Mark Batterson was kind enough to review my book on his blog and on Amazon.com. I’m really looking forward to meeting Mark at the Buzz conference. I think Mark has one of the best blogs on the web. I’m amazed at how much content he puts up and what high quality it is. Plus, I love the bolding thing he does. You can read the review here.
How to get your blog posts read
I was going through my Bloglines and I came to a revelation about posts that I read. Here are 5 thoughts: #1 – Keep it short – The first thing I check when I start reading a post is, “How long is this thing?” If it’s too long, I know the boredom factor is going to set in, so I just don’t read it. #2 – Break it up – Solid text looks like too much effort to read on a screen. Write a couple of sentences and then skip a line and let your idea “Breath.” #3 – Do … Read More
Book Review: Good to Great and the Social Sectors
“Good to Great and the Social Sectors” by Jim Collins is a must buy for all church leaders. He had planned on releasing this as part of a re-release of “Good to Great”. But since that would require us to have to purchase another copy of the book, he didn’t. (For that, I say, “Thank you!”) Here’s the deal: Jim did some research on how non-profits have used the Good to Great Principles in their organizations. What is found in this little 35 page booklet is priceless stuff. He’s a guy that gets it! What really amazed me in reading … Read More
Book Review: The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture
“The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture” by Shane Hipps is a really interesting book. What really got my attention was the subtitle: “How media shapes faith, the gospel, and culture.” I will say that Shane explained this flawlessly. There’s stuff I really liked that challenged me, and other stuff that I wasn’t as moved by. I really liked how Shane broke down the fact that media is an extension of who we are. That the medium doesn’t just convey the message, it morphs it. He said, “The medium is the message.” This is a great book for Pastors and people … Read More
Law of Leadership #22?
Here’s what I’m learning about leadership lately: people follow honest leaders. I don’t just mean men and women who have integrity, but people who simply tell the truth without spin. They are willing to be honest to themselves, and about themselves. When we first started Calvary, I thought people wanted a perfect leader, or a leader who only made silly mistakes that were really of no consequence. But I’m learning that people desire an honest leader who has flaws and is willing to share them for the benefit of others. That’s the kind of leader I’m trying to be.
Weekly American Idol Musings
5 Thoughts about American Idol. Here we go: #1 – Mandisa was one of the best singers in the competition. That she got voted off before Bucky is an insult. #2 – Bucky was in his “Country Zone” and still didn’t sing well. Why you might ask? Because he’s not that good of a singer. I hope he does “Who wants to live forever?” (From the Highlander movie soundtrack). #3 – Who wants to hear someone do the theme song from Flash Gordon? “Flash…..AAAAAAHHHHHH!” That would rule! I would vote for that person just out of principle. #4 – Another … Read More
Book Review: To Own a Dragon
I just finished reading Donald Miller’s latest book, “To Own a Dragon: Reflections on growing up without a father.” It was amazing! This book may not make sense to people who grew up with a great dad that lived at home with them. But if you grew up without a dad or in a divorced home where you only saw your dad on weekends, or less, then this book is hugely important to read. The book hit closer to home that I am comfortable to admit. There were times when Don would write about his pain of not having a … Read More
Emerging or Emergent?
Bill Streger posted an article that Mark Driscoll wrote for the Criswell Theological Review about the difference between emerging churches and Emergent. It’s well worth a read. Even if you don’t consider yourself any of these, this is going to affect your ministry at some point. So you may as well get familiar with the terminology if you haven’t already. Enjoy! Download 32_apastoralperspectiveontheemergentchurchdriscoll.PDF
The Top 10
Alright, after watching American Idol last night, here are my reactions: Overall, this was their worst performance collectively! It seemed like an off night for everyone. Lisa – You’re going home! She has a good voice, but she need to develop it further. Simon was right. The song was too big for her. Kelly – I didn’t get it. #1 – I can’t stand country music. #2 – you have to pick songs that showcase your voice. #3 – I hate country music. Ace – Lame! I love Train, but that was a train wreck! Taylor – It was OK. … Read More
Surprise!
Last night, Carey and I went out for dinner. Afterwards, we walked over to Barnes and Noble. I was looking at all the books on the shelf and I said to myself, “How do these books sell when all you see is the spines? What makes a book stand out?” That’s when I saw it! I saw a copy of my book “elements” on the shelf. I was totally checked. I had seen my book at a Christian bookstore last month, but I had no idea Barnes and Noble was carrying my book. Anyway, you can see what it looked … Read More
