DEO GLORIA

The Jury System

2011-11-28T23:56:00.000-06:00

As I prepare to serve on a jury tomorrow at the Dane County Courthouse, I reflect on the following thought provoking quote by G.K. Chesterton.

"Whenever our civilization wants a library to be catalogued, or a solar system to be discovered, or any other trifle of this kind, it uses its specialists. But when it wishes anything done which is really serious, it collects twelve ordinary men standing around. Jesus did exactly this."

Racism and the Gospel

2011-09-30T12:25:00.000-05:00

John Piper's new book Bloodlines deals with racism in light of the Gospel. Here is a fantastic 20 minute documentary giving some background on John's racist childhood and how the Gospel changed him and his view of race forever. I'm excited about the significance of this book and the potential influence it can have in God's church.

Bloodlines Documentary with John Piper from Crossway on Vimeo.

Pop or Soda?

2011-09-08T19:21:00.000-05:00

A hilarious look at what people call soft drinks in various parts of the US. (HT: Boing)

My Photography Website

2011-08-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

Oculus Photo Studio is finally online. To check out my new website you can go here. To join the Oculus Facebook page, go here.

Evernote, A Truly Great App

2011-06-30T08:40:00.000-05:00

I am not quick to convert to a new app, but I've got to say this is a great app (thanks Derek). I now use Evernote to take notes, keep task lists, log photo shoot locations, catalog sermon illustrations, etc.... It has almost completely eliminated my use of word processing programs and has given me the ability to access all of these documents from any device (web, phone, laptop, etc..). See here why "Webby" named Evernote the best productivity app of the year in 2011.

Erasing Hell by Francis Chan

2011-06-18T09:38:00.009-05:00

A good video by Francis Chan on a recent controversy and new book.

Risk Averse Christianity

2011-05-11T17:17:00.001-05:00

In this video Alan Hirsch challenges us to consider how the gospel calls us to risk and how middle class American Christianity resists this very calling. This is definitely a thought provoking video.

Alan Hirsch - Are You Stuck In A Rut? from Verge Network on Vimeo.

Teenage Boys

2011-03-30T16:13:00.001-05:00

From Mark Driscoll's Facebook today. It is so true that this explains jr. high boys. Not sure if some guy's brains ever fully develop in this regard.

G.O.S.P.E.L.

2011-03-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

One of the clearest 5 minute explanations of the Christian Gospel I've ever seen. Great art.

G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.

(HT: Z)

Protests Intensify in Madison

2011-02-16T23:24:00.005-06:00

Crazy times here in Madison as 16 schools are now closed tomorrow because teachers are all "walking out" so they can go and protest against Governor Scott Walker's proposal to end collective bargaining with teacher's unions. This and his budget, which will greatly cut government employee benefits, have sparked a lot of controversy. This video reflects tonight's protest in the capital which will be followed by an even greater wave of protest tomorrow.

It would not be appropriate for me to express my personal views on this issue in this medium, but two things have troubled me as I've reflected on the last two days...

1. Are people willing to pray for and honor those who are their appointed government leaders? Even ones with which they disagree? Romans 13:1 and 1 Peter 2:13-17 definitely admonishes us in this regard. Certainly it is acceptable and healthy for people to protest, but I am concerned that the tone of these protests is becoming increasingly hostile and is representative of a growing lack of respect in our nation for those in authority.

2. The holocaust of babies being killed every day through abortion in our nation is unthinkable, yet where are the masses of people gathering in our courthouses and capitals protesting these horrors? One could call such a rally, yet the response would pale in comparison. I am not suggesting these kinds of rallies would be the most fruitful means by which to save the lives of the unborn, but I am deeply saddened by the contrast.

Packer Nation: A Win for the Economy

2011-01-25T00:09:00.000-06:00

One thing a Packer win did for Wisconsin was to insure a boost in the economy. One of my employers Dick's Sports has seen a significant increase in sales compared to last year at this time. Here is a pic from my shift at 1 pm on Monday. By 3 pm we were packing up the tables with shirts and hats completely sold out. No worries.... NFC Champion supplies are still available online and Superbowl apparel is quickly on its way! Now's a great time to be a Packer fan!

Rebelling Against the American Dream

2010-12-24T15:53:00.000-06:00

David Platt tells CNN why his church rebelled against the American dream. A worthwhile read.

Madison #1 for Men

2010-12-21T16:46:00.000-06:00

The purpose of this blog is not to just post stats on our new home in Madison, but my friend Nile who lives in one of the worst cities for men (Saint Louis) just brought it to my attention that Madison just ranked as the #1 best city for men based on 30 measurable categories by Men's Health Magazine. Not sure I feel like any more of a man living here, but I certainly appreciate Madison as a great place to live and strategic place for a Gospel movement of churches, which of course, is the reason we are here.

BEST CITIES:

1 Madison, Wis.
2 Fargo, N.D.
3 Plano, Texas
4 Burlington, VT
5 San Jose, Calif.
6 Lincoln, Neb.
7 Austin, Texas
8 Aurora, Colo.
9 Virginia Beach, Va.
10 Seattle

WORST CITIES:

91 Toledo, Ohio
92 New Orleans
93 Charleston, WV
94 Baltimore
95 St. Petersburg, Fla.
96 Memphis, Tenn.
97 Detroit
98 Birmingham, Ala.
99 Philadelphia
100 St. Louis

Madison Ranked #2 at Rock

2010-12-14T23:00:00.003-06:00

Madison was recently ranked by Songkick as the #2 place in the nation to see a rock concert. The calculation is based on the number of rock concerts per capita. The only city higher was Austin, which further substantiates claim that Madison is the Austin of the north. So, if you want to rock, come to Madison.

Using the Family Dashboard

2010-10-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

On the Resurgence website Dustin Neeley posted the following tool for families. It was written to a group of guys who are Pastors in the A29 movement, but it is a helpful tool for anyone trying to keep family life in check.

Our Family Gauges

1. The speedometer. This is the “pacing” question: are we moving at a healthy pace that we can sustain, or are we running in the red? We can’t just monitor the things from ministry that directly include us, but we must also factor in the other things that make life what it is: soccer, gymnastics, the kids’ school, health, marriage, money, and home repairs. Never make this pace assessment alone. Men are not typically emotionally intuitive and can be blind to the relational redlining occurring. If you don’t believe me, just ask your wife. She will tell you the real truth.

2. The RPMs. This is the stress question. How hard are we pushing to make this thing go? Are we shifting gears smoothly in our relationships or are we “grinding the gears” like a 16-year-old driving a stick shift for the first time with a critical Dad in the passenger seat? Do Mom and Dad need more time together—alone? Is more time or energy needed with a particular child? You can usually “listen to the engine” through the tone of the conversations taking place at home to monitor the stress level.

3. The gas gauge. This is the margin question. Every ministry family I know is strapped for time and often other resources. The families that go the distance are the ones that have enough gas in their tank for the long haul. They are consciously and consistently refueling through weekly days off: “Date Nights,” “Daddy Dates,” vacations, and daily spiritual tune-ups to keep the engine running more efficiently. Again, if you want to know exactly how much gas is really in the family or marriage tank, ask your wife. She knows.

New Nielsen Jazz Release

2010-08-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

Zach Nielsen, one of the guys on the team I am planting The Vine Church with, recently released the jazz trio CD, "Songs in a Minor Key". It is a fantastic recording of both jazz standards as well as several original tunes. Zach is already making a splash in the music community here in Madison and will undoubtedly grow in his popularity within the Madison jazz scene. Below is some background by Zach on this new project. Be sure to click the iTunes and Amazon link to hear samples of all his songs.

I am pleased to announce my first official jazz release. It's a five song EP called “Songs in a Minor Key”. This recording took place this past spring in Albuquerque, NM with some of the best musicians the city has to offer. It is far from perfect (what jazz recording is?) but I think you’ll find some rich moments throughout that will peek your interest and engage your ear.

Recording jazz is a very different process than my pop/rock recording experience in the past. In jazz, all the musicians play together and we do a few takes and simply choose the best one of three or fours takes. With a rock recording you usually analyze every square inch of the recording and slave over all the minutiae. Not so with jazz. We attempt to capture a performance that is rich with energy and life but perfection is not the goal. Communication, interaction, and artistic expression are the goals and I think those goals were met in these short recording sessions.

For some, jazz is esoteric and obtuse. To the unacclimated, it can sound like random noise that is challenging to listen to for extended periods of time. For that reason I recorded a couple songs that most people will recognize. The recording kicks off with my arrangement of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” and later on you'll find The Police’s famous hit, “Message In A Bottle”. In my experience, if people hear a simple melody that they recognize it greatly increases their enjoyment and overall listening experience. I hope that is the case for you as you encounter this recording.

The remaining three tracks are jazz standards from many decades ago. First, “Nardis” is a Miles Davis tune made famous by one of my piano heros, Bill Evans. Second, there is a lesser known Wayne Shorter tune that I learned back in college called, “Black Nile” and finally another jazz standard called, “Beautiful Love”.

I am excited to release this recording today and if you would be willing, please pass this info along to anyone you might think would appreciate it.

It can be purchased exclusively on iTunes and AmazonMP3. Take a moment and click over to either site and listen to some clips. If you would be willing, pass the links along via the various mediums of social media (Facebook, Email, Twitter, Blogs, etc). Here are the links you would need to share:

AmazonMP3

iTunes

Recording Credits:
Zach Nielsen - Piano
Michael Glynn - Bass
Ian Byrd - Drums on Come As You Are and Message in a Bottle
Arnoldo Acosta - Drums on Black Nile, Nardis, and Beautiful Love
Chris Saiers - Audio Engineer
Mike Mulliniks - Mixing Engineer
Bryan Lopez - Cover Design
Ben Moore - Photography

Thanks to Fernando Ortega for letting me use his piano!

Our First Public Gathering

2010-07-25T22:17:00.004-05:00

Today The Vine had its first public gathering as a church. It was a sweet time of fellowship and worship. Below are a few pictures from the service and below that a video of the event. If you're reading this on Facebook, you can watch the video by clicking here.

Exciting Day at The Vine

2010-07-19T00:36:00.000-05:00

Today at The Vine we had our second and final morning gathering with our core team of four families. This evening we followed with our final social and informational meeting for those interested in joining The Vine. Below are a few pics from both events. Next week we will start gathering together on Sunday mornings (location TBA) and we'll be launching our City Groups in September. Things are rolling forward and we're delighted, by God's grace, to be along for the ride. We appreciate your prayers!

New Vine Site

2010-06-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

We recently launched our new church website for those in the community of Madison desiring to learn more about The Vine Church. Be sure to take a few minutes to check it out. On it we will be regularly posting information regarding upcoming events related to the church. We are deeply indebted to Dan Van Oss for graciously volunteering his time to design this site for us.

