Human Beings or Human Doings?

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

What’s life all about? Think about it for a minute … as you start answering, be sure to write your ideas on paper. As you scribble some thoughts down, take a look at them more diligently. How do these descriptors look to you? What do they tell you?

As I looked at my list the first time, I realized that most of my list reflected what I did. When I did a quick summary of my responses, I realized my life would be more descriptive if we, as a race, we called …

  • Human doings – in other words, my life was summarized by the tasks that I did. When I would go to an event, I noticed people would ask, “So, what do you do?” We seem to identify people by their careers or hobbies. Looking over my list, I could see that my life was controlled by my checklist and day-timer. By the time I was done with my little exercise, I concluded that my life was reflected by the things I could get done. Perhaps I had fallen into the trap of the world? Was my life only about the things I was doing?

Since I didn’t like what I saw, I began to reflect on the life I would like to have. God jogged my memory of the Biblical accounts I have become familiar with. Starting in the Garden of Eden with God calling, “Adam, where are you?” and culminating in the New Jerusalem with Jesus’ appeal to all of humanity to “Come,” I realized afresh that life with God was more about relationships than tasks. Perhaps that is why we, as a race, are called …

  • Human beings – in other words, God wants our life to be about relationships, not so much about our accomplishments. Sure, we are supposed to have tasks to do, but the main focus of life is to live in community with others, just as the Godhead models. Relationship happens when we are drawn to one another. People are attracted to us because of our character, something we gain as we spend time alone with God and in His Word, understanding and imitating the One we are in ultimate relationship with. This Christ-likeness is reflected in our love for God (Great Commandment) as well as our passion to share that love with others (Great Commission).

Tasks or relationships; what is my life all about? Will I choose to live my days in community more than in activity? Will I choose to draw others into my life as a result of my imitation of the God who always reaches out to me and asks, “Matthew, where are you?”

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Transformed Episode #089 – Fruitfulness: Persistent Planting Always Yields God’s Generosity!

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

What is more than amazing is that God’s principles work all the time – in times of abundance and in turbulent financial times! Learning how to exercise faith and do the things that yield God’s abundance will transform your financial – and personal – life.

Welcome again to the Transformed podcast. As we continue our series entitled, Your Finances in Turbulent Times!, we hope you will discover the fruitfulness and fun that comes when we obey God’s heart when it comes to our finances as you study with us. In today’s episode, Fruitfulness – Persistent Planting Always Yields God’s Abundance!, we learn how to Become Financially Fruitful Through Persistent Planting!

Expressing and receiving God’s love and forgiveness is what Dr. Smith’s book, In His Image, is all about. As you respond to God’s Word and wisdom today, we are sure this book will show you both how to trust God’s love and share it with others on a daily basis. Copies are available on the side bar at the website. We encourage you to order yours today.

You can also contact Dr. Smith in one of three ways:

• Commenting on this post.
• or by emailing us at transformedpodcast@gmail.com.
• or you can call our voicemail line at 206-309-9277. Leave a comment that we can play on a future episode …If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review at iTunes or Podcast Pickle. Feel free to pass this episode on to a friend.

This podcast was recorded in Palos Verdes, CA by Tabitha Grace Smith. All material contained therein is copyrighted under the Creative Commons License, please do not rebroadcast without permission.

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Hope Enabler Is Now Available!

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Product Description

Hope Enabler is the real life story of one Christian parent’s struggle with a runaway child and the hope that God enabled her to have during the darkest moments of that struggle. Through God’s word and her own personal testimony Melodee Smith shows how her relationship with God was strengthened despite the perils she faced.

About the Author

Melodee Joy Smith is a pastor’s wife ministering in Southern California. Alongside her husband, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith she’s counseled families, spoke at conferences and trained Christian leaders. She hopes this book can be a comfort to other Christian parents.

To order your copy today: Simply click this link!

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What Does Your Life Calendar Say?

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

As I grow older, I have noticed that time seems to move faster. Yes, there are still 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. With seven days in the week and 52 weeks a year still standard, I am often perplexed as to how time goes by so quickly.

With such reflections, it struck me the other day that our lives – in their entirety – could be compared to the twelve months on the calendar. If we lived to 84 years of age, and compare our life to one year on a calendar, each month on the calendar would represent seven years.

