McDonald’s, Kroc, and the Test of Entrepreneurial Success.

McDonald’s, Kroc, and the Test of Entrepreneurial Success.

Entrepreneurship is a confusing word.  Not just because it’s hard to remember how it’s spelled, but because of the many word pictures we put behind it.  Business is usually the venue where we see this practice.  Even in the market place though, it can equally be applied to someone who starts up a business and also someone who takes an existing company to the next level.  I swim mostly in the realm of the Church and discipleship world where the range of applications can be just as wide.  A church planter establishes one church in his life that grows to 1000 or more in Sunday morning attendance. Suddenly he is allowed to successfully wear the title.  A woman takes an existing ministry to new heights and likewise is awarded the spot light for her accomplishments.  The bigger the results, the more the person is called an entrepreneur.  Yet those who achieve lesser accolades are denied the headlines.

But I wonder if maybe there’s more to the story here in creativity.  Could it be that for true divine entrepreneurship to take place we really need a number of different people, different skills, and different situations?  To illustrate, I’m wondering who is the biggest entrepreneur in the fast food business; the McDonald brothers or Ray Kroc?  (more…)

Steve’s Top 5 For Men.

Steve’s Top 5 For Men.

I have probably been studying God’s design for manhood for well over 20 years now.  The first real pick at the subject came during my college years when Todd Owen and I set upon the gospels to learn what we could from the man Jesus Christ.  While Jesus is divine, God in the flesh, he was also perfect in his manhood.  The text tells us that he got angry with the religious Pharisees, wept over the death of a friend, and got tired after a long day’s work.  The author of Hebrews lets us into the secret that Jesus was tempted in every way possible to man yet was without sin.  Jesus was fully man just as well fully divine.  Therefore we can learn a thing or two about manhood from him.

In addition to attempting to follow Christ I’ve read a number of books over the years along with taking in various conferences and men’s ministry participation. (more…)

The Debster, Dr. Miranda, and Our Kingdom Calling.

The Debster, Dr. Miranda, and Our Kingdom Calling.

For our friends who have been following Deb’s medical condition over the past 14 months we’re happy to report that her recent gallbladder surgery went very well.  In pre-op she was asked if there were any other piercings that needed to be taken care of before the procedure.  At that I told the nurse that I had suggested to Deb a while back that she get a belly ring.  My request didn’t go too far.  The big news though is that she is regaining strength on the right side of her body and the pain seems to be subsiding.  We are chalking this up simply to miraculous as there is nothing that we’ve done to initiate the change.  So we’re praising God and are enormously grateful for the doctors that have personally walked with us during Debi’s medical journey.

Over my years in ministry I’ve interacted with a lot of doctors and medical staff. Every time I meet one of these physicians I’m always impressed with their ability and gifting.  With Deb’s condition we have met a number of highly competent medical professionals including Dr. Erika Simpson of Houston MethodistDr. Kang of Cypress Fairbanks Hospital, and Dr. Miranda who performed Deb’s gallbladder surgery.  Again and again I’ve noted the ability in these brilliant people and thanked God for their skill. (more…)