Parkview Commissioning

2010-06-08T11:23:00.002-05:00

Parkview Church has been an amazing church home for us over the last eleven years. We have learned so much and grown to love the people as our own family. Though we miss Iowa City and Parkview, we appreciate that they are continuing to play a strategic role in our support and encouragement. The following is the video of of our prayer commissioning in the 3rd service on May 30. Needless to say, this was very meaningful to me and Nate as we prepared to plant The Vine Church. If you don’t see the video below, you can view it here.

Why Plant with the EFCA?

2010-06-08T10:56:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago I wrote a blog post on our Vine Church support site regarding why we are excited to have our church plant in Madison associated with the Evangelical Free Church of America. Yesterday that post was republished as the featured story on the Reach National website of the EFCA. You can read the post here.

Jesus, Leadership, Tri-perspectivalism

2010-04-07T13:02:00.000-05:00

A lot of guys these days talk about the offices of Christ as seen in the scriptures and how these offices are reflected in the church. These offices of Christ are prophet, priest, and king. The term for this construct that was coined by theologian John Frame is "tri-perspectivalism."

This tool has been very helpful in understanding the different styles of leadership within the church. One example in our church planting team (The Vine Church in Madison) is that I am predominately King, Zach prophet, and Nate priest. As with any assessment tool, every individual has a mixture of qualities from the numerous categories. Nonetheless, this can be a helpful tool when it comes to understanding our strengths and weaknesses, as well as surrounding us with people who are complimentary in gift and ability. This is one of the reasons the body of Christ requires a diversity of gifts to be healthy and why the church is best lead by a plurality of elders.

Here's a helpful chart that clarifies tri-perspectivalism in leadership. Here are some resources from Timmy Brister on the topic.

(HT: JTaylor)

Verizon iPhone

2010-03-30T21:59:00.003-05:00

Is Verzon getting the iPhone? I've been asking that question for years. When I become a church planter I will be losing access to our Blackberry Enterprise Server meaning I'm either heading to Google's Droid phone or the iPhone. Here's the latest news which originated from the Wall Street Journal. If this is legit, I'm going to be a very happy camper.

If you are reading this on Facebook, you can watch the Fox Business report here.

10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working for a Church

2010-03-11T21:53:00.001-06:00

No, this is not my list, but it is Tim Schraeder's list. Tim is a communications guru at Park Church in Chicago. I've worked in churches for a little over 15 years and think he's got some observations worth noting.

Here’s 10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working for a Church

1. We are really good at burning people out.

For some reason we feel like working long hours against ridiculous timelines and neglecting our personal lives, health, or families is a good idea… as long as it’s for God.
Not so much.

The average church employee stays at a church for about 2 years before they peace out.

“It doesn’t pay to be a workaholic. Instead of getting more done and being on top of your game, you actually start a chain reaction that results in decreased productivity, poor morale, and lazy decisions." And don’t forget the inevitable crash that’ll hit you soon enough.”

We all need to learn one simple word: NO. Even though something may be for a great cause, it’s not worth losing your soul to make it happen.

2. We focus way too much on what we don’t have.

One of the most common complaints I hear from church staff members has something to do with what they don’t have.

In the Gospel account of the feeding of the 5,000 all they had to start with was 5 loves and 2 fish, but in the end, there was more than enough.

“Constraints are advantages in disguise. Limited resources force you to make do with what you’ve got. There’s no room for waste. And that forces you to be creative.”

Celebrate simplicity. Remember God can take nothing and make it into something.

3. We are afraid of change.

I guarantee we’ve all been a meeting where the phrase, “well we heard people say _____________ about _____________….”

Fill in the blanks… the music was too loud, they didn’t like that message, they don’t like this, they don’t like that…

These conversations usually center on a sensitive topic in the church: change.

And how do we respond? We quickly turn down the volume, change our minds, or reverse a decision.

“Sometimes you need to go ahead with a decision you believe in, even if it’s unpopular… remember negative reactions are almost always louder and more passionate than positive ones… so when people complain… let them know you’re listening. Show them you’re aware of what they’re saying. But explain that you’re going to let it go for awhile and see what happens.”

Give change time and be more concerned with what the voice of God is saying to you and let that influence you more than the voices of other people.

4. We use “let me pray about it” as an excuse to get out of making decisions.

I absolutely believe it’s important to pray about major decisions that impact the life of the Church – we shouldn’t move unless we feel God leading us. But all too often we use the “let me pray about that” card to delay simple decisions.

“Whenever you can, swap “Let’s [pray] about it” for “Let’s decide on it.” Commit to making decisions. You’re as likely to make a great call today as you are tomorrow. Don’t make things worse by overanalyzing and delaying before you even get going.”

Pray about what’s important but don’t sweat the small stuff… just make the call and ask for forgiveness later if need be.

5. We LOVE meetings.

For some reason we love meetings. Planning meetings, prayer meetings, planning meetings for prayer meetings. I feel like we have entirely too many and lose valuable time we could be devoting to things that matter.

“Meetings are toxic. If it only takes seven minutes to meet a meeting’s goal, then that’s all the time you should spend. Don’t stretch seven into thirty. Think about the time you’re actually losing and ask yourself if it’s really worth it."

What’s one meeting you could condense or remove from your schedule? DO IT!

6. We try to do way too much.

Most churches are hyperactive and never sleep. We thrive on activity. The whole “less is more” thing hasn’t sunk in yet.

What if we focused on doing a few things REALLY well l instead of doing a million things half-aced? << that’s my PG version

"Cut your ambition in half. Lots of things get better as they get shorter. Getting to great starts by cutting out stuff that’s merely good.”

What are some good things you’re doing that could be sacrificed for great things that will make a greater impact?

7. We try to be something we’re not.

If I see one more 40somethings pastor dressed in Abercrombie so help me…

Ok, but for real… not just pastors but churches in general tend to have a problem of trying to be something they’re not.

"Don’t be afraid to show your flaws. Imperfections are real and people respond to real. There’s a beauty to imperfection. So talk like you really talk. Reveal things that others are unwilling to discuss. Be upfront about your shortcomings. It’s OK if it’s not perfect. You might not seem professional, but you will seem a lot more genuine.”

BE YOU!

8. We spend too much time looking at other churches.

We spend way too much time looking at what other churches are doing, be it a church across the country or the church across town. It’s great to watch and learn from others’ successes, but if you look at other churches as you competition your focus is waaaay off.

“Focus on competitors too much and you will wind up diluting your own vision. Your chances of coming up with something fresh go way down when you keep feeding your brain other people’s ideas. You become reactionary instead of visionary.”

Your church has a unique and specific role it’s meant to play in the life of your community. If your church ceased to exist, what would people miss? Whatever that is should be where you focus your time and energy.

9. We worry about people leaving.

We’re quick to cater to the needs [or demands] of people who have been around for a while instead of focusing the needs of people who are new.

We should spend more time figuring out how to create a wider front door instead of focusing on how
we can “close the back door”… even if that means losing people who give us a lot of money [there, I said it].

“Scaring away new [people] is worse than losing old [ones]. Make sure you make it easy for [new] people to get on board. That’s where your continued growth potential lies. People and situations change. You can’t be everything to everyone. [Churches] need to be true to a type of [person] than a specific [person] with changing needs.”

10. We don’t feel trusted.

For whatever reason churches tend thrive in a weird culture of mistrust. It’s not or conducive to a positive working environment. Some churches have crazy rules, policies and procedures that create layers of red tape that, while probably well-intentioned, communicate a lack of trust.

“When you treat people like children, you get children’s work. Yet that’s exactly how a lot of companies treat their employees. When everything constantly needs approval, you create a culture of nonthinkers. You create a boss-versus-worker relationship that screams, ‘I don’t trust you.’”

This is one I don’t have a quick answer to but know it’s something I’ve experienced and something I hear about consistently from others who are in the trenches. BUT, I will say working in a church that has a trusting environment, I’ve never felt so empowered to do my job and that has fueled my productivity exponentially.

L.A. Collaboration

2010-03-01T13:25:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Kent Keating and Kristen Kufeldt for organizing the L.A. Collaboration concert with Parkview's choir and orchestra. Here's a pic from the event:

For more information on the L.A. Collaboration, check out there website here. Thanks also goes to Duane and Alex. They are talented artists with a great heart to bring quality music to the church.

The Best is Yet to Come

2010-03-01T13:19:00.000-06:00

All I can say is my wife REALLY want's an iPad. Not sure what she'll think of the iBoard or iMat.

How Pornography Effects the Brain

2010-02-24T10:02:00.001-06:00

I just read this review by Tim Challies on a new book that deals with how pornography effects the brain. It is both terrifying and fascinating. Sexual addiction is epidemic in our culture. We need a wake-up call and this book may help in that endeavor. For the full review go here. Below is a clip:

I read recently of a researcher who wanted to study the effects of pornography on young adult males. He carefully built the structure for the study, determining how he would compare young men who had experienced pornography with a control group comprised of those who had never come into contact it. Tragically this researcher had to cancel his study. He found that he was unable to put together a control group; he could not find young men who had not discovered pornography. The experiment was impossible to conduct.

That is the kind of society we live in today, a society that is absolutely overwhelmed with pornography. The lure of porn is almost irresistible, particularly to young men. If the devil wanted to find a way of destroying young men, of impacting the ability for men to relate properly to women, of disrupting families and hardening hearts, he could hardly do better than this.

Much has been written in recent years about pornography. But new to store shelves is a book that is different from all the others, at least all of the other books targeted at a Christian audience. William Struthers’ Wired for Intimacy looks not primarily to the heart but to the brain. He shows how the male brain is hard-wired for intimacy and relationships and how pornography affects the male brain. He says “Men seem to be wired in such a way that pornography hijacks the proper functioning of their brains and has a long-lasting effect on their thoughts and lives. … When we better understand the devastating spiritual, psychological, social and biological reality of how pornography violates our unique position in God’s creation, we will be better able to minister to hose who have been wounded by it.”

Hip Hop Meets Parkview Church

2010-02-22T23:39:00.006-06:00

This last Sunday Parkview's choir and band had the privilege of performing with the Christian Hip Hop artist JSon. This is the second time JSon has been at Parkview in the last few months and I've got to say that this predominately "non-hip" church has been so blessed by his ministry. JSon, and many others in his circle have done such an amazing job at using their cultural expression of art to express Christ centered praise to God with a depth of passion and theological precision that is truly amazing. If you are seeing this on Facebook you can click here to watch the video of his performance.

Open House

2010-02-19T00:49:00.001-06:00

We'll be having an open house this Saturday from 1-4 pm. For those of you in the Iowa City area, please be sure to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested in a 5 bedroom ranch in Tiffin. It's been a great place to live and will be a real blessing to whoever buys it. For more information including a video walk-through go here.

