11-20T10:10:24.970-08:00Meekness is not weakness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_EiRThGEIfQfPRt7IJIsbNpD5U89r3yBZ53RXDSXxx5CiFlUJI7UkGuct8wi25DTuaZrIrhXbzRbe6BXLABOkdYF1_-AS3ph2vWCoG4UOAIwRD3aXCeo7nc21YgOsxK8dZm9ITPbh0o/s1600/warhorse_topstory_18820.sgsf.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 87px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_EiRThGEIfQfPRt7IJIsbNpD5U89r3yBZ53RXDSXxx5CiFlUJI7UkGuct8wi25DTuaZrIrhXbzRbe6BXLABOkdYF1_-AS3ph2vWCoG4UOAIwRD3aXCeo7nc21YgOsxK8dZm9ITPbh0o/s200/warhorse_topstory_18820.sgsf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677141931220501746" /></a><br />In the New Testament language of “Koine” Greek, the word “praus” was a military term, used to describe the training of horses. The Grecian army would capture the wildest horses roaming in the mountains and train them for use in the army. <br /><br />Some horses were broken and made useful for ordinary duty and a few became war horses. When a horse passed the conditioning required to become a war horse, its state was described as “praus”. No longer wild and unmanageable, he was now trained to be under the control of his master.<br /><br />The war horse hadn’t lost any of his power or strength, it was just harnessed and under the control of his master. It gave up being wild, unruly, out of control and rebellious; and, instead, learned to be submissive and responsive to the slightest touch of the rider. <br /><br />A war horse was trained to stand in the face of combat, thunder into battle and then stop when his master tugged on the reins. It was now considered to be “meek.”<br /><br />Retrieved from: http://www.lifetv.org/Web_HTML/html/Commentary%20folder/Meekness.htmAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-32139770928440942592011-11-14T07:32:00.001-08:002011-11-14T18:13:00.884-08:00Lions from God in my dreams… Part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxT3OZi24jsFjMNn5PtcztrI9Xn2d95FKGDJ99o1jtwgL4prLMEU-W5ntb4U2aPSvBXmhJrzjVL2CkH_EPDRm_lmJFcGrI7jl4UihIVEOxztOOjIj5MVgnWxD9vEOhiRVXmLkstm_99U/s1600/981two_lion_facing_on_opp.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxT3OZi24jsFjMNn5PtcztrI9Xn2d95FKGDJ99o1jtwgL4prLMEU-W5ntb4U2aPSvBXmhJrzjVL2CkH_EPDRm_lmJFcGrI7jl4UihIVEOxztOOjIj5MVgnWxD9vEOhiRVXmLkstm_99U/s200/981two_lion_facing_on_opp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674875749118417730" /></a><br /><br />I remember about eight years ago having a dream were I was walking up a grassy hill at night. At the top of the hill was the beginning of a dark forest. As I was walking up the hill, I saw two very large male lions running out of it toward me. And, they were running fast. However, there was something unique about these lions; they had bright light coming out from their eyes that illuminated everything they looked at. It reminded me of headlights on a car. In the dream, I assumed they were coming to eat me so I did a funny thing. I started to fly up in the air. I assumed that if I was flying they would not eat me. However, interestingly enough I was only able to stay in the air briefly. So as I began plummeting toward the earth I had another idea. I will go under the ground. There is no way they can get me there—I thought. Unfortunately, just as I was not able to stay in the air long neither was I able to stay under the ground. And, as I began to ascend from up under the earth toward the two powerful creatures I awakened from my slumber. <br />Last week I had another dream. That’s eight years later. In it I was walking up a hill in the daytime toward what looked like an unfinished house. While heading toward it I looked back down the hill. And, what did I see running toward me? Two large male lions! As I reached the unfinished house I looked back and the Lions had caught up with me. However, an interesting thing happened. They did not run to me to eat me but they both ran to the opposite corners of the house from where I was standing. The side of the house I was on had no visible entrance. And, even though I could not see entrances where the lions stood, it seemed as though they were blocking the way in the house. It looked like they had strategically aligned themselves to keep me from entering the house. So I did what I normally do when I see lions in my dreams. I fly! I faked to one entrance. And, one of the lions on the far side of the house ran around it to join up with the other one to prevent me from entering it. Then I ran to the area where the lion had vacated and I started flying away. As I did in the previous dream I woke up. However, the interesting thing about this dream is I am currently staying with a Pastor in Minnesota until I can get on my feet and ready for the church plant. In this room where I am sleeping they have posted on the wall two Narnia posters. And, on both of the posters are pictures of Aslan the creator of Narnia. The lions are here…<br />Interpretations to come!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-2580245781799951892011-11-08T16:44:00.000-08:002011-11-08T17:00:52.351-08:00“there are two ways to grow, either through pain or through prayer!?”