Neverland Fabric | Tommy Bowman's Weblog

One of the most inspiring videos I’ve seen in a while…

• Went home to Chicago this weekend. We had a few things on the agenda. I caught up with my family, saw my new niece, and we had a family reunion with Jess’ Family.
• My friend Eric Welliver led worship at Restore this Sunday. I love the apprenticeship process  and I love seeing new leaders emerge.
• Restore had it’s 3rd annual picnic and it was our first with 2 campuses. It was amazing to stand back and think that a few years ago, a small group of us moved here and look at the community that God has built.
• Lou Piniella called it quits as Cubs manager. Who’s next Sandburg or Girardi?
• Sunday night was the best Mad Men episode of the season. My wife was starting to lose hope but last night brought her back.
• I learned this weekend that being the “light of the world” is useless if we don’t bring it to dark places.

What was the highlight of your weekend??

You know that scene in Jerry Maguire… Jerry is pleading with his client, “Help me, help you”.

Great scene. I recalled it this morning as I reflected on how Restore served the community this past month through Replenish.

There is something great about serving your community but there’s something greater to leading your community to serve itself.

The question about community service needs to shift to a focus of lasting impact and momentum.

You can give a child school supplies or you could:

• ask the question and identify the specific need in your school district
• recruit your church, teachers, & community organizers to go into the community to…
• enlist residents of a school district to meet the needs of under-resourced  students in their district

Along with meeting the need, you’re helping your community practice generosity. So maybe it goes beyond just helping our community, and instead (in a less desperate way than Jerry Maguire) helping the community help themselves.

Here’s one of the school drop-offs. The teachers we’re lined up at our trucks to collect the supplies. I’m really proud of Patrick O’Connell who led this and the whole team of volunteers who carried this out.

We tend to equip people to lead… don’t we? If I can teach this person this, or show this person that, then they can lead others.

I’ve done it. It works. From “I do, you watch, we talk” all the way to “You do, I watch, we talk”. But have I done this to a fault? I wonder if I’ve tried to put too many square pegs into round holes.

What if we started with: “How has God equipped you?” & “What are you most passionate about?”

I believe that God is big enough to bring us people who’s gifts align with the vision He has given us for our churches. I wish I had the answer of what this looks like…and it scares me a little…

What if people’s unique gifts shaped how I lead them instead of me leading people into the mold that I’ve made for them…I need to continue wrestling with this.

What’s your take on this?

• Thursday was a big night for Restore. We did Replenish again this year. We partnered with schools in the districts where are campuses meet. We blanketed the community and gave out nearly 1000 bags with school supply lists. The best thing about Replenish is that we’re enlisting the community to serve it’s own.
• Friday, I had a great opportunity to be on a coaching call with Chris Hankins. Chris is launching Starting Point Church on September 12th, Raleigh, NC.
• I wrapped up a song I’ve been working on called Love Reaction. I’m playing Global Orphan Project’s Big Event and hope to play it there.
• Saturday was the first saturday of the month so it was Leadership Community. Awesome energy. New leaders, new apprentices, and the introduction of this year’s theme: AND
• Sunday, we wrapped up The Buts. Great morning. “The battle belongs to the Lord” was what stuck the most!
• My wife has been having an affair with frozen yogurt, and Sunday night, Tristan and I got in on it with her. Yogurtini is new to the area. It’s basically like a salad bar only it’s frozen yogurt and toppings. Great idea, cool environment, but it’s still frozen yogurt… which is no Sheridan’s custard. (Sorry, just being honest)
• Tonight is the last small group for this term. I can’t say enough about small groups. We’ve made a lot of new friends this term and I’ve got my eye on 2 new apprentices for next term!

My mom sent me this. A clipping from the Daily Herald in Chicago from 1965. It’s a write up on what my dad’s family did that week. So status updates aren’t that new. We just publish them faster.

• Friday night, Jess and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary. She’s been the most amazing wife and a natural at being a mother.
• We heard the heartbeat of baby #2 – Jess is 12 wks along!
• Watched Triage this weekend. 3/5 stars for me. Collin Ferrel plays the character well.
• Sunday at Restore we focused on the name of Jesus and tonight at small group we continued the conversation. His name isn’t for our selfish gain.
• Season 4 of Mad Men continued Sunday. Different feel. Don’s character seems to be the one evolving most thus far.
• Took Tristan to a John Deere dealership today because he’s still obsessed with lawnmowers.
• New music I’ve been listening to is Hillsong’s A Beautiful Exchange & Empire Of The Sun
• Something that stuck: In the 60′s, Boeing set out to engineer a plane that fit 131 passengers, flew non-stop from Miami to NY, and could land on runway 4-22 at LaGuardia (less than a mile long). The goal was met. The goal was very simple with concrete details: 131 people, Miami to NY, land on the 4-22. Communicate your message with memorable details.