DAN GOULD

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Author: dgould77

  • What Is Your Leadership Skill Set?

    Next week I am heading to a leadership summit put on by, you guessed it, leaders summit. Tuesday, two days ago, I was given a stack of stuff for the conference and was told before I attend I have to take an online leadership evaluation and fill out 3 pre-session info sheets. I took a deep breath as he handed it to me and set it on my desk to plow threw yesterday. Well yesterday came and went and i didn’t touch it so today I pulled it out and took the online test to see what my strengths and weaknesses were when it comes to my leadership. I hate taking test like this, I think it’s partly because of my perfectionist mindset and trying to read in-between-the-lines sickness, plus I never give myself a perfect 10 because only Jesus was perfect so I probably mess everything up by that. I know I need help!

    However, the test was informative and it is free to take at www.leaderssummit.org . Here is how I scored

    Vision 9
    L3 8
    Followers 8
    Signature Soulprint 9
    Change Agent 7
    Emotional Intelligence 8
    Execution 7
    Character 9
    Communication 8
    People Skills 8
    Inspire 9
    Social Intelligence 8

    I am guessing 1 bad 10 great. I typically look at this in terms of percentage. A 9 would be 90% and so on. Some of the questions were based on my opinion and I am sure I skewed it one way or the other. I think I am going to ask 3 of my volunteers to take it with me in mind and see how I come out in thier opinion. That will at least help me see where I really am and where I think I am.

    I let you know how the conference goes! If your a leader I encourage you to take the test and see where your strong and weak points are. It only takes about 10 minutes if you’re slow like me!

  • Esther 6 & 7

    “So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’ Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.” v. 6:11-12

    What a turn of events. Haman who despised Mordecai and plotting to kill him now had to escort him through the city shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor.” I am sure when the king asked Haman, “What should be done to honor someone who truly pleases me?” his first thought was what can I get. Obviously thinking he was going to be the one honored. Sadly, Hamons pride, arrogance, and pursuit of popularity was his downfall.

    Our initial response to the story about Haman is to say he got what he deserved. But the Bible leads us to ask deeper questions like:

    1.) How much of Haman is in me?
    2.) Do I desire to control others?
    3.) Am I threatened when others don’t appreciate me as I think they should?
    4.) Do I want revenge when my pride is attacked?

    Confess these attitudes to God, and ask Him to replace them with an attitude of forgiveness, and the ability to be humble. Otherwise, Gods justice will settle the matter.

    Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible!

  • SAMS Meeting

    Getting ready to go to a S.A.M.S meeting here at Grace to talk to the Senior team about the vision for the next year. I am representing the Student Ministry. This will be my 4th time meeting with this team. The first time talking about money. This is much different than what I am used to. Learning a lot about leadership, and trying to become a better leader myself. I pray that Student Ministry can have a voice and can acquire more resources. It would really help us, more like . . . make it easier, to do some of the things we feel led to do as a ministry. Pray for me!

  • Who do you talk to?

    Just talked to my good friend Tyler V. We both served together at FBC WBURG and now God has us serving in different places, I am at Grace and he is at Life Church. I like talking to him because I feel like we are a lot alike and we can encourage and challenge each other with our various learnings and ministry experiences. Ministry can sometimes cause us to feel very lonely and maybe even ineffective. If we aren’t careful, we could easily withdraw from people and feel overwhelmed. I know several Pastors who are no longer doing ministry because of this. It breaks my heart to see this happen. So I have to ask myself, what am I doing to keep this from happening to me.

    I do several things from my own personal time with God, hanging out with my family, fellowship with other people; students, volunteers, and other youth workers. But I have found that being able to talk with a trusted friend is very valuable. Not only is it a time that I can encourage and be encouraged it’s a time where I can listen and think outside the box in a safe environment. Some of the best ministry learnings and ideas have come from these types of conversations. I am thankful that these people are in my life, because they make me better, and encourage me to be all that God wants me to be.

    Who do you have to talk with that can encourage you, challenge you, and listens to what’s going on in your family, ministry, and personal time with God. I hope you have someone!

    “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
    Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

  • Esther 5

    “Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious.” v. 9
    Hatred and bitterness are like weeds with long roots that grow in the heart and corrupt all of life. Haman was so consumed with hatred toward Mordicai that he could not even enjoy the honor of being invited to Esther’s party. Hebrews 12:15 warns us to “watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Don’t let hatred and it’s resulting bitterness build in your heart. Like Haman, you will find it backfiring against you. If the mere mention of someone’s name provokes you to anger, confess your bitterness as sin. Ignoring bitterness, hiding it from others or making superficial changes in behavior is not enough. I bitterness isn’t completely removed, it will grow back, making matters worse.

    Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

  • MTV Generation

    Below is a post I wrote 2 years ago after a volunteer meeting. I am reposting it because of the the previous blog titled “MUSIC” I posted earlier today!

