Love, Trust, & Sing

I love the honesty of this psalm. Hopefully we will find ways to sing every day!!

Psalm 13

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

Filed under: Reflection

Dear Career Church Hopper

There is a post that circulates the web every so often that I think truly applies to college students – especially those here in Norman, OK. Today most students have grown up in a culture where you can get what you want when you want and if you don’t like something you just skip to the next part.

I truly believe this has invaded how we go about getting plugged into churches. It has invaded it in the since that more often than not – we don’t get involved – we just keep jumping around looking for the next best thing – and this breaks my heart!!!

I think the below post does a great job of illustrating some great points for students to consider when plugging into a church while away at college. Find a place and plug into community.

Here’s the post:

I met you again on Sunday, the same person smiling at me through a different face, telling me that you’ve been shopping for churches for months now, and that darn it, you “just can’t find one (you) like.”

The music’s too rocky at this one, you said; the preachers too boring at that one. The latest one might make the cut, though, at the very least, you could get your teaching from this church and your worship from that one.

I’m sure we’ll run into each other again, but before we do, I’d like to suggest some things you could perhaps think about before you move on to the next church, as I’m sure you will, whether this weekend or next year:

⁃ Christ didn’t bleed for the Church so you could treat your search for one like an episode of Survivor, deciding who to vote off the island this week.

⁃ The Church was not commissioned by Christ to meet your needs. You ARE the Church, and you’ve been commissioned to meet the needs of the world through the Church! Plugin and get involved in taking Christ to your community!

⁃ Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her (Eph 5:25). Quit treating his bride like a Jesus buffet where you can pick and choose what you like, hedging your bets against the pain and sacrifice of making a commitment. Find one – commit and love well!

⁃ Per scripture’s instructions to use your gifts in service to the Body of Christ — and its lack of instruction to search for a church that scratches you where you itch — you might want to consider what the Church you’re visiting needs from you, rather than the other way around.

- If you only want to hear things you already know and agree with, save your Sundays and talk to yourself in the bathroom mirror.

___________________

My heart is not to bash but to encourage you to find a community and connect where your roots grow deep (Psalm 1). Find a church where you will be fed, allowed to serve, and allow you to grow in this unique time called college so that you will be prepared for what lies next!

Filed under: Church, Culture

DON”T follow your heart!

I’ve been thinking the past few days about how much the culture has shifted us to depend on our feelings. We may think that we are being logical but I think more often then not we are just making decisions based on feelings and not logic.

Exhibit A: We are emotionally touched by that romantic comedy with slightly immoral content. We resonate with the plight and feelings of the main character. Sure, her values are different than ours, but we like her and we’re rooting for her. We justify the inappropriate content, because watching this film makes us feel good.

Exhibit B: We’re indignant. That fellow Christian did something that offended us. We find it unacceptable, not because it violated a Scriptural command but because it hurt our feelings. Surely something that upsets us that much is wrong. And we certainly won’t be the first to seek reconciliation.

Exhibit C: We often say things like “I like Skip* or Wendy*.” Even though Skip nor Wendy exhibit signs of spiritual maturity and is clearly not pursuing (just) us, We feel this strong pull toward him. This must mean something deep and significant, right?

In each of these situations we are allowing our feelings to be my primary guiding factor. There’s one big problem with that: Our heart is the last thing we should be trusting in these circumstances!

Jeremiah writes: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

This message flies in the face of our culture’s obsession with “follow your heart.” Unless your heart is captive to the Savior, it is the last thing you should be following. Jesus offers a different mantra: follow me. Comparing Himself to a shepherd, Jesus says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

So don’t let your heart deceive you. It’s not infallible. In fact, its default mode is to lead you the wrong direction. Don’t follow your heart; follow your Savior.

*Fictional names – no one has recently talked to me about liking a guy or girl named skip or wendy…

Filed under: Culture, Religous

9 Things a Leader Must Do – Book Review

Just finished a pretty good book where the author outlines 9 things he believes a leader must do.

It got me thinking – there are questions that I need to consistently be asking myself. Maybe I can add this to my journal goals for the year except ask them weekly.

