Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 25, 2007
William Herbert Carruth’s poem, “Dreamer of Dreams,” shows how the rise and fall of dreams shapes our lives as well as creating congregational health.
We are all of us dreamers of dreams,
On visions our childhood is fed;
And the heart of the child is unhaunted, it seems,
By the ghosts of dreams
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Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 12, 2007
based on 2 ratings
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In the fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland I believe it was the Cheshire Cat who said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” It could be we’re just living a fairy tale
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 11, 2007
Duke Ellington, the late jazz musician, composer and renowned band leader was once asked to provide a definition of “rhythm.” He responded, “If you got it, you don’t need no definition. And if you don’t have it, ain’t no definition gonna help!” Hopefully vision is not quite that elusive. In
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 11, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 2,342 views
George Barna gives one of the most detailed definitions of vision when he says, “Vision for ministry is a clear mental image of a preferable future imparted by God to His chosen servants and is
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 11, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 3,847 views
Rick Warren gives the simplest definition of vision when he said, “Vision is the ability to see the
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 5, 2007
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| 4,243 views
In “Winnie-the-Pooh,” Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. For a long time they walk in companionable silence. Finally, Piglet breaks the silence and asks, “When you wake up in the morning, What’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh. “And what do you say,
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 5, 2007
Charles A. Lindbergh said, “We actually live today in our dreams of yesterday and living in these dreams, we dream again. A healthy church lives out of a healthy dream. But not all church dreams are created equal. Some congregational dreams are founded on hope and concern for others. Some begin
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 5, 2007
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| 2,870 views
Edward Lindaman said, “It helps to realize that everything that is now possible, was at one time impossible. In every case someone, somewhere, dared to dream, dared to imagine something a little better, a little
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 5, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 7,175 views
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 6,390 young people ages 15-20 died in motor vehicle crashes in the year 2,000? Of them alcohol was involved in 2,339 deaths. And as related to drivers – 3,594 young drivers ages 15-20 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2,000 and of
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 2, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 4,594 views
Bob had been a Christian for about 6 years and had come to Dallas to head up a major city wide evangelistic campaign, hosting a daily radio program and working with some of the largest churches in America. He was beginning to think he was close to reaching the ultimate in Christian maturity -
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Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 1, 2007
based on 5 ratings
| 3,792 views
There’s a poem by Joseph Addison Alexander that I believe drives home the urgency for someone here today. It’s untitled to my knowledge and goes like this:
There is a time, we know not when,
A place, we know not where;
Which marks the destiny of men
To glory or despair.
There is a line, by us
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
based on 24 ratings
| 7,082 views
Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of “The Ugly Duckling” illustrates the truth that what you know and believe to be truth determines your behavior. Although hatched in the same nest as the other eggs, this “duckling” looked different. He was big and ugly, not soft and yellow like the other
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Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
based on 5 ratings
| 4,159 views
Two boys grew up together. They were close friends as children, but as they entered their teen years their paths began to diverge and they ended up in very different places. Ernie was always in trouble. He began by shoplifting small things from stores and worked his way up to stealing cars.
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
based on 2 ratings
| 2,057 views
There’s a Native American fable about a young brave who happened upon a nest of golden eagle eggs. Deciding to have some fun, he took one of the eggs and placed it in the nest of some prairie chickens. The egg hatched and the changeling eagle grew up with the brood of prairie chickens. Believing
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
based on 3 ratings
| 18,721 views
In 1829 a man named George Wilson was arrested for robbery and murder in a US mail heist. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to obtain his pardon from President Andrew Jackson. But when told of this, Wilson refused it
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
“Liver is one of my least favorite foods. My problem is with the taste, or perhaps distaste. I grew up dreading those nights Mom fixed liver for dinner, encouraging us with, ‘It’s good for you.’ Those words meant nothing to me, and they certainly did nothing to make liver more palatable. I’ve
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Baptist
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 20, 2006
based on 2 ratings
| 3,345 views
We must first embrace our own old identity, as Jesus said, “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself . . . “ We must embrace it and deny it, then by faith accept our spiritual identity in Jesus Christ. The analogy is given, for purposes of illustrating, of a fifteen year old, unmarried
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Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 20, 2006
There’s a guy by the name of Harley whom a Bible teacher had met in a Sunday School class. He realized that what the teacher was sharing was not real for him. He wasn’t experiencing Christ as his life. The reason he realized it was he was an unhappy camper when Lee met him. Harley’s married to
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Baptist