018: The Loneliest Number

This week's podcast theme is teamwork. Togetherness. Not being Lone Ranger Christians.  If you're task oriented like me, how do you allow others to help and use their gifts and talents?  If you don't feel like you have much to offer, how can you see your true gifts and abilities?  Here's what we have lined up for this week.

[4:45] The Olympics and Our Spiritual Disciplines - The Olympics begin this Friday! What can we learn about our own spiritual growth by watching these extraordinary athletes?

[15:25] T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K. - Have you ever hear this acrostic? Together Everyone Achieves More With Ongoing Respect and Kindness?  I heard this quite often as a high school football players.  Join me in the locker room for some inspirational coaching!

[22:27] 4 Steps to Break Bad Habits - I take a page out of Dr. Oz's playbook with this four-part plan.  We all find ourselves in bad habits from time to time.  How do we escape?  Here's the link at RealAge.com.

[30:00] Keep A Food Journal - Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle conducted a study of older overweight and obese women.  What was the top conclusion of what really worked?  Keeping a food diary! If you want to join me using My Fitness Pal, my user name is mpiercecfp.

[39:46] 8 Measures of Personal Discipleship - Lifeway Research conducted a study of more than 4,000 people about their spiritual lives and level of maturity.  We talk about these attributes of discipleship. You can follow Ed Stezer on Twitter.

[54:41] A Christian's Response to Evil - I took a few additional minutes Sunday morning to remember the grieving families in Colorado.  How does a pastor respond to such senseless, tragic evil? My thanks to Pastors.com who provided this link to one Christian woman's response. Marie Isom writes in her A Miniature Clay Pot blog about her experience in that Aurora, CO theater a mere 40-50 feet away from the shooter.

[1:05:40] CR Sermon "One Is The Loneliest Number" - I talk about 3 reasons why God never intended us to serve alone and 4 practical tips of what we can do about isolation.  In the sermon I mention this online gifts assessment tool. You can follow the sermon notes here.

Music for this week's podcast - an obvious choice - is "One" by Three Dog Night from the album Three Dog Night - The Complete Hit Singles.

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017: Crossover

This week's Church Requel Audio Podcast theme is Crossover.  How do we handle those crossover, crucible, life-changing events in our lives?  Plus some more fun and practical new developments in Mark and Mary Kay's life this week.  Here's what we have lined up for you.

[5:30] Pulminary Embolisms - I talk about my crossover event from 2007.  I spent 10 days in the hospital as a result of unexplained blood clots in my lungs.  What were those first few hours like, when I didn't know if I'd live another day? Yep - that was definitely a "crossover!"

[18:00] My Fitness Pal - Mary Kay and I have been using a new app this week. My Fitness Pal tracks our diet and exercise.  I tell you why this is such a great thing and why you should join us.  We'd love to have you be our friends on My Fitness Pal.

[29:45] iPad Mini Speculation - I wrote here and here about my own speculations regarding the possibilities of a new, smaller and less expensive iPad from Apple.  In this segment of the podcast, I expand on the possibilities.

[44:45] Jonathan Edward's Farewell Sermon - Jonathan Edwards is considered by many to be the greatest theologian America has ever known.  Yet, after 23 years as a senior pastor of his church, he was asked to leave.  I share an excepts from Jonathan Edwards: A Life and from his "Farewell Sermon."  Wouldn't you have liked to have been a fly on the wall in THAT church service!

[1:02:45] Church Requel Sermon: Crossover - Here's the talk from Sunday night. It's based on Exodus 14. We consider 4 characteristics of crossover events as well as the one thing we must do during a crossover.  Here are the YouVersion sermon notes. (Sorry we didn't get the audio level as good as we should have this evening.  I did the best I could in post-production.

[1:33:00] Wrap-Up - Just a short wrapup tonight.  Mary Kay is grilling hamburgers upstairs and I'm hungry! Ha!

Music for this week's podcast is from "Changes" by Butterfly Boucher and David Bowie from the Shrek 2 Album.

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

016: Wrestling With God

This weekend's podcast is a smackdown good time as we discuss the theme of "Wrestling With God!" Here's what you will hear:

[03:33] Authentic High School Wrestling - Real wrestling, the kind you find in high schools and colleges may be the toughest and most demanding sport.  We'll hear one high school wrestler's essay about a day in the life of a wrestler.

