Several months back, Relevant Magazine’s Neue Quarterly released the article Multi-Conversation, a three-part conversation on plurality in the Kingdom. The piece is designed to be an exploration of new trends in church development. Exploring multi-cultural, multi-generational and multi-site movements, perfectly normal church planter Earl Creps, absolute wild-man pastor Shaun King and myself all review and assess these church trending topics. Enjoy the article, and order Neue Quarterly.
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The Digital Sanctuary
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Do You Get Relevant Magazine’s Neue Quarterly?
2 Feb 2010 | 6:13 am -
Worship Leader Magazine Adds Tech Expert
15 Jan 2010 | 10:22 amWorship Leader magazine just emailed me announcing that DJ Chuang will join the company as Network Developer. Although I forgot to blog it, I got the privilege of writing for Worship Leader last summer (Cynthia Ware – Worship Leader’s Toolbox) and have been so impressed with their persistent and ongoing focus on the use of technology and it’s overlap with worship. Hiring a specific Network Developer just seems so right. DJ, who has been an amazing support to me over the years, has been at the forefront of spearheading network communications, software development, Web… -
What Your Church Can Learn From Zappos
6 Jan 2010 | 7:02 amZappos is a growing company with a unique culture, an innovative marketing style, and a brilliant reputation. Compared to most young upstart companies, it’s pretty amazing what they’ve accomplished. In 10 years Zappos has grown from “nothing” into a billion dollar industry leader, no small feat if you’re just selling shoes! When this happens in business, it’s no accident. When a company is doing this well following their launch they’re worth studying. Given, the Church is obviously not a “business” that can be governed by… -
Launch 2010 with a Digital Business Card
1 Jan 2010 | 9:20 amNeed a 10 minute project to benefit you for the rest of your 2010? How about simplifying your life by ordering a digital business card? If you’re all over the web like so many of us, why not make things easier for people looking for you online? Go green & paperless by ordering a digital business card and use it as your personal landing page for everything. Simple, super affordable, smart. It only takes about 10 minutes to order your card from ‘the man’, Sam Druegger and if you do it now, you can relax for the rest of the weekend and enjoy your New Year’s start… -
2010 Daily Bible Reading Plan for iPhone
30 Dec 2009 | 11:09 amClick here to view the embedded video. Following yesterday’s You Version post I should probably direct you to a Daily Reading Plan since it can be overwhelming to pick from so many. If I were just getting started I would use Pastor Wayne Cordiero’s “First Steps” and I know hundreds of people who have benefited from Pastor Wayne’s Bible reading & journaling plans over the years. Which reading plan do you recommend?
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Church Marketing Sucks
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Snowmageddon Cancels Church: Communicating a Crisis
8 Feb 2010 | 7:50 amby Ryan Spilhaus, Guest Blogger Welcome to Washington, D.C., the snow capital of the country. In the past month and a half, we've had two major snowstorms of over 20 inches (affectionately named "Snowpocalypse" and "Snowmageddon," respectively). Plus a smaller storm of about eight inches. For a city where it is unusual to get more than three inches of snow, having three storms of that magnitude has been unprecedented. What's more, they have all happened just in time to wreak havoc with our weekend services here at McLean Bible Church. So since Dec. 19 we've had to cancel our services three… -
Christian Advertising at the Super Bowl: Subtle & Controversial
5 Feb 2010 | 7:41 amThe commercials are by far my favorite part of the Super Bowl. The last couple of years have been pretty mediocre in terms of the million dollar ads, but I'm hoping this year is different. Where the commercials have usually been made up of beer, cavemen and the GoDaddy girls, this year is different. This year one, and maybe two, commercials have connections to the church. And they're a study in opposites. One is a blatant commercial message for a consumer product--but it has subtle spiritual overtones and you wouldn't guess a church is behind it. The other is from a Christian nonprofit and… -
The Church, Haiti and Disaster
4 Feb 2010 | 7:39 amLast week, we talked about your feelings on the way churches responded to the Haitian disaster. Us? We were beaming with pride. And dreaming of a future where the church is known for responding this way, even when there is no natural disaster to be found. Here's just a shade of what we were reading: Amid Rubble, Seeking a Refuge in Faith In Haiti's 'new era' Episcopalians around the world offer help Religious Groups Fill Haiti Government Gaps Haitians everywhere united by faith Churches Respond Grass-roots efforts were springing up everywhere. Nearly every Christian organization was offering… -
Fight Church: Mixed Martial Arts as Ministry
3 Feb 2010 | 8:08 amRecently the New York Times examined the growing practice of churches and evangelical groups creating mixed martial arts ministries. [A particular martial arts ministry] is one of a small but growing number of evangelical churches that have embraced mixed martial arts — a sport with a reputation for violence and blood that combines kickboxing, wrestling and other fighting styles — to reach and convert young men, whose church attendance has been persistently low. The article continues to discuss some of the logic and justifications behind these types of offerings. Essentially, churches are… -
Online Sermons Poll Results
3 Feb 2010 | 7:30 amKevin Finn recently gave churches the challenge to get their sermons online. And we were curious just how many of our intrepid readers were already part of churches who make materials available online. We expected a big number, and we got a pleasant surprise. 83% of you are making sermons available online. Whether you're a house church, a megachurch or anything between, this seems like a good move. It gives your folks more access to the things you believe and preach, and it allows them to stay more connected with your message. Equally pleasing? None of you are putting your sermons behind a…
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Brad Lomenick
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Interview with Scott Belsky and Michael Hyatt
9 Feb 2010 | 4:53 amThe latest edition of the Catalyst podcast features interviews with Scott Belsky and Michael Hyatt. Scott is the founder and CEO of Behance, a company that delivers products and services to help organize the creative world. Scott also founded the 99% Conference, and is the author of the soon to release book Making Ideas Happen. Michael Hyatt is the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson, and uber popular blogger, speaker, and social media expert. Listen here or download from itunes. Both Scott and Michael will be part of our Catalyst West event on April 21-23. Make plans to be there! -
What Makes a great Team?
6 Feb 2010 | 7:15 amTwo great teams are playing each other in the Superbowl on Sunday. Colts vs. Saints. There are lots of qualities that make up a great team, but thought i would point out just five that seem to be evident in these two teams. 1. Humble yet confident leader- both coaches seem to exude these two traits. 2. Skilled linchpin- Most of the time this is the quarterback for a football team. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I would consider them linchpins for the Colts and Saints, as Seth Godin has written about in his new book. Every great team has to have at… -
Coca Cola Video
5 Feb 2010 | 5:45 pmThis is a great idea. Kudos to Coke for coming up with this. Thanks to Jeff Shinabarger for the heads up. Click here to view the embedded video. -
College Football Signing Day today
3 Feb 2010 | 12:15 pmToday is signing day for College Football. I love this day. One of the most popular posts I’ve ever had here has been on College Football- the best team of the Decade. And more recent the Best College Coach of the Decade. Thousands of high school seniors across the country are signing on the dotted line with the college of their choice. Recruiting these athletes has become a year long job, and simultaneously an internet/media frenzy. Oklahoma. Texas. Florida. USC. Alabama. Ohio State. and on and on. If I’m signing today, I have two hats on the table. Oklahoma and Alabama. You can… -
10 Questions with…..me
2 Feb 2010 | 2:53 pmI don’t talk about myself much on this blog, mainly because this community/conversation exists to bring value to YOU. The Reader. Not to me. The author. But, I thought I would give you a quick snapshot of me with some rapid fire questions. Ultimately, really no value at all! But fun nonetheless. So here you go, ten questions with me: 1. First Car: 1980 Monte Carlo (green and gray upholstery interior) 2. Where did you grow up? Bristow, Oklahoma (home of the Purple Pirates! I’m not making this up). Just outside of Tulsa 3. All Time Favorite Movie: Lonesome Dove 4. Favorite Snack…
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Greg Atkinson
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Hiring Tips
8 Feb 2010 | 11:59 pmThe following post is from Herbert Cooper’s blog. Herbert Cooper is Senior Pastor of People’s Church in Oklahoma City. I thought it was worth reposting. I’m working with the staffing company he mentions (HelpStaff.me) as a consultant and strategic partner. Take a look at his tips and add your own in the comment section. _________________________________________________________ Over the past year, I have learned so much about hiring the right people. Here are some things that I have learned. 1. Take your time. Seriously, be patient. Don’t settle! It really is best to… -
Death Cab for Cutie Gets It
8 Feb 2010 | 12:04 amI promise (I think) this is the last one. I do have a blog prepared on a totally different subject tomorrow (leadership). The last 2 posts (Lifehouse and this one) have come from your comments. I thought your suggestions were too good to go unnoticed. In today’s video/song, one of my favorite bands, Death Cab for Cutie, ends their live concert with Transatlanticism. Thanks to Michael for reminding me of this piece of musical genius. Notice that the electric guitar plays his first soft strum at 1:50 in. The drummer sits with his arms in his lap for the first 3 minutes! At 3 and 1/2… -
Lifehouse Gets It
5 Feb 2010 | 12:40 amToday’s example of great musicianship is brought in part because of one of the comments made by Trae earlier in the week. I absolutely love this song and love using it in worship, but it had slipped my mind. Trae brought it back to my attention. This will close this week out. This is Lifehouse singing/playing “Everything” live in Amsterdam. Please notice how long the song takes to build. The band doesn’t come in strong until 4 minutes in! As Trae said, one of my friends and favorite worship leaders, Michael Bleecker of the The Village Church (where Matt Chandler is… -
Phil Collins Gets It
4 Feb 2010 | 12:10 amThe first time I realized the power of withholding the drums until just the right moment was in Phil Collins’ genius song “In The Air Tonight”. That’s when I “got it”. The following is a video of him playing this live in his Farewell Tour (I have this DVD – because Phil Collins is a musical hero to me). You know you love it! Is there anything cooler than when the drums kick in? I hope the point is getting across. Let music build. Let it grow. Let it breathe. Leave space. Know when NOT to play. The musicians and bands that I’ve featured the last… -
Coldplay Gets It
3 Feb 2010 | 12:34 amYesterday I expressed my personal opinions about music, dynamics and letting a song build. I said that the quickest way to spot an amateur player is to see him playing the whole song. A real musician knows when to not play. One of my favorite bands is Coldplay. Today I thought I’d show you Coldplay playing “Fix You” (one of my favorite songs) Live from Tokyo. In this video, notice the bass comes in at 0:51, the guitar comes in very lightly at around 1:20 and drums come in with a driving electric guitar at about 2:44 (like yesterday almost 3 minutes into the song!) .
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churchrelevance.com
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Francis Chan on Suffering
8 Feb 2010 | 11:40 amFrancis Chan of Cornerstone Church (Simi Valley, CA) discussed suffering during Verge Conference’s 6th session. Here is what he said: Good ministry is full of suffering. Yet we are surprised when we suffer. Do not be surprised when people persecute you (1 Peter 4:12). In fact, you should be concerned if people speak too well of you because that is how the false prophets were treated. At the end of the day, it is all about the Holy Spirit and what He has called you to do. Jesus did not come to bring peace (Matthew 10 ). Blessed are you when people hate you because of Jesus (Luke 22). The… -
Dave Gibbons on Loving Your Neighbor
6 Feb 2010 | 8:13 amDave Gibbons of NewSong Church (Irvine, CA) discussed loving your neighbor during Verge Conference’s 5th session. Here is what he said: If we really break it down, the mission is clear. What is the mission: Love God and your neighbor. The problem is our definition of our neighbor. We define our neighbor in America as someone just like us. The genius and the brilliance of the church and when it becomes the most illuminous is when you love someone different from you. Embrace the theology of flow and blessing. FLOW: Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. See what God is doing. Pray… -
Jeff Vanderstelt on Living with Gospel Intentionality
6 Feb 2010 | 7:52 amJeff Vanderstelt of Soma Communities (Tacoma, WA) discussed living with gospel intentionality during Verge Conference’s 5th session. Here is what he said: We are being active for Jesus’ sake and glory. LISTEN: Part of our job is to listen well to the Word of God and the SPirit of God. We are good at talking to God but not listening to God. Scripture says where words are many, sin is not absent. CELEBRATE: In every culture there are celebrations going on. Your job as a christian is to engage in the celebration with the people. We are to bring what is lacking. BLESS: Bless your… -
John Burke on What is Really Missional
6 Feb 2010 | 7:37 amJohn Burke of Gateway Community Church (Austin, TX) discussed what is really missional during Verge Conference’s 5th session. Here is what he said: If your unchurched friends are not finding faith and becoming the church, you are not missional. You aren’t really living on the mission of Jesus. If the world is not coming to Christ, can we really say that we are part of the Body of Christ? If we are being the Body of Christ, what would it look like? Very messy. I think God could care less about our ministry efforts if we don’t have love for people. 3 Question to Ask Yourself… -
Hugh Halter on the Power of Posture
6 Feb 2010 | 7:23 amHugh Halter of Missio discussed the power of posture during Verge Conference’s 5th session. Here is what he said: Posture is about nonverbal communication. It is a powerful thing. You must be missional and incarnational. Christian leaders living in excess is a posture problem. Think about how often you have done things nonverbally that make people uninterested in Christ. People are interested in our words but often not in our posture. Incarnation causes you to go in. It is the Word became flesh. Incarnation is to be an advocate for lost people. Jesus’ defense of the woman caught…
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Evotional.com
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V Day Special
8 Feb 2010 | 10:55 amSince Primal is all about getting back to the Great Commandment which is all about love and we're coming up on Valentines Day which is all about love I thought it was a match made in heaven. We're going to share the love by doing a little V Day Special on Primal.If you need a case of books we'll hook you up with a bulk discount. We'll also include In a Pit and Wild Goose Chase in the V Day Special.Email resources@theaterchurch.com for the 411. -
Extra Mile
7 Feb 2010 | 8:55 amHuge thanks to everyone who went the extra mile to make our services happen this weekend. It was a heroic effort. From Brandt, Will and Andy who shoveled like antarctic natives to Michael and Shana who walked more than a mile through the snow to teach our kids, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you! Dave Schmidgall, one of campus pastors, drove our minivan complete with snow mohawk, to pick up our Ebenezers band. Chris Jarrell, our Kingstowne Campus Pastor, shoveled for 25 hours in a 24 hour period to dig out and get to church. And the stories go on and on. What a weekend!Sometimes… -
Webcast is Live
7 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amThis weekend is pajama Sunday @ NCC. If you are snowed in, keep your pajamas on, pour a cup of coffee, and tune into our webcast @ theaterchurch.com. Thank God for technology! We're gonna redeem it and use it! For what it's worth, last year we had webcast watchers from 160 countries and 6,611 cities.Because we have so many people that cycle through NCC--working on the hill or doing an internship or serving in the military--that we have come to view as NCCers as immediate family (those who attend one of our locations) and extended family (those who used to attend and stay connected via webcast… -
Another Schedule Update
6 Feb 2010 | 6:52 pmJust got word from manager of Georgetown Theater and they will NOT be open in the AM. That means we need to pull the plug on that service. We're down to Kingstowne and Ebenezers. Planning on regular service schedule at those two locations. -
Schedule Update
6 Feb 2010 | 5:27 pmJust wanted to share an update on our weekend service schedule. We had a great 4:30 service @ Ebenezers. Pretty funny when 63 seems like a huge attendance! We actually placed bets as a staff. I guessed 17. One of our proteges, Andy Pisciotti, guessed 55. You can tell who has the most faith on our staff. It's not me! Pretty impressed that we had that many people trudge through the snow.Can I share a thought? I have zero issues with any one who missed service because they felt like it wasn't safe to walk or drive. Totally respect that. But I also believe that sometimes God honors the extra…
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Sean Michael Lewis
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The Jesus Industry at its best
2 Feb 2010 | 11:18 amFor those of you who do not know Matthew Paul Turner, he is the most honest and in my opinion entertaining blogger you can possibly follow. Patrol Magazine a magazine style website covered an excerpt from his latest book “Hear No Evil” about how a former CCM Executive forced him to get Amy Grant to apologize for her divorce. You can read the article by clicking here Share your thoughts SML. -
The Jesus Industry
31 Jan 2010 | 10:09 amI would like to open a conversation on what you think about the world creating an industry to market Jesus. Whether we agree with it or not we have made Jesus a commercial product, selling it at Christian retailers around the world. I have asked this question before, What is different of the Jesus Industry, than any other industry? Are all products that are created right in God’s eyes? Many Churches market sermons, and other resources, and sell them for hefty fees. I guess you could call it commercializing God’s word. Where do Christians need to draw the line? We have to… -
Another Look at Consumerism in the Church
29 Jan 2010 | 1:31 pmAs we take a deeper look at Consumerism in the Church, we have to understand what exactly is meant by consumerism in our ministries. Lets start with the gospel. The gospel is clearly about a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ. And also to share that relationship with others that do not know him. So somewhere in time we became all about extravagant buildings, only allowing a certain social group to participate, and many programs that entertain fellow believers. How…..Why….What Happened….. Francis Chan in a recent magazine issue talked about what it would be like if we were stranded on a… -
The Cost of Doing Ministry
27 Jan 2010 | 1:35 pmA few weeks ago I did a post called “Change Yourself, Not the Church.” Lot’s of great feedback. One area we got a lot of heat and responses was in the section focusing on the Cost of Doing Ministry. I wanted to repost and focus in on some ways we can make the most out of our money for ministry. Are we giving enough to those who can not eat? Are we serving those in real needs? Is every dollar we are putting into our buildings worth it when people are starving? How can we make better stewardship of the tithe we are giving to God? Just a few questions to ponder. The cost of doing ministry… -
Change Yourself, Not the Church (phase_5) The Real Change
26 Jan 2010 | 1:46 pmThe Real Change So much energy is focused on what makes Church right, what can we do, that we are not doing anything to change ourselves. True innovation in the church needs to not just focus about making it better. If you look at all of the innovative churches in the country, all of them follow the same model, welcome, worship, message, announcements (in some relevant order). Yes we have moving lights, visual media, pre-fabricated worship music, and so much more, but we have to engage in real relationships. We have to fight for our communities, there is an enemy that seems to be fighting…
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djchuang.com
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Top articles shared by Christians
8 Feb 2010 | 4:29 pmA new web app called Zoecity.com launched last week that automatically lists the top articles viewed and shared by Christians (technically, re-launched.) Zoecity’s self-description is: “We track hundreds of Christian websites for the latest content.” Are you as curious as me what those 100s of Christian websites are? I got to interview Colin Wong, the CEO of Zoecity today. Watch the video interview below [powered by wetoku; pardon the echo]: My “aha” moment during the interview was this: as Zoecity.com bubbles-up the most popular content, it may or may not be the… -
live coverage from Verge Conference in Austin
2 Feb 2010 | 7:22 am2,000+ church leaders will converge in Austin this week at the sold-out VERGE missional church conference. Neil Cole describes Verge as “first of its kind in the missional church field.” I’ll be there with the Verge Social Media Team, providing live coverage via various social media channels, and the team members’ websites + blogs + networks will host on-going conversations in a distributed fashion after the event. The Verge team blog will link to all the latest — including announcement of the live video feed of main sessions. Live twitter tweets on twubs (below)… -
churches closing and pastors leaving
31 Jan 2010 | 9:10 pmQuestion >> “do u know a place to get stats on how many churches close a day, month, year etc and the same on pastors and leaders leaving ministry?” djchuang >> Good question. (And, in case you can’t tell, this question came in via a text message.) The latest research on church attendance can be found in The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson, with research based on data from 200,000+ churches. And, the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, has analysis based on interviews with 35,000+ American adults. Here’s some… -
A way to mentor like Jesus
30 Jan 2010 | 10:57 pmThanks to Chris Hornsby of Next Generation Mentoring, I got a review copy of Mentor Like Jesus, by Regi Campbell with Richard Chancy. This book lays out a very clear mentoring process to reproduce leaders of a particular type. Regi Campbell is an entrepreneural leader and knows how to get results in the marketplace. The book unpacks his value for being strategic with time, finding what works, and adapting principles from Jesus’ process of disciple-making, in order to invest in next generation leaders who have high potential to impact the world. I can see how this book will be very… -
all kinds of spiritual formation going on
28 Jan 2010 | 8:44 amFor followers of Jesus wanting a more transformational life, more people seem to be engaging in some kind of spiritual formation process. I’m finding a number of different programs and processes that are percolating in the evangelical world at large (though the concept has been around for Catholics for centuries.) Here’s a short list of ones that I’ve heard of, (mostly) in a chronological order of when I first heard of them: School of Spiritual Direction (via Larry Crabb) Renovare Dallas Willard on spiritual disciplines & formation TrueFaced (aka Leadership Catalyst)…
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Rhett Smith
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Upcoming Trip to Haiti: Nothing to Offer But Our Vulnerable Selves
3 Feb 2010 | 9:35 pmLast week I wrote about some of my initial thoughts on my upcoming trip to Haiti, and with each passing day I’m getting more and more excited, and a bit more nervous as well. One of the really exciting things is the coming together and completion of the team I will be serving with. The team is being sent out by Adventures in Missions, and is composed of Anne Jackson, Tim Schmoyer, Adam McLane, Mark Oestreicher, Seth Barnes, Jeremy Zach, Lars Rood, Clint Bokelman, Ian Robertson and myself. This is a great team of people and I’m excited to serve alongside of them in Haiti. There are… -
Can Social Media Use Be a Hindrance to Effectively Transitioning to Next Stages of Life?
1 Feb 2010 | 2:16 pm[image by Hawthorne Ave] Can social media use be a hindrance to effectively transitioning to next stages of life? I don’t know, but it’s something I’m exploring. This question was rooted in a conversation I was having a few weeks back with Lars Rood and the parents of seniors who will be heading off to college next year. What we have noticed is that some college students fail to effectively transition into college, and that one possible considerations is that social media use has hindered them from effectively being present, setting down roots in their physical community. -
Some Initial Thoughts On My Upcoming Trip to Haiti
27 Jan 2010 | 3:07 pm“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human. When we look at compassion this way, it becomes clear that something more is involved than a general kindness or tenderheartedness. It is not surprising that… -
That’s Not Who I Married: Allowing Your Spouse the Freedom to Be
21 Jan 2010 | 7:53 am[image by Adam Foster] “That’s not who I married!” It’s a response I often hear as I sit across from couples in therapy. At this point in the relationship one, or both of the spouses has become angered, disillusioned, sad (name the feeling/emotion) over what they feel is a loss of the person that they dated, became engaged to, and eventually married. They are desperately trying to get back to those early days, maybe capture those early feelings. But the fact remains that each of them has changed. It’s part of the process of growing as a person. In fact, I would… -
The Necessity of Ascent and Descent in the Male Spiritual Life (Pay Attention Spiritual Leaders!)
13 Jan 2010 | 12:37 pm[image by iwona kellie] I’ve recently been reading a really phenomenal book by Richard Rohr and Joseph Martos, The Wild Man’s Journey: Reflections on Male Spirituality. One of the things that I have continually be thinking about is the distinction the authors make between ascent (which is common in the early stages of a man’s life and dangerous in the later stages), and descent (which is required in the later stages of a man’s life). We live in a culture where ascent is favored and applauded, and descent is looked down upon with disdain often seen as weakness. When…
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MondayMorningInsight
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Aha! 40 Speakers. Free Online Conference. Register Today!
9 Feb 2010 | 5:40 amI've been working on the next iteration of online conferences for Leadership Network. And here's what we've come up with... It's called Aha! It happens for four hours on Wednesday, March 3, and will feature 40 ministry leaders that will share their Aha! moments in ministry. (You know an Aha! moment, right... when the light turns on, when you finallly hear from God, when you have a breakthrough that literally changes your life and your ministry). We've asked 40 people to share their biggest Aha! moments. You'll hear how prayer has literally changed a city. You'll hear how the… -
Are You Ordaining Every Christ Follower?
9 Feb 2010 | 5:35 amDave Ferguson, pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago, gave an passionate plea to Verge conference attendees last week: "Ordain every Christ Follower". From the Christian Post: Preaching from the New Testament, he told members of the church, "You are a royal priesthood. ... You're a priest. As a priest there's a particular people or there's a particular place that God has called you to." The Chicago pastor invited those who felt God's calling to come forward to be anointed. A couple thousand people came forward, named the people or place (neighbors, co-workers,… -
Claim: 50% of 700 Club viewers are Under the Age of 34
9 Feb 2010 | 5:26 amMore on the state of Christian/Religious television: The multiplatform approach has caught on with shows like The Uprising on The Inspiration Network. The show follows a group of professional skateboarders as they preach the Gospel in unlikely settings like skate parks, prisons and schools. “That audience is very multitask-oriented,” says John Roos, the network's senior VP of corporate communications and research. “We're trying to find a way to provide programming that [the youth] market is interested in. We've taken a multimedia approach.” Despite the embrace of… -
ChurchRater.com: How’s Your Church Doing?
9 Feb 2010 | 5:16 amFor example... here are some examples of what was written about one church. Free juice. Free coffee. Sometimes free pastries. Free internet. You know, to check your email while worshipping the Lord. It's like everyone is encouraged to consume caffeine during the so-called service, confusing the "presence of the Lord" with drugs. Leather sofas, fireplaces, a coffee-shop area with high-top glass tables. Flatscreen monitors to see what's happening inside, in case you just can't pull yourself off the sofa to make it into the so-called church. The "sanctuary" is… -
What is your Current Greatest Leadership Challenge
27 Jan 2010 | 5:57 amBrad Lomenick shares a great question: What is your current greatest leadership challenge? Brad admits that his is delegating. Mine, I think, is perfectionism. I can way overwork a project, taking 50% of my time to complete it, and an additional 50% to tweak and try to make it perfect. I admit, I don't do this in every project... just a few... but it drives me crazy, and costs me a lot of time. What's YOUR biggest current leadership challenge? What are YOU working on? Todd
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LifeChurch.tv : swerve
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Results Verses Reality
9 Feb 2010 | 2:36 amTo be increasingly effective as a person and leader, we must grow in our self-perception. Without knowing it, many people believe things about themselves that are simply not true. One of my mentors says, “People are polite. Don’t believe everything good they say about you.” Instead of simply listening to what people say (or what you believe), look at the outcomes of your efforts. Here are a few examples: If people tell you that you are a great leader; but you have extremely high turnover in your staff, maybe you’re not as great as you believe you are. If you believe you are a great… -
Self-Perception
8 Feb 2010 | 2:45 amSomeone said, “Perception is reality except for self-perception.” The first part of that statement is debatable, but the second part is unquestionably true. (Anyone who doesn’t believe it only needs to watch the tryouts of American Idol.) Accurate self-perception is extremely difficult to obtain—especially for successful leaders. Instead of becoming more aware of weaknesses and vulnerabilities, flourishing leaders can easily become increasingly blinded. One would think that success draws wise advisors. Unfortunately, the opposite is often true. The higher one rises in any… -
Guest: Vince Antonucci
5 Feb 2010 | 2:00 amToday our guest blogger is Vince Antonucci, author of “Guerrilla Lovers: How to Change the World with Revolutionary Compassion” and a great example of someone who is willing to do things that aren’t being done, to reach those who aren’t being reached. Vince is currently starting a church on the Vegas Strip, but I asked him to tell us a story from his book of when he started a church service in a bar. Here’s Vince: When we started the service in the bar, one of our people, Samantha, couldn’t help but notice the pregnant bartender. It turns out that she was an ex-stripper. … -
Do You Know a Christian Atheist?
4 Feb 2010 | 8:57 amYou might know quite a few Christian Atheists, when you think about it…they’re the people who believe in God, but live as though he doesn’t exist. In fact, you might be one yourself. Craig is a recovering Christian Atheist, and he’s just written a book to share his journey away from that life. It covers some similar ground as his Practical Atheist series, which sparked many decisions for Christ at our weekend experiences. People who had been coming to church for years realized that their relationship with God really wasn’t doing anything to change how they lived. -
The Other Side of the Betrayal
4 Feb 2010 | 2:40 amLet me say first of all that I would never recommend that anyone betray another person in any way. Yet I’ve seen how God often uses what Satan meant for harm, a betrayal, to make a relationship better on the other side. For example, I can’t count the number of times I’ve counseled a couple through an affair. Although many times this will cause an unstable marriage to break down, often times the opposite is true. When both people are truly seeking Christ, the power of forgiveness and healing overcomes the power of the evil one. Amy and I watched as a betrayed wife accepted her wayward…
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Duo Digest
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Plastic Jesus Video
8 Feb 2010 | 4:32 pmSound like anyone you know?Maybe like someone you see every morning in the mirror? -
Missional Mega-Church: A Contradiction in Terms?
6 Feb 2010 | 4:10 pmEd Stetzer and Dave Fitch square off on this question: Can a mega-church be missional? Ed Stetzer & Dave Fitch - a missional conversation Part II from Bill Kinnon on Vimeo. -
Words from a Saint with Alzheimers
4 Feb 2010 | 4:49 pmOn December 19, 2009, I taught at Saturday Morning Men's Bible Study, a group that has met at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church at 7:30am on Saturday for decades. During the prayer time, a man stood up and said that the aged gentleman sitting in wheelchair next to him was Vern Turner, and that he'd asked him to read something he had written, since Vern couldn't read it himself. None of us were expecting what came next, and it has been one of the holiest moments of the last 6 months. This is what Vern had handwritten in barely discernable script:About 19 years ago I got up in… -
What is Missional Church?: A 2-minute video explanation
2 Feb 2010 | 5:22 pmLike to use the buzz word "missional" but not really sure what it means? This simple video defines the missional church in exactly two minutes, contrasting it to the attractional model. -
Gary Hamel on Innovation in the Church
30 Jan 2010 | 10:11 amWatch Wall Street Journal's Top Business Thinker of 2009, leading innovation expert and author of "The Future of Management," Gary Hamel tackle the challenges facing the church. It's painful and promising.
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Church 2.0 - the blog
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Planning a Super Bowl Party?
18 Jan 2010 | 7:29 amChurchRelevance.com has a great article and video link from the The Church Law Group outlining some great guidelines on enjoying a Super Bowl watch party at your church while respecting copyright law.For those of you who've ever made an attempt at trying to understand copyright law, you will find these guidelines very reasonable and fair.Enjoy the game!P.S. The video also includes a great, understandable overview of what copyright and fair use are and what they affect, particularly relating to church use. -
BibleMesh
15 Jan 2010 | 5:50 amI recently was invited to be a beta tester for BibleMesh. BibleMesh is a tool developed by Redeemer City to City, an associated with Timothy Keller's Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. BibleMesh is an online interface to teach and discuss the bible, the God of the bible, and God's story revealed through the scripture. It starts each section out with a 10+ minute video explaining the over arching theme of at portion of scripture. The sections are... Creation The Patriarchs Moses Israel After the Exile Jesus The Church Then you can dig deeper by exploring specific… -
2010 Has Arrived!
1 Jan 2010 | 6:48 amHappy New Year Everyone! One thing that is synonymous with New Years is Resolutions. What resolutions are you making? May I suggest committing to a bible reading plan. YouVersion has recently rolled out reading plans of various lengths and styles. With over 20 to choose from you will be able to find one that is perfect for you. Click the picture below to get started... Have a blessed 2010! -
Christmas Online
21 Dec 2009 | 6:05 amMy friend, Tony Steward, contacted me to let me know about This Christmas presented by LifeChurch.tv. LifeChurch.tv will be hosting a whole bunch of Christmas worship experiences at Church Online this year. Church Online’s Christmas experiences are perfect for people who may be traveling, people who have friends or family who do not attend church, and anyone else who would like to join an online community for Christmas worship. The Digerati team is excited about reaching people who aren’t planning on attending church this holiday season, and they’re committed to… -
Glo. The Bible for A Digital World
19 Dec 2009 | 4:12 amGlo is the newest digital bible study tool from Zondervan. Glo is a inexpensive highly visual bible study tool for the masses. This tool does not have the depth of Greek / Hebrew tools, concordances, and commentaries that many preachers, teachers, and pastors want. However for the regular church member or small group leader this is a phenomenal resource. The Spiritual Home Base and use of Lenses are brilliant breakthroughs for a digital tool. The Spiritual Home Base tracks and reports your progress of what you have read, watched, experienced, as well as how much time you've…
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BeDeviant.com
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How to Make Sense of Suffering
8 Feb 2010 | 12:57 pm“Why do bad things happen to good people?” Or put another way, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” I was reading a book recently and the author asked the question, “Does your theology hold up in the face of the burning children at Auschwitz?” Needless to say, the question was unbelievably graphic, but he made his point. A theology that cannot accommodate preposterous suffering is no theology indeed. Why? Because we see suffering all around us, don’t we? The shortest verse in all of Scripture is John 11:35. It says, “Jesus wept.”… -
Re-Thinking Our Views
7 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amThis is a guest post by Sam Mahlstadt. Have you ever noticed some in the millennial generation are bent on bringing about change to their fields of interest, while maintaining fixed beliefs that actually work against the change they wish to see? I have a theory: We don’t actually want things to change. Seriously. Because if things change, we have to learn new systems and alter the way we work. This effects many different areas in society, but I see it especially in the church. Young, talented, entrepreneurial Christians with a desire to see the church become a creative expression of… -
Best of the Week, v.6
6 Feb 2010 | 1:00 pmHere’s a recap of the top three posts from BeDeviant.com this past week. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by the site, check out these posts and get up-to-date. These got the most traffic on the site, were shared the most, and had the most comments. Andy Stanley DVD Giveaway – Here’s How to Win – The contest is over, but you can still check out some very cool resources from Catalyst. Plus, stop on by the comments and tell us what book you’ve been enjoying lately. Claim Your Facebook Fan Page Custom URL Today – This post gets more stumbles than a drunk at closing… -
Deviant Reader Survey – We Need You
5 Feb 2010 | 7:34 amLoading… Other Posts You May Enjoy: No Related Posts -
Andy Stanley DVD Giveaway – Here’s How to Win
3 Feb 2010 | 10:59 amWinners announced at the bottom of the post Andy Stanley can flat out teach. I read Communicating for a Change in one of my seminary classes and it changed the way that I communicate. Solid. As such, we’ve partnered with the good people of Catalyst and are giving away three sets of “Systems” – a DVD teaching by Mr. Stanley himself. In the DVD, Andy explains the ways in which many systems are flawed, how to attain the behaviors you desire through a system, the components of an effective system, and biblical principles that should be integrated into every system.
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Eric Bryant - Blog
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Mark Batterson Teleseminar Tomorrow (2/9)!
8 Feb 2010 | 8:30 amTuesday, February 9th at 1:00pm Pacific (4:00pm Eastern) Guest: Mark Batterson Sign Up Here! Mark is the author of several books including, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, and his latest… Primal. Mark also serves as the Lead Pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. is on the creative team of the Origins Project. Keep your eyes out for my next newsletter to win a copy of Mark’s newest book, Primal!To sign up for my newsletter, send me an email at eric@mosaic.org with “Newsletter” as the subject. Listen to previous Conference Calls here. -
The Breathe Booklet
7 Feb 2010 | 8:39 amSome of our leaders at Mosaic created this beautiful and insightful devotional guide to help breathe life into those who go through it. Enjoy! -
“Casket” Cast and Crew Revealed
6 Feb 2010 | 12:43 pmI haven’t been this excited about a Super Bowl since the Seahawks were playing in it a few years ago! One day until we get to see whether our friends’ Doritos commercial “Casket” makes it on the air! Doritos insisted that only two people were mentioned in all of the press releases and media interviews. They kept the focus on the executive producer (Erwin McManus) and the director (Kevin T. Willson), but as soon as the voting timeframe ended, Erwin and Kevin changed the website to make sure the world knew the names of all of the amazing people who helped create… -
Pros & Cons of Life in a Hospital
5 Feb 2010 | 9:15 amThanks for all of your prayers and kind words during this back surgery adventure. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of my experience so far: Pros: Incredibly skilled nurses, anesthesiologist, & neurosurgeon have me feeling better already. The pain in my leg is gone! In the pre-op, a nurse was conducting a bunch of tests (blood pressure, temperature, etc.), told me I have great nostrils when swabbing my nose. Debbie got to stay with me while we were waiting for the surgery since our neighbors/friends Gary & Andi watched the kids. Nurses and Physical therapist have… -
My Back Surgery
4 Feb 2010 | 8:31 amToday, I am scheduled to have back surgery. Appreciate the prayers! On Dec. 31st I ended up going to the E.R. with what turned out to be sciatica caused by a herniated disk. I have been working from ever since. Last week I went to the neurosurgeon hoping to receive an epidural shot which would decrease the inflammation causing the pinched nerve. Unfortunately, the herniated disk was more severe than I realized. The herniation is 15mm long and 13mm wide. Some have surgery with a herniation of 5mm, so this is really the only way to go. Ironically, I think the herniation occurred from…
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ThePewView.com
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Linchpin.
8 Feb 2010 | 4:37 amToday I am beginning to read a new book. A book written by one of my favorite authors and leaders, Seth Godin. The book is entitled Linchpin, and it is one I hope you will consider purchasing very soon. Here are just a few small excerpts to show you why: Given the chance, you should choose to be [...] -
Eliminate Plan B.
3 Feb 2010 | 1:54 pmFor as long as I can remember, I was taught to have one. When selecting a certain field of study in school, have one. When pursuing a particular path of employment, have one. When researching a new savings or investment plan, have one. Even when it came to deciding on the woman I wanted to marry, I was taught [...] -
Resistance.
2 Feb 2010 | 5:16 amI purchased a book for my wife on yesterday; one that I had read a few years ago that I am now revisiting this month. It is called The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield – a must read for anyone who desires to accomplish anything great in their life. Pressfield throughout this book focuses his [...] -
Plan B.
1 Feb 2010 | 5:05 amNow it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you live, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of [...] -
On Tour.
29 Jan 2010 | 5:42 amReceived a call from Barnes & Noble bookstores on yesterday. One that completely rocked me and kept me up all night pacing the floor. Beginning Monday, February 15 through Saturday, April 17, I will begin my very first book tour for 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing! Can you believe it? Details of this tour [...]
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Bruce Reyes-Chow
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My life in pictures: Day 39 "mashed"
8 Feb 2010 | 8:34 pmToday's pic taken at 8:30 BG (Before Guacamole) Posted via email from brc on posterous -
Tweetable Tips for the Twitter Beginner
8 Feb 2010 | 9:51 am[image: Dust Mason]So, you have heard the crowd and have finally decided to dive into the Social Media waters known as Twitter? Good for you! Even if it turns out that twitter is not for you, at least you tried. And believe me, Twitter is NOT for everyone . . . for at its basic level Twitter is simply one more way for humanity to engage in the practice of community.Still . . . I do think it's a pretty groovy way to engage with folks and keep up with the happenings of the world, so welcome to the crazy! Below are a few things that I wish folks had told me as I began this adventure. I… -
My life in pictures: Day 38 "cookies"
7 Feb 2010 | 8:55 pmThis morning the girls decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Well done! Posted via email from brc on posterous -
My life in pictures: Day 37 "penthouse"
7 Feb 2010 | 11:57 amWe now have a relatives that live on the "Penthouse" level of a building requiring a special key and attracting endless teasing from their family. You can call it the 4th floor all you want, but when the butler comes to get us . . . just kidding, there is no butler. Posted via email from brc on posterous -
My life in pictures: Day 36 "sky"
5 Feb 2010 | 4:30 pmAfter a pretty big rainstorm, was nice to see the sun this afternoon. Posted via email from brc on posterous
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Kindle Prayers
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My mother's friend Nancy, who has cancer. May she have a miracle and recover!
9 Feb 2010 | 2:45 amMy mother's friend Nancy, who has cancer. May she have a miracle and recover and live and be healthy! Lord, show your love and power to Nancy. Amen -
A Speedy and full recovery sought
8 Feb 2010 | 5:38 pmthe return to health of Patricia A who while recovering from cancer surgery slipped into a coma. -
Please pray for my marriage of 23 yrs
8 Feb 2010 | 3:38 pmPlease pray for my marriage of 23 yrs. Please pray that my wife Bonnie chooses to reconcile our marriage and that her plans to do a divorce don't go through. My wife believes that God is telling her that I have had multiple affairs. Please pray that God reveals the truth to her. Please pray that God softens and convicts her heart and that we are able to love each other the way God's word calls us to love. My wife says she is going to church 3 times a week but the bitterness and anger I see and hear shows otherwise. My wife is befriending people who are not walking with the Lord and is… -
Praying for our nephew
8 Feb 2010 | 9:07 amMy nephew has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It's hit us all hard, but he lead the way with an attitude of "it doesn't really matter what the diagnosis is, it won't change what God is doing". He is an inspiration to us. Thank you for your continued love, prayer and support. God is good. -
Please pray for my baby
7 Feb 2010 | 4:56 pmOur latest ultrasound revealed a pooling of an abnormal amount of fluid at our baby's neck, thereby increasing our chances that he/she will have Down Syndrome. We must now wait on the results of bloodwork in order to calculate our total risk. Please pray for the bloodwork to come back completely normal... low, low risk for chromosomal abnormalities. Aside from that, I cannot calm the worry I feel over this. Please, please pray that all is well.
