Family Night at New Covenant Bible Church - it's FANTASTIC!!!

Mackenzie performs with "Worship Academy"

Nickelodeon at New Covenant! It was another awesome family night at New Covenant Bible Church. Parents, children, Worship & Art Academy, and the puppet ministry jammed the worship center for a fast-paced, kid friendly, heart-pounding, music-pulsating night of learning about being thankful. Clik on the pic for a slide show.

Thanks to the family night team who brings this fantastic evening alive: Jeremy & Loretta Bushlack, Eric & Daphne Vincent, Brad & Christie Dunn, Chris & Ann Evans, Chris Foster, and Pastor Mick Schultz! You're an awesome team!

Hello! My name is Tye Male and I am a recovering legalist

I'm still sick in my stomach for what happened to Ted Haggard. I have known someone in a similar situation and I know that "but for the grace of God, there go I." So...

Leadership Journal has an article by Gordon MacDonald that had one paragraph I wanted to share with you. I know that I get irritated with non-grace giving, unforgiving people who become almost militant about issues like this. I think this is because once upon a time it was me. And I think I can say with a level of confidence that I am a recovering legalist! With strict baptist upbringing that helped me be more judgemental than gracious. Thankfully, many have also turned the corner on this and are vibrant, growing, healthy congregations fulfilling God's plan.

Listen to what MacDonald writes about what to watch for in a leader (or yourself for that matter!) that may indicate they are headed for a fall:

When I see a leader who becomes stubborn and rigid, who is increasingly less compassionate toward his adversaries, increasingly tyrannical in his own organization, who rouses anger and arrogance in others, I wonder if he is not generating all of this heat because he is trying so hard to say "no" to something surging deep within his own soul.

Ouch! It always makes me nervous when I hear someone being judgemental about others in an almost arrogant tone. whew!

• Stubborn - unteachable
• Rigid - unwilling to believe one could be wrong
• Less compassionate - thinking that we are above such difficulties
• Rouses anger and arrogance in others - rebel rousers who believe they are above the law

Let's be careful to be gracious, compassionate, loving, and forgiving with others. I don't want to wind up like Ted Haggard. Tye out.

A dead man alive?

I'm in Acts on my way through the bible this year and a phrase jumped out and grabbed me - well, not exactly : )

Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul calimed was alive.... Acts 25:19 NIV

Here Festus is telling King Agrippa about the apostle Paul and the fact that he claims that a dead man named Jesus was alive. He is complaining that he has to deal with the case that the Jews have against Paul and in doing so he makes this statement about what Paul is teaching.

Things haven't changed much. This is still the argument. Did Jesus raise from the dead like he said he would or is this whole thing a hoax? Prob not.

Notice that Festus says that Paul is making this claim. What he is not taking into consideration is the fact that MANY people were witnesses to the resurrection. In fact, 120 at one time saw him alive. And a variety of witnesses saw him as well. Not just a handful of "crazies." Fisherman, women, and even one doubter - at least!

Jesus is alive. His word is true. But, are you willing to believe it? Tye out.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." John 11:25 NIV

I voted

I voted this morning. In fact, I was the first person at my polling place. As I stood there and waited I could only think of the awesome privilege we have in this country to be part of the political process. This is a great country we live in. There were no military troops at my polling place to protect workers. I didn't have any fear of reprisal for showing up to vote. And, my vote counts.

I'm proud to be an American and I thank God for the men and women who fought to achieve and maintain this great freedom that we enjoy today.

God bless America. Tye out.

Why great men fall

I don't know about you, but this whole Ted Haggard thing has me doing a lot of thinking. This morning I read an article by the good folks over at MondayMorningInsight and Todd Rhodes challenged pastors and leaders to order this book and we are going to go through it together in the coming weeks.

I'm thinking that maybe our staff at New Covenant Bible Church should go through it together. Whattayathink guys?

I, for one, am well aware of the battle that takes place in the pastor's life and I want to be an overcomer. I also know that it will ONLY be by God's grace.