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyh1e2yRp0CzEgnHUZkZG__k01vp-7ltNoL5zsjURllTle3zRd9BVm44crexhGvijmmLfqxsWGN3H1Seqw1JImGkbBClcbytVYLn92CpMKXTf5zYUNQLVFY0Qigme5vcEMNWgwocvdB0E/s1600/Photo_00011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyh1e2yRp0CzEgnHUZkZG__k01vp-7ltNoL5zsjURllTle3zRd9BVm44crexhGvijmmLfqxsWGN3H1Seqw1JImGkbBClcbytVYLn92CpMKXTf5zYUNQLVFY0Qigme5vcEMNWgwocvdB0E/s200/Photo_00011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672791148460240578" /></a><br />Once again what has impacted me the most this season in my life is the theme of character development. I am convinced that this is a teaching that will become a prevalent topic the rest of my life. Now, I am not saying that this theme is more important than Salvation. But, just as Francis Schaffer said, “becoming a Christian is just the beginning.” <br />I am beginning to understand that from that beginning God uses the situations of our lives to develop the character of Christ in us. I don’t think that this process is easy. Yet, interestingly, my spiritual formation teacher stated, “there are two ways to grow, either through pain or through prayer!?” Regardless the method the principle is poignant and profound. After salvation we are asked to grow. <br />I have been adamant about my growth up to this point; however, now my convictions have deepened. I now believe my calling is what God is using to conform my character to Christ's. I now understand why we rejoice when we are persecuted. I understand why tribulations must come. They come because I need to formed into the image of Christ. I used to be like the unbelieving Israelites. When trouble came I would do the very opposite of what God required of me. But, now I have been enlightened. This suffering simply puts me on my knees and drives me closer to God.<br />I can honestly say that I did not want to embrace this truth. And, the only time I was able to see its truthfulness is when I made the biggest sacrifice in my life in leaving my kids in Virginia to follow the call of God. After that step of faith God has been clearly moving in my life. I cannot deny that his presence in my life has been manifested to a greater degree since I took that step of obedience. Yet, it was extremely difficult. Yet, it is my responsibility like Christ to hold on in obedience even in the face of pain, suffering, and even death. I now know that through my obedience I will become more like him. <br />Praying for suffering is not a request for this life. It will come. Now my question is can it be quantified. Can this process be codified? Can it be measured so that others can see its validity? If it can be, what a great benefit this would be for many who have been following Christ, yet who have been discouraged by the outcome of their lives. No, it may not look like the winning message that everyone wants, but the truth is He is the potter, and he has the responsibility to mold us into whatever shape he desires. <br />So what is it that is impacting me now? What is impacting me is the knowledge that God is working on me. Now, I understand how all things are working together for my good. Now I am certain that regardless of the context, regardless of the struggle, God is working in me. He relentlessly is working in me to mold me into his son. Only he knows what areas of my character demand immediate attention. Only he knows what areas are effective in this season of my life. God is the all wise one. Ultimately, I have been moved into a greater level of trust. And, now I know I need him more than ever. My only responsibility is to remain obedient to Him and to allow Him to work in me until I finally look like him.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-86489334307620792132011-10-31T15:04:00.000-07:002011-10-31T15:10:59.359-07:00What will the church look like in 10 years.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHXnOWGeOHMyujI0Sf_FJ4OPbbtDtLmBfTLgnsNlvf-o56HWN_8Phexy0Qt2Gn7gUl4L8dAjIp11_ff-mi8uGsjlvItF50arZJXSR0MU3zcxM6R6v-sLvedX688bXbTG5a1KPtqh9NiM/s1600/Photo_00018.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHXnOWGeOHMyujI0Sf_FJ4OPbbtDtLmBfTLgnsNlvf-o56HWN_8Phexy0Qt2Gn7gUl4L8dAjIp11_ff-mi8uGsjlvItF50arZJXSR0MU3zcxM6R6v-sLvedX688bXbTG5a1KPtqh9NiM/s200/Photo_00018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669781012559929202" /></a><br />I had a great time at the Start conference. I was able to meet Leonard Sweet @lensweet , who happened to be from West Virginia. And, I was fortunate to meet with Pastor Choco @PastorChoco again who is the Shepard of the largest church in the Assemblies of God. Choco always makes this one point that may be controversial but I wholeheartedly agree with it: He says, “I can’t sacrifice the mission to buy a building!” Interestingly, he has the money to buy a building in Humboldt Park, which is located in Downtown Chicago. But, he argues that when you have an urban church you need to build campuses to help people rather than investing in a single church building. What is more amazing was the day before Lenard Sweet basically said the same thing. Both men come from different sides of the “railroad tracks” so to speak, but it seemed that God was speaking the same thing through both men even though they expressed what he was saying to them in different ways. What they both agreed upon was that the future church would be the church of the community and not a church on an island. Pastor Choco called it being a Pastor of the community. He believes that a Pastor is the shepherd of the community whether the people in that community goes to their church or not. Lenard Sweet called this concept the Artisan church. He referenced the term Swiss cheese. He added whether people know it or not in Switzerland there are specific types of cheese for each town. The cheese itself, in his words, “represent the manifestation of the town itself,” he believes the church that is effective in the future will do the same. They also agreed in the empowerment of the body of believers. For instance, Pastor Choco has a ministry where members of the church can have their own ministry as long as it is summited to the training and instruction of the church there exists 400 some ministries in his church. Lenard Sweet likewise argued that the future church will have people in it who have a ministry to the church and a ministry to the world. Great stuff. This was just a tidbit of what was shared. It was awesome and I was encouraged. Check out @MacDwyer http://twitpic.com/76m252Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-17231958029379191932011-10-27T16:03:00.000-07:002011-10-28T06:25:47.244-07:00I have discovered the purpose of this life!