A Kind of Dream Come True...Sort of

It's No Secret - I have a short list of teaching pastors who quite frankly inspire me - period!

Rev. Michael Durso
Rev. Dr. John Piper
Rev. Dr. Tim Keller
Rev. Dr. AR Bernard
Andy Stanley
Mark Driscoll

...to name a few! My criteria is pretty simple:

Sound Doctrine
Intellectual Rigor
Creativity
Authenticity
Skill
Humor
Relevance
Longevity
Intentional Focus

As I mentioned, one favorite is Rev. Dr. AR Bernard.

In the last year or so, I've had the opportunity to collaborate on ministry projects with his church, the Christian Cultural Center - most recently on a co-sponsored event we did together called Bizarro World - a student & leaders conference.

Set up:

Growing up at Christ Tabernacle, there were three precious women in our church who started out in ministry with Dr. Bernard at Household of Faith. They would say to me all the time 'we love you because you're like our old pastor.' I found out years later they were referring to Rev. Dr. AR Bernard. I promise there is a point!



For obvious reasons, I've never told THIS story (because it sounds like a lie in my dreams) but after I preached my first weekend sermon ever at Christ Tabernacle - a man handed me a sermon at the end of service and said to me: 'please listen to this message, you remind me of him'! To my shock and utter surprise, it was a message from Rev. Dr. AR Bernard. After the compliment, I needed a thorn in my side to accompany my new found revelation.

Fast forward January 2010, I was leading a small breakout among a list of speakers at the conference we were co-hosting. Due to a last minute schedule change, my workshop was moved into the main sanctuary - no big deal, right?

We'll I've watched Dr. Bernard from a distance at services, conferences and on television - now I was getting the chance to teach MY workshop from HIS pulpit - no big deal, right? For me, a kind of dream come true...sort of!

I seized the moment and made one request which was graciously honored by the staff at Christian Cultural Center: I asked for the CCC engraved posted notes Dr. Bernard uses when he teaches on television - and thanks to Elizabeth Fernandez aka LizPix - I now have the proof forever. Thanks Liz!






Whether I LOOK like him or TEACH like him really doesn't matter - but I've treasured the 'kind of dream come true sort of' moments along the way because they encourage and challenge me to stay committed to the course...to stay committed to the call...and to stay committed to the craft of being the most effective communicator possible.

How about you? Do you take the time to consider and catch the little things God might be doing for you 'along the way'? I'm sure I've missed plenty of opportunities to appreciate the providence and sovereignty of God, but I'm glad this moment is recorded in the books - actually in the blog!

Luke 2:19
...she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Ralph

LIVE Twitter Willow Creek Leadership Summit

*Note: Each section should be read from the bottom up! Originally at ChristTab Twitter from RafaelCastillo Twitter

Harvey Carey

- mental gymnastics & another binder OR challenged to act? -Harvey Carey #tls09
- for some of ya'll this is your umpteenth conference and you ain't do nooothin yet but register for next years conference-Harvey Carey #tlc09
- We huddle on Sunday at service but never break to play in the game! -Harvey Carey #tls09
- How many more conference binders do you need to begin doing ministry! -Harvey Carey #tls09

Jessica Jackley

- When you believe that someone can do something remarkable, you don't have to sell or market it to get people to give to it - jackley #tls09
- Great poets show and don't just tell - Jessica Jackley #tls09
- innovation - life giving ideas should be in the church! -Jessica Jackley #tls09
- in a meritocracy the best ideas win! -Jessica Jackley #tls09
- KIVA has raised 85 million dollars in just 4 years
- http://www.kiva.org/ - loans that change lives. WOW Live interview with Jessica Jackley #tls09
- check out http://ralphye.blogspot.com for The Leadership Summit Twitter Summary #TLS09
- poor will always be with you AND Jesus said what you do for the least of these you do for me! - Jessica Jackley KIVA #tls09