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Church Forward
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The Future for the Suburban Church: Poorer, Denser, Grayer, and More Diverse
3 Feb 2010 | 6:53 pmThe fastest growing area of poverty in the United States is in the suburb. The Brookings Institute released a report in January that details the change in the U.S. poor population by community type. Here’s one of many findings in their report: Between 2000 and 2008, suburbs in the country’s largest metro areas saw their poor population grow by 25 percent—almost five times faster than primary cities and well ahead of the growth seen in smaller metro areas and non-metropolitan communities. As a result, by 2008 large suburbs were home to 1.5 million more poor than their primary cities and… -
Bad Boss Pastors Who Drive You Nuts
27 Jan 2010 | 3:39 pmPastors can have two personas: one the congregation sees and one the staff sees. While the goal is to be the same person around everyone, it often does not play out. The reality is you act differently around staff you work with for hours on end each day, compared to other congregants you may see in passing once or twice a week. This dichotomy is not necessarily bad, but it can be when the pastor plays nice with the congregation while poorly leading the staff. Maltreating the staff places them in the awkward situation of not liking—or worse, detesting—the one leader the church loves. While… -
Statistical Snapshots Worth Noting
21 Jan 2010 | 10:36 amStats are like still photographs—they reveal something about a specific place and time. One of the greatest sources for stats in the United States is the Statistical Abstract, published annually. It’s been around a long time (since 1878), and it is often used as a gauge for other national studies. Robert J. Samuelson recently reported on the just-released 2010 abstract. Here are some interesting tidbits about our culture as it stands today: 76% of Americans drive to work alone. Only 10% carpool, and 5% use public transportation, while 3% percent walk to work. On average, Americans spend… -
Tracking the Millennials
3 Jan 2010 | 3:40 pmThe Pew Research Center will begin a large project in 2010 involving the millennial generation (according to them, this generation represents those born between 1981 and 2000). It’s one to watch—I’m sure many of the results will reveal important insights into the next generation. Here’s a snippet explaining their research: Generations, like people, have personalities. Their collective identities typically begin to reveal themselves when their oldest members move into their teens and twenties and begin to act upon their values, attitudes and worldviews. America’s newest… -
How Important is Religion in Your State?
28 Dec 2009 | 1:46 pmThe Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life has ranked each state according to how religious it is. While they recognize the difficulty in defining the term “religious,” they have provided four separate measures for the ranking system—the importance of religion in people’s lives, frequency of attendance at worship services, frequency of prayer, and absolute certainty of belief in God. Who’s number one? Mississippi (in every category). Second place goes to Alabama (for importance of religion). And, of course, the other Bible belt states are ranked highly as well. These rankings are…
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Confessions of a Small-Church Pastor
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The Question No One Asks: How is it with your soul?
8 Feb 2010 | 4:14 pmWeighing the soul-1875. Courtesy Harpers. We probably wouldn’t think of asking someone today, How is it with your soul?, but maybe that’s exactly what we should be doing. Of course, the question itself sounds outdated and very 19th century, certainly not the kind of question we would ask anyone in this postmodern, technological era. But our failure to ask that question may be a clue to why people are increasingly choosing to stay away from our churches. Let me explain. The Neglect of the Soul The concept of soul has fallen on hard times in our uber-scientific age. We no… -
Thinking About a DMin Program? Ask Yourself 5 Questions
7 Feb 2010 | 6:57 pmIf you have a Master of Divinity degree, you might be thinking about taking the next step academically — obtaining a doctoral level degree. If so, I’d recommend you check into a Doctor of Ministry program, a practical theology degree rooted in the practice of ministry. One advantage to DMin programs is they are designed around a working pastor’s life and do not require full-time residential study like PhD programs, so you can stay in your current ministry field while completing your degree. As a matter of fact, most DMin programs require that you have 2-3 years… -
Religion News Service Features Quote
5 Feb 2010 | 1:24 pmThe Religion News Service (RNS) picked up a quote from my article on the arrest of 10 Southern Baptist church members in Haiti. The article first appeared here, and then at EthicsDaily.com. Filed under: Church news, culture, Resources -
Small Church Issues Covered At SmallChurchPROF.com
4 Feb 2010 | 11:49 amSmallChurchPROF.com links to the best news, ideas, insights, and information relevant to small church ministry. The site features articles in eight categories of interest to small church leaders and members: Featured. These articles are the latest of the web’s ever-changing content that have application to small churches. Links to events, people, and issues that are making news or creating conversations are featured here each day. A recent feature, “What comes after contemporary worship?”, focused on a small church that was re-establishing traditional worship after 15… -
‘New Church Report’ Curates The Web for Church Leaders
3 Feb 2010 | 9:03 amIn addition to this blog, I also edit/curate articles at two other sites, NewChurchReport.com and SmallChurchPROF.com. Both of these sites consist of links to videos, articles, blog posts, and information applicable to churches. Today I’m introducing you to NewChurchReport.com, with the following from the NCR About page: NewChurchReport.com searches the internet for the best of church news, ideas, information, and inspiration. Four categories comprise the homepage of NewChurchReport.com: Spotlight: Videos, photographs, cartoons appear in the Spotlight box focusing on important…
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Prodigal Magazine
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MIKESCHAIR Interview
28 Jan 2010 | 7:27 amAs the world looks in on Christianity today, they are looking for honesty and for sincerity. Too often, what they have found is hypocrisy in those who profess to be followers of Christ. As a new generation of bands hits the forefront in Christianity today, we are seeing a transparency that has never been seen before. MIKESCHAIR is one band who is definitely not afraid to openly discuss who they are, hoping that in their journey with the Lord, others may relate and come to know Him as well. MIKESCHAIR formed while they were students at Belmont University. The Lord has opened many doors… -
Father of the Decade
10 Jan 2010 | 7:03 pmAs I began to consider this concept, I thought it would be fairly easy. After all, how many fathers are there in the world? There must be many that stand out. How much news has been reported in the last ten years? There must be great fathers among the reports. Soon after beginning my research, I realized this was going to be a difficult, if not impossible, task. There are fathers in the news alright. Recently there was Dr. Umaru Abdulmutallab, the father of Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, otherwise known as the “underpants bomber”, or the “undergarments bomber”, or… -
Parasitic Water and Toothless Smiles
11 Dec 2009 | 11:25 pmLast night I got back from Mexico. I went with a bud of mine named Josh. Josh is on staff at the same church I work at and oversees the middle school ministry. Josh will be bringing a group of soon-to-be-ninth-graders there this summer. Yikes. Please pray for him. We went there and scoped things out. Since I have spent some time in Latin America, I also went with to make sure Josh was not left to be feasted on by the Chupacabra. I also had the opportunity to visit some missionaries that our church supports and to see the ministry they are a part of. It is called Esperanza Viva, it is located… -
Complaining
10 Dec 2009 | 1:42 pmRecently I had surgery on my tongue to remove a fibrous growth and the pain and slowness of recovery has reminded me again of the importance of being grateful. I think we all complain too much and this I know about complaining: it’s a killjoy. It makes you and everybody around you unhappy. The big problem with complaining is that is a hard habit to break. I think our basic human nature is naturally negative so we tend to look at the bad things in life instead of the good. Also, it seems to me, we are conditioned by our society. Bad news makes the headlines–we are… -
Thanksgiving versus Thanks-Living
9 Dec 2009 | 2:02 pmEvery year around thanksgiving tables across the country, the children of the family get the chance to tell everyone what their thankful for. Most will mention the toys they have accrued over the years, the upcoming Christmas season, or how the weather is generally pleasant. Don’t get me wrong; it’s cute. However, when the adults get their turn to share what their thankful for, why is there so much overlap? I’ve noticed that a great deal of most adults end up still being thankful for the recent additions to their toy-chest, an upcoming donation to their name, or how the things they…
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Reaching The Online Generation
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Growing Closer to God Through Facebook Prayer
28 Jan 2010 | 6:35 amPrayer is a critical element of ministry and of movements. Whether you minister – paid or unpaid – online or offline, you need a net work of people who pray for you regularly. You need their prayers to help you resist temptation. You need their prayers to help you grow in your relationship with God. You need their prayers to help you proclaim and live the Gospel boldly and with grace. But, just as important, prayer must be part of your life as well. You need to have a relationship with God. Prayer isn’t an animistic process of saying the right words to get what we want from… -
Funerals in the Digital Age
25 Jan 2010 | 12:05 pmLast week, a 9 year-old boy from our offline church was killed in a horrible accident at school. I heard the news within hours, via Facebook. Because of social media, the whole church heard of the tragedy in a matter of hours. The next day, the church staff called me to figure out the best way to use online tools to update all the volunteers and allow everyone in the church to encourage the family and mourn the loss of this child. Eventually they asked me to develop a memorial website for the family. I knew the digital age changed everything, but I hadn’t anticipated the way it… -
Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Spritual Warfare
7 Jan 2010 | 10:35 amI received a text message from my wife while I was overseas: “Really feeling down today. Don’t know why.” Needless to say, her text caught my attention. My wife had battled depression in the past, but there were always identifiable triggers. This time it was unexpected and coincided with my overseas trip to train church planters who work in a closed country. Things didn’t add up, so I decided to activate my prayer network. I tweeted to my Christian friends: “Think my family is dealing with spiritual warfare while I’m out of town. Would appreciate prayer.”… -
Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Persecution
22 Dec 2009 | 7:58 amEvery once in awhile I like to create scenarios that require me to think about implementing Gospel planting strategies and applying tactics in new environments. This is this is the seventh of a 21 part series talking about ways to use Gospel planting strategies with online and offline tactics to catalyze Gospel Planting Movements on a University Campus. Also, these posts come from things I’ve learned from David Watson. I’m applying them to what God has called me to do. I encourage you to read David’s blog What is Persecution? Persecution is a negative response of lost people to… -
Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Authority of the Word and The Holy Spirit
15 Dec 2009 | 12:27 pmEvery once in awhile I like to create scenarios that require me to think about implementing Gospel planting strategies and applying tactics in new environments. This is this is the sixth of a 21 part series talking about ways to use Gospel planting strategies with online and offline tactics to catalyze Gospel Planting Movements on a University Campus. Other posts in this series: Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Prayer Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Scripture Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Make Disciples Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Obedience Starting Gospel Movements…
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FredMcKinnon.Com
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Sex, Lies, and Religion by Randy Elrod
8 Feb 2010 | 2:10 pmAfter hearing about the much-anticipated, controversial book for nearly a full year, Randy Elrod has officially released his book, “Sex, Lies, and Religion”. I’ve had the pleasure of spending some quality time with Randy and his wife, Chris. He’s one of those guys that you are immediately captivated by. Chris, his lovely wife and life partner is equally amazing and when you hang around them you get the idea that this is how God intended marriage to be. I got my pre-release copy of this book a couple of weeks ago and was drawn into the story from the very… -
Annual re:create Conference – Join Me
8 Feb 2010 | 5:37 amHey Everybody, I’m about to board a flight to Nashville, TN with my good friend Russ Hutto for the annual “re:create” conference. Can’t wait to make new friends and see lots of folks like … well, to list all of their names and link to their blogs would take all morning! I want to be “in the moment” as much as possible so probably will restrain myself from blogging every day and “tweeting” about every nuance. (Can I hear an “amen”!?). So, I’m going to embed the code that will allow you to view all tweets from myself… -
A Worship Recap for St. Simons Community Church #sundaysetlists
7 Feb 2010 | 8:51 amToday we’ve kicked off a new, 8-week series called “Deep Roots” at SSCC. I’m excited to get into a deep teaching where we break down God’s Word, verse by verse. Part of the creative discussions we’ve had is how we could incorporate some older creeds and songs. Today we proclaimed “The Apostles Creed” together. Now you may be in a church where this is done every Sunday but that’s not normal for us. In my nearly 3-years of serving on staff as the Worship Pastor, we’ve never recited it. Here’s how the flow of our worship… -
A Profound Truth
1 Feb 2010 | 7:33 amI’m 39 years old. I will hit 40 in November. I’ve been involved in church music since I was a kid. I’ve been on a praise team since I was in High School. I’ve been a worship leader (either as a volunteer or as paid staff) since the early 90’s. I’ve been on church staff since 1995. Yep, that’s 15 years. I am discovering a profound truth about Worship/Music Ministry. Picking songs and leading music is a very small part of what this job is really about. This job … this ministry … it’s really about: * leading people * bridging gaps *… -
Night of Worship – TONIGHT
31 Jan 2010 | 9:04 amHey Gang, Join us tonight for a “Night of Worship” at St. Simons Community Church at 6:00 PM EST. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come and worship with us. If you’re out of town, consider joining us “live” online at: www.sscclive.com Let’s join together in person and across the internet for a glorious time of worship and praise! Related posts:Tonight – All About Worship Show#sundaysetlists announcement and Night of Worship#sundaysetlists announcement and Night of Worship
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Worship Ministry Catalyst
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Weekend Review 02-0607-10 – Sunday Setlists – Worship Confessional
7 Feb 2010 | 11:00 amThis was another great weekend. We had all our top notch players on, everything went well. The biggest issue we had this weekend was in our transitions. We didn’t have any song to song transitions. They were all start & stop. Which I guess is fine, and one of the things you have to give up when all your songs are started by guitar. At least, when we’re only doing what is on the recording. Here was our Set: Let God Arise Because of Your Love Song of Hope Reading – Psalm 103 Let the Praises Ring Everlasting God Sermon Wherever He Leads I’ll go (Old hymn, my music)… -
Creativity the missing piece(s) – Part 2 – Remove the Filter
4 Feb 2010 | 9:50 pmA while back…ok, quite a while back I started writing a bit about using a creative team to plan worship services. (If you missed that article check it out here.) Well, here we are back in the saddle again. This topic among discussions of creativity is probably one of the most important and yet, one of the most overlooked. 1.) Stop saying no to ideas that don’t fit your paradigm. How many times have you shot down and idea instinctively or had one of your ideas shot down in the same manner? This is one of the biggest road blocks to creativity. You’ve probably heard this… -
Podcast is on a slight delay
4 Feb 2010 | 9:08 pmIf you have been following along on the blog, you may have noticed something I mentioned on a weekend review a while back about Kevin. In case you didn’t… Kevin& his wife had a baby a little over a week ago. Congratulations Kevin! That said, we haven’t been able to record any new episodes of the podcast in the last week or two, however, it will be coming up soon. I’m working on nailing down a couple of phone interviews to put up in the next couple of episodes of the podcast. Are you interested in being on the podcast? Do you skype? Get in touch! -
Weekend Review – 01-3031-10 – Sunday Setlists – Worship Confessional
31 Jan 2010 | 10:55 am5th weekends are awesome! Well for the way we do things anyway. We have four teams to rotate one weekend per month for most months of the year. However, now and then a month will roll around with 5 weekends in it. On those weekends I put together teams of people who don’t normally get to play together, and who are also all our best musicians. Because of this we get to do a little bit tougher music & we get to polish it a little more. This weekend was no exception. Last night had a few rough spots, which can be largely attributed to my having to cancel our midweek rehearsal, but this… -
Christian Songwriter’s Network
30 Jan 2010 | 2:23 pmI just came across this amazing resource yesterday, and absolutely must share it with you. As we’ve been going through the book “God songs” by Jimmy & Carol Owens & Paul Baloche on our podcast, this resource is extremely useful. There are a ton of great resources on the site, like songwriting tools links; songwriting resources; artist resources; etc. By far, the thing I am loving the best is the forum. They have a very extensive forum for songwriters which includes a tiered critique. (Even at the highest level of critique they are extremely friendly in their…
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Outside The Box Ministry
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Developing An Idea for a Ministry Tool and Strategy
30 Jan 2010 | 1:35 pmThe “Idea” is the first step in developing a ministry tool and strategy. You probably have a lot of ideas for new tools and strategies, but are they good ideas. I have found the key to a good idea is identifying a need that the idea can help. When it comes to ministry most individuals, churches or ministries are looking for a ministry tool or strategy to help solve a need. If you create a tool and strategy that really isn’t needed then it won’t get used. Once I was part of a team that created a CD-Rom that was complex, but very postmodern. The project took a… -
Ministry Product and Strategy Development
7 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pmThe last few years I have been involved with helping to develop a ministry tool and strategy that is being used around the world. Over the next few weeks I thought I would share some ideas that I have learned in the process. I will cover developing the idea, creating the ministry tool, testing it and promoting the ministry tool or strategy. Are there any other areas or questions you may have that you would like covered? -
Easter Outreach Ideas
21 Mar 2009 | 8:15 pmHere are some Easter outreach ideas that can be used in your church and community. Please share some of yours as well. 1. Film Festival- show films that depict the story of Jesus- His life, death and resurrection. You can find a listing of films about Jesus from the Bible Film Blog. 2. Art Exhibit- have local artists or artists in your church draw or paint pieces about Jesus’ life death and resurrection. Have an exhibit where the community can come and view the artwork and interact with the artist to hear their “story”. 3. Music concert- select musical selections and… -
The “Overflow Show” Podcast
23 Feb 2009 | 7:54 pmHere is a great resource to check out. It is called the “Overflow Show“. The Overflow show is a free 5 minute audio podcast for christians which teach us how to natuarally “overflow” into our non-Christian friends’ lives with the gospel. Each show is different and brings new and helpful ideas. Topics include: how to transition to talking about Jesus; intellectual answers to objections about our faith; and many more. From answering questions, to removing doubts, the Overflow Show seeks to give you confidence and connect you better with non-believers. You… -
International Web Focus Day for Churches
9 Feb 2009 | 7:03 pm“I recently discovered that over 500,000 of the population of my home town use the networking website Facebook,” writes a surprised computer user. Remarkably, 1.5 billion people now access the Web for a wide range of activities. A new internet service called ‘Twitter’ recently enabled eyewitnesses to pass on to thousands of other people their firsthand accounts (with pictures) of the jet that ditched in the Hudson River, well before TV and radio could tell the story. The digital world seems to change every time we blink! How can Christians use this bewildering mix of…
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Christian Web Trends Blog by OurChurch.Com
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Poll: Most websites relatively new, but does that make you happy?
9 Feb 2010 | 6:18 amIn last week’s poll most of you who responded indicated your website has been designed or redesigned relatively recently. We asked: How long has your website had its current design? Less than 6 months (33%) 6 months to a year (10%) 1-2 years (29%) 2-3 years (10%) 3-5 years (10%) More than 5 years (8%) It’s encouraging to me to see almost half of those responding have a site that is less than a year old and more than 70% have a site that is less than 2 years old. In this week’s poll we ask… Are you happy with the design of your website? It’s in the right sidebar. Go ahead and… -
Pew Study Points to Facebook as Personal Blog Killer
5 Feb 2010 | 11:26 amThe Pew Research Center released results from their latest survey of teens and young adults about their Internet, social media, and mobile phone usage. The study reveals a big shifts in the percentage of teens, young adults, and older adults who blog: 14% of online teens now blog, down from 28% in 2006 15% of young adults (18-29) now blog, down from 24% in 2007 11% of adults over the age of 29 now blog, up from 7% The drop in blogging among teens and young adults coincides with the rise in social networking. 73% of online teens use social networks, up from 55% in 2006. The report goes on to… -
Wednesday Website Weview: Christian Web Trends
3 Feb 2010 | 12:42 pmI’ve got a confession to make. For the last 3 weeks I’ve posted Wednesday Website Weviews. Each one has been a comprehensive website review providing background on the site and going into detail with opinions and suggestions concerning appearance & layout navigation & usability purpose & goals content search engine presence interactivity & social media integration Additionally, this week OurChurch.Com kicked off Website Design Month and so many of the posts here on Christian Web Trends will be about design issues. I’ve got to confess that I feel like a bit of a… -
Top 10 Signs Your Church Website Needs a Redesign
3 Feb 2010 | 7:04 amHas your church’s website had its current design for a while? You think it’s getting a little stale or outdated but not sure if really needs a redesign? Thanks to input from our Twitter followers here are the… Top 10 Signs Your Church Website Needs a Redesign 10) You’ve still got a headline on your homepage about DC Talk performing… in 2006. @WstephenAnfield 9) You still have a midi file of Amazing Grace playing on your homepage. @mzgambi 8 ) It’s worst than our website. Seriously The message from pastor is now 20 years old. @coachburk 7) You’re still… -
12 Reasons to Redesign Your Website
2 Feb 2010 | 12:12 pmOne of the questions I’m often asked is, “How do I know if my website needs to be redesigned?” Here are 12 reasons to make that move. 1) Your site looks unprofessional and is embarrassing. 2) Your organization’s mission has shifted. 3) Your communications strategy has changed. 4) Your logo/color scheme has changed. 5) Your current site isn’t integrated with social media tools. 6) People are constantly asking you were stuff is on the website because they can’t find it on their own. 7) Your site takes too long to load. 8 ) Your site is difficult or time-consuming to update or only…
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L2 Foundation
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interview with Sara Wolfgram about campus ministry
27 Jan 2010 | 7:40 amDuring Urbana 09 in St. Louis a month ago, I (DJ Chuang) interviewed Sara Wolfgram, a campus ministry staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She ministers on the campus of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In this video interview, Sara shares about becoming a woman Christian ministry leader, the unique aspects of working with Asian Americans, and the joy of working with college students: -
Tearing down walls, Building healthy churches
19 Jan 2010 | 9:09 amThe Project Antioch Team of Jeremy Yong, Jeremy Eng, and Geoff Chang have learned much from their participation in the ministry of Capitol Hill Baptist Church (Washington, DC). They describe their collaboration on this project as follows: … three friends who share a common history and love for the Chinese churches from whence we came. heard the Gospel from their preaching, were converted and discipled under their ministries, and though we are no longer attending those churches, our lives and hearts are still very much tied up with them. It is in our love for our churches that we’ve… -
Events Calendar
15 Jan 2010 | 1:06 amL2 Foundation maintains this events calendar as a public service for the Asian American community. Here are events of interest to Asian American Christian ministry leaders, marketplace leaders, and/or legacy makers: January 15-18, 2010 Hero: Epic Movement Conference (Philadelphia and San Francisco) with Drew Hyun (east coast) and Ken Fong (west coast) hosted by Epic Movement January 25-27, 2010 EM/CAARL Korean American Pastors’ Conference: “Our History and Our Gospel” (metro Washington DC) with Stephen Ro, Jeff Jue, Paul Lim, Min Chung, and more hosted by PCA MNA Korean… -
a Korean American Pastors Conference and resources
3 Dec 2009 | 5:17 pmThe MNA Korean Ministries of the Presbyterian Church in America and the Council of Asian American Reformed Leadership will be hosting this conference for Korean American English Ministry Pastors in January 2010: EM/CAARL Pastors’ Conference: “Our History and Our Gospel” January 25-27, 2010 Korean Central Presbyterian Church, Vienna, VA Conference description: Ministry can be a lonely place, and sometimes it’s hard to find a community of pastors with whom we share a common culture and theology. This year’s conference is designed for Korean-American reformed pastors by… -
Others’ Past Events
3 Dec 2009 | 11:38 amL2 Foundation maintains this events calendar as a public service for the Asian American community. 2009 Past Events by other organizations January 16-19, 2009 Epic Conference East and West Coast Epic Movement, the Asian American ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ January 26-28, 2009 2009 Korean American Pastors’ Conference (Philadelphia, PA) “A Gospel-Driven Pastor: Preaching, Leading, and Sacrificing for Christ and His Church” [pdf] with Phil Ryken, Ted Powers, Stephen Ro, Won Sang Lee hosted by Korean Ministries in the PCA February 6-8, 2009 Epic Anthology (Addison, TX)…
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Goodmanson
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Church Web Optimizer
22 Jan 2010 | 2:20 pmMonkDev is doing a soft-launch of Church Web Optimizer, what we hope is a powerful service to help local churches do ministry online. Church Website Optimization is the culmination of years worth of research into what makes an effective church web strategy. Monk is the only company to base our website optimization recommendations off of real research from thousands of churches and ministries that we serve! Our studies include the results from over 100 church websites’ analytics data and thousands of church member surveys, giving Monk a unique perspective on what makes an effective… -
Church iPhone and Mobile Phone Websites
11 Jan 2010 | 10:50 amEkklesia 360 (or if your site was designed by one of our 50 designer parters or resellers) offers an iPhone ready website for your chuch. More people have mobile phones than computers today and mobile web-ready phones are expected to grow by 50% over the next two years. It will be increasingly important for churches and ministries to offer a mobile experience to your users as it is forecast that by as soon as 2020 mobile will be the most common way people experience the Internet. View more mobile website screenshots on our Facebook page. -
GCA Church Planting Conference
8 Jan 2010 | 1:51 pmI’m going to be presenting two sessions with Timmy Brister at the GCA Church Planting Conference January 26-28th 2010 in Orlando. If you are a church planter, this is a highly valuable conference to attend. Planting in a Post Christian World: The culture is changing and therefore there new methods of church planting are required. This session will help you learn how to effectively minister in a post-Christian context. Come learn the key values of this Post-Christian generation, the idols that enslave them and effective ways to communicate the eternal and unchanging gospel message. The… -
atechagoraphobia - the fear of being without technology
4 Jan 2010 | 11:02 amSix years ago I tried to get a word in the dictionary and I want to continue to use it, as I see it as more and more a part of our future. In an always-on culture with technology a part of our every moment the idea of atechagoraphobia (at one point I had termed it Technagoraphobia) is more evident. Atechagoraphobia exists as the ‘cloud’ of online services continues to grow and the persistence of online becomes the norm, people will suffer from the fear of being in “open places w/o technology”. (Example: John never would go camping with us because he was afraid of being… -
The World: Media & Culture
24 Dec 2009 | 9:05 pmMy latest sermon at Kaleo Church, The World: Media & Culture C.J. Mahaney writes in the book Worldliness Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. Today, the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world. One of the dominant shapers of what we believe is the continuous seduction of the media. From the moment we wake up to the radio, to spending our day online and ending it in front of the TV, our affections are being shaped. In our world, 100’s of billions of dollars have been spent on media infrastructure. We are…
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Emergent Village
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speaking out for one another [7]
27 Jan 2010 | 6:30 amBy Patrick Green LifeBridge Church/ YASO Lockport, IL, USA LifeBridge Church was started in November of 2008 looking like most church plants with some nice missional language thrown into the website, literature, and sermons. Our growth started very healthy for a plant. We had middle aged couples with kids coming, we had great music, we had tithes that more than covered our bills and we were, in return, giving a good consumer experience. But the messages showed my heart and the heart of some other people in our community who knew that there was more and knew we could be more. In February of… -
Meet the Village Council
27 Jan 2010 | 6:27 am“Institutionalization… is the collective equivalent of embodying –we know we’ve learned something when it becomes a part of how we do things.” From Presence by Otto Scharmer To paraphrase Scharmer, cherishing a network of conversations with the same holistic seriousness that you do the cells of your body means intuitively forming structures. If you trace the history of Emergent Village, it is similar to your church, or a family, or even an online open source project. At first there are just a few people, and those who know each other are within two degrees of separation. As the… -
destructive theology [23]
27 Jan 2010 | 6:15 amby Drew Tatusko As I watched the swirl Pat Robertson recently created in the wake of the horrific images of death and destruction in Haiti, I could not help but recall how others have used the tea leaves of destruction to divine the will of God and God’s self-revelation. It is a refashioned image of the God of the plagues and of Sodom and Gomorrah; the same God of judgment in Revelation who uses nature and people to destroy things in order to re-assert Lordship over everything. Clearly, this kind of claim has precedent. We may remember all too well how Robertson and Jerry Falwell blamed… -
Church is here [26]
13 Jan 2010 | 9:14 pmBy Joy Schroeder Emerging Desert Cohort Mesa, AZ My deal is that I am a 40-something ‘recovering’ charismatic evangelical. I grew up in the church and spent 23 years completely sold out specifically to the Mega church experience and LOVED every minute of it, eventually finding myself in leadership roles etc. Because of a few very ugly experiences with the ‘powers that be’ I started to have questions about leadership, how money seems to be misappropriated in the church in general, the role of women, the inability for the church to truly promote reconciliation, the place of gays in the… -
Amahoro Gathering 2010
13 Jan 2010 | 9:13 pmWe at Emergent Village are excited to announce the Fourth Annual Amahoro Gathering to be held in Mombasa, Kenya on May 3-10, 2010. This gathering promises to build upon the relationships built between leaders around the globe in previous years through conversation, prayer and fellowship. The conversation this year will center on the topic of Christ, Creation and Community. The following is an excerpt from the topic summary at the Amahoro Gathering 2010 Website: Across Africa, we are blessed with many of God’s most extravagant creatures, landscapes and cultures. We also suffer piercing…
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Church Tech Matters
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The end of the 700 MHz Debate
8 Feb 2010 | 9:48 amFor 700 MHZ wireless, the end is finally near! The deadline has been set. Finally! The FCC has made official their order regarding wireless mic systems operating the the so-called 700 MHz band. As of June 12, it will be illegal to operate wireless mics in this spectrum. This has been a drama played out over more than 10 years. It’s nice just to have a firm date. There is more background on the “why” behind this decision this morning, over at TechnoPraxis if you’re interested. So, if you still have systems operating between 695 and 806 MHZ, what should you do? -
Spring National Church IT Roundtable March 11-12!
29 Jan 2010 | 12:46 pmRepublished from Jason Powell’s site. Thanks, Jason! — Church/Ministry IT staff and volunteers from across the country will descend upon Saddleback Church in warm sunny Lake Forest California to partake in 2 days of invaluable peer learning, networking and inspiration March 11-12. If you can only attend one IT conf this year, this is the one I recommend without hesitation! Regardless of your church/org size, I guarantee you’ll leave with new knowledge, new friendships and loads of inspiration. I’ve been to every National Church IT Roundtable since 2006 and I leave each one… -
Goodbye 2009, Bring on 2010
6 Jan 2010 | 9:35 amOver a year ago, I decided that Church Tech Matters had run it’s course and I felt I had given this site all I could give. I wrote this post about a month earlier and a year ago today, I posted it. I had some other ideas of how I wanted to spread my wings and had some other potential opportunities. Ultimately, a year ago today, I felt free. Kind of like ending a job or ending a relationship, this had been a long time coming and it was a huge relief to have finally reached the end. Well, as time went by, things progressed and this site was reborn into what it is today. I am so proud… -
To Stock or Not?
5 Jan 2010 | 9:42 amI posted a tweet recently and it triggered that thought process in me. The one that said “weren’t you meant to write a blog post about this?” one. So here I am. And what I want to discuss is twofold; whether we should use stock photos in church material and if so, where can we source them for free. I always like free, especially when it comes to not spending money that could be better spent on God’s kingdom. So, first things first. Should we be using stock photos in church material? As ever there are several factors to consider: How photogenic are your members? Are any… -
Social Media Overload
7 Dec 2009 | 9:48 pmIsn’t social media cool? Twitter Facebook FriendFeed Google Wave LinkedIn YouTube Flickr e-mail Many others Plus, there are so many ways to communicate one on one (or even with multiple people): Google Talk MSN Messenger Yahoo Messenger Texting Cellphone (or <gasp> home phone – I think people that still have a home phone are in the minority now) Many others At what point do we say enough is enough? Are you at that point yet? Did you reach that point long ago? Catch more on this topic here. Join the discussion at the CTM forum here. Digg This Post
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Ron Edmondson
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10 Questions with Leader Mac Lac (Seacoast)
9 Feb 2010 | 4:09 amThe team at Seacoast Church is packed with sharp people and Mac Lake is one of their best. Mac and I have never met, unless the world of social media counts. If it does we’ve met frequently. I’ve enjoyed our emails, Twitter, blog and TokBox correspondence. Mac is a deliberate and strategic thinker. I don’t know anyone currently more passionate about developing leaders than Mac Lake. You can follow Mac on Twitter HERE. Here are 10 questions with Mac Lake: 10 Questions with Mac Lake: 1. When you were growing up, is this what you thought you would be doing vocationally? If… -
CBS’s Undercover Boss: Great Motivation
8 Feb 2010 | 12:07 pmCBS’s new Undercover Boss was a great finish to a night of Super Bowl fun. I was amazed watching Larry O’Donnell, President and COO of Waste Management, as he went to work at the most menial jobs of the company he leads. He discovered there were actions from his chair that negatively impacted the people that work hard to make the company work. I applaud any leader that makes himself or herself vulnerable and opens the door to learning insights from those he or she is supposed to be leading. I’m looking forward to future episodes. In case you missed it, here is a preview. -
Monday Marriage Moment: Couple Dreaming
8 Feb 2010 | 4:19 amOne way to strengthen and protect your marriage is for the couple to share some common dreams… Saturday I started a series of posts I will do for the next several Saturdays on dream stretching. You can read that post HERE. I believe dreaming is a healthy practice, because it stretches the mind and imagination and keeps life from becoming routine or stale. I have tried to practice this principle in my marriage. Cheryl agrees with this principle also, but since I am the one better wired for dreaming, one year I gave Cheryl a set of large letters for her office that simply spelled the word… -
What To Do When Questioning Your Abilities
7 Feb 2010 | 5:47 amNext time you question your abilities to pursue your God-given vision , consider the story of Moses: Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Exodus 4:10-13 Moses was used of God… -
Saturday’s Dream Stretch: Place To Visit
6 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amFor the next few weeks, I’m going to be encouraging dream Saturdays. I have often believed that dreaming is a healthy exercise. I think God encourages big dream. How can anyone read this verse and not have their imagination do a little stretching? However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9 I believe dreams help us heal from negative emotions, stretch our imagination, and encourage us in the midst of difficult times. Sure dreams alone won’t solve the problems we…
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CONNECT
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Catalyst One Day
26 Jan 2010 | 8:16 amMany of you who read this blog frequently know that I'm a huge fan of Catalyst. [Some say borderline zealot. I prefer "passionate."]I've been making the pilgrimage to GA for six years or so and checked out the first One Day event at Mariners Church last year. In a word, wow. All of the leadership goodness & quality I've come to expect from Catalyst, packed into a more intimate, shorter setting that enabled participants to go much deeper. Last year it sold out & word on the street is that it will again, so be sure to register by THIS THURSDAY 1/28 to get the… -
The [real] Power of Social Media
21 Dec 2009 | 1:16 pmYes, Twitter is a great tool for connecting people. But what if it didn't stop there? What if it could make a positive impact to change people's lives?I had the privilege of getting to know Mark Horvath this year & he truly is a man who is using social media to make a difference. Rather than try to fit this into a tidy blog post, you'll get a better sense of his work by reading/watching one of his most recent efforts here to learn about a young mom and her 9-year-old son who found themselves homeless for the first time. Within a few hours, Mark found someone willing to help…
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Ed Stetzer
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Monday is for Missiology: The Eschatological Dimension of the Missional Church
8 Feb 2010 | 12:26 pmOver the next few months leading up to missionSHIFT, along with introducing to you to the folks who are joining us at Ridgecrest to be a part of the missional conversation, I want to make sure that we continue to trace the roots of the missional debate historically and theologically. These posts will be a continuation of my "Meanings of Missional" series that has been on hiatus for a while. Okay, since October of 2007 (grin). -
Missional Mondays: Introducing Linda Bergquist
8 Feb 2010 | 7:07 amToday I want to introduce you to Linda Bergquist. She will be speaking at the missionSHIFT conference this summer. We are also excited to have her voice as a part of framing the Missional Manifesto. Linda and her husband Eric live in San Francisco, California. She is a New Church Starting Strategist and the co-author of "Church Turned Inside Out" from Leadership Network (2009). I have known Linda (Dr. Bergquist ) for many years. When I was a professor (oh so long ago) she took several of us on a tour of the marginalized communities where God was at work in the Bay area. She has a passion for… -
Thoughts on Faith and Sports
7 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pmRight now, many of you are gathered around the TV, surrounded by bowls of dip and chips, platters of wings, and other tasty treats as you watch The Game. Are you getting your Superbowl on? Some people watch mostly for the commercials, and at least one spot has already generated a lot of controversy because of an athlete's pro-life stance in it. Most guys like sports, and Christians aren't any exception. In fact there appears to be a real influence of faith in sports, and even (for good or bad) sports in faith. There's even a new book covering the subject (with a negative view). We've all seen… -
2009 in Review: March
5 Feb 2010 | 6:01 amI'm continuing the 2009 blog in review with some highlights from March. Below we've got some good research and a lot of Andy Stanley. MARCH 2009 Preaching to the Younger Unchurched Let us begin by saying that not only is it possible to preach to the unchurched, it's quite probable you're already doing so, perhaps weekly. Just because someone has awareness of your church or has attended a service at your church does not make them churched. Consider those that show up for their annual visits on Easter and Christmas. They may have sat through the last 20 years of your holiday cantata, but that… -
Some Upcoming Seminars
3 Feb 2010 | 1:46 pmHere are some upcoming places where I will ministering in the next two weeks. Austin, TX: Verge: Missional Communities Conference (Feb. 4-6) I'm packing for the Verge: Missional Communities Conference this morning. I will be there all day tomorrow. I'm hoping to make much of God's mission with application on how we might live it out. The conference is sold out, but you can watch it live online at the site. --------------------------------------------------------- Nashville, TN: Honesty Conference (Feb. 10) Next Wednesday, I will be speaking in the Honesty Conference in Franklin, TN with Ray…
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daveferguson.org
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210 Baptized this Weekend as Followers of Jesus!
9 Feb 2010 | 5:05 amThis was a weekend at COMMUNITY that I will remember the rest of my life! Why? Because as we concluded a landmark series "Finding Your Way Back To God" we asked people to go public with their faith in baptism. We had a handful of people that were planning on being baptized. Once the offer to be baptized was given at most all COMMUNITY campuses people started coming and coming and coming. When it was all over 210 people said "yes" to Jesus in front of hundreds of friends and family and were baptized this past weekend! Wow!Shawn Williams, our COMMUNITY-Yellow Box campus pastor who… -
Catalyst 1-Day Winners: @jcardinell & @kaleoki
3 Feb 2010 | 10:02 pmWe had 67 people who left a comment explaining why they loved Chicago in hopes of winning a free ticket to Catalyst 1-Day in Chi-Town. Since I had to pick two people to give the tickets to I decided the only fair way was to let my brother Jon (who is with me in Austin here for the Verge Conference) select the winners by picking two numbers. Jon picked comment #1 which was left by J. Cardinell who said, "hey dave, I used to live in your area...i went to grad school at Wheaton and loved eating at los burritos tapatios in Downers Grove at 3 in the morning and would love a reason to do it… -
2 Tix Can Be Yours To Catalyst 1-Day in Chi-Town!
2 Feb 2010 | 9:32 pmOK, here is the scoop and you are going to love it! Catalyst 1-Day is coming to my home town, the Windy City on March 25th! And because Brad Lomenick and his gang know how to hype stuff they have given me 2 extra tickets to GIVE AWAY FOR FREE!! And that is pretty cheap, huh? Why is this a big deal? Because Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel will be speaking at Catalyst 1-Day on the topic of "Momentum" and answering the questions of "What is it?" "How do you get it?" "How do you keep it?" If that hasn't sold… -
Guerrilla Lovers Changing the World!
2 Feb 2010 | 8:56 pmThere are lots of people who claim to really love people who are far from God; but few do it. And there are lots of churches that say they want to help people find their way back to God; and far less put it into practice. But Vince Antonucci is one of those rare people that says and does it. He is also someone who has led a church that actually put it into practice. I remember the first time I was at Forefront Church in Virginia Beach, a church that Vince planted. I talked to person after person after person who once was far from God but found their way back thanks to Vince and the… -
COMMUNITY-Yorkville Moves Into New Facility
17 Jan 2010 | 8:03 pmWhile the grand opening is still a couple weeks away, our COMMUNITY-Yorkville campus moved into their new space today and it was a tremendous day! Since I was speaking at COMMUNITY-Romeoville I didn't get to be there, but I caught up with campus pastor Perry Martin and he said, "We still have some work to do, but it felt great to be in the new facility." He also told me that he thought we had already seen about a 20% jump in attendance this weekend! The grand opening is scheduled for January 31st and it should be a blast!! Over the next couple weeks we will be doing everything we can…
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tonymorganlive.com
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My Next Stops
8 Feb 2010 | 2:19 pmI’ve been working on my calendar today. Here’s where I’m going to be heading over the next several months: Launching two new coaching networks here in Atlanta and on the Web Speaking to the staff of 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia Speaking at the Velocity Conference in Cumming, Georgia Consulting with The Rock Church in Monroe, Washington Speaking at the “Killing Cockroaches Tour Stop” in Seattle (Register for free!) Consulting at Cornerstone Church in Auburn, Alabama Attending the Exponential Conference in Orlando Consulting at Brand New Church in… -
Hiring an Executive and Children’s Pastor
8 Feb 2010 | 7:34 amI’m really excited to announce two leadership openings at a church here in the Atlanta region. Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, Georgia is hiring both an executive pastor and a children’s pastor. Mountain Lake was planted by its lead pastor, Shawn Lovejoy. The church is about ten years old. It meets in a brand new facility and currently runs about 2,500 people in attendance. If you are interested in either role, please email William Vanderbloemen, my teammate at FaithSearch Partners, with questions or to submit your resume. All correspondence is kept in strict confidence. If you… -
Slides from Burkina Faso Trip
7 Feb 2010 | 3:18 pmHere are some pictures from my recent trip to Burkina Faso. I’ll post more about my experience in the coming days, but the pictures capture more than I could ever communicate in writing. Click on the button to turn on the background music if you’d prefer. Related Posts:Children at Compassion International SchoolHeading to AfricaMade it to Burkina FasoNewSpring Prepares for Local Missions Project -
Will Social Media Impact Delayed Messages?
6 Feb 2010 | 3:55 pmAs more and more churches embrace multi-site, one of the first issues that ministries have to wrestle with is whether to invest in technology to deliver messages live or to consider the cheaper (and sometimes more reliable) option of just using a DVD of the message. For those churches that choose the latter and don’t have a Saturday evening service for recording the message, that often means they’re operating on a week-delay at their remote campuses. Before folks began to embrace social media, the option of week-delay was very viable. In fact, in many respects it could be… -
Hiring a “Chief Launch Officer”
4 Feb 2010 | 7:45 amWest Ridge Church is working with other ministries to plant new churches across the world. In the coming months, we will be launching a new network to identify future church planters, train them through our school of church planting and provide financial resources to help them get started. This network will also engage existing churches to leverage the synergy of our combined experiences and to provide an ongoing relationship for church planters. Before we can do that, though, we need to find a special person. We’re trying to find the leader who will work with us and our partner…
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CatalystSpace | Catablog
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Are You Tired?