Haiti Prayer Guide for Kids and Adults

2010-01-22T15:00:00.003-06:00

Follow this link for a prayer guide that guides children and adults in how to pray for those in Haiti. We did the first prayer time from Psalm 123 with the kids. It was a great source of discussion and prayer. Thanks to Christ the King Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina for making this resource available.

Planting and The Vine

2010-01-21T01:55:00.000-06:00

There isn't a lot of time for blogging these days, but I am going to try to continue putting up occasional posts. Posts related specifically to our new church plant in Madison will go on our church planting blog. Today I shared a quote on that blog from a new book I am reading called The Trellis and the Vine. Go here to read how I feel living a radical life is related to church planting.

Successful Organizations Are Made of Ordinary People

2010-01-09T22:00:00.002-06:00

One of the books I am reading as an Acts 29 candidate is called The E Myth by Michael E. Gerber. More than a million copies of this book have been sold to people desiring to learn how to operate and grow a successful business. The book has some good transferable concepts for church leadership. Today the following quote struck me...

The typical owner of a small business prefers highly skilled people because he believes they make his job easier- he can simply leave the work to them. That is, the typical small business owner prefers Management by Abdication to Management by Delegation. Unfortunately the inevitable result of this kind of thinking is that the business also grows to depend on the whims and moods of its people.

If they’re in the mood the job gets done.
If they aren’t, it doesn’t.

In this kind of business, a business that relies on discretion, “How do I motivate people?” becomes the constant question. “How do I keep them in the mood?”

It is literally impossible to produce a consistent result in a business that depends on extraordinary people. No business can do it for long. And no extraordinary business tries to! (Page 101-102)

I think one of Gerber’s points is that we have gone wrong thinking that the way to build a successful organization is with successful people. More than successful people, organizations and businesses need successful systems that can accommodate and empower people with many diverse gifts and many abilities. If the organization is dependent on successful people the success of that organization will lack in consistency because its effectiveness will always fluctuate based upon who is on the team.

The transferable concept for churches is to reconsider how we view leadership and staffing. The temptation of church leaders is to say, all we need is highly talented people and we’ll succeed. I believe Gerber would argue that a room full of highly talented people, with their own dreams and passions, is far less effective than a room full of ordinary people with one shared dream and passion. Is it possible to have a room full of highly talented people who also share one dream and passion? It may be possible, but I think it is extremely rare and difficult to maintain.

Unfortunately we live in a society that gravitates to celebrities. Can you think of any large church that isn’t built off of a personality? John Piper, Tim Keller, Andrew Stanley, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, and Mark Driscoll are a few of the examples. What happens to most of those churches when the celebrity dies or grows irrelevant? Under those circumstances most of these churches will die or suffer because the celebrity is no longer able to motivate the people and guide the vision.

Would it be possible to build a church whose only celebrity is Jesus? A church whose mission and systems are effective and reproducible on a grand scale? This is certainly a question I long to answer with a “yes”. I think the scriptures have given us this model but our cultural methods and environment often get in the way of this type of church becoming a reality.

Adopted by God

2010-01-07T16:55:00.000-06:00

For those unable to attend services last weekend, here is my message from Sunday at Parkview Church entitled, "Adopted by God". It is a teaching based on Ephesians 1:3-14.

Adopted by God from The Vine Church on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2009-12-26T00:22:00.002-06:00

Yes, we are going digital for this years Christmas letter. If you have not received this by email, please feel free to click on the following images in order to read through what's been going on in our family over this last year and what some of the exciting things are that lie ahead. Please know that we hope to see many of you over the holidays and really appreciate keeping up with all of you (no matter where you live) via the blog, email, and Facebook. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

USC's Numer One Fan Jake Olson

2009-12-07T08:27:00.001-06:00

USC fan Jake Olson, who lost his eyesight to cancer, has become an inspiration to the USC football team. See the ESPN story here.

Verse Card Maker

2009-12-06T00:59:00.001-06:00

Jacob Vanhorn just Facebook'd about the verse card maker and I've got to say, it's a pretty sweet tool for scripture memory. What a slick way to make a very nice set of scripture memory cards at the click of the button.

iPhone Orchestra

2009-12-04T01:04:00.002-06:00

Wired Magazine features a student orchestra from Michigan (below) playing an entire song called "Drone" on their iPhones. I know some of you who own the iPhone have a love/hate relationship, but it's pretty cool how this little piece of technology is getting such unusual and creative use. Perhaps I'll be sporting one of these in 6 months or so.

Calvin's Commentaries and Institutes

2009-11-25T14:52:00.000-06:00

Check out this great deal from CBD. $99.99 for Calvin's commentaries and institutes which would typically cost $1100. If you like the idea of having some great commentaries on hand, this is a hard deal to pass up!

Global Missions Conference Reflections

2009-11-16T22:02:00.002-06:00

Parkview recently finished its Missions Conference with guest speaker Carl Medearis. Often times missions speakers have the reputation of being boring. This was definitely not the case with Carl Medearis. He managed to not only challenge our biblical understanding of mission but he did it in a way that showed these principles happening in real life. Here are a few of my reflections on the time:

Christianity is a term that no longer represents what is true and good about the community of faith. The term Christianity has gotten a bad rap in most part because of those who have done horrible things in the name of Christianity. Because of this, it is most winsome to no longer make that the banner under which we associate. This is why many on the front lines of missions (both locally and globally) use the term Christ follower (or Jesus follower).
Most Muslims are good and loving people. We must come to terms with the fact that our stereotype for followers of Islam is based on a small minority of hyper-fundamentalists. We can’t let ourselves get swept up in the conspiracy theories that paralyze us with fear in our relationships with Muslim people. They need Jesus and are willing to learn about him, as long as it isn’t flown under the misunderstood banner of “Christianity” (which to them is as much a cultural identity as it is a religious identity).
Sharing about Jesus doesn’t require one to have an answer to every question. Let’s face it, none of us has all the answers. Why is it then that Christ followers believe the only way to share their faith is to do so in a combative manner? Sure we are to be ready to give an answer for the hope we have in Jesus (1 Peter 3:15) but we are to do so with gentleness and respect. This means it’s ok to answer hard questions with, “I don’t know.” The question that really needs to be answered is, “Who is Jesus?” It is in searching for that answer that people will find life.
Biblical evangelism happens best in the context of followers of Jesus living with and loving lost people. We have been tricked to believe that evangelism can be boiled down to a slick brochure and polished presentation. It sounds like a great idea, but is it truly Biblical? Are there any examples of this kind of evangelism in the scriptures? The reality is that some plant, some water, but God gives the growth (1 Cor 3). If this is true, then like Jesus we need to see every encounter as an opportunity to share some truth that will help those we love step closer to the kingdom of God. Of course, we must preach the Gospel, but when we see it as our responsibility to plant, reap, and grow in 5 minutes with full-color gospel-track, we’re missing the point.

Well, there are more reflections I could share, but you get the point. If you want to learn more about Carl Medearis and his ministry you can go to his website here.

Use What Works for Church Communication

2009-11-11T21:24:00.001-06:00

As the old analogy goes, it's always best to pour sidewalks after the paths are worn. At Parkview we're finding this is often the best way to learn how to communicate with people. For example, let's face it, more and more people are on Facebook. So what do you do? Pay for mediocre version of a "Christian" Facebook service? There my be important reasons to join Christian web services, but more often than not your best move is to try and harness the communication mediums that are already in place and filled with your people. This is why Parkview now has a Facebook page...

And why my new church plant The Vine also has a Facebook page...

For project management here is a private blog set-up on blogger that is being used by our building committee at Parkview...

And here is one we use in the arts ministry...

Park Church is known for it's progressive use of technology for communication. Here is a video posted by Tim Schraeder that Park recently used in their church service allowing people to sign-up instantaneously for church texting notifications.

Bottom line, if you want to connect and communicate with people, do your best to use what's already working.

2 Pillars Church in Lincoln, Nebraska

2009-11-09T21:41:00.000-06:00

My seminary friend Todd Bumgarner is preparing to plant 2 Pillars Church, an Acts 29 church in Lincoln, Nebraska. You can check out his blog here and video below. Lincoln is actually where I was born, so I'm glad to see the A29 vision coming to this part of Husker land.

2 Pillars Church Vision Video from Todd Bumgarner on Vimeo.

Chandler: Belong to Become

2009-11-07T01:02:00.007-06:00

The following notes came from the RightNow conference presently going on in Dallas, Texas. Matt Chandler is the Lead Pastor of the The Village Church in the Dallas, Texas area. The following is a break-out session he presented on some of the challenges that exist in reaching 20-somethings. After discussing the problem, he went on to unpack some of the solutions from scripture. Unfortunately, I was unable to record most of the references because he moved too quickly. Despite this, you can get the gist of his talk below.

Introduction

There are two needs within the 20-something culture...

DESIRE TO CONNECT: In 20-somethings there is a struggle for authentic community. Social networking has only served to intensify this problem. We know people but only know them in a shallow way. 20-somethings need to belong to a community.

DESIRE TO GROW SPIRITUALLY: 20-somethings are hungry for spiritual depth and are frustrated that they can’t get it. In the end they don’t exactly know where to find it. Because of this they are prone to religious fads and drawn to creative oration that is often times void of truth.

We must look to the scriptures to see how to meet these desires. Chandler contends that 20-somethings are struggling because their view of church has been formed by culture and not-so-good teaching. Our modern church environment of web churches, trendy churches, etc... is feeding into the problem. We must teach the truth in order to counter this.

Genesis 1-2

God said it was not good for man to be alone so God created community. God was saying I am not “into” people existing in isolation, I am into them having relationship with others. Because of sin we not only need to be reconciled to God but also to one another.

On the other side of the Exodus (Israel’s escape from slavery in Egypt) the people of Israel were given the law. Those laws were not only to restore relationship with God, but were also to help people relate to one another. Those laws instructed on civil issues like "don’t covet", "don’t commit adultery", etc... The bulk of the law is relationally based. God was using the law to encourage restoration both in his relationship to his people and in their relationship with one another.

What does the church do?

The church has a calling from the Bible to:

Worship God
Nurture and disciple believers
Minister to the world (evangelism/mercy)
Work at keeping the previous three purposes in balance

What makes the church the church?

It is a place where the Word is rightly preached.
It is a place where the sacraments are rightly administered.

Chandler explained that the enforcing of church discipline (i.e. disciplining those who are sinning in very significant ways) is not in the list because, in the early church, discipline was exercised by removing people from participating in the sacraments. The “right administration” of the table is referencing the exercise of discipline.

Chandler then went through numerous scripture references showing how the Bible commands the church to exercise leadership and submission. A few references included:

Hebrews 13:17 - Obey your leaders and submit to them....
1 Timothy 5:17 - Let the elders who serve well be served a double blessing...