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT3P12OyDwphPiUQWgCvCmE9Gp6JR9kaNBVtS30KWC6Ofgzhm3YQUQ_v7_ORpiPze0T8bs8W1xHqQGZmdDwrV6-VFHll-8TuhaO1cFVKpaKDQI4UF-bF1Ur5pAR40ikoXpsfuqHDkCNw/s1600/Photo_00012.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT3P12OyDwphPiUQWgCvCmE9Gp6JR9kaNBVtS30KWC6Ofgzhm3YQUQ_v7_ORpiPze0T8bs8W1xHqQGZmdDwrV6-VFHll-8TuhaO1cFVKpaKDQI4UF-bF1Ur5pAR40ikoXpsfuqHDkCNw/s200/Photo_00012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668311929263319042" /></a><br />The Holy Spirit revealed to a friend and me the other day while he was preparing for a debate what I believe the purpose of this life is. This same friend developed this idea and used it to defeat the head of the Minnesota Atheist Association in a debate. This truth I am about to tell you about, in my opinion, will revolutionize the church. And, I am not even joking. This truth, like salvation, ties the entire bible together. It is so simple, yet I believe if God reveals this truth to you, everything you have ever went through in life will make sense. It may be the biggest theological discovery in the last 100 years. This truth answers the one question skeptic’s use in their attempt to debunk the idea of a loving God. “How can a loving and all power God let evil exist? This truth gives purpose to pain and suffering. It answers the question of why sometimes God does not answer our prayers: Why we are not healed, or get the money we need, or the job we want. This truth even gives us clarity on why we have to turn the other cheek. It makes the beatitudes make sense. It even gives us clarity on why God allowed Adam and Eve eat the apple. It even gives clarity to why we have to obey Christ’s command even to the point of death. It even explains why Job had to suffer, why Joseph had to be betrayed, why David had to struggle before becoming king. This truth is depicted in every single story of the bible. Here is how my friend Pastor Marty Bownik interpreted what God said. <br /><br />"Martin Bownik<br />God is more interested in our Character Development then He is our comfort or convenience. The tools He uses for it are the same tools Satan meant to destroy us with. Pain, suffering, and loss. God turned them around on Satan, and used these things to show that His followers how they can remain faithful in the midst of all these. He showed the pattern to follow. His Son Jesus Christ. How great is our God!!!"<br /><br />What is the point of life? Character Development!!! Whose character? Christ’s. Everything in the bible points to this one truth. God wants to develop our character in this life so that we will be responsible to handle our obligations in the next. This is my mission in life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-36134791333509188982011-10-21T00:57:00.000-07:002011-10-21T02:13:09.976-07:00Keep Moving Forward<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXHSK2BmOH5pOl2PyTR3GN2sy53zMLXPfQj07xP2oKVsQtpsoxFlgPfqDsWK9vWle3Cju_1npAUCIgaCPz0ILERG8Y-K4mgUlCR5376AqAW_1lV2KzamC_7IdUL0QS9wJmXAaj5fF36o/s1600/start240.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXHSK2BmOH5pOl2PyTR3GN2sy53zMLXPfQj07xP2oKVsQtpsoxFlgPfqDsWK9vWle3Cju_1npAUCIgaCPz0ILERG8Y-K4mgUlCR5376AqAW_1lV2KzamC_7IdUL0QS9wJmXAaj5fF36o/s200/start240.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665861526491263730" /></a><br />Well, I am getting ready to head to the Minneapolis airport. Before I left Virginia I purchased a ticket back to Virginia so I could see my family again. It is my hope that I can do this once a month. I don't know how realistic this is, but I will do my best to see my loved ones every month until the end of this year. In January, things will start picking up with the church plant. I will get on the grind building a planting core team and raising funds. My goal will to have at least a strong 12 member core team, and I will also have a goal of raising at least $30,000 for the church plant itself. My intent is to build up momentum for launch service. Yet, before this starts I know God is doing something in my heart now. During this sabbatical I am reading a lot of books on purity. I know the Lord has lead me to this topic. <span style="font-style:italic;">Hebrews 12:14 states<br />Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. </span>During these three months I pray that I can establish a solid theological and practical method of articulating God's heart for purity and ministering it to His people. It seems odd, but considering the consequences of not having it and the sordid condition our country is in, it is amazing that more Pastors are not speaking on it. It seems like many are afraid to touch it. Maybe they are afraid they will loose members? Maybe it is not a popular topic? May it is fear that their own struggles will be revealed? One thing is sure. WE all need it here in Minneapolis. Downtown Minneapolis is Amazing. I can't tell you how this cosmopolitan city resonates in my heart. It is so diverse. You can see some