Last night I was blessed with the opportunity to walk into a church with several hundred others from churches all around Ada, Oklahoma and Worship God and at the same time break down "Denominational walls and church Pride" at the same time. We were not a bunch of churches coming together we were "THE CHURCH" coming together to worship God last night. I want to thank all of the pastors that I am blessed to work with in One Ministry, each one of them have a heart to promote GOD not their church and I love that about them and this ministry.
God is good...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
A study on the "Good Samaritan" conducted at a Seminary... Thanks Paul E.
Darley, J. M., and Batson, C.D., "From Jerusalem to Jericho": A study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior". JPSP, 1973, 27, 100-108.
This is the famous seminary experiment about the Good Samaritans.
Previous studies have failed to find a link between personality traits and the likelihood of helping others in an emergency. However, changes in the # of people present did have a big effect on behavior.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is an interesting example. What possessed the priest and the Levite to pass by the injured man by the side of the road? Possibly they were in a hurry and were filled with busy, important thoughts. Maybe the Samaritan was in less of a hurry. Or maybe the virtues that the religious leaders espoused were not something they followed themselves (unlike the Samaritan).
The researchers had three hypotheses:
1. People thinking religious, "helping" thoughts would still be no more likely than others to offer assistance.
2. People in a hurry will be less likely to offer aid than others.
3. People who are religions in a Samaritan fashion will be more likely to help than those of a priest or Levite fashion. In other words, people who are religious for what it will gain them will be less likely than those who value religion for it's own value or are searching for meaning in life.
Procedure
The recruited seminary students for a study on religious education. First they completed personality questionnaires about their religion (to help evaluate hypothesis #3). Later they began experimental procedures in one building and then told to go to another building to continue. On the way they encountered a man slumped in an alleyway (the victims condition is unknown -- hurt, or drunk?).
They varied the amount of urgency they told the subjects before sending them to the other building, and the task they would do when they got there. One task was to prepare a talk about seminary jobs, and the other about the story of the Good Samaritan. In one condition they told the subject they were late for the next task, in the other they said they had a few minutes but they should head on over anyway.
In an alleyway they passed a man sitting slumped in doorway, who moaned and coughed twice as they walked by. They set up a scale of helping:
0=failed to notice victim as in need
1=perceived need but did not offer aid
2=did not stop but helped indirectly (told the aide on their arrival)
3=stopped and asked if victim needed help
4=after stopping, insisted on taking victim inside and then left him.
5=refused to leave victim, or insisted on taking him somewhere
After arrival at the 2nd research site, they had the subject give the talk and then answer a helping behavior questionnaire.
Results
The amount of "hurriness" induced in the subject had a major effect on helping behavior, but the task variable did not (even when the talk was about the Good Samaritan).
Overall 40% offered some help to the victim. In low hurry situations, 63% helped, medium hurry 45% and high hurry 10%. For helping-relevant message 53%, task relevant message 29%. There was no correlation between "religious types" and helping behavior. The only variable that showed some effect was "relgion as a quest". Of the people who helped, those who saw religion as a quest were less likely to offer substantial help than those who scored low on this statement. But later analysis revealed this may not be caused be real religious differences.
Conclusions
Ironically, a person in a hurry is less likely to help people, even if he is going to speak on the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Some literally stepped over the victim on their way to the next building!). The results seem to show that thinking about norms does not imply that one will act on them. Maybe that "ethics become a luxury as the speed of our daily lives increases". Or maybe peoples cognition was narrowed by the hurriedness and they failed to make the immediate connection of an emergency.
Many subjects who did not stop did appear aroused and anxious when the arrived at the second site. They were in a conflict between helping the victim and meeting the needs of the experimenter. Conflict rather than callousness can explain the failure to stop.
This is the famous seminary experiment about the Good Samaritans.
Previous studies have failed to find a link between personality traits and the likelihood of helping others in an emergency. However, changes in the # of people present did have a big effect on behavior.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is an interesting example. What possessed the priest and the Levite to pass by the injured man by the side of the road? Possibly they were in a hurry and were filled with busy, important thoughts. Maybe the Samaritan was in less of a hurry. Or maybe the virtues that the religious leaders espoused were not something they followed themselves (unlike the Samaritan).
The researchers had three hypotheses:
1. People thinking religious, "helping" thoughts would still be no more likely than others to offer assistance.
2. People in a hurry will be less likely to offer aid than others.
3. People who are religions in a Samaritan fashion will be more likely to help than those of a priest or Levite fashion. In other words, people who are religious for what it will gain them will be less likely than those who value religion for it's own value or are searching for meaning in life.
Procedure
The recruited seminary students for a study on religious education. First they completed personality questionnaires about their religion (to help evaluate hypothesis #3). Later they began experimental procedures in one building and then told to go to another building to continue. On the way they encountered a man slumped in an alleyway (the victims condition is unknown -- hurt, or drunk?).
