Its Tuesday Evening, October 23, I’m doing some site maintenance in my sidebar. Things might be wacky for a little bit. Update: Okay, I’m all done as you can tell (I hope).  I didn’t do much but I moved my design portfolio to my new design website and added a link to that site and then added a list of recent discussions / comments on this blog. I really appreciate it when you guys participate so hopefully this will help a bit.
Archive for October, 2007
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October 23, 2007
Site Maintenance
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October 22, 2007
343design
I just launched my new web design site. My new company is called 343design. You can visit the site here and learn why I chose that name here. Of course, you can contact me here if you are interested in or need a website.
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October 22, 2007
The Best of The Last Few Months
Being crazy busy this week I don’t have a ton of time to write out some of the things I’ve been thinking (topics like, “the practice of taking offering in the missional church” and “why taking days off is awesome” and other fun thoughts). But, in the meantime, I am hoping to get some reaction from a couple things I have been processing lately here on the blog. Since no one really responded I’m posting a few links to some posts that I’d love to hear your thoughts on. After all, isn’t that what blogs are for? The other reason I am doing this (besides not having anything else to write) is because I think that one of the problems of blogs is that once...Read More →
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October 21, 2007
Look for Me on TV at the Bears Game
My wife and I are headed to the Chicago Bears / Philadelphia Eagles game today. You won’t see us unless the camera pans to section 123, row 33, seats 3 and 4. This will be my first Bears game ever. I’m kinda excited. Though, I am not dumb enough to wear my Bears gear to the game. Now if I can just keep myself from cheering to loudly when Devin Hester returns a kick for a TD… If I can control myself I’ll be able to keep from having beer, fists and explicitives thrown in my general direction. Here is a field chart. We’ve got great seats, thanks to a friend who works for the Eagles…
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October 18, 2007
I Can’t Hide the Homeless Anymore.
My friend Tim from The Well has been doing some reflecting on his experiences of recently serving the homeless down in the city. Anna from our church leads a group of people down the Love Park area each Monday night. I went down a few weeks ago and look forward to going again. I have a bunch of things stirring in my soul from that one evening. The biggest thing that night did to me was that it made me deal with a very real problem. No longer can I ignore it. I’ve tried to push the fact that there are hundreds of homeless men, women and children 25 miles from where I sit on this nice comfortable couch from Ikea while typing on my...Read More →
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October 17, 2007
One Village Coffee Goodness…
My good friend Scott Hackman is part of a small coffee roasting company called “One Village Coffee.” It’s the best coffee I have tasted. Ever. I even took the coffee into my local Starbucks where I usually study and the manager there (who is a coffee freak) confessed that this was “damn good coffee.” So, go buy some. You’ll be happy you did. But, OVC is more than just good coffee. Its a company that is helping make a difference in the world. I think Scott told me recently that they are not changing the world by themselves, but they are working directly with and supporting those who are changing the world. These are the people you and I don’t hear about. They are the...Read More →
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October 17, 2007
A Conference that I Actually Need…
Dear blog readers, I wanted to officially invite you to a conference that I go to every year with Joe Myers (author of Search to Belong and Organic Community). Now, I’ve been to conference after conference in my young pastoral career. Many of them have been stimulating. But it seems like I am hearing the same thing over and over again. And, honestly, I’m done hearing about how the church needs to be “missional†or “emergent†and how we need to change because the culture is changing. Ok, I get that already. I’ve had it pounded into my brain over and over again. I get it. Now, those conferences are important, but I need something else at this stage in my pastoral life… Perhaps you’ve...Read More →
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October 14, 2007
Psalm 62
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock ad my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. How long will you assault a man? Would yo throw him down – this leaning wall, this tottering fence? They fully intend to topple him from this lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Find rest O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times,...Read More →
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October 12, 2007
Small Groups. Good or Bad?
In my last post I brought up an ad from a church that was looking to cancel their church service and become a church of small groups. Now, honestly, this kind of thing just doesn’t sit right with me. I also asked a few questions and was very happy to see some of the responses you shared. I think many of you are on to what I am getting at here but let me share my opinion with you (since you shared yours, I guess it is only fair that I share mine). Some thoughts: 1. Small groups aren’t bad, just over-promoted as the answer to spiritual growth. The issue is when people imply that this is where “true spiritual growth” happens. Spiritual growth and...Read More →
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October 10, 2007
Where Does True Spiritual Growth Happen?
So, just curious, what do you think of the follow statement that I pulled off of a church website (which will remain nameless) “Loving God, Loving Others, and Serving. We believe that true spiritual growth happens in small groups of people. That’s the way Jesus taught his disciples, that’s the way the early church was formed, and that’s the way we’re going to grow as well. Imagine a church that doesn’t just have small groups, but is a church of small groups. Imagine these groups learning how to live more like Jesus. Imagine these groups in all corners of our city serving the poor, the broken, and the forgotten people. Imagine these groups simply being the Church.” In the meantime, we need everyone to sign...Read More →
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October 9, 2007
Suburban Missional Church
I am continually trying to work out how to live faithfully as a follower of Jesus in suburban America. I am also continually asking what it looks like to lead a church community in this same context. Browse all my blog posts about this here.
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October 9, 2007
10 Ideas for Living Missionally in the Suburbs
Will Samson, a fellow blogger, friend and author who cares about the suburbs linked to an article by Chris Smith. Chris put together 10 ideas for living missionally in the burbs. I like em. I am drowning in work at the moment. If i had more time, i would add some commentary and share some of my own ideas… but i’ll let chris speak for me. He writes, Ten Ways to be the People of God in Suburbia by Chris Smith 1) Live with others from your church community Whether you share your home with another person or family, or whether you have several families that have homes in close proximity or both, sharing life together is perhaps the most powerful (i.e., going against the...Read More →
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October 7, 2007
Update on the Boys…
Sorry its blurry, but come on, is that hair not amazing? Click on the picture to enlarge it… We’ve been totally loving being parents of two kids. People keep on asking me if I am now really tired. Well, I am, but its not because the kids are keeping me up. Mason is basically sleeping through the night. It’s the dang MLB playoffs. I mean, come on, why do I have to stay up till 2am just to watch my favorite team?! This television schedule has to change. Of course, now that the Cubs were swept, I can get plenty of sleep… Back to the boys. Here are some recent highlights that I think are worth sharing: Cole: Cole is getting really, really good at...Read More →
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October 3, 2007
Congregations Aren’t Stupid
Eugene Peterson writes in his book Under the Predictable Plant, “The congregation is not the enemy. Pastoral work is not adversarial. These people in the pews are not aliens to be conquered – defeated and then rehabilitated to the satisfaction of the pastoral ego. Thomas Merton wrote, “it is both dangerous and easy to hate man as he is because he is not ‘what he ought to be.’ if we do not first respect what he is we will never suffer him to become what he ought to be: in our impatience we will do away with him altogether… and the congregation is not stupid and lumpish, waiting for pastoral enlightenment. Condescension is pastors is even worse than hostility.” This are some great thoughts from...Read More →