one driving around in a 6 figure automobile while simultaneously seeing immigrants from East Africa standing on the corner. The city makes you transparent. No pretenders here. People are not looking for a show. Their problems are to real. It seems like they are looking for answers. I pray that is why I am here. To give them the answer--Jesus. I will be attending the start conference next week when I return to Minneapolis. START is a three day campus event that exposes students and local pastors/leaders to the wide variety of church planters and church planting models. Guest speakers from across the nation led group sessions with NCU students and local church leaders, while also serving as the daily chapel speaker. START special guests included Herbert Cooper (People’s Church), Leonard Sweet (author, speaker), Wilfredo de Jesus (New Life Covenant Church), Brad Davis (Desert Springs Church), Rob Ketterling (River Valley Church), Peter Haas (Substance Church), and Trinity Jordan (Elevation Church). Nice plug right. http://www.northcentral.edu/news/11/10/start-conference<br /><br />Anyway I am about to hit the shower, head to Caribou Coffee and then to the airport. I have about 5 hours flight time. I will then also head up to West Virginia at about 6pm. That will be about a 7 hour drive. I cant wait to see Dawniqua, the kids, and my parents...<br /><br />EndureAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-68639084640484406612011-10-18T15:03:00.001-07:002011-10-18T16:25:08.576-07:00Mary's Place<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiHTe7dbSEgz0QmiealBeFYwhVCTz3RBixvqR5ihwJGl7vxsLvc3pDbd255VM4Ox623j9ai3CDPia1NhbxCviPwMJ4COiVBH9UQcppiHMCQTzr_I2CfhmaZBGXAkmTMjbIkBWcyUgrFY/s1600/Photo_00001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiHTe7dbSEgz0QmiealBeFYwhVCTz3RBixvqR5ihwJGl7vxsLvc3pDbd255VM4Ox623j9ai3CDPia1NhbxCviPwMJ4COiVBH9UQcppiHMCQTzr_I2CfhmaZBGXAkmTMjbIkBWcyUgrFY/s200/Photo_00001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664956579176198978" /></a><br />Things are going well in Minnesota. I have been putting job applications in everywhere. The economy is tough even for a fella with a MBA. I have a couple of leads: one at North Central University and the other at Minnesota Teen Challenge. While I am waiting on those to come through, I will have to find something to bring in revenue. I am staying with my great friend, Pastor Marty Bownik, Senior Pastor of the Edge Christian Fellowship in Rodgers MN-- http://www.edgecf.org/ I am on a Sabbatical from Ministry until January—that means I am on a break. I will start ministering again early sometime in January. It is interesting how many people remember me playing football for the Vikings. It’s been 11 years since I last played. I was asked at the gym to do a radio promo and an autograph session for a discount for a gym membership. It’s all good because it’s the first time in a while I have been able to associate with nonbelievers. If I am successful at getting them to come to church, I am going to try and hit every Anytime Fitness in the area and get people more people to come. I miss Dawniqua and I miss my kids. I will be seeing them this weekend, thank God. This morning, I was able to serve the homeless and transition shelter called Mary’s Place, which is located in Downtown Minneapolis right behind Target Field-- http://www.sharingandcaringhands.org/MarysPlace.htm. This ministry is amazing they serve three meals a day feeding 1,000 people daily. They also give out food clothes, and they also serve as a transitional home for single mothers. The place is awesome. What stood out the most was 94% of the donations they receive goes directly to helping people. WoW! Dawniqua and I have been discussing a similar ministry, but it will be specifically for women and children enslaved to sex trafficking. This will be a ministry “Endurance Church” will provide in addition to the normal kingdom expansion business. It is time to get busy. What is interesting is Minneapolis has the best social services programs in the country. And, during the recession people are moving in from all over the country because of them. However, they are afraid. Why? Because if we begin cutting back, as a country, social service programs may be the first to go, and these homeless people are thinking, “who will help us?” Help us Lord!<br />I am living life. I am a believer and I am stepping out in faith. I pray that God allows me to minister to the people of Minneapolis for years to come. Oh, Dawniqua met a lady at Regent who is from Minneapolis. She is in the divinity program. She is about to get married to Ron Henderson they call him Mr. Fitness. It is interesting how God is bringing all of these Athletes together…I wonder what He is up to…?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-11888006889257454512011-10-17T09:06:00.000-07:002011-10-17T09:11:27.199-07:00Leadership lessons learned through pain...and lived to tell about it!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlu_BHYeehhNKHfCwXZYcHt9rYQKB4eDIRbV3Ap6yToo2nzYVrHg851xaUxkubkbQ07yIJNGETEFdwpfpw7qLEB02FcFrAs3a7ZdOdlcb2mbpc3lwt9aLcOChmkwLoPuvDAAsg8cmTec/s1600/Photo_00008.