Happy 1st Birthday Alexis Grace


Milestones define most of our lives: The moment I met Ashley. The day we got married. The day she walked into my work to surprise Read more

Lent Recap


By a show of hands, how many of you knew that Lent was 47 days? Okay you can put your hand down now & Read more

When It's Your Turn


A few weeks ago I posted about: what is the hardest thing you have endured? A few days later we watched and prayed Read more

Be encouraged.


In Paul's first letter to the church in Thessaloniki , he offers some closing words in chapter 5. "For God chose to save us Read more

Creating Doubt


Lately I have been thinking a lot about . . . DOUBT. Do you think it is healthy for churches, pastors or Christians in Read more

Lent - Day 20


Well, we are halfway. 20 days in and 20 days to go. How has your fast for Lent been doing? I last wrote on Read more

••••••

Opposition

Posted on 01/31/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Personal | Leave a comment

Opposition.

No matter who you are or what you do, opposition will find it’s way into your path.

The question is how do you respond to it?

Lately I have been handed more than a few servings of opposition. I have dealt with a fair share of negative criticism, discouraging people and conflict recently. The general tone of my life over the last few weeks has escalated from comfortable and normal to stressed and flustered.

I keep asking myself if I am responding the right way?

Something inside me tells me that I have not been acting or thinking in the direction that I should be. Despite my flaws here are a few things I am trying to practice when it comes to opposition:

1. It is not about me. Call me old fashioned or conservative but I want to believe that people don’t attack people but rather opposition is to the idea or concept. I am trying to remind myself that the clashing has little to do with me as a person but more to do with the ideas I am bringing.

2. Bleed up. When things don’t go my way I have tendency to bleed, no wait, hemorrhage. I will bleed about everything to anyone who will pay attention. It is easy to let my tongue get out of control and start a verbal wildfire I will never be able to contain. I am trying to remind myself to vent my frustrations to the appropriate people and let the rest die right where it started.

3. Chin up, Nose Down. Opposition is what sharpens our ideas to shave off the excess and create the best solutions possible. I am trying to keep my head up but at the same time putting my nose down and pressing on to find the best solution regardless of time frames and discouraging moments.

4. Leave it at the door. I will admit that I suck at this one the most. Everyday I have a 30 minute commute to get to and from work. I try to use that time to detox and de-stress from the day. When I walk through the door I try to be the family man and husband that my wife and family needs. It doesn’t always work, in fact most days it doesn’t work at all. I am a passionate person and I care tremendously about the work I do, so when things are hard or not going the way I think that they should I tend to carry my emotions and frustrations around with me.

I am stronger at number three than any of the other things on this list, but I am trying. How about you? What do you do when you face opposition to your ideas?

Church Media Design 2.0

Posted on 01/26/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Other | 2 Comments

For just over 2 years a phenomenal free resource has been developing out of Grand Haven Michigan. Brad Zimmerman (yes, my younger and taller brother) with the editing and filming help of Adam Foster have been producing a hilarious weekly podcast with tips, tricks and how-to’s of how to do all things technical. Want to know how to use After Effects? How about broadcasting a video from YouTube during a service or seminar? Need tips on Photoshop? These things explained and so much more! This podcast is a highly valuable resource for anyone and everyone! The target audience is for people who work in smaller churches looking for help with things related to media, graphics, video, website, etc. However as I have watched dozens of episodes I have found that there are tips in almost every episode that help me with managing a bookstore and a personal website.

I am excited to announce that CMDTV has taken the last 2 months off and is ready to launch a much more user friendly and comprehensive website built on WordPress. I got a sneak peek yesterday and what you will find is that the free resources are going to be easier to find and the old episodes easier to navigate. I am so excited to see how this free resource can help people, churches and para-church ministries grow in their ability to produce creative videos, graphics, and content.

I know I am a little biased because it is my brother, but I highly recommend that you stop by and check out Church Media Design in the next few days, you are going to love the new site!

This Isn’t Karma

Posted on 01/25/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Spiritual | 1 Comment

The last three weekend’s Pastor Jud Wilhite has been preaching a sermon series called, “Strapped: Finding Hope in Today’s Economy.” The series has been encouraging to me and I think it has really hit home with a lot of people who feel like they have nothing in this bad economy. In summary the series has been about living richly rather than being rich. Preaching from 2 Corinthians Jud challenged us to be givers, not just with our money but with everything. Giving of your time, your talents and your treasures leads to a happy and more joyful life.

Living richly requires us to live gracefully. One of the things that I absolutely loved about Jud’s sermon was when he was talking about the idea of reaping and sowing. I think that a lot of people have it backwards. Reaping and sowing is not about working hard to get a reward. It is not about being a blessing so that you will get a blessing. That is the idea of karma. At one point during the message he confronted karma head on. “This isn’t karma . . .” Jud said. He would later go on to clarify the difference between karma and grace:

Karma = do something good or bad in a previous life, be re-incarnated in a new life and reap the benefits or consequences in your new life.

Grace = “The Bible teaches that we only have one life and there is nothing we can do, but rather it is what Jesus Christ did by coming to earth and dying on the cross for our sins that gives a new life and a start over. However, there are still consequences and benefits to the way we live our lives.

