The World’s Most Influential People

One morning I was reading Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Of course this list contained what I would call “the usual suspects”: Oprah, Hillary, Barack, Leonardo, etc. However, I was struck by a number of other things such as: Osama bin Laden still being on the list after all these years The number of people of whose names I’ve never heard That President George W. Bush was left off of the list while Raul Castro (Fidel’s brother) was included The inclusion of only two leaders in the Christian faith: Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria In his book, Discovering the Leader Within You, Dr. John Maxwell defines leadership very simply: Leadership is Influence, nothing more, nothing less. If this is the case, then these 100 individuals are not simply world influencers, they’re also world leaders. And whether or not I agree with Time’s list, one thing is certain: These are very important people whom I need to be aware of because they in some measure influence the world in which I live. As we ponder the reasons these individuals made Time’s list, I ask: Are you a person of influence? What kind of influence are you for God and His Kingdom? And finally, who are the people who have influenced your life (for better or worse)? The Bible says, “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other” (Proverbs 27:17, CEV). More than likely, we will never make Time’s list. However, we all can make up our minds to accomplish something this year that will improve the lives of others for good. As usual, I invite your...
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What Men Want

The March issue of the magazine Men’s Health had an article entitled “What Makes Men Fall Love?” by David Zinczenko. Being a man who fell in love 29 years ago and is still in love after 24 years of marriage, I was curious about currently attracts my fellow males who are still involved in the pursuit of happiness. So I decided to read this article, and I discovered (according to a national Harris Interactive Poll) that “sixty percent of men deem friendship the most important thing in a relationship. Sex comes in at a skimpy eight percent.” The writer continued by stating four things a man wants in a woman. Ladies, are you ready to find out what your prince charming is in search of when he comes knocking at your door? Gentlemen, are you ready to discover what you did not know you wanted when you knock? Well, here we go: 1. Men want a woman with a passion in something other than her man. Wow! How humble! How selflessly not desiring to be the center of her universe! Sorry, I could not help myself on this one. 2. Men want a woman who has no problem with guy time. This means she needs to be ok with him spending time hanging out with his buddies from time to time. 3. Men desire a woman who has a strut. Now that’s a word I have not heard in a very long time—strut. However, this means that a man wants a woman with “attitude”, “sassiness”, “confidence”, “charisma”, “charm that shows she can be a little bold and a little daring.” Folks, I’m quoting what the article says. 4. And finally, drum roll please! Let’s open the envelope carefully. Men want a woman with a good taste in ties. In other words, he wants a woman who can provide him with a little gentle guidance in areas of life where he may not feel confident. Again, emphasis on the word “gentle”. So, ladies and gentlemen, are these the four qualities that top your lists of what you need to be to your man, or what you have to have from your woman? How do these four qualities compare to the capable woman found in Proverbs 31 (New Living Translation)? Is there really something to this list? For example, #4 resonates with verses 11 & 12, which say that “Her husband...
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Anna, Diana, and Sanjaya