9 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amThis is a guest blog post from Alece Ronzino, check-out her blog at GrittandGlory.com As we started this new year, I became mindful of my tendency to wear myself out for all the wrong things.You see, I was reading along in Isaiah when I tripped over this phrase: "You have not wearied yourselves for Me, O Israel." I knew exactly what God was talking about. And I knew I was just as guilty as Israel was.After over eleven years in full-time ministry, I know full-well what it's like to weary myself. I've put in the ridiculously long hours. I've juggled an impossible schedule. I've reached the… -
9 Bad Boss Types
8 Feb 2010 | 9:00 amThis is a guest post from Pastor Ron Edmondson. He blogs regularly on leadership and the Church at RonEdmondson.com. Check it out! I was reflecting recently on bad bosses I have either had personally or that were in an organization in which I worked. Sadly in years past I may have played some of these roles as a boss. See if you identify with any of these: The Bully Boss: This boss beats production out of employees. Employees feel intimidated, which causes them to perform at less than capable performance levels. The Passive Boss: This boss refuses to lead employees, will not confront… -
Colorado!
8 Feb 2010 | 4:00 amThis week the Catalyst National Tour hits the Rocky Mountains! (Well, at least the Front Range :)) I will be in the greater Denver area through Saturday, February 13th, meeting with local church & community leaders so if you're in the area and would like to connect please email me ASAP! AND if you live in the Boulder area you will receive priority treatment - gotta take care of those in the land of my alma mater, GO BUFFS! (please refrain from any comments about our athletic department...we're in a "rebuilding season.") :) Stay tuned to the Catalyst Twitter for… -
Pepsi Refresh Project
5 Feb 2010 | 5:11 amThe Pepsi Refresh Project is a social network based contest (all the rage lately) where you submit your idea, people vote, you win thousands of dollars to make it happen. There are some great ideas on their site. But NOT AS GREAT AS YOURS! Go there, put up your idea, we'll all vote for it. For all you Kingdom Entrepreneurs out there, this could be a great opportunity for you! Check-it-out! -
New Catalyst Team Photos
4 Feb 2010 | 5:20 amWe want to give a GIANT THANKS to Melanie McGaughey of The Velvet Trunk Photography, for taking some AWESOME pictures of our team! Seriously, Melanie is a first class photog who traveled all the way from Nashville & spent ALL DAY with us in a million different locations, and smiled the whole time! If you need an awesome photographer, call Melanie. Check-out some of her pics: Stan (Catalyst One Day Concierge) Courtney (Brad's Assistant) Melissa (The true engine of Catalyst) Jason (Project Manager of West Coast & ONE DAYs) Sally (Marketing Guru) Brian (Production Guru) Aaron (West Coast…
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FlowerDust.net | Anne Jackson
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A Decade and an Earthquake Later
9 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amWhen I turned twenty, I was your typical former pastor’s kid living in rebellion – alcohol, clubs, bands, and a peer group nobody’s parents would approve of. Two months before my twentieth birthday, I had just ended a long term relationship – a month before we were supposed to get married. It was rough. I remember returning home the night of my twentieth birthday after having friends visiting throughout the week. My apartment door was wide open and nobody was inside. Littered on the floor were liquor bottles and pizza boxes. It took me three trips to the shared… -
The Fear of the Disciples and The Fear of Me
8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am“Follow me.” As I read through the Scriptures, whenever Jesus said “follow me” there was never any itinerary. He never said, “Follow me, and we’ll be staying at Martha’s house. She’ll make us a killer pot roast.” He never said, “Follow me, and I promise you won’t get sick or be hurt.” He never said, “Follow me, and we’ll be gone for a week, come back for a few days to do laundry and get our feet washed, and then we’ll set out again for another week.” He simply said… “Follow me.”… -
How Can I Pray for You?
5 Feb 2010 | 8:48 amSometimes, when my writer’s brain is empty and there aren’t blog posts streaming from my fingers, I take that as a sign that I need to shut up a little bit and reflect and refill. As I take some time to do that over the next few days, how can I pray for – or celebrate – with you? Feel free to leave your requests in the comments section or pass this along to a friend you know who might need some encouragement and prayer from others. Let’s have this weekend be a little more intentional – a little more focused – on carrying each others’ burdens and… -
When’s the Last Time You…
4 Feb 2010 | 4:54 pmI have been a vocal opponent of the iPhone since it came out. I’ve been a Blackberry girl since before you were born. I swore I’d never get an iPhone. Ever. Then a friend gave me one. Free. So…I tried it for a few months, and we didn’t like each other. And AT&T…well, as they say – there’s a map for that. I broke my contract (rejoicing!) and moved over to Sprint. The iPhone went to South Africa I got a Palm Pre. And, I didn’t like it. The battery lasted 45 seconds. So, taking advantage of the 30-day swap policy, I went back to a Blackberry. -
What’s Your “One Thing?”
4 Feb 2010 | 9:28 amWhat’s the one thing in your life that God’s asking you to get rid of? That one habit? That one character trait? That one dream — that may be yours — but isn’t his? My one thing is getting my way. I like having things go my way. Like my cell phone should work internationally and my mail should be here on time and the person behind the counter should be nice and I should be able to eat cupcakes every day without gaining weight. I think that’s called entitlement. It must break. So… What is your one thing? Related posts:one thing i have learned today:…
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Ragamuffin Soul
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She Left Me For an 80 Year Old Amish Man
8 Feb 2010 | 12:12 pmI don’t get it. OK. Well maybe I do. My wife has this UNREAL fascination with the Amish community. She reads books about them, watches movies about them. MAKES FRIENDS with them. She has this friend named Danny. Danny is the leader of his Amish community about 45 miles outside Nashville. It started so innocently… Then we bought a bench from him…in which he mailed us a handwritten letter when it was done. Then they became pen pals. Now…when most people go to the Amish community to drive by the houses and stare…they are likely to see my wife in the window sipping… -
Rain It Down // Song Story
7 Feb 2010 | 5:47 pmMore song stories soon… Los -
Leather Jacker, Lollipop, No Nap
5 Feb 2010 | 5:54 pmThe cover of my EP was more of an accident than anything. Me and Lil Los went down to the tunnel for a few minutes. I know I’ve put these up before but with so many new peeps around I thought I’d share again. Leather Jacket… Lollipop… No Nap… Perfect Shots… Los -
Worship Leaders…Stop Leading In Front Of And Start Leading Beside Of
4 Feb 2010 | 11:30 amI remember a Sunday at Sandals when JC’s Girls had had an outreach the night before. JC’s Girls was an outreach my wife was a part of to the sex industry/strippers/porn stars/ect. of Los Angeles. I remember walking up to the mic…starting the song…looking down… Breasts… Cleavage… Legs… All over the first 2 rows. Scattered like confetti. Apparently the outreach was a smashing success. And suddenly I forgot every word to the first song we sang. “Look up”, I thought. “Just look up”. Every trick from Every Man’s Battle… -
What Are You Most Frustrated About Right Now?
3 Feb 2010 | 7:28 pmPlease Share… Los
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Tall Skinny Kiwi
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Mountains of North Africa
6 Feb 2010 | 10:49 amWow! Nearly two weeks without blogging. We are fine. We have been part of a convoy of 18 people from all over Europe, traveling through the mountains of Africa with our possessions on donkeys led by Berbers. Stories and photos to come when i find a wifi signal. Until then, prace. -
Africa
26 Jan 2010 | 9:49 amOk - I feel a blogging break coming on. We are driving through Africa and wifi will be a little scarce, I presume. I will do my best to keep up. Anyway, appreciate prayers for us during our journeys. Ta! -
Redeemer City to City and Missional Stuff
26 Jan 2010 | 9:37 amRedeemer City to City is the new name and new look for Redeemer's Church Planting Center. Check out the new web site. What you may not know is that one of the many wonderful people that have featured on my blog for the last . . . shoot . . almost a decade . . . is the incredible and hairless Sasa Flek from Prague, Czech Republic. Sasa, who was the "scribe in our basement" when we lived in Prague has now completed his Bible translation into Czech and is setting up an apostolic base [if i can call it that] in Prague. And more to the point, Sasa is now officially connected to Redeemers family of… -
Al Mohler Tops the Religion Blogs
24 Jan 2010 | 1:01 amDr Albert Mohler is a big man on radio, behind the pulpit, in the classroom, in the biggest office of one of the biggest Seminaries in the world, and also on the blogosphere. In fact he has just topped the blogosphere with the leading religion blog according to Technorati rankings. I know this because I am running right behind him at number 2. Al Mohler deserves to be on top. He writes good content and a lot of people read it. Christianity Today called Al Mohler the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.” And of course a lot of people link to his content which is… -
After Haiti: What to Say, Sing or Show in Church
23 Jan 2010 | 3:16 amSome of you are figuring out what to sing, show or speak about at church tomorrow, in light of the Haiti earthquake. Here are some resources. VIDEO Pray for Haiti is a video you can download and play at your church gathering on Sunday. Its free and they guy behind it is my old VJ friend Travis Reed. You might remember he and some friends started a fantastic resource company called Highway Video and then went on to do The Work of the People. He was the guy behind the video on "Please Dont Make Us Sing This Song" which a lot of churches used immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Check out this…
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Dan Kimball: Vintage Faith
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First 2 days in S. Korea
7 Feb 2010 | 6:38 pmI am in Seoul, South Korea for a couple of days. Yesterday I spoke at Young Nak Presbyterian Church. That church is a very large and historical church in Seoul. They were extremely gracious to show me around and I... -
Mark Oestreicher is a hero of youth ministry
27 Jan 2010 | 1:43 amI have been friend with Marko for... ten years I think...... something like that. Mark was president of Youth Specialties for many years. But Marko was in the area speaking at a youth conference and he drove into Santa Cruz... -
Wheaton College and positive things about The Emerging Church
22 Jan 2010 | 12:05 pmJust got back from a really great time at Wheaton College. I was there for a 2 day event put on by the Christian Ethics Center. They called the event "The Emerging Church: What Do I Really Know?" I don't... -
Origins update, heading to Wheaton College and what Marko thinks I will look like in 20 years
16 Jan 2010 | 3:56 pmWe had a 2 day Origins planning meeting in Los Angeles that I just got back from last night. Launching what will be a global network is a fascinating experience. It may feel like it is taking a long time... -
World Vision and Haiti
15 Jan 2010 | 12:32 pmVintage Faith Church is directing our local church to support World Vision humanitarian relief efforts. Their website is here. They are posting regular updates on relief efforts happening there. I'm currently reading World Vision's president's book "A Hole In Our...
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www.markdroberts.com
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Proof That Even Brilliant Professors Can Lack Common Sense?!?
9 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amLast week I visited one of the leading universities in the United States. It is especially famous for its outstanding research faculty. Academic brilliance flourishes in this place. I was meeting with a member of that faculty, and spent a few hours in his office. On his floor were a couple dozen colleagues in his field. When I went to use the men’s restroom, I was impressed by a sign that had been carefully taped above a toilet’s flushing mechanism. It read: PLEASE FLUSH AFTER USE! I had to wonder why this sign was there. Surely the professors knew that they’re supposed to… -
NY Times: “Microsoft’s Creative Destruction”
8 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amLast Thursday I read a striking op-ed piece in the New York Times. It was written by Dick Brass, a former VP for Microsoft. Brass argues that Microsoft has become a place where genuine innovation is discouraged. Here are a few excerpts: . . . Microsoft is no longer considered the cool or cutting-edge place to work. There has been a steady exit of its best and brightest. . . . What happened? Unlike other companies, Microsoft never developed a true system for innovation. Some of my former colleagues argue that it actually developed a system to thwart innovation. Despite having one of the… -
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
7 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amA Time to Be Quiet and a Time to Speak READ Mark 14:41-65 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Mark 14:60-61 After Jesus was arrested, he was taken to the home of the high priest, where he was interrogated by Jewish leaders from Jerusalem. Many witnesses offered testimony against Jesus, but their stories were not sufficient to condemn him. As he… -
Rereading a Classic: Christian Mission in the Modern World by John Stott, Part 3
5 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amToday I finish sharing some quotations from John Stott’s classic book Christian Mission in the Modern World. Toward the end of his chapter on mission, Stott focuses on the question of vocation or calling. I begin with vocation, by which I mean a Christian’s lifework. We often given the impression that if a young Christian man is really keen for Christ he will undoubtedly become a foreign missionary, that if he is not quite as keen as that he will stay at home and become a pastor, that if he lacks the dedication to he a pastor, he will no doubt serve as a doctor or a teacher, while… -
Rereading a Classic: Christian Mission in the Modern World by John Stott, Part 2
4 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amYesterday I began sharing some quotations from John Stott’s classic book Christian Mission in the Modern World. Today I’ll add a few more: Let me return now to the Great Commission. I have tried to argue that its Johannine form, according to which the church’s mission is to be modeled on the Son’s, implies that we are sent into the world to serve, and that the humble service we are to render will include for us as it did for Christ both words and works, a concern for the hunger and for the sickness of both body and soul, in other words, both evangelistic and social…
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Church Communications Pro | Church Marketing | Church Web Design
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Social Media and the Church
18 Jan 2010 | 4:15 pmMy good friend Douglas Baker, executive editor of the Baptist Messenger of Oklahoma, my home paper and one I love dearly, asked me to write an article for their Project 2010 (which is a great year-long series dealing with serious issues the Church is facing) about Social Media in the Church. My post is titled Leveraging Social Media for the Gospel. Take a look and let me know what you think. Related posts:Baker’s ‘Starting for the Finish’ Editorial a Must Read for Southern Baptists Doug BakerMinistryCOM 2010 in Dallas Discount Registration You donAn Exhortation for Christian… -
WordPress Theme Bootcamp in Dallas Jan. 29-30
26 Dec 2009 | 7:38 amJames and I, along with the team at iThemes, will be hosting a two-day workshop in Dallas, Texas, Jan. 29-30 to share the ins and outs of about building websites with WordPress. We’re calling it our iThemes WordPress Theme Bootcamp. This is a great opportunity for those of you looking to build your church’s website in WordPress! You can get signup details here …. but on Tuesday, we’re doing a free online workshop to give some highlights of the information we’ll share at the workshop. Signup for the free preview webinar here …. and get registration details… -
WordCamp Atlanta Jan. 8-9 – Who is Going?
16 Dec 2009 | 11:14 amWe’re trying to figure out travel plans potentially for WordCamp Atlanta on Jan. 8-9 … anybody going or in the area and want to meetup if some of us from the iThemes team go? If you don’t know, WordCamps are 1 to 2 day enthusiast events for WordPress users and lovers! You learn a ton. I’ve been to at least 5 now and always meet great people. Make a comment if you’re going or in the Atlanta area. No related posts. -
MinistryCOM 2010 in Dallas Discount Registration
1 Dec 2009 | 9:24 amYou don’t want to miss MinistryCOM 2010 in Dallas on Oct. 20-22. It’s put on by our friends at Main Street Enterprises and I’ve attended before (and hope to do so again in 2010). They sent us a special discount code for earlybird MinistryCOM registrations. The next 50 registrations that use the discount code ‘SM0912‘ will get a $45 discount per attendee. That gets the price down to $250 per person. Offer expires 12/31/09. Register for MinistryCOM 2010 here Related posts:WordPress Theme Bootcamp in Dallas Jan. 29-30 James and -
Free Workshop: Web Design with WordPress
15 Nov 2009 | 5:55 pmJoin me, Cory Miller, founder of WebDesign.com and iThemes.com, and WordPress developer Adam White as we talk about using WordPress to design custom websites for clients. This webinar is a perfect introduction for those interested in learning more about WordPress web design or who want to build a freelance business. Title: Web Design with WordPress Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009 Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CST Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/491948074 After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information…
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WithoutWax.tv by Pete Wilson
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Clowning Around
8 Feb 2010 | 6:51 amGot a call from a buddy right before my trip who in essence said, “Pete why are you going to India right now? You need to be promoting Book #1 and I know your writing book #2. You guys are having record settings weekends at Cross Point, you’re getting ready to open a 4th campus and you’ve got a new teaching series you need to work on. Couldn’t you have found a less busy time?” He’s got a great heart but I think there was a part of him that felt as if I was almost being a little irresponsible. Almost as if I were clowning around when more important things… -
Faces That Change You
7 Feb 2010 | 4:21 amEvery once in a while you lock eyes with an individual who changes the way you think, act, and love. Here’s a few eyes I was blessed to glare into. I could tell you their stories, but just look into their eyes. I think you know. Matthew 25 37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the… -
Red Rover
6 Feb 2010 | 5:48 amLaughter may not fix everything, but it sure is a good place to start. They had never heard of Red Rover in the Khalpar slum until yesterday. What’s your favorite childhood game? Mine? Freeze Tag. Red Rover from Pete Wilson on Vimeo. -
More Pastor Then I’ll Ever Be
5 Feb 2010 | 4:31 amLet me introduce you to Bishal Barik. This kid grabbed my heart from the moment I met him. Maybe it’s because he’s 8 like my oldest or maybe it’s his contagious smile, but we instantly hit it off. Bishal is a student at the school we’ve started in the Khalpar slum. His mother abandoned him the day he was born and another family took him in. There were complications with his birth which have left Bishal battling issues with his legs. He walks with a limp and is often in pain after a day of playing outside. He’s in desperate need of physical therapy but obviously… -
Finally Here!
4 Feb 2010 | 12:20 pmOur first day in Kolkata was a tough one. After 30 hours of travel we finally arrived, grabbed a quick shower and headed out to the slum we’ll be working in the rest of our short visit. The Khalpar slum is currently the focus for Cries of Love. This slum is the home for some 500 people. While most of the men in this community work as rickshaw pullers the women serve as maid servants. While the adults are off working during the day this leaves the some 70 kids in the slum to fend for themselves. Cross Point is partnering with Cries of Love to provide a school for these kids during the…
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Perry Noble | Leadership, Vision & CreativityPerry Noble | Leadership, Vision & Creativity
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Three Questions For Pastors/Church Leaders – Part One
9 Feb 2010 | 4:16 am#1 – How is your emotional health—REALLY? Ministry is draining…it always has been and always will be. You know you are beginning to be drained emotionally when… You find yourself in a constant state of anger with the people who work with you for petty reasons…or no reason at all. You continually have imaginary arguments with people in your mind over things that really do not matter…but seem to set you off for some reason. You begin to not like the people you are actually called to minister to. Your marriage is strained and you can’t quite figure out why. You have zero time and… -
His Commands OR Their Demands?
8 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amI can’t get Galatians 1:10 out of my head…Paul writes something that every leader (and every follower of Christ) should aspire to be able to say…that he is not living to please men…but rather to please Christ. We ALL say this…and yet it is SO easy to slip back into a people pleasing mode. After all, THEIR demands seem more real that HIS commands at times. So how do we not just preach on Galatians 1:10…but REALLY live it? I think the key is in Galatians 2:20 where Paul ALSO writes that he is crucified with Christ, that he no longer lives BUT it is actually… -
Sunday Night Reflections
7 Feb 2010 | 2:10 pmA few thoughts here on Super Bowl Sunday (not completely excited about either team…but PUMPED about the commercials!) We saw over 50 people come to Christ today…and…you guessed it, that NEVER gets old! We were honored to have Christine Caine with us today…and she BROUGHT IT! I LOVE her passion for the local church! LOVED having LOS lead in worship at the Anderson campus…and I think he liked it, even though people were calling him “Daruis Rucker!” :-) Next week Christine will be speaking about human trafficking and what the churches responsibility is… -
Five Tests A Church Planter Will Face – Part Two of Two
5 Feb 2010 | 4:03 amContinuing yesterday’s post… #3 – The Faith Test Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. SO…if your vision seems “impossible,” if failure is absolutely certain unless God somehow gets involved…then I would say that you are probably on the right track. (Please remember that there is a fine line between faith and stupidity…which is why it is SO essential to make sure you have heard from God and didn’t just eat some… -
Hey NewSpring, This Weekend…
4 Feb 2010 | 11:45 amHey NewSpringer’s…a few quick hits about this weekend… Anderson Campus…remember that we will not be having our 6:00 service THIS WEEKEND ONLY! There is a slightly popular football game on (that would be the Super Bowl) and so we are asking everyone who normally attends our 6:00 service to come at 4:00 (yes, there will be extra worship) OR one of the morning services. (The 6:00 service will resume the following week, February 14th!) Christine Caine from the A21 campaign will be joining us this weekend…trust me, you DO NOT want to miss. She is one of the most…
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MoreThanDodgeball.com
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Sean McDowell Takes on Tough Questions
8 Feb 2010 | 12:54 amExcited to have Sean McDowell here at HSM next weekend. Found this clip on his blog – pumped to have this stuff in front of our students! JG Related posts:Tough Questions About SexMet Josh McDowell7 Leadership Questions Teams Should be Asking -
HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 85
8 Feb 2010 | 12:45 amWeekend Teaching Series: Each 1, Reach 1 Sermon in a Sentence: Sharing our faith should be a normal part of our lives – we show it by our actions and our words. Service Length: 70 minutes Understandable Message: This weekend we took a panel approach to teaching the lesson on friendship evangelism, Taffy (our worship pastor) was the speaker and he enlisted 10 students to come on stage and answer questions as he gave his talk. It gave the message a very grounded feel – these are normal students like you, praying for their friends, walking as best they can with Jesus, and sharing… -
Share Your Faith Video
8 Feb 2010 | 12:12 amA fun little evangelism video we used this weekend, we cut it before the product tag line at the end. Clever! JG Related posts:Video Editing Software for Youth MinistryDare and ShareThe Worst Youth Ministry Video Goof in History -
Bulletin Doodle From Last Weekend
5 Feb 2010 | 6:00 pmSometimes you just have to share the bulletin doodles you find after the youth service. This after last week’s sex series finale. JG Related posts:HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 83HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 82Using Journals for a Weekend Series -
Youth Ministry Coaching Q&A with Mark Oestreicher
5 Feb 2010 | 11:13 amSomehow, Mark Oestreicher (former president of Youth Specialties, author, youth ministry dude) and I have never actually met. Yet – here’s the weirder part – we’ve become friends in spite of that (thank you, Internet!). In the last few weeks, we’ve talked on the phone and had a bunch of email, text and Facebook interaction. Somewhere in the midst of these last weeks, Marko’s new “Youth Ministry Coaching Program” came up, and I asked him if he would answer a few questions about it for the blog. So, here you have it – 3 questions for Marko: JG: I know you’ve written about…
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History in the Making
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How They Started: Oak Leaf Church
9 Feb 2010 | 6:30 amOak Leaf Church is a prodigy among church plants. Michael Lukaszewski started the church in Cartersille, Georgia in August 2006, and it has grown to over 1,000 peopleBut you need to know the back-story. Because there are conditions that make or break a new church before it starts.Michael was a youth pastor in three different churches over 12 years in Florida and Arkansas. He heard about West Ridge’s church planting program and moved to Georgia to become part of it. Michael spent 4-5 months looking for possible locations, but West Ridge kept recommending Cartersville.At first, Michael… -
Look at the Church in the Mirror
9 Feb 2010 | 4:46 amYou can't have expectations in your church without systems.If you have unmet expectations, you probably have insufficient systems.If you're people aren't growing spiritually...If you don't have enough volunteers...If you're not assimilating visitors...If your small groups aren't multiplying..You may not have the right stepping stones in place. -
Calling All Angels
8 Feb 2010 | 7:21 pmA 28 year old man was pulled from out of the rubble in Haiti today, four weeks after the earthquake. It is humanly impossible to stay alive for this long without water.From CNN: "The man told doctors that someone was bringing him water while he was trapped, but doctors told CNN that he sounded confused and at times appeared to believe he was still under the rubble.Connelly said the man must have had some water during the past month to have survived, but Connelly wasn't sure how he would have had access to it.""Reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta said the 28-year-old man was severely… -
Eye Candy From Whiteboard
8 Feb 2010 | 8:48 amAinsley announced the winner of two FREE tickets to Whiteboard on the WIBO Facebook group. The group went from 0 to 200 in just three days... and is still climbing! Barton Damer's speaker bumpers from Whiteboard 2008 still remain my favorite from any conference. Here's some fun eye candy to remember... -
Unfetter the Artists
8 Feb 2010 | 7:26 amLove this from Mark Driscoll on the Mars Hill Church blog...Right now our creative team is shooting a special thirty-minute short film for Good Friday that we will use across all of our Mars Hill Campuses this year and also simulcast live online for free. As we have been working on the script, God has been lining up incredible additional talent who are excited to take part in this project. The filming is happening on the Spartacus set at Universal Studios; the production designer for the TV show 24 will be doing the set design; and an incredible, well-known makeup artist has signed on to do…
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eugene cho
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building the movement…
9 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amODW has one (paid) staff member but we have a great and growing team of volunteer staff and interns and we are slowly building this grassroots movement. Here’s my interview with Trace Bundy – acoustic guitarist extraordinaire – who’s also partnering with ODW to fight extreme global poverty. If you don’t know who Trace is, make [...] -
best and worst super bowl commercials?
8 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amLike the billions of other idolaters, I watched (most of) the Super Bowl yesterday with a bunch of Questers. The game was ok but the majority of the commercials were mediocre. Umm, I couldn’t get the obsession with underpants stuff in couple commercials. And while I was in and out, I didn’t catch all the commercials but [...] -
theology of singlehood II and the “big question”
5 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amHere’s part 2 of my sermons on a theology of singlehood as part of a larger series on Relationships. As you listen/watch the sermon, I do have a question and would love to get some feedback. It’s the most prominent question I’ve received over the past couple weeks as I’ve taught on singlehood: You say that [...] -
inviting artists and musicians to help change the world
4 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amI’m a wanna be musician. I live in Seattle so I have to pretend that I’m in a band. I have a guitar sitting in the corner of my room and I also have drumsticks on my desk…and I don’t even play drums. Because there’s something unique about artists and musicians. Yes, there’s vanity and narcissism [...] -
ultimate loving daddy
3 Feb 2010 | 12:01 amIn light of my post yesterday about Mixed Martial Arts, the Church, and Jesus, I thought this would be an appropriate time to come clean with the whole wide world: I wrestle (nearly) every night…with all of my kids including my son and it’s the highlight of my day. I took the liberty of filming one [...]
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Church Matters: The 9Marks Blog
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The Authority of Preaching by Thabiti Anyabwile
8 Feb 2010 | 7:42 amThose who love preaching, who believe in the centrality of preaching, and who live by the preached word have little quibble with the authority of preaching. We believe that a certain exercise of God's rule comes along with the proclamation of His word. We are to hear and to obey, to give careful attention to "what thus saith the Lord." But sometimes, those who love preaching most may abuse its authority most. That is, we may abuse the authority of preaching by forgetting or failing to make clear where that authority comes from.Wayne Grudem helps us… -
The Curse of Being Smarter Than Everyone Else by Michael Mckinley
5 Feb 2010 | 4:52 pmI thought this was pretty funny. The comic strip is called Pearls Before Swine. Click on the image to see a larger version. -
New books on J. Edwards by Strachan and Sweeney by Jonathan Leeman
5 Feb 2010 | 2:29 pmOur very own Owen Strachan has just released five books co-authored with Trinity's Doug Sweeney. These books include passages from Edward's writing and commentary on them. But more than that, Owen tells me, the volumes are intended to distill essential matters of Christian life and faith. Jonathan Edwards is used as a window onto to the depth and beauty and grandeur of God and the life he offers us. Jonathan Edwards Lover of GodJonathan Edwards on BeautyJonathan Edwards on Heaven and HellJonathan Edwards on the Good Life Jonathan Edwards on True… -
A Missiological Chicken-Egg Debate? by Doug Coleman
5 Feb 2010 | 11:30 amIn light of Andy’s desire to start a conversation, I’m going to follow Greg’s lead and ask a question—actually a few questions. Mine isn’t exactly a trap either. I really do want to hear from others. But I also won’t pretend that I have no thoughts on the topic, even if they are still evolving and maybe somewhat muddled at the moment.The big question is this: What is the ultimate goal and motivation for missions? I have in mind here especially cross-cultural missions, or international missions.For those who have read Piper’s Let the Nations be Glad, you know that he says it’s… -
Who Influences Protestant Pastors? by Thabiti Anyabwile
5 Feb 2010 | 11:19 amLast November, Lifeway Research surveyed 1,002 Protestant pastors to find out which pastors most influenced them. The list of potentially influential pastors crossed the denominational and theological spectrum. The Christian Post has a brief article on the survey's results (HT: Challies). Here's the list of the top ten:- Billy Graham, who serve as a pastor as a young man, but is best known for his evangelistic crusades around the world;- Chuck Swindoll, senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, TX, and on-air teacher for Insight for Living radio…
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Human3rror
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A New Kind of Language
8 Feb 2010 | 5:31 pmI’m scared about the language that my daughter is going to learn to speak, new forms and all.Is that typical? Does every parent have this fear?Ugh. -
Real Gadgets
6 Feb 2010 | 9:22 amToday I feel like this. I’ve got tons of stuff coming out of me these days. But I feel the most focused that I’ve ever been and all the credit really has to go to my wife.One of the things that we’re concentrating on this year as a family is focus. My wife actually felt this tug in her heart early last month and we’ve been fighting toward it ever since. My counselor has been mentioning the same thing (and pretty much the rest of the world).I think I got it Lord. I got the *hint*.Or, at least, I’m starting to. One of the biggest challenges that I face daily is the… -
Husband Fail Friday
5 Feb 2010 | 12:51 amIt’s Friday! Time for another Husband Fail!This is your opportunity to share silly stories of how your husband pretty much failed you this past week!Or, if you want to be honest (Mr. Husband) then go ahead and admit what you did and how it was so lame of you to do whatever you did before your wife shows up and does it for you!Please try not to take yourself (or this post) too seriously…Me First:This past week was a week of learning what self-control really means. Let’s say I ‘practiced’ a lot.… Success, not so sure. -
Caption Please.
4 Feb 2010 | 12:50 pm -
All Paid Wordpress Themes are Now Free!
3 Feb 2010 | 12:02 pmWith the advent of the new Standard Wordpress Theme I’m officially releasing all previous paid themes here for free, except WPPhotographer Theme which is now an additional 50% off.Whoa.And that’s not all, anyone who’s purchased any theme from me in the past automatically gets a free copy of the new Standard Theme! Please just email me with a copy of your receipt of purchase and I’ll send you a copy!Word up. Free stuff rocks.
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Life on Life
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Manic Monday Minute
8 Feb 2010 | 1:47 pmManic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...This is the Manic Monday Minute...Another weekend... another winter blizzard. Not quite the 10 inches of snow this time around though...Last weekend I came down with cabin fever. This weekend I came down with the flu. By Saturday I was back on my feet... and decided to get out of town early. I'm in South Carolina gathering with youth workers. Find out more about that [here]Looking forward to eating at a restaurant I use to frequent when I lived in… -
Why My Alma Mater Still Rocks
8 Feb 2010 | 1:33 pmLast year I blogged about how my alma mater rocks. I still believe it does.They believe so much in their alumni and invest so much in their spiritual formation that each year they put together an all-expenses paid retreat for youth workers (which is this week!), complete with some quality time with each of the youth ministry professors. I've been looking forward to this retreat for months.The friendships, mentoring and spiritual investment that I've experienced at Columbia have been worth every penny! So this week I'm gathering with fellow youth workers in South Carolina to laugh, share and… -
Helping Haiti Single
6 Feb 2010 | 7:41 amSimon Cowell has organized a charity single to help Haiti. The single is REM's "Everybody Hurts" but with new voices. You can listen to it here, but you should buy it when it goes on sale tomorrow.Here are the celebs in the song and what they sing:Leona LewisWhen the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,Rod StewartWhen you’re sure you’ve had enough of this life, well hang onMariah CareyDon’t let yourself go, ’cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimesCheryl ColeSometimes everything is wrong.MikaNow it’s time to sing alongMichael BubleWhen your day is night… -
The Book of Eli
5 Feb 2010 | 7:57 pmA few days ago I saw The Book of Eli in theaters. This is one of the best films I've seen in years! Here's a quick synopsis: Eli (Denzel Washington) has been on a journey for 30 years walking westward after a cataclysmic war and "the big Flash" turned the world into a wasteland. Eli has in his possession the only remaining copy of "the Book" and must protect it and ultimately deliver it to its final destination. This story is about Eli's journey -- and the Book that he believes that is humanity's only hope for its future. This movie had everything in it - original storyline, likeable… -
Red Skelton on The Pledge of Allegiance
3 Feb 2010 | 10:18 pmI watched this video recently of Red Skelton reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. This great communicator speaks to the meaning behind the words in the pledge. Even though this piece was filmed in the 60's, its timely for our nation today. How often have you heard the pledge or even recited it and blown right past the very meaning behind the words? Thanks Red! May we remember this every time we hear or recite those words or see the Red, White and Blue. RSS Subscribers: there is video [here](It's Theme Thursday. Visit my friends [here])
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The bob.blog feed!
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From the Archives: The Cowardly Preacher?
5 Feb 2010 | 10:47 am"If you are a coward by nature, don't worry. We can still use you. You can get down behind the biblical text. You can peek out from behind the text saying, 'I don't know if I would say this, but I do think the text does.'"- Walter Brueggemann (as quoted by Will Willimon)This has been a go-to concept for me. The longer I have been doing this preaching thing, the more I see in the text that is at odds with modern sensibilities- things so outsized and seemingly indefensible.. commands to kill, commonly accepted actions declared as heinous sin (seafood anyone?),… -
Bonhoeffer on Idealism and Community
5 Feb 2010 | 10:22 am"The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly... He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure... So he becomes, first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself." (Life Together) -
Frost, Hirsch, Horse Brass
1 Feb 2010 | 8:46 pmUploaded by www.cellspin.net -
The Gospel for Portland
15 Jan 2010 | 11:02 amI helped edit and am contributing an essay to a book which will come out this Spring from Ecclesia Press (part of the Ecclesia Network) called Viral Hope. The book is written by authors from all over, each expressing their take on the Gospel for their city. Here's mine- the Gospel For Portland. I love the city of Portland. It would be impossible for me to estimate how many times I’ve said that sentence over the last decade and a half of living in the Rose City. There’s so much to recommend it, but I honestly think one of the things I love so much are the…
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TheWorshipCommunity.Com - Worship Leader Resources, Articles, Forums
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A Theology of Worship – Part Four
8 Feb 2010 | 5:03 pmA Theology. It would be good to examine two different types of worship that James Torrance labels “Unitarian worship” and “Trinitarian worship.” At face value Unitarian worship is about worshiping God the Father and about us bringing a sacrifice to him. The problem with Unitarian worship comes when this question is posed: what, in and of ourselves, do we have to offer God that would be pleasing to him? The only answer is: nothing, absolutely nothing. Trinitarian worship is a bit more complex; through the power of the Holy Spirit we are connected with the Son in his worship of the… -
re:create – Join Us Live
8 Feb 2010 | 5:45 amLive Twitter Stream from “re:create” Conference Nashville, TN – Feb 8-11, 2010 #recreate Click here to view the full page and the live twitter stream. (Below is the large feed) #recreate You can also follow Fred McKinnon (Founder, HPP/TWC) and Russ Hutto (Creative Director, HPP/TWC) directly on Twitter as @fmckinnon and @russhutto Share and Enjoy: Related posts:LIVE from the National Worship Leader ConferenceWorship + Web 2.0 WebinarLive, Streaming Worship & Prayer -
Sunday Setlists #81 – Feb 7, 2010
7 Feb 2010 | 8:49 amShare your worship confessionals, recaps, and setlists for the week of: Sunday, Jan 31, 2010 Welcome to the 81st consecutive week of “Sunday Setlists”. The purpose of “Sunday Setlists” is to share a recap of your worship services. What songs did you use, what arrangements? What worked really well and what didn’t work as well as you’d like? What issues did you have preparing? What is the sermon series? How about creative elements used in the service? You don’t have to be the pastor or worship leader to participate. We would really love to get reviews… -
Trent Smith Signs with HPP/TWC Music
5 Feb 2010 | 6:50 amTrent Smith, a songwriter and worship artist/leader from Northern California, has recently signed a publishing agreement with Highest Praise Productions, Inc., the parent company of TheWorshipCommunity.Com and other worship-related websites and venues. “Singer-songwriter Trent Smith brings a unique perspective and undeniable talent to the stage. Whether fronting a band or performing “unplugged,” he touches audiences with his honest style and skill. Trent grew up in the coastal town of Homer, Alaska. He began playing violin at the age of seven and also taught himself piano. After… -
Hallelujah! I Am Free (Trent Smith)
5 Feb 2010 | 6:46 am05 Hallelujah! I Am Free by highestpraise Hallelujah! I Am Free Words and Music by Trent Smith/ASCAP ©2009, HPP Music/ASCAP Free Leadsheets from HighestPraise.Com Key of C | Key of D | Chord Chart Share and Enjoy: Related posts:Trent Smith Signs with HPP/TWC MusicAlmightyGoogle: A Free Solution for Small Budgets
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TechnoPraxis™
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The End is Near, for 700 MHz Wireless
8 Feb 2010 | 9:40 amSo maybe it's not really as dramatic as all that, but as far as wireless microphone use in the so-called 700 MHz band, it is now official. As of June 12, and possibly earlier in some cases, use of wireless mics transmitting between 695 and 806 MHz is officially illegal. The final rule was issued on January 15. This wireless spectrum has been reallocated for use by public safety agencies, and by wireless service providers. As we've said before, the FCC won't have a squad of 'wireless cops' cruising the streets on Sunday morning, looking for violations. What is clear, though, is… -
What’s to be Learned from a Murder
2 Feb 2010 | 7:35 amSo, for the last month or so, I’ve been up to my ears in managing media for a very high profile murder trial going on here in Wichita. I was working for the courts and the trial was big, big news. This is not the place to discuss the merits of the case, or the issue itself, but there were a few lessons learned that I thought were worth passing on. As you can imagine, there was crazy media interest in this case. More than 150 credentialed reporters, from about two dozen organizations covered the trial. Enough satellite trucks that we had to close a lane of traffic on… -
So, Where Have I Been?
1 Feb 2010 | 9:29 amSorry for the long absence! Maybe we should cue the the theme from “Welcome Back Kotter!” I have been a busy guy since right after Christmas. Along with all of the normal stuff, I have just wrapped up a huge assignment, managing the media relations for the local district courts in a “major murder case” here in Wichita. There’s absolutely no need to discuss the merits of the case here, but from a communications management standpoint, it was pretty interesting. Local media, and national media from coast to coast covered the trial start… -
A Big Number… and a Big Challenge
2 Dec 2009 | 3:33 pmThink you know where the information revolution is headed? Think again. Trillions from MAYAnMAYA on Vimeo. HT to Jon Edmiston! -
Copyright Confusion and Simple Solutions
23 Nov 2009 | 8:28 amOne of the most confusing topics to be discussed in church has nothing to do with the Trinity, or pre vs. post-millennialism, or even anything that remotely resembles theology. It’s Copyright. Years ago, the debate was over whether it was OK to copy music for the choir. (It’s not.) In the late 90’s the question of projecting lyrics was the hot button. Today, it’s webcasting and downloading that cause the confusion. It’s a confusing topic, but the underlying question is pretty simple, and one worth discussing. I believe every church should have a…
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partoftheglue.com
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Prayer as glue
31 Jan 2010 | 1:25 pmEver since I went to Africa this past summer God has been awakening me to his true power and my need for Him. It’s easy sometimes to do ministry or my job with my own strength and not depend on Him or seek His direction. Recently in our youth building we moved our prayer room from an area which was currently out of sight to a more prominent place in our facility. A couple of our leaders decided that we needed to gather monthly if not more to pray for this ministry. Organizing a prayer meeting is harder then you think, because a lot of times you have to deal with people’s… -
Thinking past Sunday
11 Jan 2010 | 5:21 pmSunday is a big day for most churches….hint it being sabbath and all. A lot of times we focus so much attention on Sunday we ignore the rest of the week at least in a programming since. Now with the advent of things such as facebook pages and blogs…content can more easily come into the homes of students more than once a week. For our series that started last night called TRUE LYF we created a documentary that follows various students in our ministry and challenged them to do various spiritual disciplines. These documentaries ended up being pretty long (30 minutes) so we… -
the #1 youth ministry resolution…use text messaging services
7 Jan 2010 | 7:25 pmIf you are like me you’ve waited long enough and finally are fed up with not being able to properly communicate to your students via text messaging. I did some research earlier this week and came across a service I tried a while back but decided not to early on because of the ads that came with the text messages which I hate. Now the ads are gone and the service is no longer free, however this site is worth checking out. Tatango.com is a text messaging service that allows you to text groups of people and unlike most other text messaging services, this one allows you multiple… -
Teaching on Film and Faith
27 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pmIn our youth department we have been experimenting since the beginning of summer letting our high school students pick what they want to study on Sunday mornings. Recently I got an opportunity to teach a class on film and faith in which we watch clips of a movie and then draw out spiritual meanings in the film. The first week we talked about 1. being able to use films as conversational tool with non-believers and 2. being able see spiritual fingerprints in culturally relevant films that can allow us to experience God in new ways when we start looking for themes of redemption and metaphors… -
Reality TV for your youth group
10 Nov 2009 | 3:50 pmVersion:1.0 StartHTML:0000000105 EndHTML:0000003863 StartFragment:0000001893 EndFragment:0000003827 Reality TV is everywhere these days. The other day I was heading to lunch with some guys from work and everyone was talking about the biggest loser and who they thought should have stayed on the show. This idea of ordinary people becoming tv stars even if only for a week is a fascinating idea that most of us seem to gravitate towards for some reason. We like to see regular ordinary people on the screen and we like to see real life situations we encounter everyday. Recently in our youth…
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Branded With Love
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Haiti Relief Recap
9 Feb 2010 | 5:18 amLove seeing this come together. A huge thank you to: Real Life Christian Church New Beginnings Christian Church West Park Church of Christ Calvary Assembly Forefront Church West Road Episcopal Church New Life Baptist Church Hampton Roads Jeep Club Navy Federal Credit Union Hampton Roads Uhaul Coast Guard Base (Portsmouth, VA) UPS Store (Lynnhaven Pwky & Princess Anne Rd) Also, thank you to everyone who came out to pack things up before the drive to Soles4Souls distribution center in Alabama. Thank you to everyone who gave, sacrificed, and took the time to think of others before… -
A Little Q & A For My Peeps
4 Feb 2010 | 9:18 amQ: Are we having church this Sunday? A: Absolutely. Q: We heard it might snow again. Are you scared? A: Scared?!? Other than the dark, boogie man, snakes, roaches, Barney, and the Globetrotters… I’m not scared of anything. Q: Is there a new series starting? A: Yep. It’s on Relationships & Marriage. It’s going to be great. Check out the promo below. Q: What about the Super Bowl thing? U Got Game? Is it still happening? A: Do the Buffalo Bills choke every time they play? Aww Yeah! We’re having the party. U bet! Q: What time does it start and what are the… -
Simply Thankful
4 Feb 2010 | 7:57 amFor many of the people I meet, much of their happiness and/or negativity is birthed from how they look at life. Fortunately, I’m a glass is half-full kind of guy and cannot believe life is as amazing as God has allowed it to be. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been a part of some awesome things… Chloe’s First Snow Day. I was able to get out and play with my daughter Chloe in the snow for the first time. The joy she had was overwhelming. We built a snow fort and threw snow at each other. Total Kodak moments. I will cherish the time we had to spend together for years… -
Welcome To Church… Online?: Part 5
2 Feb 2010 | 12:01 pmWe’ve batted around the how, why, pros, cons, and even a little glimpse into the process of what it takes to do a streaming service online. But, now to the real question at hand: “Is the ‘online church’ experience- church?” It depends. But in most cases- No. Weighing the pros and cons against scripture leads me to believe a few things about solely attending an online service: The Definition Of Church: The definition/picture of the “church” according to scripture points to live, face to face, living life together, rubbing elbows in service, worshiping… -
Welcome To Church… Online?: Part 4b
2 Feb 2010 | 8:20 amWe’ll get to the conclusion in a bit, but we received a few emails asking what videos we played besides the live feed- and how did we do it? Well, Livestream allows you to insert your own videos (1gb or under) as well as YouTube video content. You insert those into a playlist and bounce between those and your live feed(s) you have coming in. Oh and here are the videos we used during the online service: We played this video after talking about people being home in their PJ’s, enjoying breakfast, eating bacon… MMmmmm, bacon! We played this video right before taking our online…
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The bob.blog feed!