We are all called by God’s Word to submit to the authority and leadership of the elders within our local church. Chandler developed this further by reading and teaching from 1 Peter 5:1-11 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-2.

How can you hold someone to account if they don’t belong?

Chandler went on to emphasize the importance of calling people to membership in the local church and the importance of people being under authority.   As a side note Matt mentioned that unbelievers (i.e. people who don’t follow Christ) at his church are able to participate in everything the local church does, with the exception of The Lord’s Table (I’m pretty sure leadership positions in the church would also be excluded). His point being that they welcome unbelievers to participate fully in the community of faith. He wrapped up this segment emphasizing that people have lost their communal soul so we, as leaders in the church, have a responsibility to emphasize the need for belonging. The following are three Biblical reasons to belong.  

Three Reasons To Belong To a Church

Obedience
Safety / Encouragement
Purpose and Growth

Three Words

The following three words capture an important calling for every person within the local church. Members in the church must:

Belong
Believe
Support

If you belong, believe, but don’t support (submit) you are a rebel.
If you belong and support, but don’t believe you are not a believer.
If you believe and support, but don’t belong you are a consumer.

Hundreds and thousands of books have been written on engaging lost people but very few have been written on ecclesiology (how the church is to function in a Biblical sense). Genuine community reveals where there is sin in your life that you didn’t know existed. Being in authentic community is an important part of our spiritual health and relational flourishing.

Barna: Six Leadership Checkpoints

2009-11-05T23:56:00.001-06:00

The following thoughts came from the RightNow conference presently going on in Dallas, Texas. George Barna is the director of the Barna Group, the leading research organization focused upon the intersection of faith and culture. This is the second of two posts from his session on leadership. There are some really great nuggets in here for leaders of all kinds. This talk is based upon a new book coming out called Master Leaders which highlights his findings after interviewing some of the nations most successful leaders.

Six Leadership Checkpoints

1. Leaders can strategically change reality, but they cannot intentionally change people. Leaders must understand they can’t change anyone unless that person has the will to change within themselves.

Once a person reaches the age of 13 they change very little. This is why Barna contends that the most important ministry we have is the ministry to children and young people. By 13 their morals, values, beliefs, and world views are already well formed. Those will only change slightly over the course of their life. What you believe by the age of 13 is likely what you will die believing.

Pre-teen: Experimentation and establishment
Teen: Refinement and application
Adult: Consistency and transmission
Senior: Re-evaluation and finality

We assume we can reshape the raw talent of people, but we are setting them up for failure. We need to take stock of the people who we work with and work to accentuate their strengths, not to try and reshape them into something they are not. We can then move them into a team of leaders and help them achieve success in that setting.

2. Nobody is the “complete leadership package” so it’s important to work in a leadership team.

We often try to be sole-practitioners. At some point we will hopefully wake-up to our need for others to get the job done. A team ALWAYS out performs an individual. Leaders have a tendency to overestimate their abilities. Humility is one of the most difficult character traits to find among Christian leaders. Arrogance will ultimately undermine a leader.

Use diagnostic tools to learn the strengths of your team. Strength-finder tools helps you to learn how to build on your strengths. The Christian leader profile by the Barna group will help you to determine what is your primary aptitude as a leader. The key is to blend all four aptitudes in your leadership team.

The best teams:

are small in number (4-6)
spend time together, know each other well
lean on their captain (the internal motivator for the group)
have a shared vision, values, passion
have vulnerability and communicate well
are people who strive to empower people to achieve the vision

3. One of the most under valued and least common skills among leaders is listening.

Ken Blanchard, “When we try to lead, we need to lead with our ears... You cannot listen effectively unless you are willing to have your mind changed.”
If you want to solve problems you’ve got to listen. Many leaders think leadership is telling other people what to do instead of gathering as much intelligence as possible for the people with whom we work. Consistently listening shows our humility and respect for others.
Lou Holtz said, “I never learned anything by talking.”
Bad listening leads to bad leadership. Not listening undermines creativity and destroys enthusiasm. We need to listen, think, and then decide.
Can you repeat back to others their message so that you can seek clarification? Do you see the value their message has for your goals? Do the people who work with you feel safe about telling you what is on their mind?

4. Leaders must master conflict and confrontation.

John Townsend, “conflict is simply one of the realities of leadership... every leader must assume it will occur and be prepared for it.”

We cannot avoid conflict so we must expect, accept, and address. We must normalize it as a reality we will experience.

Some action points when dealing with conflict:

Seize the initiative: Be the one that gets the ball rolling when you see it.
Do your homework: Know the facts on all sides.
Position yourself as a friend, not a foe to those involved. Avoid the fight or flight syndrome. The brain is always trying to determine if what it is encountering is friend or foe material. You need to avoid putting people into an adversarial position. When threatened we go into defensive mode.
Ask clarifying questions and listen to what is said. Be open to having your mind changed.
Seek a win-win outcome for everyone. Sometimes you need to create conflict in order to root out bad behavior or get people moving.

Paraphrase from Erwin McManus, “Everywhere Paul went he found danger. Those places were probably safe before he got there. Sometimes leadership requires you to bring danger with you.”
People will not always appreciate good leadership because it is a little bit dangerous?

5. Success is helping people achieve their potential.

Barna found that most pastors have the following specific ways they gauge success. Our studies show these are the prominent standards:

How many people attend the service
How much money has been raised
How many programs do we have
How many people are on our payroll
How much square feet of facility we have built

What’s wrong with this? Jesus didn’t die for any of these things! Why are these the ways we measure success? You get what you measure!!!! If these are the things we measure, then this is what we get. We get these things and wonder why our people are indistinguishable from anyone else.

Lou Holtz: He didn’t measure his success by his win-loss record. He measured success by how his players achieved greatness. Too many leaders try to be well liked. You need to push other people toward greatness because you believe others are capable of greatness.

Great leadership is not synonymous with popularity. A great leader motivates people to change the world. Vision is about change and people hate to change.

Never ask those following you to do what you are unwilling to do.

Lou Holtz: The most important thing you can do is help people see how it is in their best interest to reach the goal you are putting before them.

6. Do not accept a leadership position unless you are ready to pay a stiff price. The more significant the outcome you seek to achieve, the more substantial the price you can expect to pay.

Great leaders want the world to be right and operate at its highest level. To do this you will experience harsh criticism and face pressure. What is pressure? Pressure is having to make a decision that matters when you are not ready to do so. Pressure is very valuable for a leader because it purifies you and prepares you for a higher level of performance.

Foundations:

God: You only lead because you believe God called you to lead. If God hasn’t called you, don’t do it.
Convictions: Refuse to compromise those convictions. Be up front about what you stand for and let the chips fall where they may.
Family and close friends: Rely upon the help and encouragement of those close to you.

Concluding Comments:

People need to be lead. It’s not a job, it’s a calling. Your task is to commit your life, and other’s lives, toward a vision. The only vision worth committing your life to is one from God.

Barna: Seven Reasons the Church Needs Great Leaders

2009-11-05T23:46:00.000-06:00

The more selfish our society becomes the more critical it is to have godly leadership. We are getting more selfish as a culture. We need leaders who can motivate us to get our eyes off ourselves and onto other more significant causes.
The more choices we have, without a Biblical worldview, the more confused our priorities become. Research shows that less than 1 our of every 5 adults and less than 1 out of every 20 teenagers posses a Biblical worldview.
In a time of rapid cultural changes the rules are different, the competition stiffer, the stakes higher, the opportunities greater. These realities necessitate superior leadership to guide us forward.
Recent poor decisions and behavior by high-profile leaders have ushered in an era of criticism, skepticism, and mistrust requiring a new generation of wise godly leaders to restore public trust and confidence.
In a culture that rejects moral and spiritual truth, the result is confusion, stress, distraction, busyness, and chaos. The antidote is focused leaders who can make sense of reality, provide vision, and deliver direction to make that vision a reality.
Our culture has adopted a hyper individualism that undermines community and personal relationships raising the need for an emphasis upon team-based leadership. Those who are most successful in leadership operate in team-oriented leadership environments.
Churches have given lip service to leadership but suffer from a paucity (meaning insufficient amount or scarcity) of genuine leaders who are guiding people toward true Christ-like transformation. Fewer than 1 out of every 5 senior pastors in protestant churches can be identified as leaders. Less than 2% posses a vision from God for the future of the church they lead.

How to Set Up Your Office

2009-10-30T23:37:00.001-05:00

The What's Best Next blog recently completed a series on how to set up your office to maximize productivity. These posts provide some interesting information. Though I don't think I'll EVER be this organized, these tips can certainly help things run smoother at the office.

How to Set Up Your Desk: An Introduction

How to Set Up Your Desk: Basic Principles

Excursus: Against Desk Hotels

The Four Ways to Configure a Desk

Where to Put Your Desk

What to Put on Your Desktop and How to Use It

What to Put in Your Desk Drawers and How to Use Them

The Rest of the Room: How to Set Up Your Office

A New Look

2009-10-30T17:17:00.000-05:00

I finally bit the bullet and adapted a new look for the blog. The old template was very outdated and unable to accommodate the functionality of the new blogger updates. Blog readers shouldn't have any troubles with the change, but do let me know if it causes any problems.

Women Are Less Happy

2009-10-29T10:20:00.004-05:00

Albert Mohler wrote some interesting reflections here on the latest time magazine feature which focused in particular on the failures of the modern feminist movement. Despite the advances feminism has made in gender equality within academia and the work force, men are now more happy and women less. I don't share this article because I want to start a debate on the interpretation of these results, so please don’t follow this with volatile comments in that regard, but I do want to make one observation.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only force capable of giving true meaning and purpose to humanity. People are quick to blame Christianity for the historic sins of racism, sexism, and all forms of prejudice, but the movements they are criticizing were errant aberrations of true Biblical Christianity. The reality is that Jesus ushered in an understanding of equality that was socially radical in a day where racism and sexism was at a fever pitch. The gospel was and is the grand equalizer, giving value and purpose to people of every race and gender. This is what Paul is referring to in Galatians 3:27-29:

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

My point here IS NOT to argue for an egalitarian view of gender. I am a complimentarian and believe the scriptures celebrate the uniqueness of men and women both in the family and the church. The purpose of this post IS to challenge us to recognize that true human dignity requires us to recognize the “imagio dei”, the understanding that we were all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

This image of God was marred by sin (Romans 3:23). This is where the beauty of the gospel is so powerfully understood. The dividing wall of hostility between us and God (and between one another) was abolished by Christ (Ephesians 2:13-15). Our sense of worth and purpose can be strengthened by social and political movements, but it will only be truly fulfilled and fully understood through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel is the true and lasting force for equality and happiness.

Participation in Worship

2009-10-26T23:22:00.004-05:00

The programming team at Parkview recently developed a list of Biblical values for community worship. We are now taking turns as a team writing weekly devotionals on those areas that we use for our weekly team meetings and rehearsals. Below is the devotional I just wrote for our teams on the issue of participation in worship.

