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#Orange11 PreConference

April 27, 2011 in Lead 4

First, wow it’s been awesome. I am truly blessed. Great conversations with incredible people and can’t wait to meet more. Had a few preteen ministry conversations as well and man it’s been awesome.

So here are the 3 breakouts that I attended:

  • How to plan a ministry calendar by Kenny Conley (@kennyconley)
  • How to evaluate your weekly programming by Kendra Fleming (@KFleming)
  • How to do more in a day by Jim Wideman (@jimwideman)
  • How to connect with parents using social media by Kenny Conley and Matt Mckee (@kennyconley & @mattmckee)

I will give you a brief synopsis of each and some key takeaways, with some more detailed breakdowns coming later.

How to plan a Ministry Calendar by Kenny Conley

  • Get your mission, vision, and values down before you even think about a calendar
  • Make your calendar reflect your mission, vision, values, and goals.
  • Don’t do things based on budget but instead based on your goals.
  • Ask for more, and be ok settling for less.

How to evaluate your Weekly Programming by Kendra Fleming

  • Kendra does an amazing job. Wish I could have done everyone of her and Kenny’s breakouts, but alas.
  • Evaluate by 5 criteria. Critique the environments, nurture leaders, value team, inform the crowd, and perfect the systems.
  • Evaluate consistently, Evaluate honestly, and most importantly evaluate critically.
  • If you aren’t evaluating, you aren’t getting better at anything.

How to do more in a day by Jim Wideman

  • Organization, Time Management, and Leadership are learned behaviors
  • Organization + Order = Effective Management
  • Your time should reflect your priorities
  • You need a big vision, know and live by your priorities, desire to change, and the right tools in order to get more done.
  • Whatever you don’t manage you will lose.
  • If you spent as much time with God as you do with your wife, then would you still be married? (insert bam here)
  • Break big things down into small steps.

How to Connect with Parents using Social Media by Kenny Conley and Matt Mckee

  • Used Google Voice to take questions, I took this opportunity to text the real JC (Jonathan Cliff, who was GV moderator) and try and distract him.
  • Social media was used more on the internet than porn last year.
  • Social media isn’t just a fad it’s here to stay.
  • It’s not about blasting your message, it’s about providing a way for others to interact
  • You should come meet all of us at the Blogger’s Lounge and buy an app from ROAR (they didn’t say this but I thought I would add it)

Give Clean Water for Christmas

November 29, 2010 in Family Ministry, Lead 0

Give Clean Water

So today I found out that Americans spent $45 Billion on shopping this past weekend. I know from studying for Advent Conspiracy, that most people in the know think that it would take $10 Billion to give clean water to everyone in the world.

22% of what was spent this weekend on retail would have fixed the water problem in the world

22% of 1 Weekend

It’s time to step up our game. I don’t kid myself by believing that I know enough people to change the world. But I do know the Savior of the World and He knows some peeps. So with Christ leading the charge in your heart I’m asking you to send people to Carlos’ post on Blue Friday. It’s time we put our money where we say our heart is. It’s time to give a present that will mean life change to villages, kids, and even countries.

For Advent we are teaming up with Water of Life to attempt to build a well in Africa solely from donations from our Students at Brookwood. It’s time you contribute. Be a part of a solution to one of the world’s biggest issues.

John Mayer said…

October 18, 2010 in Lead 0

“It occurred to me that since the invocation of Twitter, nobody who has participated in it has created any lasting art.”

Crazy! This is what he said after he announced he was quitting twitter.

“Those who decide to remain offline will make better work than those online. Why? Because great ideas have to gather. They have to pass the test of withstanding thirteen different moods, four different months and sixty different edits. Anything less is day trading. You can either get a bunch of mentions now or change someone’s life next year.”

What do you think? Agree or disagree.

Definitely made me think

Read the full story here

What is an RSS reader and why do I need one?

August 16, 2010 in Lead, Tech 0

Hopefully after watching that video you know exactly why you need an RSS reader. But if you are still on the fence, here are a few reasons.

  1. To Interact with like-minded people
  2. To READ-some of you need to look that one over again, haha.
  3. To Learn and Grow
  4. Because it’s better than just browsing.

So sign up for a Google Reader and just go crazy subscribing to blogs. I have about 40 that I read everyday. Distance mentors.

Unlocking the thing that binds you

August 4, 2010 in Lead 0

Patterning your life around other’s opinions is nothing more than slavery.
-Lawana Blackwell

Young Leadership Lesson #2 – Respect

July 29, 2010 in Lead 0

Contemplation, originally uploaded by ChrisSchc.

Respect for young leaders is something that we all desire. In fact we get upset when it’s not freely given to us. On the flip side of that, we are often very quick to take respect of honor away from our leaders if they make mistakes.

