Brian Dolleman's Blog

Have you ever done the “flop your Bible down, see where it opens—and look for some incredible verse to jump out at you” Bible reading plan?

Uh… yeah, me neither.

Whether you’re out of practice, going through a dry spell, or haven’t yet figured out how to get something out of your Bible, this is for you.

The Bible is full of life, adventure, fascinating stories, and most importantly: God’s heart for you.

In fact, the Bible has one central message…

God loves you.

Maybe you’ve been missing out on what God is wanting you to hear, see, discover, learn, and take away from His Word.

Here are 3 Keys To Getting More From Your Bible:

1. Make It Fun.

Set the atmosphere. I like music playing in the background (not too loud or crazy or wordy—I don’t want the music to distract me; I want it to help set the mood). Sometimes I light a candle. A big cup of coffee is always part of my routine.

Get a Bible you can understand. I use the NLT (New Living Translation).

I also have a journal I use for taking notes when I’m studying my Bible. And I have lots of colorful pens on hand—for note taking and underlining/highlighting.

In the summer, I really enjoy reading the Bible outdoors in the morning.

Do what you’ve got to do in order to make it fun!

2. Stick To A Plan.

By plan, I don’t mean the “flop your Bible down, see where it opens—and look for some incredible verse to jump out at you” Bible reading plan.

You need an actual Bible reading plan to follow. Doing this gets you through sections of Scripture you might be missing if you just read randomly. Having a plan gives you the sense of accomplishment and getting somewhere.

Our church has a Bible reading plan online with hyperlinks to BibleGateway. It can also be accessed and read from our church’s iPhone App.

Get a plan and stick to it!

3. Search For Gold.

Think of reading your Bible as a treasure hunt—or a “Where’s Waldo?” hunt. Make it your goal to discover ONE thing (a takeaway, an insight, something you can apply to your life today) each time you read.

Psalm 119.162 says, “I rejoice at your Word as one who finds great treasure.”

When you discover the gold, make a treasure map (underline, highlight, write some notes in your journal—make it easy to get back to that verse again).

The cool thing about discovering Bible gold is that you can share it with others and its value goes up, not down, in your life. No other treasure is like that!

QUESTION: What helps you get more from your Bible? I’d love to hear what’s working for you…

Enjoy this post? You’ll want to read this one too: “Leave A Stain”

Growing up, we sat down at the table every night as a family for dinner.

We said “grace” (a prayer) before eating.

Dinner was always homemade. Often, some element of the dinner came from our garden.

And my favorite part of the story… we ALWAYS had dessert.

Yeah, I grew up Old School.

For many years, we memorized a chapter of Scripture together as a family—verse by verse, night after night.

I still have many of those verses—and even chapters—committed to memory.

My mom used a simple motivation to get us to memorize the verse of the day…

Dessert.

You didn’t get your dessert until you memorized the verse.

Dessert motivated me. I never went a night without having my dessert.

It still brings a smile to my face thinking about how my dad was usually the last one at the table, struggling to memorize the verse, and getting frustrated that everyone else had already received their dessert.

I’m thankful for my parents who taught me the importance of reading, knowing, believing, memorizing, and living God’s Word. It’s kinda Old School, I know… but so good.

I want to pass on that same high regard for God’s Word to the next generation.

There’s a verse I love in the Bible describing one man’s commitment to God’s Word:

“Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching… its truth and ways.” (Ezra 7.10 MSG)

Ezra was motivated. He committed himself to discovering God’s Word.

I don’t know, maybe he used dessert as a motivation too.

All I know is: he held God’s Word in high regard. He valued it. He devoted himself to discovering what God is saying through the written Word.

He studied it.

He lived (obeyed) it.

And he shared what he learned and lived with others.

Old School? Yes, definitely.

Worth it? Absolutely. We need it!

#1. FREE BOOK—Creating A Prodigal-Friendly Church by Jeff Lucas.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Jeff Lucas & found him to be an excellent resource. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why are we doing what we’re doing at NWLife?” this book will be of interest to you. Be the first one to comment on this blog post & I’ll send you a copy (scroll down to the bottom of this page to comment). 

#2. MORE FREE BOOKS (4 of ‘em)—The Leisure Suit Series by Tony Morgan.

OK, these are probably only going to be interesting to pastors. I’ve certainly enjoyed them. Also, Tony Morgan’s blog is worth following—especially if you’re involved in any type of church leadership. Get the Leisure Suit books HERE.

#3. DEMOGRAPHICS—Mapping the 2010 US Census by The New York Times.

Zoom in to see the population change & demographics in your county, city, and neighborhood.

#4. VIDEO—Some Awesome People That I Used To Know: Discovering Talents From Around The World.

Trust me, it’s cool & fascinating. Enjoy!

#5. PODCAST—Andy Jones Interviews Me & We Confess Top 5 Guilty Pleasures.

Go ahead—judge us. We’re embarrassed, & we deserve your laughter.

#6. Wthr—A Simpler, More Beautiful Weather App.

This isn’t free (it’s $.99), but it sure does look good. Check it out for yourself.

