Ascent Blog
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What is Missional Living?
March 14, 2019 • Pastor Brian Petak
Missional living is not complicated, but for many of us, it does involve a paradigm shift. We like to think of it as taking on the posture, thoughts and attitude of a missionary - right here, where we live, work and play - engaging a community and culture that in so many ways stands in contrast to the life of Christ, the ways of God, and the mission of the Church. It means embodying the Gospel in every aspect of life, everywhere we go and in every relationship.
Baseball Leadership
September 22, 2019 • Pastor Brian Petak
How a baseball is made has always intrigued me, which has led to developing Baseball Leadership as a model and philosophy of leadership. Two layers of rubber are wrapped around a core made of cork called a “pill” and then wrapped with over 300 yards of three types of wool string before finally being covered by two pieces of white cowhide and sewn together with 108 stitches of red cotton thread. The process of wrapping the wool string around the rubber-coated pill is done by machine, so the yarn remains under constant pressure. I see the process of how a baseball is made and the resulting product as a fitting illustration of this leadership philosophy and model.