With these thoughts floating around, I began to grow sober-minded. By the end of January on the calendar of my life, I was in second grade; a freshman as February came to a close. Melodee and I were married by the end of March. Each month of the calendar moves me closer to the end of my life and my divine appointment with the Lord.

Now, in the midst of August on the calendar of my life, I am refocusing my priorities and asking the Lord, “What would you have me to do with the final three months – the final quarter – of my life?” As I pray, wait and listen for the answers from the Lord, I am centering my thoughts on these key points …

  • When God called me into His ministry, it was for life.
  • As God trained me for ministry, what did he gift me to do?
  • In the years I have been in ministry, what has God blessed?
  • When I dream big dreams, what do they entail?
  • At my funeral, how would I want this question completed? “Matthew was best know for … “

As you think about your life calendar, what does it tell you? Which season are you in? And what would God have you to do with the next month of your life?

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Becoming the Leader God Wants Us to Be – An Interview with Byron Paulus

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Transformed is excited to connect you with Byron Paulus today. Byron Paulus is president of Life Action Ministries, a multi-faceted organization with the goal of seeing God send a revival and spiritual awakening to North America. He directs the publishing of several revival-oriented resources and oversees numerous local church and campus outreaches.

Life Action Ministries is on a mission! They have a single-minded focus to see God glorified through a revival among His people. This purpose has carried them for over three decades of work alongside the churches of our nation.

Life Action Ministries is the largest revival ministry in North America. The staff has grown from 1 to over 200 dedicated workers in 25 different departments.

We encourage you to check out the ministry if Life Action Revival Ministries at (www.LifeAction.org).  Byron is also on Twitter (@ByronPaulus).

You can also contact Dr. Smith in one of three ways:

• Commenting on this post at eaglesinleadership.org
• or by emailing us at transformedpodcast@gmail.com
• or you can call our new voicemail line number at 206-309-9277. Leave a comment that we can play on a future episode … If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review at iTunes or Podcast Pickle. Feel free to pass this episode on to a friend.

This podcast interview was recorded in San Pedro, CA. All material contained therein is copyrighted under the Creative Commons License, please do not rebroadcast without permission.

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Transformed #088 – Faith: Financial Faith Will Shred Our Frightening Fears!

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Despite the ever-increasing bad news of the economy and the rising prices of goods and services, faith stands in contradiction to the current torrent of bad news. Discover how you can choose ‘not to participate’ in the present recession and how these lessons can change your whole outlook on life itself.

Welcome back to the Transformed podcast. Today we continue our new series entitled, Your Finances in Turbulent Times! We hope you will discover the fruitfulness and fun that comes when we obey God’s heart when it comes to our finances as you study through this series. In today’s episode, Faith – Financial Faith Will Shred Our Frightening Fears, we discover God’s Top Ten Ways to Restore Your Financial Hope!

Enjoying life with God is what Dr. Smith’s new book, In His Presence, is all about. If you long for an intimate walk with God that is marked by joy and pleasure, we know you will want to pick up a copy. Copies are available on the side bar at the http://EaglesInLeadership.org website. We encourage you to order yours today.

You can also contact Dr. Smith in one of three ways:

• Commenting on this post.
• or by emailing us at transformedpodcast@gmail.com.
• or you can call our voicemail line at 206-309-9277. Leave a comment that we can play on a future episode

If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review at iTunes or Podcast Pickle. Feel free to pass this episode on to a friend.

This podcast was recorded in Palos Verdes, CA by Tabitha Grace Smith. All material contained therein is copyrighted under the Creative Commons License, please do not rebroadcast without permission.

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Crock Pot vs. Microwave Leaders

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

As I walk down the aisle at the grocery store each month I become more and more amazed at the way the ‘heat and serve’ section grows. Just a few moments in the microwave and ‘presto’ your ‘meal’ is ready. Yummy! Or at least that is what the company wants you to believe.

As almost anyone who knows me will tell you, I am the king of the crock-pot! Before I leave for the office in the morning, I put the roast, a sliced yellow onion, secret herbs and spices and some whole potatoes into the crock-pot on low for 8-9 hours. When I serve my slow-cooked, signature mouth-watering roast beef there are always calls for seconds.

If you know good food, you quickly taste the difference between something that has been ‘nuked’ and something that has been slow-cooked. While the ‘3-minute wonder’ has an exterior taste, time-roasted food always tastes better, right down to the last morsel.