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From the Archives: The Cowardly Preacher?
5 Feb 2010 | 10:47 am"If you are a coward by nature, don't worry. We can still use you. You can get down behind the biblical text. You can peek out from behind the text saying, 'I don't know if I would say this, but I do think the text does.'"- Walter Brueggemann (as quoted by Will Willimon)This has been a go-to concept for me. The longer I have been doing this preaching thing, the more I see in the text that is at odds with modern sensibilities- things so outsized and seemingly indefensible.. commands to kill, commonly accepted actions declared as heinous sin (seafood anyone?),… -
Bonhoeffer on Idealism and Community
5 Feb 2010 | 10:22 am"The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly... He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure... So he becomes, first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself." (Life Together) -
Frost, Hirsch, Horse Brass
1 Feb 2010 | 8:46 pmUploaded by www.cellspin.net -
The Gospel for Portland
15 Jan 2010 | 11:02 amI helped edit and am contributing an essay to a book which will come out this Spring from Ecclesia Press (part of the Ecclesia Network) called Viral Hope. The book is written by authors from all over, each expressing their take on the Gospel for their city. Here's mine- the Gospel For Portland. I love the city of Portland. It would be impossible for me to estimate how many times I’ve said that sentence over the last decade and a half of living in the Rose City. There’s so much to recommend it, but I honestly think one of the things I love so much are the…
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Levite Chronicles
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do something concrete.
8 Feb 2010 | 10:35 amYesterday a friend said to me, “I’m busy. I’m gone all day and it takes an hour each way to get to work. But I’d like to do something that’s ministry.” Ministry is a church word. It means that a person wants to do something around church, related to church. It usually means being a Sunday school teacher or being an usher or shoveling the driveway or being on a committee. I don’t like that meaning. I like to push people out of the building, help them work in lives. I said, “What delights you? What do you love to do?” “Sleep,” my… -
Script the critical moves
7 Feb 2010 | 4:00 amWe’re a month into 2010 and we’re drowning. We had wonderful things we wanted to accomplish, goals we set, 3 words we listed. And now, five weeks later, we’re wondering what happened. Wanting change is easy. Changing is hard. Listing options for change is easy. Picking one is hard. Getting lost in the details of a solution is easy. Picking just one thing to do that will make a difference is hard. Chip Heath and Dan Heath recognize just how hard that is. In the third chapter of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, they tell us that having too many options… -
fans and disciples
5 Feb 2010 | 11:45 amJesus feeds about 15,000 people. He uses 5 kaiser rolls and 2 small fish. He ends up with leftovers. For the people present, it was amazing. They were stuffed. They were thrilled. They decided that he must be The One. They decided to make him king. They were fans. Jesus knew how to respond. He sent his disciples to the boat, to the lake, to the other side. And he headed for the hills. He headed for some solitude. When it was dark and the crowd was asleep and his disciples were in the middle of the lake, he walked out to them. They got to the other side, near home. In the morning, the crowd… -
put it on the list.
3 Feb 2010 | 10:44 amI work from both sides of my brain. I can move from choosing shots for a short video to being asked about budget allocations to being asked about moving a person from one office to another. I love the variety, figuring out how to tell a story and figuring out how to get the network connection working in the new space. I’m finding, however, that the shifts are harder. I’m needing to stop and let my brain move from one side to the other. Part of what is helping these days is working to get major projects that must get done on a list. And must-get-done-today items. And stuff that… -
Becky McCray changed my life
2 Feb 2010 | 8:24 am(Disclosure: Yesterday was Becky’s birthday. So this is a birthday post. Except I got the date wrong. And I’m entering this post to try to win a free trip to SOBcon2010. Of course, I’m already going. And the flight won’t help. But still. The hotel would be nice. And notice, the post isn’t being judged, so I could write whatever tripe I wanted. But when talking about Becky, who wants to write tripe?) Becky lives in Oklahoma. I’ve driven through Oklahoma a few times. Some when I was little, before Becky was born. Some when Nancy and I were commuting between…
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LeadingSmart
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The 30-Night Rule...2009 Update
5 Feb 2010 | 10:20 amTwo years ago, I made a commitment to my family, to my boss, and to you. You can read it here, but in summary I said... There is a dynamic tension in trying to juggle the priorities that are important to me (family, ministry, learning, writing). In the previous couple years, I had spent too many nights away from home. I made a plan to change that and intentionally keep my priorities right. And so, I committed to take control of my schedule and spend no more than 30 nights away from my wife in 2008. I made the same commitment at the beginning of 2009. I've just tallied my traveling for… -
Nero & The Burning of Christians
3 Feb 2010 | 1:31 pmAfter hearing this 6-minute story, I told Mark Beeson, "I'm neither a historian nor a theologian, but I think that was one of the most compelling historical Bible stories I've ever heard." See if you agree... The Early Church from Granger Community on Vimeo. -
Just Ask Leadership
1 Feb 2010 | 7:48 amWhen the book Just Ask Leadership by Gary Cohen, was first announced last year--I couldn't wait for it to come out. The thesis of the book is that the best leaders are those who ask informed questions. It was Peter Drucker who said, "The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask." I believe that. I had the opportunity to study the book with my Executive Pastors Coaching Network in December, and even had a chance to interview the author (video snippets coming soon).It would be impossible to write about… -
"Son, Where Have You Been?"
27 Jan 2010 | 4:13 pmThat's what my mom asked me today. She said, "You haven't written on your blog or tweeted much lately."There are several reasons my mom's question makes me happy: She cares about me. She reads my blog. She used the word "tweeted" in a sentence. Yes, my mom is savvy about social media! Well, for my mom and others who might wonder, I've been working every spare minute on a home construction project. That is both good and bad. It is good because I can't explain how much I love working on such projects. They wear me out physically but fill me up… -
Granger Responds to the Crisis in Haiti
14 Jan 2010 | 3:16 pmGranger Community Church Responds to the Emergency in Haiti from Granger Community on Vimeo.Make your donation here.
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Rich Kirkpatrick's Weblog
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Sex, Lies and Religion: Randy Elrod’s new book is gonna cause a stir…in a good way!
8 Feb 2010 | 9:49 pmIt is that time when no matter the financial or family problems, no matter the turmoil that pervades the world, for a few brief moments, “all is right in the world.” As we collapse in sweaty euphoria, we together realize a time of transcendent wonder. There dawns a realization that we have indeed been granted the privilege to see the face of a holy God. — Randy Elrod Sex, Lies and Religion — A provocative, thoughtful, controversial book by author, blogger and creative Randy Elrod. I have known Randy for nearly a decade and can attest to his passion for seeing people live a… -
The Submergent Church: The laws of physics do apply to the local church, btw
6 Feb 2010 | 3:08 pmThe Submergent Church When your church staying above water doesn’t seem to matter anymore There are a lot of blogs and posts out there on the emerging, emergent and other movements that are now misnomers or defunct. One category has always been with us: The Submergent Church. After all, there are things that keep a church from sinking. Some of those things might seem like common sense. But, we are in the church world where even though we believe God created the laws of physics we hold that they do not apply to us! Speaking of the laws of physics… An object at rest tends to stay at… -
My tweets from this week: 2010-02-05
5 Feb 2010 | 11:43 pmRT @tylerbraun: The most egregious photo retouching with Photoshop of the past decade // http://bit.ly/cxJVTY (wow!)//oh my # my daughter is having a sweet 16 party tonite..20 teens at my house!! woot!! # Les Paul cake for my girl!! http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=314968128011 # http://twitvid.com/54203 – so cool my daughters bday party breaks into a worship time # time for espresso… then cook breakfast for the fam–waffles of course with bacon! # @mnathanjaques yes it was a great feeling seeing the teens worship on their own last night! in reply to mnathanjaques #… -
CD: Lighthouse Rising’s “In Troubled Times”
5 Feb 2010 | 9:38 amThe Heart Behind The Album from Lighthouse Rising on Vimeo. My friend and fellow worship leader Brandon hooked me up with this CD and I have a soft spot for Indie Worship–the homegrown stuff that is ignited from a church or region. “In Troubled Times” by Light House Rising is certainly a timely reflection given the season our nation is in. I encourage you to watch the video and give this a listen for yourself! Get a FREE COPY by just commenting. I will let the winner know on Saturday Friday 2/12/2010. -
WorshipTogether.com Training Conference…GIVE AWAY!
4 Feb 2010 | 7:17 pmI am so happy to announce that I will be teaching a workshop and attending the worshiptogether.com Training Conference, April 12-14 in Lenexa, KS. In 1999 I remember attending as a younger worship leader one of their training events and over the past several years I have enjoyed getting to know some of the people at this company. Wholeheartedly I can say these people love the local church and this event is designed to equip worship leaders at churches of any size. Even their cost is reasonable. Some of the worship leaders there include: Leeland, Brenton Brown, Matt Maher, Christy Nockels,…
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Joel Klampert
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Vicky Beeching – New EP exlusive preview!
8 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmI have been a “HUGE” fan of Vicky Beeching since the Hungry CD from Vineyard. She is a brilliant songwriter and amazing lyricist. On top of that her theology is pretty spot on. On Feb 16th, in anticipation of her new CD coming out later this year, Vicky and integrity music will be releasing a 3 song EP. I am stoked to be able to offer the chance for you to hear the songs first on my blog and two others listed below. I promise integrity did not pay me to say this, but I think I got the best of the 3 songs to preview and I can’t wait to do this one in my church! LISTEN BELOW:… -
Sex, Lies & Religion by Randy Elrod – Review
7 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmI had the honor and privilege to receive a pre-release copy of “Sex, Lies & Religion” by Randy Elrod and I was able to read it in one day. The question you may ask yourself is “1 day?…must have been short”. It is not a long book at 166 pages, but it is a riveting book. I was not able to put it down. A year ago I was able to meet Randy in person and talk with him. What I encountered was a man of integrity and transparency. A Godly man with a great marriage. This alone made me want to read whatever he put out. This is a book that tries to debunk the old church… -
All About Worship Retreat
5 Feb 2010 | 7:25 amI recently had the privilege to do some design work for my friends, Wisdom and Ben, at the All about Worship Podcast. They contacted me about a new retreat/conference they were putting together and I wanted to tell my readers about it. It’s called the “All About Worship Retreat“. “All About Worship Retreat is a place where worship leaders and pastors can come together for a time of spiritual renewal, building genuine friendships and engaging in intimate worship sessions led by notable worship leaders. All About Worship Retreat 2010 will take place May 20 – 22 at… -
My buddy is giving away passes!
5 Feb 2010 | 6:35 amMy buddy Rich K is giving away passes to a worship conference. I’d love to win Here is what his site says: “I am so happy to announce that I will be teaching a workshop and attending the worshiptogether.com Training Conference, April 12-14 in Lenexa, KS. In 1999 I remember attending as a younger worship leader one of their training events and over the past several years I have enjoyed getting to know some of the people at this company. Wholeheartedly I can say these people love the local church and this event is designed to equip worship leaders at churches of any size. Even their… -
Hear “Rain It Down” from Carlos Whittaker’s New EP Today!
27 Jan 2010 | 5:07 amYou haven’t heard about Carlos Whittaker? You either enjoy sleeping under a rock or you are never on the internet. Carlos (LOS, alias @LOSWHIT) is a social media ninja and some may say the Christian “blog father”. He is a creative genius who has worked in many large churches and helps other creatives to tap into their potential for Christ. He is also a worship leader signed by “Integrity Records. His new EP seen below is available on i-tunes now for as little as $1.98 for 3 songs! Honestly you can’t beat that price. Take a listen to one of the track below and…
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BrianAyers.net
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Service online this morning
7 Feb 2010 | 4:40 amDue to the historic amount of snow our area has received this weekend we’ve been forced to once again cancel weekend services at Community Church. Thankfully, due to technology (and a few Jeep Wranglers) we were able to get this Sunday’s message recorded and posted online. In our Online Campus you’re also able to take notes and give online, so even though we can’t be together as a church family today we can still worship together in this way. Take a few moments to check-it-out. -
Church Produces Super Bowl Ad
5 Feb 2010 | 7:02 amI read about this the other day and thought it was a pretty out-of-the-box idea. The team at Mosaic, a church in in Los Angeles led by Erwin McManus, decided to enter a contest Doritos‘ was holding to design an ad that might be shown in the Super Bowl. … and they’re now one of 6 finalists in Doritos’ Crash the Superbowl contest for their commercial “Casket”. I love that they put themselves out there and went for it on this. Hopefully we’ll be seeing it Sunday night. What do you think? Is it cool that a church would do something like this? -
Pastor Charlie’s First Press Conference
5 Feb 2010 | 2:30 amIn case you missed it: Yesterday morning Pastor Charlie Whitlow held his first press conference as Lead Pastor of Community Church to take-on some of the questions and allegations he was facing. Here’s the video: -
Time Over Talent
3 Feb 2010 | 2:00 amI read an blog post this week, by Penelope Trunk, that has got me thinking. The post, Being an expert takes time, not talent, sites a Harvard Business Review article from 2007 which takes-on our commonly-held ideas and explains how expertise is often not what we think it is. “…there is no correlation between IQ and expert performance in fields such as chess, music, sports, and medicine. The only innate differences that turn out to be significant—and they matter primarily in sports—are height and body size.” So what factor does correlate with success? One thing emerges… -
The LOST Supper
2 Feb 2010 | 3:32 amI’ll be honest: I’m really excited about LOST returning tonight. We’re planning to watch tonight after our LifeGroup meeting. I’m very intrigued by some of the imagery they’ve chosen to use in promoting this season. The picture above- obviously inspired by Da Vinci’s “Last Supper.“ And also this TV spot they were running at the end of last year, set to the tune of “Amazing Grace.” Should be an interesting season and finale to the show. I just hope it doesn’t end with Hurley waking-up from a dream.
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Shaun In The City
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Please Pray NOW for Baby Landina
6 Feb 2010 | 11:11 pmBeautiful baby Landina is just 3 months old. Both of her parents were killed in the Haitian earthquake. She had to have her little arm amputated and is in URGENT need of a major brain surgery within the next few days or she will die. She has a terrible, painful skull fracture. The problem is that the doctors cannot receive flight clearance to get her out of Haiti and into the UK or US to be operated on. Her surgery is too complicated for the facilities there and she must receive clearance right away. I am working now with many others to help make this happen. If you by chance know… -
Tents for Haiti – What You Can Do NOW Until Our Website Launches Shortly
5 Feb 2010 | 8:19 amUPDATE: We have secured free, reliable shipping directly to Haiti over the next 10 days. Dozens of people from Atlanta (and around the world) are working with us to make sure that every person in Haiti has temporary waterproof shelter before the rainy season/hurricane season hits. When this happens, disaster will strike if the 700,000+ people that are still living under sheets with sticks don’t have something stronger. Yes. Homes need to be rebuilt. We are working on that. This will take months and years to complete and we have to make sure that people have shelter NOW before the… -
Shameless…for a Cause: Why I Still Want Your Vote for the Shorty Award…Voting Ends @ 12pm EST
5 Feb 2010 | 6:12 amI need your vote. So does my friend Carel Pedre. We are finalists for different categories in the Shorty Awards – which are for the best Twitter Users in the world. Believe it or not, I don’t feel great about shameless self-promotion. However, my concerns about shameless self-promotion are outweighed by my desire to help bring hope and solutions to people that need them both. You don’t get money when you win the Shorty Award. They don’t even pay for your trip to the Awards Ceremony. However, I feel like the influence we will get from the platform provided is… -
10,000 Tents by…NOW :-)
1 Feb 2010 | 2:36 pmUPDATE:: We are no longer accepting donations of any kind (cash, tents, etc.) for this particular event. However, tens of thousands of tents are still needed and we will create another giving opportunity very soon. THANK YOU! Hey Family. My friend Carel Pedre – a rising Haitian leader that I trust a great deal – has made it clear that the overwhelming majority of homeless people in Haiti still need tents and need them badly -including many of his close friends. Most folk are just using tarps or sheets with sticks and they aren’t very secure from bugs/impending rain,… -
Giving Statements, Courageous U, Small Groups, Volunteers Needed for Office Hours
1 Feb 2010 | 9:08 am(Wow…pretty sure that was the longest title for a blog post I’ve ever had :-) I hope that you are doing well and that you are prepared to have a great week. We are in the midst of a very exciting time in the life of Courageous Church! I have 4 important bits of news for you and really hope you will take the time to read these so you can stay connected. 1. Your financial giving statements for 2009 are available online for you to use for tax purposes or for you to simply see how much you donated in our first year. If you have any trouble of any kind, email our team @…
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Christian Personal Finance
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Planning a Wedding on a Budget: 4 Tips for Saving Money
8 Feb 2010 | 7:27 amThe first way save money on your wedding is the most important: you have to want to save money. I’ve noticed in the past few years that some things are worth paying for, and some things are not. But just because you don’t pay for something doesn’t mean you can’t get great results (and sometimes better results) by using your creativity. Here are a few simple tips if you are planning a wedding on a tight budget. They all involve creativity, so open your mind and get creative (or call you sister or friend or aunt in the room to help you out). 1. Do it yourself. When Bob… -
How to Raise a Child on Less Than $266,698
7 Feb 2010 | 10:19 amHow much does it cost to raise a child these days? According to Baby Center web site, the cost of raising a child from baby to adulthood is $266,698. Now that you have pulled yourself up off the floor, I want to assure you that it is OK to bring babies into the world even if you aren’t sitting on a nest egg. It has been a few years (our youngest is 30), but Janice and I somehow managed to raise four children without spending an extra million dollars on them. Whether you are just getting started or already have several children, this article should help you keep a rational… -
Giving God Control
6 Feb 2010 | 6:57 amThe following is a guest post from Rick Anderson. Find more about him at his website: RickAnderson.com Millions of high paying manufacturing jobs lost to trade agreements. Nearly every street in America has foreclosure signs on it. Corporate globalization is effectively pooling the worlds poverty rather than creating prosperity. There’s a church in every neighborhood and even with all this pain folks aren’t coming through the doors. We worry about our bills and the stuff we’re about to lose. As a nation we are reaping the fruits of what we have sown. We debate the cause of… -
Getting To Know the ChristianPF writers
5 Feb 2010 | 10:25 amIn case you haven’t noticed, there over the last couple months there have been quite a few new faces around here. One of my goals for ChristianPF in 2010 is to add a lot of new voices to the mix. I fully understand that for CPF to be what God intends it to be, I am going to need the help of some like-minded folks who earnestly desire to help people become better stewards of what God has given them. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to read the About page, I will tell you a little about myself. My name is Bob and I started CPF in 2007 and my goal was to make it a resource… -
Flip UltraHD Camcorder Giveaway
5 Feb 2010 | 6:45 amHey all, this month we are giving away a Flip UltraHD Camcorder (120 Minutes) for Free Stuff Friday. Here are some of the specs… Easy-to-use, pocket-sized HD camcorder featuring one-touch recording and digital zoom Simple user interface lets you start capturing HD video just seconds after powering on Captures 120 minutes of HD video on 8 GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards required Convenient flip-out USB arm plugs directly into your PC or Mac to launch FlipShare software Pre-installed FlipShare software lets you easily email videos, edit individual clips, make…
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Generate Life Blog
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Video Blog #1
8 Feb 2010 | 5:20 pmWe all have the pure and innocent in our lives. Boys and girls who haven’t yet been touched by the world’s abuse of sexuality. Join us by posting the faces of those you love and of those you’re fighting for. Take sex back and let’s rise as a generation who makes romance beautiful again. Tony’s Blog #1 from Crossroads Christian Church on Vimeo. -
Why Sex?
8 Feb 2010 | 3:15 pmI’ve had a few people ask me why we talk about sex at Generate and why we’re so aggressive with our attempts to attract a generation to change. I decided that instead of explanation I’d simply show you a picture of my response. Her name is Peyton Faith. She’s my 2 yr old daughter. If the church stays silent she’ll fall victim to the world’s lie. Hope this helps. -
Give Something Away
8 Feb 2010 | 11:16 amProps to Coke for making fans. What product do you give away? Thx to Jeff & Brad. -
LDT is Back!
7 Feb 2010 | 7:27 pmLove Dance Team is back and this week they have a little competition! Sex Salon 2 launch in three days! -
Love Dance Off
5 Feb 2010 | 11:19 amSex Salon 2 Launch on Wed along with iHEART day! Praying for everyone who has invited a friend or famiy member this week. Praying you step out boldly in faith and that God moves in the heart of those you love! Wednesday the “Love Dance Team” is back. Not a lot of talent but a whole lotta heart! Best part of this Sex Salon special is that our old school team has been challenged by a few fresh faces. Should be fun to watch some pop, lock, groove, and spin… your vote decides the winner! Just finished the message and I really hope it’s a beautiful mixture of life change…
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brent(inWorship)
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Absolute Truth…
8 Feb 2010 | 8:53 amDoes it exist? Is it real? Can truth be absolute? Is there truth at all? I say…yes. I think a large movement in “spirituality” today, is to allow for the thoughts and feelings of others. No matter what you believe, or what you think you know, no one has a lock on truth. Absolute truth does not exist. But, I don’t agree with this. Absolute truth does exist. Im writing this post from a little coffee shop in Nashville, Tn. Tammy and I are here this week to join with others at re:create. An amazing gathering of artists, musicians and leaders, looking to connect with God and… -
Our Response To Haiti … Table Rock Fellowship
27 Jan 2010 | 3:10 pm“On January 13, 2010 the strongest earthquake since 1770 struck the impoverished island nation of Haiti bringing with it a wave of natural and human devastation. As the impact of what has been described as a catastrophe of biblical proportions has unfolded the leadership of Table Rock Fellowship has sought to formulate a corporate response to this crisis. The initial outpouring of humanitarian aid from around the world has been encouraging. The world is racing to help the people of Haiti who find themselves in an unimaginable crisis and as individuals we should be encouraged to… -
Is Awareness Enough?
13 Jan 2010 | 2:32 pmYesterday a tragedy took place. the people of Haiti are facing one of the largest disasters in their history. Death, destruction and obvious chaos for those still living there. I read some really thoughtful posts regarding the situation. Many with options of getting involved. Some with confusion on what to do. Others with a reminder to at least pray. Even some that have spoken against Haiti, as if they deserved this tragedy. I wanted to speak to one aspect of thought in this. When we are faced with these situations, we are often left in confusion. Not knowing what to do. This can take on… -
Foursquare, Gowalla and Whrrl…Oh My!
8 Jan 2010 | 6:12 pmLately, I have been intrigued by location based social networks. Specifically I have messed around with 3 of them. GoWalla, Foursquare and Whrrl. Let me explain a little bit about what these sites do, and then maybe I can give you a little writeup on each of them. First of all, these are social networks at heart. Like Facebook, or Twitter, but they are more purposed for posting your location and what you are doing at that location. They range from simple to more detailed. Ive played with all 3 and they are really quite different in their focus. Second, I am not trying to encourage you to use… -
Driving In The Car
7 Jan 2010 | 8:12 pmA few years back I was driving the family across town. There were four of us in the car. I don’t remember having any “stomach” issues that day, but I clearly had something going on. I tend to be “gassy”, so I wasn’t too concerned over my need to relieve myself. But…when I did…something happened. I noticed that my “passing” did not feel normal. It felt…loose, wet, not right. And, sure enough, something else had come out besides…air. I immediately said, “uh-oh”. My wife asked, “what?”, I said,…
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Collide Magazine
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The COLLIDE Show - Episode 23
5 Feb 2010 | 12:56 pmFor your viewing pleasure, another episode of The COLLIDE Show! Dale and I discuss the iPad, the Super Bowl, and the Grammys. Plus, we talk Echo and check in on WorshipHouse. As always, you can subscribe to The COLLIDE Show feed in iTunes. -
Videos Of The Week - 2.5.10
5 Feb 2010 | 8:34 amThe Videos of the Week are here! They might be a day late, but they’re not a buck short. You know, because they’re free. Anyway, if you’re viewing this post in a RSS reader, click here to see the whole thing in your browser so you don’t miss any videos. Let’s get things rolling with a video about Lost, as explained by Newsweek staffers who’ve never seen the show. This one just goes to show you that context is everything. Next up, a video about climate change. I know what you’re thinking — a controversial topic. Well, feel free to hit… -
Technology Is … A Winner!
4 Feb 2010 | 8:25 amThanks again to everyone who participated in our “Technology Is …” contest. There were a ton of thoughtful responses, and I really appreciated that. Unfortunately, I could only pick one winner, and that was a dude named Chris. He said: Technology is … not an excuse for a lack of substance. Though succinct, that response really resonated with me, and I hope it does the same for you. This was fun! We’ll have to try it again soon. -
Who We Are Is Who We Are
3 Feb 2010 | 11:12 amThis is my Editor’s Letter from the January/February issue of COLLIDE. A couple people have mentioned it to me so I wanted to post it in this space for anyone who missed it or would like to comment on it. I once heard character defined as who you are when no one is looking. Soon after I heard this, I discussed the idea with a friend as I scanned a dark, deserted intersection for cops before rolling through a stop sign; my friend was nice enough to point out the irony. Oops. I think one of the problems with blogs, Facebook, and Twitter is that no one is looking while we type. It’s just… -
Presenting Echo 2010
2 Feb 2010 | 9:34 amYesterday, the new Echo site went live, and we’re pretty excited around here. Do me a favor and check out this year’s conference. If it’s within your means, I’d love to see you there.
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Live to Worship
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Book Review: Sex, Lies & Religion by Randy Elrod
7 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmSex, Lies & Religion by Randy Elrod I just finished reading Randy Elrod’s new book, Sex, Lies & Religion today. I know Randy from attending the Recreate conference back in 2009 and recently along with a horde of other bloggers agreed to review the book prior to it’s release on February 14th. Let me first say it was extremely bold of Randy to approach such a topic. It is a serious No-Holds-Barred discussion on sex. Since the fall of man, God’s design for sex has been continually twisted into something that it shouldn’t be. Throughout history this has led… -
CD Release Party :: 17 April 2010
2 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pmI have some exciting news! The Justin Teseniar Band are releasing a brand new CD – Holding On To Hope -on April 17, 2010. To celebrate the release, there will be concert on that date at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hillsborough, NC on 7pm (doors open 6pm). It promises to be a great night as I’ve heard a few of the tracks already and they are amazing! The band have a great passion to lead people into worshipping God. I like Justin’s heart for God and have recently enjoyed getting together with him to write songs. He has been a real encouragement in my own song… -
Video: You’re The Only One
31 Jan 2010 | 9:21 pmThis is a new song that I just finished this weekend. It started with the first verse and I really liked the word liberate in there. The chorus followed and then verse two. The bridge took a bit of work to come up with something that lifted the song. The song is about how God is the only one who can truly rescue us from our (at times self-induced) messed up lives. He is the only one who can liberate us. Without God there are only short-term measures. Our real needs can only be met by Him. True freedom and true satisfaction are in God alone. The song writing momentum was helped… -
Snow Day
30 Jan 2010 | 9:15 pmThe weather people got it right for once. It actually snowed like they said it would. We didn’t venture out very far today. We went for a walk and then came back to mess about in the garden for a couple of hours. Since most of the churches have cancelled tomorrow’s services (including our own), we’ll probably be right here, doing more of the same. Filed under: Family, Fun Tagged: Durham, Fun, NC, snow -
You Are The Only One
30 Jan 2010 | 3:11 pmYou’re the only One who can liberate me You’re the only One who can liberate From this sinking sand You have steadied my feet You’re the only One who can liberate me I’m so messed up inside So messed up inside I’m really good at digging holes So deep I cannot climb There’s only one way out There’s only one way out You’re the only One who can satisfy me You’re the only One who can satisfy In this broken world You are all that I need You’re the only One who can satisfy me And I can see You reaching out to me Light chases shadows…
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Consuming Worship
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Friday Feeds
5 Feb 2010 | 7:30 pmSome more great links from the last week. Have a great weekend. LEAD Worship at Elevation Worship Remove the Filter at Worship Ministry Catalyst Worship Leader Lessons #11 by Jason Sears What do we fight for? at Vertizontal Creating Worship Space with Light at Contemplative Creativity Consistency by Dan Wilt church: the love/hate tension by Scott Hodge Holy Anticipation by Mark Batterson How I Teach Dynamics to Church Praise Bands by Greg Atkinson Things Don't Feel Spiritual all the Time by Brad Ruggles Jeff M. Miller \\ Consuming Worship web: blog \\ twitter \\ chat \\ facebook -
Worthy
4 Feb 2010 | 1:17 pmThe last three Sundays we've sung the song Worthy (You are Worthy) by Matt Redman. I usually repeat new songs over the course of a month to facilitate learning. This is not a new song for us, but it had been well over a year since we had done it last, and I felt it needed more than a once off. In my opinion, while the song is simple and repetitive, it is rather profound in its statements. Take verse one for example. "Worthy, You are worthy, much more worthy than I know. I cannot imagine just how glorious You are, and I cannot begin to tell how deep a love You bring. O Lord, my ears… -
Worship Wednesday: Saviour King – Marty Sampson
3 Feb 2010 | 11:56 amThis is one of my favorite "holy moments" on video. RSS readers click through for video if you don't see it. Jeff M. Miller \\ Consuming Worship web: blog \\ twitter \\ chat \\ facebook -
LOST returns
2 Feb 2010 | 1:24 pmHere's everything you need to know to catch-up for tonight's show. Will you be watching? Jeff M. Miller \\ Consuming Worship web: blog \\ twitter \\ chat \\ facebook -
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
1 Feb 2010 | 8:06 amSing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, O clans of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of…
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Kingdom Ministry on the Net
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Faithful need only click to be connected
5 Feb 2010 | 1:09 amTAMPA — Alex Hood knows the New Testament and the newest technology. Armed with the Holy Spirit and computer code,... -
Christian Leadership: Feed The Children Founder Wants Donation Halt
23 Nov 2009 | 2:38 amThe charity Feed The Children is in the middle of a bitter internal struggle for control that pits President Larry... -
Christian Leadership: What Do You Expect From Your Church Members
29 Oct 2009 | 4:30 pmChristian Leadership: What Do You Expect From Your Church Members I was struck by a recent article I read by... -
Pastors Salaries Face Downturn
22 Oct 2009 | 9:12 pmPastors Salaries Face DownturnSurvey shows average salary and benefits decline.About half the nation's full-time pastors report they received no salary... -
Music Legend Pastor Marvin Sapp files competing bid for African American Radio Station
13 Oct 2009 | 12:24 amGRAND RAPIDS -- A battle for control of the city's only station geared toward the black community is getting uglier,...
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Small Group Help Blog
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The Summit: A Convergence of Small Group Experts
23 Jan 2010 | 1:00 pmIf you can be near a PC on February 18th you wont want to miss this event. It is not often that you can participate in something like this with group leaders around the country and the best part is that its FREE.Greg Bowman (co-author of Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders), Lyman Coleman (the father of the small group movement as we know it toda [...] -
Keeping Teens Engaged In Small Groups
10 Jan 2010 | 1:00 pmI'm not sure if you are aware but our website has numerous articles available that can help small group leaders and pastors handle the challenges we face in group ministry. Here is an example of a great article by one of our authors, John Noonan:Students get bored easily. They sit in classes all day long and the last thing they want is another lecture. So how does a small group leader grab the attention of their students while teaching them about the bible? [...] -
How Do You Promo Your Group?
7 Dec 2009 | 1:00 pmI've always had fun helping group leaders get started with thier small group at our church. However, some young adults I've worked with recently have had a blast jumping head first into group minsitry. Take a look at how they chose to promo their group with their friends on the web...Step one - organize a core teamStep two - start a facebook groupStep three - Invite friends on facebook to join Step four - create a really strange p [...] -
Strategic Small Group Ministry Training
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmDecember 10 & 11, 2009Ebenezers Coffeehouse (National Community Church)Washington, DCLeading a single small group is a challenge, but running "point" on a church full of small groups can expose a whole new set of obstacles and opportunities. Discipleship, spiritual formation, missional outreach, and Biblical literacy happen best in small groups, and small groups happen best where organic growth is supported by strategic vision and purpose. If you are responsible for leadin [...] -
Five Reasons To Be In A Small Group For Life
25 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pmAt the Group Life Conference this year Andy Stanley shared five reasons that he will be in a small group for life. Here they are: 1. It’s the easiest place to invite un-churched people to, especially if they are not ready for the whole Sunday morning experience. 2. It’s often one of the only contexts for pastors or church staff to enga [...]
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Solar Crash... Where heaven and earth collide.
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Why Toronto Matters
4 Feb 2010 | 9:22 amContinuing my last couple posts on “God’s bias for the city” and “why cities matter” some thoughts on why the City of Toronto matters. Toronto is the most ethnically and culturally diverse urban area on planet earth. Half of its citizens are visible minorities. You can find glimpses of the entire world in one city. Over a 140 languages and dialects are spoken. Toronto is formed and shaped by the people of the globe – half of the population is foreign born. Toronto is a model mosaic city. Ethnic enclaves are everywhere. Every city on the planet has a… -
Why the city matters
28 Jan 2010 | 7:23 amAs a follow up to the previous post God’s bias for the city, here’s some thoughts on why the cities are strategic to anyone who wants to make a global impact. Cities are both magnets and magnifiers. People from surrounding areas are drawn in and everything they do is amplified and ripples back out. Increased density means there’s people like you there. People you can connect with and people you compete with. Increased diversity means there’s people completely unlike you there that you’ll need to learn to work with and from. Density and diversity cultivates,… -
God’s bias for the City
25 Jan 2010 | 6:02 amPhoto by Diez Just as God has a clear bias towards the poor, the scriptures also reveal that God’s heart leans towards the city. From Genesis God calls for humanity to be fruitful and multiply. Not simply to reproduce (otherwise Jesus would’ve done a terrible job with this mandate), but to cultivate life in the widest sense – to create culture, to steward over creation, to develop civilizations, and ultimately cities. Even the ‘garden of eden’ carries with it the idea of a lush park by a palace. A place dense with life near a kingly residence. Seeds of a future… -
Seth Godin – Why things are broken
21 Jan 2010 | 6:38 am -
Before it was cool…
18 Jan 2010 | 7:37 amJust to follow up on my last post “Stop donating to Haiti?” which received quite a number of hits – my very general take is to go ahead and exercise your god given wisdom, but don’t let any amount of theorizing stop you from giving when it’s in your heart to do so. I wanted to dedicate this post to the many Christian organizations that have helped pave the way for the church on issues of justice. You can argue all you want about administrative costs, or selling-out-to-the-man, or whatever else; but organizations like World Vision, Christian Aid, Compassion, and…
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Behind Worship
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Good to Great: Onscreen Lyrics and Notes Part II
This article was originally published on The Worship Community In Part 1 of this article we explored Contrast, Alignment, and Font Choice. You can start there and catch up. The Purpose of Backgrounds = Enhance ? Distract The whole purpose of backgrounds - loops or still graphics - is to add visual interest to the screens ... -
ProPresenter Overview II
In ProPresenter Overview 1 we referenced some great features of ProPresenter. Here are a few more tools ProPresenter will offer you: Full HD support and beyond ProPresenter fully supports any resolution right out of the box. At no additional cost, you can playback Standard-Def, all forms of High-Def, as well as ultra-wide resolutions for ... -
ProPresenter Overview I
This information comes from ProPresenter's website. What is ProPresenter? ProPresenter has been the preferred lyric presentation system for churches and ministries around the world for years. Now with a fresh new look and incredible new video engine, ProPresenter has never been easier or more spectacular. ProPresenter 3 has been completely re-written from ... -
Introduction to Music Loops in Worship
This article was originally published on The Worship Community. If you are part of the growing community of worship leaders, there is a good chance that you are at least mildly acquainted with loops. Loops have, to varying degrees, become an important tool to many modern worship leaders. From simple drum loops ... -
Good to Great: Onscreen Lyrics and Notes Part I
This article was originally published on The Worship Community Open your software of choice. Add the lyrics. Play. So is the preparation of the typical church using lyrics presentation software. It works. The lyrics are on screen and God is sung to and about. But what if a few simple treatments could ...
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My World
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Handling Criticism & Opposition
9 Feb 2010 | 4:10 amSaturday night, I preached on handling adversity, criticism and opposition from Nehemiah 4:1 – 14. This topic is all over the book of Nehemiah and it is something every leader experiences, a lot. The reality is criticism and opposition is inevitable if you do anything great for God. No one in the Bible or church history did something great for God and escaped opposition. People oppose people who great things. When you do something great for God, you are pushing the status quo, you are also making other people realize what they have not done with their lives. So people criticize. It is… -
Heading West to Radicalis
8 Feb 2010 | 5:38 amThis morning, Katie, Paul, Jennifer and myself are getting in the car and trekking to California. We’re going to the Radicalis Conference at Saddleback Church. I am really, really excited about this week and what it holds. One of the things I am really excited about are the individual tracks they have. Katie is doing the Pastor’s wife track with Kay Warren and Chris Shook, and I am doing the preaching track with Rick Warren and Tom Holladay. In addition to all of this, some of the main session speakers are Rick Warren, Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Andy Stanley, Kerry Shook, Dino… -
Saturday Night Mind Dump…
6 Feb 2010 | 8:44 pmLove my church Talked about how to handle adversity, opposition and criticism tonight from Nehemiah 4:1 – 14 Great passage, great example of not only how to be a leader in the midst of adversity and opposition, but how to handle that personally Nehemiah heard the criticism, prayed about it and then got back to work No one does anything great in their life or for God without experiencing some opposition and criticism It is part of the journey If you missed tonight, you can listen to it here Love having 2nd and 3rd time guests introduce their friends that they brought with them So much… -
Links of the Week
6 Feb 2010 | 7:07 amPerry Noble on How to get buy in from your staff part 1 and part 2. Why Tim Tebow’s super bowl ad is a good thing. (From the perspective of a pro-choice journalist). This is a great article. Meet Acts 29 church planter Jared Ayers. I went to college with Jared and his dad did our wedding. Awesome to hear how things are going and how God is using them in Philadelphia. C.J. Mahaney on How Dad’s can proactively watch the super bowl. Great insights into how to protect your family, enjoy the game and how to use the game as a launching point with your kids. Filed under: church,… -
Foto Friday
5 Feb 2010 | 1:25 pmFor Christmas this year, I got a new camera. When I was high school, I took some photography classes and loved it. Now that we have kids we decided we needed to do a better job of chronicling their lives and having more pictures. So, we got the camera. I decided to start Foto Friday here on the blog. The plan is, each week, I’ll share some pictures of life in our family and what is happening in our world. Filed under: family, foto friday, kids, photo Tagged: ashton, ava, family, gavin, katie, kids, photos, pictures
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Mister Nifty
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Want an iPhone app for your church?
