Rapid Fire Thoughts…Leadership Summit

I’m not one to write “short” entries, mainly because it’s not my style and I do better writing longer essays that aren’t as frequent. However, I’m attending the Leadership Summit today and tomorrow and always seem to have some quick impressions that I flesh out eventually in an essay. So…here are a few of my quick thoughts:

Quick Entry

I’ve spent plenty of periods where I haven’t written so much as a paragraph in this space.  I feel bad for those that either a.) feel like they have to write something everyday to maintain a web log or b.) expect others to write everyday to be worth reading or subscribing to their feed.  Bummer on both fronts.

If someone writes everyday…it usually means…well…they’re a writer.  That’s what published guys do for a living.  The rest of us are wanna-be’s on some level.  I love writing, but I don’t have the talent or drive to be published.  Thus, I’m good for a few posts a month…or many post in spurts (or dry spells for months at a time).  Just depends.  Regardless, I thought this was a great article for those that feel the tyranny of daily posting and/or reading.  Free yourself if you’re a slave to the tyranny…

Walking Your Call

I have a new friend that is something of an anomaly in today’s world.  He doesn’t check email much…doesn’t know what texting is and doesn’t know the latest trends in ministry or who’s the hottest preacher/leader of the week.  He’s a called man–in his case, God has called him to work for the Gospel and eventually pastor a church.  He is clear in his calling…clear about Jesus and clear about what it looks like to live missionally. 

Privilege over Burden

Confession:  Many pastors eventually begin to see their people as a burden.  Somehow, the very people that God gives us to lead and shepherd become an obstacle to our leading and shepherding?  Surely we can all appreciate the irony.  While I confess this has often been the case for me in serving Jesus’ church…I’m thankful that this hasn’t been true for my time as lead pastor of CityView Church.  I’m not sure why, but I’ve yet to be heavily tempted to see our people as a burden.

Text/Context Part Zilch

Well…since the Text/Context audio and video was posted long ago…it served no purpose to reflect/report on the content of those sessions.  However…I can’t emphasize enough the powerful message of CJ Mahaney from the conference.  If you only have time to listen/watch one session from text/context…don’t miss his.

Text and Context

I’m at the Text/Context conference sponsored by The Resurgence.  When I was trying to decide whether to attend this conference, two thoughts entered my mind.

1.  Do I really want to go to another conference?  It’s been a while since I’ve been to a legit conference…and I’ve enjoyed the hiatus (More on that in another essay).

2.  Why on earth was this thing scheduled at the same time as youth specialties’ pastors’ conference?  Seems like an attendance-killer, since The Resurgence is relatively new compared to YS.

The Idolatry of Potential

My wife and I spent most of our week two weeks ago with a group of pastor-friends that all belong to the same network of churches.  As is always the case, the week was a blast.  We had the opportunity to hear and consider the words of seasoned pastor–Larry Osborne–who was invited by our network leaders.

Newest Sermon Series 5-25-2007

Every church has values…spoken or unspoken. We recently did a 6 week series on the things that we consider key to walking in the ways of Jesus.  Whether you would use our wordage or not, these values are probably found somewhere in the DNA of most disciple-making churches.  If you want to listen, click on the sermon link/s to reach the dowload/listen/podcast pages…

Acts 29 Answers Critics

Everyone is a critic.  I’m a critic.  You are most likely a critic.  We all have critics.  Criticism is NOT inherently a bad thing.  Luther was a critic…Zwingli was a critic.  We need critics. 

The Banned Driscoll Video

In case you haven’t seen it, this was the video that never made its way into the hands of the attendees of the National New Church Conference…and the very video that evidently set off Bill Hybels.