I love biographies (thank you fios for the BIO channel). I can watch anything about anyone's life, and never get bored. Even movies based on actual events. Ever watch the movie, where the guy, or girl do the impossible. Where they were broke, but somehow found enough money ( I always wonder how?) to fly to wherever, meet whoever, fast forward to whenever, and they have magically accomplished whatever. Love it! For hours my mind wanders to the "in between scenes". The scenes that weren't dumped on the editing floor of a hollywood cemetary. The scenes where he/she was at their last dime, or at their ropes end. THAT'S where my mind goes. 

And why? 

Because people always have and always will matter to me. The human condition(s) are fascinating to me. I wrote in my journal (Man, over 10 years ago now) a prayer. The prayer simply went like this
"Dear God, 
I may not always matter to your people, but your people will always matter to me". 
Jimmy.
The very force that should drive a pastor, a child of God, heck a human, should be this very thing. People! 
We can get so crazy of how well we can "lead" people, to "reach" people. Yet, we can really easily lose the point.
Its really not about how well you can lead people, but how well you care for people. If you can't communicate how much you care ABOUT people, you have no right to LEAD people. My biggest failures in ministry are not the programs, events, systems or creative things that flopped hard (I'm a try anything guy. We are bound to fail, bounce back, win, move on, fail, bounce back. Repeat ). But my biggest failures are the people who I failed to love, care for, and support to the best of my ability. 
Its really a simple process. 
1. Care alot
2. Don't stop
3. Care enough to disturb, anger, and PROVOKE people to be all God wants them to be. (dying techniques here).
4. Make sure your around people who care about YOU, so you can withdraw and deposit care. Number one way to STOP caring, is be at a point in life when you feel no one cares about you. They're out there. I promise.

We so quickly forget that we live in a world where the people (rich, poor, needy, angry, sarcastic, negative, improper, materialistic, ignorant, mean, shady, lying, sinful) people matter to God, and they should always matter to us. 
John 13:34-35

Jimmy

jimmysmuda.weebly.com

I just got back from one of those staff retreats that make you feel you can really do something with the team that's around you. For some (including me who is not a big "meetings" guy, but is growing into that role) it can be grueling. 11 hours of hashing, rehashing, coming full circle back to the original....hash! It can be absolutely exhausting. Especially if your in a room where you feel almost everyone thinks different then you do. See when your talking business, you WANT that. Different types of thinking. Churches are on a kick of "saying" they want that, but in all reallity they all look, dress, act, think, plan, vision very similar. I have been a product and employee of such a system. I have worked at larger churches then "Beth" (Bethlehem Assembly of God, Valley Stream NY) , but very much surrounded by alot of "myselfs" <---(jimmy word) 
                               Until now. 
     "Beth" is the girlfriend I never thought I'd end up falling in love with (get over it, God described Israel as a she/her and the affecionate love for her) . I mean I knew I'd love aspects of her, but in the end wondered how long this relationship could/would last. Then 2 things began to happen a couple years ago. 

1. I began to see who I was NOT, and who they were, and recognized MY need to become more of THEM.
2. I realized who THEY were NOT, and saw the connection oh how God wanted to use ME to influence THEM.
(to do this, you must be intentional PRIDE KILLERS)

The Outcome:
THEY, and ME is becoming US (Forgive my improper use of the inglesh langwage)
 Which means at 34 years old, and having been in ministry for almost 15 years that I'm finally understanding the principle behind 1 Cor: 12:4-7, 11-13 "Diversity in Gifts". 

In a retreat with many different gifts, make ups, personalities and preferences I realized several key points.

1. God WILL (or may want to) call you to a place different then you, and outside of your personal preference. (this seems to be a dying thought amongst emerging leaders)Pastors, resist the urge to hire YOURSELF, or a yes man. I really love and respect my pastor who well knows our differencs, and celebrates them. 

2. There is power in the commingling of those who are (Progressive, modern, traditional, Post-modern, Hipster and whatever ridiculous category we can put on a demographic). 
Again 1 Cor 12:4-7.
3. THIS type of thinking, and intentional gatherings (even staffings) is a true remedy for transforming and reaching communities with the relevant gospel.

jIMMy