5 Feb 2010 | 11:17 pmAfter Mars Hill Church released their iPhone app, I’ve had a deluge of people wanting to know how to create their own iPhone app. To begin, if you’re looking for free, you probably shouldn’t be trying to create an app. There are a few ways you can go about getting your own custom application. Pay an iPhone developer anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 to have a completely custom solution. Create an iPhone friendly website. This also costs a bit of money to hire a web developer. Use a service like Mobile Roadie that keeps the cost down with an app template. – $500 setup… -
Free Projection Software
4 Feb 2010 | 1:42 amI’ve written about projection software in the past, but I wanted to refresh your memory on a free software called OpenLP. It is a fully functional projection software package that gets you up-and-running in minutes. Certainly, you cannot compare apples-to-apples with Media Shout or other expensive software, but if you need base functionality without a lot of frills, save your money and install OpenLP. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but after using the program for only a few minutes, I was very impressed. The interfaces is intuitive and easy to understand. I tried to… -
Flickering Pixels
3 Feb 2010 | 11:58 pmI just finished reading this incredible book by Shane Hipps. I can honestly say this book was a paradigm shift for me in regards to media. We always talk about the effects of media on our lives, but do we ever stop to think how it really shapes us or our faith? From the impact of early typesetting to modern movies, Shane shows how everything is a form of media and all media has influence. He exposes the subtle subconscious influences media has on our minds…and our faith. After reading Flickering Pixels, I made some habit changes. I would highly recommend reading this book. It will… -
Awesome Free Screen Graphics
19 Nov 2009 | 9:24 amCreativeMYK.com is a treasure trove for people in media ministry. This is a community sharing site where Christian artists freely share their work for others to use. If you are an artist, this is a great place to get critiques and comments on your current work. Hop on over to their site and check out all the goodies. Go to CreativeMYK.com -
SEO Tips for Church Websites
29 Oct 2009 | 12:30 pmWhat is SEO? SEO simply means – Search Engine Optimization. It’s a bit of science that deals with how search engines view your websites, and more importantly how they rank you in the search results. Before we begin, let me just say that you create your website for people, not for search engines. You might have the most optimized site, but is it user-friendly and pleasant to visit? I’m not a self-proclaimed expert on the subject. There are quite a few sites devoted to teaching about SEO. If you want to really get your hands dirty, sign up for a Lynda.com account…
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TheResurgence
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Effective Communication: The Leader’s Greatest Skill
9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amEffective Communication series: Click | View Series A Skill Worth Learning Probably no skill is more helpful to acquire and develop than becoming an excellent communicator. I believe that communication is a skill that can be learned. A number of years ago I realized that my ability to communicate well needed major work, so I joined Toastmasters International in order to improve my private and public communication. It was by far the best investment in my leadership portfolio that I have ever made. I am still reaping the benefits of the eleven years I was a Toastmaster. Author, speaker, and… -
Navel-Gazing
8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 amI just realized I have a new spiritual problem. Truth be told, I have had it for a while, but the light bulb just finally came on in my soul that illuminated what has been going on. I can get so caught up in trying to figure out why I sinned that I forget to repent of my sin. Getting to the Root As a “gospel-centrality” guy who believes that all true change begins at the heart level, I consider it a goal not just to stop doing something evil, but to try to figure out why I was doing that evil in the first place. My hope in doing so is to be led to as specific of an application of the… -
God Uses the Weak
8 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amGod chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27). When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 1:27 because the religious couldn’t accept a defeated Savior, and philosophers couldn’t believe in a God who would take on frail flesh and die. Paul honed the point later by repeating what God said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Basking in this promise, Paul declared: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). The Inverted Way of Jesus Jesus’ life and shameful death informed… -
10 Tips for Missional Community Leaders
7 Feb 2010 | 10:00 amwith Nate Navarro 1. Know God Cultivate a steady devotional and prayer life. Participate in gospel-centered accountability, like a Fight Club. Serve with the strength God supplies (2 Peter 4:11). 2. Know Your People Pastor your Missional Community. Don't just lead discussions. Take notice when somebody disappears and make sure they are loved well. 3. Know Your Neighborhood Know the culture and relate to it well. Know your neighbors and invite them into your community. 4. Don't Go Alone Share leadership by appointing leaders for hosting, meals, prayer, and mission. Participate in monthly… -
What book caused this exchange between Mark Driscoll & John Piper?
7 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amThe Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition, and Interpretation by John Sailhamer If you saw this Facebook post by Mark Driscoll or John Piper’s blog post in response, you know that John Sailhamer’s book The Meaning of the Pentateuch was released in late 2009. Check out this recent article from Christianity Today for an interview with Dr. Sailhamer on biblical criticism and finding meaning in the text of Scripture. You can also read the introduction to the book free online here. Scripture Wallpapers Download free Scripture wallpapers for your desktop and iPhone. Get them here.
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Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise
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Build trust by flipping your marketing model upside down...
3 Feb 2010 | 7:10 amHave you seen the white paper from Moosylvania yet? It’s been out there awhile. If you haven’t had the chance to see it yet, be sure to request your own copy. It's worth it. We all can learn from the insights these guys share. How do you build trust? A few notable highlights... Respect people’s judgment & intelligence Enhance their community Personalize for people Acknowledge life stages Share the word Unconventional messages rule Support the cause -
Mark the moment ...
2 Feb 2010 | 6:23 amI found some old family night photos from last year. They made me smile. We still do family nights, we just haven’t been as intentional about our themes or photos. I’m motivated to ramp those up again. Last night we had Gpops & Gbunny over for a Wii party, but I don’t have the pictures to prove it ever happened. MARK THE MOMENT! -
Management of the absurd: paradoxes of communication
1 Feb 2010 | 6:38 amThe Paradoxes of Communication The more we communicate the less we communicate. Most organizations OVERcommunicate believing everybody should be in on everything. When all lines of communication are open for participants to talk to all members of a group – the problem-solving ability of the group diminishes markedly and becomes virtually paralyzed. In all of life, the metamessage tends to be more powerful than the message itself. Too often we become so concerned about the content of what we say or write that we often forget the form. Yet the feelings, the rituals, the arrangements, the… -
Management of the absurd: technology of human relations
29 Jan 2010 | 6:37 amThe Technology of Human Relations Increasingly we treat human relationships as requiring skill and technique. The more important a relationship, the less skill matters. Any technique loses it’s power when it becomes evident that it is a technique. Effective leaders and managers do not regard control as the main concern. Instead they approach situations sometimes as learners, sometimes as teachers, sometimes as both. they turn confusion into understanding. They see a bigger picture. They trust the wisdom of the group. Their strength is not in control alone, but in other qualities –… -
Management of the absurd: a different way of thinking
28 Jan 2010 | 6:17 amRead this oldie but goodie recently. A few bullets. There is a difference between absurdity and stupidity. “Managers do things right, leaders do the right things.” Warren Bennis When formulas fail them, managers become frustrated, aggressive and sometimes verbally abusive. A Different Way of Thinking Granting authority is not like handing out a piece of pie, wherein you lose what you give away. It’s like when you give away information to someone. Although they may know more, you do not know any less. Nothing is as invisible as the obvious. The most important discoveries, the greatest…
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Frankly Speaking
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Mid-Michigan High Schoolers For Haiti
28 Jan 2010 | 4:57 pmWhen the Student Leaders from our High School Youth Group, Modified, decided to challenge one another to a little peanut butter competition, I’ll bet they didn’t expect this to happen. Their original plan: for Grand Ledge High School to challenge Everett High School to see which school could collect the most peanut butter to send to Haiti. Our students talked to their respective administrators -
26 Jan 2010 | 6:49 am
26 Jan 2010 | 6:49 amThere is a woman sitting behind my wife and me as we pull into the driveway of our home. She has a job, her own car. Is headed off to college in the fall. Just the other day she sat in our mini-van munching on a Happy Meal and dumping her Hi-C on the floor.Not anymore. She's a woman now.I pause at the garage door and switch the headlights off. I press the opener, and the door rises like a -
Haiti Relief
15 Jan 2010 | 3:54 pmThe unprecedented events of the past week have challenged everyone that has watched the events unfolding in Haiti. None more than the brothers and sisters at South Lansing Christian Church that have prayed for, supported financially and served alongside ministries in Haiti. Nearly two years ago our church collected 9,000 jars of peanut butter to send to Haiti. It was distributed within about -
Trading Stuff for Ministry Money
12 Jan 2010 | 2:38 pmWe've been studying the Bible book of Acts at South Lansing Christian Church. The deeper I go, the more I think it has the potential to ruin my life. Last week I challenged the congregation to have the same attitude that the early church had - that the return of Jesus Christ was imminent. Following his ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and, while they waited for the promised Holy -
Should I sell my DVDs?
5 Jan 2010 | 11:38 pmI read this interesting article on Yahoo tonight: 10 Things Not to Buy in 2010. My personal experience validates what this article reports.Tops on the list: DVDs. Mrs. Frankly and I had a conversation just the other night about the futility of buying more of them. We probably own about a hundred, including all seven seasons of The West Wing and the first four seasons of The Office. I
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Church Crunch
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Center for Church Communication Plans for Global Domination
8 Feb 2010 | 7:39 pmIt seems that the world (or at least the United States for now) needs a bit more Church Communication…!Center for Church Communication has recently established “Regional Coordinators” in the continental US to help promote communication best-practices and such. On the same map you can find locations of their Board Members as well as CFCC Members.Pretty neat, although I’d probably have used something a little less “ugly” than CommunityWalk.com, but that’s just me.It’s kind of like seeing a battle plan unfold or something to that affect (or maybe… -
Church Communication Best Practices: Facebook + Email + Ministry?
8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 amApparently there’s been a few rumors going around that Facebook is re-developing their messaging system to create an all-together new emailing platform (as we traditionally understand it).The LA Times reports about the “Gmail Killer” and that it just “makes sense.”What does this mean for the Church and ministry? Could you imagine an entire ministry-based communication strategy on Facebook? Would that be beneficial or prohibitive? Freeing or make you more handcuffed?My perspective is this: I just can’t see Facebook being a primary means of communication or… -
The Week of Giveaways! WooThemes, Billings 3, Media Temple, and More!
8 Feb 2010 | 6:52 amThe past launch week has been insane and we’ve been super busy with changes; but I’ve had more fun than I can imagine in the longest of times (which is lovely because that’s one of the only few sustainable things that work in life).One of the neatest parts is just realizing (again) how blessed we are in our ability to do what we are doing and how we can be a blessing in other people’s lives. The way I see it, and the way that the Scriptures tell us, we are to be a blessing and pass on those blessings constantly.Our challenge and delight is to how best to give; a great… -
One Week Later: A Look into our Blog Design Methods and Strategy
6 Feb 2010 | 11:13 pmWe’ve been hard at work tweaking the design, running code queries, and even installing new applications to make this iteration of ChurchCrunch (and the rest of the 8BIT Network) the best community platform ever.I’ve learned a lot about how this community responds to change and have taken extensive notes on how to make it better. Hopefully most of the redesign has made that kind of impact and it’s my hope that when you get to one of our properties you just leave feeling “good.”We’re in the business of creating environments besides effective and entertaining… -
Twellowship – The Christian Twitter Train
6 Feb 2010 | 1:02 amAnother targeted “more followers on Twitter” scheme for the faithful few.I wouldn’t put my username and password in those boxes if you paid me:It doesn’t look “secure” or trustworthy.That’s not how I roll with Twitter.The logo is terrible.It’s not free.Linked websites are just too classy for me.Thoughts? Have you ENTERED the WooThemes Giveaway? Make sure to follow ALL the instructions, and then email info@churchcrunch.com with this in your Subject: "8BITwoothemesGIVEAWAY!"Related posts:TwitterAnalyzer – Best Twitter Analytics Service or…
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The Necessary Things
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Scale & Share Your Expertise--Help Other College Ministers Out
8 Feb 2010 | 2:07 pmI've been asking myself this question lately: What does it look like to steward my expertise in light of the whole, not just my particular part of ministry? I've run across so many capable college ministers that have specific expertise that I wish I had. The challenge is not a shortage of expertise but an ability to find and gather resources from these experts. My question for you: What can you share that will make others better? My essentials to share with maximum scale: Format: instead of Word, Powerpoint, Publisher, think google docs, blog posts, slideshare. Placement: if it's on your… -
Extending the Top of Your Ministry Funnel
6 Feb 2010 | 8:22 amI constantly faced the challenge of deciding whether to go wide or deep in three of the ministry start-ups in which I participated. One of the most important areas of leadership that I provide during our staff meetings is pushing our team to use resources to expand rather than refine/build up what we have. My intuition was wrong when I started leading. I've learned that in order to grow a ministry the process of distributing resources most effectively goes in this order:1. The top of the funnel--students that do not know Christ 2. The bottom of the funnel--student leaders 3. The middle of… -
Before the Presentation--How to Train Students to Engage Evangelistically
1 Feb 2010 | 10:48 pmKarl shared some insightful comments on a previous post: The New E in Evangelism: Engagement. Perhaps my favorite was this:Brian,Although I am all in favour of finding tools that do the job of walking through the gospel better than the 4SL, for me, the real need we are facing in the campus ministry is before we even get to the 4SL. This is why I found your post on engagement and exposures so interesting. It encapsulated thoughts I had about that part of evangelism which enables us to have gospel conversations. Also, interestingly, our training is traditionally very strong in teaching students… -
Twitter Outreach Vision and Tactics
28 Jan 2010 | 1:15 pm -
You Will Draw What You Build; Designing a Structure for Your College Ministry
26 Jan 2010 | 1:30 pmMinistry Start-up Reality: It's not about WHETHER college students will come; it's whether those students are the RIGHT ones for your ministry. It's been so encouraging to see people get involved in the Starting a College Ministry ebook project. I'm working on Chapter 2--Designing a Ministry Structure. It can be so easy to merely rearrange the pieces of other people's ministries to form your own structure (I like the way ministry x does co-ed bible studies, but the way ministry y does their weekly meeting, etc), which we all do in some capacity. However the long-term health of your ministry…
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FusionLife
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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-07
7 Feb 2010 | 1:59 amTaxes are done! # @richann awesome in reply to richann # RT: @BibleSEO BibleWebApp.com: http://biblewebapp.com/study/ // what a great tool, definitely going to have to use this regularly in reply to BibleSEO # @tattood1 right there with you bro in reply to tattood1 # Win an iPad to use w/ free @Logos Bible Software app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad! Details: http://bit.ly/L4ipad # -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-31
31 Jan 2010 | 1:59 am@timweston no in reply to timweston # @michaelmcminn can you pass along some info to where I can check that out, too? in reply to michaelmcminn # "If there is a life not worth living then we have no good news" Frank Shaeffer http://read.ly/Ps139.13.NLT # @aaronmonts that's awesome to hear in reply to aaronmonts # @cruciformity Google Voice Does An End Run Around Apple And Shows Up In The iPhone’s Browser http://bit.ly/6HjKWz (via @spidercam) # @cruciformity now I don't have to wait # @ShawnGrant lastpass.com, I use it it's great! in reply to ShawnGrant # @ShawnGrant I… -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-24
24 Jan 2010 | 1:59 amI watched Fireproof with my wife tonight, I highly recommend it! # RT @ChristieSays: French RT @brucewagner: What language do they speak in Haiti? // Creole w/ French, Spanish & English # @human3rror me too in reply to human3rror # @scotthodge the port is ruined, the road is buckled almost 5 ft up leading to it, no ships or trucks to get them to the boats in reply to scotthodge # To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. # Hey @tomokachristian, Publix has 10 for $10 items till Wed, which are great items to donate… -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-17
17 Jan 2010 | 8:00 pmTrying… http://twitpic.com/xl0on # @loswhit if you're asking it's @manchildmega, if not do share # @aaronmonts I know, I have performed 2 weddings for past YM kids and will do a third next month. But I would have placed you much over 30. in reply to aaronmonts # RT @GuyKawasaki: 5 English slangs everyone should know http://om.ly/dzPt // this is really good laugh or the dog's bollocks # Just got off the phone @TonyTSheng, so greatful for our friendship # @problogger collect letters from thr children that you support thru orgs like in reply to problogger # @problogger collect… -
Kick off 2010 right with Primal by Mark Batterson
28 Dec 2009 | 10:27 amEverybody needs a reminder. We write things on our calendars, set reminders on our computers, leave posted notes all over our offices all to remind ourselves of the important things we have to do any given day of the year. In “Primal”, Mark Batterson reminds us off the most important thing as a Christian, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength”. In the fast paced information age that we live in it is easy to lose sight of the Great Commandment. With Twitter and Facebook status updates from all our friends, news being blasted at us on…
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Zak White
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Ketchup Catching Up
8 Feb 2010 | 6:39 amHeinz has been making Ketchup in the SAME little packages for over 40 years. This past week, they announced a new version of their famous Ketchup packets. The new “Dip & Squeeze” packets can be opened in two ways. Check out the video below. After four decades, Heinz has decided to change. Sometimes I wonder if we actually do want things to change. When things change, we have to learn new systems and alter the way we work. Sometimes its extremely tough to change. Often we give up on ideas, because even though we want things to change, we don’t really want to give anything up… -
Sunday Mind Dump
7 Feb 2010 | 3:14 pmCrazy AWESOME day at Revolution Church today! Two people accepted Christ! THAT is why we bust our backs every week! We made a BIG announcement today. We’ll be launching a second service on February 21st! MO SEATS FOR YO PEEPS. Check out the video and details here. Speaking of, does anyone know where I can buy a TON of PEEPS marshmellow candies for cheap? If you aren’t serving in a ministry at Revolution, we need you to join the SERVOLUTION to help us serve the PEEPS! Also, on February 21st, we’ll start a new message series called “Let’s Get Dangerous!“… -
Saturday Night Shots
6 Feb 2010 | 3:48 pmThe Saturday Night Shots… PUMPED about tomorrow at Revolution Church! Hope I get some sleep! PUMPED about the incredible team God has built (and continues to build) at Revolution. It blows me away! PUMPED about seeing lives changed. PUMPED about sharing some BIG NEWS at Revolution tomorrow! PUMPED about the SuperBowl. I have a friend from High School that starts for the Saints. Hope he gets a ring! He’s an incredible, Godly young man that has always honored God. Now, God is honoring him! NOT PUMPED that my first Ultra Marathon (31 miles) is in 3 weeks. My training has been… -
Brilliant Blogs & Links
3 Feb 2010 | 6:38 amRandom rules for ideas worth spreading. Good stuff. Challenged me in a few ways on how we do some things at Revolution. Brad Lomenick on learning from people outside of your circle. This has been crucial for me and for Revolution! Does your mouth spew poison or fruit? Lori Wilhite on our words. A new favorite blog. People of the Second Chance. Jud Wilhite & Mike Foster. Two incredible guys that just. Love. Jesus. Love the new iPad. But I think Apple is missing out on something BIG here. By the way, I’ve heard rumors that Apple is already developing the second iPad and that the… -
Baptism
1 Feb 2010 | 4:11 pmI’ll NEVER forget these early Baptisms at Revolution Church. Incredible! Congrats to Tyler Hooper! Tyler Hooper Baptism Revolution Church from Revolution Church on Vimeo.
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All Praise Blog
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CHOOSING YOUR FRIENDS WISELY
20 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pmLately, a dear friend, Pastor Rodney Fouts of North Church in Edmond, OK, has been teaching on changing your life. I’ve especially enjoyed his take on friendships and choosing your friends carefully. I’ve always kept my friendships to a minimum and believe it’s one of the main reasons God has blessed me with the best friends I could ever ask for. The World would have us believe that you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But I truly believe that Jesus taught us that you pick your friends with careful intention, while loving everyone else through acts of service. If that… -
What Godly Excellence is NOT
27 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pmGodly Excellence. Ten things it’s NOT! As a worship consultant, I’ve had the unique opportunity to see firsthand both the good and the bad sides worship in the local church. I’ve seen worship teams that are at the top of their game and those that couldn’t get any worse. Churches that support their worship ministries, and churches who shun them. When you think of worship band excellence, it’s easy to point towards the larger, more talked about churches and their bands. The worship teams at churches like New Spring in Anderson, SC; Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC; Andy… -
Too Busy to Fellowship?
28 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pmToo Busy to Fellowship? Really? I think 1 John 1:6-7 is one of the most powerful messages to pastors today. And in today's cyber-pastor world, it's more important than ever to understand the meaning of this passage. It's a part of God's plan that we have actual fellowship with one another. It's not good enough that 20,000 Twitter users per day read your quotes. Fellowship requires an investment of time and energies, and it must be personalized one-on-one.1 John reads: "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we… -
My Favorite Book Ever
6 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pmAs worship leaders, it's important that we understand the power of praise. Which is why I'm telling you that you MUST read this book. At least the first chapter.I know it may make me seem out of touch by saying my favorite book is a book older than most of you reading this, but this book changed my life! I've recently re-discovered it and once again, it's had a profound affect on my life. POWER IN PRAISE has sold over 3 million copies for a reason. It's a book that can change your life.Giving God all praise in all things - through the good and the bad - is a discipline we all need to… -
Responding to Criticism
28 May 2009 | 10:00 pmIn the ministry, being attacked and criticized is nothing new. Jesus himself experienced it over and over. But in recent years, it appears we have begun a trend in overlooking the "turn the other cheek" philosophy our Savior promoted. Recently, I have heard some of the most well-known pastors and worship leaders attack their enemies. Many of these pastors have even gone as far as to embarrass the offender via their public platform. Read on:
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Creative Worship Tour
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Worship In The Great Recession
"All things new ≠ everything ok" I heard that phrase in a conversation with a group of leaders back in October on the state of worship today. Too often, the discussion went, people feel they can't bring their real lives to worship because they don't think they're like everyone else. Too often the perception of Christian worship is smiling worship leaders, singing upbeat songs and slick pastors preaching upbeat, "follow Jesus and everything will be great" sermons. Those upbeat songs and slick sermons may be culturally relevant and even attractive to some but are they relevant to the messy,… -
Help Me Get to Echo Conference 2010 to learn more about media & reach unsaved lives thru it!
Please help me get to Echo Conference 2010. I am a 19 year old digital media major and I really really want to be able to go to the 2010 Echo Conference. Please help me achieve my goal. Prayers and donations are equally important. Thank you again. If interested in helping me out please click here to get directions on how to contact me. http://http://bit.ly/5KoxsX -
Thursday Inspiration: Kinetic Typography
It's been a while since I've done a Thursday Inspiration post so this week I've got a good one. Inspiration guaranteed or your money back. I shared some kinetic typography with you before (Song Slides of the Future) but a few weeks ago, before I got started in a new project with kinetic type, I went searching for some inspiration on Vimeo (youtube's artsy and creative sister) and found the Kinetic Typography Channel. I love to see how people create shapes with the text, how they move the text around the screen, the different color selections they make. Anyway, here are some of my favorites:… -
E-mail conversation with Gary Molander
Came across a great article by Gary Molander posted over at Collide about "The Artist's Cry." We posted an email exchange I had with Gary on The Work Of The People blog. Check it out, join the conversation at Collide, or here, or on the TWOTP blog. -
Member Mondays: Liz Jarocki
1. What do you do? My actual title is “Creative Coordinator”. I am responsible for finding creative content (mostly videos, songs, readings) for services. I also attend to some administrative details, as needed, such as preparing the lyrics, announcements, sermon notes for volunteers to use during our services. I also do weekend service producing, which requires oversight of communication between band/tech/teachers locally, between campuses and have responsibility for the flow of the service. (see the photos below) 2. Why do you do it? I feel a real calling to Worship Arts. I know God has…
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Between Realities
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Church Super Bowl Ad
2 Feb 2010 | 7:00 amInteresting blurb... we might see a megachurch run a Super Bowl ad. Funnily enough, it's one of the finalists in a spoof contest.Culturally, this is big; as the article notes, it would be a huge platform. Christ in prime time? This is even bigger than that concept. -
The Inspiration Currently Known as Bree
18 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amI latched on to this story from David Whitley via FanHouse, and I hope it touches you as much as it touched me.It tells the story of Bree McMahon, a senior at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida, who overcame an event that would crush almost anyone else.The varsity soccer player lost her leg.The manner was excruciatingly tragic. While at a carwash fundraiser for the soccer team, a fellow player hit the gas pedal in a vehicle by mistake and pinned Bree to the wall.But, as Whitley notes, the SUV left Bree's spirit unscathed.Now, I cannot tell this story better than David Whitley, and I am… -
Ignored tweet leads to arrest
29 Dec 2009 | 6:00 amWhile reading this PC World story, one element leaped out at at me.While trying to disperse a rowdy tween crowd that had converged to listen to a scheduled singing event of a teen sensation, the police arrested the music exec associated with the singer. What for?For not tweeting a dispersal message.The police hold that it was reckless to do so, and that his (the exec's) refusal contributed to injury.While I don't understand the legal nuances, I couldn't help but think that the police in this story have an overly ambitious idea of Twitter in this scenario... -
That time of year.
28 Dec 2009 | 5:00 pmBusy, busy, busy... and grateful, grateful, grateful. Most of the time, at least.Just felt I should say that... carry on... :) -
Olive Tree Bible Software updated...
16 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amOlive Tree has put out some nice updates on their Bible software.Olive Tree makes electronic versions of biblical material -- along with related content -- for every major smartphone and PDA platform, which means you're good on Android, Symbian, iPhone, Palm and BlackBerry. In addition, they have a bunch of free resources (like Bible reading schedules) that are useful for everyone.Specifically for BlackBerry, it seems they have expanded on the capabilities of both touchscreen and keypad/QWERTY devices.There are live discounts available for software titles.Check them out. Bible Reader is a…
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Business as Mission Network
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Do we make the most of $70 Billion?
8 Feb 2010 | 5:25 amMy wife and I are big fans of Compassion and World Vision. It’s a big part of where we trade in our finances to reach a world that desperately needs to experience both the physical and spiritual love of Christ. I greatly admire how both organizations are extremely intentional on telling us where they spend each dollar. Their “scoreboard” typically says that as much as 81 cents of every -
Videre Microfinance in Dallas, Texas is Hiring Several Positions
4 Feb 2010 | 5:11 amDallas Operations Manager The Dallas Operations Manager is in charge of executing all day-to-day activities in the U.S. to continue the growth of Videre.This position is absolutely critical for Videre's second year of growth as a new organization and will provide first-hand training in running a start-up nonprofit. Specific roles include, but are not limited to, Donor Cultivation, -
I had a discussion tonight with a banker, lawyer, retail manager, and hair stylist about the meaning of work
2 Feb 2010 | 12:57 pmJR Vassar is the Pastor of Apostles Church, in the heart of New York City. He's speaking at the RightNow Conference in Dallas, Nov 11-12th. Its refreshing to hear a pastor located in the country's business capital tackle the Biblical basis for business and ministry. Here's an excerpt, or click here to read the full thing. "Tonight, I had dinner with some men at Apostles (a banker, a -
Business as Mission Company looking for US Business Development Manager to lead eBook Division
1 Feb 2010 | 5:46 amContinuing the trend of Business as Mission Companies looking to hire, I just got word from Virginia Thomas at Olive Technology that they are on the lookout for an eBook Business Development Manager. They are looking for someone to lead the charge in selling for their eBook conversion services (they take publishers’ files and create the formats readable on the Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, iPhone -
Where are the Churches that Love on Business People?
28 Jan 2010 | 5:43 amDoes your pastor “get you”? Does he validate and value your role in the business world? Does your church understand your call to serve Christ in the marketplace? If so, I’d love to hear about your story. Like an investigative reporter, I’m trying to uncover churches that get the idea that business can be ministry. They don’t necessarily need to be thinking about it in an international
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ChurchBeauty
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Brunstad Church
4 Feb 2010 | 12:25 pm -
St. Andrews
18 Dec 2009 | 9:45 am -
The Painted Door
10 Dec 2009 | 1:02 pm -
Cottonwood Church
14 Oct 2009 | 12:11 pm -
Abundant Life Christian Center
13 Oct 2009 | 7:22 pm
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Agile Ministry
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Are You a Brainwashed Leader?
9 Feb 2010 | 2:24 amSeth Godin has released a short manifesto at ChangeThis.com called “Brainwashed: Seven Ways to Reinvent Yourself”. Here is a short excerpt: It’s like this: we were brainwashed. Brainwashed into believing a set of rules that aren’t true (any more). And because the brainwashing has been so complete, the shifts in our world and new opportunities they open up are easy to see as ways to shore up yesterday’s faltering system. Please, don’t fall for that. Don’t use the tools of today to support your effort to do yesterday’s job better. This is an opportunity to completely… -
Are You a Generous Leader?
8 Feb 2010 | 2:10 amLeaders tend to come in two varieties: output-focused and people-focused. The output-focused leader gives priority to the tasks and deadlines ahead: church building upkeep, weekly metrics, and monthly goals. The people-focused leader spends their time investing in their team, guiding them to be better disciples, and after that looking at tasks, metrics, and goals. The problem isn’t that output-focused leaders don’t love people. The problem is that they value the output more than the people. At the core is a heart issue and a God issue. The heart issue is that they see people as… -
How To Build A Great Powerpoint For Your Volunteers
4 Feb 2010 | 2:39 amGuy Kawasaki put together a set of guidelines for using PowerPoint several years ago. While focused mostly toward startups doing pitches to venture capitalists, I think these rules can be used for leaders that cannot live without PowerPoint when presenting to volunteers. Here is Guy’s rule: A PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points. Sound crazy? Believe me, it has some sound wisdom within. Here are some details, generalized from the original: Ten slides. Ten is the optimal number of slides in a… -
Suggestions For More Effective Volunteer Meetings
3 Feb 2010 | 2:27 amHere are some tips that I have learned over the years that help leaders have more effective volunteer meetings. I hope you find them as useful as I do: Create a meeting agenda – this keeps you and your team focused during the meeting Order your discussion – don’t hop around different topics. Create an agenda with order and flow, otherwise it will drain the team trying to keep track of each topic as you hop around Send the agenda to team members at least two days prior – this prepares your team prior to showing up If the meeting requires creativity, have a brainstorm… -
Quarterly Meetings Are Important
2 Feb 2010 | 2:06 amHaving a quarterly meeting with your volunteers is essential to team growth and dynamics. Why? Several reasons: You are able revisit your ministry vision and purpose You can review what the team accomplished over the last three months You provide time for volunteers to fellowship, especially those with opposite schedules It allows for the introduction of new volunteers to the entire team You can outline the next three months and put them into context with the big picture vision These meetings can be informal at someone’s house (be sure to rotate homes if you do this) or a big meeting room,…
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Revitalize Your Church
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Measured by Character
9 Feb 2010 | 4:00 amA few years ago, our family visited the birthplaces of two famous Americans on the same day - inventor, Thomas Edison and former president, Warren G. Harding.When we arrived in Milan, Ohio, we immediately noticed that they were proud of their native son, Thomas Edison. A big sign on the edge of the small village proclaimed this was his birthplace. A statue of Edison graced the public square in the center of town. His family home had been restored, with a museum dedicated to his honor. Even the street lights were erected in Edison's memory, as was the Edison Family Restaurant, and the Edison… -
The Book of the Shepherd
8 Feb 2010 | 5:41 amWhen Joshua the shepherd observes a man mercilessly beating his son, he is deeply troubled that the laws of their land permit such inhumanity. Later than night, Joshua prayed to God. "Why didn't you send help for that child?" God replied, "I did send help. I sent you."In this profound and heartwarming parable, we follow Joshua as he embarks on the quest for "the better way."Accompanied by his newfound friends, Elizabeth (a former slave) and David (the castaway child), Joshua searches for an ancient text that has been hidden in a distant cave near the Great Inland SeaAlong their journey to… -
Sandcastle Character
8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amJonathan Edwards stands among the greatest Americans who have ever lived. He is noted for his significant role in the Great Awakening and was appointed as the third president of Princeton University.His prolific writings still influence countless thousands today.If we could boil Edwards' life down to one word, it would be "character." The commitment to integrity marked everything he did.Even as a young man, he understood the importance of being true and standing strong. In 1722, at age 19, he penned the following commitments in his journal:RESOLVED:Resolved, to live with all my might while I… -
Tell Me What To Do
6 Feb 2010 | 6:27 amI think every pastor can relate to this post from Seth Godin:If you've ever hired or managed or taught, you know the feeling.People are just begging to be told what to do. There are a lot of reasons for this, but I think the biggest one is: "If you tell me what to do, the responsibility for the outcome is yours, not mine. I'm safe."When asked. . . resist! -
Missional Skiers
6 Feb 2010 | 4:00 amSkiing for a Cause -- Tuesday, February 16 Wisconsin Wilderness Campus is a one year college program located on Lake Owen in Cable, and is an extension of Philadelphia Biblical University.Limited to an enrollment of 35 students, this unique school in the northwoods offers students a dynamic one-year accredited university experience that builds a foundation for further academic study, character development and spiritual growth.Several of the students, faculty and staff attend Hayward Wesleyan Church, where I serve as Senior Pastor.Each year, the WWC students ski 40K (25 miles) on the American…
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Challies Dot Com
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The Next Story: Life Changes
9 Feb 2010 | 4:04 amYesterday I wrote about my desire to be a doer when it comes to the convergence of technology and theology, media and Christian living. I do not want to write a book full of prescriptions that I choose to ignore. And so, as I've dedicated increasing amounts of time to research, I've begun to examine my own life, my own use of technology and ultimately, its use of me. Today I'd like to give three quick examples of the ways I've had to change my own life as I've thought about what it means for me to live in a distinctly Christian way in this media-saturated world. Maybe in the book I'll write… -
The Next Story: Being a Doer
8 Feb 2010 | 6:03 amI graduated from college in 1997 (Or so. To be honest, I don't even remember exactly what year it was and didn't bother attending the graduation ceremony or picking up my diploma which undoubtedly recorded the date). My history degree did not open up the world of possibilities I had obviously thought it might when I first chose history as my major three years before. With few options available to me, and suffering from a lack of motivation, I decided I had better find some kind of employment, even if it did not incorporate my training. I learned that a new Starbucks was opening nearby and… -
Wide Open Are Your Hands
7 Feb 2010 | 12:57 pmEvery now and again I like to post a song we've sung at church that may not be widely-known. Here is one we sing quite frequently. Titled "Wide Open Are Your Hands," it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux back in the 10th century and translated from Latin in the 1800's. The chorus was added by my friend Julian and the music (for which, unfortunately, I do not have a recording) was composed by the guys who lead us in worship. Wide open are your hands, paying with more than gold The awful debt of guilty men, forever and of old. Ah, let me grasp these hands, that we may never part, And let the… -
On Endorsements
6 Feb 2010 | 11:15 amOne of the strange things that happens when you write a book is that other authors begin to ask you if you would endorse their own book. There is a strange little economy whereby people in a particular genre all endorse one another's books. This is true in the Christian world as it's true for books about history, politics, and the like. A relatively small group of people pass their books around with requests for endorsements. I've written quite a few of these little blurbs lately. It is something I'm generally quite eager to do and even honored to do. There is a certain sense in which it is… -
Free Stuff Fridays
5 Feb 2010 | 7:12 amIt's Friday morning, which means that I've got some free stuff to give away. For this week's contest I cajoled my buddy Josh Harris into giving up ten copies of his new book Dug Down Deep. So there will be ten prizes, each of which will be an autographed copy of the book. Here is a brief description of it: In Dug Down Deep Joshua Harris shares how we can rediscover the relevance and power of Christian truth. This book shows a young man who rose quickly to success in the Christian evangelical world before he realized his spirituality lacked a foundation--it rested more on tradition and…
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The Resurgence
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Effective Communication: The Leader’s Greatest Skill
9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amEffective Communication series: Click | View Series A Skill Worth Learning Probably no skill is more helpful to acquire and develop than becoming an excellent communicator. I believe that communication is a skill that can be learned. A number of years ago I realized that my ability to communicate well needed major work, so I joined Toastmasters International in order to improve my private and public communication. It was by far the best investment in my leadership portfolio that I have ever made. I am still reaping the benefits of the eleven years I was a Toastmaster. Author, speaker, and… -
Navel-Gazing
8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 amI just realized I have a new spiritual problem. Truth be told, I have had it for a while, but the light bulb just finally came on in my soul that illuminated what has been going on. I can get so caught up in trying to figure out why I sinned that I forget to repent of my sin. Getting to the Root As a “gospel-centrality” guy who believes that all true change begins at the heart level, I consider it a goal not just to stop doing something evil, but to try to figure out why I was doing that evil in the first place. My hope in doing so is to be led to as specific of an application of the… -
God Uses the Weak
8 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amGod chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27). When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 1:27 because the religious couldn’t accept a defeated Savior, and philosophers couldn’t believe in a God who would take on frail flesh and die. Paul honed the point later by repeating what God said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Basking in this promise, Paul declared: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). The Inverted Way of Jesus Jesus’ life and shameful death informed… -
10 Tips for Missional Community Leaders
7 Feb 2010 | 10:00 amwith Nate Navarro 1. Know God Cultivate a steady devotional and prayer life. Participate in gospel-centered accountability, like a Fight Club. Serve with the strength God supplies (2 Peter 4:11). 2. Know Your People Pastor your Missional Community. Don't just lead discussions. Take notice when somebody disappears and make sure they are loved well. 3. Know Your Neighborhood Know the culture and relate to it well. Know your neighbors and invite them into your community. 4. Don't Go Alone Share leadership by appointing leaders for hosting, meals, prayer, and mission. Participate in monthly… -
What book caused this exchange between Mark Driscoll & John Piper?
7 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amThe Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition, and Interpretation by John Sailhamer If you saw this Facebook post by Mark Driscoll or John Piper’s blog post in response, you know that John Sailhamer’s book The Meaning of the Pentateuch was released in late 2009. Check out this recent article from Christianity Today for an interview with Dr. Sailhamer on biblical criticism and finding meaning in the text of Scripture. You can also read the introduction to the book free online here. Scripture Wallpapers Download free Scripture wallpapers for your desktop and iPhone. Get them here.
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Desiring God Blog
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Smiting Morality with Gospel Joy
8 Feb 2010 | 11:32 pm(Author: David Mathis) Watch John Piper (on C.S. Lewis, on William Tyndale) explain how the biblical gospel destroys morality, external conformity, and list-keeping religion: (To view the video, RSS readers may need to visit the webpage) -
When God’s Direction Comes Through Correction
7 Feb 2010 | 11:30 pm(Author: Jon Bloom) God faithfully directs the paths of everyone who trusts in him with all their heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). But sometimes, as Moses experienced in Exodus 18, God directs us through a word of correction from someone else. The reunion of Moses and Jethro was a sweet one. Moses was glad to have his wife and his two boys back with him. And Jethro sat astonished as Moses described the ten plagues, the pillar of God's presence, the Red Sea deliverance, the provision of manna, and water from a rock. Jethro rejoiced in such unparalleled demonstrations of divine power and confessed God's… -
Christian Hedonism 101
6 Feb 2010 | 11:30 pm(Author: Jonathan Parnell) For the first time in its history the Desiring God Conference for Pastors, which took place last week, was devoted to the subject of Christian Hedonism—the teaching that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. In conjunction with the conference, it seemed good to revisit and remember some of those glad verses within the Psalter that command us to pursue our joy in God. Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4) Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you who… -
Seattle and Santa Barbara
5 Feb 2010 | 11:30 pm(Author: David Mathis) Dear friends in the Seattle area and at Westmont College, Come worship Jesus with us at a special Friday night gathering, February 26, at Mars Hill Church's Ballard Campus. God willing, Pastor Piper will also be preaching at Mars Hill on Sunday, February 28, before heading to Santa Barbara to speak in chapel at Westmont College on Monday, March 1. -
Live Streaming Hip Hop for Haiti
5 Feb 2010 | 9:30 am(Author: Lukas Naugle) For those who can't make it to Hip Hop for Haiti tonight, we will be streaming the concert live online. Join the crowd in Minneapolis by watching online and by giving to Churches Helping Churches. You can also join the crowd on Twitter using the #HH4H hashtag.
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MondayMorningInsight
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Aha! 40 Speakers. Free Online Conference. Register Today!
9 Feb 2010 | 5:40 amI've been working on the next iteration of online conferences for Leadership Network. And here's what we've come up with... It's called Aha! It happens for four hours on Wednesday, March 3, and will feature 40 ministry leaders that will share their Aha! moments in ministry. (You know an Aha! moment, right... when the light turns on, when you finallly hear from God, when you have a breakthrough that literally changes your life and your ministry). We've asked 40 people to share their biggest Aha! moments. You'll hear how prayer has literally changed a city. You'll hear how the… -
Are You Ordaining Every Christ Follower?
9 Feb 2010 | 5:35 amDave Ferguson, pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago, gave an passionate plea to Verge conference attendees last week: "Ordain every Christ Follower". From the Christian Post: Preaching from the New Testament, he told members of the church, "You are a royal priesthood. ... You're a priest. As a priest there's a particular people or there's a particular place that God has called you to." The Chicago pastor invited those who felt God's calling to come forward to be anointed. A couple thousand people came forward, named the people or place (neighbors, co-workers,… -
Claim: 50% of 700 Club viewers are Under the Age of 34
9 Feb 2010 | 5:26 amMore on the state of Christian/Religious television: The multiplatform approach has caught on with shows like The Uprising on The Inspiration Network. The show follows a group of professional skateboarders as they preach the Gospel in unlikely settings like skate parks, prisons and schools. “That audience is very multitask-oriented,” says John Roos, the network's senior VP of corporate communications and research. “We're trying to find a way to provide programming that [the youth] market is interested in. We've taken a multimedia approach.” Despite the embrace of… -
ChurchRater.com: How’s Your Church Doing?