Anyways – here’s 9 questions that I need to be asking myself constently:

1. Am I living my life driven towards a vision that absolutely gets me excited?

2. What negative things do I have in my life?

3. Is the stuff I am doing today setting me up for where I want to be 2 years from now?

4. What can I do to make a negative situation better?

5. I’m I consistently making people around me better?

6. What are the negative things that I hate and will not tolerate?

7. When others fail, what can I do to help them succeed?

8. Do I have a heart of humility?

9. Am I making a decision based on what is right or based on what is popular?

Anyways – just some thoughts running around my head right now…

Filed under: Leadership, Reflection

Information Obesity

Kim Meyer recently did an article for the catalystspace mag that comes to my email inbox every month and I thought it was worth sharing – especially for you students who are drowning in information overload! Here’s what she had to say:

Information overload occurs when we receive more info than our brain can process. Even if it is good information, too much of a good thing just is not good anymore—it’s bad. Whether you’re an info addict or a Zen advocate, information overload affects us all. 

This excerpt is from an article I read on ThinkSimpleNow.com about the cost of overfeeding the information appetite.

• Productivity Loss. In the face of too much information, we can easily get lost in the details. We waste time focusing on unimportant information and lose sight of our goal and purpose.

• Mind Clutter. The noise created by media and other sources of information clutters our minds and takes away from our inner peace.

• Lack of Time. Rich or poor, young or old, we all have the same limited amount of time in a day. And instead of spending a good chunk of my day filtering through incoming information, I’d rather spend the energy on bringing more enjoyment and fulfillment into my life.

• Lack of Personal Refection. I find that if I am constantly consuming information, then I forget to connect with myself (and others). I realize that valuable personal refection comes when we create a “space” for it in our lives. If there is always noise, then we won’t have the mental capacity to reflect within.

• Stress & Anxiety. Information inflow creates the illusion that we have more tasks to fill our lives than we have time for. Often, we might suddenly feel nervous without understanding why. Every piece of information carries with it energy which demands our time. Even if we consciously ignore it, a part of us saw that data and recorded it within our subconscious.

Life is overwhelming enough as it is. Your church or organization shouldn’t be piling more on top of an already mounting problem, especially when people are looking for answers that will make a difference. If you want to be a credible source for those answers, here are ways you should be looking to help reduce that load.

• Stick to the facts. Don’t over-sell, over-explain or over-control. Just provide the information someone needs to self-sort and self-decide. People don’t need a page on the philosophy of each ministry, activity or event. They do need to know who it’s for, what it is, when it happens and how to get there or sign up.

• Stick to the point. Start with the end in mind before you’re about to do something. If you know the purpose behind your letter, brochure, meeting, etc., it makes it easier for you to stay on track and focused. Otherwise, it’s hard to recognize your own excess. Do you want people to show up or respond? What are you asking them to do? If you can’t answer that question easily, they won’t be able to either.

• Consider the crowd. Does your announcement (bulletin or verbal) apply to everyone or just a handful of people? If it’s not affecting the masses, it’s just going to land like dead weight. Don’t punish the crowd to keep a few people happy (even if they are the most vocal). Find a way to deliver your news in appropriate venues.

• Don’t intrude. Unless they’ve asked for it, people welcome unsolicited emails as much as a door-to-door salesperson during family dinner. Respect personal space, and put information in a place easy for people to find when they want it.

According to a Fast Company magazine article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states unequivocally that 80% of our medical expenditures are now stress-related. Marketers have responded with superficial, tranquility promises: happiness in a perfume, peace in a lotion, focus in a drink, euphoria in a bubble bath, sex in a lip gloss, etc. Our response should be less complex, more authentic and, ultimately, life-giving. Don’t you agree? It’s as simple as dialing back the volume.

Good stuff – what are you doing daily to tune out, relax, and just take in life around you? If you aren’t you should!!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Here comes the bride…

Read this in a book recently – it’s greatness!