- - -

QUESTION: Why do you think the participation of God’s people in community worship is an important practice within the Christian church?

As we read the Old and New Testament it becomes obvious that our heritage of faith is one that highly values participation in worship. Read through the following segments which examine community worship throughout the historic Biblical narrative.

1. Following the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea, Moses and the people broke out in song.

Exodus 15:1-2 - Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

2. In the Psalms (the liturgy book of Israel) the people are encouraged to clap, shout, and sing in praise to God.

Psalm 47:1-2, 6-7 - Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth...Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!

3. In the Gospels we see that Jesus finished the passover celebration by singing a song with his disciples. 

Matthew 26:30 - And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

4. In the Epistles (letters) we see Paul commanding the early church to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Ephesians 5:18-21 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

5. In the prophetic book of Revelation we get a glimpse at the moments preceding the judgement of Christ when all creation is gathered around God’s throne, worshiping He and the Lamb (Jesus).

Revelation 5:13 - And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!

It would be wrong to assume that there are not acceptable individual worship expressions in the Bible like believers baptism, the preaching of the word, and the sharing of testimonies. Despite this, even in these elements we must recognize that they can only be exercised and fully experienced within the context of community.

The following are a few examples of “participation killers” in worship.

When songs are pitched so high that people can’t sing because it’s out of their range.
When too many elements in the service involve people observing and not participating.
When the singers and musicians embellish to the point that they are hard to follow.
When the content of songs or teaching are overly complex or theological to the point that people don’t understand what is being said. (the same problem can happen when songs are too simple and overly repetitive)
When external elements draw attention away from God and community.... like volume that is too soft or loud, intelligent lights that are too active, or people on stage who are too charismatic or stoic.

QUESTION: Can you think of any other “participation killers” that are not listed? Think specifically of “participation killers” in your own area of worship ministry.

Prioritizing participation requires worship planners and leaders to become students of their congregation, not because they are trying to meet felt needs in a consumer sense, but because they want to plan songs and other worship elements that aid people in participation. Often times this means the hip new song won’t be a good fit for our church. Once we recognize the priority of participation in worship, it will make saying no to some things and yes to others a whole lot easier. It will also remind us that, whether we play an instrument or sing, what we are doing must enable and encourage all our people to participate in worship.

Support Site for Our Church Plant

2009-10-23T23:56:00.004-05:00

Thanks to the generous volunteerism of Dan Van Oss, our support website for our church plant in Madison is now off the ground. It will be getting some more tweaks over the next few weeks, but it is now functional. Feel free to check it out at www.thevinemadison.info.

You can also join our fan page on Facebook by searching "The Vine Church". In case you are wondering, the support site is specifically for those who are willing to pray, provide, and participate. The blog on that site will be a source for regular progress reports and prayer requests. We will be having another website dedicated for those within the Madison community that is being designed by a generous friend of Zach's in New Mexico. That site will likely be operational in mid to late November.

Google Wave, The Future?

2009-10-19T00:50:00.003-05:00

Google thinks they've created the next "wave" in electronic communication. Pretty crazy the level of integration going on with this thing. Is this the next step from email? Looks pretty convincing.

(HT: Dodson)

Being a Servant Leader

2009-10-10T20:32:00.002-05:00

I am presently reading “The Heart of Evangelism” by Jerram Barrs, one of my professors at Covenant Seminary (see link in my “currently reading” tab on my blog). Here is a very stirring quote from the book that is an outstanding exhortation to any leader in the church. Certainly this principle would also apply to leaders in any organization or business.

I regularly tell our seminary students that if I happen to visit the church in which one of them serves, I will not ask first, “Is this man a good preacher?” Rather, first of all I will ask the secretaries, office staff, janitors, and cleaners what it is like to work for this pastor. I will ask, “What kind of man is he? Is he a servant? Is he demanding and harsh, or his he patient, kind, and forbearing as a man in authority?” One of our graduates may preach great sermons, but if he is a pain to work for, then you know he will cause major problems in any congregation. Leaders in the church are required by Scripture to set an example in the areas of love, kindness, gentleness, patience, and forbearance before they are appointed to preach, teach, and rule. If we obediently require these attitudes and character traits of our leaders, what will our “new community” look like?

I pray this quote is a good gut-check for those of you in leadership. This is something we should expect of ourselves and those we appoint to positions of leadership. These qualities give credibility to the messages we preach and help others to see what loving community can and should be like within the community of faith.

Limits of Creativity

2009-10-06T01:09:00.003-05:00

Bob Kauflin just posted this video on his blog from the Worship God 09 conference, which I so happened to attend. Here we see he and C.J. Mehaney responding to a question on the role of creativity in worship. Undoubtedly, some in the creative arts ministry world will struggle with some of the sound bytes from this clip. It helps to listen to it all the way through before judging. There are certainly some very helpful nuggets worth taking to heart. It does really concern me how we are tempted to see creativity as an end and not a means to something greater. Undoubtedly, we must be creative, but it must be for the purpose of powerfully communicating a greater message that leads people to both participate in worship (in a congregational sense) and in mission (in a global sense).

If you are reading this on Facebook and can't see the video link, you can go here to view the video.

Driscoll on Nightline

2009-10-05T23:29:00.004-05:00

I just got done watching Mark Driscoll, Lead Pastor of Mars Hill Church and President of the Acts 29 Network, featured in the 10 Commandments series on ABC’s Nightline. I’ve got to say that he and ABC did a fantastic job covering the issue of idols in our culture. Without a doubt idolatry is a central issue in the scriptures. To whom does our allegiance lie? Celebrities or our creator? Self or Jesus?

Here’s some info on tonight's feature segment. When the full video comes available, I’ll be sure to post it. Thanks goes to ABC for doing a great job keeping the story the story!

Adoption Conference

2009-10-03T15:47:00.002-05:00

Be sure to check out my buddy Zach's live-blogging of the Together for Adoption conference going on in right now. You can actually watch it live at the conference website and view extra video segments and written summaries at Zach's blog here.

Family Fall Retreat

2009-10-02T17:10:00.003-05:00

To all of my Parkview Church peeps, I'll be speaking at the upcoming Family Fall Retreat on October 24-25. We've been to the retreat ever since it started a few years ago. It is always a great time for family togetherness and fun. You can read more about it at Parkview's website. Below is a brief summary:

Join us for Parkview's 3rd Family Fall Retreat, October 24-25. Check out these photos from last year. This retreat is for families of all ages. We are designing this weekend to be a time where families are strengthened and individuals are challenged. Students whose families are unable to come are strongly encouraged to attend. Only individuals 6th grade and up may attend this retreat without parents. Tribal Games are group games with two families and a few individuals on each team. There will be fun games & competitions throughout the retreat to create unity & to have fun! Enjoy family activities for all ages!

Introducing "The Vine"

2009-09-24T13:05:00.008-05:00

Our future church plant "The Vine" now has a new logo. Our community website (thevinemadison.org) and support website (thevinemadison.info) are not yet operational, but should be up in about a month.

For those who are wondering, the name is based on John 15:5....

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Review of Priorities

2009-09-12T10:43:00.000-05:00

1. Relationship with God
2. Husband, Father, and Friend
3. Pastor and Elder at Parkview
4. Church Planter (Preparation for planting in June 2010)
5. Seminary Student
6. Blogger

Whenever the upper priorities grow in scope, the lower categories diminish. Needles to say, this is why my blogging will likely decrease in frequency this year. I know the Lord will be teaching me a lot this year, but also know the intensity of life will likely keep me from maintaining some of the extra things I would otherwise enjoy (like blogging). Please say a prayer for me as I learn to be content with unending task lists and try to keep the main thing the main thing.

Cheap Alternative to Blackberry Servers and Mobile Me

2009-08-22T18:56:00.006-05:00

It's pretty easy to use Google calendar, email, and contacts in such a way as to instantly sync between your phone and computer. An impressive alternative to the more costly Blackberry exchange services and mobile me membership fees. Read more here.

I should add, that there are some pretty affordable third party software packages out there that sync your standard computer calendars like iCal and Outlook with Google Calendar. Once you've got these systems in place, keeping your personal contacts updated wherever you are is a breeze.

Christ Centered Worship

2009-08-16T21:39:00.004-05:00

My seminary president Bryan Chapell is releasing a new book on worship that looks like it will be a great resource to those involved in worship ministry in the Church. Check out the video promotion below (or by clicking here).

Below is your direct link to the book on Amazon.

HT: JT

Teens and "sexting"

2009-08-12T14:54:00.002-05:00

Parents beware, this article highlights a growing disturbing trend among teens called "sexting". Here is a quote...

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, one in five teens have sent a naked picture of themselves by "sexting" - using a cell phone to transmit the image; or by posting it on the Internet. That means your child or one of your child's friends has engaged in this sad practice.

Below is a sad story of where "sexting" lead to some terrible consequences for one girl. If you're reading this on Facebook to see the video click here.

The Dangers of Sexting from Family First on Vimeo.

Audio from WorshipGod 09

2009-08-11T00:33:00.002-05:00

Here are links to the audio for the WorshipGod 09 conference I recently attended. Thanks to Vitamin Z for pulling these together.

From the WorshipGod 09 website:

The WorshipGod Conference is devoted to the theology, practice, and joy of God-honoring worship. Our 2009 conference was held August 5–8 at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

General-session audio is available for listening or download below. Seminar audio will be available in the coming weeks.

General Sessions
For all downloads, right-click and select "Save Target/Link As."

The God of Worship (John Piper)
Listen | Download

The Heart of Worship (John Piper)
Listen | Download

The Leaders of Worship (Jeff Purswell)
Listen | Download

The Church of Worship (Thabiti Anyabwile)
Listen | Download

Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Leading (C.J. Mahaney and Bob Kauflin)
Listen | Download

The Life of Worship (Bob Kauflin)
Listen | Download

(HT: Vitamin Z)

Reflection on Worship God 09

2009-08-08T15:32:00.003-05:00

I am on the way back to Iowa from the Worship God 09 conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland and thought I’d take the opportunity to synthesize some of the thoughts that were triggered from the time I spent at the conference.

The biggest lesson (i.e. reminder) is this; the central motivating factor for ministry must be Christ and the cross. The cross is central in the scriptures, from the covenant with Adam in Genesis 3:15 to the worship of the Lamb around the throne in Revelation 5. If we devote ourselves to loving God and exalting Christ, first in our life and then in our ministry, God will be honored and fruitfulness will result. It is truly that simple.