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlu_BHYeehhNKHfCwXZYcHt9rYQKB4eDIRbV3Ap6yToo2nzYVrHg851xaUxkubkbQ07yIJNGETEFdwpfpw7qLEB02FcFrAs3a7ZdOdlcb2mbpc3lwt9aLcOChmkwLoPuvDAAsg8cmTec/s200/Photo_00008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664493586046174786" /></a><br />Even as a Christian, when I hear the word leadership I begin to think of a great man who is strong, wise, moral, and brave. I’ve been conditioned to think this way about leadership from all of the comic books I used to read, the video games I used to play, and the Saturday morning cartoons I grew up watching. I idolized leaders like this. However, growing up, I never considered what it would be like to serve beneath one. It never crossed my mind because I always wanted to be the leader. Of course, I romanticized leadership, and growing up—nobility was the only internal value I perceived a good leader had to have. As I got older and moved from animation to live-action movies, the silver screen also supported the same ideology, whether it was Mel Gibson in Braveheart, or Gerald Butler in 300, the image of a good leader was always a strong, wise, and spiritually balanced individual. It seemed as though culture itself was constantly reinforcing the ideal leader in my mind. Yet, in the real world leadership is not that simple, and I was only being exposed to a small sample of what leadership really entailed. However, if I am honest, I have to acknowledge that I was presented a more realistic depiction of leadership all the while, and it came from the same comics, games, and cartoons I grew up watching; still, it was not from the good guys whom I idolized, but it derived from their enemies. Once again looking at the heroes whom I idolized as a child, I never saw any bickering or struggle for power among those who followed them. Yet, there was always a dichotomy of the leader-follower dynamic portrayed when it came to the “bad guys.” The only time I would notice a struggle for power or internal conflict would be in the enemy’s camp. It appeared that the followers in the bad guys’ camp had aspirations of their own, dreams of their own, and they had to be manipulated to stay in alignment with their leader’s plans. I never saw these kinds of leader-follower dynamics from the good guys. Yet, one thing was certain whether they were good or bad, one objective truth was always prevalent—the leaders I grew up watching were always depicted as charismatic. Outside of cinema, being a charismatic leader comes with many underlying forces, which most pictures did not depict. These forces cannot be underestimated; they determine when this style of leadership can be effective and who would be naturally successful in following a charismatic leader. Throughout history there have been charismatic leaders who have successfully influence many: Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., FDR, Gandhi, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe are just a few. On the surface, there does not seem to be obvious similarities or characteristics that resonate among all of them. Being a charismatic leader does not make one inherently good or bad, i.e. Adolf Hitler would be considered a charismatic leader. So the question is what makes a charismatic leader charismatic? A charismatic leader has the ability to inspire, a dominating personality, and the ability to communicate effectively. These leaders have unique visions and utilize innovative methods to achieve them. They make self-sacrifices, take personal risks, and sustain high prices to achieve the vision they espouse. These leaders have the ability to see rare opportunities and because of this gift they are often seen as extraordinary. Max Weber coined the term Charisma for this type of leader—Charisma, in its original language of Greek, means ``the gift of grace''. Often times, these leaders take on a mythological sociological persona, which probably influenced my understanding of leadership growing up. As I look back on my life, I ran into several charismatic leaders. Some of them were coaches, others were teachers, and several were even pastors. Even though the majority of these leaders were highly successful, I honestly can say I struggled following every one of them and often times I resembled followers in the “the bad guy camp” I grew up watching on TV. Looking back, I wish someone would have informed me of the proper way to follow a charismatic leader. If I would have had more information, I would have been a more effective follower. And, I might have shared in their success as well. Here is what I have learned over the last twenty years in my attempts to follow a charismatic leader. There can be only one charismatic leader at a time. In order to understand this phenomenon it is essential to recognize that a Charismatic leader elicits from their followers a great sense of reverence. Leadership scholar Gary Yukl believes this reverence for the leader results in a high level of trust and a high level of satisfaction from followers. He thinks the charismatic leader inspires their followers with emotional appeals; however, he interestingly notes that charismatics cannot utilize a consensus in planning or strategy because their followers would not consider them to be charismatic any longer. You have to understand that the charismatic leadership style only allows for one leader to shine at a time. Other leaders may be seen as rivals and be quickly removed from organizational hierarchy. Note the choice to remove a leader to eliminate competition is not immoral. It is simply a consequence of this leadership style. Charismatics are motivators, and scholar Robert J. House believes charismatic leaders use their charisma to inspire people to accomplish things collectively that otherwise seem impossible. House suggests the primary influence process is identification. Psychologists believe followers of charismatic leaders admire the leader’s lifestyle. Additionally, these same followers unconsciously take on the values of the leader as well. Psychologists also