[10:25] Jonathan Edwards and Wrestling With God - Mark talks a bit about Jonathan Edwards and refers to two different books.  The biography, Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George M. Marsden, is available in Kindle format.  The book of Edwards' previously unbublished sermons titled, The Blessing of God edited by Michael D. McMullen, is not available yet on the Kindle.  Mark then reads an excerpt from Edwards' sermon, The Way to Obtain the Blessing of God Is Not to Let Him Go Except He Bless Us. CORRECTION: I quoted a couple of dates regarding Jonathan Edwards life as "1958."  Clearly I meant to say "1758." Jonathan Edwards was a pre-revolutionary Massachusetts pastor.

[28:12] Overcoming Problems With Your Quiet Time - Mark continues his discussion from Podcast 013, in which he describes the Daily Quiet Time with God.  In this podcast, we talk about overcoming 4 problems - the problems of discipline, distractions, dryness, and diligence.

[50:00] Sermon: "Wrestling With God" -  Here's the MAIN EVENT! This is the weekend sermon given to Church Requel on Sunday evening, July 8th.  Mark talks about 6 takedown lessons for real God wrestling.

[1:29:00] Wrap-Up - People tell me that the last part of the podcast, this "wrap-up" is their favorite part.  I talk about the evening right after the CR worship service, trying to remember all the cool things that happened.  Tonight I try to give you a sense of all the communications that happen between a pastor and his people - and my struggle to remember everything.

Music for this week's podcast includes "Let's Get Ready To Rumble" by Michael Buffer on the album, ESPN Sport Presents: Jock Jams, Volume 1 and "Get Ready For This" by Power Music on the album, The Biggest Loser Workout Mix - Sports Stadium Anthems.

015: Declaration of Independence

This week we celebrate America's 236th birthday, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.  So we dedicate this week's podcast to some thoughts about independence and also our new beginnings as a Christ-follower.

[3:30] Declaration of Independence for the Christ Follower. Four years ago I dedicated this entire week around the 4th of July to thinking about Thomas Jefferson's famous line, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."  What is the connection, if any, between our country's Declaration of Independence and the Christ-follower's own independence?  I share the discoveries of my thinking in this conversation with our podcast audience.

[40:50] The Story of My Own Baptism. I promised the folks at Church Requel that I would tell them the story of my own baptism on this week's podcast.  Grab a cup of coffee and sit down for this background story.  I became a Christ-follower when I was 9, but I wasn't baptized until the age of 27.  Today I'll tell you how my own baptism came about.

[58:22] CR Sermon: "Baptism." In this short talk given Sunday evening at Church Requel, I'll answer 4 questions about what we believe about baptism.  Why should I be baptized? What does it mean? Why be baptized by immersion? Who should be baptized?

[1:13:42] Reflections from the Baptisms at CR Sunday. Sunday night I was weary but thrilled with the way the evening had gone.  I share from my heart the good and the bad... yes, we had ourselves a bit of a problem tonight.  You'll have to listen to know what it was.  But the overall result of Church Requel tonight was marvelous and uplifting.  You'll hear a very tired Pastor Mark share heart to heart in a longer-than-normal wrap up.

Music for this week's podcast is America Fantasia by Christopher Todd Landor from the album, American Celebration - The Ultimate Patriotic Music Collection.

014: Selling Short

This week's podcast focuses on selling ourselves short. It's so easy to do. We settle for less than what God has designed us to enjoy and to become.

Our music this week comes from Broda, specifically "Don't Sell Yourself Short" from her Spiral Staircase album.

[6:46] 4 ways that Mark has sold himself short in his past. Take a stroll down memory lane with me and maybe learn a few things about me you didn't know.  Here are 4 different ocassions when I just didn't have a big enough picture of what I could do or accomplish or become.  All 4 became great learning opportunities for me.

[15:45] Interview with Jillian. My daughter shares one time in her life when she has sold herself short. She also talks about her study to become a counselor and how people often need to see themselves in a new and fresh way.

[25:27] Interview with Lisa and Diana. Lisa Hatfield and Diana Devolder came to visit me last Thursday to record their baptism testimonial videos.  While they were here, we sat down and talked about how they have sometimes sold themselves short.