Having attended scores of conferences throughout my life as a worship leader, I have suffered under the pressure of coming up with the next cool innovation, having the latest technology, adapting to the newest trend. The pressure is immense and when you get on the conveyor belt that tells you effectiveness comes through creative effort and polished performances, it can be unbearable. When the church growth movement of the 80’s exploded on the scene everyone bought into the idea that our effectiveness at growing churches and reaching lost people was in direct proportion to our level of innovation and creativity within service programming. I lived in that world for so many years and still feel the effects as we scurry in planning meetings to find the next great thing that will bring people to the church. It’s like running on a broken treadmill that won’t stop. You run as long as you can and then, when you can’t take it any more, you fall off and are left battered and bruised.... completely burned-out.

Does this mean we don’t work diligently in preparation for worship services? No. Does this mean we don’t employ creativity? No. Does this mean we no longer concern ourselves with reaching people for Christ? Absolutely not.

What does it mean?

It means we consume our lives with loving and abiding in Christ and helping others to do the same. Don’t believe me? Read the words of Jesus from John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Want to be fruitful? Be compelled by your love for Jesus Christ and by abiding in Him.

This leads me to a few challenges...

First, we must be dedicated to growing in our knowledge and affection for God through intentional study. The argument that growing in faith shouldn’t require diligent study just doesn’t make sense. How does a husband best love and honor his wife? He does it by studying her. By learning how to serve her, what delights her, how she communicates, what her unique gifts and abilities are. If a husband is dedicated to the discipline of studying his wife, he will grow to love and appreciate her more. This is why we must study the Word of God, listen to Biblical messages in Church, read quality books, listen to Christ exalting podcasts and music. The more we know God, the more we are amazed and changed by His character and purposes.

Second, we must dedicate ourselves to delighting in God and seeing our worship of Him as an end in itself. Another way a husband grows in his love for his wife by delighting in her. As John Piper illustrated in several of this weeks sessions, a husband does not delight in his wife by bringing her flowers and responding to her “thanks” by saying “it was my duty.” Nor does he honor her by by saying “your welcome”, all the while hoping his generosity will result in a good supper. Our affection and love for Christ must be an end in itself. It’s not Jesus and something else (i.e. if you love Jesus, he will give you a nice car or provide you with health). The greatest way we can delight in God is by finding our satisfaction in Him and Him alone (versus finding our satisfaction in other things like new electronics, sex, money, or fame).

To clarify, growing in our knowledge of God and finding Him as our source of delight is not our way of manipulating God, it is His means for graciously bearing fruit within our lives.

One of my favorite practical examples of this came in the session where C.J. Mehaney and Bob Kauflin were interviewed about the dynamic between a pastor and worship leader. When C.J. was the Senior Pastor working with Bob, he would communicate critical feedback by pulling Bob aside and saying something like, “First, you did an excellent job with...... and second, I have a few minor things to share with you. To be clear, these things didn’t hinder the worship of God and His purposes for us, but they are points that will help you grow effectiveness for the next time you lead.” Did you catch that? He said, “These things didn’t hinder the worship of God and His purposes for us.” What C.J. was doing was not putting the burden of God’s work on Bob’s shoulders (i.e. if only you’d have performed better, God could have worked). The fruit of the service in the stirring of the hearts was ultimately God’s responsibility.

Do you get what I am writing here? By loving and abiding in Christ, and helping others to do the same through community worship, we are taken off the hook. The calling of people to faith and trust in Jesus is then in the hands of God and not ultimately contingent upon our ability to live up to the cultures standards of relevance or excellence. In our life this doesn’t mean we don’t work hard and live obediently, but it means we don’t put the cart before the horse. Obedience IS the fruit of a life that is abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ IS NOT the fruit of obedience.

I pray this is can be an encouragement to those who labor in ministry. Ministry of any calling can be very difficult and even painful at times. Sometimes it is the calling alone that sustains us. For us to add to this by taking on the responsibility for “saving the world” is to take on a burden too great. A burden that must be left to God alone. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery!” Galatians 5:1

I Am Guest Blogging

2009-08-05T23:30:00.003-05:00

This week I am a guest blogger on Zach Nielsen's blog, Vitamin Z. This is somewhat humorous since I am not exactly what you'd call a frequent blogger. Non-the-less, you can check out my posts there and should be seeing a little more activity here following the weekend.

Widmer Testimony

2009-07-28T13:17:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am still alive, just on a bit of a blogging hiatus. Life is very crazy right now with trips, work projects, and this new 4 week series from Galatians that I'll be teaching the opening message for this weekend. Last Sunday we closed out a series on stress with a message on, "Rejoicing in Times of Stress". The following is one of the testimonies we featured on the Widmer family in our church. It was a moving story and a wonderful illustration of how to rejoice in times of difficulty. Watch and be blessed!

Back On the Job

2009-07-07T00:46:00.004-05:00

After a week at seminary and week on vacation, I am now back and in the office. Please be patient as I take the week to catch up on email and my other regular duties at the church. I am looking forward to a busy summer as we program for the Fall, reorganize the vocal ministry (thanks to a vocal reorg team), develop a job description for a Pastor of Worship and Music (search starting soon), recruit architects, develop a master plan for a new church facility, and...... (the list goes on and on).... busy summer to say the least. I now leave you with a few of the fun pictures from our vacation. For those Parkies out there, see you Sunday if not sooner!

The Cost of Adultery

2009-07-04T09:44:00.001-05:00

A year doesn’t seem to go by without someone in ministry or the church confessing or being caught in the sin of adultery. It is a serious problem with serious consequences. So often people get to this point slowly, compromise by compromise. Often, by the time one gets there, they are consumed by their emotions and unable or unwilling to contemplate the destructive consequences of their actions. Surely there is hope for forgiveness and recovery, but more often then not the costs are great and lasting. Years ago Randy Alcorn assembled the following list as a reminder of the consequences he would face as a Pastor if he chose the path of adultery. It is a good and sobering reminder that there is a cost for every action. Lord helps us all to stay faithful!

Personalized List of Anticipated Consequences of Immorality

Grieving my Lord; displeasing the One whose opinion most matters.
Dragging into the mud Christ's sacred reputation.
Loss of reward and commendation from God.
Having to one day look Jesus in the face at the judgment seat and give an account of why I did it. Forcing God to discipline me in various ways.
Following in the footsteps of men I know of whose immorality forfeited their ministry and caused me to shudder. List of these names:
Suffering of innocent people around me who would get hit by my shrapnel (a la Achan).
Untold hurt to Nanci, my best friend and loyal wife.
Loss of Nanci's respect and trust.
Hurt to and loss of credibility with my beloved daughters, Karina and Angela. ("Why listen to a man who betrayed Mom and us?")
If my blindness should continue or my family be unable to forgive, I could lose my wife and my children forever.
Shame to my family. (The cruel comments of others who would invariably find out.)
Shame to my church family.
Shame and hurt to my fellow pastors and elders. List of names:
Shame and hurt to my friends, and especially those I've led to Christ and discipled. List of names:
Guilt awfully hard to shake—even though God would forgive me, would I forgive myself?
Plaguing memories and flashbacks that could taint future intimacy with my wife.
Disqualifying myself after having preached to others.
Surrender of the things I am called to and love to do—teach and preach and write and minister to others. Forfeiting forever certain opportunities to serve God. Years of training and experience in ministry wasted for a long period of time, maybe permanently.
Being haunted by my sin as I look in the eyes of others, and having it all dredged up again wherever I go and whatever I do.
Undermining the hard work and prayers of others by saying to our community "this is a hypocrite—who can take seriously anything he and his church have said and done?"
Laughter, rejoicing and blasphemous smugness by those who disrespect God and the church (2 Samuel 12:14).
Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the Enemy of God.
Heaping judgment and endless problems on the person I would have committed Possible diseases (pain, constant reminder to me and my wife, possible infection of Nanci, or in the case of AIDS, even causing her death, as well as mine.)
Possible pregnancy, with its personal and financial implications.
Loss of self-respect, discrediting my own name, and invoking shame and lifelong embarrassment upon myself.

Is It OK to Cast Lots?

2009-06-25T14:14:00.002-05:00

I am presently wrapping up a residency week of studying the Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary. I’ve got to admit that the class is messing with a lot of my theological categories. We just finished having a discussion on the casting of lots that is a very prominent method used throughout the Old Testament and was even used for the selection of an apostle in the days of the early church (Acts 1:26). My conclusion is that, as long as it is used with caution, there may be circumstances in which is it appropriate to cast lots for making a decision.

Below is a video of John Piper discussing the issue of casting lots. Appropriately, he emphasizes the need for using caution.

Attention All Guitar Players

2009-06-24T17:01:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I had my first opportunity to use Korg’s Pandora Toneworks processor in preparation for playing my Telecaster electric guitar in weekend church services. I’ve got to say, it was the coolest thing ever. Not only does it allow you to practice through headphones with eleven different guitar effects, but it also allows you to run an eighth inch stereo input from an ipod or CD player that can be instantly transposed into another key. In church, where charts are often lowered from the key of the original recording this is a gold mine feature. Though I haven’t used the feature, you can also record a 30 second segment (say for a guitar solo) and, without changing the pitch, slow down the tempo in order to practice at a more accessible speed. Practicing guitar will never be the same! BTW: This also works for bass guitar and can be found here for around $150.

Why People Become De-Churched

2009-06-18T14:52:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading the book of Job this morning and was reminded how inappropriate it is, like Job's friends, to live our lives with the mindset that suffering is always a direct result of wickedness. The idea being, if you are struggling with cancer or facing bankruptcy, there must have been something you did to cause it. Certainly there are consequences for our poor actions, but when you understand the gospel you see that even our most obeident actions are incapable of reversing the judgment we deserve because of sin. The point being that God's graciousness produces everything and anything in our life that is good, it is not a result of our righteousness, or in the case of suffering, our wickedness.

This also applies to the belief that if we are good, we will be rewarded with blessings from the Lord. One need to only view a few minutes of Christian television to see this theology preached in extreme measure. To think this way is to strip the gospel of it's beauty and power. God's gift of life is His benevolent action extended to us in spite of our sin. This grace frees us from the guilt and condemnation that comes with us always trying to "measure up" to a standard we're incapable of reaching.

In this video Matt Chandler illustrates how moralism is the very reason many churched people become de-churched. Those raised in moralism either become moralists themselves or see moralism for what it is and run as far as they can from the church. Moralism is one of the greatest dangers in the church and something that must be opposed.

(HT: Desiring God)

Arts Ministry BBQ 2009

2009-06-14T21:11:00.004-05:00

Thanks to all of you who were able to make this years Arts Ministry BBQ out at the Boatman's. The Lord was very gracious to give us a dry cool evening when, just the day before, it appeared rain was imminent. I am so thankful for the wonderful people I have the privilege to work with day in and day out at Parkview. What a great group of people who love the Lord and love doing life and ministry together! Thanks for hosting us Doug and Jean! The following are some pics of our time together.

Insanity or Creativity?

2009-06-14T15:08:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Ryan Lamb in San Fransico for the pic!