argue these followers often naïvely perceive that the leader’s beliefs are correct, and as a result they willingly obey the leader. This dynamic leads to feelings of affection for the leader, which results in emotional attachment in the mission of the group or organization. Interestingly, it is argued that these followers have high performance goals, and followers believe they can contribute to the success of the organization. Yet, followers have to understand that success in the organization will be attributed to the Charismatic leader’s effort and not to the follower’s ability. Yukl believes the motivational effects of the charismatic leader are more likely to occur when the leader’s vision is congruent with existing follower values and identities. He also added theorists think the unusual and seemingly irrational influence of some charismatic leaders who are “idolized as superhuman heroes or worshiped as a spiritual figure” are the result of personal identification with the leader. Yukl added this powerful personal identification of followers with the leader is described in terms of psychodynamic processes such as regression, transference, and projection. These concepts are essential to note. To briefly explain them, in regression the leader influences the follower to return to feelings they had in the past, within projection the leader projects an attribute i.e. faith to those that follow them, and finally with transference the leader’s confidence, for example, will be transferred to the follower. Therefore, the follower of a charismatic leader will often take on the emotional psyche of the leader whom they follow. Choose wisely whom you follow. The next concept I wish I would have understood was that in following a charismatic you have to put your own vision aside in order to relate to them successfully. A charismatic leader has a vision, and it is essential that leaders like this communicate their vision and convince people they have a role in bringing it to pass. You must know that everyone who follows this type of leader will be critiqued based upon their efforts to efficiently fulfill their role in supporting the leader’s vision. Yet, often various factors can hinder a follower from doing just that. For instance, it is natural to have aspirations, dreams, and the desire to be great. Yet, these longings can cause conflict if they are not mitigated when following a charismatic leader. For instance, conflict arises whenever a follower introduces an independent vision from the leader’s vision and as a result this “alternative vision” can be seen as an infection that undermines the vision, mission, and values the charismatic leader is espousing. Please don’t think that you are not allowed to dream as you follow a charismatic leader—no one should stop dreaming; however, you have to understand that some of those leadership dreams and ideas you may have are for another time. So keep your dreams to yourself. Scholars suggest that successful followers of a charismatic leader have a heightened sense of collective identity and thrive off of perceived group-task performance—this collective identity is developed by a sense of collective worth, which is termed collective efficacy. Yukl suggests collective efficacy is developed from a perception that is established as result of following a charismatic leader. This idea gives followers worth. The collective idea that gives followers of a charismatic leader worth is the opinion that they can accomplish exceptional feats by working together. Yukl goes on to add, when collective efficacy is high, people are more willing to cooperate with members of their group in a joint effort to carry out their mission. Thus, in order to follow a charismatic leader successfully you have to be willing to be a team player who is in harmony with the other followers—don’t try and stand out. Homogeneity, which means to be the same, is a goal among the followers of this type of leader. Here is a simile that illustrates this dynamic of charismatic leadership. Charismatic leadership resembles a conductor at a symphony orchestra: the conductor, who has the most important job at the symphony, does not even play an instrument but guides the beat of the music for the entire orchestra. Of course, there is only one conductor in an orchestra and likewise within this style of leadership, there is only one charismatic leader to every organization. You can be a leader in a charismatic organization, but you have to understand more than likely you will feel micromanaged. The last lesson I wish I would have understood in following a charismatic leader was that follower empowerment is understood as the result of the leaders charisma not the followers own individual ability. Scholar Warner Burke proposed that charismatic leaders empower by providing clarity of direction, but not just any direction but direction that embraces a higher purpose. Whether you are a great basketball player, spiritually mature, or an intellectual, while you are being led by a charismatic leader, the fruit of your labor will be credited to the leader and his or her charisma not your aptitude. This phenomenon is objective. For instance, it was not until Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals that most Americans understood how competent Abraham Lincoln’s leadership cabinet was: William Henry Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates were some of the most competent men in the country at that time of his presidency. However, history does not credit them with the tacit and wisdom to simultaneously have helped Lincoln win the civil