No Plan B (Acts 1:1-14)

Click over to the YouVersion version.

No Plan B (Acts 1:1-14)

Pastor Tim Vincent, Our Savior's Baptist Church, Federal Way, Wash., www.oursaviorbaptist.org (Sunday, July 31, 2011 - my notes from the 9 and 10:45 am service.  I pray that they will be useful to you.)

--- How do you measure the value of something? ---

Antique Roadshow - a blanket that's been draped over a chair in someone's house for a long time, only to discover it's a national treasure: a Navajo blanket in wonderful condition that could fetch $500,000.

1999 Ford Taurus with 100,000.  Before he owned it, he thought it was the ugliest designed car ever.  It squeaks, it creaks, it's missing a hubcap.  How valuable is it?  A dealer might give $700, KBB says $1,600.  But to Pastor Tim, it's really valuable.  If you had to go without your car (or any replacement) for two months, how valuable is it?  Our values come out in how we spend our time, talents and treasure.

Values - teenagers are used to being told things are wrong. They're in this process of establishing their values and convictions. Typically by age 25, someone has established the convictions that will guide most of their lives.

As  we get older, we stop listening, we stop changing.  We have a hard time facing the fact that we might have been wrong, especially if it's something we've held as a belief or custom or behavior for most of our lives.  Or we rationalize it away.

Acts - the story of change. Exciting to teenagers, not so much to adults.

--- What is Jesus worth to you? ---

- A couple of Sundays a year, up to an hour.
- Most Sundays, as long as I don't have other plans.
- Every Sunday, every morning, church and an adult Sunday school class.
- I'd even teach a children's Sunday school class.
- And tithe!
- or what about your entire life? Every single element, every single second?

Jesus says "Come and die."  It's tough, but it's what He asks.

He IS our life.  When we understand what He did for us, it is easy to stop living our lives and start living His.  And if (when) we don't, it's because we may not necessarily fully appreciate all He's done for us.

People who love and value his love actively and passionately obey his commission to go.

--- Acts ---

"...He gave many convincing proofs that He was alive..."

This is important.  They saw him *dead*.  it must have been mind-blowing for them.  None of us has had that happen to us.

"Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

Oh... you poor, silly, silly disciples.  Still no clue.  Pastor Tim hopes that helps us, says it helps him - they've been through all this first-hand and still, they're confused.  So we still get confused in our walk.  Thank God God's patient with us.

"...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

A oft-used and -misused passage for missions.  Often used to suggest classes of missionaries.  A guilting message. That those who don't go to the "ends of the earth" (not here) are lesser Christians.  But no... we are to go. Just go.  You will be my witnesses.  Not my salesperson, not my defense attorney.  You don't need training to be a witness - a witness simply tells what they saw.

It might be the next room, the parking lot, next door, across town, etc.  We are called as His followers to go where people need Jesus.

Adverbial participle... "As you are going ______, make disciples."  (to the store, to school, to work, to the gas station, the Papua New Guinea).  Not when you get there, but as you are going.  And it wasn't presented as an option.  The action here is "make disciples" - as you are going. (Because you are going somewhere.)

But it's not easy.  Most will say "I'm not cut out for that."  Thank God for the Holy Spirit.

"...when they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying..."

They took Jesus' messages back to their friends and prayerfully waited for the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said "go" and they went. And it cost them their lives.  These men went. We owe them our lives. They heard Him and they obeyed.  If you are a Christ-follower, you have the same mission.

- Andrew - crucified
- Bathlomew - crucified
- James, son of Alphaeus - stoned
- James, son of Zebedee - beheaded
- John - natural causes, in excile
- Simon Peter - crucified, head down
- Philip - crucified, head down
- Simon the zealot - unknown
- Thomas - speared to death in India
- Mattias - stoned
- Paul - beheaded
- James, the brother of Jesus - martyred (can you imagine growing up and coming to the acceptance that your sibling is God??!?!?)

It happened and it happens today. While I sit here in this brand new building taking notes on this IPad, people today are putting their very life on the line to tell others about Christ.

People who love Christ recognize they were given the assignment - there was no plan B.