In the world today I think it is really easy to mix in a bunch of belief systems and call it what you want, but the truth is that there are some absolutes. The foundation of absolutes is what Jesus Christ did on the cross for our sin. He paid the penalty for all our mistakes and mishaps. The rest is up to us. Do we accept the grace that God is extending to us? If you do accept this radical uncensored grace, what are you doing to live richly and plant that grace in others lives?

2 Corinthians 9:6 says “Remember this-a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.”

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Posted on 01/24/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Honesty | Leave a comment

3 years ago yesterday . . .

I nervously drove from Park City to Las Vegas for the first time to meet a certain young lady I had met through a Christian dating website. I pulled into her driveway and was scared to death. “Would she look as beautiful in person? Would she be as fun as she was on the phone?” The questions raced through my mind.

I slowly walked up to the front door and she came out before I could even knock. She gave me a huge hug and smiled a smile I will never forget. She was everything and more. That one day lasted forever, yet it seems like forever ago: January 23, 2007 my wife’s 22 birthday.

Fast forward to yesterday . . .

My date from 3 years ago is now my wife. It was her 25th birthday. Despite a little sickness in the family, it has been a great weekend. During the last three years we have been through our share of ups and downs but through it all God has been growing our hearts with a deepening love towards one another with each passing year. This has been the best year yet, but life is only going to get sweeter.

Yesterday also marked 25 weeks pregnant for my bride, just a week shy of the third trimester. In a few short months our lives will change even more and the depth of our love for each other and for our daughter will reach a whole new level. For each day the last 3 years I am grateful for my wife. For all the days to come I am grateful.

Happy birthday to my bride!

Be Prepared

Posted on 01/21/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Personal | Leave a comment

Can anyone ever be too prepared?

My dad is a master packer. He can fit more things into a suitcase or trunk than anyone I have ever met. I can not remember a time when I have been on a trip with him that he wasn’t prepared for anything: wind, rain, snow, or sun, you name the circumstance my dad was prepared.

I have done my best through life to adapt my dad’s skills of preparation to my everyday life. Although I probably spend way to much time calculating the outcome of life rather than letting life happen, I still try to be prepared for all that life throws my way.

“My wife is pregnant” I tell people excitedly. They usually respond with one of the following comments:

  • Be prepared, it will change your life.
  • Get some sleep now, because you won’t get any soon.
  • Get ready because everything is going to change.

I know that I have no idea how much my life is going to change in the next few months. Something tells me that the hints that various people have been dropping will fail in comparison to the reality of what will take place when Alexis is born.

How do you prepare for a life change this drastic?

Over the last few days my wife has been very sick with all the symptoms of a common cold: sore throat, head ache, body pains, stuffed up, etc. I have done my best to wait on her and take care of her. But lets be honest: it hasn’t been easy. I wanted to do my own thing: read, watch sports, etc. Being up all night or waking up from a deep sleep to get more water is not my idea of fun.

Wait a minute, did I just type all that? Having a sick wife for a few days is nothing compared to having a child to take care of for a lifetime. Being prepared for a baby seems like somewhat of an oxymoron but today I am grateful for the small reminder of the the things to come.

The Art of Social Marketing

Posted on 01/20/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Honesty | Leave a comment

I am no expert on social media, marketing or anything related to the inter-webs. But when an article about social marketing trends appeared in my mailbox today via Exhibitor Magazine I was shocked to read the following quote:

“I’m not sure social media is ever going to become a powerful marketing tool. Blogs have show some promise, as has Facebook, but I frown on people in my department surfing either of those, even in the name of research.” (pg. 25)

Wait, what?

This quote seems out of place, like it was relevant 15 years ago of a naysayer forecasting the demise of the internet, but not in 2010. Think about it, Twitter is growing by the millions each month and Facebook is quickly becoming the largest country in the world. Not to mention how many people watch videos on Youtube. The shear numbers of people surfing the internet or shopping online is crazy to what it was just ten years ago.

In the past 30 days our church launched a new online store which I am in charge of running and marketing. To be honest, I am still trying to figure out the best way to do this. To quote another person from the Social Studies article in Exhibitor Magazine, “For me, the most difficult part of social media is determining how effective it is, and when it becomes just another form of spam.” (pg. 25)

I don’t want Central Resources twitter page to be spam. I don’t want the advertising I am about to do to be pointless. I want to make an impact by helping to equip people with resources that can help them grow spiritually. Central Resources isn’t about making boatloads of money, it is about equipping people to grow deeper in their faith.

I am still just trying to figure out how to do that using all the internet has to offer without becoming just another spammer.

Eternal Perspective

Posted on 01/19/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Personal | Leave a comment

During my daily commute the last 2 days I listened to the two most recent sermons by Francis Chan from Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. I find Chan’s ability to communicate both refreshing and challenging at the same time. The two part sermon that I recently downloaded from Itunes was phenomenal.

“Do you live everyday with the idea of eternity in the forefront of your mind?” Francis quizzically asked. Continuing, “Jesus did not say He might come back some day, He said He will come back like a thief in the night . . . Think back on 2009. I am sure there are plenty of times when you are grateful that Jesus did not come back.”

