Missional - wow

Missional Hair

When is hair not hair but missional hair?

When your daughter donates her hair to Locks of Love



Im glad my children understand how to love others. It makes me proud to know they see the need to show Christ's love. Even in little ways.

Been Awhile

Been awhile Since Ive posted.

Needless to say - dealing with a serious issue from my past.

Hopefully in a time Ill be able to share the story of how what happened then brought me to my missional position.

For now please continue to pray for me and my family.

Thanks

Missional - A chance to do something

Ran across this organization and thought I'd pass it along.

Worth checking out.

Our Beautiful Day

Missional - Its harder to compete with so much choice

Check out this article:

GM dealers offer Toyota test drives

Now you can compare similar cars all at one place. Choice run rampant.

Whats it mean to the church?

Well first off it means we can't compete! We must stand on our distictives. Those things that set us apart from everyone else.

We can't be "similar" we must be distictive! If we are similar to something we will get shopped like every other product.

The church must stop acting like a product as well. The church is the sum of its people and its mission. Not its building and its programs.

What does your church stand out with?

Missional - Missional Blog Recommendation

I have recently found this blog.

Check it out some great information here.

Volunteers In Service Blog


Great stuff

Missional - Missional Ministry and the Technology challenge

Found this article the other day:

Report: 48% of Leisure Time is Spent Online

MarketingVOX: A report from Media-Screen finds that broadband users spend an average of 48 percent of their free time online in a typical weekday, reports the Center for Media Research. The percentage measures out to about one hour and 40 minutes.

On average, online broadband users devote 27 percent of their time online to leisure/entertainment, 27 percent for communication, 9 percent on information searches, 15 percent on personal productivity, and 12 percent on shopping.

Among younger users, 48 percent report they learn about new entertainment mainly through peer-powered sites like social networks, review and video sites, and blogs.

Two media activities - sending email and visiting sites for personal reasons - are more popular than watching TV.

You can find the original article here.

I think this has real significance for those individuals and churches seeking to be missional.

More young people surf the web than watch TV!

So part of the problem resides in the fact that we want to bring pre-believers into an atmosphere where in most churches we are technology challenged. The first thing these folks think is that suddenly they are beng asked to be part of a group who doesnt understand them.

What do we need to do? What can be done?

We need to not be affraid of Blogs, MySpace, Social Networking, emailing prayer reports and Bible study resources. Create ebooks and other resources.

It doesnt take much to record services as MP3's or video files anymore and put them online. Free services like YouTube and others host all this content free.

People are looking for an ongoing conversation. One that doesnt end when the service ends. But one that is a continuation. How can we do creative things to extend that conversation?

But the first step in tradtional churches who long to move missionally must be able to integrate technology in a seamless way that allows for new people to see thought, planning and consideration going into how technology is being used. And not just in the presentation during the service but in the use during the week and thepromotion of that ongoing conversation.

How can we use the powerful tool of modern communication to increase the scope, reach and quality of our conversations with those who are in our congregations?

Any Ideas?

Missional - The Missional Office Pool

So a guy in my office was having a baby (yeah I know his wife was having it). So there was a pool. How much would the baby weigh.

Well everyone was taking weights and putting their $5 in and no one asked me to join. I got righteously offended and asked him why he didnt ask me. He said "I didnt think a preacher would play!" I said well how about this Ill take the last 2 weights and if I "win" you can have the money for the baby.

Well guess what.

I won.

Now ewveryone in the office today was talking about how I gave the office pool money to the the father of the new baby.

You know what? It didnt cost me much, but it did give me ample opportunity to tell people today, that the reason I did it was to bless someone else the way God has blessed me.

More than 1 person said, "I wish all people who say they are Christians did such things."

The opportunities are out there folks. Its up to you to capitalize on them.

Missional - Starts Small

As you may know, we've accepted a position as Senior Pastor at a church in a rural county here in North Central Pa. We are excited and thrilled to begin this new journey.

It will be an opportunity for us to help a church become missional as well as live it out ourselves.

It began for me last week by meeting the local Convenience Store owner and the Postal Clerk. What fun!

Now Im working on how to begin to develop these relationships.

I have also discovered the local lake is a great place to meet others and talk. I have already been there to pray and consider God's beauty and God has brought a couple conversations about with folks because of that.

Im excited to see how God uses these things and develops these relationships.

Stay Tuned.

Missional - A Leadership Lesson

“Ph.D. in leadership. Short course: Make a short list of all things done to you that you abhorred. Don’t do them to others. Ever. Make another list of things done to you that you loved. Do them to others. Always.” — Dee Hock

Missional Another example In My Neighborhood

Here's another great example:

Missional In My Neighborhood

A determined caller asked, "What can I do to be missional in my neighborhood?"

I love questions that seek to create opportunities to share the simple 'love' of Jesus. So I offered a quick list of suburbia ideas for the caller to consider for her 'neck of the Northern California suburbia woods'

I've always felt awkward when I'm resting at a stop light, trying not to look at the homeless panhandler (Icon of God) out my driver's side window. I know, I know..."they do this as a scam to make easy money off of guilt ridden passers-by." I don't care. I want to meet a need, and I want to do it cheerfully and loving.

Whenever I go to McDonald's or any fast food location of your appetite's choice, I buy multiple $5 gift cards.

Last week I purchased $25 worth and placed the cards above my car's visor. Now, whenever I see someone asking for 'some help', I quickly pull one of the cards out from the visor and tell them to go get a warm lunch on me.

If the light is longer than normal, it creates a conversation.

I now pray for "Jimmy" on a daily basis, and I look for him each Wednesday afternoon during my drive into the radio station. We've struck up a dialog each time I've handed him the card. He's confounded at the 'love in forethought' that goes into buying the cards. Last week a small break through...he told me to keep praying for him as I drove away.

Read the rest Here.

Missional - Missional Meet Up

To my Christian and Missionary Alliance friends out there, if your going to Council and want to try to meet up, drop me an email.

Im pretty sure I'll be there, just not certain when yet!

But I'd love to get together.
So drop me an email!