Tim Keller

- Jesus (The firstborn among many) - the true elder brother saved us AT HIS EXPENSE! Thank you Tim Keller #tls09 @rafaelcastillo
- 2. move biblical teaching toward the gospel of grace - Keller #tls09
- 1. experience personal renewal and freedom
- Why I'm trying so hard to help people - IS IT FOR ME? FOR YOU? Don't go into ministry to save your soul? - Keller #tls09
- true elder brother would have secured the younger brother AT HIS EXPENSE! - Keller #tls09 Jesus
- not enough to repent for 'wrong' doing although necessary! -Keller #tls09
- repent for your damnable good works - motivations for right doing! -Keller #tls09
- elder brother - new level of repentance and joy! repent for reasons of right doing (motives) - OMG -Keller #tls09
- elder brother - all for right doctrine - loathe people who don't! -Keller #tls09
- elder brothers - when criticism comes - you melt down or viciously attack. based on self image not on christ centered image Keller #tls09
- elder brotherish - angry when life doesn't go well! one believes God owes them. - Keller #tls09
- source of spiritual deadness - we make God through obedience to get leverage (self righteous and insecure) based on performance - no fruit
- both sons want the Father's thing and not the Father - he has to urge each boy to join the feast. the bad boy is saved. the good boy is lost
- Luke 15 parable shows both boys are alienated from the Fathers heart; both are lost. young boy wants $ by being bad. elder boy by being good
- 120,000 people on a dirty little secret - church is dead & w. fear and trembling will diagnose and suggest cure - Keller #tls09
- Bill Hybels recommends The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Sterns http://www.theholeinourgosp... #tls09
- gr8 lyrics - thanks 4 sharing Josh Wilson! tlc09

Gary Hamel

- Gary Hamel introduced 60,000 leaders to the brave new world we live in - religion is not the problem maybe its the organized part? tls09
- mobilize - connect - support - a suggested model! hamel tls09
- can we build an organization without a superhuman at the top - hamel tls09
- it is dangerous to have a monopoly on creative direction - hamel tls09
- pray for abraham courage to sacrifice models and programs we hold dear - hamel tls09
- the longer you are in the trenches the easier it is to see the end of your rod as the horizon! -hamel tls09
- Test 2. compare - what are we doing the same? -hamel tls09
- Test: 1. look at programs - what hasn't changed?
- Chief Innovation Officer? 1000 ideas, 100 experiments, 10 winners. How do we increase impact? tls09
- most of what we are doing now will be rendered ineffective by the future -admit it!humility=survival in an ever changing world - hamel tls09
- Face the facts! I @rafaelcastillo love this guy! -hamel tls09
- dismiss - rationalize - mitigation - confront - process of change. -hamel tls09
- 1. you have to overcome the temptation to hide in denial - hamel tls09
- we need to change the way we change -OMG! - hamel tls09
- consider the rocket - what goes up fast come down - usually in pieces - hamel tls09
- our problem is not isms but inertia -hamel tls09
- we should feel lucky about the secularization of the culture - it will force us to step it up - hamel tls09
- churches are a weekly convergence for the converted and the content - hamel tls09
- are you on the van guard or the old guard? haw fast are you adapting to the world around you? - hamel tls09
- google Gary Hamel - a believer; a business strategist;

Bill Hybels

- In any organization clarity and care should be best friends! tls09
- 1. retrain - 2. reposition - 3. retire! David Ireland on firing someone...tls09
- candor with care is the greatest gift you can offer someone - carly fiorina
- times and seasons for everything - bill hybels!
- the new testament calls for a plurality of leadership which is better than one guy holding all the cards - bill hybels tls09
- trust and being vulnerable are required for teams to be successful tls09
- meltdowns in leadership happen when something isn't properly dealt with tls09
- I'd rather endure the pain of not having a spot filled than having the wrong person in a spot - bill hybels tls09
- process always does it's work - respect it! tls09
- build a strong culture - you'll attract the right people! tls09
- making choices via gut is great WITH the facts -Carly Fiorina tls09
- cultural 'fit' is important for any organization when considering a hire and making a decision about a person/relationship
- LIVE tweets Session #2 Hiring, Firing & Board Meltdowns - lessons for leadership & life. stay tuned...
- Willow Creek Leadership Summit @ChristTab with over 325 leaders from all over the borough of Queens- Awesome!!!