Adam Barnett

Let's Talk OU Sports

Here's a little bit of a rundown from my observations in OU sports this week:

Football: OU knocked off OSU 61-41 and claimed the #2 BCS Ranking today.  Sam Bradford played like a stud, as usual, and our receivers had a huge game.  Although our defense didn't look like they did against Texas Tech, we still pulled off an impressive win.  Many are saying that Texas should be ranked ahead of us.  Valid argument.  They are only the 9th case in NCAA Football to play 4 top 15 teams in a row (Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech).  However, OU has stated their case against two highly ranked teams since their loss to Texas.  Since Texas' loss to Texas Tech, they've played Baylor, Kansas and Texas A&M - not too impressive.  To read Texas' response to the new BCS standings, click here.

Women's Basketball: #4 OU lost tonight at #1 UConn but didn't look bad.  They have some obvious things that need attention this early in the season but should not be discouraged at all.  My one observation (well, Andrea saw it too and was also a little appalled!) was after the game when the teams were giving high-fives.  UConn's coach Geno Auriemma walked by OU's #25 Whitney Hand and told her good job by slapping her on the butt.  Now... you tell me, am I overreacting?  I'm all about guys doing this as an expression with other guys, but a male coach to a female player - highly inappropriate.  Just my opinion.  You can share yours if you wish.

Men's Basketball: OU's Blake Griffin is a crazy-good player averaging over 20 points and close to 20 rebounds a game.  They just beat Purdue in overtime to win the NIT.  They're really stinkin' good and fun to watch.  That's all.

Women's Soccer: Who cares?  I went to one of their games a few weeks ago and the only great thing about their team is #6 Lauren Alkek.  While many of the other girls act like they barely know where they are while they're playing, Lauren played a little like Blake Griffin plays - aggressive.  It was a blast to watch her.

Traveler IQ

My good friend, Keith, showed me this website.  It is a fun game that tests your geography and knowledge of the world and gives you an IQ score according to how much you know.  My highest IQ is shown to the left - a 119.  Of course, Keith is really stinkin' good at this game because he's been to almost 190 countries.  You can click the picture to the left to go to the website.  And, a little hint for you if you choose to play - "Seychelles" are islands in the Indian Ocean, straight east of the southern-most point of Kenya.  Good luck! 

Leadership

One of the sessions from the conference last weekend was with Todd Wagner, pastor of Watermark Community Church.  It was on Leadership in the church... here are some notes I took on 3 characteristics of leaders:

LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

Leadership is a commitment to being misunderstood.  (You will make people mad and step on toes, but odds are, if no one is mad at you, you're not doing your job right!  Leaders will never be loved by everyone.)  Notice Jesus' teachings were in parables... not so people could understand him, but so he left them stumped and curious - he left things unanswered in many ways.

Leaders in the church need to reprove, remind, correct and care for people.

Leaders help define reality for other people.  (Jesus was not a master of comfortable conversation; much of what he said was offensive to people's beliefs and lifestyles.  He spoke in truth and in love, regardless if people became offended.)

A Crazy Comparison, I know!

Recently, I was watching the National Geographic Channel (not an uncommon thing for me to do) and saw a special about the picture below.  It is an Afghan woman who got caught on camera during the war.  My opinion - one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen with eyes that literally say 1,000 words.  During the show, Molly was on my lap playing in a blanket.  When she looked at me, I then realized that she is one of the most beautiful Weiner-dogs I've ever seen with eyes that literally say, umm... maybe 10 words.  Either way - check this out:

Keep Your Head Above Water!

Todd Phillips spoke at LeadNow on how to keep your head above water.  Here's what he shared... some really good tips that you might enjoy:

Focus on Aloneness - the intentional practice of soul-making and contemplation.

• Biblical examples - Moses, David, Paul and Jesus.
• To create "wilderness" in your life, learn to journal, fast, honor and practice the Sabbath and have times of extended prayer.