Check back next Friday for EVEN MORE FUN & FREE STUFF!

Did you like this post? You’d probably also like…

More Friday Fun & Free Stuff

Friday Fun & Free Stuff

Remixing an original song doesn’t always make it better.

In fact, people tend to prefer the original.

There are times when the remix actually improves upon the original.

One example of this is the Phoenix song Lisztomania. The Classixx remix version takes an already great song to another level.

What’s that? You’re not into music and you have no idea what I’m talking about?

OK. Let’s talk about cereal…

You’ve heard of Cheerios, right? Well, they’ve been remixed.

There’s Honey Nut, Apple Cinnamon, Banana Nut, Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Burst, Frosted, Fruity, Yogurt Burst, and Multi-Grain.

I love the story of the passing of the baton between prophets Elijah (Old School) and Elisha (New Era).

There’s no doubt, Elijah (Old School) was great.

Elisha (New Era) became Elijah’s assistant. He was the apprentice, an understudy.

When the time came for Elijah to “move to the next level,” he tried to ditch Elisha—not just once, but three times.

Elisha refused to let his leader and mentor out of his sight.

Finally, Elijah asks, “What do you want from me?”

Elisha, the new era leader, says, “Please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit and become your successor.”

He wanted to build on the platform and successes of his mentor.

He wanted what his leader had—and he wanted to take it to the next level.

Elisha wasn’t interested in tearing down what had already been built.

He wasn’t trying to re-invent the ministry.

He simply wanted to be blessed, endorsed, recognized, empowered, and given permission to lead…

And he wanted to take the ministry further—improve, expand, and build it.

He wanted to have a broader reach and greater impact.

For me, the lesson here is two-fold:

First—Old School leaders must recognize, love, bless, encourage, endorse, and empower the New Era leaders…

We should never be threatened or bothered by them—even when their vision sounds grandiose. The success or failure of New Era leaders is more about what the Old School leaders have (or haven’t done) than it is about the New Era leaders themselves.

Second—New School leaders must be fiercely loyal to their mentors…

Not everything in leadership is earned—rather, much is given. Never burn bridges between the Old School and the New Era. Don’t destroy the platform—build upon it. Love, honor, and respect the Old School. Remember, most of what is good in your life has been passed down to you from the Old School. Be grateful AND be driven by a huge vision. It’s your time!

Question(s) for you:

What version of Cheerios do you enjoy?

Is there a remix or cover (song) that you like even more than the original version?

When I was in high school, I dated some girl named Dawn…

For a week.

I don’t remember her last name. In fact, the only things I remember about her are: she had brown hair, she listened to metal, and she lived in Lakeridge.

That’s it—that’s all I know.

Obviously, this wasn’t a life-changing romance.

I added nothing to her life and she added nothing to mine.

My parents never met Dawn. In fact, I don’t think they even knew about her.

We spent some time hanging out together for a week and then we both moved on.

No deep commitments. Nothing shared. Nothing invested.

And no tears shed when it was over.

What I’ve just described to you is HOW MANY PEOPLE RELATE WITH THE CHURCH…

They have brief experiences, encounters, visits, and relationships with various churches.

They spend some time together for a brief period before moving on.

No deep commitments. Nothing shared. Nothing invested.

And no tears shed when it’s over.

All that remains is a distant memory.

On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve always been thankful for the example of my parents…

They were high school sweethearts and they got married young.

They’ve been married now for over 40 years.

Yes, my mom and dad are still “in love,” but all these years, they have remained faithfully committed to each other regardless of feelings or emotions. This brought much strength, security, and stability to our family. All through my growing up years, I knew that I belonged—I had a family, a refuge, a safe place, a home.

Maybe that kind of faithfulness and commitment is considered Old School today.

Old School or not, I don’t care…

It’s a hit and I want to take it forward with me.

I want my daughter to know she belongs—that she has a family, a refuge, a safe place, a home.

I want her to see her parents both “in love” and faithfully committed to each other.

Just one more thing about my parents and their Old School ways…

They still go to the same church I grew up in.

They love their church—and they are still faithfully committed to it.

They’re not just there to get something; my parents are there to serve and build and give.

Maybe that kind of faithfulness and commitment to one church is considered Old School today.

Old School or not, I don’t care…

It’s a hit and I want to take it forward with me.

I don’t want some kind of “Dawn” relationship with the church. This isn’t a “What’s in it for me?” type of fling.

I’m here because I love God’s House AND I will remain faithfully committed to it.

Faithfulness is a hit. Let’s bring it forward with us.

I recently sent out a survey to gather information from a variety of individuals.

In the survey, I explained that we’re doing a teaching series called “Old School Remix” at the church. One of the things we hope to accomplish is to honor the best parts of our past (related to church life and church people over the past 50 years).

Here is one of the survey questions:

Q. What are some of the qualities or values given to us by those who paved the way before us?

The responses were excellent. I was given some great material to work with.

There was, however, one answer I can’t stop thinking about…

Speaking of his grandparents, he said, “They were the opposite of consumers.”

The survey-respondent went on to describe how his grandparents were faithful, loyal, dedicated, devoted, committed—they volunteered and served and gave.