So, back to the book. Here is what Todd said about the book in his weekly email:

By focusing on well-known Biblical examples, he points to easily identifiable signposts that trapped 'great' men. The profiles in give pause to others in similar environments: pastors, ministry heads, even fathers and husbands struggling to maintain their families. Goodall explains why biblical morality is the key to avoiding ethical failure. His thousands of hours of counseling also provide unique insights into the character flaws that contribute to falls from grace. Some of the issues covered include:
--Entitlement--Entrepreneurs without Balance --Compartmentalization --Expectation of Silence --The Sex Issue --Integrity --Anger --Accountability --Conscience --Mentors and Coaches--Ethics --Stress and Pressure --Money --Depression and Moods --The One Who Can Keep You from Falling

I can't wait to get started. Tye out.

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Co 10:12NIV

Ted Haggard

I'm sad for Ted Haggard. I'm sad for his family. I'm sad for his church. But, I am proud of the body of Christ. His church has responded sooooo appropriately. Click here to watch a video of Colorado Springs local news station's coverage.

I must say that I am humbled by this news. So, today I am not writing to condemn Ted or his church, but to say "but for the grace of God, there goes I." I fear for people who get all rowled up and put on their pharisaical garb. So, for those of us in the ministry, here's some tips from Steve Gallagher.

Steve Gallagher of Pure Life Ministries recently wrote on this subject recently in an article featured at the Canadian PromiseKeeper’s website. Here are some excerpts: (Copied from MondayMorningInsight)

1. Their devotional life has not been properly maintained. A number of years ago I was asked to speak at a pastors’ retreat on the subject, Why Do Our Pastors Keep Falling Into Sin? One of the things I said to those pastors was that, of all the fallen pastors I had dealt with over the years, I had never once had to minister to a “Mary,” but I had dealt with many “Marthas.” In other words, those who stay at the feet of Christ are not vulnerable to falling into sin. At Pure Life Ministries, every worker—whether he is ministering to others or simply filling telephone orders—is required to spend at least two hours a day seeking God. If these lay people can live that way, surely those who are representing the Lord to others should do so as well.

2. There is an over-busy life. This is difficult, because ministry can be very demanding. However, I have found that much of the activity of those who had fallen into sin was not generated by a sincere love for people as much as it was by selfish ambition or fear of man. The sincere minister will go to God and ask Him to reveal his motives. “Lord, am I involved in this activity because I truly want to help others or because I am trying to build a bigger church?” Or, “Lord, even if my motives are pure in this, is it your will?” Jesus scolded Martha by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Beware of the barrenness of a busy life.”

3. Discouragement, Depression, & Fatigue. Satan often capitalizes upon discouragement to lead a person into sin. When a believer gets down or gets hurt by others, he becomes more vulnerable to temptation. Being worn out by ministry is another thing that will weaken a leader’s resolve to live a holy life. The ministry is both stressful and sedentary by nature. The combination of these elements often leave a person physically exhausted, which in turn makes him more vulnerable to temptation.

Tye here. Tye out.

I like winners

Tony Stewart won yesterday. So did Peyton Manning (my fave quarterback) and the Colts (my fave team for the time being). And Lance Armstrong? He won too. So did cancer research. I like winners.

Now, I can't vouch for these people regarding their personal lives, but in their realms they are winners.

What does it take to be a winner? Here's a few bullets on the theme:

• Focus - you know what the goal is and keep your eyes on it.
• Determination - pain is gain.
• Positive mental attitude - negativity can not be in a winner's vocab
• Discipline - winners don't "sleep in." They don't take short cuts. They work hard.

Is there any biblical truth here? Let's see:

Focus - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Php 3:14NIV

Determinination - Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead Php 3:13 NIV

Positive mental attitude -  I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Php 4:13 NIV

Discipline - (check this out)
You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. 1 Cor 9:24-27 The Message

I like winners. I want to be a winner. How about you? Tye out.

Great job Allyson!!!

Allyson our Honor Student

(click on the pic for a slideshow)

Thursday our daughter Allyson received a special academic award at Linn-Mar High School's Academic Award Ceremony. Somehow I missed the memo on this special day so you can imagine how excited I was when I came downstairs (I was sick all day) there was a certificate and academic letter there on the counter. Although she down played the significance of this award, we are extremely proud of our honor student!