war and to end slavery. Lincoln alone gets the credit for that. You can study every charismatic leader that has lived and one thing will be certain—they were successful because of the competency of those who followed them, but none of their followers received any much credit for their success. However the truth is, their charisma may have drawn competent leadership, but it was their followers who allowed them to accomplish their goals. Charismatic leaders are influencers. And, these leaders have ability to make their followers feel like making a difference for the organization is empowering in itself. The charismatic leader has the gift of making their follower feel like their service to the vision of the organization gives meaning to their lives. What is interesting is that the gifts and skills you develop under a charismatic leader will be attributed to the leader giving you the motivation to rise up and to develop yourself for the purpose of fulfilling their vision and not necessarily for your own. This may be why many charismatics only utilize in-house talent to accomplish their goals. Outside talent don’t give the charismatic leader the perception that they inspired them to develop themselves. Nevertheless, empowerment research recognizes a sense of competence as being essential to feelings of empowerment. The more competent the followers of a charismatic leader the more competent the charismatic leader will be in the eyes of their followers. These leaders use a host of methods to empower people. Besides articulating, championing, and energizing a cause, charismatic leaders also empower by providing followers with information about their personal worth. To follow a charismatic leader means to commit your entire identity to the cause of the leader anything less than that will result in stress between the leader and the follower. You have to count the cost if you are going to follow a leader with this style of leadership. As a final point, charismatic leadership is neither good nor bad. It is simply one style of leadership that exists in the vast scope of leadership itself. Yet, one thing is certain, usually when we think of a great leader they are charismatic. For centuries, whether it is China, Africa, Asia or America, all cultures have exalted this style of leadership to almost mythological proportions. Moreover, there are some cultures who claim this style of leadership is the only form of leadership that is considered genuine. However, one must understand whether they are following a charismatic leader or they are a charismatic leader themselves, this type of leadership comes with many causative influences, which must be accounted for. These forces cannot be underestimated; they determine when this style of leadership can be helpful and when it can be dangerous. If I would have had this understanding twenty years ago, I would have had a much easier time understanding what real leadership entailed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-38916733397182441252011-10-08T17:21:00.000-07:002011-10-11T15:38:26.599-07:00Crushed dreams and answered prayers!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8HVMQNuFTPRHAU3vale1JstSlnlJmxZ6Dfqtp9nbgVDwYPauBH4ZD4kXrOyNsmNSscPnBgvku1P5hVwwQL2WNIlAn-FjMVtzvTB-1XgUUBWCiPQBBXoQZdIxwxvAkvcI2G9ckTJXIYI/s1600/53425.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8HVMQNuFTPRHAU3vale1JstSlnlJmxZ6Dfqtp9nbgVDwYPauBH4ZD4kXrOyNsmNSscPnBgvku1P5hVwwQL2WNIlAn-FjMVtzvTB-1XgUUBWCiPQBBXoQZdIxwxvAkvcI2G9ckTJXIYI/s200/53425.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661281182177096082" /></a><br />In 1993, I was a graduating senior at South Charleston High School, which is a public school in South Charleston West Virginia. At that time, I was the West Virginia High School Football player of the year, and I was also nominated a blue-chip High School All-American by national sports reporters. I received a full football scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach Florida where I played four years and eventually dominated my competition. I played so well I caught the eyes of many professional football scouts. I was projected to get drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. At the mid-point of my senior year, only 4 quarterbacks had thrown the ball in my direction; I intercepted all four of them. Going into the second half of the season we were facing the best quarterback in our league, Howard University’s Ted White, who was eventually drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. He held numerous records in our conference. Not only that, the year before he had thrown 7 touchdowns against us in a 63 – 13 rout. (None of those touchdowns where on me by the way) At the start of the game, the question of the day was how many touchdowns would Ted throw that day? Well, I am happy to say that Ted had the courage to throw my way, but like the other Quarterbacks that year who had dared to throw my way, I had picked him off just the same and revealed in the glory. Ted White was not simply a courageous man, but he was a determined one as well because his draft status was being judged based upon his performance in this very game. Thus, not to be shown up Ted threw another long bomb in my direction, yet this was my day, my year, my time, and I intercepted this record-breaking quarterback for a second time that day. Ted decided after the second interception he would not throw the ball in my direction again. So the test of wills had ended, and I had come out victorious. However, an interesting thing happened following the second interception, after extending my