Nelson Searcy Church Growth Conference (FREE)

Thanks Bob for the heads up on the October 13 Breaking Growth Barriers conference with Pastor Nelson Searcy of The Journey.  Location?  West Palm Beach. Registration info here.

NPR: Holy Start-up!

Listen to Marty’s interview with National Public Radio.  Apparently, the Today Show will be at his church, Steven’s Creek on Sunday morning.  Marty handled himself very well and made a great presentation not only for Secure Give but also for Christ.

related post: Marty Baker’s Giving Kiosk

tagged:  npr – secure give – marty baker – Today Show – giving kiosk

Marty Baker’s Giving Kiosk

This cool cat, Marty "Big Time" Baker has gone Hollywood with a story on his giving kiosks.  CBS, NBC, NPR, and the LA Times have picked up on his SecureGive gig.  Great article.  Great Story.  The marketing of this Church technology doesn’t suck!  I’m sure Brad Abare would be proud.

tagged: marketing – technology – marty baker – Church Marketing Sucks – NPR – LA Times – Secure Give

Cleveland and Charlotte Chronicles

Posting from the Savannah Homewood Suites, the most signage-impaired hotel I’ve ever stayed in:

Kelly, the girls, and I are on our way to Charlotte to see my grandfather, W.J. Roberts.  We call him the "Silver Fox."  Kourtney calls him "Pop Roberts."  He is an awesome man.  McKenna has never met him.  He hasn’t been feeling well and the doctors haven’t given him the best news lately.  But, at 87, he still mows his own lawn and gives me a hard time.  I’ll post an entire entry later on some really inspiring things about WJ.  I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.

Thursday, we will be in Cleveland, TN for Celebration ‘06 at Lee University where I’ll be representing the Class of ‘97.  I am a big L.U. evangelist.  I love going back, especially for this event.  Everytime I’m there, I get to see a few new buildings that have gone up.  That place is rocking.  It is a great school being run by a great leader. 

I got a call from the Rabbi today.  He’s there along with a lot of good friends I really look forward to seeing. 

tagged: lee university – paul conn – Church of God

FFL: Maurice Morris

Shaun Alexander has a broken foot and I just picked up backup RB, Maurice Morris in both of my leagues.

tagged: shaun alexander – maurice morris – fantasy football

Seth Godin on First Impressions

People make their own realities. If Bill thought he was first, then in
his mind, he was. When he started using it, it began to exist. When he
stops going back, it will disappear.

As the saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression.  Read the rest of Seth’s comments here.

tagged: seth godin – first impressions

FFL – I’m a Football Nerd

I’m in two fantasy football leagues.  I drafted in one (14 team league where only deep, deep sleepers are available) and got an auto-draft in the other (8 team league where everyone has stud players).  So, the truth comes out.  I’m a football nerd.  Robert, David, and Gary are too.  I follow Gary’s soap opera and pining for Mark Richt to stay at UGA.  I guess he’s also following my pining for Coker to leave.  Anyway, like a fat man at Golden Corrall, I gorged myself on football from 2 pm until midnight with stat tracker running on my laptop.

Here’s my team from the Big Daddy’s Pizza league:

Starting Lineup
Donovan McNabb Phi-QB
Marvin Harrison Ind-WR
Darrell Jackson Sea-WR
Larry Fitzgerald Ari-WR
Deion Branch Sea-WR/RB
Brian Westbrook Phi-RB
Larry Johnson KC-RB
Kellen Winslow Cle-TE
John Carney NO-K
NY Giants Def

Bench
Marc Bulger STL-QB
Troy Williamson Min- WR
Jerome Harrison Cle-RB
Maurice Jones-Drew Jax-RB
Correll Buckhaler Phi-RB
Vernon Davis NO-TE

tagged: fantasy football – miami hurricanes – mark richt – larry coker

Barbarians of the New Dark Ages

Barbarians of the New Dark Ages is posted by Meldenius at Trespassers Will.  It is the text from Dr. Matthew Melton speaking at Thursday’s Lee University chapel service.  I hope the audio is available soon.  This is a MUST READ for every Christian that is leashed to technology.

