The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 42,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 16 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Image via Wikipedia
I very much appreciate knowing Jesus as the Good Shepherd in John 10:1-21. This is a helpful metaphor for me. I was studying this with my small group a few weeks ago and came across this verse:
“[Jesus said,] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9, NIV)
I was stumped with this question. If Jesus is the gate…
Will you please share your thoughts, feelings or opinions about this verse? I would love to hear your insight.
I came to SXSW Interactive 2011 to gain perspectives, discover technology and learn practical steps that will help Resurrection Online fulfill our purpose of building a Christian community where non and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. I hope to share some highlights and next steps from the day for Resurrection Online and myself.
If you have answered the Top 12 Questions before Launching an Online Worship and are looking for a turnkey solution for an online campus, you might consider a solution from 316 Networks. Resurrection Online is currently using 316 Networks as our streaming provider and have considered using this solution. From their website:
316 Networks now offers a new option for your online campus. Designed to match your website’s design scheme, our Online Campus integrates the most popular tools to build an online community and more effectively grow your ministry.
Hosted as an extension of 316Networks.com with your own personalized address or, in some cases, delivered for integration into your own site, our Online Campus model launches quickly so you can begin connecting more effectively with your online audience.
You can find out more about this opportunity at
http://solutions.316networks.com/onlinecampus
.
There also seems to be a solution from LifeChurch.tv in the works at
http://www.churchonline.org
.
There is no group, connection, cluster or network of churches that doesn’t have issues. Being connected is part of who we are as Christians. There is no use complaining, but great value in working in God‘s kingdom and renewal within the church. I ran across this advice in a post by Matt Judkins from Tim Keller via DJ Chuang’s blog and found it valuable enough to pass along to you.
I wonder where you’d go to find a truly missional denomination? I don’t know of any. For missionally minded churches, any denominational connection will bring you into relationship with some other churches and ministers who downright embarass you. This will be true of any ecclesiastical body with more than 5 churches in it. I don’t think that going independent and only staying connected in to a missional ‘network’–which has no disciplinary authority–is the answer either.
My counsel: 1) inhabit a denomination with a historic tradition you admire (Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican, Baptist) 2) stay in a denomination if it gives you space to follow your calling, 3) don’t be marginal to it–be active in the denomination, but 4) don’t be too absorbed in all its workings and especially not in its politics.
I agree with Matt and would clearly add Methodist as a historic tradition. As John Wesley admonishes us, “You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.”
SetImage via Wikipedia
In the post, Responsibility and authority, Seth Godin (picture to the right) inspired me to suggest a change in the phrasing used at the ordination of every United Methodist Elder. The post is short enough to warrant reposting:
“Many people struggle at work because they want more authority.
It turns out you can get a lot done if you just take more responsibility instead. It’s often offered, rarely taken.
(And you can get even more done if you give away credit, relentlessly).”
This post lead me to the conclusion that it would be helpful to reword the phrase used by a United Methodist bishop when ordaining elders should be “Take thou responsibility and authority…”
Image by victor_nuno via Flickr
One of the best parts of Leadership Institute is the opportunity to make and continue friendships near and far, to that end I invite you to a young adult meetup at Leadership Institute next week.
Who: Young adult (35 and under) leader
What: Meetup at Leadership Institute 2010
When: Thursday, October 7 from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Where: The Spring Cafe, in the West Building at Resurrection Leawood
Why: Collegiality, mutual encouragement, and hear stories of God‘s work
I will be there on Thursday morning and hope that you can make it. I am leading a pre-institute session in the afternoon, but I encourage you to continue to hang out through the afternoon and into the evening.
Spread the word to others
Say Hi.
Encourage one another.
Listen for God.
Day 2 of the #leadnet Ideation Experience wrapped up yesterday. It was another full day which included:
It was a great day.
Today we will wrap up the event and come out with the top 10 ideas that will change the church over the next 10 years. That’s the plan…
I am also looking forward to meeting with @amforbus for breakfast and my cousin, Monica, for lunch. I’ll be back in Kansas City in the evening.
More tomorrow on next steps from this event.
I was checking out the archives of this blog and found a couple posts that I want to share with you from two years ago:
I am excited to be a part of Leadership Network’s Ideation Experience in July. From the website:
The Leadership Network Ideation Experience on July 20-22 in Dallas, is a gathering of innovators, creative thinkers and idea junkies who work collaboratively in an interactive and iterative process of developing ideas that could not only change the Church but change the world.
Leadership Network has partnered with Catalyst and innovation guru John Handy, former Senior VP in charge of product development for Mattel Toys to present three days of innovation and brainstorming. Our plan is to deliver a list of the Ten Big Ideas that could shape and change the Church in the next ten years.
The Leadership Network Ideation Experience is not an informational conference, but rather a total immersion into creating, combining, experimenting, testing and refining of good ideas into great ideas. It is designed for creative, playful leaders who enjoy collaborating with other creative and playful leaders. If this makes your heart race, you need to join us!
I outlined the idea which I submitted at Church Planting – What if… and included the following biography (in 200 words or less) for my application:
I am a Christian, husband, son, brother, friend, United Methodist and also an associate pastor at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (www.cor.org). I am passionate about spiritual revival in the state of Kansas, renewal within the United Methodist Church and the purpose of the church where I serve.
I believe that this will be important work for the church, denomination and as internet campus pastor.
