The secret to (Christian) leadership

Everett Bogue
Everett Bogue | Via Farbeyondthestars.com

One of the blogs I follow – far beyond the stars wrote this week about the Secret of Minimalist Freedom Success

For some of you, you may think there’s nothing of real value in the post… but here’s the kicker…

I’ll make this as short as possible, so you can print it off and paste it right above your LCD screen on your laptop. So you don’t forget it when you’re globe trotting through the world with other people who have mastered the secret like the case-studies I will list below.

You need to lead a lifestyle that you want people to live.

As I read Everett’s post, it resounded more and more…

Anyone can get up and tell you how to live your life. I can write posts day and night about how we should love others, or how we should simplify our lives, or how our stories matter — but really hits home is when people can see you living that life.

Want to convince me to love my wife? Show me how to do it by loving your wife.

Want to convince me to give more? Show me how to do it by giving more.

Want to convince me to read my Bible more? Show me how to do it by reading your Bible more.

And not only show me – but tell me about it. Tell me all the great things that you’ve discovered in doing these things.

And not only that, but tell me when things don’t turn out as you’ve planned as well.

Be real, authentic and honest — and live it out.

Pretty simple really.

Now why can’t I do that?…..

Is the institutional church in decline?

Bainbridge Island Church
Bainbridge Island Church | Photo by Jonathan Blundell

My mate Stewart is working on his dissertation.

He’s been working on it long enough that I may never want to go back and get my Masters degree ;-).

And in his dissertation he’s writing about the institutional church.
Continue reading Is the institutional church in decline?

C is for Church

A few friends helped put together a new e-book and website recently, C is for Church, and have made it available for you to download (free or pay what you want).

“C is for church” is a collective conversation for the Church at large. It’s a step towards open-sourcing the discussions happening behind the closed doors of many church staffs.

Everyone from Senior Pastors to Support Staff to Administrative Staff to Church Members engaged in conversations that led to the published study. (over 100 hours of one-on-one discussions)

Common motifs were discovered amidst the convos and are illustrated via typography. Each theme is meant to provoke a thought rather than provide an answer.

I read through it last night and thought it was an easy (and important) read for many of my friends so I’m passing it along to you as well.
Continue reading C is for Church

#thenines 2010

Leadership Network is planning a repeat of last year’s #thenines event.

The event takes place for nine hours on Sept. 9, and features nine-minute messages from folks around the “Christian sphere” geared towards other Christian leaders.

Last year, they did a great job of mixing up the conversation, and this year they’re hoping to do more of the same — but allowing others to submit and vote for their “favorites.”

I could probably be nit-picky and say I think it’s silly that we’re voting for our “favorite Christian speakers” but instead I chose to take advantage of the opportunity and nominate some folks I think deserve to (and should) be heard and I invite you to do the same.

I nominated Greg Russinger, Jay Bakker, Mark Horvath, Shaun Groves and Cornel West.

I also voted for Andrew Jones (Tall Skinny Kiwi), Mike Rusch, Charles Lee, Shane Claiborne, Skye Jethani and Brian McLaren.

And I’m tempted to add Trucker Frank to the mix as well — but I have a feeling he’d turn them down :-).

Who do you think the Christian community needs to hear from? What voices have been left out?

You can vote online at http://twtpick.in/4k and you’ll apparently need a Twitter account to vote and nominate.

For more, you can read some of my thoughts from last year’s event:

ALAN HIRSCH SHARES DURING #THENINES
NOTES FROM #THENINES
SKYE JETHANI :: WHERE DOES OUR LEGITIMACY COME FROM?
“OFFICIAL” NOTES FROM #THENINES
VIDEOS FROM #THENINES ONLINE

BTW… Everett Bogue’s new book, Minimalist Business, is now available. If you’re interested at all in building a business online, either full-time or part-time — it’ll be worth it to you to grab a copy. And if you buy it within the first 24-hours (before 10 a.m. PST, Wednesday morning) you’ll save some cash as well with his special “early bird pricing.” Get your copy here.

You can also read some of Everett’s other work, How to Create a Movement (FREE), The Art of Being Minimalist or his blog: farbeyondthestars.com

#justicefriday – Healthcare and Imagination

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove dreams a new dream for healthcare and the church.

Read more of his thoughts at Sojo.net.

May we all BE the Church we dream of.

(HT @zoecarnate)

Churches in Kaufman County (and beyond)

As we’ve moved to the northwest corner of Kaufman County, the search has begun for a new community of faith to take part in.

Google has been helpful as we’ve begun our search, but I thought I’d make a listing of churches in Kaufman County and areas surrounding Forney (Sunnyvale, Heath, Rockwall, Talty, etc) similar to what I had in Ellis County.

If by chance I’ve left off any churches, feel free to drop me a note and I’ll be sure to add it ASAP.

Crandall churches:

Central Baptist
Church of Christ
Crandall United Methodist
First Baptist
First Community Church
The Lord’s House of Prayer
Maranatha Baptist

Cottonwood churches:

Cottonwood Baptist

Gun Barrel churches:

Legendary Baptist

Heartland churches:

Heartland First Baptist
Vista Church

Heath churches:

First Baptist
First Christian
First United Methodist
Freedom Chapel
Holy Trinity by the Lake
Lakeshore
Our Savior Lutheran

Forney churches:

Beacon Hill Baptist
Calvary Chapel Forney
c|Life
Covenant Generations
Crossroads Bible
Fellowship Baptist
First Baptist
First Presbyterian
First United Methodist
Forney Church of Christ
Lake Pointe Forney
Mustang Creek Community
New River
People’s Fellowship
Seven Oaks Fellowship
St. Martin of Tours
Thrive
Trinity Family
Water of Life Lutheran

Kaufman churches:

Country Bible
First Baptist
First Presbyterian
First United Methodist
Grace Fellowship
Kaufman Church of Christ
Kaufman County Christian Center
Kaufman County Cowboy Church (there’s no location info on their site – I’m assuming it’s in Kaufman)
Life Church
Oak Hill/Kaufman Foursquare
Southside Baptist
St. Ann
Trinity Southern Baptist
Wade Chapel AME

Mabank churches:

Cowboy Church
First Baptist
First United Methodist
Mabank Church of Christ
Prairieville Baptist

Sunnyvale churches:

Berean Baptist
Grace Fellowship
Higher Ground
Life Community Church
Long Creek Baptist
New Hope Church
New Covenant United Methodist
Sunnyvale First Baptist

Terrell churches:

College Mound United Methodist
Cornerstone Baptist
CrossPoint Community
Emmanuel Baptist
First Baptist
First Christian Church
First Presbyterian
First United Methodist
Greater McIntyre Chapel
Rafter J Cowboy Church
St. John the Apostle
Terrell Bible