Once upon a time a beautiful wedding was about to take place. The people who were invited were all buzzing with anticipation. All of the bridesmaids and groomsmen had assumed their positions, the candles had been lit, the music was playing, the groom was in place and joy was the dominant mood in the room.

THEN the doors open and the BRIDE began her walk towards her husband…and that is when the trouble began.

Some people actually took their focus off of the BRIDE and began to discuss whether or not the people in the room had been chosen for invitation…or if they had merely accepted an invitation. Little groups began to discuss and debate this issue, thus ignoring the BRIDE.

Other’s began to complain about the music the BRIDE was walking in step with. They put their personal preferences in place of what the BRIDE had chosen for that particular day. And the ones not offended by the music…they could not quit complaining about the color of the carpet. Little groups of dissension began to develop all over the room. Their focus was not on the BRIDE. Some people actually began to get up and leave because, when the BRIDE walked by, she didn’t take the time to sit down with each of them and ask their opinion about the wedding that was taking place.

Some people began to say, “I’m just not sure about this. There are really a lot of people here at this wedding. It’s huge! I prefer smaller weddings. The BRIDE should not have invited so many people.”

Some people began to criticize the fact that there were people at the wedding that they didn’t think should be there. They weren’t “dressed up,” and so their focus shifted from the beauty of the BRIDE to their own self righteousness and the fact that they “looked nicer.”

For some it just wasn’t that good of an experience…

But for others…they just couldn’t stop smiling…

They knew they wouldn’t have even been able to walk in the doors were it not for the invitation of the BRIDE and GROOM.

They could not stop focusing on the beauty of the BRIDE…each step she took was intentional and brought her closer and closer to the GROOM. And those who were actually focused on her somehow felt like they were taking that journey as well.

They could not wait to embrace the BRIDE…to thank her for the invitation. They weren’t concerned with the BRIDE recognizing them and “their needs,” they knew that this day just wasn’t about them.

They enjoyed everything about the experience, knowing that something larger than them was taking place.

They were so excited that so many people were involved in this experience…and their hearts actually ached for those who they knew needed to be caught up in that moment.

They knew they were guests and not the person of honor…that the BRIDE and GROOM were to be the center of attention…and that brought them great delight.

Once upon a time this took place; in fact, it took place all over the world…today. The church is the BRIDE of Christ…she’s beautiful, she’s breathtaking…and when she walks step by step to get closer to her GROOM…there is NOTHING that compares to that on the planet…nothing.

Those that want to make the BRIDE all about themselves and argue and dispute about aspects of the ceremony itself will never fully appreciate all that is happening…and therefore miss out on so much.

BUT…those who are just happy to be there…the ones that get JOY when the BRIDE takes another step, the ones who want as many people as possible to be there and participate in the great celebration that will soon be taking place…the ones who understand that the ceremony taking place isn’t about them and their needs…the ones who can’t quite focusing on the BEAUTY of the BRIDE…

They are the ones who get the most out of the ceremony. They are the ones who truly experience joy on a level seldom found by self seekers. They are the ones who are FULL of appreciation, understanding that attendance to the wedding wouldn’t even be possible had they not received the invitation. They are the ones who immediately run out and try their best to get others to come before the BRIDE makes it all the way down the aisle (she is getting closer, you know!)

Here comes the BRIDE–she’s breathtaking, and despite mankind’s attempt to blemish her…she’s still here. Governments and nations will pass away…but the BRIDE will still take step by step, closing the distance of time in regards to the Great Wedding Feast. She’ll be taunted and jeered…she’ll be misrepresented by bad television preachers…she’ll be misquoted and abused…but in the end we will all stand in awe at her beauty and, in that moment, fully understand and appreciate the life is about so much more than getting our needs met and everyone knowing everyone.

Here comes the BRIDE…is your focus on her?

Filed under: Church, Culture

Tear Down my Idols

The dearest idol I have known,
Whatever that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
and worship only thee…

- William Cowper, “O For a Closer Walk with Thee”

Filed under: Quotes, Reflection, Religous

A Reflection…

“When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing youcan do will enable you to find Him. And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others—not because He has favorites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favorites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one.” C.S. Lewis

God knows you…do you know God?