Josephus has no reason to document this:
- that Jesus was a real man
- he walked this earth
- he had followers
- they would not renounce Jesus even if it meant their deaths
- his own brother (James) did not become a follower of Jesus until after Jesus died. And James was killed for that belief.

Josephus had no reason to document this except that  he was an historian.  He was a Jew, not a Christ-follower.

--- God, Help Us To Be Like Stephen ---

Stephen - he understood that the church was God's only plan to fulfill His mission on earth.  He had no Plan B.  Stephen's mission field was his own town.  Stephen was chosen for his dedication.  Our problem is that we can get comfortable in our home.  Our comfort makes us lazy and apathetic and we stop caring about the mission.

Now... wherever you are is home.  Home is where Jesus is. What's Jerusalem to one person is Samaria to someone else and "the utter ends of the earth" to yet someone else. Sometimes it may feel harder to go across the street than it is to go to Papau New Guinea.  But these (non-Christians) are a people with a different culture, belief systems, values who need to learn about Jesus Christ and His love for them. (If we truly are called "here," are we *serving* here?)

Stephen spoke up.  He was meeting the needs of those in the mission field.  He served and God blessed.

We "go" when we serve.  We need to meet the needs of people, because the world isn't meeting those needs on its own.

"...you stiff-necked people..."
"...you already resist the Holy Spirit!"
"...was there ever a prophet you did not persecute?..."
"...you have received the law [...] but not obeyed it..."

And when they told Stephen to be quiet, he didn't.  We're told that the Gospel will offend people.  You know what?  IT WILL OFFEND them.  We should not intentionally offend - "turn or burn" is mean and not helpful.  You can be nice and still speak truth. And so we become fearful and say nothing.

"Religion is a private thing.". Fine... Whatever... This isn't religion, this is salvation, this is redemption, this is truth. Don't best people up, just be true. Let God do the work.

But the message itself WILL offend, because it will ask the listener to reject the belief system and values that they've held true their whole lives.

To call Christianity bigoted, mean, intolerant - that's a lie from the pit of hell.  The truth is the truth.

We are the voice of Christ.  As cool as it would be to see the rocks cry out, it's us that will tell others.  God doesn't have a bunch of neon signs He's ready to flick on

And if we say "I don't speak so good." we're in a really big club.  It's not about training or qualification or refining their message first - it's about going and doing.  But if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, it will shine through - in words, in service.  You will not  be able to keep quiet.

This is not my life to live.

--- Stephen Welcomed Death Because He had Already Died ---

"...I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God..."
"...at this, they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voice, they all rushed him..."
"...the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul..."

This must have played over in Saul's mind - why was this man so willing to die? Why didn't he just shut up? He couldn't.

At the end of his life, Stephen got his reward, he saw Jesus welcoming him into heaven.  Well done, good and faithful servant, come in to your rest.

Problem is, most of us aren't going to need to rest because we've been down here resting.  If we don't die, God has No Plan B.  Instead, we will be stuck in religion for the rest of our lives.

When the youth group went to Canada on a recent missions trip, they met a Fijian named Asa.  When he had departed from Fiji, he was presented with a mat.  The equivalent for us would be to be presented with a coffin.  They knew he would probably die in the foreign land, but they were already recognizing that he was giving up the life he had given.  This was a blessing for him.

Are we too complacent here?  Are we able to "go" here locally?  If not, maybe we need to "go" somewhere else.  If we've gotten too complacent.

"Jesus did not come to give you a better life. Sorry, if that's what you're looking for, you can go down the street a few blocks.". He came to become your life. You are His Plan A, His only plan.

It’s too late It’s my fate
I can’t turn around 
There’s no fear, in the mirror
To hold me down
I’m too far, from the start
Now I’m in too deep 

-- No Plan B, Manafest

Big Finish

Remember that 100 miles in 100 days goal?  If you follow my blog, you should - I made that goal on June 11 - 56 days ago.  Somewhere along the way I realized that was too easy a goal and upped it to 1.5 miles a day, or finishing in 67 days.  I was looking at the chart tonight before my run and realized that I had six miles to go.

I kept thinking about it as I ran and I realized that looking forward to completing it tomorrow wasn't good enough.  I was going to push through and try to do it tonight.  I had done 5.8 one other time and regretted not being able to do 6 (and therefore only getting to count 5) so tonight, yeah, I was gonna try.  I hoped that I wouldn't need to use the bathroom but planned for a route that kept me close to businesses just in case.