tagged: Matthew Melton – Lee University – ipod – pda – technology

Papal Blunders and Islamic Foibles

Pope Benedict XVI makes a
comment regarding the violent nature of Islam.  Radical Muslim clerics respond by
denouncing his comments as untrue and then calling for his death.  Then, as if it could not get any weirder, on the heals of the assasination of a 70 year old nun in Somalia, the
Pope expressed:

"profound respect for the
great religions, particularly for Muslims, who worship the one God and with
whom we are committed to defending and promoting together social justice, moral
values, peace and freedom for all humanity."

Is this the same pope that makes absolute statements regarding birth control?  Yet, he appears to be saying that Allah who calls Muslim children to die for Mohammed is the same God as our Heavenly Father who sent His Son to die for us?  Am I reading this right?

pope – islam – christianity – allah – jesus christ – benedict – mohammed

DAILY LIT: An Awesome Find for Readers

I just discovered an awesome resource for readers.  I read Steve McCoy from time to time.  While there, I clicked over to Joe Thorn’s blog.  They seem to be like the Batman and Robin of the SBC.  While at Joe Thorn’s blog, I found a link to Daily Lit.

Daily Lit delivers daily bite sized portions of the Classics into your inbox.  I just finished part 1 of 7 parts of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

tagged: classic books – daily lit – steve mccoy – joe thorn – reading club – coleridge

Coach Coker: Most Endangered Species in College Football

We are three games into our season and it couldn’t be more painful.  Coach Larry Coker is a great man.  The Hurricanes are a great team.  But, as much as I hate to say it, it is time for a change.  After losing to a weak FSU team and being drubbed by Lousiville, its time for a coaching change.  Sorry, coach Coker.  I can’t believe I just said that. 

I hate that I am now saying the same thing as this Che’ Guevera wannabe.  But, Coach Coker just emerged as the most endangered coach in College Football.

tagged: miami hurricanes -  FSU – louisville – coker – college football

Survivor Segregation Island

Survivor’s latest gimmick to boost its slumping ratings proves even more disastrous turning in its worst opening rating so far.  It pains me to say this about my formerly favorite reality show but, I’m glad.  The concept was short sighted and more poorly thought out than the slumping gimmicks of ER.

tagged: survivor – Reality TV

Edmund Burke on Leadership

On Novermber 3, 1774, Edmund Burke spoke to the Electors at Bristol regarding his conviction of leadership.  He said, "Your representative
owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and
he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your
opinion."

The status quo is our biggest enemy.  In fact, status quo would call us to abandon our better judgment and innovative ideas to line up with the organizational cogs who predictably resist any substantial change.  Fighting it can be so exhausting that we eventually either lose our will to fight it or we give up never fully developing our backbone and thoughtful words needed to overcome it.  Worse yet, we often fight status quo in all the wrong places.  By targeting the fully entrenched and decidedly unchangeable for the purpose of affecting change, we have already lost.

Greg says to target the driest kindling with our fire.  Everett Rogers schools us all in what Greg is saying with his idea diffusion curve.  Seth says "all the growth and the opportunity and the fun is at the leading edge."  He further states that this is "where the change happens."

So, take the fight for positive change to the hearts and minds of those most receptive to change and innovation.

tagged: seth godin – greg stielstra – idea diffusion – edmund burke – leadership and innovation

Matt Miller and Flamingo Road Sawgrass

I got an email from Matt Miller, the student pastor at Flamingo Road Church.  He’ll be opening their newest location at Regal Cinemas in Sawgrass.  Matt is going to be hanging with us on Sunday, October 1st.  I’m looking forward to it.  I have great respect for Troy Gramling and Raul Palacios at Flamingo.  I’m definitely praying for Kingdom success for Matt and Flamingo. 

tagged: Flamingo Road Church – Troy Gramling – Regal Cinemans – Church Planting

Check out COG Catalyst

Follow the Re:Formation discussions here.  I won’t be writing anymore of my gripes or thoughts on the COG here anymore.  I’m kicking it out to its new home, COG Catalyst.