9 Feb 2010 | 5:16 amFor example... here are some examples of what was written about one church. Free juice. Free coffee. Sometimes free pastries. Free internet. You know, to check your email while worshipping the Lord. It's like everyone is encouraged to consume caffeine during the so-called service, confusing the "presence of the Lord" with drugs. Leather sofas, fireplaces, a coffee-shop area with high-top glass tables. Flatscreen monitors to see what's happening inside, in case you just can't pull yourself off the sofa to make it into the so-called church. The "sanctuary" is… -
What is your Current Greatest Leadership Challenge
27 Jan 2010 | 5:57 amBrad Lomenick shares a great question: What is your current greatest leadership challenge? Brad admits that his is delegating. Mine, I think, is perfectionism. I can way overwork a project, taking 50% of my time to complete it, and an additional 50% to tweak and try to make it perfect. I admit, I don't do this in every project... just a few... but it drives me crazy, and costs me a lot of time. What's YOUR biggest current leadership challenge? What are YOU working on? Todd
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Pastor Steven Furtick
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It is finished
8 Feb 2010 | 1:00 amCongratulations to everyone who made it to the New Thru 30 finish line. It’s a very big deal to read through the entire New Testament in 30 days. I’m proud of you. For those of you who weren’t able to keep up with the pace, or still have a few days to go, don’t beat yourself up. Keep reading. It’s not about finishing a project. It’s about the continual process of knowing Jesus. For those of you who finished, don’t check Bible reading off your to-do list and lose your momentum. We’ve put together a transitional reading plan that will help you get on a much slower… -
Remember the Height
4 Feb 2010 | 1:00 amRemember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. -Revelation 2:5a This verse helps me think about repentance in a brand new light. Many people associate the word repent with groveling and feeling really, really, really bad about what you’ve done. No doubt, the heart of repentance is humility. We can’t truly repent if we aren’t grieved by our sin in the light of God’s grace. But when John commands the church at Ephesus to repent, he doesn’t call them into a place of shame and guilt. Instead, he tells them to remember the height from which… -
Strong in grace
3 Feb 2010 | 1:00 amYou then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. -2 Timothy 2:1 Most of us normally associate grace with weakness. In fact, a lot of times, grace is portrayed as a sort of sheen to cover our shortcomings. So we access God’s grace to cover our mistakes, sins, and failures. But Paul tells Timothy to be strong in the grace of Jesus. The grace of God is not a commodity just to cover our weakness. It is power to change our lives. Be strong in the grace! -
Even now
2 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” -John 11:21-22 Most of us give up on God too easily. Martha was very frustrated with Jesus. Her situation was hopeless. Her brother, Lazarus, had been dead four days. It doesn’t get much worse than that. But there was something about Martha that didn’t allow her confusion and despair to overwhelm her faith. Even now…she insisted, I believe in your power to resurrect the dead. It’s one thing to trust in God when… -
They’re both in the Bible
1 Feb 2010 | 5:51 amOne thing that is becoming more apparent to me in this rapid read through the New Testament is the breadth of perspective the Bible contains. When you hunt through the Scriptures for specific passages to support your theological or philosophical position, it’s easy to come away with some pretty exaggerated extremes. But when you read through the Bible at a lightning fast pace, you begin to appreciate the depth of the wisdom of God instead of skimming the surface of selected texts, or exaggerated viewpoints. For example, if you only study certain parts of the New Testament, you could…
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adrianwarnock.com
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INTERVIEW – Sam Storms on His Books About 2 Corinthians
9 Feb 2010 | 2:00 amOne highlight of my time in Minneapolis was finally meeting Sam Storms. I really enjoyed filming a series of interview clips which will be shared on the blog over the next three days. This first section of our time is about his set of two new books on the much neglected epistle of 2 Corinthians. This is probably the most important book of the New Testament for understanding how a minister can relate to his people through great difficulties in a christo-centric way. It is also one of the most neglected books in the Bible.Here’s what I said about these volumes: In this set of two books,… -
Jubilee Church St. Louis – A Home Away From Home
8 Feb 2010 | 2:01 pmOne of the joys of being a Christian is that we have brothers and sisters all over the world. One of the delights in being in a family of churches like Newfrontiers which has a strong set of core values and a shared story is that such ties are even stronger. Call it shared DNA, call it living in the shadow of Terry Virgo who’s example permeates the movement, or call it whatever you want, it is certainly very tangible. From the moment I arrived in town and was met by a regular member who had given up his time to drive me from the airport I knew I was among my family here at Jubilee… -
My Time at The Journey
7 Feb 2010 | 10:04 amSt Louis is home to two churches I was keen to visit. The Journey is lead by Darrin Patrick and I was so glad to be able to get there yesterday evening. I’ll talk about Jubilee probably tomorrow. First up, I think I like the idea of the time. 5 PM on a Saturday is “dead time” for many people. To be done by 7 PM and have an evening left would be very attractive to many, I am sure. I suppose that if you have grown up in a religious family it may take some getting used to. But if your preference is for a Sunday morning, that would be fine as they do have Sunday… -
A Group Of Early Pioneers
6 Feb 2010 | 1:23 pmAs I continue my time with the Newfrontiers Midwest churches , I am reminded of the old-time pioneers. They would load up their family in a wagon and head out to where no-one they knew had gone before. Eager to put down a stake as a marker and claim the ground, some of the old towns were barely built when the relentless march westwards would continue. There is something of the same spirit here.I spent the last twenty-four hours with Tommy Stanley, his family, and church in the Kansas City area. Some of my UK readers will remember Tommy from his days leading worship at the last few… -
St. Joseph, Jeff Gates, and Micah Fries
5 Feb 2010 | 6:17 amI have had a great time here in St. Joseph, Missouri. I traveled down with two men who I now call dear friends, Jeff Gates, the pastor at Living Hope Church, St. Joseph and Ben Roed, who with his lovely wife Peggy, are serving in Living Hope and are being well trained by Jeff. It was wonderful to see how clearly Peggy and Ben complement each other. They are relatively newly married, but it was obvious to see how much of a support Peggy is to him, and how her strengths will continue to complement and at times hide his weaknesses! A wife who will make you look better than you are is a gift…
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Reformissionary
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Music Monday 2.8.10
8 Feb 2010 | 12:38 pmBuy some good music today... Yeasayer: Odd Blood - $3.99 - today's deal so don't wait! Yeasayer: All Hour Cymbals - $5 Vampire Weekend: Contra - $5 - still getting a lot of play time on my iPod. So good. Aaron Ivey: Between the Beauty and Chaos - $8.99 - stuck in my head from Verge... let your kingdom come let your will be done and all the earth will sayand echo angels' praisethat you are God Other good stuff...If you haven't heard/downloaded Peter Gabriel's cover of Bon Iver's "Flume," you are missing out. Just trust me (even if… -
Verge: Day Three
6 Feb 2010 | 10:53 amWiFi is too sketchy here at Verge, so please see my Twitter feed for my take on stuff. -
Verge: Day Two
5 Feb 2010 | 7:25 am*Updated as WiFi holds out. Main Session IINeil ColeGospel is...the kingdom has come.*Sorry, having a rough run with WiFi here at Verge. Hard to find the connection to keep this up. Breakout Session 1Jeff Vanderstelt & Caesar Kalinowski of Soma Communities (*break out stuff below will be more quotes and content than my thoughts on them)Notes at Soma School - here's the PDF.Missional Community (MC) is a gospel community - being formed by the gospel, living life by the gospel. The shift needed is to… -
Verge: Day One
4 Feb 2010 | 5:53 pmMy post for the day. For quotes and such go to Twitter #verge10. Updated regularly here are my personal thoughts, reflections, etc. Main Session I: Matt Carter - Pastor, The Austin StoneCarter challenged us to not be about the mission, but about Jesus. Comes from Revelation 2. If we are about Jesus we will properly be about mission. If we are about mission (primarily, or ultimately) we will lose track of Jesus. Francis Chan - Pastor, Cornerstone ChurchChan does theology. His style is engaging and winsome. He's funny. But he drops bombs. Simple… -
In Austin for Verge
4 Feb 2010 | 2:31 pmI flew out of O'Hare in Chicago at 10:15am after an hour delay. Arrived in Austin at about 1:30pm. Hitched a ride with Brent Thomas and three other guys. Got lost because of my navigational issues. And have now arrived at the Aloft Hotel in Austin. Looking forward to tonight's first main session. I'm not really sure how I'm going to approach blogging/Twittering Verge. I don't want to just overload Twitter with a zillion quotes of everything said. Especially since all of you can get the live stream for free! Follow @VergeConference on Twitter. Keep up with the verge hashtag…
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Worship Matters
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Who Should Win Our To Be Like Jesus Video Contest?
7 Feb 2010 | 8:30 pmTwo months ago I invited people to send in videos based on one of the songs from our most recent kids’ album, To Be Like Jesus. The best video would receive a $250 Amazon.com gift card. We narrowed it down to two finalists. The first, Gotta Wait, is from Jonathan Ruth. The second, To Be Like Jesus, is from the Cannon family. I need your help to pick the winner. To vote, watch both videos and leave a comment letting us know which one you like best (one vote per person). Feel free to elaborate on why you’re casting your vote. If you have kids, you may want to find out which video… -
Open the Eyes of My (Face), Lord
4 Feb 2010 | 8:32 pmPaul Baloche’s song, “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” has been sung by millions of Christians throughout the world. It’s a song based on Ephesians 1, asking God to open our spiritual eyes that we might know him better. But I wonder if those of us who lead congregational worship shouldn’t be asking God to open our physical eyes, too. Why do leaders close their eyes so often? Not just for a few moments, but for 5, 10, even 15 minutes. I’ve seen leaders and vocalists keep their eyes shut from the first note we sing to the final “Amen” of the closing… -
The Outrageous Sovereign Grace February Sale is Back!
1 Feb 2010 | 6:24 amWelcome to a full month of ridiculously low prices on Sovereign Grace music and books. We call it our February sale. For the past two years during the month of February, we reduced the prices of all the resources we produce. The response has been overwhelming. So we decided to repeat the lunacy. Here’s the deal: From February 1–28, at the Sovereign Grace store, you’ll find these rock bottom prices: all CDs produced by Sovereign Grace Music (including Sons & Daughters, To Be LIke Jesus, Together for the Gospel Live, Psalms, Awesome God, In a Little While, Valley of Vision, and… -
Can Singing About the Gospel Become Rote?
28 Jan 2010 | 9:09 pmOne of the drums I will never tire of beating is this: All biblical worship is rooted in and made possible by the cross of Christ. In my experience, the contemporary church (and any church, for that matter) is always in danger of neglecting the gospel in its songs. I said it this way in my book, Worship Matters: The gospel is not merely one of many possible themes we can touch on as we come to worship God. It is the central and foundational theme. All our worship originates and is brought into focus at the cross of Jesus Christ. Glorying in Jesus Christ means glorying in his cross. That… -
Future Sovereign Grace Albums
27 Jan 2010 | 5:00 amIn a previous post I talked about the Sovereign Grace songwriting retreat and where our songs come from. While we’d love to simply produce songs that are being written by writers in their local churches, we’re trying to steward our songwriting resources in a way we think will better serve the church at large. So we talk and pray about what gaps exist in the modern worship song repertoire, or what topics we think might serve our churches and the church at large. That means our albums are more intentional and thematic. We also asked our Sovereign Grace Music Facebook fans for their…
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Church Matters: The 9Marks Blog
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The Authority of Preaching by Thabiti Anyabwile
8 Feb 2010 | 7:42 amThose who love preaching, who believe in the centrality of preaching, and who live by the preached word have little quibble with the authority of preaching. We believe that a certain exercise of God's rule comes along with the proclamation of His word. We are to hear and to obey, to give careful attention to "what thus saith the Lord." But sometimes, those who love preaching most may abuse its authority most. That is, we may abuse the authority of preaching by forgetting or failing to make clear where that authority comes from.Wayne Grudem helps us… -
The Curse of Being Smarter Than Everyone Else by Michael Mckinley
5 Feb 2010 | 4:52 pmI thought this was pretty funny. The comic strip is called Pearls Before Swine. Click on the image to see a larger version. -
New books on J. Edwards by Strachan and Sweeney by Jonathan Leeman
5 Feb 2010 | 2:29 pmOur very own Owen Strachan has just released five books co-authored with Trinity's Doug Sweeney. These books include passages from Edward's writing and commentary on them. But more than that, Owen tells me, the volumes are intended to distill essential matters of Christian life and faith. Jonathan Edwards is used as a window onto to the depth and beauty and grandeur of God and the life he offers us. Jonathan Edwards Lover of GodJonathan Edwards on BeautyJonathan Edwards on Heaven and HellJonathan Edwards on the Good Life Jonathan Edwards on True… -
A Missiological Chicken-Egg Debate? by Doug Coleman
5 Feb 2010 | 11:30 amIn light of Andy’s desire to start a conversation, I’m going to follow Greg’s lead and ask a question—actually a few questions. Mine isn’t exactly a trap either. I really do want to hear from others. But I also won’t pretend that I have no thoughts on the topic, even if they are still evolving and maybe somewhat muddled at the moment.The big question is this: What is the ultimate goal and motivation for missions? I have in mind here especially cross-cultural missions, or international missions.For those who have read Piper’s Let the Nations be Glad, you know that he says it’s… -
Who Influences Protestant Pastors? by Thabiti Anyabwile
5 Feb 2010 | 11:19 amLast November, Lifeway Research surveyed 1,002 Protestant pastors to find out which pastors most influenced them. The list of potentially influential pastors crossed the denominational and theological spectrum. The Christian Post has a brief article on the survey's results (HT: Challies). Here's the list of the top ten:- Billy Graham, who serve as a pastor as a young man, but is best known for his evangelistic crusades around the world;- Chuck Swindoll, senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, TX, and on-air teacher for Insight for Living radio…
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Deep Thoughts by Gman
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Church Snow Policy!
5 Feb 2010 | 9:11 pmThis is getting ridiculous. The Canadian in me is loving this snow, but why on the weekends! Driving the minister in me crazy!Here's our snow plan at CCHMD: we don't cancel church. Even if it's the worst storm in history! We're gonna have church no matter the snow total. Obviously, we don't want anybody to endanger themselves. But we're planning on holding services unless the roads are closed.Stay tuned and spread the word. Check our Facebook Fan page for updates (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Church-of-Christ-at-Hagerstown/86047452244?ref=ts ) or email for… -
Why Church?
5 Feb 2010 | 7:36 pmThis week's sermon focuses on why do we have church? What is the Church etc.We look at that we are to be devoted to:I. The Apostle's Teaching.II. Fellowship.III. The Breaking of Bread.and toIV. Prayer.http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO -
The Cons of Internet Church!
5 Feb 2010 | 6:04 pmAaron Saufley has had a great bunch of blog posts lately on the new trend of Internet Churches.I think he makes some good points about the Pros and Cons. I like the idea of ministering to the shut-in, and those that might not be able to make church but much like some TV Evangelism I think Internet Church can be used for a copout.Here are some reasons I have for not using Internet Church.I. It loses community. Sure, you can build some community online but where's the accountability?II. It can make us lazy. We can depend on those who do the "Internet Church" to put ona good show, to entertain… -
Respect for the Church.
5 Feb 2010 | 7:02 amIn a recent letter to the editor, a woman stated the disrespect young people had for the flag by not removing their hats during the national anthem.In her letter, she stated: "Most Americans know that behind this red, white, and blue piece of material that hangs on the wall there is blood and great sacrifice. Old Glory is the symbol of our unity, our power. It is up to the parents and teachers to teach our young people about the men and women who went before this."An analogy can be drawn from this.If blood and great sacrifice were given for the flag, how about the Church? Christ is our… -
Church Leaders Who think They have it all Figured out!
5 Feb 2010 | 6:43 amI'm so surprised at the arrogance and pride of Certain Church leaders. Really I am.In just the last week, I've gotten the following messages (Just from one)I. You Can Grow Your Church and overcoming the 3 barriers to do it.II. You've been lied to. Here is a quote: "I'm sick and tired of hearing everyone tell me why right now is such a bad season for the local church." Maybe he should tell that to the churches that I know of because of budget had to let go of several youthworkers I know just this past week. Or had we had to cut $40 000 from our budget or ... I know he is trying to encourage…
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Church IT RoundTable
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Safer Internet Day 2010
Here’s one I’ve managed to miss before – so many things, so little time … Anyway, regular readers will know that I’m a fan of keeping my children safe online and by extension all children. I’ve long been an advocate of everything and anything that helps to promote the safety of children and not just online. Anyway, it would appear that InSafe host an annual “Safer Internet Day” and this years theme is: Think B4 U Post! I agree. So what is SID? In their own words: Safer Internet Day is organised by Insafe each year in February to promote safer… -
New Pulpit and Monitor Stand Fever, part 2 of 3
This week our church is hosting the Biblical Counseling Training Conference. We typically try to get things looking nice before our guests arrive but sometimes we do things a bit late in the game. Years ago we would do major upgrades to the auditorium sound and video system the weekend before the conference started. In those days the BCTC started on Saturday evening and often we would work from Friday evening straight through trying to get things ready. The older I get the less I like working at 3am when I started at 6pm the previous day. Having learned a few hard lessons we haven’t done… -
The end of the 700 MHz Debate
For 700 MHZ wireless, the end is finally near! The deadline has been set. Finally! The FCC has made official their order regarding wireless mic systems operating the the so-called 700 MHz band. As of June 12, it will be illegal to operate wireless mics in this spectrum. This has been a drama played out over more than 10 years. It’s nice just to have a firm date. There is more background on the “why” behind this decision this morning, over at TechnoPraxis if you’re interested. So, if you still have systems operating between 695 and 806 MHZ, what should you do? -
Church IT Roundtable Sponsors
The Spring 2010 Church IT RoundTable is just a month away. If you haven’t registered go on over to www.citrt.org and claim your seat, QUICKLY! One of the great aspects of the CITRT National events is to learn about great products and services that you might need to implement or use in the coming year. We will be again having the Vendor Bazaar were CITRT partners can share, demo, explain etc the technology and tools they sell. Every time I attend a National RoundTable I end up learning a ton about a specific tech or product and then get home just in time to hear a… -
The End is Near, for 700 MHz Wireless
So maybe it's not really as dramatic as all that, but as far as wireless microphone use in the so-called 700 MHz band, it is now official. As of June 12, and possibly earlier in some cases, use of wireless mics transmitting between 695 and 806 MHz is officially illegal. The final rule was issued on January 15. This wireless spectrum has been reallocated for use by public safety agencies, and by wireless service providers. As we've said before, the FCC won't have a squad of 'wireless cops' cruising the streets on Sunday morning, looking for violations. What is clear, though, is…
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Markartrip.com
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LESSONS FROM MY FREE NIGHT OF WWE
7 Feb 2010 | 1:40 pmMy friend Nathanael got some tickets to WWE Monday Night Raw for Christmas. He asked me if I wanted to go and since the price was right (free) I said yes. Just like many guys in there 20’s and 30’s I was mesmerized by Hulkamania in the 1980’s . I don’t follow wrestling much anymore but it was fun. I am always trying to learn from every situation I am in so here are some observations from my evening at WWE Monday Night Raw. The demographic was eye-opening. I could do a whole entry on this but let me just say that I don’t believe most churches are reaching these people. There were… -
LUKE THE INTERN EXIT INTERVIEW PART 1
1 Feb 2010 | 7:34 amThis past month Luke Helmuth interned for HSM. He is leaving today but did an exit interview and asked me some questions. I decided to put the answers up on here. I will post his paper that he wrote about me (for better or worse including the parts that our humbling) this week also. Luke asked……What are your…. Biblical and theological ideas informing your ministry, Biblical and theological ideas obviously flow out of the FGBC statement of faith found here http://fgbc.org/whoarewe/covenant-and-statement-of-faith.cfm. We also have a teaching plan that more specifically sticks to the 7… -
TOP 10 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED LEADING A SMALL GROUP
28 Jan 2010 | 9:38 pmAlthough my day job is leading the high school ministry at my church, believe it or not I do sometimes get to talk to and even worship with adults. We are a church of small groups. We call them grace groups and I get to lead one. I thought I would share the top ten things I have learned leading a Grace (small) group over the last 4 years. Aim to meet every week-I don’t mean to speak down to different philosophies but I am a big fan of meeting often. I know groups who meet every 2 weeks and when you miss one you go 29 days without seeing the people you are supposed to be sharing life with. -
MINISTRY=HUSTLING?
25 Jan 2010 | 11:37 amI had this thought the other day and almost didn’t do this post, because it seemed like something that would make people role their eyes and accuse me of heresy. Before I explain I should define hustlin’. It started out as guys who would take someone’s money in a pool hall back in the day. Now it is a term that just means someone who is making things happen. It can be a drug dealer, it can be a small business owner, and it can be tons of other people. It can be anyone who is making things happen. People are tempted to shy away from a term like this because we know that all things… -
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
24 Jan 2010 | 12:31 pmLike almost every other pastor under the age of 40 in the USA I own my dot com. I blog because I love the thoughts and insights of others and want to offer the same platform. Blogs are a funny thing because you get to put what you want on them, but nothing else has to be seen. When I hurt a volunteer or make a poor decision there is no post on that. When I drop the ball on administration I am not always in a hurry to publicize. Part of that is guarding the people I work with and not wanting to tear them down. But I have been thinking, How can I be more vulnerable in my blogging? How…
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Gabe Taviano | Technology meets Eternity
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Your future as a Surrogate
5 Feb 2010 | 7:24 am“Look at yourselves. Unplug from your chairs. Get up and look in the mirror. What you see is how God made you. We’re not meant to experience the world through a machine.” – Ving Rhames opening quote in Surrogates (now available on DVD / Blu-Ray). A surrogate is defined as an arrangement for a woman to carry and give birth to a child who will be raised by others. Might seem like an odd start to a post on a blog that usually is focused on the relationship between a Christian faith in God and the use of technology, but I think it will make lots of sense in a few seconds! -
Christian book publishers and bad cover designs
29 Jan 2010 | 6:08 amSparing many specifics (in hopes of not creating gossip), I have a few good reasons to be angry at and confused by the Christian book industry. In case you didn’t know, my wife’s an author. But her story actually only plays a very small role in creating all of this disgust. A few great writers that I have close relationships with get the “you’re not a key author” slap in the face. I just heard someone use the “key author” title yesterday and it about made me puke. And guess what? Once a publisher sticks with a key author they usually get much more… -
The Book of Eli
25 Jan 2010 | 11:20 amThe film and Christian cultures are at a crossroads. Hollywood is struggling (like politics) these days by venturing so far left of the cross, and Christian films struggle by not moving from the far right. Denzel Washington, a devout Christian and very successful actor, produced the first movie that actually encompassed both sides of the cross (and stuck to the central point too). Many, including myself, probably weren’t aware that he is the son of Denzel Washington Sr., a preacher for over 60 years. So how was he able to co-produce a film like this in today’s culture? -
RockstarFitness.net
24 Jan 2010 | 8:17 pmChuck Rylant, of Rockstar Fitness in Santa Maria, California, was referred to me via a mutual friend on Twitter! The next person that tells you social networking is for the birds, let them know that it’s fun to fly. PLATFORM: WordPress -
Pants on the ground
15 Jan 2010 | 8:05 amLast night, like many people, we were laughing extremely hard after watching the end of American Idol. This show always seems to make a celebrity out of a few people that truly deserve to be heard from. And, of course, a few that you would probably be better off having never heard of. General Larry Platt (in the video below) didn’t have a shot at winning the competition, since he 34 years over the age limit of 28. But I think you’ll like watching the video, and reading the story this man has lived over on Yahoo today. Thanks for the laughs Larry! You really are a true American…
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Zeb Cameron's Official Blog
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Simple things way too complex
27 Jan 2010 | 3:11 pmWell its been a crazy ride and the simplest things in life like marriage and sex become way too complex. I finally get that I am being framed and the nature of such is amazingly weird. Alot of it is about Jobs and we can create new ones simple ways I think here. Everything is going to be ok but just be honest as you can and treat other people the way you would want to be treated but remember we are different and forgiveness is there for us all. Try to be open and honest with others about what is going on. I just want to be “ok” I do not need to be that “good” as hard… -
Resume’ Theology
12 Jun 2009 | 10:07 pmYou can use God’s voice to fill out a resume’ and get a job that matches it, I have done it several times and it works. A couple times I didn’t get the job in the end but thats ok I should have been more clear about what I was being lead to do. I am going to leave IT behind, but I will keep some skills and information for use in the future I suppose. Doors can be used if they match with God’s voice I mean inevitably you will use some doors and have to make the most of opportunities. In the dream I wrote about where I drove down the old wrong road and because I over… -
The throne for the top dog awaits
26 May 2009 | 5:30 pmtop dog throne The throne for the top dog awaits. I am not sure if we have money and popularity but we have plenty of power lol. Amazing how easy it is to change teams, just a bit of faith and a dip in some water to get started. My insurance has really great coverage but not everyone everywhere accepts it. -
Talking Cans umm ok whatever
14 May 2009 | 3:03 pmSometimes God uses burning bushes and apparently drink cans to speak to people. When I was checking out this can the other day God speaks to me about it through some writing on the back and here is what it says: If you can read this you’re too close: Here’s to the beat, the energy, and the heart of a community so cool its hot. We’re taking over the world with flavor and style – sweeping the nation from east to west. We’ve got it all. But since one is never enouph there’s Uno Mas. Since I was reading it and too close I took a step back and looked at the… -
Eagle Missions
3 May 2009 | 6:40 pmAgain many people probably will need to get eyes to see the kingdom for any of this to make sense. I hope it does not seem like I am lording anything over anyone. I know who God is and I am usually referencing the holy God of the universe but if I use “god” I am saying a false “god” or the office of one. I am totally straight and not confused about such offices but temptations of all kinds have come my way. My dad speaks using similar English but we are not much alike really so whatever credit is due is due. In “If U seek Amy” I will make only holy…
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Marketing Integrity
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Drew Brees: What Drives A SuperBowl Champion
8 Feb 2010 | 7:32 amA video that is worth taking a few minutes to watch… -
Seth Godin: Linchpin
30 Jan 2010 | 1:06 pm -
I Am Potential
19 Jan 2010 | 5:29 pmPatrick Henry Hughes feature by ESPN: Patrick Henry Hughes Interview: -
Colt McCoy: I Am Second
18 Jan 2010 | 6:01 pm -
Tony Dungy: I Am Second
17 Jan 2010 | 2:45 pm
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Thinking Out Loud
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Once Again, A Loss of Trust
8 Feb 2010 | 10:27 pmA military commander from Canadian Forces Base Trenton in eastern Ontario has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of two women. Col. Russell Williams, 46, of Tweed, the top commander at 8 wing CFB Trenton, was arrested Sunday in Ottawa, Ontario Provincial Police Det.-Insp. Chris Nicholas said at a news conference Monday. Williams has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jessica Lloyd, 27, whose body was found Monday off Cary Road in the municipality of Tweed. Lloyd had been missing since Jan. 28 from her home outside Tweed, about 30 kilometres… -
Yichud
8 Feb 2010 | 6:33 amOkay, so first of all, if you’ve landed here from a Google blog search or a WordPress tag, you need to know that I’m not Jewish. This is actually a Christian blog, and up until about an hour ago I’d never heard the word Yichud before. Since then, I’ve been reading various internet articles, and while I’m not an expert, let me say to any Jewish readers who land here, I’m impressed with the concept. The word and I crossed paths in a stage show review published Thursday in The Toronto Star. Longtime theatre critic Richard Ouzounian was… -
Move Your Money
7 Feb 2010 | 5:16 amMove Your Money. It’s a simple, three word slogan that expresses the anger a lot of people in the United States feel right now towards their six largest banking organizations. The result is a movement that started with an editorial from the founder of Huffington Post, is seeing both individuals and branches of municipal and state governments taking their money out of the large banks and “bringing it home ” to locally owned banks and credit unions. [Check out this 4-minute promotional video on YouTube.] Toward the end of the week, the campaign was gaining momentum across… -
When You Say “Church” Do You Mean Ecclesia Docens or Ecclesia Audiens?
6 Feb 2010 | 4:14 pmFrom the days of Cyprian down to the Reformation the essence of the church was sought ever increasingly in its external visible organization. The Church Fathers conceived of the catholic Church as comprehending all true branches of The Church of Christ, and as bound together in an external and visible unity, which had its unifying bond in the college of bishops. The conception of the Church as an external organization became more prominent as time went on. There was an ever growing emphasis on the hierarchical organization of it, and the capstone was added with the institution of the… -
The Camp Monk Meal: Variant
5 Feb 2010 | 3:30 pmAt a couple of the Christian summer camps I’ve worked at we often did a variant on the classic monk meal. In the original version, you’re trying to replicate a monastery where the monks have taken a vow of silence. At about day four of a residential camp experience, there isn’t a single counselor who isn’t glad to see the monk meal on the schedule. The variant doesn’t require silence. You simply aren’t allowed to ask for anything. You can’t say, “Pass the ketchup;” or anything like that, though with some camps’ food,…
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Live A Revolution... Every Day
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A Great Valentine
8 Feb 2010 | 5:09 pmThis is my valentine from Carter. He made one for Jami too. Some of the best valentines don't cost a dime. -
Sweet Creme Crap and Trying New Things with Students
3 Feb 2010 | 12:13 pmWhat you're looking at is a mixture of hot water, Italian Sweet Creme creamer, and orange pekoe & pekoe black tea.I thought it would be good... kind of like Starbuck's Tazo Chai Tea Latte That's what I thought.In actuality... it sucked. I will never make this concoction again...ever. It's got the smell of vanilla protein weight gainer.And it tastes like watered down, vanilla crap. I don't know what crap tastes like, but i'm sure that crap mixed with water and vanilla would taste exactly like this.It sounded like a great idea. I thought it would be a taste of awesomeness. But it wasn't,… -
One Thing You Need to Make a Difference
1 Feb 2010 | 10:13 amIf you want to make a difference...Have More Conversation.If you want to better your marriage...Have More Conversation.If you want to be a better parent...Have More Conversation.If you want to be a better friend...Have More Conversation.I think I need to...Have More Conversation.You? -
Smelly Butt
29 Jan 2010 | 8:59 amThe other day, I noticed the smell of this animal's butt. It's totally unmistakeable. You know the smell of the skunk as soon as you smell it. And if you're like me, you hate it. The thing is, we all leave our own smell. It's unmistakeable. The question is... is it pleasant, or nasty. -
Hiding Candy Wrappers
23 Jan 2010 | 5:00 pmThe other day, Jami and I found this empty candy wrapper in little Mo's underwear drawer. Our little, cute, adorable two year old stole a peanut butter cup, shoved it in her mouth and hid the trash in her drawer... Like we wouldn't find it! We put her socks and underwear in this drawer. We're constantly in it! We're gonna see her trash. So what did we do? We cleaned the trash out of her drawer. We picked it up and got rid of it. We made her drawer clean. And God does the same thing through Jesus. I've got trash in my drawers. You've got trash in yours. We've all got trash in our lives that…
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Children's Ministry Blog
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This Week in Children’s Ministry for 2/09/2010
8 Feb 2010 | 6:05 pmIt’s been a crazy few weeks around my family and church, but I’m back with another roundup of interesting and newsworthy links related to kids ministry. Be sure to check out our Big List of Children’s Ministry blogs to see all the latest posts. Enjoy!News WorthyThe new Narnia Movie is coming out December 2010.One Magazine picks Hero Headquarters as the “Best VBS”Some Trends Affecting Church BudgetsSome churches helping Haiti through VBSKarl reflects on Luke turning 4Win an iPod Nano (or cash) for taking a nursery survey from RBPPractical HelpMassive List of… -
Building the Tabernacle (Preschool Bible Lesson)
8 Feb 2010 | 6:21 amThis printable lesson plan is designed to teach preschool aged children about the story of the building of the Tabernacle. It could be used in any setting with children age 2-5 at church, including a preschool Sunday School class or a preschool children’s church class. As always, consider your own ministry context and modify it as needed. Please leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comment box at the bottom of this page.Bible Story: God’s People Build the Tabernacle Scripture: Exodus 25:1-9 Target Age Group: Age 2 – 5 (U.S. preschool ages) Time: 20 Minutes… -
Kids Bible Lesson: Building the Tabernacle
8 Feb 2010 | 6:11 amThis free Children’s Church lesson plan was first written for elementary aged students. It covers the story of Moses and the people of Israel building the Tabernacle. This material could also be used as the Bible lesson for children’s Sunday school. Be sure to consider your own ministry context and modify it as needed. Please leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comment box at the bottom of this page.Bible Story:The Building of the Tabernacle Offering Scripture: Exodus 25-30 Target Age Group: Age 6 – 11 (U.S. Kindergarten – 5th Grade) Time: 20 Minutes Learning… -
Esther Bible Lessons for Children: Part 8
6 Feb 2010 | 12:37 pmThis lesson teaches children the way in which the Lord overcomes the evil schemes of Haman and the provision given to the Jews in regard to the decree to annihilate them. It also helps teach eternal security. This lesson works well for Children’s Church or for Sunday School.Note: The book of Esther can be difficult to relate back to Jesus and his Good News. One clear connection is the promise that the Savior would be born from the family of Abraham. The plot to eliminate the Jews (the promised family) was a threat to God’s promise. When God saved Esther and the Jews in Persia, he was also… -
3 Sunday School Crafts Ideas for Valentine’s Day
5 Feb 2010 | 6:12 amValentine’s Day is one of those cultural holiday’s in the United States that is getting harder to overlook. But Christians have so much to say about real love, I think it’s a great time to use a special craft or lesson in your Sunday School. With all these crafts, you should join them into a relevant Bible lesson about love. Valentine’s Day is a great chance to point kids back to God’s great love for us in the Gospel. Here are three video demonstrations from Cullen’s Abc’s that will help you plan a great Valentine craft. I really appreciate the way…
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ShaneCraven.com
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Inclement Weather
30 Jan 2010 | 10:02 amHey Everybody, We will NOT have church tomorrow, January 31! The storm has definitely moved on for the most part, but the effects remain. We would rather be safer than sorry. Additionally, as a portable church, we don’t feel that our big truck with all our equipment in it, would make it up the icy/snowcapped hill at the Depot so early in the morning with the low temperatures. We’ll miss being together tomorrow…..it’s such a catch 22 position, BUT, enjoy the day, relax, eat some pancakes, and use it to refuel and be ready to go next… -
Carpe Diem
30 Jan 2010 | 6:11 amCarpe diem is a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace. It is popularly translated as “seize the day.” Carpe means “pick, pluck, pluck off, gather,” but Horace uses the word to mean “enjoy, make use of.” Kind of goes right in line with that text of scripture, “Eat, drink, and by merry, for tomorrow we die.” One day at a time, for God’s purpose in your life equals a life of success! Filed under: Attitude -
Church Planters
20 Jan 2010 | 6:36 am80% do not make it……70% are not self-supporting even after four years. The odds are so against us as in any secular business, simply because of it being a start-up. It takes time, energy, and money to get to critical mass and most just do not have the time, energy, or money to wait out critical mass. Two things make it work: Funding and Leaders. If you have no funding, you can’t make it. If you only have followers, you can’t make it. We need both; We have to do a better job of training leaders and God has to also choose to send us capable and desirous people… -
Stevie and Jeremiah Flockhart
15 Jan 2010 | 6:08 am2010 American Idol……….a big congrats to two of the most respectable young men you’ll ever come across. Their proud parents, Steve and Vickie Flockhart, have given them the ability to dream, to envision the impossible, and to go against the odds. They did it here, and Stevie was awarded the golden pass to “Hollywood.” Watch for him. Jeremiah, you will never know how God used you to tee up Stevie for this possibility. Way to go!!!!!!! Enjoy! Posted in Tribute -
The Key To Life
10 Jan 2010 | 8:17 pmOn losing his dad ten years ago, Vince Gill says, “It cuts like a randle knife, but I learned a few chords on the banjo was the key to life.” What a great song written by Vince Gill about his dad- every word true! Posted in Tribute
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Jeff Ferguson
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Talking Less and Listening More
3 Feb 2010 | 7:17 amI have really been challenged to talk less and listen more. To be more specific, in my prayer time every morning I feel God telling me to stop talking so much and just listen. So as a result, I am just going to post something that stood out to me as I was reading my Bible this morning. It is a “well known” scripture to be sure. Nonetheless, it is powerful. Here it is with absolutely no commentary from me. My prayer is that you would think about these words and let God speak to you through them apart from your daily distractions.“May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be… -
Dug Down Deep
26 Jan 2010 | 5:45 pmJoshua Harris was responsible for single handedly ruining many a youth group relationship. When a girl in our church started reading “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” that was the beginning of the end of her relationship with her boyfriend. Needless to say, most of my friends didn’t sign up for the Joshua Harris fan club. I believe the year was 1996 and I have grown up since then.On a serious note, his latest book called, “Dug Down Deep” is an excellent read for anyone wanting to go deeper in their faith. Joshua takes the reader through the process of how he came to know God on a deeper… -
To Save A Life
20 Jan 2010 | 7:32 amI just wanted to put something on the radar that you will want to see. To Save A Life opens in theaters this Friday. This movie is about a student in High School who is moved to action by a sudden tragedy. Jake Taylor...a popular teenager with a bright future who has basically everything he wants begins to ask the question, “What do I want my life to be about.” This question leads him on a journey to reach out to the outcasts and the lonely on his school campus. These actions begin to cost him his place in the social hierarchy of his world. Through this he begins to realize what his life… -
The Male Factor
15 Jan 2010 | 7:32 pm“The Male Factor” written by Shaunti Feldhahn was released today. Shaunti is the author of the popular “Only” series that I have found in many Christian bookstores.The book focuses on the unwritten rules, misperceptions, and secret beliefs of men in the workplace. After much research and thousands of interviews the author exposes eye opening facts about how men approach the workplace and how many women unintentionally shoot themselves in the foot because they are not aware of the unwritten rules of the business world. There are many talented women in the work force today. However,… -
Quote of the Day
12 Jan 2010 | 5:25 am“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”-Teddy RooseveltThis has become my favorite quote of all time! It’s really hard to…
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man.of.depravity
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The Numbers Game
9 Feb 2010 | 4:29 amI always wonder what the average person thinks about the number of hits, followers, friends, and subscribers people get on social networking sites and blogs. In many ways they are a legitimate form of recognizing those who have had “success” in various venues. In other ways they are just another way for us to be prideful of our success. It seems that many within social media are always doing everything they can to get more “friends” on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and readers to their blog. As if they will become legitimized if they just get a few more people to… -
Sunday Rundown // 2.7.10
7 Feb 2010 | 7:52 pmI woke up Wednesday morning with a pretty bad sore throat (a very rare thing for me). I didn’t feel bad so I hoped it was just a one day thing. Leading worship for middle schoolers Wednesday night I could tell I was starting to fight something. Fast forward to Sunday morning and I was in the midst of a full-on cold. The kind where you sound like a frog when you speak and feel tired all the time. And it was also one of those weekends where I could not get out of my duties of being at a practice on Saturday and leading worship on Sunday morning. I led for the 11am service at Sunset… -
Fortuitous Bouncing
6 Feb 2010 | 4:42 amAfter what has been a fairly miserable last few months weather-wise, we had a wonderful 60* day in Portland yesterday with lots of sunshine. The great part is that southern California was dealing with a nice day of rain. Not to rub it in, but hey we don’t get the chance to all that often. I know most of you could careless about baseball, but I have a good feeling that my Twins are going to reverse the curse that Minnesota sports fans have been under since 1992. They are stacked for a great year in their new ballpark. Blogs Eugene Cho…”doesn’t live for the Jesus who eats… -
Tebow, Abortion, and The Super Bowl
4 Feb 2010 | 4:26 amFor those you who haven’t heard, Tim Tebow is in a commercial being run by Focus on the Family during the Super Bowl. The ad is apparently Tim’s parents talking about the pregnancy complications they had with Tim and the difficulties they had with doctors encouraging an abortion. The ad is controversial because typically major networks reject ads similar to the one that is scheduled to run. You might remember last year when this ad about abortion and Obama was rejected by NBC. This week ESPN ran two opposing articles on the ad. Jemele Hill had this to say about Tebow and the ad:… -
The Big One
3 Feb 2010 | 4:34 amIt might seem weird for me to write about sports only 2 days after posting about the negative aspects of Christianity and sports interacting. But, come on…The Super Bowl is in 4 days and we all need to declare where our loyalties lie. I’ll be honest…not much of me is happy to be watching this game without my team in it. They were clearly the better team a week ago but choked it away (the worst way to lose). And as painful as the loss was it makes it even harder to even think of rooting for the team that barely deserves to be there. With that said, I’m picking the Colts…
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Bubbasmith.net
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Does Social Media Really Matter? Part 1
17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. – Colossians 3:17 I feel like this question comes up a lot. Is Blogging, Twitter, and Facebook a waste of time? Does it really make a difference? Does Tweeting inspiring quotes really [...] Related posts:The Social Media Revolution I saw this video this morning and was amazed by... Top Ten Posts August 2009 Here are the top ten posts people viewed in August... What Makes a Great Teacher (Part 4) – Bad Teachers 1NOT MANY of you should become teachers, my… -
My Favorite Super Bowl Commercials
These were my top 2… Am I missing any that were any good? re any good? No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. -
Book Review: Linchpin: Are You Indipensible? (A Must Read from Seth Godin)
Seth Godin is definitely a linchpin. He is indispensable. Why? He knows he has something of value to offer to the world. Because of this knowledge, he ships -> he gives what he has to the world, and as a result thousands of people and organizations are in a better place. If he didn’t give [...] Related posts:Book Review: The Hole in Our Gospel (A Must Read) This is another book I probably would have never read... Book Review: Leadership and Self-Deception Pastor Nathan bought this book for our entire youth staff... Book Review: The Noticer So I actually picked this book up through… -
Warning: If You Pray This, It will Happen
Everyday I pray this prayer, and everyday it comes to pass: God, I open up my heart to you today. I’ll do what you want me to do, say what you want me to say, go where you want me to go. Let the right people come across my path today so I can point [...] Related posts:Book Review: Spiritual Leadership I recently heard about this book from a John Maxwell... You Won’t Get to Do This Again (Part 3) – What Do you Do to Enjoy the Journey? I still find each day too short for all the... Dream Big and Go For It 20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action... Related posts… -
God can Do a Lot with Your Little
8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:8-9 Do you ever look at where other people are at life, and feel like where you are is insignificant? Or to get [...] Related posts:Free From Sin, Addiction, and Bondage (Part 6) – Never Quit So don’t get tired of doing what is good. At... I Have a Great Life – Do You? “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and... Be…
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KidTech Blog
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Think Orange Group Blog Project - Chapter 4: Orange Glow
8 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmI recently guest blogged on Henry Zonio's elementalcm.com, presenting a review of Chapter 4 of Reggie Joiner's book, Think Orange. Check it out! Read more... -
Caring for Volunteers
25 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pmAs a staff team, we think about the life of a KidsWorld volunteer in four simple phases: recruiting, placement, training, and care. Probably the hardest phase for me to address is care. In the remainder of this year, one of my goals is to come up with one significant step in honing the care phase for the 2nd-5th grade volunteers I lead. In the middle of that effort, I came across the research of Richard Ryan, a psychologist at the University of Rochester. Ryan's article in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology came to the conclusion that happiness increases for most people on the… -
The Art of Innovation
20 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pmGuy Kawasaki is a Twitter and social media expert. He's the founder of Alltop, the online magazine rack (which I use as my homepage). At the world's largest consumer electronics tradeshow (CES), Guy gave a presentation entitled "The Art of Innovation" where he outline eleven key ideas. 1. Make Meaning - great marketing campaigns strike an emotional, real connection with people 2. Make Mantra - can you boil down what you are trying to communicate into a simple phrase like Wendy's, Nike, or eBay? 3. Jump to the Next Curve - Ice 1.0 was Harvest, Ice 2.0 was a Factory, Ice 3.0 was a Fridge 4. -
Two Epic Questions
18 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pmIf you follow this blog, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of author Daniel Pink. His latest book, Drive, is out now and I wanted to spread the word. In Drive (a book about what motivates people), Pink poses two epic questions: What's my sentence? Was I better today than yesterday? RFor a cool explanation of these questions, check out the 2 minute video. http://vimeo.com/8480171 -
21st Century Skills
13 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pmRecently our children's ministry team sat down to discuss scope and sequence. Our team creates the majority of the curriculum resources used during weekend services at our three campuses (both written and video), so this discussion was vital to the next stages of our curriculum process. We spent a block of time getting a picture of where kids are today and where kids will be in middle school. This is an important task in the our field! We need to know exactly where kids are and where they will end up. Henry Jenkins, Director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT, and a host of…
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STEVANSHEETS.COM
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Ukraine’s Got Talent
8 Feb 2010 | 8:57 amThis video shows the winner of “Ukraine’s Got Talent”, Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch. The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million. From adrianaverkerk -
Super Bowl 44
8 Feb 2010 | 7:36 amThe Super Bowl didn’t end the way I had hoped – with a Colts win by a large-margin, but it was a memorable game nonetheless. And this morning I watched the following video with Saints QB Drew Brees sharing his testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ. Almost makes me okay with the Saints winning. Almost. -
SNOWSTORM 2010
6 Feb 2010 | 7:49 amWhat a beautiful site this morning around our home after the big “Nor-Easter” storm slammed our county last evening. (click the image to view the full photoset) -
MOVIE REVIEW: The Invention of Lying (PG-13)
5 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pmJess and I sat down and watched the movie, “The Invention of Lying” the other night and at first I didn’t want to review it here on stevansheets.com. The premise of the movie is that there is a “world” where no one could lie. The truth was ONLY told – no one yet knew what a lie was. This world seemed to function “normally” and without knowing that they didn’t know how to lie, people went about their daily business without any problem. This world of “honestly”, however led the main character, “Mark Bellison” (played… -
MOVIE REVIEW: Underground Reality – Vietnam
5 Feb 2010 | 1:30 pmI ordered the Voice of the Martyrs DVD entitled “Underground Reality – Vietnam” after hearing that there was a new curriculum based around the DVD and that used clips from the DVD. From the back of the DVD – What would happen when eight ordinary teens set out on a mission to meet the underground church in Vietnam? Now you can travel with The Voice of the Martyrs and a group of American and Australian teenagers through the cities, jungles and everyday life of the Vietnamese underground church. A journey that started with a single mission to smuggle Bibles and ended with…
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Covenant Alliance Church, Orangeville
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How can I help Haiti?
