In church land, there is a fine line between learning from other churches and copying them shamelessly.

Honestly, we sometimes cross that line.

There are a number of churches around the country that we follow quite closely. You can see their links under the Churches We Learn From heading on the left side of this blog. If it wasn't for what we've learned from those churches and leaders, we wouldn't be where we are as a congregation.

Learning from feels good. Copying shamelessly feels, well, cheesy.

So maybe we're learning instead to forge our own identity. Take the best of what we are learning from some other places, yet filter it through those things that make Good Shepherd uniquely Good Shepherd.

Without Limit approaches that. It adds an admittedly charismatic flavor to what is in most ways a modern, culturally sensitive congregation. I'd be surprised if any of the churches on the blog's "list" would tackle in worship the subject we'll look at in depth on Sunday: praying in tongues.

But Without Limit feels like a good fit. Like we're crafting something new, something tailored to who we are in this part of town at this time.

Who knows? Maybe some other churches and leaders will learn from us. Or copy us shamelessly.

I believe good pastoring comes from equal parts passion and compassion.

Passion for the gospel. As Paul says in Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." If you don't have that same fire and conviction for the things about which you preach, well, pastoring will be a long and empty road. If you do have that passion for the message, then every day is a new adventure as you consider inventive ways to communicate an ancient message.

Compassion for people. Matthew tells us this about Jesus: "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Again, if your heart doesn't have the same fondness for and attraction to people, then pastoring will deplete you more than replenish you. But if you can yield your spirit toward Christ, and ask his compassion to flow through you, then the ministry of compassionate presence in people's lives will be energizing.

Some days, I guess, I lean more on the side of passion than compassion. Other days, I tilt the other way.

And sometimes, I'll confess, I don't feel much of either.

Today is one of those good days. I have a balance of both.

Do you?

I'll be visiting in the hospitals later today.

Occasionally I'll hear that pastors of churches the size of Good Shepherd don't do hospital visitation anymore.

Now I don't do all of it. I share responsibilities with Rich Tuttle, our Pastor of Congregational Care, who has an anointing to do hospital work. And I don't throw that word around lightly -- he really is anointed by God to bring a caring and mature presence to anxiety-filled situations in both hospitals and funeral homes. But there are several reasons why in spite of our size and style I'm committed to the "traditional" role of the preaching pastor as a hospital visitor as well:

• The ministry of presence. The mere presence of a pastoral figure at the hospital is a reminder that God is in charge. I usually don't have any earth-shattering or life-altering words to say; however, my presence is a visual reminder of the One I represent.
• Preaching. How in the world can I speak into people's lives if I don't know the struggles they have? Hospital work allows me to get to know people on a much deeper level than the occasional "hello" in the church lobby.
• Making a big church small. I'll admit it. I like it when people are surprised that I take the time to visit. But it's all about making a large church feel more intimate. Any steps we can take to eliminate anonymity and grow community -- we'll take them.

So that's where I'll be later this afternoon. And why I'll be there.

So today we had a planning meeting to lay out the first Sunday morning message series of 2009.

And as always happens, more and better ideas emerge out of that group than I could ever come up with on my own. Those meetings are why series like Oddballs and Loved have resonated with so many of you.

But this new series in 2009 will have its very own website, a bulletin-that's-not-a-bulletin, and an invitation to the community at large to get involved in the conversation.

But I can't tell you what it's called. It's top secret. You'll know soon enough.

Just know that we pray whatever good, cool, funny ideas we come up with are simply a means to create an opening so that people can better hear the Gospel.

Creativity in the service of God. That's how it all got started, isn't it?

I'm quite fond of telling parents "'No' is a complete sentence." It gives parents a renewed sense of authority and strength.

However, I not nearly as good at realizing the same thing is true in church.

Most church leaders are like me: someone in the church has an idea for ministry, brings it to me , and even though I know it's beyond the strategic scope of what we are doing, I'll say "yes." I'll say yes for two reasons: 1 ) I don't want to quench their spirit; and 2) I don't want them to get mad at me.

Yes, I'm a chicken.

Yet the simple fact is that churches need to be saying "no" to more things. Not because we want to be spirit-quenching, negative people. But because when you say "yes" to too many ideas, you end up doing a lot of things with mediocrity.

And we're at the place where we'd rather do a few things with excellence and passion than a lot of things with mediocrity.

So we're learning to say "no" to the many things that are marginal to our mission. That way we can say an emphatic "yes" to those few things that are central to it.