Focus on Prayer - most people have more difficulty talking about prayer than they do sexual issues and struggles.  The reasons we have a hard time praying:

1. We are self-reliant and action-oriented.
2. There are too many demands on our time.
3. We talk about the Lord and confuse that with talking with the Lord.

Focus on Communal Ministry - Leaders are vulnerable servants who need followers just as much as the followers need that leader.

• Emmanuel - "God WITH Us." (an immediate indication of community)
• The Trinity shows community in a sense (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
• Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs rather than alone (Luke 10)

There are 4 different ways to spend your time: Inward (personal development), Laterally (peers and co-workers), Up (those with authority over you) and Down (those that you oversee).  Your life will be much smoother if you take care of yourself first before you try and spend time and energy on others.  

Right Now Conference

I was in Dallas last weekend for the RightNow Conference.  It was an awesome weekend to get away for a few days with Andrea and some of my ministry friends to soak in wisdom from some of the nation's greatest leaders! Speakers included:

• Todd Wagner - lead pastor of Watermark Community Church.
• Francis Chan - author and pastor at Cornerstone Church.
• Erwin McManis - author and pastor at Mosaic Church.
• Donald Miller - author of a ton of really awesome books.
• Matt Chandler - pastor at The Village Church.  

I'll write a little this week about the things we learned while we were there.  It was an incredibly challenging, convicting and refreshing weekend! 

Am I Good Enough?

Honesty to the extreme: I've been dealing with some personal feelings lately of inadequacy and lack of worth.  In my private life, there are things that need constant "tweaking" in order to please Jesus (i.e. Do I love my wife the way Christ loves the church?  Do I exemplify Christlike qualities like forgiveness, gentleness, patience and kindness?  And on and on...)  So, why in the world am I in ministry, again?

The truth is that I'm given the feeling that some people just don't believe in me.  Thoughts that resonate in my mind, to name a few:  You're only 25 years old... You don't know this, or you don't know that.  Or, you're not ready for this.  Or, that wasn't good enough.  Or, I don't have the time for you right now.  Or, you have a lot to learn.  Or, you need to learn to discern the difference between passion and "calling."  These are the things I feel most of the time.  You can probably credit this to my desire to please man rather than the Lord a lot of the time - a pathetic excuse for my tendency to be a workaholic.

So, why has God allowed me to serve in ministry?  Why do I get to make phone calls each week to hurting people?  Visit the hospital?  Plan mission trips?  Have coffee with people fighting addictions?  Encourage parents with rebellious teenagers?  Pray with people?  Celebrate victories with people? 

Why?  Because I'm not good enough, I guess!  This scripture (1 Corinthians 1:26-31), recently spoken into my life by a close friend, explains why I AM INSUFFICIENT for this and why the opinion of critical and discouraging people and the negative thoughts I have should no longer matter in my life.  And, why all that matters is my obedience to God: 

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'"  

So, Lord, take my stupidity, lack of influence, foolishness and weakness and replace them with your wisdom, influence, perception and strength.

Michelangelo's David

I usually hate forwards, but not this one!  It said: "Michelangelo's famous statue of David is being sent back to Italy after a 2-year visit to the United States.  His sponsors: McDonald's, KFC and Starbuck's."

I voted this morning.  Sort of a red-neck experience voting in Oklahoma.  That's a story for another day though.  Join me in praying for our nation this week.  "If my people, who are called by  my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14   HE IS IN CONTROL AND ALWAYS WILL BE!

The Greatest Words Ever Spoken

I'm definitely not going to write a complete review on this book because it is more of a resource to your walk with Christ than it is a sit-down-and read sort of text.  But, The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott has quickly become one of my favorite resources for researching Jesus.  The book categorizes everything that was ever said about Jesus or said by Jesus.  Here's the contents:

1. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about Jesus
2. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about God the Father
3. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about the Holy Spirit
4. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about Eternity
5. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken to Jesus' Followers
6. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about Humanity
7. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about God Reaching out to Us
8. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about How to Know God
9. The Greatest Words Ever Spoken about Personal Relationships

I highly recommend you picking up this book if you want something to lead you to a more in-depth look at Jesus' words about... well, everything!