Some Highlights from Exponential East 2016

You can see a full set of highlights here.

Ultimately, this is what recharges me to get through these summer months of an intense ministry and work schedule. I would encourage any church leader to give Exponential a visit.

"Exponential East 2016 came to a close with hundreds of attendees making the commitment to plant new churches all over the world. As they were anointed with oil, prayers poured out over these new decisions- tears of both joy and surrender."

10 Reasons I Need You to Pray for Me Regularly

I read this from Chuck Lawless and it resonated with me and I thought I would share in asking for the same kind of prayer. I believe strongly in prayer, knowing that God works through the prayers of His people. I don't always live life like this is true though because of worry/doubt. I don’t always ask for prayer support, though, and I’m sure that fact hurts my ministry.

Here are some of the reasons I need your prayer today (and every day):

1. I’m weak.
Temptations may change as you get older, but they never go away. The enemy always lurks, and I’m not nearly as strong as I think I am.

2. I need to love my wife better.
I’m still learning how to love Pam as Christ loves the church.

3. I’m not as broken over lostness as I need to be.
I need to share Christ more.

4. I need to take better care of myself.
I make way too many excuses for why I can't or won't take care of myself.

5. I want to fulfill my calling.
And I want to do it with the excellence that Christ deserves yet only with and through His power.

6. I have a tendency to operate in my own power.
I live this tendency even while I speak against it. I lose this battle far too often.

7. I’m impatient and impulsive.
I want things fixed yesterday. I don’t stand in lines very well. I get aggravated with slowness – but God works according to His timetable rather than mine. I need prayer to remember that.

8. I carry burdens far too long.
I let worries consume me sometimes, forgetting that between God and me, I’m the only one worried. 

9. I don’t know how to rest well.
I don't sleep well. I care about many things. I struggle to leave them in God's hands. I can make ministry work an idol. As a Sabbath-keeper, I should know how to do this better but I struggle.

10. I want to finish well.
I trust the Lord has many more years of ministry for me. At the same time, I know that finishing well begins with today.

So, I need your prayers. Would you pray for me today? Would you add me to your list to pray for regularly? Maybe you need to be vulnerable with others today, too, and invite them to intercede for you.

Music Monday: "Jimmy Olsen's Blues"

Leadership: A Morning Person

I am not a morning person but I have learned the value of taking better advantage of the time that God has given me.

You CAN learn how to be a morning person.

Michael Hyatt's podcast addresses that here. Enjoy and I will see you early in the morning! :)

Love: Avengers

grew up loving comics (and the Avengers in particular). If you enjoyed the most recent movies, I thought you might want to learn more through a printed medium (it's how I loved learning to read growing up). Here is an article that might help guide you:

So You Liked The Avengers Movie... Which Comic Books Should You Read Now?

Wisdom Wednesday: Family Systems Theory

Studying Bowen Theory and Systems Theory this week in class. Realizing that some of the responsibility for what goes on with my family begins with me.

Life: New Year, New Adventures

The new year has begun.

I have transitioned from being the Lead Pastor at my church to "a" pastor so that I can concentrate on my ministry with the SDB General Conference.

Tabatha has reduced her hours at work so that she could spend more times with the kids and so we don't have to enlist so much help during the week picking up and dropping off kids.

We have purchased a new car so that we have a reliable vehicle to travel with and to help re-establish credit.

I have increased my course load in my doctoral program at Denver Seminary so that I might graduate sooner.

I am traveling to Ethiopia (my first mission trip and time outside of North America) at the end of the month.

All in all this may be one of the most adventurous Pethtel years yet.

Music Monday: Late Night Star Wars Theme

Leadership: All Glory Be to Christ

The first rule of leadership is to know that you own nothing and do nothing for your own gain. As those who follow a Christian worldview, ALL glory goes to Christ!

Love: My Church

Outside of being a husband and a father, being a pastor of my church is one of the things that I love the most about the roles that God has given me. Today is my last day of being "the" pastor at SpringsLife Church. I look forward to my new role as "a" pastor and my expanded role with SDBs becoming a pastor of pastors.