They were the opposite of consumers.

That quality reminds me of Nehemiah in the Bible. As he led the charge to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he said…

“I devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands.” (Nehemiah 5.16, 17)

He was the opposite of a consumer.

I was also reminded of the original old school church—from the book of Acts…

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer.” (Acts 2.42)

They were devoted. Committed. Faithful. Dedicated. They served. They gave.

They were the opposite of consumers.

We have something to learn from those who paved the way before us.

Of course we can’t get in a time machine and go back.

And that’s not the point.

We can take the best hits of the past forward with us.

We too, can be the opposite of consumers.

QUESTION:
What comes to your mind when you think of the best qualities and/or values from those who paved the way before us? What do you appreciate about your parents or grandparents or great-grandparents generation? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

It’s Friday again—so, I thought I’d share some fun & free stuff with you…

#1. FREE FACES (actually, a page of pretty cool free fonts).

I was super intrigued with the layout of this free font page. It’s not typical. Also, check out the ABOUT section for more font & typography resources.

#2. FREE BOOK—Love Does by Bob Goff.

This is currently my favorite book. I love the stories, adventure, & challenge to love God & do stuff. Be the first one to comment on this blog post & I’ll send you a copy (scroll down to the bottom of this page to comment). Also—follow Bob Goff on Twitter. You’ll be glad you did.

#3. HOLDING PEOPLE’S HAND (video).

I first saw this on Carlos Whittaker’s wildly popular blog Ragamuffin Soul. He simply titled the post “Sometimes I Think This Is How The Church Operates”. Very funny. And true.

#4. WORLD ORDER in New York (video).

I don’t even know how to explain it. I just can’t stop watching…

#5. CHANCE TO WIN (iPod Touch & iPad).

For reals. When we hit 750 “likes” on our new NWLife Facebook page, we’ll have a drawing and give away an iPod Touch. When we hit 1,000 “likes” we’re giving away an iPad. How do you get in the drawing? Just “like” NWLife on Facebook. Tell your friends too.

School is out and summer is here!

In Seattle, the sun is a precious commodity and we feel an urgency to make the most of it.

Whether or not the sun actually breaks through the clouds, here are 5 ways to have a sunny summer in Seattle:

#1
Do something you would suggest to a tourist…
Take the water taxi to Alki. Go to Pike Place Market & the original Starbucks. Have dessert in the restaurant at the Space Needle. Get a burger at Lil’ Woody’s on Capital Hill. Go to Dash Point State Park and play on the beach. Take in a Mariner’s game.

#2
Break the rules…
Stay up past your bed time. Cheat on your diet a few times. Let your kids do something they don’t normally get to. Put something different in your S’mores (Nutella or Reese’s or ________).

#3
Forget about social media…
Be so busy having fun and enjoying a sunny summer in Seattle that you don’t have time to Tweet or post updates and pictures on Facebook. Go ahead and take pictures—just save the editing and posting for a rainy day.

#4
Make a summer playlist…
Did you know Bieber has a new album out? The Smashing Pumpkins do too. Back when I had a pool, my summer playlist included lots of Bob Marley. No pool now means no Bob Marley for me. Here are a few tracks I have on my current summer playlist:

Polish Girl (Neon Indian)
Sutphin Boulevard (Blood Orange)
Triangle Waves (Teeel)
Take a Walk (Passion Pit)
Young Blood (The Naked & Famous)
Disappear (The Sound of Arrows)
We Will Become Silhouettes (The Postal Service)
So Good (B.O.B)

How about you? What songs put you in a sunny, summery mood?

#5
Buy some extra PB&J…
Our church is stepping up to help meet a need in our community. In the Kent School District alone, 16,000 underprivileged children will no longer be receiving a free lunch now that school is out. Supply levels in the local food banks are at their lowest during the summer months. We can (and will) do something about it! Here’s what we need you to do: buy some extra PB&J and bring it to the church (the smaller sized jars are best). It starts now! On Sundays in July and August, we will be throwing a party with a hot meal and free kid-friendly groceries to-go at our 5pm service. I hope you’ll be part of this new ministry!

Q. What would you add (ways to have a sunny summer in Seattle)?

My imagination can run wild with the story of the 4 guys who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus (the full story can be read in Mark chapter 2)…

What kind of a sketchy scene was it—as 4 guys hoisted a paralyzed man up on the roof of a house?

At a certain point, did the paralyzed man start begging to be put down?

Did they roll him up like a taquito in his mat? Did they use a ladder?

Was there a ring leader among them? Was there a safety nerd too?

I don’t imagine it was easy work.

In fact, I’m sure some minor injuries were sustained in the process (having just cleaned my gutters on Monday, I know what I’m talking about).

The whole thing seems like quite the escapade—but in the end, they got him to Jesus.

The man was healed, restored, and given a fresh start.

In this case, it took 4 friends to get this 1 guy to Jesus.

That’s a 4 to 1 ratio.

Sometimes it takes less, sometimes it takes more.

Helping people get to Jesus requires time, effort, multiple endeavors, and a number of people getting involved.

Are you up for some escapades?