Re-Thinking How We Do Church: The Next Leg Of Our Journey
We decided that to solve the problem, we wouldn’t stick with “church as usual,” but we would employ a little divergent thinking to come up with a different path. So, here’s what we’re planing to do. Instead of trying to find a facility where we can do everything we feel necessary in one location, we’re going to come at it from two different angles.
I’m Not Dead Yet!
I know it’s been a while since I posted anything here, but I promise I’m not dead, or anything so sinister. The church I pastor is in the process of selling our building and stepping out into a new chapter of our story, and I’ve been a little busy with that whole process. [...]
Up For The Challenge
One of my favorite podcasts is the video podcast from TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design). I find the different topics and ideas presented to be incredibly stimulating, and I love learning how to be a better presenter from some of the incredible communicators that show up at the TED conference.
This past weekend I was watching some of the latest postings to the podcast and came across a fascinating talk by a guy named Lewis Pugh. Lewis Pugh had a concern. He watched as the polar ice cap kept creeping back and how the ice at the North Pole kept getting thinner and thinner and he decided to do something about it. He wanted to do something that would grab the business and political leaders of the world by their “collars and shake them” to make them aware of the problem of climate change. So, what Lewis did is arrange to take a little dip, only he decided that he would take his short, twenty minute, one kilometer swim at the North Pole.
An Awesome Book Summary by Robin Dugall
I have been enjoying my friend, Robin’s, chapter summaries of “The Tangible Kingdom” by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, so I thought I would point my readers to his blog as well. He’s done such a nice job of capturing the essence of each chapter that I thought others would enjoy it, and hopefully it will encourage you to get a copy of this book for yourself.
Misguided Promotions
So a few weeks ago I was down in the states for a friends wedding. My buddy Aaron and his fiance, Joanna, were scheduled to exchange their vows, and commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives and they felt that I should be present to witness this occasion.
Missional Children’s Ministry – Part Deux
Yesterday, I started writing about some of the conclusions, or ideas that came from a brainstorming session we had in our church community about children’s ministry in a missional context. Much of this comes from my fear that my children will grow up thinking that church is a place you go on the weekends, [...]
Re-Thinking Missional Children’s Ministry
I have been wrestling, as a pastor, and church leader, with some of the missional concepts and also with some of the questions that need to help us understand how we got here in the first place. As I’ve been reading, and talking with others on the missional journey, I have noticed a disturbing gap in the thinking and theorizing that’s been done so far. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of talk about what children’s ministry might look like in this missional paradigm. In fact, it seems to me that a lot of the churches that might be considered to be missional are actually undermining themselves in their children’s ministry.
“Image”ine That
The chair you’re sitting on has never gossiped about someone, or flipped someone off in traffic. It has never been jealous of other chairs, or lusted after someone that walked by. According to a lot of sermons I’ve heard over the years, the chair under your but right now is a better Christian than I am. Does that make sense?
It’s Raining Holy Spirit
So many people keep entering the Starbucks with waterproof raincoats, rubber boots, and umbrellas all designed to keep the rain at bay, keep themselves dry and help continue the illusion that humanity has any control over the natural systems that God set up. How many of us enter our places of worship wearing our Spirit-proof outfits without even realizing we’re doing it?
A Really Cool Kingdom Idea
I just got an email from my friend Robin about a project he’s been involved with for a little while now. I have been very excited for what he is trying to see happen, and I love seeing people within the church trying new ways to remove the walls that seem to keep the [...]