I had to pause several times tonight due to crosswalks, as well as stops at two stores.   First Walgreens and then backtracked to QFC after Walgreens didn't have anything I wanted -- I desperately needed a drink but wanted something tasty without caffeine.

And in the end, I cranked hard, even got the radar speed sign to read 8 miles an hour late in my fourth mile.  That was pretty awesome.   I've been thinking lately that I need to get a t-shirt which reads "DEAF RUNNER" on it.  I get way too many cat calls and cheers from people passing by in cars.   It's been like 8-9 months since anyone's honked at me in a way that felt mean, but it's amazing how many people will hoot and whistle and cheer and lean out the window and wave with smiles on their faces.  Since I have my headphones on and can't hear them anyhow, maybe such a t-shirt would encourage them to tone it down.  (Or honk to see if it's true... hmm....)

Anyhow, what now?  Well, time to get some new shoes.  I bought these shoes after I caught my last pair on the underside of an airplane seat in 2009, so they're pretty old.  They've done well, but I ought to get a pair designed for running.   Also, a few days to recover (I'll be sore tomorrow and a conference in Seattle on Monday and Tuesday) and then a new goal.  I'm thinking maybe 500 miles in 300 days or something.

The Sift 206-210

The Sift 206: Sales/Commerce, Shopping and Customer Service

• How Should You Treat Your Best Customers?
• A cheap sample is better than a free sample
• Mum's The Word
• Do Not Call
• Wheelmate Laptop Steering Wheel Desk reviews

Read more...

---

The Sift 207: Transit, Traffic, Travel and Development

• Drawing Conclusions: Documenting Every Building in New York
• Where You Should Live if You Want to Avoid a Natural Disaster
• EADS Seaweed-Powered Zero Emission ZEHST Plane Could Travel from London to New York in an Hour
• Oyster Shows You Unstaged Hotel Photos Before Booking, Helps You Find the Perfect Hotel for Your Needs
• 3-Way Street: Highlighting Dangerous Traffic Situations at an Intersection (Video)

Read more...

---

The Sift 208: Security and Cybercrime

• 5 Things You Need to Know About the Security of Google Apps
• When Engineers Lie
• These Are the Most Common Lockscreen PINs
• Trulia Crime Maps Puts Crime Statistics on a Heat Map, Highlights Crime Trends in Your Neighborhood
• US funds shadow networks, builds 'internet in a suitcase' for repressed protesters

Read more...

---

The Sift 209: Email

• People Widget and Other New Gmail Features
• Spam Decreased 82.22% Over The Past Year
• Gmail Now Lets You Choose Your Favorite Inbox Style
• Hotmail Adds a "My Friend’s Been Hacked" Button
• If you send mass email with no way to reply, you’re being a jerk to your best customers

Read more...

---

The Sift 210: Odds and Ends

• 'The veterans' cemetery that America forgot' - sad
• Major US ISPs Agree to "Six Strikes" Copyright Enforcement Plan
• Tennessee law bans 'distressing images,' opens your Facebook inbox
• Marty, we need a nuclear reaction
• Kartick Satyanarayan: How We Rescued the "Dancing" Bears (Video)

Read more...

---

Nasty People (A Work-Related Post)

If you've followed this blog for any length of time (and thank you!) you know that work is a regular topic.  And why not - it's the location where I spend a third of my waking hours, right?  (Not to mention checking my email at home and thinking about work at other times.)

I came to a realization yesterday as I was leaving work.  After dinner that became a Facebook status.  And then this morning it became this post I'm now writing.

I've worked in a number of work environments over the years... now-bankrupt movie rental chain, fast-food pizza chain, small independent office supply chain, internet startup focusing on the entertainment industry, the internet division of a major motion picture studio, the internet team (of 1) of a large church and now the internet division of a very large Christian non-profit.  Interestingly enough, in every case, I'd say that my role involved customer service or customer satisfaction.  Whether that was a paying customer who had no relationship with me except that they walked in the door, partook of our services, paid and left, or whether that was someone who I reported to, or who relied on me.

