I have been in a very rigorous and challenging week in our “Invent the Future” experience with 14 of our Ministry Staff team members. We have dug deep into the reality of where we are as a church, emerging into trying to define elements about our future. The work has begun and will move strongly over the next 120 days with much of our staff team. Pray for the process. It is not over. It is just beginning.

I hope you will join me on Sunday morning as we begin a new four-message series called, “Staying Strong Though the Storms of Your Life.” It all begins this coming Sunday during our Sunday morning worship services. I hope you will join us in this journey. It is timely and needed.

My Super Bowl Winner will be: The New England Patriots! Yes, they are just too strong for the New York Giants. History will be made when they become the most recent team to go undefeated since the Miami Dolphins in the 1970’s.

I also predict that Tom Brady will be “The Most Valuable Player” for the game. Even though he is somewhat injured, he is a winner. No one will keep him from achieving towards his normal standard of excellence.

This weekend will be a super weekend. I hope you enjoy every part of it. Do not take it for granted. Celebrate the experience of life and blessings on this weekend.

Yes, the greatest place to do this is in your church on Sunday!

Please continue to pray for us. I cannot write today, because we do not have Internet access at the retreat. Check back on Thursday for an update.

Have a wonderful day.

Today through Wednesday, I am taking some of our Ministry Staff members with me to an experience called “Invent the Future.” All of our Ministry Staff members have given input into the total process. Upon our return, all of our team and hundreds of wonderful volunteers will rally around this vision as we forge our future together.

Usually major corporations experience this kind of event, led by the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics. Due to my growing relationship with these incredible people and leaders, we have created this environment for our upcoming retreat. I am convinced this is essential to our future and very excited we have a godly group of people taking their skills from corporate America in strategic planning to help us navigate our future. Their role is to lead the process for us, not plan our future as a church.

Don Soderquist and his CEO Andy Wilson will be participating with us in this experience. Andy has been a great friend for years, and he has given the second half of his life to equipping leaders. The Soderquist team is a blessing to our region and the world. Last year, I went through an experience we planned with them for Senior Pastors of mega-churches. It was splendid. Due to the success of that experience, we have worked together to plan this retreat.

So please pray for me and our staff team this week. These three days are critical. I am counting on you to pray…thanks in advance.

Have a wonderful day.

Hey, just let me share a few things that are happening right now in our lives. We are keeping both Peyton and Parker tonight. Josh and Kate are going to the Couples Retreat in Branson on Thursday and Friday nights. This will be the first time we have had both boys by ourselves overnight. Oh my friend, PRAY! Don and Mona (Kate’s parents) will have the boys on Friday night.

We are taking 14 of our Ministry staff members on a retreat next week for three days called, “Invent The Future.” I hope you will pray for us on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights.

We are having a night of worship at Pinnacle Hills on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. We hope folks from both campuses will come. I will be ministering the Word some, and Josh and I believe it will be a very special night.

We are beginning Sunday night church at our Springdale location on February 10. On the 3rd of February, we will have church-wide Super Bowl Parties through the ministries of both campuses. I forget how many nights we are doing this winter and spring, but there will be several nights where the Word of God will be shared within that worship setting.

On first Sunday of February, I will begin a new series called: “STAYING STRONG THROUGH THE STORMS OF YOUR LIFE.” This will be a series that the Lord will use in all of our lives. More to come on that in days to come.

Happy weekend . . . talk to you Monday!

Well thanks be to God, the Federal Reserve Board cut the interest rate 3/4 of a percent. The markets plummeted, but came back slowly over the day. Now the lead stories on all of the networks is the future of the nation’s economy.

Where is it going? I don’t have the answer to that, but I do think we need to take some aggressive actions. If I had a wish list, I wish we would:

• Stimulate the economy with rebates to tax payers that might result in money spent in the economy.
• Stimulate the economy by another 1/4 of a percent cut again next week when the Federal Reserve Board meets in its normal meetingStimulate the economy with some kind of immediate tax cut that will help matters now.
• Stimulate the economy by addressing the home building industry and home selling industry. Perhaps some kind of unusual motivation provided now to get people to purchase existing home or build new homes. Somehow, this real estate challenge must be addressed nationally.
• Stimulate with creativity. I am not an economist, but surely there have been conversations through the years among the leaders of our economy that went something like, “If it ever got really bad, we could get it back by doing this or this, even though it is radical!” I believe there is something that they know they can do.
• Stimulate with prayer and giving. Now that is creative. We pray and talk to God about matters and we also give to others. God blesses prayer and God blesses giving.

Let’s pray it is going God’s way!

As I arrived home last night, the big news in the media was the unrest in the financial markets. Great fear was already being portrayed about how the U.S. markets will open up today. The world markets were down greatly on Monday.