Going to Re:Formation ‘06

I’m on my out the door to Re:Formation ‘06 in Atlanta.  Alex McManus is speaking.  I’ll be there to tell the Life Pointe story along with a couple other pastors who are pastoring some out of the box churches in our denomination.  I’ll blog the conference.  More tomorrow.

tagged: Alex McManus – Church of God – Reformation – Life Pointe Church

Life Pointe Picture Show

P.T. Barnum Was a Wise Sage

You may remember this cat from a previous post.  We’ll he’s now taking it to the streets via YouTube.  I think that the fact that this hack is making it is a bigger testimony to the sage words of P.T. Barnum than to his ability to convince people that he is Christ.  Truly, there is a sucker born every minute.  Thank you, Neil for the vid.

tagged: miranda – cult – miami – creciendo en gracia – religion and philosophy

The Good News and the Bad News

The Bad News: Miami lost last night.  Our Defense was suffocating against FSU.  But, we blew it and it hurts.  I reall hate losses like this…took me 45 minutes to fall asleep last night.  Matt from Bevo Sports and Robert, do I have to eat my hat or something? (reference painful post here)

The Good News: I got Larry Johnson with the 2nd overall pick in my Fantasy Football League.  I’ll post my team later.

tagged: Miami – FSU – Larry Johnson – FFL

fantasy football dilemna

Fantasy Football draft today @ 5pm at Big Daddy’s Pizza.  FSU v. UM @ the Orange Bowl @ 8 PM.  I’ll have a one hour transit time.  I need to scalp my tickets.  I can leave Eddie Galvez’s pizzeria with the Hurricane crew no later than 6 PM.  As the odds on favorite to win it all this year, I’d say that I have to handicap myself for the sake of the "U."  Maybe, I’ll get through round 3 before I have to jet out.

I’ve got the 2nd pick. Given the choice, would you take Larry Johnson, Shaun Alexander, or LaDanian Tomlinson? SA always seems to be on my team  I had LT his rookie year.  A Chiefs’ RB is always dominant.  Any advice?

technorati tags: fantasy football – shaun alexander – larry johnson – fantasy draft

Sex Update

We are doing a Love and Sex series right now at Life Pointe.  Some of the things I said in week one definitely created conversation.  It is typical for me to be slightly off the cuff with some comments.  But, week one had me charting new lands.

Today, we had an incredible crowd, especially for labor day weekend!  With so many new people, I felt I was appropriately off color while still getting the point across.  I know that there were several people who made decisions to honor God with their sexuality and with their lives.  That really fires me up.  I will also say thank you to a great faith community for opening up and being honest about life.  You guys give me the freedom to openly confront real issues in our community without acting like a bunch of starched-collered Pharisees.

Next Sunday, we strike gold with the kicker message, "Great Sex."  I believe that most sex lives are dysfunctional.  The best sex lives ought to be those had by God’s people.  A lot of relational foundations need to be poured and repoured.  This will be a day that can do that very thing for a lot of people.  So, this is a super-critical Sunday to invite friends.  You may not want to invite your parents though…definitely, think that one through first. 

Now, we had planned to start podcasting these messages a couple months ago.  But, I felt like this should be an in-house conversation.  So, we’ve decided to keep a lid on things until our next series and make the CDs available through the church.  We’ll start regularly podcasting on October 1st.

It was great to have Jason Hitte from Discover Life Church in Melbourne, FL at LPC today.  Jason is leaving the staff of his brother Ken’s church to be a lead guy soon.  I know he is going to do very well.  It was great to catch up and share over lunch today.