How dirty is your mirror?

What can you d to keep it clean and clear?

How are others responding to God’s reflecting they see in you?

… must know HIM better (and better) …

Filed under: Reflection

Remove our Idols and Hindrances…

Lord Jesus,
take from us now
everything that would hinder the closest communion with God.
Any wish or desire that might hamper us in prayer
remove, we pray you.
Any memory of either sorrow or care
that might hinder the fixing of our affection wholly on our God,
take it away now.
What have we to do with idols anymore?
You have seen and observed us.
You know where the difficulty lies.
Help us against it,
and may we now come boldly,
not in the holy place alone,
but in the holiest of all,
where we should not dare to come
if our great Lord had not torn the veil,
sprinkled the mercy seat with his own blood,
and asked us to enter.

- Charles Spurgeon

Filed under: Reflection, Religous

Can we say this…

I was reading out of Taste and See by John Piper this morning and he smacked me across the face…

Here’s what he smacked me with:

Can we say the following with Augustine?

How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose!…You drove me them from me, you who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place…O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.”

Or are we in bondage to the pleasures of this world so that, for all our talk about the glory of God, we love televeision and food and sleep and sex and money and human praise just like everybody else? If so, let us repent and fix our faces like flint toward the Word of God in prayer: Oh, Lord, open my eyes to see the sovereign sight that in your presence is the fullness of joy and at your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Filed under: Quotes, Reflection, Religous

What if Peter Twittered?

I came across a post awhile back entitled “What if Peter Twittered.” I thought it was worth sharing as it’s both humorous as well as a thought provoking way to take a look at what the heck was going through Peter’s mind during his time with Jesus.

And…shameless promotion – if you’re interested you can follow me on twitter by clicking HERE

You can also follow our college ministry, College Life, on twitter by clicking HERE

Here’s the post I was talking about above:

⁃ Just met this guy named Jesus–He changed my name, interesting…wonder what else He’s going to try and change?

⁃ Holy smoke…just landed a HUGE catch of fish by doing what this Rabbi said.

⁃ Just left the family business to follow Jesus–this guy captivates me.

⁃ Today Jesus fed over 5,000 men with a kids happy meal…and even multiplied the surprise!

⁃ Walked on water today for a little while–Thomas doubted whether or not I could and Judas was giving four to one odds on me drowning.

⁃ YEAH…I got it right! Jesus is the Messiah…He encouraged me.

⁃ Jesus just called me satan…I am thinking I got something wrong.

⁃ Trying to sleep…I think Jesus is praying over there…

⁃ Just cut a guys ear off, Jesus fixed it–no problem.

⁃ I think it’s over–He’s dead.

⁃ I think we’re next!

⁃ I think somethings happening…He’s not in the tomb.

⁃ He’s alive–he just walked through a flippin’ wall!

⁃ It’s ON–He just did that fish catching thing again!

⁃ He just said something about having all authority–after what I just saw…I believe it!

⁃ Just preached my first public sermon, 3,000 people received Christ…was waterlogged after the baptism service.

⁃ Two people lied about the offering today – God killed them for it – giving increase 462% afterwards.

Well, Peter didn’t Twitter…but we do get to read about him in Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and his journey with Jesus.

Filed under: Random, Religous, Technology

Confessions of a Pastor: Book Review

Just finished reading, “Confessions of a Pastor” by Craig Groeschel and thought that it was a well written, enjoyable read with lots of advice and pure confession from Craig himself.

Craig starts off his book by stating that when he was in seminary he was advised by a trusted professor to essentially show his congregation that he was perfect – dress the part, act the part, and don’t let people into your business. I won’t lie – I was taught the same thing while in seminary and was even advised that it was the best route to go early on in my first church job.

However, what makes Craig’s book is the fact that early on in his career he realized that he shouldn’t take the professors advice. So one Sunday morning, he walked to his pulpit and just laid it all out – much the same way as he laid it out in his book.