Ouch.

Well there was this one time when . . . or this other time when we . . . My mind starts to wander to all the things I was doing and instantly I feel guilty of all the things I should have been doing.  Listening to Chan that last few mornings and evenings has reminded me that I spend very little time thinking about the eternal and most of my time thinking about my own little world.

With all the tragedy that has happened in Haiti and the injustice that occurs daily across the globe I found Pastor Chan’s message extremely humbling and a hard reminder that I need to step outside my little box and live with an eternal perspective. God is going to come back someday and I need to live accordingly.

Stepping In Their Shoes

Posted on 01/18/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Spiritual | Leave a comment

Last night we had the privilege of meeting up with some friends to celebrate a birthday for a good friend. We met a local establishment and celebrated with half off food and a homemade cake. It was a great time with old friends and making some new ones. During the course of the evening I struck up a conversation with a young man who had grown up Mormon. In my years of traveling I have met lots of Mormons and have been thoroughly impressed by their kindness and generally warm personalities. This particular young man was no different.

During the course of our conversation he explained to me that he was no longer a practicing Mormon but that around 15 years ago he did his 2 year mission in Japan. I have known a few people that have been on their mission, but the ensuing conversation I had with this gentleman was not like anything I had engaged in previously.

While explaining to me about how Mormon’s are offended by the fact that Christians don’t consider them Christians. He brought up his 2 year mission in Japan and started complaining about some of the actions and attitudes of the Jehovah’s Witness that were also in Japan doing missionary work:

“I am a little biased towards the Jehovah Witness. They called us the white devils. They would always come around, sometimes I think that they would stop by 3 or 4 times in a day. Their persistence made them seem so condescending. It was like there were the only ones with all the answers.”

Wait a second. Isn’t that what some Christians would say about Mormons? That they are persistent and that they keep showing up?

How about a step further. . . would people who have no faith based belief system claim that Christians are condescending? Would they question that Christians claim to have all the answers?

Hearing the complaints about other religions from the viewpoint of a Mormon was something I had not experienced and it really opened my eyes and ears to how offensive we can be in our persistent pursuit of sharing the truth in love. Last night I was reminded of how important it is to step into the shoes of someone else from time to time. When was the last time you gained some perspective by stepping into the shoes of another?

Resolution

Posted on 01/17/2010 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Personal | Leave a comment

Every January, people across the globe, but especially here in the United States make an extreme effort to change their lives. Millions of dollars are spent by people looking to kick a habit, shed some pounds or change a lifestyle. People commit to things that either are too hard or they lack discipline to accomplish their goals. According to various reports I have heard, people who set a new year’s resolution last just over two weeks before they give up on the resolution.

Two weeks – that’s it! Why?

Discipline. Lack of planning. Accountability.

Almost any one of us can reach a goal that we set, so long as the goal is within reason and we have a plan. Most resolutions are started in an honest moment of self-reflection but are often poorly planned and completely dependent on will power. Changing your life takes a lot of work and a lot of intentionality. How intentional are you being this new year?

Today is Sunday January 17th, 2010. We have completed 16 days so far this year. So how is it going? How are you doing with your new years resolutions?

My wife and I set some smaller goals this year. One of our goals was to plan out our weekly meals better. After years of saying “I don’t feel like cooking” or “We don’t have anything in the house” and just going out to eat, we decided that we needed to be more intentional on spending less money on eating out and more time cooking in. We have approached our new resolution with a simple plan:

1. We plan out each week what we are going to eat and do throughout the week and shop accordingly.
2. We stick to the plan with exceptions: friends come in town, impromptu hang-out times occur and meals are shifted around, and we make changes accordingly.
3. We evaluate each week when it is over and see what we liked and what we did not like and we create the menu for the next week.
4. We hold each other accountable to the plan.

That’s it, a simple plan with attainable goals and a practical plan to execute. Change is easy if you plan for it and are intentional about it.

How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions?

People of the Second Chance

Posted on 12/09/2009 by Benji Zimmerman Posted in Spiritual | 1 Comment

I alluded to it yesterday but in life we all need radical grace. Not just a little bit to make things warm and fuzzy, but grace that extends beyond all of our fears, failures and fouls ups.

I need it.

You need it.

This guy needs it . . .

And so did this guy. . .

We all need grace. And you know what? No matter who you are or what you have done God’s grace is available to you.

This message ruffles a lot of feathers.

Radical grace in life and leadership is something that should be the norm, unfortunately it is not. But just because radical grace is not the norm, does not mean it should stay that way. That is why I am so excited for tomorrow. The People of the Second Chance website is launching. A project that was started a while back by Jud Wilhite and Mike Foster will be unveiled tomorrow with a core message of radical grace in life and leadership.

Here is a sneak from the website:

We all need radical grace and it should be apart of our everyday DNA to extend radical grace to those around us, friend or foe. So do yourself a favor: become a fan on Facebook, follow them on Twitter or check in tomorrow at the blog.

Because all of us are all people of the second chance, if not third, fourth, fifth . . .

« Previous   1 2 ... 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18   Next »