They varied the amount of urgency they told the subjects before sending them to the other building, and the task they would do when they got there. One task was to prepare a talk about seminary jobs, and the other about the story of the Good Samaritan. In one condition they told the subject they were late for the next task, in the other they said they had a few minutes but they should head on over anyway.
In an alleyway they passed a man sitting slumped in doorway, who moaned and coughed twice as they walked by. They set up a scale of helping:
0=failed to notice victim as in need
1=perceived need but did not offer aid
2=did not stop but helped indirectly (told the aide on their arrival)
3=stopped and asked if victim needed help
4=after stopping, insisted on taking victim inside and then left him.
5=refused to leave victim, or insisted on taking him somewhere
After arrival at the 2nd research site, they had the subject give the talk and then answer a helping behavior questionnaire.
Results
The amount of "hurriness" induced in the subject had a major effect on helping behavior, but the task variable did not (even when the talk was about the Good Samaritan).
Overall 40% offered some help to the victim. In low hurry situations, 63% helped, medium hurry 45% and high hurry 10%. For helping-relevant message 53%, task relevant message 29%. There was no correlation between "religious types" and helping behavior. The only variable that showed some effect was "relgion as a quest". Of the people who helped, those who saw religion as a quest were less likely to offer substantial help than those who scored low on this statement. But later analysis revealed this may not be caused be real religious differences.
Conclusions
Ironically, a person in a hurry is less likely to help people, even if he is going to speak on the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Some literally stepped over the victim on their way to the next building!). The results seem to show that thinking about norms does not imply that one will act on them. Maybe that "ethics become a luxury as the speed of our daily lives increases". Or maybe peoples cognition was narrowed by the hurriedness and they failed to make the immediate connection of an emergency.
Many subjects who did not stop did appear aroused and anxious when the arrived at the second site. They were in a conflict between helping the victim and meeting the needs of the experimenter. Conflict rather than callousness can explain the failure to stop.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Howdy Fair...
Today we did the Howdy Fair at East Central University and it was a blast. H2OChurch.cc handed out a package of Ramen Noodles wrapped in a flier that had the top 5 recipes for Ramen Noodles and on the other side there was information about our church. We handed out over 400 of these bundles and connected with tons of College students, it was an awesome time. I look forward to this semester and spending more time on campus connecting with students. God is good...
Monday, August 10, 2009
One of my favorite verses...
I received this verse from YOUVERSION.COM if you have not downloaded it to your computer and/or smart phone yet do so today.
Blessings,
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Blessings,
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Last night & This morning...
LAST NIGHT:
Last night was Awesome taking the 4th - 6th grade kiddos at H2OChurch.cc to a Redhawks game in bricktown. I am a little confused I thought the Redhawks were the Rangers minor league team but it appeared they are the Red Sox minor league team... We all had a blast watching the game, eating ball park hot dogs and soo much more. Don't miss signing up your kiddo's for our next trip as we get geared up to go to the OKC ZOO and SPEND THE NIGHT... That is right I said spend the night at the OKC Zoo and take a MIDNIGHT TOUR of the Zoo. It is guaranteed to be AWESOME...
THIS MORNING:
Okay I have gotten out of shape physically and this morning I spent 1 1/2 hours in the gym lifting, running and dry heaving. This is no fun but unless I want to continue to grow until I cannot walk I have to make a choice. The same is true in our spiritual walks as well. A few months ago I was noticing that my daily time with God was feeling empty so I shifted gears and started writing the bible which I have found takes WAY longer than reading it but I retain more and get more out of it. For me this has been a big encouragement during my time in the word. I also encourage you to find ways to serve, the funny thing about serving is that no matter what you are doing the one who is impacted the most is YOU!!! SERVE...
Last night was Awesome taking the 4th - 6th grade kiddos at H2OChurch.cc to a Redhawks game in bricktown. I am a little confused I thought the Redhawks were the Rangers minor league team but it appeared they are the Red Sox minor league team... We all had a blast watching the game, eating ball park hot dogs and soo much more. Don't miss signing up your kiddo's for our next trip as we get geared up to go to the OKC ZOO and SPEND THE NIGHT... That is right I said spend the night at the OKC Zoo and take a MIDNIGHT TOUR of the Zoo. It is guaranteed to be AWESOME...
THIS MORNING:
Okay I have gotten out of shape physically and this morning I spent 1 1/2 hours in the gym lifting, running and dry heaving. This is no fun but unless I want to continue to grow until I cannot walk I have to make a choice. The same is true in our spiritual walks as well. A few months ago I was noticing that my daily time with God was feeling empty so I shifted gears and started writing the bible which I have found takes WAY longer than reading it but I retain more and get more out of it. For me this has been a big encouragement during my time in the word. I also encourage you to find ways to serve, the funny thing about serving is that no matter what you are doing the one who is impacted the most is YOU!!! SERVE...
