Biology 101 - for the Church!

I just finished up a blog post for my weekly assignment at Church Solutions. It should post sometime Monday morning; you will be able to see it here.

It all started with the anniversary of the discovery of the chemical structure of DNA on February 28, 1953 by Francis Crick and James Watson. Although DNA was discovered in 1869, it wasn't until 1943 that its role in determining genetic inheritance was demonstrated. It took an additional 10 years for Watson and Crick to discover the structure of the DNA molecule and its importance in the replication of our cell structures throughout our bodies. The very familiar double helix structure is depicted above. The discovery of DNA allowed Watson and Crick to demonstrate how it was possible for genetic instructions to be held inside organisms and passed from generation to generation.

There is a lesson here for the church - and it's not just in the popular use of the phrase "the DNA of your church" that has become more prevalent over the past decade. As much as I see the church as structure and systems and organization, we must never forget that it is an organism - the Body of Christ. All of the science and knowledge of living things can be applied to the church in the same way - and it behoves us to understand the church in this way.

After all - God created all living things and gave us the intellect and ability to begin to glimpse just a little of the miracle of life - why shouldn't we apply that same learning to His body, the church?

More to come!

The Power of a Presentation

2009 is shaping up to be my busiest year ever as a speaker, and I want to pause right now and thank God for the opportunities He has given me to speak. He has given me the desire and basic tools to use, but more importantly He has given me the drive to constantly improve.


In that constant journey of becoming a better speaker, I listen to as many presentations as possible at events I attend; I browse the web for captivating speeches; I listen to CDs of great speeches, and I read a lot (is that a surprise?) on the best books available on the topic.


One such book is slide:ology by Nancy Duarte. I've mentioned her work before, but it has been such an important work and influence that I wanted to post her Five Theses of the Power of Presentation for your consideration - and application.

• Treat Your Audience as King - They didn't come to your presentation to see you. They came to find out what you can do for them. Success means giving them a reason for taking their time, providing content that resonates, and ensuring it's clear what they are to do


• Spread Ideas and Move People - Creating great ideas is what we were born to do; getting people to feel like they have a stake in what we believe is the hard part. Communicate your ideas with strong visual grammar to engage all their senses and they will adopt the ideas as their own


• Help Them See What You're Saying - Epiphanies and profoundly moving experiences come from moments of clarity. Think like a designer and guide your audience through ideas in a way that helps, not hinders, their comprehension. Appeal not only to their verbal senses, but to their visual senses as well.


• Practice Design, Not Decoration - Orchestrating the aesthetic experience through well-known but oft-neglected design practices often transforms audiences into evangelists. Don't just make pretty talking points. Instead, display information in a way that makes complex information clear.


• Cultivate Healthy Relationships - A meaningful relationship between you, your slides, and your audience will connect people with content. Display information in the best way possible for comprehension rather than focusing on what you need as a visual crutch. Content carriers connect with people.

As I continue preparing for 2009 presentations, I'm going back to a blank page and starting with this question:

What action do I want to move my audience to undertake?

Reinstalling (Spiritual) Software

Since returning from my week long Phoenix trip, my laptop has not been happy. I attribute it to the sunny weather out there; it simply didn't want to return to the chilly NC Piedmont. In any case, it's had a few issues the past several days. I have had to reinstall several software programs in order to get it operating like it was designed.

In a similar vein, I wonder about my spiritual software - the operating system of my beliefs, if you will. Church consultations of the past few months, individuals I have spoken with, and authors I have been reading all seem to be challenging me on my spiritual status quo.

Which leads me to this thought: How often do we check in with our Programmer to see if we are operating the way He designed us?

Thanks, Dad

It's been a really hectic time since I got back from Church Solutions Expo. My father-in-law has been in the hospital since 2/16, and I flew in to Charlotte late Friday and Anita flew out early Saturday to be with him in Tennessee. He was moved into ICU Sunday, so she stayed over a couple of extra days and is coming back Tuesday. I'm posting updates on Face Book if you're interested.

Today was a long day, with travel first to Winston Salem, then back to Huntersville, then down to Wingate. A long day with lots of "stuff" happening, but it ended on a very positive note from one of the team I was meeting with at the church.

After over 2 1/2 hours of discussion, a remark was made something like this:

Your company's information on the website and print say a lot, but your talk here tonight says the most. You may not realize it, but you've mentioned the influence of your father at least four times tonight, all in very positive ways. That speaks to your character and integrity, and that comes from a relationship that can't be taught, but can be caught. That's the kind of person we want to work with.

I was a little taken aback by the comment, but was very flattered. I did not realize that I was referencing my Dad that much, but evidently I was, and it was noticed.

Thanks, Dad, for modeling for me all the right things to do and say - even when I don't realize I'm doing and saying them!

Church Solutions Wrap-Up

The 2009 Church Solutions Conference wrapped up early today-it has been a great week in Phoenix. A few closing thoughts:

• My deep appreciation to the Church Solutions staff: they know how to run a good conference! Publisher Katherine Kennedy, Group Editor Karen Butler, and Education Coordinator Amy Reed were everywhere at once, making sure everything was just right. As a frequent speaker at national conferences, I really appreciate their passion and dedication to their job. Thank you, ladies, for another superb event!
• There were 30 presentation slots, full of great content and gifted speakers. I could only be in one place at a time, but I overheard lots of good comments about the presentations. It's great to be a part of a group that believes in sharing their knowledge and experience for the church at large.
• Church leaders from around the country were soaking up more than just the sunny Phoenix weather - they were fully engaged in the presentations, ready to take the knowledge gleaned back to their own turf, put it into their context, and give it a try.
• Keynote speakers John Jenkins and Jerry Colangelo gave inspiring talks to the crowd - and the crowd responded with enthusiasm.
• The expo hall had a good mix of vendors who were eager to interact with conference participants, listening and explaining their services and products.
• The NACDB, of which my company is a proud charter member, seemed to be everywhere. Our association had a good turnout for the annual meeting on Monday, and most of those stayed for the conference the rest of the week. Our members were front and center in the education sessions, taking notes and asking questions, all to better help their church clients back in their home areas.

I will be reviewing my notes and gathering some notes from friends, and hope to post some of the best "Learnings" over the next few weeks.

I'm ready to head back to Charlotte to family and friends - I only wish I could take the sunny weather with me!

Now I'm in the Digital Age

Rex Miller has written about the communication times of human development: first the oral age, followed by written, then broadcast, and now in the digital age.

I have been in Phoenix all week long, and have not even opened the door to the TV stand in my room, nor have I turned on the radio.

I'm getting all my news, etc. via my phone and laptop. Welcome to the digital age!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Leading from the Future - Ron Martoia

The latest from the Church Solutions Conference:

The biggest barrier to progress in human history has not been ignorance,

but the illusion of knowing.

- Daniel Boorstin

Ron Martoia is a former pastor and church planter who now consults with churches and corporate executive teams as a transformation architect. His presentation today was a fascinating glimpse into the rapid changes of our society today - and how they mirror past "hinges" of historical movements.

He encouraged us to stretch our mental model away from the way things should be done (reactive thinking) and learn to differentiate between accommodation and assimilation.

He also talked about the powerful differences between logos (doctrine and dogma) and mythos (the power of a story to change a life). When mythos gives way to logos, fundamentalism is the result. He urged church leaders to rediscover the power of the story and weave that into the lives of our churches today.

Martoia's depth has challenged me to look beyond the past and the present, not being content with what has been and what is, to what could be.