I know for me, I tend to see things in black and white for the most part. My theology and the way I view people has been challenged around this personality trait of mine, continuously. Here’s the breakdown:

People: Awesome or I’m not a fan at all

Theology: Yes or no

However, that leaves no room for middle ground. I discovered on numerous occassions that this middle ground exists whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. So if people make mistakes (fyi young leaders-people, including you, make mistakes) then they are not always going to live up to your expectations. What is our role according to scripture for those that are above us?

You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones.

-1 Peter 2:18

So number one, when people disappoint you, honor them. How easy is it to honor those that are good masters? Big Deal. Try honoring the bad ones and the ones that you feel bad about in the moment because of something you would have done differently.

And never forget young leaders. Respect is earned, not freely given. Treat people with the love of Christ and then you might earn some.

Learning through transition

July 27, 2010 in Lead 1

fearless, originally uploaded by bcfp.

So as I’m transitioning to my new role as 5th and 6th grade pastor, I’m going through a lot of learning.

Just a few things that are coursing through my brain:

  • Budgets
  • Curriculum Planning
  • Philosophy and Vision of Ministry
  • Innovation, but not at the price of effectiveness
  • Environments

Man it’s really crazy just how much is going on in my brain right now.

So I need some pointers but first I’m going to give you some helpful places that I’ve been in the past few weeks.

stufficanuse.com they have crazy hi-end graphics for student ministry. Messages/Small Group content will need work. Best part is that it’s absolutely free. Check them out if you need some graphics help.

coachshef.com great insight into student ministry. His last two posts have been crazy helpful. Budgets and Getting to a “C” on your weaknesses.

Open from Lifechurch.tv they have a ton of great FREE resources out there for student ministry. Especially their leader guide stuff. O-mazing!

Books: a few that I’ve read or am reading recently: The Pursuit of God, Purpose Driven- Youth Ministry, and Jesus Driven Ministry

All great books that are really shaping who I am. Not to mention the fact that God is really refining me in some areas in my life in particular to my leadership.

I need some help.

Who is great at student ministry environments?

Student Small Groups, Who is the best?

Any other places you would point a 5th or 6th grade person to?

How does God really feel about me?

July 14, 2010 in Lead 0

Ok Leaders let me know if you’ve ever felt like this. Have you ever felt that God created you to vanquish the evils of this world?

On my best days I really feel like one of these little guys, pushing the envelope and let God be Him through me to rid this planet of the evils that plague our kids around the globe. God using me to teach kids about his love and mercy and grace (which I have the toughest time learning about myself).

But those are the best days. 

Other days I feel as if I’m worthless, useless, disgusting, gross, and not worth the time it takes to remember my name (which is only two letters, by the way). And I wonder:

How does God really feel about me?

 

But God doesn’t go through this back and forth like we do. As one of my best friends says,

You are loved, acceptable, and invaluable to the Creator of this Universe.

I wonder what we as leaders could accomplish if we really felt like these verses were true about us:

4 Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)6 He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.7 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!8 He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need,9 letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ,10 a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.11 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living,12 part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.   – Eph. 1:4-12

Go conquer the world today and know that God loves you, He accepts you, and you are invaluable to Him.

Young Leadership Lesson #1 – Humility

June 9, 2010 in Lead 1

So in rethinking my blog’s purpose one thing continually sticks out in my mind. I must talk about young leadership. I am a young leader. I believe that I can teach other people about leadership while they are young and I really hope that these lessons can help young people, who desire to be leaders, really begin to develop this skill.

So for Lesson number one I want to talk about humility. Humility is such an interesting part of leadership. It’s not glamorous or powerful nor does it have some bling as a part of it’s identity. I’ve heard a quote that says:

Pride makes us artificial, but humility makes us real.

I totally agree with that. One interesting thing to not about humility is the way that we view other people when we have a humble spirit about us. When we take pride in ourselves, our abilities, and our accomplishments, we place other people in a spot below ourselves. But when we live with an attitude of humility, the way we view people changes. People are seen as at least equals, but in most cases are honored.

Humility is cool for another reason as well. It gets us to ask questions of others. If you view yourself as an expert, are you ever going to ask someone questions to improve your craft or your behavior or your family life? Probably not, Humility opens us to the realm of authentic life change, because we have opened the door to being able to take advice from others.

Oswald Chambers talks about Humility on June 9th, in My Utmost for His Highest. He says:

“If any of you lacks wisdom . . . .” If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means “beg.” Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit.

So today be humble, but also remember this quote:

“The proud man can learn humility, but he will be proud of it”

-Mignon McLaughlin quotes

[Picture via jeridaking]

Wednesday Wisdom 6/9/2010

June 9, 2010 in Lead 0

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

-Thomas A. Edison

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