Daryl Strickland

Week One of “Entourage” - Who You Rollin’ With? (Friend Day)

Attendance - 414 - same week last year 196 (111 % increase)

Thought’s:

Friend Day is such a cool day at Lifepoint but then again, every Sunday is really friend day (I guess that means every Sunday is cool). I really enjoy seeing people in the lobby, peering out of the front doors in eager anticipation of one of their friend’s showing up.

Jeff delievered a slamming message on how to be a good friend and surrounding yourself with them.

We also did this goofy medley that the crowd was digging. In honor of Friend Day when rocked out a few friend songs. Check out the list:

1. I’ll Be There For You - The Rembrandt’s
2. Friend’s In Low Places - Garth Brooks
3. Just A Friend - Biz Markie
4. Friends - Whodini
5. Lean On Me - Various

Seems goofy but the crowd loosened up and we had a pretty cool worship set after these. This was the element of surprise this week.

Bottom Line: My Friends Will Determine The Direction And Quality Of My Life

Next Week: Entourage Week Two - All Access Pass

Our game got moved from last Friday to last night due to weather. Final Score 35-0. Hoggard is now 9-0 and it all comes down to this Friday night. We play New Hanover High School and here is what is on the line:

1. Conference Championship (winner is the out right champ).
2. Undefeated Season.
3. #1 seed in the playoffs and home field advantage throughout.
4. City Bragging Rights.

It will be a big night. The crowd will be big, the atmoshpere will be electric. New Hanover will be honoring legends Sonny Jurgensen and Roman Gabriel at halftime.

If you are in Wilmington this Friday night, this will be the place to be.

We are now 8-0 and the associate press has us ranked 2nd in the state. There is a HUGE target on our back and every team we face will bring their A game. We travel to Jacksonville tomorrow to play a David vs. Goliath type game. I just hope history doesn’t play out in this one. Jacksonville is a scary team. They have some match ups that can cause us some problems. I will let you know tomorrow if we turn 8 into 9.

On a side note, that target thing plays out in the church as well. If your church is winning (reaching people) then the enemy brings his A game and you have to be ready.

Liquid Courage is a term that refers to the abundance of courage that one has when intoxicated. It is a boldness that comes from induce ignorance and usually ends in some sort of regret or pain.

Electronic Courage is an increased boldness due to hiding behind a computer screen. I absolutely love the evolution of blogs and email is an awesome way to communicate but as I read some of these blogs and comments, I am blown away by attacking nature of these home-row-key hero’s.

Anyway the point of this blog is not to be negative but to say, QUIT ATTACKING PEOPLE from your computer and find something positive to do. Get off your computer and go feed a homeless person or cut a widows grass or something.

Jeff had an awesome message last week on lifting people up with your words instead of tearing them down. One of the lines he used that I loved is: “Gossip is when you say something behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say to their face and Flattery is when you say something to their face that you would not say behind their back”. I think ripping someone up in an email or on a blog is worse than going behind their back, it’s saying to their computer face what you wouldn’t say to their real face.

Use your words for building up, not tearing down. If you don’t agree with someone, you can disagree without cutting them down or just agree to disagree.

Week 3 of Exposed - Exposing Your Tongue

Attendance: 365 - same week last year 210 (74% increase)

Moments to remember:

• Jeff teaching from a scissor lift to illustrate how your words can lift others up and tear them down.
• Seeing an older couple come back this week with a friend (oh by the way, these two are both in wheel chairs and the husband pushes his wife in even though he only has one leg and is in a wheel chair himself. As David Ring would say, “So what’s your excuse”.)
• Knowing that people are slowly and steadily starting to live a Christ like life.

Next Week: New Series - Entourage - “Friend Day”

Last night was probably our most complete game of the season and with a 52-7 victory over Laney we are now 8-0. Our defense was rock solid. The offense scored on every drive but two and special teams had a good night. Next week we travel to Jacksonville for one of our last two ball games.

The dream season continues tonight. We beat Ashley last week 41-21 to bring our record to 7-0. This week the Associated Press had us ranked 2nd behind Charlotte Independence and tonight we play cross town rival Laney (Micheal Jordan’s high school). It has been really neat to become a part of the Hoggard family and one thing for sure is that in town games matter. The coaching staff can tell you every detail about every in town game for the last 12 years. So, emotions will be hight tonight, it is senior night to top it off, so it should be electric. I will update you tomorrow.

I was at Hoggards JV football game last night when a guy came up to me that I met a few weeks ago. He started a casual conversation and it was pleasant and then he walked off. As he walked away, I thanked God that I kept my big mouth shut a few weeks earlier. You see, when we first met, he said something that hit me wrong and I wanted to respond, well not so nicely but by the power of God, I smiled, said have nice day and went about my business.

What’s so funny is that this has happened time and time again in my life. When I pause and don’t say the first thing that comes to my mind, then I leave a bridge up and continue to have influence. I have also experienced the opposite. When I speak my mind to quickly, I have burned bridges, I have hurt relationships and when that toothpaste comes out of the tube, you can’t get it back in there.

Here is what the Bible has to say about this:

Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. (NIV)

Proverbs 10:19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (NLT)

This principle not only helps with relationships but with influence. If you talk all the time, no one listens but if you choose your words wisely people will listen to what you have to say.

I will leave you with these two quotes:

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. ” Abraham Lincoln

“I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm.” Calvin Coolidge

One of my favorite leaders in the world is John Maxwell. Why, because he truly cares about adding value to people. He wants to  make people better leaders. He can’t help but make people better.

In his session at Catalyst 07, he talked about, intentionaly adding value to people daily. 

This is not easy to do. You have remove yourself from the top of the todo list and put others on there. You have to intentionaly think of others needs, their situations and you may have to do some leg work to add value to them but isn’t that what leaders do? Jesus says, if you want to be first, you have to be last (WHAT?). The only way you can be first and last is to push everyone in front of you up. You have to add value to people to do this.

Look for ways to make those around you better each day. Look for ways to make their job easier and watch and see what happens. Your leadership will soar, others will love and respect you and your team will be a fun and healthy place to work.

Week Two of “Exposed” - Exposing Your Body

Attendance: 409 - same week last year 203 (101% increase)

Songs:

• All Because Of Jesus
• Forever And Ever
• Everything
• How Great Is Our God

My Thoughts:

• Our team is growing each week. I can’t wait to see what God wants to do with this group of people.
• This message is a tough one to digest and needs to be put into action.

Bottom Line: Taking care of your body is more about Value than Vanity. It’s not about worshiping your body but using your body to worship God.

Next Week: Exposing Your Tongue