Getting Things Done

David Allen is author of the outstanding book Getting Things Done. He also does a newsletter on the subject, and in a recent issue he shared the fundamental process of GTD: "The fundamental thinking process of GTD is simple, but not simplistic. Whether you are applying it to an e-mail that just landed in your inbox, a problem that just showed up for you to solve, or a great idea that just popped into your mind-there is gold to be mined from these questions in clarifying what "done" and "doing" looks like. Here's a quick exercise to try:

Illustration: Legalism, Self-Righteousness

"All groups of human beings have a tendency to be exclusive; they want to know who is inside and who is out. So they adopt identity markers-visible practices of dress, vocabulary or behavior that serve to distinguish who is inside the group from who is outside. The boundary markers change from century to century, but they all reinforce a false sense of superiority, fed by the intent to exclude others."

Judas According to the Gospels

I offer this message for sermon fodder for pastors as Holy Week is upon us, but also to all of the Body of Christ at large for its edification from this most unusual and surprising source: Judas. Does Judas have anything to teach us from Scripture? Do the 30 shekels and the insincere kiss of diabolical betrayal have any lessons from the Lord for the people of God? Open your Bibles and read on.

Illustration: Quality

There was a long line at the supermarket check-out stand, and the harried clerk had just finished bagging a long order. As the clerk lifted the final bag for the customer, the bottom gave way, sending the contents crashing to the floor.

Illustration: Easter, the Cross

In Peggy Noonan's book When Character Was King, she tells about a meeting between President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. It was their first meeting as world leaders and Bush wanted to be sure they connected -- that they looked for depth of soul and character, not simply had a political meeting.

‘How Many Staff’ Is the Question

In his Posterous blog, church consultant George Bullard asks: "How many staff persons should a congregation have?" This is a question that has gotten a whole lot more complicated in the past couple of decades. Here is how I historically would answer the question for the typical traditional congregation:

The Pathway to Honor

August 29, 2010; Proper 17' Luke 14:1, 7-14: During the past decade, the seminary where I teach has offered a course in interpersonal relationship skills. Part of the class focuses on proper behavior at social functions so ministers can avoid an embarrassing faux pas.

God’s Plan for You

August 22, 2010; Proper 16; Jeremiah 1:4-10: Dreaming is a wonderful way to spend time for soon-to-be parents waiting for the arrival of their child. Will our baby be a boy or a girl? What name will we choose for our offsprings? What clothes will we buy for our child?

A Lasting Legacy

August 15, 2010; Proper 15; Hebrews 11:29-12:2: When I conduct a burial ceremony, I sense that I stand among a gathering of people who still speak, even though they are no longer alive. Sometimes their message is inscribed on their headstone: a Bible verse, a famous quotation or just the dates of birth and death. However, beyond a meager message on stone, the dead continue to communicate through the legacy they left us about how they lived.