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Moments...
I remember growing up and not having a lot, okay this is not going to be one of THOSE I walked to school 8 miles barefoot stories just hang in there. One summer my mom, aunt, brother, sister and myself went on a vacation in a truck with a bed cover. We threw a mattress in the bed and the three kids rode back there and the only air conditioning came from the front of the truck through a sliding back glass. If at any time we got caught fighting or getting too loud they would shut that glass. This would actually be similar to how they transport illegals across the boarder of Mexico. I remember getting spanked every single day for my mouth, my sister telling complete strangers that there was no adult male with us and my mom and aunt freaking out, myself jumping into a hotel pool and not knowing how to swim and sinking to the bottom where a complete stranger jumped in and saved me "I then got a spanking, my sister throwing up at Carl's Bad Caverns in the elevator "I made fun of her and got spanked", driving within 5 miles of Billy the Kids grave and my sister crying about feeling sick and TURNING AROUND AND HEADING HOME "YES I am still bitter", and so many more memories that will forever be etched in my mind. This was the most gehto vacation I have ever been on but it was the most memorable as well. So many times we get so consumed with doing what everyone else is doing no matter the cost or the amount of debt it puts us in. I know that was me and praise God he is changing that mentality in me and through the teachings of Dave Ramsey I am heading towards that moment when I scream out "I AM DEBT FREE". Memories are not determined by how much money you spend or how nice the car you took was they are made by the moments. Moments that etch into you and your child's mind forever. If you have not looked into the teachings of Dave Ramsey you have to check it out and find out where his classes are being held locally and SIGN UP. If you are in the Ada area we have three classes going and will be starting a new one in a month or so. My wife and I just finished up our 13 week class and within that time we saved and payed off above our normal payments $12,000.00. Before this class started we were living PAY CHECK to PAY CHECK and because we applied these principles, started living on a budget and sold everything including our dog we were able to something that I would have said was impossible. I am setting up a future for my kids where they start out their lives with these principles as a base for them instead of them having to try to learn it after they have been consumed by debt. If you don't do this for yourself then do it for those around you so you can be a difference maker in their lives. Don't miss out... God is Good... Peace Out...
z
z
Monday, August 3, 2009
Weekend Top Ten!
Okay here are the top ten things from this weekend...
1) A hand went up this weekend from someone saying Yes to invite Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.
2) We had and Amazing wrap up to at the Movies as Pastor Craig challenged us in an awesome way to step up in our marriages.
3) 305 people walked through our doors this weekend and there were many visitors.
4) We wrapped our Financial Peace University class that we were doing on Sunday nights and between 8 families we paid off extra and saved a total of $53,010 which is life changing. God is good...
5) We had awesome volunteers stick around to do tear down and clean up of At The Movies decorations.
6) This weekend I worked with a couple that were really struggling and they came to church for the first time in a while and the message was life changing for both of them.
7) We had Awesome volunteers show up to serve and give. I would like to give a special shout out to our Worship guys who are so STINKIN awesome. I would put them up there with my favorite worship bands and these guys have volunteered in amazing ways over the past 3 years. God is good!!!
8) My mom and dad were at church Together which may not sound like a big deal but trust me it is and I praise God for answered prayers.
9) I started a new fast from something that I feel has too big of a role in my life this weekend that will be for 40 days. I don't say that to brag I say that because I praise God for what He is doing through the ministry of LifeChurch.tv and H2OChurch.cc and if you let it sink in it will challenge you and I to do things that are bigger than just us.
10) I got to worship my Lord and Savior this weekend....
1) A hand went up this weekend from someone saying Yes to invite Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.
2) We had and Amazing wrap up to at the Movies as Pastor Craig challenged us in an awesome way to step up in our marriages.
3) 305 people walked through our doors this weekend and there were many visitors.
4) We wrapped our Financial Peace University class that we were doing on Sunday nights and between 8 families we paid off extra and saved a total of $53,010 which is life changing. God is good...
5) We had awesome volunteers stick around to do tear down and clean up of At The Movies decorations.
6) This weekend I worked with a couple that were really struggling and they came to church for the first time in a while and the message was life changing for both of them.
7) We had Awesome volunteers show up to serve and give. I would like to give a special shout out to our Worship guys who are so STINKIN awesome. I would put them up there with my favorite worship bands and these guys have volunteered in amazing ways over the past 3 years. God is good!!!
8) My mom and dad were at church Together which may not sound like a big deal but trust me it is and I praise God for answered prayers.
9) I started a new fast from something that I feel has too big of a role in my life this weekend that will be for 40 days. I don't say that to brag I say that because I praise God for what He is doing through the ministry of LifeChurch.tv and H2OChurch.cc and if you let it sink in it will challenge you and I to do things that are bigger than just us.
10) I got to worship my Lord and Savior this weekend....
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