Some things that Groschel admits to in his book are: living a lie, he can’t stand a lot of Christians, it’s hard to avoid sexual sin, he gets lonely, he hates prayer meetings, he worries a lot, he doubts God sometimes, he feels inadequate, and he doesn’t handle criticism well. In each section Craig gives biblical principles and encouragement to not just pastors but anyone with the same struggles on how to overcome some of these same obstacles.

I felt like I know Craig a little better from the book. I feel like he made a point to be honest, revealed instances in his life that he didn’t have to, and did it all to help others realize that in order for us to grow in our relationships with Christ and each other – we have to drop the facade that we put up and get real with each other.

The book was an easy and enjoyable read and it is one that could be useful to Christians who are looking for assurance that everyone struggles with sin (even pastors) and are looking for practical tips to help them over come their sin.

As always, you can pick up a copy of the book HERE, or you can just stop by and borrow it from me. If you read it – let me know what you think!

Filed under: Book Review

Bless Everyone

I’ve really been chewing on Matthew 10:12-13 lately and how it applies to ministry. Jesus sends out his disciples on their inaugural mission with these words: “Whenever you enter a town or village, search for a worthy man and stay in his home until you leave for the next town. When you are invited into someone’s home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.”

I feel like In too many instances we, as Christians, have it backwards. We expect people to belong before blessing. Jesus instructed his disciples to bless before belonging. Fundamentally, we are called to be a blessing. But I think we’re so afraid of blessing the wrong people that we tend to withhold the blessing. Jesus tells us to bless everything that moves! And if they aren’t worthy, we take the blessing back. If they are, the blessing stands!

I feel that by viewing it this way if frees us up to always be loving the unlovely in our communities. It frees us up to try new things – to love on people – to always be proactive instead of reactive. I don’t know – still chewing on all this but thought I would share.

Filed under: Reflection, Religous

Fear.

I keep a running notebook called “Leading Lists” which is essentially lists that I make when I hear or read something on leadership that really stands out to me. I jot them down and try to revisit these list a lot as I continually try to grow as a leader.

I was revisiting these list this morning and I came across some notes on fear I made once. I really need to start writing the speakers down but I think that I don’t note the speaker so that I won’t be biased to reading them later – anyhow – I didn’t come up with the list but it’s a good one.

“When a leader allows fear to control him…the people he leads ALWAYS lose.”

• Fear forces a leader to embrace the “way things are” rather than how they should be.
• Fear causes a leader to think more about what they have to lose rather than what the Kingdom has to gain.
• Fear makes a person depend on their power and ability rather than God’s.
• Fear leads to impulsive and unwise decisions rather than prayed through and processed ones.”

Don’t let fear cause you to not be who God has created you to be. Move out in trust and faith and see what He does!

Filed under: Leadership

Pagan Christianity: A Review

I recently breezed through, and by breezed I mean breezed, through a book that has been sitting on my shelf for a bit – Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna.

My intention wasn’t to just “breeze” through it but to really take it all in but I just couldn’t help but speed the process up once I got in. Generally speaking, I often enjoy books that make me feel frustrated while I read them because it makes me search for where the frustration is coming from. Is the frustration coming from someone turning upside down beliefs I have been taught or am I frustrated by their inability to handle those truths? When it comes to Pagan Christianity – I have to admit it was the later.

Obviously the intention of this book is to ruffle some feathers and from the get go it holds nothing back. It seems that as of late there have been many books that are critiquing the current worship practices of the Church and these books come and go. But…there rarely comes a book that vehemently opposes EVERYTHING about the institutional Church. Viola and Barna are convinced that the housechurch / organic church movement is the way of the future because it is the ONLY authentic reproduction of the past.

