The Blazing Center

Serving With Enthusiasm When I Feel Like Beetle Dung

7 July 2010

48279 Comments2010-07-07+22%3A00%3A10Stephen+Altrogge

Psalm 100:2 presents some problems for me. It reads: Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! I can serve the Lord. No problem. He says, “Lead worship”, I say, “How many songs?” It’s the gladness part that makes things difficult for me. Because most of the time I don’t feel especially [...]

Secretary’s Day!

21 April 2010

44455 CommentsSecretary%27s+Day%212010-04-21+10%3A00%3A14Mark+Altrogge

Or as it is now called Administrative Professionals Day. At our church we have the 4 greatest secretaries in the world – Kathie, Madonna, Susan and Carolyn. Here’s why they are so great. They are: Always joyful – they consistently radiate the joy of the Lord. Warm and friendly – they are wonderful representatives of [...]

I Want to Be A Celebrity

13 April 2010

438816 CommentsI+Want+to+Be+A+Celebrity2010-04-13+10%3A00%3A52Stephen+Altrogge

Okay, I’ll admit it: I want to be a celebrity. Well, sort of. I write a blog, and I want people to admire me for my cutting insight, charming wit, and penetrating analysis. I lead worship, and I want people to say things like, “He’s the awesomest worship leader ever. He leads me straight into [...]

The Cost Of Honoring

31 March 2010

432712 CommentsThe+Cost+Of+Honoring2010-03-31+10%3A00%3A55Mark+Altrogge

Sunday we attended the funeral of my wife Kristi’s mom, Charlot. Charlot lived a full 92 years, and until the last 8 months of her life had been independent and active. But a cyst in her brain gradually stole her balance, then her ability to walk, her independence, and eventually her life. Charlot had no [...]

The Power To Hand Out A Sandwich

9 September 2009

30920 CommentsThe+Power+To+Hand+Out+A+Sandwich2009-09-09+10%3A00%3A03Mark+Altrogge

Where do you serve in your church? In children’s ministry? On the sound crew? Are you a greeter or an usher? Wherever you serve, you need the power of the Holy Spirit. We can tend to think it’s only leaders who need the Spirit’s anointing. The pastor needs the Spirit’s power when he preaches, because [...]

The Woman Who Served TOO Much

14 July 2009

27725 CommentsThe+Woman+Who+Served+TOO+Much2009-07-14+10%3A00%3A53Stephen+Altrogge

Is it possible to serve too much? Our initial “Christian-who-always-went-to-Bible-school” answer is probably “no”. But Scripture seems to say otherwise. In Luke 11:38-42, Jesus is doing dinner with Martha and Mary. Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, delighting in his teaching and presence. Martha on the other hand is having a freak out party. She’s [...]

Possessed by Gold

5 February 2009

18273 CommentsPossessed+by+Gold2009-02-05+10%3A00%3A18Stephen+Altrogge

I recently read the following in “National Geographic”: Like many of his Inca ancestors, Juan Apaza is posessed by gold. Descending into an icy tunnel 17,000 feet up in the Peruvian Andes, the 44-year-old miner stuffs a wad of coca leaves into his mouth to brace himself for the inevitable hunger and fatigue. For 30 [...]

A Heroic Cup Of Tea

26 January 2009

17646 CommentsA+Heroic+Cup+Of+Tea2009-01-26+10%3A00%3A40Mark+Altrogge

On January 15, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger guided US Airlines Flight 1549 to an emergency landing in the Hudson river in New York City. All 155 people on board the plane survived and Sullenberger is being hailed as a hero. Sullenberger’s wife, Lorraine, at a homecoming celebration for the hero in their home town in California, [...]

A Hero Turns 90

12 November 2008

130214 CommentsA+Hero+Turns+902008-11-12+10%3A00%3A03Mark+Altrogge

Yesterday one of my heroes turned 90 years old. That man is my dad, Julian Altrogge. One of the reasons he’s my hero is for the way he cared for my mom. The last seven years of her life, she slowly but steadily declined with Alzheimer’s disease, until she died in 2001. Because of his [...]

Are You A Hero?

23 October 2008

11569 CommentsAre+You+A+Hero%3F2008-10-23+10%3A00%3A19Stephen+Altrogge

This Sunday I interacted with several heroes. Not the comic book kind that swing around on Spidey-ropes, let bullets ping off their chest, and speak in a low gravelly voice while flinging Bat-A-Rang’s at baddies. No, these were real heroes. My first heroic encounter occurred as I pulled into the church parking lot. Despite the [...]