[40:06] 10 Key Points To Remember from Rick Warren.  At the end of 2011, Pastor Rick held a video conference call with many small church pastors.  I was included in that call.  As pastors we live with the constant tension between the ideal (our dream for our church) and the real (how things actually are). These are 10 key points Rick reminded us about and that I thought would be worth remembering on our "selling short" podcast halfway through the year.

[55:00] Sermon: "Selling Short"  - As American Christ followers we too readily give up our God given birthrights. We may not sell them for a bowl of soup, like Esau, but we do too easily sell ourselves short!  Here are 4 ways we sell ourselves short.  You can follow along with the YouVersion Sermon Notes here.

013: Day Of Rest

This week on Church Requel Audio Podcast #13, we focus on the topic of the sabbath, also known as the day of rest.  Most of us don't get enough rest. Most of us don't connect enough with God.  After catching up with Mark and what's been happening this past week you'll hear:

[12:30] Getting Enough Sleep - Some of us are early risers and some are sleeper-iners. Is there an actual physiological difference between those of us who get up early and those who sleep longer?  The folks from NetDoctor.co.uk have some surprising research in their article, "Are You Getting Enough Sleep?"  Shape Magazine also provides some great info on the many wonderful benefits of sleep: "6 Reasons You Need More Sleep."

[25:30] Daily Quiet Time - The purpose of the Sabbath is more than about our rest. It's also our day to connect with God. We don't have to wait for that one day.  We can connect with God every day, even if for just a little while.  Pastor Mark talks about the daily quiet time, why we should have it and how to go about it.

[54:45] Benefits Of A Nap - Recent research has proven that there are great benefits to taking a nap every afternoon.  Two articles Pastor Mark refers to in this segment comes from The Art of Manliness website, "8 Benefits of Napping" and from WebMD, "The Secret (and Surprising) Power of Naps."

[1:05:45] CR Sermon: "The First Day Off" - In this second sermon of the Summer Singles, Mark talks about the very first day off. This wasn't a day off by man, but by God Himself!  We learn 4 reasons why the Sabbath is important to us. And we hear 7 hints for making the Sabbath a reality in our lives.  If you'd like to follow the sermon notes, they are available at YouVersion.com.  At Church Requel we also watched a video about the Sabbath by The Veracity Project called "1 Outta 7."

Music for this week's podcast includes "Rest" by Big Daddy Weave on the One And Only album.

012: Hatfields & McCoys

Our Church Requel Podcast is loaded with audio goodness for you this week!  After catching up with Mark and what's been happening this past week you'll hear:

[09:21] Hatfields & McCoys - The History Channel broke a record for basic cable with the most watched show over this Memorial Day week.  Mark talks about what made it such compelling television and draws some surprising lessons from The Sermon On The Mount. Also check out Mark's blog article detailing the 5 beliefs that make me a Hatfield & McCoy.

[23:45] Stock Market Blues - The stock market fell 275 points on Friday plunging the year to date return into negative territory for the first time this year.  Mark takes off his cowboy hat and puts on his financial planning hat as he talks about 4 things to remember when the stock market goes down.

[35:30] Christian Nation? - New census data was released this month showing that Mormons and Muslims are growing fast.  Additionally a new research study by the University of Chicago ranked the U.S. as the 5th most religious country in the world.  Mark points listeners to the ASARB 2010 U.S. Religion Census and explains how to discover the national ranking of counties as well as checking out individual counties religious census through the ARDA.

[48:02] This Is Your Life - Michael Hyatt began a new podcast on Feb. 15th.  Mark talks about the podcast and why it has been so helpful to him.  We listen to a sample from podcast #3 on how any leader can develop vision.  Also here's a link to Hyatt's new book, Platform.

[1:00:00] CR Sermon: "God's First Command" - In this first sermon of the Summer Singles series, Mark talks about God's very first command to mankind: to rule Planet Earth.  Mark talks about the difference between ruling responsibly and exploitation.  If you'd like to follow the sermon notes, they are available at YouVersion.com.

Music for this week's podcast includes the themesong from Hatfields & McCoys by John Debney and Tony Morales, "Stock Market Blues" by Gypsey Carns, "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics" by Matt Munhall, and "The Best Is Yet To Come" by Frank Sinatra.