Here are some areas of disagreement I have with the book:

• I disagree with the underlying premise of the entire book – the premise that the early church was untainted and uncorrupted by human tradition. Have you read ANY of the Pauline letters? Humans were messing things up from the get-go. I do believe that we can learn from the early churches, like the church in the book of Acts, but I disagree that there is a pristine, uncorrupted model out there.
• I dislike the way Viola and Barna put forward their argument. In my opinion they make WAY too many assumptions. Like for instance that because the early churches used a similiar “cathedral” model of the pagans – that means church buildings are pagan. But what a second…maybe they used the same buildings because they were suited for large gatherings…just sayin…
• I feel as if Viola and Barna leave no room for discussion on any of the issues. They present their arguments in such a way that if you disagree with them then you must love the traditions of man more than God. This makes it really tough to have an honest conversation about their book.
• I believe that Pagan Christianity will do more harm then good. I believe that it will give some readers pulled in by the title who know nothing of church history just enough information to be destructive.

However, there were a few areas of agreement:

• It’s good to question why we do certain things. I do not fault some of the questions that the authors are raising
• The Bible does need to be read as a narrative, and not merely a list of selective verses.
• We need to be willing to throw out our traditions if they are unbiblical.

All in all – I got through it hough, in my opinion, I don’t think it was beneficial to me. In the end I think it is important for Viola and Barna to realize that true disciples can come from any and every church model. We are not called to “do” church a certain way; we are called to imitate Christ and that is where true worship is found.

Filed under: Book Review

Set Apart?

I’ve been having some conversations lately with a couple of good friends and people I really admire and respect who have been living life beside me for awhile and I have to confess – I’m troubled.

Lately God has been doing a lot of moving and shaking in my heart – dust is flying off and new doors are being opened and it is a lot to be taking in.

I’ve been struggling with Romans 12 where Paul calls Christians to “not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What does that mean? How do I apply this to my life?

What does it mean to live in todays world – be a part of a community yet also be a Christian who is “set apart.”

What distinguishes us from everyone else?

I think essentially it all revolves around humility and forgiveness. Humility and forgiveness…

I mean think about it, humility and forgiveness is totally countercultural. They are things that go against every grain of our nature because we are fundamentally driven by pride – we are – lets just openly confess it to each other. The stink of it is – pride is the original sin – wanting to be like God.

Everything we are taught in the states from the second we leave our mother’s womb is to embrace our pride – “go for it” and “be all you can be” – you will accomplish anything you set your mind on! Parents and teachers and tv and internet tells us that we are important and that we can make something of ourselves. Even our economy is structured in such a way that we want more – we want more wealth, more prestige, more respect, more significance – more more more!

Pretty much everything we do is for the bettering of our lives and leaving a legacy behind.

Yet Christ’s example was self-denying and an other focused existence.

Think about what Christianity could look like if we stopped being so self-obsessed. What would the world do if every Christian stopped trying to make themselves look good or sound smart, humbled themselves to a place where they realized it’s not about them?

What if we decided to live simpler lives and consume less – instead we give more resources away instead of spending money on useless stuff.

What if we stopped obsessing over twitter updates (myself included), facebook wall posts, and having that new outfit for next weeks party and took a step back and said to ourselves, “its really not about me”?

And I realize its hard and I openly confess that I have a hard time going here. I do – I like stuff. If I could check myself into a “stuffanynonomous” program I would! But…what if I just started walking with God. What if I started opening the scriptures every day and just immersing myself in the story of God – His revelation to mankind about who He is and His intentions for those who love and follow Him.

What if by doing that – I would truly be set apart because the Word was impacting my life.

What if I started following Christ’s example of self denial and being focused on others first?

What if…

Filed under: Personal, Reflection, Religous

Gaining Credibility

I came across a great post the other day by Brad Lomenick titled, “Gaining Credibility,” and thought it would be a great share – especially for you seniors out there fixing to make the jump to the big fish pond called “the real world.”

I remember struggling to gain credibility in the work force when I first graduated and it some ways felt like I was entitled credibility just because I had a college degree – regardless of the fact that half the stuff I learned in college wasn’t really guiding anything I was doing…

Brad gives great introspection – you can read it HERE or follow the points below:

1. Be Self Aware- first, you have to have an accurate understanding of who you are and where you are in life. A very clear and realistic picture of your self identity and current reality. If you are 24, you have to understand that life experiences and job experience probably aren’t something you can hang your hat on.

2. Listen, Listen, Listen. Ask great questions of those around you, and then LISTEN to the answer. Don’t talk until you have something to say. But learn to ask great questions and learn from them. This is especially true in a team environment.