21 Jan 2010 | 5:28 pmBy now, we all know that on Tuesday, Jan 12th 2010 a violent earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Aftershocks continue to rock the country and hamper rescue and relief efforts. This country is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. The earthquake has killed thousands and left a population of 3 million people without access to potable water, food, medical care and electricity.Here are some suggestions on how you can help financially:Samaritan’s Purse: a charity eligible for the 50 million dollar matching program by the Canadian Government To donate online:… -
Christmas Presence
1 Dec 2009 | 11:07 amGreater Christmas Presence from The Water School on Vimeo. -
Christmas Wonderland
26 Nov 2009 | 7:18 amThe Christmas Season is upon us and we would love it if you would join us this Christmas at Covenant Alliance Church.Starting Sunday November 29th we will be preparing our hearts and minds for this most festive of seasons.May your Christmas be filled with the wonder of the birth of God's son. Merry Christmas -
Operation Christmas Child
10 Nov 2009 | 6:10 amSo this is pretty much your last week to get your OCC shoeboxes into Covenant Alliance Church.phone the office for your final drop off dates and times. -
Faith in Action Saturday
25 Sep 2009 | 7:48 pmSaturday September 26th from 10-1 we're hitting the streets and parks of Orangeville to serve alongside our friends from at least 4 other churches in town.We'll be at Every Kids Park and all along Broadway so join us for a bottle of water and some fun serving our community.
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Church For Family
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Your Picture of God, Once Upon A Time, Part 5
2 Feb 2010 | 7:02 amHow do you sustain a lifelong passion and focus on God and His purpose in your life? It’s not an issue of perfection; it’s all about the picture. King David was used to pen some of the most personal and revealing passages in the Bible; his was a life filled with passion toward God. [...] -
Going Public – Once Upon A Time, part 4
26 Jan 2010 | 9:57 amWe work in minutes and seconds, God works in generations. Why? Because God is interested in relationship, not just events. As Moses and the children of Israel learned learned at Passover, God’s desire is for us to trust in His sacrifice and simply obey. -
Star Search – Once Upon A Time, part 3
19 Jan 2010 | 8:21 amEvery looked at the stars and wondered how many there were? How about the beach? Ever walked on the sand trying to number the grains under your feet? Imagine an ordinary guy being told to go somewhere he’d never been and if he did, his family would grow to those kinds of numbers! Now [...] -
Once Upon a Time: Part Two (Hide & Seek)
13 Jan 2010 | 9:40 amIt was just perfect…perfect…was. Adam and Eve had everything they could have wanted until they were convinced to want what never should have been theirs. The story of redemption begins with two people hiding and blaming, yet in spite of their guilt and shame God stepped in and offered them a covering. -
Once Upon A Time Part One: The Story
5 Jan 2010 | 12:07 pm4000 years. Three Languages. Forty authors. ONE STORY. There is no other book in all of history like the Bible. It is the story of a Father who would go to great lengths to pursue His prodigal children. It’s the story of a Creator willing to pay an unthinkable ransom to regain His prized [...]
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Synaptic Light
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Synaptic Light Fan Page
9 Feb 2010 | 3:48 amYayy, The Synaptic Light Fan Page is picking up steam; thanks to all the fans. Feel free to join in and take part in the conversation here or on facebook. Share your links, comments and pictures SynapticLight on FacebookRelated posts:Why I use TwitterSynaptic Light WordleFacebook Fan PageRelated posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. -
Advertising: Would you be Interested
7 Feb 2010 | 1:09 pmThis site does not generate a much traffic as it has the potential but visitors do click on the advertising elements in my sidebar. Considering that my efforts towards more awareness and community are generating results (in terms of visits, comments and outgoing links), I am considering the idea of paid advertising.Why It would be great for this blog to pay for itself; for hosting(free at the mo), backups, it’s own advertising, and in the use of more professional tools/plugins. But more than that – a group of us are working towards making a movie; at first we are taking baby steps… -
Soul Aperture
5 Feb 2010 | 4:04 am[Photo By(Modified): Akira Ikari]Wikipedia defines Aperture as:In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.In the physical world we need to close the Aperture or Iris so that we do not over exposure the sensor. We even have to squint our eyes to cut out the light that would otherwise hurt our eyes.However, do we do this as well when the light of truth shines on us? Do we close ourselves to it, only… -
Friday FilmMaking Links
5 Feb 2010 | 12:21 amThe Coming Revolution: A Warning (RED Scarlet)Rumored Intel 6-core i7-powered Mac ProFxAndy is a Sweet Film Simulator for Final Cut ProVideo Editing on the iPad: Is it PossibleCanon 7D and 5DMKII Greenscreen ExamplesSimpleMovieX Video EditorInterview with Editor Brian KatesRelated posts:Friday FilmMaking LinksFriday FilmMaking LinksFriday FilmMaking LinksRelated posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. -
There is always gift soap
4 Feb 2010 | 1:40 pmLast night, in the shower singing So lo Mia, I thought of something. Ok, that’s half a lie – I don’t sing in the shower, people will complain. I thought that; “Isn’t amazing that there is always soap”. You see we forgot to get soap at the shops but if I dig around there is always a bar of those gift soap things or a shower gel received from some Christmas long gone. Ok, you ask – Like, Phill, where on God’s good earth are you going with this? Well, don’t you find that there is always a way. There is always a solution to the problem. It may…
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Executed
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How's Your Inner Life?
21 Jan 2010 | 12:32 pmfor The Hanford SentinelOur culture is focused on all things external. It is all about what you look like, what you are doing and what you own. It asks questions like, "Are you beautiful? Are you thin? How big is your paycheck? and, by the way, What do you drive?" The people that we read about in magazines and watch on television are the beautiful ones who are often ridiculously wealthy and morally bankrupt. We are entertained by their antics—we want to know who is sleeping with who this month, who's the latest to drunkenly crash their Mercedes into a telephone pole and how much money was… -
New Year Course Correction
13 Jan 2010 | 10:09 amFor The Hanford SentinelOn days when it works, technology is wonderful. I carry in my pocket a phone that not only can place a call to anyone, anywhere in the world, but it can surf the internet, give me a list of the lunch options within a mile radius of where I stand and fill my ears with the sweet sounds of whatever music best fits my mood. My favorite feature is the GPS. If I want to know how to get from where I am to where I need to go, I have a virtual guide that leads me step by step.It is wonderful to have such clear guidance. The GPS does all the work for me. It knows where I am at… -
How to Leave Your Church
8 Jan 2010 | 12:35 pmTim Stevens over at Leading Smart has a great blog entry on how to leave your church. I've often wondered why people don't feel any obligation to talk to the pastor or someone in leadership before bidding adieu. Check it out. -
Mossy Foot Christmas Letter
7 Jan 2010 | 3:02 pm"When the boy pulled up his pant leg, I gasped, shocked by the horrific sight of a gaping hole extending about six inches in length and two inches in width, fully exposing his dead, broken leg bone. The stench was nauseating. A swarm of flies immediately descended on the oozing, infected wound."Continue reading the rest of the Christmas letter from the Mossy Foot project. WARNING: You might be challenged to look at your life a little differently.Visit Mossy Foot Project here. -
This Year Turn on Your Ears
31 Dec 2009 | 8:46 amThe new year is the time to make resolutions, set goals and revisit life plans. It's the time to shed those extra pounds you put on during the holidays, get your finances back in shape and generally get your house in order. But in the midst of the normal fitness, financial and family goals we all set for ourselves as the calendar flips to 2010, let me suggest a spiritual goal that has the potential to kick your new year up to a whole new level.This year, purpose to listen and respond to the still small Voice of Father God. It is amazing how often God speaks to us and we don't recognize it.
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Small Town Youth Pastor
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Serving In School Is Cool
7 Feb 2010 | 11:27 pmA missional youth ministry highly values understanding (contextualization) and serving the local community. In the youth ministry world, school campuses is where our students spend most of their time. Having Jesus at the school campus, would only make logical and missional sense. In my last post Youth Ministry In Culture, I argued one of the key components of transforming culture is serving the good of the local schools. Traditionally churches and schools have a bad relationship. In our culturechurches don’t have an instant street cred. Let me say it another way: people… -
The “unofficial” Scouting Report
3 Feb 2010 | 9:19 pmThe Youth Ministry Advance Team: Haiti - is a diverse group of 7 youth workers, a video guy, and two AIM representatives. I personally know 3 of the team members– Adam, Marko, and Lars. Unfortunately, I don’t know the others. So I thought it would be fair to do an “unofficial” scouting report on each member. The “unofficial” Youth Ministry Advance Team: Haiti Scouting Report: Anne Jackson: blog | twitter I am really looking forward to getting to know Anne. Anne is the only female on the team. If a gal agreed to go on a trip with all guys, I… -
Youth Ministry In Culture
1 Feb 2010 | 3:11 pmMy Thesis: I argue there are 5 ways to relate Christ to your local youth community in order to transform culture. This process is called—youth ministry contextualization. This thesis is really the heartbeat and mission of REYouthPastor.com My assumption: Some youth pastors think culture poisons our youth ministry culture. Also, some youth pastors reject every aspect of culture and create their own“holy” subculture. Youth pastors have 3 options: Reject culture Embrace culture Transform culture Youth Ministry contextualization happens in five parts: Move into the city Understand the… -
Chapter 4 Relationships Unfiltered by Andrew Root
28 Jan 2010 | 3:19 pmBonhoeffer believed that all theology, ministry, and faith begins with the question, “Who?” Who are you? Who is this Jesus of Nazareth? Who is this one who heals? Who teaches with authority? Who is this? The incarnation is how God did ministry, so this is how we should do youth ministry. When we practice relational youth ministry in the who, we enter deeply into theology. We search to discover who God is, who God is calling us to be, and to whom we are called to go. When we fall into practicing relational youth ministry in the how, we become programmers or service… -
Why Haiti?
27 Jan 2010 | 2:56 pmSo, on Feb 11-17, I will be taking a short-term missionary journey to Haiti with a credible mission organization that has had a long-term presence in the area. This opportunity was presented to me last week and there was no way I could say no– from a theological, personal, or even logical standpoint. Why did I say yes? 01. I have no short term missionary experience. My wife, on the other hand, has been going on mission trips since she was 15 years old. She has many-many mission trips under her belt and her passport is very colorful with stamps from all around the world. So she…
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ThinkBigLiveLoud
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To Resent God….
4 Feb 2010 | 11:23 am“I Resent God” was the words utter from some incredible God-fearing people last night as we all sat around my living room discussing the topic of “Dissatisfaction.” I have never seen rawness when it comes to our(mankind) relationship with our Savior like I did last night. You should know I a sucker for vulnerability and truth. So when I asked “how can we begin living a life of contentment(1 Timothy 6:6-8)?” The response was “Stop resenting God” I was shocked! But why was I shocked? Is it the mere fact that most of us have gotten to a… -
To defeat the Giant
25 Jan 2010 | 5:37 pmMany of you are familiar of the story about David and Goliath. As I was reminded today of this story I thought about how relevant this story is today. Because no matter where you are, there has been a point in your life where you were up against a giant that seem to shadow over you. Most of the time this Giant in our lives is Sin! But one of the greatest truths in this story is that even though everyone around David saw him as a shepherd boy and Goliath as the victor, David knew who was on his side! But you and I when we are given this sort of opportunity to defeat what has cast a… -
Haiti and a way you can Help!
22 Jan 2010 | 2:46 pmCheck out We the kingdom on ways you can get involved with the crisis in Haiti! Through this site you can up your style while changing lives in a place of devastation. We the Kingdom is partnering with The Hands and Feet project. Find out more about this organization and other legit places that guarantee every dime counts. -
I am a Sucker for Acoustic Sunshine on a Rainy Day
19 Jan 2010 | 10:36 amYesterday rain came like a hurricane off the coast here in San Diego, which you may not know this but rain is something we get few and far in between. But when we do its like God wants it to count! So during this downpour yesterday I decided it was time to update my acoustic playlist in my music library. While doing this I thought through my life and about the certain things I am just a sucker for! Here is my list of the Top 5 things I am just a sucker for(in no particular order): 1) Cheesecake for breakfast(something about the cold sweet taste of a bad decision) 2) A Late night… -
Stop being right and start being a light!
19 Jan 2010 | 1:33 amSo many times in the christian world we get caught up or tripped up on being right. We are a faith of words such as grace, servant, and love until we come across someone who doesn’t feel exactly like we do. I know some of you want to check out now because you believe I am wrong and that I shouldn’t talk about these types of topics. But please stay tuned cause this is actually the thought for you! I began like many of you on a reading plan this year through You Version, and am very thankful for this program for many reasons, but one because of the accountability it offers…
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Kevin Campbell
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Random Friday
5 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amHere is some random Friday stuff:This Sunday is week two in our 5 Easy Steps to Wreck Your Life series. We had an incredible kick off to the series last week.Here is the message from last week online or go here to listen through Itunes. It was also our first week of message based small groups. I received reports from several groups of God moving in some incredible ways. I love it!Ava has started pulling up. Here is a picture from my phone. Ava, please stop growing up!I am a die hard Tarheels fan. How would you know? They are terrible this year and I am still not ashamed to say I am a UNC… -
Living Water Campaign
3 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amOne of our global partners for this year and for coming years is Living Water International. Here are some statistics shared with me that truly disturbed me and I pray disturbs you too: A child dies every twenty one seconds from drinking contaminated water.More than 2.2 million people will die each year because of contaminated water issues. That is the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing every day.More people die each year from drinking dirty water than from the world's hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes combined. Over a billion people face a daily crisis of bad water. To be… -
Quotable - Give It All You Have
2 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amI saw this quote on Pastor J.R.'s blog. It is an incredible quote and a great challenge:"It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at… -
Sunday Reflections
1 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amHere are some thoughts from Sunday:It was our first week in our 5 Easy Steps to Wreck Your Life series AND our first week in our new facility!It was an incredible day! Our volunteers are simply amazing and I am grateful for all the people that came out on Saturday evening to help set up. It truly was a full team effort and it will continue to be. We baptized someone during the service too! It is awesome that we can now do baptisms during the service so I thought what a great way to celebrate our first Sunday in the new facility.This week we talked about "How to be Dissatisfied."Genesis 4:7… -
Random Friday
29 Jan 2010 | 5:00 amHere is some Friday randomness:New meeting location, new meeting time (10am), and new series (5 Easy Steps to Wreck Your Life) this Sunday at Elevate! We have been praying months for this opportunity and I am super excited about what God is going to do in the months ahead at our new meeting location.I got the key, alarm code, and the walk thru last night at the new facility. It is really happening!We are setting up at 6pm on Saturday evening. We would love for you to be there if you can make it. We will set up, have a time of prayer, and have dinner together!Saturday is also our first…
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West Coast CM
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Orange Week: Leverage Influence
21 Jan 2010 | 12:40 pmSaving the universe is always a team effort If you serve in children’s ministry, you cannot afford to glance over today’s #OrangeWeek concept: Leverage Influence. One of the major themes behind the idea of leveraging impact is getting students involved in the mission, not just being the mission. The endgame is not merely passing the faith on to the next generation… it’s equipping them to pass the faith on to the generation that comes after them. We’re not giving students and children tickets for the heaven train and asking them to wait for its arrival. … -
Orange Week: Reactivate the Family
20 Jan 2010 | 8:01 amIf I’m being completely honest and vulnerable, I’ll tell you one thing – I don’t want to let my kids down. I want to pass on the faith well. I want my kids to know and love Jesus in a way that impacts the rest of their lives. I want my kids to pass the faith on to the generation after them. I don’t want them to become just another statistic. Every parent in your church feels the same way. If you put a picture of their kids at the beginning of this post, they would sign off on many of the same things I think and feel as a parent. If only every one of… -
Orange Week: Elevate Community
19 Jan 2010 | 4:55 amYou are all Sunday School teachers. When you drive through the parking lot, when you wait in line for donuts, when you choose whether or not you’ll lean down to say hello to a small child… you are teaching our kids what it looks like for a grown up to live out their faith. No pressure. Every opportunity I have, I remind our church, and our parents, that raising a child up in the faith is a job that’s bigger than one person can handle. Heck, it’s bigger than one family can handle. Moses, at the end of his life, gathered the people of Israel together for one final… -
Ideas: The One that Worked
18 Jan 2010 | 9:54 pmThis is a series of posts exploring three major types of ideas that exist in a collaborative community… ideas that have to be shared in order for the community to actually be collaborative. For the first post in this series check out: Ideas in a Collaborative Community. I wanted to start this series with the easiest type of idea that needs to be shared to make a community begin to shift toward collaboration : The One that Worked. I’ll start with an example from our ministry at Glenkirk Church, just outside of Los Angeles, CA. The Idea Years ago, we looked at our attendance records… -
Orange Week: Refine the Message
18 Jan 2010 | 8:50 amWhen you peel away the curriculum your church uses to communicate the message you want kids to take home, what’s left? Whether you use a rotation model, video curriculum, Large group/Small group formats, puppets, or another method, the curriculum you use is just the shell around the heart of what you’re trying to communicate to children and their families. At the end of the day, I think those of us leading children and students need to realize the truth behind the following ideas… All scripture is equally inspired All scripture is not equally important All scripture is not…
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danrichardson.org
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5 Gallon Bucket Project
19 Jan 2010 | 1:38 pmWhen we look at the devastation in Haiti it’s easy to get paralyzed and not know what to do. However, there are some organizations that are already moving and have in roads that we don’t have that we can partner with. So that’s what we’re doing. Earlier today I received a call from the Abbotsford Vineyard Church asking if we would partner with them in sending supplies to an orphanage in Haiti that is run by Heart to Heart Ministries. They are heading up an initiative called the 5 Gallon Bucket Project and we are partnering with them to see as much supplies get… -
Not worth it
19 Jan 2010 | 9:03 amYou can always find another job. Your kids can’t find another daddy or mommy. Don’t sacrifice your family on the altar of money. It’s not worth it. Ecclesiastes 5:10-15 -
Your Story
18 Jan 2010 | 12:34 pmYour story is important. Everything that has happened in your life has shaped the person you are today. Your story also carries with it a certain amount of power. Right now, someone else is going through what you went through and they think they are alone. Your story could be a key in their freedom. I want to invite you to share your story. What has God done inside of you since coming to TXC? What is he doing now? The rest of us in our church need to hear your story. It shows the greatness, love, mercy, and generosity of our God and increases our faith in Him. It doesn’t… -
Becoming spiritually fit
16 Jan 2010 | 9:43 amSo we’ve come to the conclusion that just thinking about getting physically or spiritually fit doesn’t make it a reality. You have to put in effort to get the desired outcome you are looking for. But what does that look like spiritually? We determined that going to church is very important but it can’t be the beginning AND the end of your spiritual journey. It can’t be the point and the only feeding your soul gets. What I think is that we need to completely revamp our lifestyles to get the outcome we’re looking for. For many of us, we own a Bible. But let… -
Spiritually obese
15 Jan 2010 | 10:50 amIf we were to have a Spiritual Biggest Loser, I think there would be far more of us qualified to be on the show than we would like to admit. There are lots of us who have been Christians for a looooooooooong time but if we were asked what we believed, we might just have a hard time telling anyone. For many of us, the most spiritual exercise we get is going to church on Sunday. For years we’ve heard the pastor preach and teach us about God’s word but there’s never any outworking of it in our lives. We have a tendency to not own our faith. It’s like the home gym…
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Worlds of Wow Photoblog
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Wow, What a Trailer!
3 Feb 2010 | 9:28 amHey, check it out, the Worlds of Wow trailer is stylin!Thanks to David at Signs Now for their great work. -
Breakfast with Joy Bowen of reThink
29 Jan 2010 | 8:49 amReagan and I got to make a new friend this morning, Joy Bowen of reThink. Great heart for all things Orange and for helping the local church. Thanks Joy!(And thanks to Jenny Hickl for connecting us) -
Lunch with David Lyons of MinisterSearch
28 Jan 2010 | 3:34 pmReagan and I got to sit down with David Lyons the CEO of MinisterSearch and partner on the PCC Network. I've known David for a number of years and always enjoy getting a chance to chat with him.Chili's soup and salad for all of us! -
Trinity Baptist in Lake Charles, LA
28 Jan 2010 | 8:47 amWow! Here are some in progress pictures of our Trinity Baptist install. This looks so cool. Can't wait to see the space completed! Yep, that's the Boss on the leftThe whole crew! -
Sherman Bible Church in Sherman, TX
25 Jan 2010 | 1:22 pmNow this is a cool new building! You drive down the road, you look over and there it is set back on a slight hill. Beautiful new construction where we were blessed to transform the nursery preschool and elementary area. Thanks to Connie, Frank and their team! If you're in the area, check out Sherman Bible Church.
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Digital Evangelism Issues
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Making holes, not drills
9 Feb 2010 | 2:04 am“Toto, I have the feeling we are not in Kansas any more”- Dorothy, in Wizard of Oz In a rapidly changing world, we need to make frequent conceptual leaps for effective ministry. A few years back, a European manufacturer of industrial drilling machines was suffering badly with competition from products manufactured in the Far East. Wisely, they called in consultants to help them see a way forward. “So, how would you describe your business,” asked the consultants. “Well, we sell drilling machines, of course,” they replied. “Well, actually, you… -
Global evangelism and digital media
1 Feb 2010 | 4:33 amThe Joshua Project has expressed progress in world evangelism using a Global Progress Scale. Different colors represent evangelism status. It would be interesting to create an overlay for this map showing digital penetration in the red (unreached) areas, because many of these have medium to high use of the Web and/or mobile phone ownership: • web usage stats • mobile penetration data This detailed analysis by Ugandan evangelist Kato Mivule demonstrates the current usefulness and growing importance of mobile communication in Africa. Mobiles are equally strategic in… -
Cheat sheet on social networking
20 Jan 2010 | 1:01 amDr Bex Lewis has produced a valuable overview of social networking (she has called it elseshere a ‘cheat sheet’) on her blog Digital Fingerprint. Check out the rest of the blog for many insights into the nature of social networking, What is appropriate use of social media? What is just plain bad manners – and therefore counter-productive in Christian ministry? Author and social networking expert Tamar Weinberg explains. Mikey Lynch highlights the importance of your Facebook page not being ‘too Christianized’ if you want it to relate properly to non-Christians. -
Compelling question-asking stories
9 Jan 2010 | 1:09 amFirst, here’s Alma, a prize-winning (secular) animation by Rodrigo Blaas that is hugely compelling. And chilling. A visual metaphor of entrapment. A real discussion starter – it would be useful to show, for example, to a youth group. Or as a embedded clip within a website, asking questions. There is so much to see and analyze within it, with spiritual parallels and warnings. You’ll need to watch it several times, in full screen. (That’s the second control from the right, in the toolbar under the video.) Then check the excellent new video resources from Global Short… -
15 years that changed the world
8 Jan 2010 | 1:29 amInternet Evangelism Day news release “The last 15 years have changed our world for ever,” claims Tony Whittaker, co-ordinator of Internet Evangelism Day. “Digital media are transforming the way we communicate, behave and even think. If Facebook was a country, it would have the fourth largest population in the world.” Internet Evangelism Day is a strategic resource to help the worldwide church understand these issues and use the Web to share the good news. It is both a year-round online guide and an annual focus day – to be held this year on Sunday 25 April. Churches are…
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brad lomenick :: on the journey
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Interview with Scott Belsky and Michael Hyatt
9 Feb 2010 | 4:53 amThe latest edition of the Catalyst podcast features interviews with Scott Belsky and Michael Hyatt. Scott is the founder and CEO of Behance, a company that delivers products and services to help organize the creative world. Scott also founded the 99% Conference, and is the author of the soon to release book Making Ideas Happen. Michael Hyatt is the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson, and uber popular blogger, speaker, and social media expert. Listen here or download from itunes. Both Scott and Michael will be part of our Catalyst West event on April 21-23. Make plans to be there! -
What Makes a great Team?
6 Feb 2010 | 7:15 amTwo great teams are playing each other in the Superbowl on Sunday. Colts vs. Saints. There are lots of qualities that make up a great team, but thought i would point out just five that seem to be evident in these two teams. 1. Humble yet confident leader- both coaches seem to exude these two traits. 2. Skilled linchpin- Most of the time this is the quarterback for a football team. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I would consider them linchpins for the Colts and Saints, as Seth Godin has written about in his new book. Every great team has to have at… -
Coca Cola Video
5 Feb 2010 | 5:45 pmThis is a great idea. Kudos to Coke for coming up with this. Thanks to Jeff Shinabarger for the heads up. Click here to view the embedded video. -
College Football Signing Day today
3 Feb 2010 | 12:15 pmToday is signing day for College Football. I love this day. One of the most popular posts I’ve ever had here has been on College Football- the best team of the Decade. And more recent the Best College Coach of the Decade. Thousands of high school seniors across the country are signing on the dotted line with the college of their choice. Recruiting these athletes has become a year long job, and simultaneously an internet/media frenzy. Oklahoma. Texas. Florida. USC. Alabama. Ohio State. and on and on. If I’m signing today, I have two hats on the table. Oklahoma and Alabama. You can… -
10 Questions with…..me
2 Feb 2010 | 2:53 pmI don’t talk about myself much on this blog, mainly because this community/conversation exists to bring value to YOU. The Reader. Not to me. The author. But, I thought I would give you a quick snapshot of me with some rapid fire questions. Ultimately, really no value at all! But fun nonetheless. So here you go, ten questions with me: 1. First Car: 1980 Monte Carlo (green and gray upholstery interior) 2. Where did you grow up? Bristow, Oklahoma (home of the Purple Pirates! I’m not making this up). Just outside of Tulsa 3. All Time Favorite Movie: Lonesome Dove 4. Favorite Snack…
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Scribblage
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An Acute Equation
9 Feb 2010 | 12:57 amI was listening to a podcast this morning and heard this old quote that I had forgotten. I don't know the entire quote, but basically the idea is: 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. I'm down in SoCal this week for the Radicalis Conference at Saddleback Church, which is hosted by Rick Warren. I love ideas, I love concepts, [...] -
Will You Marry Me?
4 Feb 2010 | 6:00 pmFour words, that I would imagine, people who get married will never forget are: Will you marry me? I was on Facebook the other day when someone had posted their proposal story video. Actually, Mike Howerton from Overlake Church was tagged, so I thought it was his engagement story, but I guess it was a friend [...] -
Walking in Your Shoes
1 Feb 2010 | 5:17 pmI was watching Oprah today. The show was covering some behind-the-scenes looks at this new show called "Undercover Boss" that will be premiering after the Superbowl later this week. Just as the title says, the show's all about CEO's who go undercover to walk in the shoes of their employees. You can criticize Oprah all you [...] -
Unlock the Mystery
28 Jan 2010 | 10:30 pmFinally... a step-by-step guide to unlock, unravel, undo the frustration that is the Rubik's Cube. I don't think I would ever take the time to do this, but maybe someone might find this helpful. It's a neat trick too, if you can pull it off. Did a quick search of Youtube and this guy seems to be [...] -
The Idolatry of Busy-ness
27 Jan 2010 | 10:53 pmI recently sent this email out to our volunteers: Several people today commented how I looked "busy" at church. It's the nice way of saying that I either seemed unavailable, unapproachable, or there but not really present. I want to be everything but that at church with you and with the kids. Today was a bit of [...]
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Your Ministry Matters
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THEY Were in the Old Testament Too!
4 Feb 2010 | 11:27 amI’d like to challenge you to read one of the most skipped over collections of Scriptures in the New Testament. It’s the genealogy of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel of Matthew 1:1–16. If you’re a bit adventurous and have a bend toward being a diligent student of the Word, I have a challenge or assignment for you. As you read through the next paragraph that contains the roll call of the family tree of our Savior, make a count of how many names in this record you actually recognize. You may be acquainted with some, but of those you do… -
THEY Helped
28 Jan 2010 | 11:07 amCould Peter have done all the follow-up teaching after 3000 souls were added at Pentecost? Did Peter answer all those questions himself? Did Peter lead each group in the breaking of bread? Did Peter lead all the prayer times? No! He had help. He had THEY. “And THEY continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Stop and think. It’s no different today. Pastors trying to do all that needs to be done in the making of disciples and caring for… -
THEY Were There
21 Jan 2010 | 10:53 amOn that day of Pentecost, which seems to have been the inaugural service for this fledgling church, who ministered at that service? Sure, we all know Peter got over his fears, took the pulpit, and let it fly to the tune of three thousand converts in one day! Praise the Lord! But who else served that day? THEYdid! How do I know? Three thousand were baptized that day. Somehow I can’t see Peter preaching and then baptizing three thousand all by himself. THEY were there! THEYhelped them form a line. THEYmade sure each… -
A People Called "THEY"
14 Jan 2010 | 9:47 amWho's not familiar with Bible names like Matthew, Mark, Luke, Peter, James, and John. But, those weren't the only really important people in the Bible. And, not every important person in the Bible had a name that the Word revealed. Some really, really vital people were just referred to as "THEY". Do you know anyone named THEY? You know who THEY are. Well, maybe you don’t, not many people do. THEY don’t have offices or business cards. THEY rarely preach from the pulpit. THEY don’t usually get to hang out with the leadership… -
We Try Too Hard - (part 2)
17 Dec 2009 | 12:30 pmThe tangible anointing and presence of God that was in, on, and about Peter healed the sick without a prayer prayed or a word spoken. “So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them” (Acts 5:15). You may say that’s all fine and good for them, Pastor Ted, but I’m not Jesus or the Apostle Peter. I can understand that kind of tangible anointing following them, but I’m just an average believer. Did you say believer? Great! You…
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Moving Forward
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A Superbowl Ad To Remember - Tim Tebow
29 Jan 2010 | 2:20 pmTim Tebow is doing it again. He is a Heisman trophy winner. He led the University of Florida football team to a couple of national championships. He has consistently, unapologetically, and publicly declared his devotion as a Christian to Jesus Christ. He has practiced what he preaches with his lifestyle on and off the field. He has earned the right to be heard. Plus, there are many who want to hear from him. They want to know more about this excellent "role model" for their kids.Apparently, the timing is right. Tim believes now is the perfect… -
GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense
20 Jan 2010 | 7:46 amOne of the books I enjoyed reading while on my vacation a couple weeks ago was Soul Keeping byHoward Baker. My friend, Glen Murray, passed it on to me and I am so glad. It's packed full of gems concerning the cultivation of a strong spiritual life. I thought I'd highlight one of the lessons I gleaned about GRACE, or rather, the ENEMIES OF GRACE. A relationship with God through Jesus Christ is obtained by GRACE. The Scripture clearly says that our salvation has nothing to do with our efforts (Eph 2:8-9). However, it is so common among Christians to begin by… -
Pray for the Haitians
13 Jan 2010 | 12:00 pmA quick note here to request prayer for the Haitians. A terrible 7.0 earthquake hit the capital city Port-Au-Prince and many have been killed. Many more are unaccounted for. Disaster relief efforts are underway and we are waiting for more information on how to mobilize those of you who are able to help. Obviously, emergency funds will be needed and you can donate through our church (designate those funds for disaster relief in Haiti) and we will be sure to get the funds to our Florida Baptist… -
Bobby Bowden - More Than A Great Football Coach
1 Jan 2010 | 7:15 amToday, Bobby Bowden coaches his last football game for Florida State. 44 years as head coach... 34 years in Tallahassee at FSU.388 wins. Second only to Joe Paterno of Penn State University in the number of wins. 2 National Championships.Remarkable results as a coach. I hope he's able to add one more win today.Today, he finishes an amazingly productive career as an NCAA football coach. Kudos to you Coach Bowden!Don't stop reading yet! I believe his greatest legacy will not be left on the football field. His greatest achievement is how he… -
A Most Amazing Christmas Present
29 Dec 2009 | 5:22 amI received the most incredible Christmas present from my kids this year. It began as a scavenger hunt with many clues. Fortunately, my kids helped me figure out what the clues meant.The final clue pointed me to my bookshelf in my study. It said to look for something bright blue. They were referring to a book on the top shelf.When pulling the book off the shelf, I was a bit puzzled by what I saw. I had never seen the book before and it had the title of a sermon series that I had preached a little over a year ago – Prayer Biographies. I said, “What a coincidence.” They told me to thumb…
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GlocalNet
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Bob Speaking at the LCEF Confernce
8 Feb 2010 | 3:52 pmA few months back, Bob spoke at the LCEF conference about his new book “Real Time Connections” - Now available! -
“A Christian Woman’s Experience at Multifaith Weekend”
7 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amA great interview of one of NorthWood’s members about the Multifaith Weekend. What a great explanation she gave! -
HOW TO HANDLE ATTACK IN THE MINISTRY
5 Feb 2010 | 5:13 amThis has been a wild 24 hours for me - I’m busy working on my sermon - for 2 Sundays away. Last night I was working and listening to the Verge Conference online in Austin - so proud of Matt Carter and his crew and where I see them headed. There are several conferences going on right now with lots of people from Verge, to Radicalis, to an ACTS 29 event, and several more on the way this month. I was asked to speak at 2 of them but couldn’t - I’m going to West Africa on a fast trip to speak at a little church of 200,000 and then speaking to their 1500 new church planters… -
The Holy Spirit Poured Out on Artist
3 Feb 2010 | 4:09 amA few months ago, I was studying the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. I think sometimes we don’t have a clear picture of how the Holy Spirit worked in the Old Testament and it leads us to some conclusions that were not necessarily true. There is no doubt about it, after the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in the upper room, and today fills every believer at conversion - which must continue on a daily and moment by moment basis. Because of that, we can get the idea the Spirit wasn’t that active in the Old Testament - but the Spirit was. The… -
REALTIME CONNECTIONS RELEASED!!!
1 Feb 2010 | 5:54 amI’m excited my new book! It has now been released and there are many things that really excite me about it. This is very different from any book I’ve ever written: First, it’s written for everyday ordinary disciples - not preachers or just church leaders. It’s a “missional” book for everyone and what a missional disciple looks like. Second, it’s real live stories of our people and what they are doing in the inner-city all the way to Vietnam and beyond. So it isn’t theory, ideas, or challenges of what could be - it…
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Life is Ministry
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Food, Inc: A Must See Movie!
22 Jan 2010 | 10:11 pmI just watched Food, Inc. and I am really glad I did. When Lori and I lived in Spain I grew to know what foods grow in what seasons. For instance, there were certain months when we ate a lot of strawberries, Some months we ate fresh cherries, at other times roasted chestnuts were in order. When these foods were in season they were juicy and delicious, and when they were out of season they were -
Helping the People of Haiti
13 Jan 2010 | 9:53 amAs you probably know by now, Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake yesterday. Even prior to the earthquake the people in the region have already struggled through years of economic hardship. A while back I participated in a Feed My Starving Children event where we heard stories of families baking mud pies to feed to children because of a lack of food. Yesterday's earthquake pummeled the -
Looking back on a Decade
8 Jan 2010 | 12:53 pm2000 Spent Y2K with Lori and the first Presbyterian Church Youth Group. Nothing shut down and the world did not end.2001Sold, stored and shipped all of our earthly possessions and moved from Ohio to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. We joined the Hanlons and the Striblings and became part of Team Spain with International Teams.2002 Our first daughter Abigail Belén was born in Santiago. Abigail means -
Merry Christmas from the Swain Home
24 Dec 2009 | 8:01 am -
Cultural Opposites and How We Perceive the World.
2 Dec 2009 | 8:19 pm
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Team RCIA
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17 frequently asked questions about Lent
7 Feb 2010 | 9:44 amWhat is the meaning of the symbol of ashes on Ash Wednesday and where do the ashes come from? What are the fasting regulations for Lent? Should we empty the baptismal font for Lent? But aren’t we fasting from water during Lent? Like Jesus did in the desert? Who signs the Book of the Elect? Should the elect choose a baptismal name? How is the catechesis for the elect in Lent different than catechesis during the catechumenate period? What are the “Presentations” and how are they celebrated? Do we have to use Year A… -
OT3: Catechumenate Sunday?
