Living on the Digital Divide

My parent's generation viewed office paperwork in terms of duplicate copies made by using carbon paper. Correcting mistakes was a laborious process of erasing the original, erasing the copy (messy), and then correcting the mistake.

I've been around to experience the same thing, but not for long. In graduate school I can remember writing and dictating research papers while my wife typed on an IBM Selectric with self-correcting type. We thought we were in heaven!

My first position out of graduate school came with my very own workstation, part of a network of 20 staff positions, with the wonderful world of word processing. We all used a central printer for the output. Like Henry Ford said, we could have any color we wanted as long as it was black.

Through several church staff positions, and now as a consultant, I have come to accept the digital universe as normal. I'm typing this in one of my dozens of field offices around the region (Starbucks, for appointments of 1 or 2; Panera Bread, for 3 or more). My laptop is my assistant; I carry a printer around in my 4-wheel office, along with just about anything I would need to talk with a client. I can produce anything from my files in full color, customized for the client, in minutes.

And yet, there's something gratifying about sketching an idea on a napkin (literally-I do it all the time). And I have several "theme" notebooks that I jot ideas, quotes, and the like in. Sometimes they make it into my digital files; sometimes not.

My world is a digital divide - I can't do my work without all the innovative developments of the last couple of decades, but I'm drawn to the "old-fashioned" way of writing, in ink, on paper pages.

I'm looking around at kids (anyone under 35) typing on laptops, talking on cell phones, texting on their mobile phone and wondering: Do they have this same feeling? Or are they over the digital divide, living on the next level, moving forward?

Just wondering today...

The Power of Small

Why little things make a BIG difference

The positive impressions we make through little words, deeds and gestures are what lay the groundwork for success in life. It isn't difficult, but it does take commitment.

Every phone call, every email, every pint of contact with another customer, client, or colleague is an opportunity to excel, to do the unexpected, and in doing so, reveal yourself.

So what about you? Why not embrace the power of small in your life? There's a world that needs fixing, a career waiting to soar, a life ready to be transformed into the extraordinary.

Take the first step TODAY.

And then keep on walking.

- From"The Power of Small", by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

On Labor Day

Find something you love to do and you'll never work another day in your life

Kingdom-Mindedness

I had read several of Craig Groeschel's books prior to Catalyst last year in Atlanta. I had heard him speak online several times. But it was really his main stage presentation at the Catalyst event, coupled with his last book "it", that leads me to close Speed Reading Week with a focus on one chapter of "it" - Kingdom-Mindedness: You Share it.

Groeschel opens the chapter with this quote:

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others

and the world remains and is immortal.

-Albert Pine

There are very few ministries in this country (maybe in the world) that do so much for others with no expectations. Here's just a sampling of the work they have provided - free - for anyone to use in their own church:

• YouVersion


• Open.LifeChurch.tv


• Second Life campus


• Swerve blog


• OnePrayer movement


• Facebook application for their Internet campus


• ChurchMetrics


• VideoTeaching.com


• YouVersion Bible app


• Bablewith.me

I'll let you go online and take a look at these resources on your own (LifeChurch.tv). Craig Groeschel and the amazing team at LifeChurch really get "it".

Here are a couple of thoughts from "it" that sum up LifeChurch pretty well:

A kingdom-minded ministry is one whose leaders care more about what God is doing everywhere than what God is doing in their own ministry. A kingdom-minded ministry is generous and eager to partner with other to get more done for the glory of God.

And some it factors:

• The more possessive and competitive we are, the more divided we become


• When you have it, you know that it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to God. He gives it


• Since it is His and not yours, you're willing to share it


• The more you try to keep it, the less of it you tend to have. The more you are willing to give it away, the more of it God seems to give.

What can you do? More than you think.

Stupid Leadership Mistakes

Tony Morgan is the executive director of ministries at West Ridge Church near Atlanta. He’s also a strategist, coach, writer, speaker and consultant who equips leaders and churches to impact their communities for Christ. More important, he has a passion for the people. He’s all about helping people meet Jesus and take steps in their faith.