Since I wasn't there, I checked out Kim Pagel's blog entry to get the scoop. Here's an excerpt from his blog:

It was an awesome sight seeing over 500 students sitting on the main floor of the gym, being recognized for their academic achievement. You can click on the picture above to see a slide show of the event...It was also fun to see so many New Covenant students being recognized. -Kim Pagel

Congrats Ally! We are so proud of you and all the other students of Linn-Mar High School!

Like my new blog look?

Wow! I just updated my blog to the new blogger look and feel and I like it! I still have a lot of work to do to it, but that will have to come later. It's been a tough day trying to recover from yesterday's little stomach bout.

So, what do you think of the new look? Let me know! Tye out.

I finally caught up on email

You're not going to believe this, but I only have 12 emails in my inbox. It took a while, but I finally succeeded in catching up. You see, one of my top five strengths on the strengthfinder analysis is input. I love data, saving things for "just in case." So, I made some hard decisions and cleared out my email.

I used to answer every single email, but that has become almost impossible. I love the fact that I can be connected to so many people at one time, but it takes a lot of time.

How's your inbox? Got any ideas for what you do to keep it cleared out?

Tye out.

P.S. A simple Yahoo! search just brought up some cool tips and tricks on how to better manage email.

Not feeling well today : (

I woke up this morning with a stomach bug of some kind and wound up in bed all day. Bummer. I also missed playing with the Iowa Vanguard Jazz Collective at what would probably be our last night at the IMAX. As it turned out, when I called Peter Hart he said they were having difficulty getting band members together. double bummer.

So, I finally mustered some strength and came downstairs to prop myself up to answer a few emails. Now for a blog, and back to horizontal.

Rules for entering Iowa

Please, only read this if you have a sense of humor. If you don't, I wouldn't go any further. I once read something like this about people from PA. Made me laugh - thought it would you too. Thanks Jeff Dunham for sending it. Tye out.

1. Pull up your droopy pants. You look like an idiot.
2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
3. They are cattle & feed lots. That's what they smell like to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-80 goes east and west.
4. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $200,000 combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year ...
5. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.
6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of pheasants are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.
7. Yeah, we eat catfish. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.
8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of pheasant/deer season.It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
9. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age. We say Thank You, You're Welcome and God Bless, etc.
10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.
11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats,vegetables and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Picante Sauce.
12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
13. The "Cyclones & Hawkeyes" Football/Baseball/Volleyball/Basketball/Track/Wresting/Softball are as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks -and a whole lot more fun to watch.
14. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards. It spooks the fish.
15. Colleges? Try Ames, Iowa City or a bunch a'others. They come outa there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays.
16. So just Wave if you are a IOWAN............. :-)

Hubble is hurting - why fix it?

In 1990 the space shuttle carried a $1.5 billion telescope the size of a school bus into orbit to get a better look at our solar system and galaxies. It was named after Edwin Hubble and this is what the Hubble website ways about it:

NASA named the world's first space-based optical telescope after American astronomer Edwin P. Hubble (1889–1953). Dr. Hubble confirmed an "expanding" universe, which provided the foundation for the Big Bang theory.

This $1.5 billion dollar was supposed to provide support for the Big Bang Theory. Hmmm. It's been up there 26 years and the funny thing is I haven't heard any conclusive evidence that supports the big bang theory. NOTHING. $1.5 billion dollars initial cost and nothing! Not one shred of evidence. You know why?

There was in fact a big bang, but you can only see it's effects. And the big bang theory I believe in is the big bang that happened when God spoke and BANG! it happened. God created everything there is...

And I didn't need a $1.5 billion dollar telescope to believe this. Just look around. Tye out.

P.S. Let me know when you find ONE piece of evidence that supports the big bang.

Fall Fest 2006 - WOW!

By Mackenzie Male - Tonight our church provided a great family fun night for families to come and play games and get prizes and help out. There was hot dogs, chips, drinks and cotton candy. There was a huge blow up slide. There was Jonah and the whale game. They had crafts. I helped out with a game called musical steps. I loved it! (thanks Mackenzie!)