3. Experience creates expertise- this is obvious, but sometimes we forget. Credibility comes with action- doing, not just thinking or talking. Jump in and get involved.

4. A platform takes time- it’s just a reality. Most of us aren’t patient enough to spend adequate TIME at DOING something until we gain a platform or credibility. We usually lose interest, get bored, or just simply move on to something else. The key- stick with it.

5. Connect with leading organizations, networks and individuals- connect with companies, teams or individuals who are highly respected, and you’ll gain respect. But the key on this- connect with them and ask how you can HELP them, not how you can gain from them.

_______

Good stuff – I have a “leadership thoughts” journal that I keep – dropped this one in it…

Filed under: Leadership, Personal, Reflection

Less Clutter. Less Noise: A Book Review

This book is in the running for the BEST book that I have read so far this year – if not the best book that I have read in the last couple of years! I just finished Kem Meyers recently released book, “Less Clutter. Less Noise.:Beyond Bulletins, Brochures, and Bakes Sales” and I just ate it up! Amazing!

I actually confess that I had originally avoided picking this book up because I am somewhat skeptical of anything that has to do with “Church Marketing” but after reading Kim Meyer’s blog for several months and being able to see her heart – I took the plunge.

Kem’s introduction asks and answers this question: “Are you interested in how an organization can still capture someone’s attention in the midst of all the chaos and cultural momentum.” Here’s what I loved about the book:

• It is written in plain english. No fancy marketing words to decipher. No SAT words to wade through. It was almost like she was sitting on the couch next to you and just chatting about how people interact with your media. The most important part about the read is you see her personality really come out – she’s pretty funny!
• Even though Kem heads the marketing area of a large church she makes all the principals applicable to churches of all sizes which was really quite amazing
• Lots of great two column charts with “do’s and dont’s, websites are and aren’t, etc”
• It fits right in with the stuff that the staff is working on as we revamp our church website
• She has a chapter on, “Where to start” where she lists 8 action steps that take NO MONEY to do and WILL improve your communications: have conversations, create a style guide, identify your audience, document your communication values, outline a strategy, reduce emotional overload, implement an official proofing team and process, and assemble a group of consumer advocates (secret shopers)

Anyone wanting to get a handle on marketing and communication within any sort of organization but especially the church should grab this book now – it is greatness bottled up for you!

As always – you can grab it HERE or you can stop by my office and borrow mine. If you read it – tell me what you think!

Filed under: Book Review

Never Let the Gospel Get Smaller…

I came across this post from John Piper the other day and it knocked it out of the park for me. I truly do hope that the Gospel gets bigger as I age and not smaller – great to pray through!!

Here’s the post:

Here is a simple exhortation that I have been trying to implement in our family:

Seek to see and feel the gospel as bigger as years go by rather than smaller.

Our temptation is to think that the gospel is for beginners and then we go on to greater things. But the real challenge is to see the gospel as the greatest thing—and getting greater all the time.

The Gospel gets bigger when, in your heart,

* grace gets bigger;

* Christ gets greater;

* his death gets more wonderful;

* his resurrection gets more astonishing;

* the work of the Spirit gets mightier;

* the power of the gospel gets more pervasive;

* its global extent gets wider;

* your own sin gets uglier;

* the devil gets more evil;

* the gospel’s roots in eternity go deeper;

* its connections with everything in the Bible and in the world get stronger;

* and the magnitude of its celebration in eternity gets louder.

So keep this in mind: Never let the gospel get smaller in your heart.

Pray that it won’t. Read solid books on it. Sing about it. Tell someone about it who is ignorant or unsure about it.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel…. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

You can read it HERE too!

Filed under: Church, Personal, Religous

Help us die daily.

O God,

who for our redemption

gave your only-begotten Son

to the death of the cross,

and by his glorious resurrection

delivered us from the power of our enemy:

Grant us so to die daily to sin,

that we may evermore live with him

in the joy of his resurrection;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Filed under: Personal, Reflection, Religous