Leaders come in two different flavors: ‘microwave’ or ‘crock-pot.’ What are the differences?

• Microwave leaders have been ‘hurried up’ to lead. Without taking the time to do the deep training and not allowing them to ‘come up through the ranks,’ microwave leaders are surface only. They can look good on the outside and work well under normal situations. They are good for the hurried or harried ministry or organization in the short term. However, for the long haul or in difficult situations, they simply fall short of the spiritual nutrition they need to deliver the leadership necessary at a time when it is most needed.

• Crock-pot leaders have been ‘slowly seasoned’ to lead. Leadership takes time, plain and simple. Good leadership takes mentored training and experience (think of Jesus and the disciples). You can’t rush effective, deep, prepared leadership. When things grow rough – and this is what leadership is designed for – good leaders have the seasoning necessary to draw from their previous training and experience to say like David of old, “I’ve killed a lion and a bear and I will kill this uncircumcised Philistine as well.” Confidence and effectiveness come over time.

As you consider your leadership development strategy, ask yourself these three questions …

1. Do I promote people into leadership positions too quickly?

2. What training and experiences do I expect future leaders to possess?

3. How can I help these future leaders by designing a strategic plan for the training and experiences necessary for their preparation and growth?

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Transformed Interviews Geoff Surratt

Posted on March 5, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Geoff Surratt

We are thrilled to welcome Geoff Surratt to the Transformed podcast today. Geoff is executive pastor of Seacoast Church, a multi-site congregation based in Charleston, South Carolina. Geoff has helped oversee Seacoast’s expansion from one to thirteen locations across three states and is one of the teaching pastors. He has over 26 years of ministry experience in a variety of roles in local churches, and Geoff works frequently with other churches across the country in strategic planning and staff development.

Geoff is the author of as well as co-author of the Multi-site Church Revolution, Ten Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing and A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Normal. Click here to buy his books on Amazon.

We encourage you to pick up one or more of his books using the links in our show notes as well as checking out Seacoast Church (www.seacoast.org).

Geoff is on Twitter (@GeoffSurratt) and he lives in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife Sherry, two children Mike and Brittainy and an ugly dog named Moose.

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Transformed Episode #087 – Fear: Turbulent Times Can Shred Our Human Hope

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

financesinturbulenttimes

Home foreclosures, job losses, stock market failures all lend their hand to increasing our blood pressure. As you grow closer to your retirement, you wonder if you will be able to! If you are retired, you know the pain of having lost up to 40 percent of your savings already. More gloom seems to be forecasted for the near future.

Today we begin a new series entitled, Your Finances in Turbulent Times! In this series we hope you will discover the fruitfulness and fun you can have, despite the economic conditions all around you.

In this first episode, Fear – Turbulent Times Can Shred Our Human Hope, we will discover the steps necessary to confront your fears and experience the peace of God in the midst of your financial storm!

You can also contact Dr. Smith in one of three ways:

• Commenting on this post at https://www.eaglesinleadership.org
• or by emailing us at transformedpodcast@gmail.com
• or you can call our voicemail line at 206-309-9277. Leave a comment that we can play on a future episode …If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review at iTunes or Podcast Pickle. Feel free to pass this episode on to a friend.

Posted in finances, Transformed | Leave a comment

Free Download of the Month – March 2010

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Christian Audio is giving away two (2) FREE downloads this month – both which we feel would add deeply to your spiritual leadership and life.

Cost_of_Discipleship_search1The Cost of Discipleship

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, read by Paul Michael
Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived a testimony of his thoughtful and engaging writers. Focusing on the most treasured part of Christ’s teaching – the Sermon on the Mount with its call to discipleship, and on the grace of God and the sacrifice which that demands. At the same time, it shares with many great Christian classics a quality of timelessness, so that it has spoken, and continues to speak powerfully, to the varied concerns of the contemporary world.

50_Reasons_Jesus_search1Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

by John Piper

The most important questions anyone can ask are: Why was Jesus Christ crucified? Why did he suffer so much? What has this to do with me? Finally, who sent him to his death? The answer to the last question is that God did. Jesus was God’s Son. The suffering was unsurpassed, but the whole message of the Bible leads to this answer.

Check out these FREE downloads at Christian Audio

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