    Yesterday, during one of my meetings the topic came up about what I and others watch on television. I don’t think it was a negative thing, I just think some people were surprised when I said that I watched MTV. In shock the next question was, “Do you watch it to learn teen culture or for entertainment?” I simply said, “I watch it for both reasons!” After I said that, it was almost as if people looked at me in a different way. Like they were shocked that I had just said that I watch MTV for entertainment purposes. Now please hear me when I say this, not everything on MTV is good, but not all of it is bad either. The question here really isn’t IS MTV OK, the question is what is the content and purpose of what you are watching on any network channel, MTV or TBN. We have become people that are more worried about what people might think instead of challenging them to think and relating to them. Yes, there are some shows on MTV and other popular, more “Christian acceptable” TV stations that my wife and I won’t watch simply because of the message or the vulgar content of the show. But at the same time there are many things that have caused us to talk though and challenged us to take our faith deeper. On the same note, I have also had countless opportunities to have spiritual conversations with people who don’t have spiritual conversations because of something that we both have seen on TV.

    The truth is simply be careful what you watch, and be able to explain why you don’t watch something or you don’t listen to something. Let me give an example. When my son was first born my wife would watch a show that was designed to help women start over and get a better handle on life. The show was a great tool for those women. But for us it caused a lot of problems. After watching a few shows, my wife began to over analyze our marriage and family and look at all the negative things instead of looking at the positive things. It really became a battle for us and we began arguing about things we never use to argue about. When we sat down and talked it out, we realized that this show was creating some problems that we really didn’t have. (some of you may be thinking I was trying to cover up a problem, but there really wasn’t one. The enemy was using this show to produce doubt. He does that you know John 10:10) So we cut that show off and things amazingly got better. You see even though the show was something very good, for us it had become something that was damaging to our relationship. Now does that mean others shouldn’t watch it . . . not at all, it just isn’t something we are going to watch.

    Now I understand some will try to bring out the extremes and say does that mean I should get drunk to be accepted by people who get drunk in order to share my faith with them. The answer is no, the Bible tells us not to be drunkards for one but we miss the point. I am simply saying that there has to be willingness to learn and relate to a world that desperately needs Christ. How we do that is the dying question. What makes something good and what makes it bad? What makes something Christian?

    I realize that all truth is from God, and it may come from places that are least expected. Example, the death of a WWE superstar caused the gospel to be heard by several people watching a couple of weeks ago when WWE did a memorial event to recognize and celebrate the life of Eddie Guerrero.

    Here are a couple of verses I think of when it comes to this topic, check them out and let me know what you think if you have the time!

    Galatians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:2-6

  • Music

    For some reason today I have had “Party Like A Rock Star” playing in my head. I know, the question has to be asked, Can you be a student pastor and listen to that kind of music. If you know me there is probably alot of things I do that like watching MTV that could cause some to be shocked however, I do have strong beliefs and will post a blog from a year ago later.

    Anyhow back to the song, “Party Like A Rock Star”. I don’t know how I came across it but found this song redone by a christian with christian lyrics. Pretty good check it out. I also included a song that was big in August/September.

    Praise Him Like a Rock Star[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEYN-POvEHU&hl=en”>

    Crank Dat Holy Ghost pt2

  • Esther 4

    “Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: ‘Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?’” v. 13-14
    Esther risked her life by coming before the king. Her courageous act gives us a model to follow in approaching a difficult or dangerous task. Like Esther, we can:

    1. Calculate the Cost – Esther realized her life was at stake.
    2. Set Priorities – She believed that the safety of the Jewish race was more important than her life.
    3. Prepare – She gathered support and fasted.
    4. Determine a Course of Action and Move Boldly – She didn’t think too long about it, allowing the interlude lesson her commitment to what she had to do.

    Do you have to face a hostile audience, confront a friend on a delicate subject, or talk to your family about changes to be made? When you face challenges in life, seek to know what God wants you to do, and then do it, confident that God will do His part. Rather than dreading difficult situations or putting them off, take action with confidence by following Esther’s inspiring example.

    Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

  • What A Week-End


    This last week was a busy one, Spring Break, Family, The Zoo, Josiah’s 4th Birthday, and Easter. There was a lot going on, but I think I survived. I was glad to rest this afternoon!

    This weekend 2 teenagers accept Christ as we held simultaneous services for teens while the Big House, had services for the adults. We have great volunteers and student leaders. We faced some technical challenges Saturday Night with our screens not working but the crew stayed late to fix the problem for this morning.

    Saturday was Joe’s 4th birthday party. His first actual party where he had friends he wanted to invite. We rented a bounce house from party guyz and man can the kid jump! (all day, wanted to all night, and then again this afternoon). I wish I had that stamina and heart and legs and energy. Oh what it was like to be 4. The bounce house was great would totally do it again and use the same company!!!

    Friday, the family went to the zoo. It was a great day all the animals were out and the highlight was seeing the gorllias get fed right in front of us. Way cool. We fed the birds after walking the whole place and then boarded the DART, Joe calls it a train, his favorite thing back to Plano and met the rest of the Family at Texas Road House which has become our favorite place to eat.

    Great Weekend!!!!

  • MO Flooding

    I grew up in southern Missouri. As you know MO is experiencing some major flooding. Some places worse than the flood of 1993. This golf coarse isn’t far from the home I lived in in Nixa. You can read about it from the local paper.