In nearly every place, there have been people who were difficult to work with, people who made unreasonable demands, challenging customers or people who were just downright unpleasant. My (attempted) response has always been to try to treat them even nicer than normal, to respond quickly, professionally, to shove down indignation or pride and just hope that if I were extra nice, they might start being nicer.  I used to tell the people at the pizza place that if you were so sweet you made yourself a little sick, you were almost as good as the customers were expecting.

That model had mostly served me well. Moreso in the industries where I had a counter and a cash register between me and the customers, or where the people who I felt acted nasty towards me were above me on the org. chart.

But the place I work now is rather interesting.  Literally, the better we do our jobs, the more we help.  I have not been anywhere but the comfort of our climate-controlled office building with its cubicles and free drip-coffee, but I know that when I am able to do things quicker, with less budget, that's more money that goes out to the programs that are helping people.  When we make mistakes, we impact our ability to raise funds from those who have to make available to those who have not.  (The intent being, of course, that if we can "raise all boats," we can help those who have not to become more self-sufficient - development projects designed so that at a set future point we can leave the area and the people who live there enjoy a sustainable higher level of life - safer water, food security, access to health and education, etc.)

That leads to two interesting aspects: (1) everyone's working on very razor-thin budgets - both in money and time.  It gets drilled into you, but it makes sense.  Otherwise, we risk making someone else's misfortune and poverty into our livelihood.  But the harder we work, the more excellence with which we work, the more we maximize the resources at our disposal, the more we help.  (2) everyone's goals don't necessarily easily align - while our particular focus is primarily fundraising within the United States for projects elsewhere in the world, our office also does its own development work in the United States and even within fundraising there is different audiences and tangential efforts in long-term plays, like advocacy, media relations and youth programs that build awareness and help to give kids an idea of the global work we do before they are donors themselves.

It's slightly messy, but we believe we are called by Jesus Christ to this work, that it's not simply a job.  And that's exciting.  If you ask someone about how they ended up employed there, you're often going to get some amazing story that includes some interesting bits of timing or happenstance or circumstance, sometimes with the person telling the story recounting how they fought it tooth-and-nail.  But pretty much every one who works here really loves what they do and loves being here.  Those that don't flame out pretty quickly and move on.

But that leads to a high level of really, really impassioned people.  But also some really inconsiderate people.  In their quest to fulfill their objectives, they'll stop at nothing.  If you're in their way, they'll roll right over you.  If you are a dependency, they will intimidation and unpleasantness in an attempt to get their own way.  And worst of all, they may act like theirs is the only "ministry" - a great code-word designed to make you feel especially bad.  Kind of like Jesus-juking you.  Another great one is accusing me (or my team) of having a "lack of grace or compassion."

We are a very process-oriented team who turns out a lot of high quality work with a low number of errors and in a very efficient manner.  That depends on all the interlocking pieces working well - good estimates ahead of time on how long something will take, good requirements on what's actually needed, and then responsive customers when it's time to review and make the work live, whether that's posting to our website or sending out an email.  Sometimes they do go around us, creating their own microsites.  On the email side, it's much more difficult to go around us - our database is the database-of-record for the organization and so if you want to email them, you go through us because we provide the analytics, we track the opt-outs, the changes to subscriptions, stuff like that.  But people still do sometimes engage their own outside vendors for sending email as well.  That usually doesn't go over well and because it opens us up to all kinds of technical and legal implications, it doesn't go well for them when others higher up in the organization find out about it.

But usually, after people do go it alone, they come back.  The finally acknowledge how much value we provide and how easy we make things - not to mention how much more inexpensive it is for them.  We don't charge the departments for our work, we're funded by the organization as a service.  When they go it alone, they're using their own budget to engage a vendor, and typically multiple vendors since the really cheap and easy web or email services they engage don't include strategy or creative or design.

But because we're funded at a certain level, the trade-off is time.  In any given production web queue, we typically have a backlog that rolls over to the next week.  On the email side, it's a daily look forward at the next seven days and prioritizing all the upcoming emails.  Which means at the end of a typical day, we're announcing that we didn't get 2-5 requested emails sent, and we move them to tomorrow, re-prioritizing the next seven days, giving consideration to the emails we didn't get to.