Michael. Oprah. Mariah. Shaq. Diana. Tiger. Denzel. Elvis. Sanjaya. Sanjaya? They say that you’ve made the “It” list when people only have to use your first name to refer to you. “Michael” once referred to Michael Jackson, but now it refers to Michael Jordan. The others are Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Shaquille O’Neal, Princess Diana, Tiger Woods, Denzel Washington (smile, ladies!), Elvis Presley, and American Idol’s Sanjaya Malakar. This year marks the tenth year since Princess Diana’s death, and yet she’s still on our “It” list. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal (“The Summer of Diana,” April 26, 2007), at least fourteen new books on her life are set for publication this year. In his book Serious Times, Dr. James Emery White states that on the day before Princess Diana died, Mother Teresa, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, passed away. The sad fact is that Newsweek magazine dedicated forty-seven pages to cover Diana but only four to Mother Teresa, a nun destined for sainthood in the Catholic religion; the coverage proportion occurred in the rest of the media as well. Anna Nicole has been deceased two months, and yet she’s still one of the hottest news topics. Compare news coverage of her death to that of the death of former president of the United States Gerald Ford, which took place around the same time. Mother Teresa, Gerald Ford, even Elvis Presley have all accomplished something that makes them newsworthy. Princess Diana and Anna Nicole? What makes them so newsworthy? Is a woman who simply married into royalty more newsworthy than a nun who inspired 4,000 nuns to dedicate their lives to helping the poor in over ninety countries around the world? Is it more uplifting, educational, and inspiring for us to know the accomplishments of a former president or a stripper who married a ninety year-old billionaire? And what are we to make of Sanjaya Malakar? Is the news media reporting news to us, or simply telling us what should be considered news? More importantly, we must consider our young people. What is the effect of the media constantly telling them which people are to be considered important, at times offering individuals that are neither good role models nor newsworthy? How does this affect the way people think in view of the Bible, which tells us “Do not let the world around you squeeze you into...
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Virginia Tech’s Tragedy

Ryan “Stack” Clark. Paul Leone. One of these young people you’ve probably heard of already. One of them you most likely will never hear about outside of this blog. I was watching ESPN, catching up on sports news, when the announcer said, “You can hear more about the massacre at Virginia Tech University at our ABC station.” I was stunned. After hours of news coverage on this tragedy, the first face attached to a victim’s name was Ryan Clark’s. Ryan was killed during the first shootings at Ambler Johnston Hall Dorm. Like others, I discovered that Ryan was 22 years old, a member of the marching band, and a resident assistant. He was a psychology major with a 4.0 grade point average. Only one month away from graduation, Ryan probably had hopes for a long career after pursuing his PhD. And then there’s Paul Leone! Paul was a senior at my daughter’s high school. As he was enjoying the first day of a long awaited Spring break week, he was killed in a car accident. Paul was only two months from graduating. As a parent, my heart goes out to these parents regarding the loss of their sons and their seemingly unrealized potential. Whether by murder or accident, we just don’t expect to die young. We expect, and maybe even feel entitled to live out our entire life well into old age. But what if today was the unexpected last chapter and page written about your life? What have you accomplished? Have you maximized your potential? And who have you enriched or to whom have you added value? The Bible reminds us that we should regularly ask God to “teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 NLT, 1996). Could part of this tragedy be that many of us will continue to live our lives as if we are entitled to tomorrow? As usual, I invite your...
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It’s Pronounced “Blog” as in “Log!”

Welcome! My name is Brian Greene and I am the senior pastor of our church, Pentecostal Tabernacle. I am also bishop in an organization called the U.P.C.A.G. (United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God). The people attending our church simply call me Bishop Brian. The title of this post is for those who are as technologically challenged as I am. You may be wondering, “What in the world is a blog? And why would a pastor start blogging?” Well, to answer the first question, I’ll admit I had to look up what the word “blog” meant. And I discovered that “blog” is a condensed form of the phrase “web log.” Wikipedia defines blog as “a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style… Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject. The ability for readers to leave comments is an important part of most blogs.” The italicized portion of this definition is why I’ve entitled my blog I Invite Your Thoughts. There’s a lot happening in today’s world and I’m curious as to what’s really on people’s minds. What are they really thinking when it comes to the events of our day? Better yet, are people actually thinking when it comes to things that are happening all around them? You may find my blog quite different from your expectations of a minister’s blog. There’s nothing wrong with writing about “How to Get Closer to God,” but my desire in blogging is to do something different from the preaching I do during a typical Sunday morning sermon. I want to discuss subject matter that is off the beaten trail. I want to discuss things that may be important to our lives but somehow manage to fly under our radar, escaping our notice. My post next week will be about Anna Nicole Smith. I really hope that you come back to read it. And remember, after you read my posts, I invite your...
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