Drew’s Blog - Drew Boswell

Choosing to be Effective by Saying “No”

This is the Swiss Army Giant by Wenger knife company. It costs $999.95. Here’s what is on this monster: (if you get tired of looking at the options just skim to the bottom) Can Opener, Corkscrew, Key Ring, Large Blade, Large Serrated Locking Blade, Magnifying Glass, Nail File, Needle Nose Pliers, Phillips Screwdriver, Reamer, Scissors, Small Blade, Toothpick, Tweezers, Wire Cutter, Wood Saw,Â 10mm Hexagonal Key for Nuts, Bit Phillips #0, Bit Phillips #2, Cap Lifter, Chain Saw Rivet Setter, Chisel-Point Reamer, Clip Point Blade, Compass, Cupped Cigar Cutter, Divot Repair Tool, Extension Tool, Fiber Optic Tooi Holder, Fine For for Watch Spring Bars, Fine Metal File, Fine Screwdriver, Fish Hook Disgorger, Fish Scaler, Flashlight, Flat Head Screwdriver Bit 0.5mm x 3.5mm, Flat Head Screwdriver Bit 0.6mm x 4.0mm, Flat Head Screwdriver Bit 1.0mm x 6.5mm, Flat/Phillips Head Screwdriver, Golf Club Groove Cleaner, Gunsight Screwdriver, Laser, Line Guide, Locking Flat Nose Pliers, Locking Screwdriver, Magnetized Recessed Bit Holder, Metal File, Metal Saw, Micro Scraper – Curved, Micro Scraper – Straight, Micro Tool Adapter, Micro Tool Holder, Nail Cleaner, Phillips Head Screwdriver 1.5mm, Phillips Head Screwdriver Bit 1, Pin Punch 0.8mm, Pin Punch 1.2mm, Pliers, Removable 4mm Curved Allen Wrench, Removable 5mm Allen Wrench, Removable Screwdriver Bit Adapter, Removable Screwdriver Bit Holder, Removable Tool For Adjusting Spokes, Removable Tool Holder, Round Needle File, Ruler, Screwdriver 0.8mm, Screwdriver 1.2mm, Screwdriver for Slotted & Phillips Head Screws, Shoe Spike Wrench, Shortix Laboratory Key, Snap Shackle, Telescopic Pointer, Tire Tread Guage, Universal Wrench, Watch Opener, and Wire Crimper.

Can you imagine trying to carry this monstrosity in your pocket, or in a case on your belt, or even tied to a sling around your neck. There is simply too much stuff on this knife for it to be practical. When was the last time you needed aÂ Fish Hook Disgorger,Â Cupped Cigar Cutter, or aÂ Watch Opener. Often times in ministry we keep adding things to what we are doing. We do it with good intentions of trying to help others, help ourselves, or the team as a whole, but our load gets heavier, and heavier, and heavier. Eventually, like the Swiss Army Giant we are trying to do too much, and are not practically good for anything. This knife is something you keep on your desk to show people when they visit. Its’ a novelty, something to laugh at because it is ridiculous.

So how do we keep this from happening in our lives?

1) Decide how many “blades” or ministry objectives that you can manage at one time and still remain “sharp” and functional. This number will vary depending upon gifting, experience, and the size of your team. The blades/tools that you choose to put in your knife will determine the direction your ministry will take. The “Telescopic Pointer” is cool, I think I will really use that one.

2) Be ruthless about getting rid of everything else. If you allow it back into your life it will only make you less and less effective in what you do. Like adding more and more “tools” to the Giant, your ministry will become more and more impractical. Do you have a “Micro Tool Holder” in your life that you need to get rid of?

3) Say no. As gracefully and tactfully as you can, say no to things that really don’t fit what you do, or where you are want to go. The “Watch Opener” really is not the right tool for me, so I am not going to allow it to be added to my ministry knife. By saying no today, you can say yes to other things, and to spending time on the things that will bless others because you are using the right tools that fit you. Just say no to the “Curved Micro Scraper” of ineffectiveness.

Now that you are streamlined, sharp, light weight, and highly functional, get out there and be a tool. Wait, let me put it another way; I tool the swiss army knife analogy too far. Get out there and make a difference!