The following list was delivered by Tony at the 2008 Church Solutions Conference, but portions of it have also appeared in his latest book, Killing Cockroaches. Not only does this book have a great title, but it's full of helpful advice for church leaders. Got cockroaches in your life - reach for this book, not the bug spray!

1. Hiring too fast and firing too slow. The right people don't need to be managed--they just need to be pointed in the right direction. Jim Collins said, "If the person came to tell you that he or she is leaving to pursue an exciting new opportunity, would you feel terribly disappointed or secretly relieved?" If you'd be relieved, it's time for them to go.

2. Putting the projects before the people. Ecclesiastes 7:18 says, "The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." This is one of those areas where we need to embrace the tension between relating with people and accomplishing the mission/getting the job done.

3. Trying to fix the problem rather than the process. It's like continuing to change diapers instead of potty-training your kids. You can either continue to react to the problem, or you can fix the process. 90% of the time it's a systems-problem rather than a people-problem.

4. Delegating tasks instead of responsibility. I told the story of the three little pigs. "if all I've known is straw houses and I control every detail of their construction, then my leadership will never generate brick house ideas."

5. Assuming it's always black and white. Following rules is easier than the messiness of relationships. Following rules is easier than discerning God's will. The policies or guidelines we establish should actually remove barriers and allow more freedom within our organizations. But, innovative organizations don't value the rules over the mission.

6. Not following my gut. (...or is that the Holy Spirit?) Sometimes when I'm facing a big decision, I try to acquire more information rather than seek God's direction. When we stop listening to God, he stops talking to us. God stopped talking to Abraham for 13 years between the last verse of Genesis 16 and the first chapter of 17. And, sometimes, God requires us to take a step, in faith, before he reveals his plan. Check out Joshua 3.

7. Dwelling on the worst case scenario. I have the spiritual gift of discernment. That can be a positive gift when God's in control of my life. When I try to take control, that "gift" turns into sin. It's called worry or anxiety. I've wasted way too much time worrying about challenges or problems that never happened. This is my biggest area of vulnerability. What's yours?

8. Waiting until there's a problem to provide feedback. I'm encouragement-challenged. My tendency is to only speak up when expectations aren't met. That can create a culture of fear. I need to discipline myself to encourage my team. As Tom Peters has said, "Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes."

9. Staying busy. I've too often made the mistake of assuming that since I'm busy I'm adding value. It's very possible to be constantly busy and be completely ineffective. By the way, email can be the biggest trap of all. If I wanted to, I could spend every hour of every day processing email and getting absolutely nothing accomplished.

10. Spending too much time on the details rather than the dreams. Perry (Noble, Tony's pastor at Newspring) showed me this one. Check out Genesis 11:31-32. Terah intended to go to Canaan. Instead he stopped in Haran. He got stuck there for 205 years. Then he died. Why? Was it disobedience? Did he lose sight of God's vision? Did he just get too comfortable? Did he settle for less than God's best? When I get too focused on responding to the urgent, I lose sight of the big picture. And, frankly, my tendency is to settle into a routine that's very comfortable but doesn't accomplish the full mission God has for my life and my ministry.

Tony's closing comment: Those are my leadership mistakes. They are a reflection of my personality. They also reflect the sin that's sometimes present in my life. Your list likely looks different. But, do you know your list? You should. Ask yourself. Ask your spouse. Ask your team. Ask God. Don't settle.

Focus the Message, Multiply the Impact

The average Christian is educated
at least three years beyond their obedience.

I'm continuing my version of Speed Reading Week: a book a day from authors that I have had the privilege of hearing speak in person in the last year, and/or have had a conversation with about their work. Today, it's Dave Ferguson and "The Big Idea" from Community Christian Church in Naperville IL - and many other sites. One of the leading proponents of the multi-site church concept, Ferguson and CCC begin with a simple premise:

More Information = Less Clarity
More Information = Less Action

Instead, they submit that The Big Idea = More Clarity and Action. Here is a brief outline of the major points of "The Big Idea".