America needs to pray. We do not know what all is going on presently in the financial markets, but we do know WHO can change those markets. That person is not located on Wall Street or in Washington D. C., but in Heaven. God is on the Throne. He is in charge. He can do what He wants to do.

We need to pray. We need to appeal to the God of Heaven to intervene and intervene soon. The Lord is the Maker and Owner of silver and gold, so He is able to control ALL things.

We need wisdom in our responses to matters today. Whether the markets plummet or they rise to new heights, let’s remember, our God is an awesome God. He is able to do what He wants to do. Most of all, He wants to move within our hearts mightily. He wants us to be able to stand strong in the times in which we live.

Be wise . . . be prayerful today.

I want to give you a few highlights from yesterday. These are some things that stand out to me from my day with God’s people and beyond.

*Spirit of worship was wonderful. Both campuses responded so well to the worship songs, video, and prayers.

*Response to the message I delivered was interesting. It was interesting because there really was response, even though it was shown in various ways. None of us can escape the TRUTH of GOD from the Bible. I believe most people really believe that.

*Great numbers were at Pinnacle Hills last night for our segmented worship night. I was encouraged by the numbers of men who joined me at the Embassy in spite of the televised football game. When I went to pick Jeana up, great numbers of ladies were present.

*The weather was very, very cold, but it was a beautiful day. I am grateful for any Sunday like this in the winter.

*The New York Giants are on a roll.  I was very surprised they defeated the Packers. I was only able to watch the last quarter, but what a finish. Isn’t it amazing how an entire season appears to come down to one play?

Enjoy your week.

I have a few thoughts for the weekend I want to share with you. These are not going to be life-changing, but just sharing my heart with you.

Come to church on Sunday. Nothing is more important in your week, nothing. God being worshipped on Sunday, sets all else into order in your life. Do not let Satan or yourself or anyone else throw some obstacle at you that will keep you from being here. If you are reading this blog from around the world, you find a church and go this Sunday.

Enjoy the weekend. Quite honestly, I look forward to it weekly. I give myself for five plus days from early to sometimes very late. I need the weekend. One of my favorite old television shows was “Coach”. He always got ticked off when anyone would mess with his weekend. I still laugh much when I run across those shows being rerun on today’s television lineup.

We are looking at a Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots Super Bowl on the first weekend of February. Even though the Giants are playing like giants right now and will be tough, the frozen tundra and the magic of Brett Favre will win the game. San Diego in New England on a cold January day? No, I must pick the incredible undefeated Patriots. The sad thing about this line-up of games is that the Dallas Cowboys are vacant from hosting the Packers this weekend. The defensive line of the Giants last weekend destroyed our offensive line the second half. Yes, the games are won up front. However, as long as the rapture does not come, there is always next year! At least, “We’re back!”

Enjoy your weekend … make it count!

Do you read very much? Of course I know you are reading this blog, but do you read periodicals or newspapers or books?

I heard someone once say: “You will never be any greater than the books you read, the places you go, and the people you meet.” That is really not bad advice is it? Each one of these sharpens us. It introduces us to new opportunities. Staleness in life occurs when one of these three things is not happening in our lives.

I love to read. So much of my reading is in regards to preparation for speaking, but beyond that, I love to spend time reading. Yes, sometimes I tire of it and some days or weekends, just do not do it. However, when I get in a mode, I enjoy it.

I am reading several things right now that are blessing me. What about you? Make a commitment to read more in 2008. You will become better and sharper IF your reading material is good.

Have a blessed day.

Without any question at all, it is a new day in the Arkansas Razorback Football Program. We have a new Head Football Coach along with his new staff that joins him from across the nation, and really only one hold-over from the previous staff. Coach Bobby Petrino brings a very versatile offense full of both passing and running. This will be very different from Coach Houston Nutt’s offense; therefore, things have changed.

The Razorbacks will lose both Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to the NFL draft. As juniors, they are declaring themselves early and both will probably be drafted in the first round. These two young men are at a whole different level than most who have ever played running back here. Their speed, versatility, and strength will be missed. They could take it to the house on any play, and yes, they were fun to watch. Yes, things have changed as of yesterday when these two young men determined they would enter the draft.

After 50 years of being involved as both Coach or Athletic Director, the legend Frank Broyles is no longer involved in either of those roles. This results in Jeff Long become the lead player as the new Athletic Director. These changes will affect the Razorback program so much.

As of last week, Chancellor John White has announced his retirement. Since he was very involved in the recent coaching search, the playing field at Arkansas is now level in pretty well every phase. The Lead Players administratively in the Razorback program, as as well as two of the major Lead Players on the field are leaving early.

Things will look very different next fall around Northwest Arkansas. It is a new day in Arkansas.