Born and raised in south Louisiana, but I can't bleeding stand the faux friendliness most people show around here. I find it bizarre that people will ask someone how they're doing when in fact they really don't give a toss either way. Not to mention the fact that shaking hands spread germs. I'm not an unfriendly person by nature, but the facade is just silly, and I'm not going to participate in it.

Guess I'm a Yankee at (dead, rock-hard, and cold, obviously) heart.

Poor Kevin, his blog name isn't an intersection of two things, doesn't have pictures of dogs in Bible character outfits, and actually gets hits, so it's doomed to fail as a Christian blog.

Yeah, my mom isn't too shabby. Even though she was a control freak at times toward me growing up, she had my best interests in mind, and I wouldn't be near the same person that I am today without her.

Then if guys shouldn't be doing some of this, then girls shouldn't get all ooey-gooey and encourage this behaviour by engaging in it on their end, only to suddenly toss guys aside because "they're not feeling it."

Yes, I'm bitter. <_<

I would say that posts like these will end up with you being chased by worship pastors armed with pitchforks, unnecessary acrylic scarves, and copies of the book of Psalms. ;)

With that said, I think you've hit on a very interesting discussion point when it comes to the Church. I think the key word is balance, as it's just as harmful to be a church that is totally inward-focusing and never reaches outside its doors, as it is to be 100% missional and just focus on manufacturing believers without discipling them and tending to their needs as believers. The problem with most Churches is that they swing in either direction, turning their noses at those who go in the opposite direction. The Church should be equally adept at discipling and providing a community to plug-in to for believers, as well as providing the infrastructure for the individual believer to reach out and fulfill the Great Commission.

I just think nowadays we throw the Church under the bus for not reaching out as a whole when the problem is not the social entity that is the Church, but rather the individual believer not doing their part in fulfilling the Great Commission--myself included.

1. When you were growing up, are you doing what you thought you would be doing vocationally? If not, what did you want to do?

Nope, because from the age of ten to twenty, I wanted to be an aerospace engineer.

2. What’s the most different job you’ve had from what you are doing now and how did that job help you with what you are doing now?

I was a field engineer for a civil engineering firm where I did layout of building sites for general contractors as well as doing soil density analysis for their foundation work.

As a teacher, that experience taught me the value of air conditioning, for one. ;^) In all seriousness, it taught me the actual, practical benefits of science and more advanced math in education as well as teaching me about people who are "below" me in terms of education and intelligence. In talking to so many labourers on jobs, when I told them I was trying to become a school teacher, they would all give me their stories of how they squandered their education when they were young, and are now paying for it when they are older. In addition, for their lack of "formal" education and "smarts" compared to a hot-shot college grad like me, they had tons of wisdom and practical knowledge that they got with those callouses on their hands. They taught me more about being practical and down-to-earth than any one person ever could.

3. Who is one person, besides Christ, who most helped to shape your leadership and how did they help you?

A gentleman I work with on staff on our ministry's district team has perhaps the greatest knack for identifying and putting leaders in a position to succeed. He just goes up to someone, tells them that they're in charge for something, and lets them fly.

4. Besides the Bible, what is one book that has most helped to shape your thought process in life and ministry?

It's really odd to say, but "Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football (Soccer)" by David Winner. The thesis of the book is that the Dutch view of the game is a result of its struggle against the elements and their attempt to take land (space) back from the sea. It also tells the story of the golden age of Holland's greatest professional side in the early 1970s.

What I took from the book is that my unique view on life is a result of the continual attempt by me to find the space to be an individual in a society that pressures us to conform to popular opinion. In terms of leadership, Ajax's implosion in the mid 1970s was a result of the players thinking that their success was solely through their own means and had nothing to do with the manager's ability to keep their egos in check. Once they bounced their manager, their attempt at democracy in the locker room imploded because it became a contest between egos and unity was destroyed.

5. What are three words other people would use to describe your work style/ethic?

"Problem-solver" "Meticulous" "Dedicated" People tend to say high-strung too!

6. What is your greatest strength in leadership?

The ability to be decisive and choose to do the right thing, even in the face of opposition within the team.

7. What is your greatest weakness in leadership?

Delegating authority. Plain and simple.

8. What is the hardest thing you have to do in leadership?

Convincing my team that I take charge not to get accolades for myself, but because a job needs to be done and I know how to get it done with everyone on the team's assistance. Once I get them behind me, they see that it's not talk, but I do take on leadership for that reason.

9. What is one misconception about your leadership position you think people may have?

I'm on our district's staff for our fellowship's boys ministry, and the biggest thing people joke with me about is that at our events I spend all of my time riding around on a golf cart with a clipboard, and look like I'm shooting the breeze with everyone in sight. What they don't see is that I shoot the breeze in order to get the pulse of the boots on the ground to make adjustments during events, as well as the fact that when they're in their bunks at 11PM, I still have 2-3 hours of work yet to do before I get to sleep. Simply put, having the keys to the golf cart comes at a cost.

10. If you could give one piece of advice to young leaders from what you’ve learned by experience, what would it be?

It's weird having a rather senior position and being so young, but we work on developing boys into leaders from such a young age that in many ways I've got a lot of miles under my belt as a leader. I always tell the boys in our young leader's conference that leadership isn't about telling someone what to do, but rather leading the way by being the best servant that you can be.

I've spent some time chewing on this and I think I've figured out how to respond without burying you in bile. I can only speak for myself, but no offence, you're offering advice without a clue as to the situation.

Simply put, I've spent my entire life doing things for others and giving back. Rather than using the mind-blowingly large amount of talents and gifts that God has given me to put myself on a pedestal, I've always used it for others because I know that's why God gave it to me. Ostensibly I should be thrilled because I'm at the centre of God's Will getting to do what I was made by God to do, but it's just not enough right now.

So forgive me for being selfish--even for twenty seconds. People who give have needs too, and mine is a need for friend- and companionship that God put in humanity back in the Garden of Eden. I've spent my entire life trying to fill that void the right way, but at every turn I fail. People act shocked that someone with my personality and giftings would be so lonely, but they never do anything other than shrug their shoulders and say it must stink to be me.

Rebecca, you're not alone in thinking like that. I always end up staring at myself in the mirror wondering why I have this huge inherent flaw in me that keeps people from being my friend, much less loving me, as for all the accolades that people give me on my job and in service at my church, no one seems to care about the real me, because when the discussion turns from what I can do for them to what I need, everyone turns their back on me and says my issues are my own doing and I should solve them myself.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm God's punchline in some cosmic joke.

OK, so it's not a ministry or anything, but in my personal life I'm at that point where I want to just give up in a situation. I know I heard God's voice in it, but right now it sure looks like I was just eating pizza too late one evening.

Have to say, folks like you and a couple other bloggers have given me enough to keep my head above water the past couple of weeks... which is more than I can say for my local church. :^(

Teaching academically gifted students. Teachers think teaching them is easy until they get a class full of them. They are the toughest students to teach because you're trying to get a 1-2% improvement out of kids who are never challenged in their normal classrooms.