• The Big Idea = Directional Alignment
• TBI moves the whole family in the same direction
• TBI moves all small groups (circle groups) in the same direction
• TBI moves all ministries in the same direction
• TBI moves all campuses and sites in the same direction
• TBI moves the whole network in the same direction

Big Idea = Speedy Obedience
The measure of maturity is determined by the speed of obedience
Transformation: when a person hears God and responds with swift obedience

Paradox: The Big Idea is Less AND More

• Energy: Less Effort AND Better Stuff
• Innovation: New Ideas AND Always Good Ideas
• Target Generations: Boomers, Busters AND Mosaics
• Curriculum: Targeted AND Reproducible
• Creativity: Planned AND Spontaneous
• Christ Followers: More AND More Maturing
  

Advance Planning:
Gives Freedom to Think Creatively
Gives Freedom to Suspend Skepticism
Gives Freedom to Postpone Decisions

The Secrets Implicit in The Big Idea

• Collaboration – Our ideas are always better than your idea. So get over it.
• Humility – Let me introduce you to the pastor’s helper.
• Trust – I know you won’t let us down; we’re banking on it.
• Fun – If you want this much commitment, it had better be fun.
• Competition – This week has to be better than last week.
• Yes – Just when you’re about to say, “Why?” think, “Why not?”
  
  

Jesus’ Really Big Idea
Challenge 1: Take Bold Risks
Challenge 2: Be Spirit-led
Challenge 3: Continually Reproduce

Four Developmental Stages to Accomplishing the Big Idea
Phase 1: A Really Big Idea Church
Phase 2: A Reproducing Church
Phase 3: A Network Church
Phase 4: A Movement Church

A closing quote from Ferguson sums it up pretty well:

I am a Christ follower. I follow Jesus step by step as his Spirit moves me in His community called the church. When Jesus steps, I follow. When Jesus speeds up, I increase my pace. When Jesus slows down, I slow down too. The direction, the speed, and the ultimate destination of my life are determined by keeping in step with Jesus’ Spirit. Simple. Clear. Not easy!

Christianity Has an Image Problem

Using the lens of careful, scientific research that the Barna Research is known for, "unChristian" is an invitation to see what Christianity looks like from the outside. The title of the book reflects outsiders’ most common reaction to the faith: they think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what is was meant to be. They admit they have a hard time actually seeing Jesus because of all the negative baggage that now surrounds Him. Research of the topic revealed six most common points of skepticism and objections. It was my privilege to hear author Gabe Lyons speak at the 2008 Church Solutions Expo and again at the Catalyst Lab. Here are the six broad themes of the book:

1. Hypocritical – Outsiders consider us hypocritical – saying one thing and doing another – and they are skeptical of our morally superior attitudes. They say Christians pretend to be something unreal, conveying a polished image that is not accurate. Christians think the church is only a place for virtuous and morally pure people.

2. Too focused on getting converts – Outsiders wonder if we genuinely care about them. They feel like targets rather than people. They question our motives when we try to help them “get saved,” despite the fact that many of them have already “tried” Jesus and experienced church before.

3. Antihomosexual – Outsiders say that Christians are bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians. They say Christians are fixated on curing homosexuals and on leveraging political solutions against them.

4. Sheltered – Christians are thought of as old-fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality. Outsiders say we do not respond to reality I appropriately complex ways, preferring simplistic solutions and answers. We are not willing to deal with the grit and grime of people’s lives.

5. Too political – Another common perception of Christians is that we are overly motivated by a political agenda, that we promote and represent politically conservative interests and issues. Conservative Christians are often thought of as right-wingers.

6. Judgmental – Outsiders think of Christians as quick to judge others. They say we are not honest about our attitudes and perspectives about other people. They doubt that we really love people as we say we do.

"unChristian" is a fascinating study that reveals why the negative perceptions above exist, but more importantly, gives us clues on how to reverse these perceptions.