Tye here - I spent most of my time meeting families and taking pictures. All my kids were serving in one area or another. I enjoyed chatting with Brent & Vicki, Russ & Renee, Carl & Sheralyn, Tara, Loretta, Brian, Mark & Kathleen (I got your name right!), Becky, and many, many others. Click on the picture for a slide show.

I'm so thankful for people like Cindy Forstrom, Mick Schultz, and Colette Reick who work so hard to provide such a cool night for our families! Thanks to all the volunteers too!Congrats on a job well done!

My email address has been wrong on my blog!

Darlene in Nashville just contacted me to let me know that my email address on my blog was wrong! Thanks Darlene! I have changed my email in the profile on my blog, so if you tried to contact me and couldn't you should now be able to do so.

BTW, when we make mistakes are we willing to admit it? As servants, we should ALWAYS be willing to freely admit our mistakes. Be aware of people who will not say "I'm sorry, I was wrong." They are probably self-serving leaders. Tye out.

10 things to say to your wife

I'm reading The Power of a Praying Husband right now and came across something I thought could help the men reading my blog - all three of them. : )

Have you ever wondered what to say when your wife is upset or hurting in some way? I have. Often I take it personally not understanding that there are usually issues behind the hurt that I probably didn't have anything to do with. We try to reason, explain, rationalize and these do not work! Our wives are emotional beings and that frustrates us men.

So, here are ten things you might say to your wife when things aren't going so hot for her:

1. I love you
2. You are the greatest woman in the world to me!
3. You're beautiful when you're moody/upset.
4. Tell me what's on your mind and I promise not to get mad.
5. How have I let you down?
6. How can I make it up to you?
7. Have you been getting enough sleep? [I'm not so sure about this one]
8. What would make you happy right now?
9. I don't have all the answers. But God does.
10. Do you want to pray about this together?
(The Power of a praying Husband by Stormie Omartian, pp79-80)

I would probably add one to this list; "Will you tell me what you are feeling right now?" (Thanks Dixon Murrah!)

These are not simple formulas to plug in to your marriage for a quick fix. They are, however, some things to say when you're not really sure what else to say. Let me know if you have one that you would add to the list. Tye out.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Eph 5:25 NIV

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Cor. 10:24 NIV

Why are you leading?

I have an extremely busy week (starting to sound like a theme!) so I'm pasting in something from the good folks over at www.leadlikejesus.com. I subscribe to their devotions and this is what I received this morning in my email box. Click here for the link. Tye out.

The heart is your character – why you are leading. To serve or be served? When your heart is wrong you quickly lose your way on the leadership journey. When Jesus talks about the heart He is referring to the center of your spiritual nature and consciousness rather than the physical heart. (Inspiring thoughts from Lead Like Jesus: Beginning the Journey Participant’s Study Guide - Page 19)

A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech.Proverbs 16:23

PRAY: Wisdom of the Ages, teach me to guard my heart so that my thoughts and actions will reflect You. May my words and thoughts be Yours and may those I lead sense a change in my character as I lead like You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

East Iowa Bible Camp has WiFi!

I'm out in the middle of NOWHERE!!! But to my shock and awe they have wireless internet here. I'm out here for the New Covenant Bible Church Elder/Deacon/Staff retreat. It is an awesome time where all the ministry heads share their 5 year plans and then something we call a Micro-Vision. This is a narrative that is written as if we were writing in the year 2012. If you would like to see mine, let me know and I'll send you a copy.

Welp, breakfast is served. Tye out.

Here's Robin! the coffee spiller

Oh yeah! I'm so patient! (so she says) Click on the pic if you want to see Robin's hysterical, freak out face when she spilled my coffee!

SPILLED COFFEE!!!

Robin Koskamp stopped over today to let me copy the photos that are in my last blog post and in the process she SPILLED MY COFFEE!!! So, I thought you would enjoy seeing my spilt coffee - actually she was the one that wanted it on my blog!

Seriously, the Koskamp family was a real blessing last year while I was here by myself. Often I would stop by their house only 4 doors from the church and they would also make me feel like family. Thanks for being there for me last year and even now, even if you did spill my coffee!