24 Jan 2010 | 11:49 amToday’s readings (the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C) are outstanding for many reasons, but what struck me most of all is how they seemed to be speaking pointedly about things we do in the catechumenate. Some of you may be puzzled to hear me say this. But think about it. These scripture passages for this Sunday are talking about… well, us. The reading from Nehemiah talks about “men, women, and children old enough to understand”—they are the adults and children of catechetical age. Ezra reads from the scroll and they say Amen. It’s a powerful scene. His listeners are… -
A prayer for dreamers amid the nightmare in Haiti
15 Jan 2010 | 6:05 pmThere is a great and somewhat ironic convergence happening in our calendars. In the midst of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 13, 2010, the Church celebrated National Migration Week (January 3-9), starting on the Feast of the Epiphany, a week when it focused on the situation of migrants and refugees. The Church also celebrated Vocations Awareness Week (January 10-16), starting with the Baptism of the Lord, as it reminded all the faithful of its call to holiness expressed in lay, religious, and ordained life. And next week, the Church marks the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity… -
Liturgy as source of catechesis
4 Jan 2010 | 10:35 pmDiana Macalintal and I will be copresenting a workshop in Orlando this weekend at the Fashion Me a People conference. Our topic is the Liturgy of the Word as a source of catechesis. Our goal is to help participants learn techniques for drawing out and extending the catechetical content of the Liturgy of the Word. We also hope they will learn how to grow more aware of the mystery of revelation that infuses the living Word of God. We’re going to base the workshop on the opening liturgy of the conference. Now here’s the tricky part. We don’t know what the liturgy will entail. -
A French chef’s guide to the RCIA
30 Dec 2009 | 4:32 amFor Christmas, a friend gave me The Complete Robuchon, which is 800 recipes for “French home cooking for the way we live now.” My friend and I both love to cook, although she is much more serious about it than I am. She takes classes from important chefs, stocks her pantry with sea salts from around the world, and has more All-Clad pans than some women have shoes. Still, she gave me this very serious cookbook as “re-gift” because, she said, I’m more of an artist than she is in the kitchen. And this is a book about art. The art of eating You’ll have to…
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Life Here and There
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Why I Love the Atlanta Airport
9 Feb 2010 | 6:37 amI flew out of northwest Arkansas yesterday, one half hour late because of the 1 inch of snow on the grass around the runway… landed in Atlanta and had 25 minutes to get to my terminal – T-03. After taking the subway to T-03, I saw that the flight had been moved all the way back to B-31. Both of these gates are at the far ends of their respective terminals. Needless to say, I arrived at the gate just in time to see my plane take flight. So I spent five hours waiting for the next flight to Orange County, then five hours on the flight itself. This proved to be a remarkable time. -
Sometimes I Wonder About My Son
6 Feb 2010 | 5:01 amWe’re almost to the 30-week mark of Angie’s pregnancy. I get to feel Samuel kicking, turning cartwheels, and giving me high-five’s when I put my hand on her stomach. Last night we painted the nursery. The bedding is in. We’re slowly stockpiling diapers and getting ready for the big day. While painting last night, my mind began to wander and I started asking myself questions that can only be answered as time unfolds. What’s Samuel going to look like? Will he sleep through the night? Will he like his room? Will he play baseball? Can I convince Angie to let him play… -
To Become a Man After God’s Own Heart
4 Feb 2010 | 11:46 amIn our journey through the Word at Bethel, we’ve come up to the historical books of the Old Testament. We jump right into the first two kings, Saul and David, who could not be more of a contrast. I’ve always been struck by the supreme difference between the two of them Saul would do anything for the approval of man, including live in direct disobedience to God. David, on the other hand, was crushed anytime he didn’t have God’s approval and obeyed God even when it cost him the approval of man. My how we need to learn this! And here’s a Youtube link to To Become A… -
Guest Post About the Upside of the Downside of Leadership
3 Feb 2010 | 12:09 pmThere’s a really great blog about leadership and ministry written by Scott Williams called Big Is the New Small. I’ve written an article as a guest blogger there that you might be interested in reading: The Upside of the Downside of Leadership Related Posts:Jeff Flowers Thinks I'm CoolHey Pastor, Write a BlogGuest Post on Leadership at BIC VenturesLife Here and There Hits a Little MilestoneFifteen Random, But Inspiring Leadership ThoughtsPowered by Contextual Related PostsCredit & Copyright Guest Post About the Upside of the Downside of Leadership is a post from: Life Here and… -
I’m Headed to Radicalis Next Week
3 Feb 2010 | 7:29 amI’ve told some friends about this amazing opportunity, but haven’t said much publicly. I am now beginning to get very excited about where I’m headed next week. Early Monday morning, I’ll fly out to Orange County, California to attend Radicalis. The circumstances surrounding the reason I’m going are a pretty neat story, perhaps best reserved for another time, but I’ll tell you that it has something to do with something more and more people are beginning to “get,” social media… and online publishing… and a love for Pastors and…
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Build the Church
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Build the Church 399 VideoCast - Take No Glory "Beautiful Slave"
18 Jan 2010 | 8:48 pmEnjoy this great song and video from the band Take No Glory. From their new EP, the title cut, "Beautiful Slave."Take No Glory "Beautiful Slave" -
Build the Church 398 VideoCast - Amazing Grace in Lights!
6 Jan 2010 | 3:59 pmOk, I know this is not an "Indie Band" and I know we are past Christmas but I am totally amazed every time I see something like this so enjoy!Amazing Grace in Lights -
Build the Church 397 - Amber & Saskia Christmas
24 Dec 2009 | 9:28 pmToday we remix a Build the Church Christmas Classic!! Christmas with Amber and world traveler Saskia. Hear Jill Parr, Ray Confer, Natalie Brown, Uncle Seth and Geoff Smith.Enjoy another special Christmas edition of Build the Church. MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast -
24 Dec 2009 | 9:28 pm
24 Dec 2009 | 9:28 pmHear Jill Parr on the Podsafe Music Network.Find Ray Confer in myspace by going here. Hear Natalie Brown on the Podsafe Music Network.Hear Uncle Seth on the Podsafe Music Network. Hear Geoff Smith on the Podsafe Music NetworkGREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BUILD THE CHURCH LISTENERS! -
Build the Church 396 VideoCast - Jeff Capps "Silent Night"
22 Dec 2009 | 10:03 pmHear national recording artist, Jeff Capps sing "Silent Night" live at a venue in Dallas. Enjoy this special Christmas VideoCast only on Build the Church.Jeff Capps - Silent NightGo to Jeff Capps' website by clicking here.Find Jeff Capps in myspace here.Become Jeff's friend in Facebook by going here.Get Jeff Capps' music in iTunes by clicking here.
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Mike Gothard
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Last of the coffee
9 Feb 2010 | 2:00 amBittersweet. I just opened the last pound of the coffee I brought back from the Dominican Republic in November. It will be gone in no time and I’ll be back to drinking domestic store brand coffee. But for the next week or so I’m going to savor this final pound, complete with good memories of our trip. -
Trusting our Father
8 Feb 2010 | 2:00 am“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” - Victor Hugo -
Arrogance & discord go hand-in-hand
7 Feb 2010 | 2:00 am“Arrogant know-it-all’s stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.” – Proverbs 13:10 (The Message) -
Prayer
6 Feb 2010 | 8:09 am“Masking irresponsibility with prayer makes one an irresponsible person who prays.” – Andy Stanley -
Get it done!
5 Feb 2010 | 5:57 amI’m a connoisseur of quotations. I can get more mileage, more inspiration, more motivation, and more insight from a pithy sentence than from most entire books. I am also a perfectionist. Though there was a day I would have written that sentence with pride, these days my perfectionism is more like a disease for which I am in constant search of a cure. I happened across three quotes the past week or so that the Lord has used to give me the proverbial kick in the rear as it regards getting stuff done. “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan…
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Biblical Preaching
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Fierce Attention and Affection
8 Feb 2010 | 12:32 pmI was just reading a synopsis of an intriguing book. The book is about the importance of conversations, both at work and at home. Nothing to do with preaching though? Well, perhaps more than might be obvious. I was struck by the author’s second principle – “Come out from behind yourself into the conversation and make it real.” She writes that it I too easy to try to please so much that the truth gets hidden away in exchange for a trinket of approval. In the next section she writes of the need for fierce affection for the other person. I won’t pursue that in terms of… -
Facebook in Sermon Preparation
5 Feb 2010 | 4:14 amJames Wood made the following comment on the post Extent of Application: I think he brings up a good point. I’ve tried to combat this by forming the sermon through conversation with the community. The beauty is, technology can aid this! I will post questions from the text to my facebook page as I’m studying. The responses help me to direct my study and hone my examples to reflect the needs of the community. I have not tried this, but am intrigued. While not a huge fan of facebook, it may be an easy way to access “feed-forward” input in the preparation of a sermon. The… -
The Forming of Images
3 Feb 2010 | 10:08 pmAnother quote from Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps, prompting a thought for today: Advertising is the direct result of the camera. “Images have an incredible capacity to generate needs in humans that don’t naturally exist.” (75) “Images initially make us feel rather than think.” “Images don’t invite you to argue; they give you an experience.” (76) “Image culture dramatically shapes the way we think. It also determines what we think about.” (77) It would be wrong to assume that such an image culture has only existed in our… -
Extent of Application
2 Feb 2010 | 10:07 pmI was just reading a synopsis of a book on the effect of technology on faith. For example: Reading and writing are individual activities. The technology of writing favors individualism over community, leading us to spiritual disciplines of “quiet time” and “journaling” and a gospel that is primarily oriented to the individual. Printing erodes the communal nature of faith. (p56-7 – Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps) That’s an interesting observation. I think many of us tend to promote an individual spirituality – quiet times, reading,… -
Preaching and Response
2 Feb 2010 | 5:07 amWhen the Word of God is preached, something happens. God’s Word, inspired by God’s Spirit, pointing toward God’s Son, spoken by a person empowered by the Spirit of God for their calling from God’s Son, to people prepared by the Spirit of God – it’s a recipe for response! At times we can see that response. We get to see the people moved, the individuals gripped, the lives changed. Sometimes we see something at the moment of preaching, or soon afterwards. Sometimes we only see the response over months and years of ministry. At other times we…
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Biblical Preaching
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Fierce Attention and Affection
8 Feb 2010 | 12:32 pmI was just reading a synopsis of an intriguing book. The book is about the importance of conversations, both at work and at home. Nothing to do with preaching though? Well, perhaps more than might be obvious. I was struck by the author’s second principle – “Come out from behind yourself into the conversation and make it real.” She writes that it I too easy to try to please so much that the truth gets hidden away in exchange for a trinket of approval. In the next section she writes of the need for fierce affection for the other person. I won’t pursue that in terms of… -
Facebook in Sermon Preparation
5 Feb 2010 | 4:14 amJames Wood made the following comment on the post Extent of Application: I think he brings up a good point. I’ve tried to combat this by forming the sermon through conversation with the community. The beauty is, technology can aid this! I will post questions from the text to my facebook page as I’m studying. The responses help me to direct my study and hone my examples to reflect the needs of the community. I have not tried this, but am intrigued. While not a huge fan of facebook, it may be an easy way to access “feed-forward” input in the preparation of a sermon. The… -
The Forming of Images
3 Feb 2010 | 10:08 pmAnother quote from Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps, prompting a thought for today: Advertising is the direct result of the camera. “Images have an incredible capacity to generate needs in humans that don’t naturally exist.” (75) “Images initially make us feel rather than think.” “Images don’t invite you to argue; they give you an experience.” (76) “Image culture dramatically shapes the way we think. It also determines what we think about.” (77) It would be wrong to assume that such an image culture has only existed in our… -
Extent of Application
2 Feb 2010 | 10:07 pmI was just reading a synopsis of a book on the effect of technology on faith. For example: Reading and writing are individual activities. The technology of writing favors individualism over community, leading us to spiritual disciplines of “quiet time” and “journaling” and a gospel that is primarily oriented to the individual. Printing erodes the communal nature of faith. (p56-7 – Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps) That’s an interesting observation. I think many of us tend to promote an individual spirituality – quiet times, reading,… -
Preaching and Response
2 Feb 2010 | 5:07 amWhen the Word of God is preached, something happens. God’s Word, inspired by God’s Spirit, pointing toward God’s Son, spoken by a person empowered by the Spirit of God for their calling from God’s Son, to people prepared by the Spirit of God – it’s a recipe for response! At times we can see that response. We get to see the people moved, the individuals gripped, the lives changed. Sometimes we see something at the moment of preaching, or soon afterwards. Sometimes we only see the response over months and years of ministry. At other times we…
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Unity Church Marketing
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Does Your Church Marketing Efforts Seem Impossible to Overcome?
I was on the phone recently with a church leader and they indicated how hard it is to get momentum on a marketing project at their church. Things that you would think would be easy have been a real challenge they told me. I can relate to that very easily when I have spoke to [...] -
Where Does Church And Social Media Meet in 2010?
Are you a church that is wondering how to position yourself for success in 2010? As we come in the hew year, I thought we could review some ideas as well as questions that have come about. What marketing advice can help churches stand out in this economy? Ultimately, you have to keep adding value to your [...] -
Church Marketing – Taglines & Your Brand
A tagline is the first articulation of your church brand! A good tagline is the single-most powerful and efficient articulation of your brand that your church can have. Taglines are a clear and easy demonstration of your church values when you need to get your brand in front of people and connect with them in [...] -
How Some Churches Are Fighting H1N1!
Health concerns are effecting every part of our lives. It doesn’t matter where you go. Whether you go to the grocery store, doctor’s office, or even when attending church, people want to know how your organization is dealing with top of mind items like the H1N1 virus. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you [...] -
7 Cost Effective Ways to Grow Your Church!
Do you want your church to grow? Are you reaching the people looking for a church just like yours? Some of those folks are looking in your area for the first time and yet others for a variety of reasons are looking for a new church home. If your church is like many organizations, you don’t [...]
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samluce.com
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Francis Chan:The Forgotten God
8 Feb 2010 | 7:26 amLast week I read “The Forgotten God” by Francis Chan. The basic premise of the whole book is that we have forgotten, downplayed, at times incorrectly portrayed the Holy Spirit in our churches and in our own lives. Francis said a few things that really struck a cord with me. 1. We don’t hear the Holy Spirit speak to us because Comfort – We live lives that are to safe. We have no need for the Holy Spirit to guide protect or lead us. When was the last time you were in a place that you needed the Holy Spirit of God did come through for you? Volume – We are surrounded… -
Kidmin Challange Update
4 Feb 2010 | 5:11 amHey kid min peeps want to give you an update on the all new super fun and exceeding helpful kidmin challenge. 1. Just by tweeting or commenting on facebook you could win prizes for free What might you win you ask? Worship music from Hillsong Kids Deluxe edition: Jesus Storybook Bible Shoutout – Interactive Game CD from Kidzmatter 2. Your kidmin recruiting ideas could end up in a future publication of K! mag. 3. FMD will name his next baby after you. (well maybe not) 4. Leverage your influence to help the kidmin community 5. What do I twitter What do I tweet. Read below grasshopper. How… -
Um…how to…er…stop using fillers
3 Feb 2010 | 4:51 amTo Pick up on Dan’s amazing post. I could not agree more one of the areas we need to focus more energy on in Kids ministry is our “stage presents” and performance skills. I recently read “The exceptional presenter” great book with tons of practical insight. The comfort food of verbal communication in the US at least is Um, er, ah, i think and you know what I mean. I am guilty of a few of these and have been working on erasing them from vocabulary you know what I mean? I found these points below to be very helpful these are just a portion of the full article… -
Performance Skills 102 – Glorified Um’s
2 Feb 2010 | 2:35 amPerformance Skills 102 – Specific training to increase your on-stage professionalism. Catchy Title huh? For some it could be intriguing and they are instantly hooked in, but for the most part I would predict that the title is confusing as the topic of on-stage professionalism is not usually talked about in the world of Children’s Ministry. In our preaching we focus a lot on content, our MC-ing being energetic and making our kids scream, and our performances either being funny or very heavy with the topic we want to teach on. It is not often you will get someone stand up and say “let’s… -
Random Rules for Ideas.
1 Feb 2010 | 3:28 pmSeth Godin has an amazing blog and is an amazing thinker. I came across a post of his that I thought would really help. I know I have a bunch of ideas every day and from talking to many of you out there I know many of you do to. Ideas have to be nurtured. You need to give them space and take action and never be afraid that an idea will flop because many will. But if you never take actionable steps toward your idea you will never develop your idea-o-meter. What is an idea-o-meter – it’s the ability to instinctively judge between good and bad ideas. Here are some random rules from…
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Godvertiser.com
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The Bible 1.0
9 Feb 2010 | 6:13 amMost Christians haven’t had the chance to hang out in the local Jewish synagogue or travel to Israel extensively. Thus, you may not have ever seen an original handwritten Torah scroll up close and in person, fully unfurled. Notice the handling of the scroll itself so no fingers actually touch it. To see the entire Torah written in Hebrew freehand, not by machine was and is awe-inspiring in itself. Take a quick looksie: We get so excited about the latest and greatest versions of the Bible that sometimes we forget to reflect about the Bible 1.0. -
Accordance Has Given My PC A Split Personality
6 Feb 2010 | 6:58 pmI can’t believe my eyes. My PC is now a MACINTOSH computer. Seriously. And all I did was follow the installation directions that came with the Accordance for PC I recently received from Oak Tree Software to review. Basically, whenever I want to run Accordance, all I have to do now is rev up my Mac emulator (called Basilik II) via a desktop shortcut, just like any other application: Then a full-screen Macintosh computer comes to life on my PC: After “start-up,” you get a full Macintosh desktop, complete with top of the screen menus and its own virtual hard drives (which you… -
Will You See God At The Superbowl?
6 Feb 2010 | 12:46 pmMosaic Church has made the finalists in this year’s television commercial showdown sponsored by Doritos: The church, led by Erwin McManus, has already won $25,000 for becoming one of the 6 finalists. The masses were invited to vote for their favorite over at www.crashthesuperbowl.com. And the winning tv commercial will not be announced until the actual Superbowl commercial is run during the Superbowl. Erwin McManus explains in this video clip a little about their tv project, and why they want you to support their cause over at www.VoteForCasket.com The 30-second spot is bringing a lot… -
Chuck E. Theology
5 Feb 2010 | 5:47 pmToday, I had the pleasure of doing something which I believe hasn’t ever been done! It was a first. A first for me, and most probably a first for the world: I bet that no one has every pursued seriously theological ponderings in the world of Chuck E. It was one of the best reading sessions I’ve had. Complete concentration and complete fun with the kids afterwards. And just to put it into context, we’re talking a brand new, two-story, fully renovated with “new carpet smell,” stocked with all the latest video games for $0.125/game facility (and of course, complete… -
Sign of the Times
2 Feb 2010 | 5:22 pmToday, I’m sharing a public service announcement here on Godvertiser.com Look what I found around town recently… Sometimes “Mom knows best”. So much so that they make a sign to remind everyone - including you and me!
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Children's Ministry Online
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Why attend the Orange Conference 10: Reason #5
8 Feb 2010 | 3:24 pmThis year Orange is going to offer a few breakouts covering a very practical topic. Ministering to kids with “special need.” For a lot of churches, there just isn’t a strong plan (or plan at all) for special needs. I have very little experience or knowledge in working with kids with special needs. However, over the years, I’ve been grateful to have people on my staff that knew and loved this area well. If you’re church doesn’t have a plan or needs to grow in this area, consider this a great bonus for attending Orange. I’m sure the breakouts will be… -
Try anything once, do the things you love as often as you can
8 Feb 2010 | 2:10 pmToday’s my birthday, so I took the day off. My wife made plans to take me to do something on Friday, so I had the day to do whatever I wanted. I chose to do something I don’t really get to do nearly as often as I like. I went to see a movie. A month ago I saw Avatar in IMAX 3D and fell in love with the world and experience created by James Cameron. I figured that watching this on my TV on DVD can’t compare at all to the big screen experience, so I figured I’d see it one more time. Rarely do I see a movie twice in the theater. I saw all the Lord of the Rings movies more… -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-07
7 Feb 2010 | 7:55 pmCMO: #kidmin Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-31 http://bit.ly/92Py7M # CMO: #kidmin Like the DVD Special features for conferences http://bit.ly/bXsPp6 # http://twitpic.com/10×8zx some exciting reading we're doing right now! # @jarrodbeckman me thinks the book is enough. in reply to jarrodbeckman # CMO: #kidmin Hillsong Kids – Big: Follow You Promo http://bit.ly/doWf72 # CMO: #kidmin First four minutes of Lost season six http://bit.ly/dnB9ja # CMO: #kidmin Mechanisms for personal succees http://bit.ly/awADJh # CMO: #kidmin Outsource your printing http://bit.ly/bVY30A # CMO:… -
App of the week: Lose It!
7 Feb 2010 | 1:44 pmOkay, so I’m starting a new little post series that I’m dedicating to my favorite little applications. Whether they’re apps for you phone or applications for your computer, I’ll share some of the new one’s I come across that I find valuable, cool or interesting. I’ll start with the one I’m using a lot right now. It’s an iPhone app called Loose It! About 6 months after getting to Austin, I set off to lose some weight. In 6 months I lost 20 pounds just by eating less and dropping the cokes. Then for a year I wasn’t very disciplined and… -
New #kidmin book coming soon
5 Feb 2010 | 8:51 amHey kidmin peeps! In case you didn’t know, a new book is coming soon. I’m very excited about this book for multiple reason. 1. It’s about the church working with the family. It’s not just a hot topic in ministry today, it’s what’s most important in my ministry world right now. 2. It’s a collaborative project. I collaborate on a regular basis with other Kidmin leaders like Sam Luce, Matt McKee, Gina McClain and Jonathan Cliff. I wish I’d started collaborating like this years ago. So not only am I going to read about ministry to the family, but I…
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Jake Pelfrey - Failing Consistently
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Taking the Garbage Out
The other day I was listening to Air One on the radio and heard the song Garbage In by Tal & Acacia. It was a pretty sweet jam, but what really got me thinking were these lyrics. "Garbage in, Garbage out. What Goes in is found out. All can see what ... -
A Great Week!
This week has been a tremendous week, possibly the best week of 2009! Sunday we heard the great news that my dad is now the new pastor of Belleview Baptist Church in Belleview Kentucky! It was so fun attending an anonymous question and answer meeting as my dad answered a ... -
How Can You Not Like this Guy!
I have been able to accomplish a ton of work these last couple of days. It is a great feeling, that my days off from the grind, have not been wasted. Most of the motivation is due to the sweet sounds of Phil Wickham. How can you not like this ... -
The Age of Innocence
The Age of Innocence is a novel written by Edith Wharton. It is a story of an upper-class couple who is about to get married, when a scandalous woman enters their life and threatens to steal their joy and innocence. Newland, The man who is excited about his upcoming marriage ... -
5 Things I am Digging Right Now!
Yes, it is that time for me to share the five things that I am digging right now! It is always fun to sit back and count the many blessings in life. I found out that most of the time, it is the small things in life that bring the ...
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daveingland.com
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3 Questions About The Church: Brett Crimmel
6 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amClosing out the weeklong series on 3 questions about the church is Brett Crimmel. Brett is the lead pastor of Forefront Church in Lakewood, Colorado and has some great insights to share on being the church and helping those in need. His perspective on the church and its future is an exciting one: 1) How would you define the (local) church? The local church is a community of people gathered together with a unifying purpose: to Love God (great commandment), to Love Others (golden rule – both inside and outside the church), and to Change the World (great commission). The church has a task… -
3 Questions About The Church: David Park
5 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amDavid Park’s twitter bio says it best: I dream about Asian-American culture and the church. David has a great insight into the next generation of church and how Asian-Americans can collectively influence the church culture in America. He hosts the Next Gener.Asian Church blog and is the most eloquent authority on Asian-American ministry. David has a love for–and is a student of–the greater church-at-large and lends a great perspective as he answers the three questions below: 1) How would you define the (local) church? A disclaimer: I’m not particularly fond of my own… -
3 Questions About The Church: Tyler Braun
4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amMany of you may know Tyler Braun from his blog Man of Depravity. He’s the wild card in this blog series as he is not the lead pastor of a local church, but he brings the voice of a younger generation and is a seminary student and youth pastor in Portland, Oregon. Here is how this dynamic young man responded to the following three questions: 1) How would you define the (local) church? A smaller and more specific expression of the church at large (church universal), designed to reach the world through discipleship and evangelism. 2) Is the church relevant? Why? By “church”… -
3 Questions About The Church: Charles Lee
3 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amYou may be familiar with Charles Lee as a public speaker and creator of The Idea Camp, but Charles’ home base is as the lead pastor of New Hope South Bay in Torrance, California. Here is how Pastor Lee responded to the following three questions about the church: 1) How would you define the (local) church? The local church is a local expression of God’s people gathered for a common mission. 2) Is the church relevant? Why? I think “relevant” describes a reactive culture. It lacks the proactive nature of culture-making that the church should be embodying. Is the church… -
3 Questions About The Church: Joshua Roberts
2 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amToday’s perspective comes from Pastor Joshua Roberts of Encounter Assembly in Burbank, California: 1) How would you define the (local) church I would define the local church as a geographic gathering of Christ followers/Christian/etc. that come together on a regular basis to worship God the Father together, encourage each other, pray for others, and partake in ordinances/sacraments of the Church (i.e. the Lord’s Supper and Baptism). 2) Is the church relevant? Why? I guess that depends on which manifestation of the Church you’re speaking about. Some local congregations are,…
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joshrhone.com
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‘When You Want Church to be Church We’ll Still be Here – (offering) Traditional Services’ – What is ‘traditional’ anyhow?
23 Jan 2010 | 12:10 pmI was driving to the hospital to visit someone the other day when I came across a church sporting a sign that read, ‘When you want church to be church, we’ll still be here – traditional services.’ It was a sign that was so unbelievable that I had to actually circle back for a second [...] -
KABOOM: “social proof,” church growth, and you (part 1)
22 Jan 2010 | 8:13 amWhy do some churches experience exponential growth, while some remained stagnant? Why are the voices of the leaders of large or growing churches seemingly valued more than those of small churches that can’t seem to grow no matter what they try? Undoubtedly, there are a number of answers to questions such as these. For example, one cannot [...] -
Haiti: How You Can Help
15 Jan 2010 | 7:15 amI know that the emails have been coming frequently and often over the last few days and I know that the ways in which you have been encouraged to help are many. This can lead a person to feel overwhelmed and possibly even paralyzed, because they don’t know how to respond. With that in mind, [...] -
“Christ crucified” as a hermeneutical framework for interpreting the life and teachings of Jesus
13 Jan 2010 | 4:40 amAlthough the life, teachings, and interactions of Jesus serve as the substance for the majority of the historical narrative which have become known as the synoptic gospels by-and-large they have neglected by the church. Taking the Apostle Paul’s assertion in 1 Corinthians 1.23 as their own, the Christian faith, at least in recent years, has [...] -
Trolls and Truth: 14 Realities About Today’s Church that We Don’t Want to See
11 Jan 2010 | 10:13 am“The church of Jesus Christ exists to be a sign of the kingdom of God in the culture in which it exists. It is the light and hope in a reprobate world that suggest there is an alternative worldview where giving, losing, serving, and turning our cheeks are higher values than hoarding, gaining, controlling, and [...]
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Linknami Blog
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Simple Free Method To Get More Twitter Followers
8 Feb 2010 | 6:03 amWith some free tools and a bit of daily work (we are looking at around 20 minutes per day on average), you can grow your twitter follower count on a steady basis in a perfectly legal, semi-automatic way. One way to grow your twitter account is to follow other users and let them follow you back. This guide is aimed at this strategy. Before we’re getting to the instructions, first a bit of history on this approach. A year ago, this strategy worked so well, that lots of users increased their twitter following to tens of thousands of users very rapidly, practically within days. However… -
18 Easy Ideas to Help You Write Fresh Articles
4 Feb 2010 | 8:39 amWriter’s block and a slump in creativity can really take their toll on an article writer. To help you out of that creative rut, here are 25 hot and fresh ideas to get your mind gears cranking again! 1) Make use any of the hundreds of free article writing templates available on the net. 2) Use ideas from your blog to help you write your articles so that they will be related with each other. 3) With a single topic, you can write in 2 different ways – one, writing for the newbies and uninitiated and two, writing for the more advanced readers. That’s already 2 articles out of one subject! -
Top 8 SEO Mistakes to Keep Away From
3 Feb 2010 | 5:58 amSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) is the systematic way of promoting your website to make it rise in popularity online, bringing in more traffic to your site through natural search indexes for targeted keywords. More traffic translates to more profits, since the more people visit your website, the higher the chances are that they will purchase something from whatever items you are trying to sell. Unfortunately, there are still many businesses who take SEO for granted or make erroneous SEO moves since even at senior management level, these people are unaware of what exactly it is you need to… -
Google Caffeine Launch This Spring 2010 Is Imminent
2 Feb 2010 | 8:02 amWith the onslaught of social networking giants such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, Google has resorted more and more in getting assistance from these sites when it comes to real time search results. Unknown to many, a less visible algorithm exists which can power search results and Google has been working on it to make it more real time. The decade has been witness to hundreds of innovations in the Internet and in going with this trend, Google has been recently researching and developing a new system of indexing their search engine results for quite some time now. Although unknown to the… -
Practical Facebook Guide For Beginners
1 Feb 2010 | 5:32 amSocial media marketing has reached the highly popular social platform Facebook. With over 40 million active members, Facebook is an international online superstar. Plenty of its internet savvy members simply avoid attempts at Facebook advertisement tactics and prefer using it as a venue for maintaining and making new friendships. To help you make the most out of your social media experience, here are eight steps in using Facebook: Registration Register yourself as a member and then work on your profile. Use your full real name and upload decent pictures. If your email does not have a…
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RELEVANT Magazine
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Preparing for Lent
8 Feb 2010 | 3:48 pmAsh Wednesday is nine days away, and for that I am both thankful and relieved. It means I have a head start in discerning how to observe the journey toward Easter known as Lent. And of course, the journey toward Easter also includes Good Friday—a fact which, if I really take it in, changes everything. I have always understood Lent as something to be observed in community—that’s the good news. The faith tradition to which I belong marks the start of this season with believers lining up to receive ashes on their foreheads and to hear the priest’s words, “Remember that you are dust,… -
A Place to Be Honest
29 Jan 2010 | 4:25 pmRecently, I spoke to a friend who told me she likes (really, really likes) a guy who is not a Christian. She told me that she wants to date him. She told me she doesn’t care he isn’t a Christian. Then she told me if he wants to sleep with her while they’re dating she will. I listened. She thanked me for not judging her. She told me she couldn’t speak to any other Christians about this because they make her feel like what she wants to do is wrong. She told me she feels so lonely and she just wants to feel loved. I listened. I filtered. I questioned. I asked her, “Have you asked God… -
Stealing Christmas Part 5: Redemption
18 Dec 2009 | 7:52 pmThis week, as we creep closer to the 25th of December, we’re running a daily excerpt from Jason Boyett’s article “Stealing Christmas” (which appeared in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of RELEVANT). In it, Jason takes on some of the traditions we associate with the birth of our Savior and finds that some of them didn’t start out so “Christian.” So, since we live in a culture that often defines this time of year by a “War on Christmas” or a “War Defending Christmas,” we thought it would be fun (and informative) to look at where some of our most beloved traditions really come from. -
Stealing Christmas Part 4: The Date
17 Dec 2009 | 1:33 pmThis week, as we creep closer to the 25th of December, we’re running a daily excerpt from Jason Boyett’s article “Stealing Christmas” (which appeared in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of RELEVANT). In it, Jason takes on some of the traditions we associate with the birth of our Savior and finds that some of them didn’t start out so “Christian.” So, since we live in a culture that often defines this time of year by a “War on Christmas” or a “War Defending Christmas,” we thought it would be fun (and informative) to look at where some of our most beloved traditions really come from. -
Stealing Christmas Part 3: Gifts
15 Dec 2009 | 11:58 pmThis week, as we creep closer to the 25th of December, we’re running a daily excerpt from Jason Boyett’s article “Stealing Christmas” (which appeared in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of RELEVANT). In it, Jason takes on some of the traditions we associate with the birth of our Savior and finds that some of them didn’t start out so “Christian.” So, since we live in a culture that often defines this time of year by a “War on Christmas” or a “War Defending Christmas,” we thought it would be fun (and informative) to look at where some of our most beloved traditions really come from.
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Your Church Blog
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How One Question Can Make the Recession an Ally
8 Feb 2010 | 6:30 amA Harvard concept may help churches clarify, prioritize -
Struggling Cities Eye Taxes, Fees for Churches
2 Feb 2010 | 6:30 amBudget shortfalls bring tax-exempt status under fire. -
Top 10 Leadership Books from 2009
27 Jan 2010 | 12:00 amUseful titles for the inner and outer lives of church leaders. -
Discerning Eyes for Church Law, Finance, and Administration
25 Jan 2010 | 6:45 amKnown, respected leaders to help guide CTI resources. -
FCC Ruling May Affect Many Churches
22 Jan 2010 | 8:39 amMicrophone systems must comply with June 12 deadline.
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Branded With Love
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Haiti Relief Recap
9 Feb 2010 | 5:18 amLove seeing this come together. A huge thank you to: Real Life Christian Church New Beginnings Christian Church West Park Church of Christ Calvary Assembly Forefront Church West Road Episcopal Church New Life Baptist Church Hampton Roads Jeep Club Navy Federal Credit Union Hampton Roads Uhaul Coast Guard Base (Portsmouth, VA) UPS Store (Lynnhaven Pwky & Princess Anne Rd) Also, thank you to everyone who came out to pack things up before the drive to Soles4Souls distribution center in Alabama. Thank you to everyone who gave, sacrificed, and took the time to think of others before… -
A Little Q & A For My Peeps
4 Feb 2010 | 9:18 amQ: Are we having church this Sunday? A: Absolutely. Q: We heard it might snow again. Are you scared? A: Scared?!? Other than the dark, boogie man, snakes, roaches, Barney, and the Globetrotters… I’m not scared of anything. Q: Is there a new series starting? A: Yep. It’s on Relationships & Marriage. It’s going to be great. Check out the promo below. Q: What about the Super Bowl thing? U Got Game? Is it still happening? A: Do the Buffalo Bills choke every time they play? Aww Yeah! We’re having the party. U bet! Q: What time does it start and what are the… -
Simply Thankful
4 Feb 2010 | 7:57 amFor many of the people I meet, much of their happiness and/or negativity is birthed from how they look at life. Fortunately, I’m a glass is half-full kind of guy and cannot believe life is as amazing as God has allowed it to be. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been a part of some awesome things… Chloe’s First Snow Day. I was able to get out and play with my daughter Chloe in the snow for the first time. The joy she had was overwhelming. We built a snow fort and threw snow at each other. Total Kodak moments. I will cherish the time we had to spend together for years… -
Welcome To Church… Online?: Part 5
2 Feb 2010 | 12:01 pmWe’ve batted around the how, why, pros, cons, and even a little glimpse into the process of what it takes to do a streaming service online. But, now to the real question at hand: “Is the ‘online church’ experience- church?” It depends. But in most cases- No. Weighing the pros and cons against scripture leads me to believe a few things about solely attending an online service: The Definition Of Church: The definition/picture of the “church” according to scripture points to live, face to face, living life together, rubbing elbows in service, worshiping… -
Welcome To Church… Online?: Part 4b
2 Feb 2010 | 8:20 amWe’ll get to the conclusion in a bit, but we received a few emails asking what videos we played besides the live feed- and how did we do it? Well, Livestream allows you to insert your own videos (1gb or under) as well as YouTube video content. You insert those into a playlist and bounce between those and your live feed(s) you have coming in. Oh and here are the videos we used during the online service: We played this video after talking about people being home in their PJ’s, enjoying breakfast, eating bacon… MMmmmm, bacon! We played this video right before taking our online…
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David Kenney
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More Popular than Jesus…
5 Feb 2010 | 7:10 pmOne of my favortie preaching pastors is Francis Chan, in a recent article he wrote, “Last summer I came to a shocking realization that I had to share with my wife: If Jesus had a church in Simi Valley, mine would be bigger. People would leave His church to attend mine because I call for [...] -
Who is your target audience?
4 Feb 2010 | 8:24 amI love Twitter. I follow several pastors one of whom is Tom Rainer – today I noticed that you can also follow two of the books he has written: Essential Church Simple Church I have only read Simple Church – and I loved it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to solidify what [...] -
5 tips for leadership success in 2010…
3 Feb 2010 | 9:07 pmSo even though I don’t have a church right now… I still have the drive and energy to lead and be a shepherd. I have been toying with the idea of getting a secular job in the meantime just to keep my edge. Maybe I will become a security guard – I can just stand [...] -
In honor of LOST…
2 Feb 2010 | 8:31 amYou either know, or you don’t. You’re either in or you’re out. Lost is not a TV show. Don’t kid yourself. Lost is an epic grand scale mystery wrapped in a darhrma coffee can and slammed into a magnetic hatch. Lost is a communal puzzle. What I mean is, you can’t watch Lost alone. You [...] -
Verge 2010…
1 Feb 2010 | 6:23 pmThe Verge Conference for 2010 is sold out. The Missional Community Conference with the following speakers: Francis Chan Matt Carter Alan Hirsch Dave Fergasun Dave Gibbons Neil Cole John Burke and Hugh Halter But the good news is – even though it’s sold out you can still enter your email address in the box at the top of their page to register for a [...]
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(re)made
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follow
8 Feb 2010 | 8:40 pmHere’s the second post of social media week for ya. This is probably the most important twitter rule of them all and it’s actually the easiest one. But again, this takes time as well. Here it is and it’s gonna be amazing: If you’re nobody, you have to follow other people for them to know who you are. Yep, folks. I know. That was probably the most amazing thing you have ever heard. Think about it for a second though. If you’re not famous, the only way that someone out there is going to know about you is by following that person or replying to them first. The only… -
making time
7 Feb 2010 | 10:02 pmWelcome to social media week here on jackalopekid.com. The whole week will focus mainly on twitter, but that’s because I spend most of my time on there. I hope you learn something from all of my online experiences and I know I will learn something from you as well. I am no expert at social media by a long shot, but I have had some good things come from it. I’ve made numerous connections online (and some that become off screen meetings), increased blog traffic by a ton, and well frankly, it’s getting my thoughts out there. It’s all great stuff for me but let me tell you… -
rapture
5 Feb 2010 | 9:16 amMy mind wanders a lot. Here’s just a sample- What do you think? -
irritate
5 Feb 2010 | 8:14 amI know I’m not perfect. I usually find this out right after certain aggravating things happen in life. These certain things make me really angry at everyone within a 5 yard space around me. Here’s some examples: when that adult who knows better still chews like a horse and smacks their food when I lose my keys when the alarm clock forgets to go off for some reason and the list could go on… So, what things in life irritate you? -
a small difference
4 Feb 2010 | 8:31 pmAs I listen to some people I am trying to figure out exactly what they mean by what they are saying. And here’s what I mean by that. Some people when they say something good about themselves it sounds arrogant. Maybe they don’t mean to, but it comes across that way. When I listen to others I can tell there is something like humble confidence. I say “something like humble confidence” because it doesn’t seem to me those two words should ever be used in the same sentence. I can’t really explain it, but there’s a difference. Do you know what I’m…
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Paul Clark
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XP Seminar wrap up
9 Feb 2010 | 2:20 amIt was great to have an inside ear at David Fletcher's XP Seminar in Dallas last week. Mike McKay, from Central Wesleyan Church, did a great job highlighting some of things they discussed and sharing them with us. Thanks again, Mike! As one who has never attended the seminar, I was personally curious as to what it was like, thinking that one of these days I might try to get to one myself. Just to close out the experience, I asked Mike a few questions as sort of a "wrap up." What two or three things did you learn or take away that you want to incorporate in your own ministry? 1. -
LIVE from the XP Seminar Day 2
5 Feb 2010 | 3:44 amGuest blog from XP Mike McKay...Day 2: Decided to go tucked :) ...first big decision of the day. Case Study " A Daughter church on life support"...a fun exercise at round tables , discussing a church planted several years ago by The Chapel....and was now REALLY struggling. Our table voted to "take it over". (we could have voted to cut it loose) Taking it over means incurring abiut 1,7MM in debt....some smarter people at our table pointed out that the debt/equity ratio was good.... really its about leadership, and they have lacked a solid leader/ teacher. So thats what we would do:… -
LIVE from the XP Seminar
4 Feb 2010 | 7:14 amI asked Mike McKay, XP at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, Michigan, to do some guest blogging from the XP Conference in Dallas, since he was going and I was not... here's his take on Day 1: Day 1..... Wed Feb 3 *Fun to be with a room full (about 120?) of us in Exec Pastor roles, in churches of all sizes. There is some kind of instant bond with fellow "warriors"! *Opening session with Dr David Fletcher , an XP at the Chapel in Akron: -Talked about "Question Zero" in evaluating existing and new ministries: What EXACTLY are we trying to aaccomplish? -
Wow... this is compelling
29 Jan 2010 | 11:04 amI'm going to try to finish the Skyle Jethani book this weekend, the book I previously wrote about and the one that generated a little heat among bloggers recently. Gotta say, this book makes you think about what you are doing--what we are doing, in managing within the megachurch. I want to draw some personal conclusions that I'm drawing from the book as it relates to my own life and my ministry in my church. If you haven't picked it up, it's a challenging read. -
Your Church Blog: Top 10 Leadership Books from 2009
27 Jan 2010 | 5:11 pmYour Church Blog: Top 10 Leadership Books from 2009.
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SERVING STRONG
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Ready To Grow?
8 Feb 2010 | 7:25 pmGrowth. It's what you want for your church. It's what you want for your children, your marriage, and your friendships. Growth in numbers. Growth physically. Growth personally and spiritually. After all, who wants to stagnate? The very word, "stagnate," brings to mind a pond with a layer of smelly, green scum floating on top. Yuck! But why don't you have a master plan of personal growth? Why do you float high on the wings of a great conference, then return home and eventually creep back to the same old "normal" pace? Growth means changing what you are used to being and doing. You have to let… -
Serving Strong Now On Alltop
8 Feb 2010 | 1:41 pmServing Strong is now on Alltop in the CHURCH section. Visit it by clicking http://church.alltop.com/ -
3 Steps To A Fantastic Day
3 Feb 2010 | 10:48 amHaving a fantastic day in ministry service means walking with God. Fantastic doesn't always mean everything goes our way and is easy. In fact, some the most fantastic days I've every had have been through a struggle. After all, isn't that what James wrote about? Here, then, are 3 steps to having your fantastic day: STEP ONE: Start the day in prayer. Actually, by prayer I mean listening only. Turn off your tendency to pray for others or yourself. Just sit quietly in a comfortable chair (not too comfortable). Breathe deeply and slowly a few times. Close your eyes. Think of one thought such as…