body to dive and snatch the ball out of the air and away from my opponent I stood up in the end zone to celebrate my victory with the traditional end zone dance. It was there in the middle of my celebratory dance my future was forever altered. As my body was gyrating and contorting I stretch, strained, and finally tore my groin in two pieces. Believe it or not, I was unaware I had injured myself until the next Monday in the training room. When I became aware my groin was ripped in two, a million questions came to my mind. But, the number one was Why God? I was a young Christian then, and I did not understand why God would do this to me. I barely finished out the rest of the football season, and as a result of my injury, my draft status plummeted. On draft day my name was not called. Fortunately, my agent made a couple of calls, and I was picked up as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings, even though I was rehabbing intensely, my groin was still not healed. My situation looked beyond hopeless. I was called to tryout to make Minnesota’s 53 man roster even though they had drafted three other people who played my same position and picked up two other veteran players who also played my same position one of them being former Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown. Like I said, my situation was hopeless. Interestingly, I impressed the coaches more than any other player that year except for Randy Moss that is. There I was with one leg and trusting God that He would follow through on His promise. Do you know what happened next? I was cut. Yep, I was the last man cut on the roster. But, even though I was cut something inside of me would not allow me to trust my circumstances more than I was trusting in God’s promise. As soon as I return home from Minnesota I received a call from my agent that the Green bay Packer wanted to pick me up. Off I went to Green bay. I was the last man signed to the practice squad. I was there on the squad for two days when the unthinkable happened. The stating linebacker tore his ACL. When it happened I did not think anything about it. But, I soon realized because I was the last person to be picked up, I was the first person to be cut. The next day I was back in West Virginia. It was there that my mother reaffirmed to me that God told her that I would make it in the NFL. So, two weeks into the season who do you think called my house? The Minnesota Vikings called me back and asked me to play on their team. And, for the next two and a half years I did just that, starting the last six games of my career and even being named most valuable player for one of them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5966391392368208528.post-28231059330962897542011-10-07T19:58:00.000-07:002011-10-08T07:49:20.162-07:00How he saved me!I was raised in the church. However at age 17 when I developed into an elite athlete my popularity led me away from what I knew to be true. The more popular I became the more distance grew between God and me. I eventually received a full scholarship to Bethune-Cookman College after Notre Dame denied me one. It was probably pride, but I refused to accept a scholarship from all the other FBS schools that offered me a one. Anyway, at Bethune I completely fell into a sinful lifestyle. However, during my dark days God sent a man named Brian Faircloth to try and bring me back to his love. Every time I would leave my dorm up to no good I would see Brain there telling me that, “God had a plan for my life.” I did not want to hear it. I wanted to sin; I felt that I needed the pleasure to alleviate the pain. However, God’s love is relentless. Brain would not leave me alone. It got so bad that when I was on one side of the campus Brain would see me and call out my name and all my friends would laugh and joke me. One day I had had enough. Brain came up to me again trying to win me back to God, and I cursed him out. Brain got the message and left me alone for about two weeks. One day as I was in my dorm playing video games he called me and told me that something was about to happen to me so he called to pray for me. During his prayer he began to speak in tongues. It was the second time I had heard them. And, for the first time in my life I heard God speak to me. He said, “Listen to him he is praying for you.” That night I went to a club. At the club a brutal fight broke out during the fight eight players were stabbed. One of them was stabbed to death. His name was Eric Samford. Ironically he went home a week before this event to see his mom and his daughter. While he was home his mom asked him why he had come home. And, he responded to his mom, “I don’t know? I just wanted to see you.” Sadly, Eric and all my teammates were injured because they followed me into the fray. I was a leader of the team. And, they were just following their leader into battle. As a result, one of them died and two others would never play football again. The interesting thing was that I was the one who was supposed to die. The killer was coming after me. I was fighting his friend. As we were fighting at the front of the club I heard gun shots screaming. My friend grabbed me at pushed me outside. As I looked around at the chaos I saw blood everywhere. But, the killer never made it to me. God spared my life. And, I believe it was Brain’s faithfulness and humility that God used to spared my life. That night I feel to my knees after hearing about Eric death and said to God, “Lord whatever you want from me, I will do.”Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16857351095632671207noreply@blogger.com4