Principle of Recycling in Ministry

It takes me about 10-15 hours to write a sermon that I would consider “decent.” That’s 15 hours invested in delivering a 30 minute sermon. It is common knowledge that most people will forget most what was said, except for perhaps one thing, one comment, one verse that resonated with them. I found this concept to be very frustrating, until I realized that if I sought to use the material in a different way, repackaged it, I could reuse the work and investment of time in multiple ways. I could prepare the message, post it on a web site where millions potentially could hear it, write devotionals from the same material, break it up for blog entries, and on and on we could go. The possibilities are limited only by my imagination.

This principle of recycling has been re-confirmed in my mind when I read Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan. The book is the printed version of his blog. He simply cut and pasted his short blog entries into a book format. He didn’t even bother to group them together or arrange them in any order. So what you get is over 200 blog entries given one after the next. It’s so simple it’s Â brilliant! There are people who may not know about his blog or even follow blogs, but they will go into a book store, see his book, and pick it up. He didn’t have to invest any time (ok, not much time) to write a book, because he had already done so with his blog entries.

Morgan says, “As that was occurring, I realized that many people, possibly those who needed it most, weren’t getting the daily jolts of strategy insights I was sharing about ministry, leadership, and life. My blog readers, including a few thousand die-hard subscribers, were having fun and engaging in the dialogue. Others, however, including many who still think blogging is a bad diesase, have been left out of the conversation.” (p. 2) There are people out there that need to hear what you have to say, and read what you were destined to write. How can you get your God given message out there in different ways?

So don’t throw anything away. Recycle it!

PS — Tony Morgan has a daily blog that deals with ministry, leadership, and his family at tonymorganlive.com

A Week of Missions at Mission Frederick

This week Summit Trace and two others churches joined together to do mission work all over Frederick county. Having just returned from vacation I was ready to get busy. Even though the churches were local (except for one from Mississippi) they decided to stay at one church and pretend as though they were away on a mission trip (kind of like a stay-cation). We shared meals together, worshipped together, and enjoyed Â each others company for three days.

I had originally intended to help with some of the VBS sites but was assigned to some construction sites instead. Whatever we do for the Lord, it is important to stay flexible. I worked with a man and three teenaged girls, where we painted, did some landscaping, and minor home repair. The weather was great, and we were able to really help some families.

What really brought my heart joy was how three different churches worked together without any concern for who was going to get “the credit,” or who was “in charge,” etc. The three churches acted as one unit whose desire was to help other people and to share God’s love. The three days ended with a carnival at a local church and many of the families who we were able to help were in attendance.

It is my prayer that this spirit of cooperation will continue in the years to come, and that this effort will grow. Next summer World Changers is coming to Frederick County and we will be able to experience this fellowship on a much larger scale. Please join me in prayer that this will grow and that many will be reached for Christ as the church works together in love.

Boswell Family Vacation 2011

A Father’s Delight

This picture was taken at Caleb and Joshua’s birthday party a few weeks ago (Caleb was about to go for his second time on the roller coaster). We were at Adventure Park for a little over three hours and had a blast. As the day went on Caleb told me that he couldn’t stop smiling. He screamed with delight riding the roller coaster, spun in the whirl-a-hurl, and was shot with water canons in the bumper boats. Â It is a wonderful feeling to know that as a parent you have orchestrated something that is truly bringing your kids happiness.

Matthew 7:7-11Â â€œAsk,Â and it will be given to you;Â seek, and you will find;knock, and it will be opened to you.Â 8Â For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.Â 9Â Or which one of you, if his son asks him forÂ bread, will give himÂ a stone?Â 10Â Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?Â 11Â If you then,Â who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more willÂ your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

I love to give my children good things, and to bring them joy. It is unlike any feeling that I have ever experienced. The Bible is true that I am evil, make mistakes, and will fail more times than I succeed. But what a joy to know that God, my (perfect) Father, delights in blessing His children with “good things.” It’s not about getting more stuff, but the relationship. God knows what you need, and He delights in giving it to you — but he desires the relationship so He requires that you ask. He does not give you what you need from afar, He delights in seeing your face, talking with you in the cool of the day, and hearing from your heart. His delight is you and your relationship with Him.

I went on the roller coaster with Caleb, I go to the beach on vacation and build sand castles, and I sit beside him in Cub Scouts. I delight in my relationship with my son (and all of my children). It brings my heart joy to know that God does the same thing (but infinitely more) when He thinks of me as His child. Â Go and spend some time with your Heavenly Father today, He is waiting with a smile on His face.