Mindless Rants

I received a very good book called “The Blogging Church; Sharing The Story Of Your Church Through Blogs.” The book included contributions from five of the most popular bloggers in the world. And it seems that one of the main reasons for a blog is that you have another avenue to share and for me to share right back with you. In other words, I am supposed to just go with the gut and rant on whatever is on my mind (and yours). So, 12 mindless rants (not hard for me) about Gene Scott of Celebration Community Beach Church.

1. I consider my self a servant, nothing more or less. What I want people to know about me is that I am willing to pour my life into others. My #1 goal is to show you how to get from here to there.


2. I am a Florida native (although thank goodness I have no accent). I grew up in the small gulf coastal town of Perry (famous for its pine trees and Stuckey signs)


3. Except for attending seminary in New Orleans and Atlanta, I have lived my entire life in Florida. I mean, when you are already in Florida, why go any place else! I first came to Naples as a pastor of East Naples United Methodist Church.


4. When I met Annie I knew that I had found my ideal woman. However, it took a while for Annie to say yes because she was waiting for her ideal man.


5. Some people will say (my parents) that I became a minister so that I could talk in church and get away with it. But when it came to being called by God, I knew that it was the only thing that I must do in my life. There was no option. This is my S.H.A.P.E. I accepted the call for ministry at a church youth camp one summer. I worked my way as a youth minister through college (Florida A & M and Florida State University) and served as a student pastor while earning my Master of Divinity degree from Emory University. I also have a doctorate in Ministry (but don't tell anyone, I don't want to have to wear long pants!). I was a United Methodist Pastor for a lot of years.


6. Three great sources for jokes; the Internet, your family, and the bathroom mirror. The sermon ideas come from you. I like to preach what I call ‘Readers Digest' sermons. That is why many of the sermon titles start out with ‘How to… beat worry, handle stress, etc.' The world does its best to beat you down each week. My goal is to fill you up so that you can make it through a few more days. That is why you will never hear a negative or judgmental message at Celebration church.


7. I have three great sons who are also 3 great guys. Chad, Brian, and Curt. I also have two dogs..Sheemee the Princess & Shakh the mutt.


8. I have been known to play golf once a year and enjoy saltwater fishing. My motto is, “If you will invite me to do it with you and pay for it,” that's my hobby.


9. My mother taught me to love the Bible. My father taught me to love the church. Pastor Felix Parker taught me to love the ministry and Pastor Lareby Alligood taught me to love people. Annie (my wife) has taught me to love myself. There is not a day that goes by that someone does not influence me in some positive way.


10. Other than marriage and the birth of my children, one of my great life changes was a seminar (remember I am always preaching against trying to change your life through a seminar). I drove to Atlanta Georgia to hear Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Valley Community Church. And there, for the first time, I think I truly understood what the purpose of the church was really for. I went back home, threw out every sermon I had ever preached, and began to learn the ministry once more from the ground up. Celebration Church is a result of that Purpose Driven seminar so many years ago.


11. By far, my greatest satisfaction as Pastor is to bring new people into the Kingdom of God through Salvation. I will talk 24-7 about Salvation anytime, anywhere. My next greatest satisfaction is helping people journey from ‘never be' to ‘could be' to should be' and finally ‘must be.'


12. Where I would like to see our church 5 years from now, does not involve a number. In 5 years I would like to see every member of Celebration Community Church serving as a minister…fulfilling the S.H.A.P.E. that God has given them and, in doing so, discovering real happiness, purpose, and significance in their life!