That all happens behind the scenes.  There's only so clear we can make that and so well we can explain it.  And nothing is completely arbitrary without oversight and agreement.  Which leads back to the thoughts about razor-thin margins and the fact that our work helps children -- some people tend to see only their own work and act as if they are more important than anyone else.  And while everything is important, when we're only staffed to handle a certain volume of work, if we don't get to theirs, they are understandably frustrated.  I regularly encourage them to take up their frustration with my boss or their own boss. Perhaps we are under-funded.  Also implied is that perhaps their work is less valuable than someone else's (or that we mis-prioritized because we mis-understand the value of their work).

And that's where you get nasty people who will use intimidation to try to get their way.  I've talked before about how I'm being mentored to be more influential, but I don't think it's with this group.  But I also came to the conclusion yesterday that the way I've been operating isn't working.   I've tried to use a blend white-glove customer service, often in the form of detailed, professional, calm emails, quickly sent to explain the situation in more detail when they push back against prioritization.  Often when they push back, they'll either only send it to me or they'll include their boss and only send it to me.  Often when I respond, I'll include others - that kind of behavior needs to see the light of day.  I need others to see if I'm being bullied, or to know that if they're being bullied, that I, too, am being bullied.  The last thing I will stand for is to have my team bullied.  My team works hard and as mostly a bunch of introverts, they'd like to be handed assignments and left to their own to get them done.

But this hasn't worked.  At some level, my attempts at even-keeled professionalism, awesome customer service and an effort to really help them to become more educated might have been an attempt to contrast myself with them to anyone else reading, but it's really been (in my mind) an attempt to "change" them.  That if I consistently bring home the message that we have the organization's best interests at heart, that if things are prioritized correctly, that we are working hard, that maybe they need to look at the importance of their work, or that they need to take up the issue of our staffing with someone who will listen.   But my hope is that they will adopt a more professional attitude and communication style with me in the future and stop trying to intimidate and bully to get their own way.

But I guess I have to realize that if that doesn't happen after a few weeks or months, that it's not me, it's them.  And that at that stage, if we're all super busy, if I'm trying to go over the top in my efforts to handle them with care, that maybe that's a poor use of my time and bad prioritization on my part.  So, what if instead, I actually slow down the speed with which I respond to them?  I don't know if that will have any impact, but I know it will certainly delay their ability to reply again with yet more nastiness.

120: Plink

Delvin's soft-soled shoes went "puhm puhm puhm" as he walked in front of the large store window.  And then  he heard the sounds.  "Plink, plink, plink"  At that same moment, three small holes appeared in the window.  Instinctively, he dropped to the ground and tried to peer into the store from the bottom of the window, but was blocked by signs for the latest sale.  A few seconds there was a kind of "scritch scritch scritch" that grew louder, closer and closer together until they were on top of each other.  And then "pop" and "whoosh".  He pulled his jacket over his head.  "Tink tink" it began.  He felt the pieces hit his jacket "pat pat" and then the "tink tink" too grew closer to and closer together, building to a deafening crescendo.  And then silence.  And "aaiiiieeeeeeeeee" of a woman screaming and a muttered "ugh" and a "slap" and then "ffft-ffff-ffff" of stuttered breath, but no more screaming.  Another "uh" and "clunk" of a heavy object being placed on a counter.  The "shick shick shick" of cash register keys pushed in rapid succession and the telltale "ding ding" and "zzzzzrt-shink" of the drawer sliding open and coins sliding around.  There was a low "ohhhh ohhh" and then the "frunk".  He couldn't tell if someone had been shot or maybe pistol-whipped, but they'd certainly just been kicked while they were down.  The "hoo hoo hoo" of soft-crying could be heard.  There was a "errr-unk" of the bill-weight being flipped up and the "flisk flisk flisk" of money being hurredly pulled from the register.  Then silence.  And then a "yeeee-aaaargh" of frustration, another "frunk" and another "ooooof."  What was this guy's deal, Delvin wondered?  Why kick him again?  He heard the "shash shash" of a paper bag and then "bom bom" of heavy steps.  Delvin quickly used his elbows to drag himself though the glass ("rask rask") towards the door.  Suddenly a cheerful "ding ding" and then a low "wrrrr" and then "bvvvvvvv" of the door sliding open.  In the distance, Delvin could hear the "wooOOOO woooOOOO" of sirens.  He looked up, saw the shadow and lunged forward.  There was a "klump," an uttered curse and then a juicy, sickening "whump" as the robber fell.  Delvin calmly knelt on the man's back and waited for the police.