Anniversary of the Flood

2009-06-08T10:32:00.010-05:00

A year ago this week, Parkview was under 4 feet of flood water from the Iowa River. It's hard to believe all this church and community went through over the last year. Recently I went through all the photos and was surprised how much it moved me. The feelings were not of regret or frustration, but of fondness. Fondness rooted in the memory of working side by side with such wonderful people. Though some might think the flood got the best of us when it filled our facility with over four feet of muddy river water but, in my view, the Lord used the flood to cement our trust in Him and to fordge deep and meaningful friendships. For this I am grateful.

Here is a recent article in the Press Citizen regarding our return and below are a few pics and descriptions recounting some of the events that surrounded the flood. To see a complete review of the flood, you can visit my June blog archive for more pictures and written detail.

On Sunday, June 8th we began building a sandbag wall around the church. At the time we only expected to build the wall a few feet high.

Each day the flood projections required us to increase the height of the wall, leaving it at about 4 feet tall all the way around the building. Rain gutters were re-built in order to send roof water outside the flood wall.

Walls were fortified and sump pumps were installed all along the wall in order to maintain the integrity of the flood barrier.

Eventually trucks and tractors were unable to transport sandbags due to the eroding driving path. From that point forward long lines were made to pass sandbags where ever they were needed.

Here's our access to the main entrance of the church facility.

A boat with diesel fuel was ready to keep our generators fueled that were to power the sumps once land access was no longer available.

Sand bagging operations continued in our upper parking lot for both the church and area neighborhoods.

The water kept rising.

The wall on the southeast corner of the facility was holding back water by Wednesday, June 11th.

Sandbagging operations kept shifting further north as the waters rose.

On Thursday the 12th, we were ordered by the city to evacuate. At the time we were told flood waters were now projected to reach to the eaves of the building.

Most of the facility was evacuated in these crates that were hauled by lifts across the floodwaters into numerous semi trailers.

Services were relocated to West High.

Within a day the entire facility was flooded.

A few of us were joined by CNN (the guy with the camera) as we toured the flooded facility.

Here's the window in the main office.

On Sunday, June 22 the waters fully receded and we were given access to the facility to begin the process of clean-out.

On December 14th, we had our first services back at Parkview after almost 6 months of facility renovation.

I Am Clean

2009-06-06T13:37:00.002-05:00

From my reading from Leviticus for my OT survey course...

If a man's hair falls out from his head, he is bald; he is clean. And if a man's hair falls out from his forehead, he has baldness of the forehead; he is clean. Leviticus 13:40-41

Great reassurance for follicly challenged men everywhere.

Proud of My Sister

2009-06-06T12:30:00.004-05:00

This post is a bit out of the ordinary for my blog, but I could not help but brag on my sister who is a veterinarian in Kearney, Nebraska. She was recently trained in a cutting edge ACL repair procedure that involves rebuilding the structure of the leg in order to change the physics of how it functions. Outside of Omaha, she is the only vet performing this procedure which allows young larger sized dogs a quality of life previously unavailable. Here is an article featuring her work in their local newspaper and below is an x-ray of her first completed procedure. If you are looking for a good vet in central Nebraska, I've got a recommendation for you.

Ministering to the Transgender

2009-06-04T13:27:00.003-05:00

In this set of articles, Russell Moore, a seminary faculty member at Southern Seminary, deals with the ethical dilemma of how to counsel a surgically altered transgender with a daughter who comes to faith in Christ. To be honest, I am still wrestling with this one. Where Moore's article may break down a bit is the assumption that this person does not have a whole host of emotional struggles that keep them from neatly progressing through the process of discipleship. None the less, he certainly has well thought answer that is Biblically sound. I just worry that his thoughts are written from the perspective of one who has never actually walked through this type of issue with a transgender individual. I am concerned that those who read his thoughts will "amen" them and not really be equipped to handle the sophisticated issues one encounters when working with people in this situation. If dealt with improperly, the Christian could end up pushing the individual out of the church. One thing for sure, helping people with these types of issues requires you to have lots of grace and be in it for the long haul, but that is what the church is to be all about. Here are his thought provoking posts on the issue.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Soul Winning Made Easy

2009-06-03T17:03:00.004-05:00

This was too funny to not cop from Challies blog. As a future church planter, I'll need to keep tabs on this post from a 1959 soul winning pamphlet for future reference!

God's Calling

2009-06-01T21:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight at the congregational meeting, those of you in attendance heard that Carrie and I are accepting what we believe to be the call of God to plant a church in a little over a year (June 2010) with the Acts 29 network.

This calling stems from a growing heart to be part of, not only planting a church, but of planting a missional church that is committed to spreading the Gospel through the ongoing process of planting new churches. This vision for being part of a “movement of the Gospel” stems from a growing conviction from God and His Word and a growing love for His church. This growth has lead Carrie and I to pray and deeply ponder how it is God would uniquely use us in His mission to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

I am presently in the process of undergoing assessment with the Acts 29 network, which is a network of churches with the goal of planting 1000 churches, both locally and globally, in the next 10 years. We are presently setting our sites on Madison, Wisconsin as an optimum church plant location.

This next year will be a busy one as I work to...

Develop transition plans with those of you serving in the Worship and Arts ministry
Help Jeff and the elders in the search for a new Pastor of Worship and Music
Serve as a member of the building committee as we undergo a master planning process for our future facility relocation

Please be praying as we work with the elders in upcoming months to confirm the various details of this planting vision. We are thankful to be part of a church that not only shares our vision for Gospel expansion, but has also patiently loved us as we have grown through the various successes and failures that often come with ministry. In the last 10+ years of ministry God has used you all to form and shape us in ways that leave us humbled and immensely grateful.

Arts Ministry BBQ

2009-05-29T16:52:00.004-05:00

Worship and Arts teams! On Wednesday, June 10 from 6-8:30 pm we'll be having a BBQ fellowship at the Boatman's. Meat will be provided. Bring your own beverage and side dish (last name A-M) and dessert (last name N-Z). Tableware will be provided. We'll have an inflatable game for the kids as well as numerous other games. Those of you who want can bring your pole and tackle to fish in the pond.

Here's a few pictures from the last community time we had at the Boatmans. Kristen will be emailing directions. Hope you can all make it!

By My Side

2009-05-21T23:46:00.003-05:00

A few months ago my oldest, Hannah, sang 4 songs for me that she had written with the hopes that one of them would be a candidate for this year's middle school pops concert. We selected "By My Side" and she ended up singing it for tonight's concert. Way to go Hannah! Thanks to John Carlson for playing percussion (that's me on guitar) and thanks to God for giving her such a neat opportunity to sing this message to her class. The lyrics are below...

VERSE 1
When life is hard and you don’t know what to do
Seems like everything is crashing in on your life
You feel like there’s nothing left to do, and you think you can’t push through
And you feel like there’s no comfort for you.

CHORUS
Well I know a solution to help you through this life
To guide you through tonight and every time
He will change your life, when He’s by your side.
And I guarantee you’ll like it, yeah you’ll like Him
By your side.

VERSE 2
When your life is going great and it seems just like a dream
You’ve got lots of friends and things are perfect, so they seem
But you still feel lost, it’s something you can’t ignore
Inside you feel so empty, your looking for more - - - -

CHORUS

BRIDGE
He’ll help you through and guide you, in the right direction
Never leave you on your own, you can trust him now.
He’ll always be there for you.

CHORUS

Yes, the God, my Lord will help you through this life.

Simple Church on Discipleship

2009-05-21T14:08:00.006-05:00

Quote from the book, Simple Church (p 26):

To have a simple church, you must design a simple discipleship process. This process must be clear. It must move people toward maturity. It must be integrated fully into your church, and you must get rid of the clutter around it.

This is truly a challenge for today's church which struggles to compete with complex lives and a complex church culture. Like many churches it is something that we struggle to keep in check at Parkview. One thing for sure, defending a simple vision requires us to say "no" to a lot of good things. This is one of the most difficult essentials when it comes to guarding and advancing a vision.

Hold the Interview

2009-05-20T00:23:00.003-05:00

In this month’s Fast Company magazine Dan Heath & Chip Heath wrote a great article that turns conventional hiring practices on its head. In it they propose that it may be wiser to hire people without ever meeting them. They site that, “Interviews are less predictive of job performance than work samples, job-knowledge tests, and peer ratings of past job performance. Even a simple intelligence test is dramatically more useful.” The conclusion is that with potential employees we need to give interviews the same or less weight than we do other methods of evaluation.

For the church this is a great reminder for those of us who regularly hire church staff. I would suggest that these realities may even come in handy as we consider the appointment of lay leadership. The main point being that we must never minimize the importance of getting work samples and doing multiple layers of job performance evaluation beyond the standard “references” of the candidate. For lay leadership, it just means we do our homework outside of the interview, so we are considering other factors and methods of evaluation before making leadership appointments or recommendations.

Death is Not Dying

2009-05-19T08:16:00.002-05:00

Rachel Barkley is a 37 year-old wife and mother of two who is dying of cancer. Physicians say she will be dead in a matter of weeks. On March 6th she spoke to 600 women in Richmond, BC, Canada at the "Death is Not Dying" conference. To see and hear this powerful talk click here.

(HT: DG Blog)

Video Worth Contemplating

2009-05-08T12:26:00.005-05:00

Before you watch this video posted on iMonk I want to say that one of my pet peaves is when missiologists try to shock people into action. In many ways, the purpose behind this video is just that. The dark music and dismal tone only increases an unwarranted panic in the hearts of Christians. Your motivation to serve God in global mission should always be your desire to see the fame and worship of God reach every nation, not your fear of cultural domination.

All this to say that the statistics in this video are difficult to argue against and somewhat alarming. The global cultural landscape is quickly shifting and as followers of Jesus we should be aware and ready.

Swine Flu at Major Universities

2009-05-08T11:51:00.005-05:00

Here's an interesting map that shows where swine flu is showing up at major universities around the nation. I am honestly not following this flu thing all that much. It seems like a bit more of a hysteria than anything else, but it is probably worth keeping an eye on. No cases at University of Iowa.... yet.

Biblical Leadership and Submission in Marriage

2009-05-08T11:46:00.002-05:00

In Each for the Other, Brian Chapel develops one of the best expositions I've ever read on Ephesians 5 regarding Biblical leadership and submission in marriage. Here are two excerpts from the book, one regarding the husband and one the wife. I know most of you won't take the time to read or contemplate these quotes, but please know I truly believe that "getting" the meaning behind these quotes is one of the foundational keys to a strong marriage.

Regarding the husband....

A husband should submit his own life to God before he requires submission from anyone else. The true head of a home bows before God, asking to be the man God desires, interceding for the welfare of the family, and petitioning for love, wisdom, and strength that will make God's grace evident in the home. Only when a man humbles himself in these ways can he give a proper account of his headship to God. (p 40)

Regarding the wife....