Series Title for the Book of Malachi

We are gearing up for a Message Series on the Book of Malachi, specifically the six disputes between God and the people He loved.  I need some ideas on a theme to tie it all together.  Thoughts, please…serious brain freeze for the last couple weeks on this.  And, Life Pointeeeeees, read the book and give me your input here.  If you aren’t familiar with this really straight-edge book, go to the Gospel of Matthew and turn left to find it.  Or, you can click here.

Favorite George Eliot quotes

It has been a while since I read a good fiction.  I’ve read Silas Marner before.  It was in the ship library and I couldn’t pass it up.  "George Eliot" shares some super insightful words, as applicable today as ever before. Consider these excerpts:

"…the
past becomes dreamy because its symbols have all vanished, and the present too
is dreamy because it is linked with no memories."

Silas is relieved when Dolly leaves: "her simple view of life and its comforts,
by which she had tried to cheer him, was only like a report of unknown objects,
which his imagination could not fashion."

"As the child’s mind was growing into knowledge, his mind was growing into
memory: as her life unfolded, his soul, long stupefied in a cold narrow prison,
was unfolding too, and trembling gradually into full consciousness."

"Do we not wile away moments of inanity or fatigued waiting by repeating some
trivial movement or sound, until the repetition has bred a want, which is
incipient habit?"

"A man will tell you that he has worked in a mine for forty years unhurt by an
accident as a reason why he should apprehend no danger, though the roof is
beginning to sink…"

Technorati Tags: George Eliot – Silas Marner – quotes – emerging church

Ok, It Is Really Hurricane Season Now

Monday at 8 PM marks the beginning of the real Hurricanes season.  Ernesto was a dirty little punk who tried to ruin my vacation.  What a pansy.  The real season starts when Miami takes home field against the Seminoles, our most hated rival. 

After this past season’s shake up, I have to admit, I have my share of nerves over the game.  But, I still have this feeling that we will beat FSU with their own worn out war cry tom tom as usual.  Here is a wrap up of the good stuff re:Canes.

Omar Kelly lists 10 "must-dos" for a Hurricane "V" to be displayed after Q4.  Bevo Sports display Austin ignorance as both Matt and Brian pick FSU.  Erik Krupka makes no mention of the game but has all the right info from the NFL as to why UM continues as a College Football powerhouse..we turn out the best. 

The Canes definitely have our work cut out for us especially with Ernesto interupting practice.  Then, you have Ryan Moore landing himself a suspension by the school.  Ryan Moore has underperformed.  He’s quick, talented, and drops balls at all the wrong times.  The suspension may work out in our benefit even though it makes it more difficult on paper to stack up to FSU in the WR category.

Well, I can’t wait until Monday night.  I’m scalping tickets as usual to get in.  I plan a little tailgate party under the bridge by the justice building.  So far, its Oral Beason, my bro, Vic Calero, Matt Robinett, and me.  Anyone else that comes better be willing to throw objects and taunt the formerly all girls school as they prance out of the visitors tunnel. 

Oh, and by the way, Gary- you know you wish were a Miami Hurricane.  Pooley, I am praying for your waywardness.  How can anyone simulataeously claim Christ and the Seminnoles?!

Technorati Tags- college football – UM – FSU

Back to the Real World

I’m back.  Six days of rest and relaxation were just what he doctor ordered.  We took Carnival’s Imagination to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.  We ate more than I would care to talk about, slept in daily, caught some rays, took in some shows, re-enacted the bow scene from Titanic (Kelly),

swam with stingrays, climbed Dunn’s River Falls, went sockless to a formal dinner (me), and read.  It was fantastic.

Being with Kelly apart from phones, internet, work schedules, and the girls (though we greatly missed them) was really a blessing.  She’s a godly babe who has an eye for me.  I really am the most blessed man on the planet.

I also finished off a couple books, Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer and David Putnam and Silas Marner by George Eliot.  Thanks to all for the great book recommendations.  I’ll be picking some of those up soon. 

Here are a few pictures from the trip.  I know you won’t enjoy them like I did.  But, at least its not a slide show of all the vacation pics at Aunt Edna’s house.  Peace.