Listless

I've been feeling a little listless lately.  I think.  The stuff I've normally been up to, I've not been up to it.

For one, I haven't been reading as much.  For a while there, I was posting a new book review every Tuesday.  There's a link at the top of the blog to my reading list.  I have several books in progress right now...

"Breakfast with Jesus" by Greg Laurie - daily readings of about 3 pages each.  I haven't been consistent.  There are 80 readings in all and I'm in the 50s.  These are dense readings.

"Becoming a Person of Influence" by John C. Maxwell and Jim Dornan.  This is assigned reading for my mentoring.  I feel like I should mostly be reading this during work hours, but I am not opposed to reading on my own time.  I had wanted to read it while I was on vacation, but I never could find the time.  Or when I thought it was a good time to read, the book was upstairs and I was downstairs or the book was at work and I was at home or vice-versa.  I eventually purchased the Kindle copy but haven't read it since then.  I have to read this with special care, taking notes, because I'll later review what I've learned with my mentor.

I have several other books downloaded to the Kindle that I haven't started.

I'm also carrying around the most recent issues of Parents and Architectural Digest, both in progress but going very slowly.

I haven't done a lot of chores lately because I have been running.  I guess the running's good.  I've been running 3-4 miles per run, mostly at night, lately every other night.  I've gotten 90 of my 100 mile goal completed, but I'm on day 52 instead of day 90, so that's cool.  I'm thinking about a goal of running every day in August.  I don't know if I will or not.  I'll have to see if I can get back in the habit of running in the middle of the day at work.

I am caught up with the recorded TV on the DVR, I think.  A bunch of Futuramas had piled up as well as the new season of Breaking Bad, but I'm nearly caught up.  Not a lot I'm watching on TV these days.  We are working our way through season one of Bones.

I have gotten some good work done outside in the yard.  I guess that counts for something.

I had a great weekend - we went to Gas Works Park for a family birthday party.  It was a really nice time, really great weather and it had been a long time since I'd been there.  Like decades.

Ok, I don't feel as bad, I guess I'm keeping on top of the important stuff.

The Sift 201-205

The Sift 201: Google

• Google Launches $280 Million Fund to Finance the Installation of Home Solar Panels
• Google To Digitize 250,000 British Library Books
• Google Now Reaches 1 Billion People Per Month
• Google Translate Now Supports 5 More Indic Languages
• Google starts highlighting content creators, will never forget that music blog you had in college

Read more...

---

The Sift 202: Music

• How Dad’s Music Indicates What You Listen To Today
• How to Use Google Music on an iPad or iPhone
• Julian Treasure: Shh! Sound health in 8 steps (Video)
• Julian Treasure: The 4 Ways Sound Affects Us (Video)
• Eric Whitacre: A virtual choir 2,000 voices strong (Video)

Read more...

---

The Sift 203: Social Media and Social Charity

• Call Your Friends Right From Facebook
• Craigslist Founder Launches $100,000 Social Giving Competition
• Notes from #blogbiz
• Versace Deletes Facebook Protest, Prevents 500,000 Fans from Posting to Page
• In Iceland, constitutions are written on Facebook

Read more...

---

The Sift 204: Space

• NASA collects proposals for space fueling stations
• NASA Wants To Send Astronauts To Mars Within 20 Years in New Deep Space Vehicle
• NASA abandons Mars rover Spirit, chooses to remember the good times
• China unveils space station, launching by 2020
• Satellites Tracking Adaptation of Takahashi EM400

Read more...

---

The Sift 205: Microsoft

• Microsoft turns to crowdsourcing service to swat away patent trolls
• Microsoft incentivizing chipmakers and tablet manufacturers to form 'sole alliances'?
• Windows Phone 7.5 Mango massive in-depth preview
• Kinect / iPad hack should help you get Obi-Wan's attention (video)
• Microsoft snatches up a pair of Sony related domains, internet runs amok with rumors

Read more...

---