The wife fulfills a redemptive purpose in the home, enabling each person more fully to know and be what the Savior desires. She does this by submitting herself in love to the good of another, and in doing so she reflects Christ's sacrifice. As his image bearer she becomes his chief representative to her spouse. Like her husband, the wife lives for another and thus represents Christ in and for the home. (p 102)

Twittering In Church

2009-05-04T13:42:00.004-05:00

OK, some of you don't have a clue what Twittering is, but some churches are encouraging people to tweet during the service as a way to ask questions and discuss the sermon while it is being delivered. At Parkview we're discussing how it is Twitter can be a good source for event communication. Here's yesterday's feature article from Time magazine regarding this new trend in churches.

Churches and Pig Flu

2009-05-01T01:02:00.005-05:00

Some churches like Mars Hill are suggesting that all churches take extreme measures in assuring their people that they can come and worship with no fear of the flu. If you ask me, they seem to be getting a bit carried away. Read about it here.

I'm Now On The City

2009-04-30T15:23:00.003-05:00

Mars Hill Church in Seattle developed the web community, The City for the purpose of connecting their people in community and service. It's not church management software but, in their words, church movement software. The service has now been passed over to Zondervan Publishers who are making it a resource available to other churches and organizations. I am presently a member through the Gospel Coalition, but am interested to see if it will be an expanding resource for more and more people in the future. Here's a video detailing more of what it's about:

Swine Flu In Iowa

2009-04-30T15:18:00.003-05:00

Two cases of the swine flu are now in Iowa. One of the suspected cases was recently in Coralville for a conference. The University of Iowa Hospital now has this web page up where they are posting regular updates regarding the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus in Iowa.

The Gospel and Idolatry

2009-04-29T00:29:00.004-05:00

I just re-listened with my wife to Tim Keller's talk on the Gospel and Idolatry from the Gospel Coalition Conference and have to say that the talk really hits it out of the park. If you are trying to gain a fundamental understand regarding how to win your community for Christ, this talk puts the discussion into crystal clarity. If you are hoping to gain a better understanding of your own battle with sin, this talk will aid you in discerning your personal idols. It effectively frames life and ministry within the Biblical dichotomy of idolatry and God worship. Good stuff. You can listen to the audio or watch the video here.

Godin on What's Broken

2009-04-27T22:07:00.002-05:00

Good marketing, customer service, and communication in any business is what determines whether or not products sell or customers return. I am not suggesting the church should run like a business, but think there is a ton we can learn about how to be more effective in our communication and systems development. This video is from business guru Seth Godin regarding what is broken in the world of business. Perhaps those of us in the church can learn a thing or two from resources like this about how to better communicate with and engage our people.

iPhone on Verizon

2009-04-27T16:00:00.002-05:00

Glory hallelujah! According to USA Today and Wired Magazine, the iPhone is getting closer to possibly cutting a deal with Verizon. Those with iPhone's in our area have long lamented the poor reception offered by AT&T. Hopefully change is on the horizon!

The Power of Illustration

2009-04-26T14:08:00.007-05:00

As one who has become increasingly interested in preaching, I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store at this years Gospel Coalition Conference. One of the very cool things about the conference was that it hosted a very diverse yet highly skilled line up of preachers (Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Ligon Duncan, Bryan Chapel, C.J. Mahaney, D.A. Carson to name a few). Another interesting twist was that most of the teachers were assigned a portion of 2nd Timothy, meaning that by the end of the conference the entire book was taught in completion. Side by side I’d never seen such quality teaching done with such diverse styles. One of my takeaways was the power of good illustration. Here’s a few of my observations regarding what makes a good sermon illustration.

1. Parallel the Meaning of the Text

A good sermon illustration must closely parallel the emphasis of the subject matter within the text being taught. It’s important to remember that if an illustration doesn’t strongly tie-in with the text it’s better not to use it. A lot of Pastors use stories or movie clips because they are “hip” or “inspirational” but in doing so, totally miss the point of the text.

2. Be A Story Teller

The best preachers are great story tellers. Even if you’re a person who uses a manuscript when teaching, the illustration gives you and excellent opportunity to pull yourself away from the text and fully engage with your listener. For the less experienced teacher, it is imperative to practice your illustrations so they flow naturally and capture attention.

3. With Age Comes Wisdom

In the pastor panel at the Gospel Coalition Conference Tim Keller remarked how he is a better preacher because he is an older preacher. At his stage of life he’s helped scores of people walk through difficult suffering, struggled with personal health issues, endured persecution, etc. It’s no question that, like a good wine, preachers can become more effective with age because they bring more wisdom and experience to the illustrations they share.

4. Study Culture

In my preaching class at Covenant I remember the quote that every teacher should have a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Though today it’s probably more accurately said, “a Bible in one hand and a laptop (preferably a Macbook Pro) with Google Reader in the other” the point is the same. If we hope to relate to culture, we must be a student of what is going on around us. Using illustrations directly from the culture give us powerful points of relevance with those we teach.

5. Develop a Filing System

Recently I started trying to assemble a file folder of good illustrations. The content of these illustrations come from blogs, books, podcasts, emails, and life experiences. Many preachers find ways to organize and store good illustrations either in file systems or on their computer.

6. Don’t Overdo It

First of all, illustrations that are shared more than once or twice loose impact, so don’t become lazy by using the same illustration again and again. Second, just like the parables, illustrations are only helpful at emphasizing one or two points. Use it to make the point and then move on. It’s fine to say the egg illustrates three being also one, but the illustration breaks down quickly when you assign the yoke to God, egg white to Jesus, and shell to the Holy Spirit. I think you get the point.

Spurgeon on Reading

2009-04-23T10:26:00.002-05:00

Today at the Gospel Coalition Conference I heard Ligon Duncan, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi preach from 2 Timothy 4:6-22. In the opening of his message he shared this quote from Charles Spurgeon regarding Paul's request to Timothy in the final weeks of his life (4:13) to bring his books to him so he can read.

As the apostle says to Timothy, so also he says to every-one, 'Give yourself to reading.' ... He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own... You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible... the best way for you to spend your leisure is to be either reading or praying."

The fact that the apostle Paul, who knew he was in his final days, was still concerned about reading and writing, gives us a great insight into his life-practices that advanced His influence for the advance of the Gospel and building of the Kingdom of God. May his example influence us to do the same.

What To Do With Criticism?

2009-04-19T00:49:00.002-05:00

Having worked in different aspects of music ministry for almost 15 years, I am no stranger to criticism. It has come from people who are very close to me as well as people who prefer to remain anonymous. Some criticisms are delivered in the context of anger and others are thoughtful and constructive. Here’s a few things I try to think about when criticism comes my way:

1. What can I learn?

Though it is humbling to have someone critique your work, it is important to maintain a teachable attitude.

2. Always assume the best

Unless it is substantiated that this is not the case, it is important to always assume that people have good intention when they share their concerns.

3. Validate people’s concerns

In most cases, the person sharing the concern is very sincere. Try your best to “walk in their shoes” and empathize with them.

4. Rebuke when needed

If people are sinning in how they confront (critical spirit, arrogance, etc.), then call them on their sin. If they are complaining about someone else then ask them to take that concern directly to the person before speaking with you.

5. Consider subjectivity

Remember that people’s opinions are often subjective. Sometimes you simply have to agree to disagree.

6. Educate

Often people disagree with a decision because they aren’t aware of all the information that went into making the decision. Do your best to inform them so they can get your perspective on the issue.

7. Empower

Sometimes our strongest critics can become our greatest ally if we get them involved in the process of coming up with solutions. If someone doesn’t like the way a specific ministry operates, then get them involved in a group working to reform or guide that ministry.

8. Let it go

Try your best to not take criticism personally. If our identity is too tied into our work, then we will allow criticism to paralyze us, making us ineffective for the Kingdom. Once you’ve received and learned all you can from criticism, the next step is to move on.

That's Easter

2009-04-05T20:41:00.003-05:00

JT just featured this video from St. Helen's Bishopgate in London, which serves as an outreach video to be shared with unbelievers. It's a really clear teaching video on the reason believers focus so intently upon the death of Christ.

Easter Promotional Video

2009-04-05T11:41:00.007-05:00

This weekend we put together a very last minute Easter promo video to try and make our Easter announcement a bit more memorable. I'm not sure we if accomplished that goal, but we at least had fun.

We Are All Addicts

2009-04-03T15:59:00.003-05:00

Addiction is a worship disorder we can all relate to. Are we satisfied in God or do we turn to other things as our source of comfort, escape, or purpose? In some measure we all know what it’s like being addicts. Though our addictions may not be as dangerous, or obvious, or public, we have all struggled. For some of us, God’s grace has matured us in such a way that we’ve been freed from some of the deep entanglements we once had with certain areas of sin.

I just finished the book Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Edward Welch. Though it primarily references people struggling with addictions like alcoholism, it is a book that would greatly benefit anyone struggling with any kind of addiction. One of the things I enjoyed most was the way the book synthesized contemporary therapy-speak with a Biblical understanding of disease and slavery to sin. I now view this book as my counseling handbook as I meet with people struggling with different areas of sin. I pray many will read it and learn how to turn from their idols and embrace the transformation available only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Facebooking at the Office

2009-04-02T11:43:00.002-05:00

Some of you may want to show this to your boss. I have never been one to ban social networking from the workplace, though I do think we must be very careful to not do it at the cost of productivity. According to this Wired magazine article, a recent study in Australia shows that people who Facebook (or use other networking sites) are actually 9 percent more productive. Here's a snip from the post:

Caught Twittering or on Facebook at work? It'll make you a better employee, according to an Australian study that shows surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.
The University of Melbourne study showed that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

Study author Brent Coker, from the department of management and marketing, said "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration.

"People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration," Coker said on the university's website (www.unimelb.edu.au/)

"Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days' work, and as a result, increased productivity," he said.

Young Boomers Watch More Television

2009-03-31T14:33:00.002-05:00

Challies recently reported on a new study by Ball State University.

According to a new "Video Consumer Mapping" study, Americans aged 65 and older spend an average of 420 minutes per day in front of a television screen. 420 minutes per day. Let that sink in for just a moment. That is seven hours; seven full hours. Every day. On average. That means that half of the days it would be more than seven hours. Is that three hours in the morning, perhaps 8 until 11 and then four more in the evening, maybe 7 until 11 PM? How is it even possible? It is unbelievable. And it does not even include time spent watching DVDs or Tivo.
But perhaps it should not be that surprising considering that the average American of any age spends just over five hours per day watching TV. Older Americans, those who have retired, simply add a couple of extra hours onto the television they have already been consuming. America is obsessed.

There's no question this growing trend will continue to shift the landscape of our culture. I'm not sure what the future fall-out will be, but it surely won't be good.