Ronald Rolheiser: The Holy Longing: The Search for A Christian Spirituality
Timothy Keller: The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Chip Heath: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
N. T. Wright: Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
Howard Behar: It's Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks
Brian McLaren: Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope
This is what my sermon looks like right now:
Isn't that cute? :)
I'm using new mind mapping software called MindManager 7 that Chris introduced me to, and so far I'm loving it! Saves me tons of writing and re-writing and crossing out in what usually results in an entire legal pad FILLED with handwritten mumbo-jumbo that not even the most committed Pentecostal could translate.
Back to the map...
A bunch of you asked to see the actual Zoomerang survey we use each week as a part of our weekend reviews. Chris Bell has posted a link to a sample survey - which is identical to the one we use each week.
Chris writes some more about it here.
Feel free to take this sample survey to see how it works.
I have to admit....I'm really having fun with this whole Twitter thing.
"What's Twitter?", you ask.
Twitter is sort of like blogging, but on a much smaller scale. 140 characters to be exact.
Here's how it works:
I post something short and simple either via the web or text messaging.
Then, the crazy stalker people (kidding...) who subscribe to my Twitter receive an instant update via text messaging or on their Twitter page (txt alerts are optional...)
But here's where it starts getting fun....
When you read a Twitter you like, you can reply to it and comment back.
To tell you the truth, Twittering can be a bit addictive BUT it's PERFECT for my ADD self and a pretty amazing way to communicate quickly with a whole lot of people.
To try it out or to subscribe to my Twitter, go to my Twitter page: www.twitter.com/scotthodge and click on "Join Today." It's that easy!
Thanks Todd for pointing me to a short video clip where Tim Keller discusses how religion can lead to oppression. He calls it the "slippery slope" of religion that looks like this:
1. Superiority - "I have the truth and they don't."
2. Separation - I no longer spend time with them. They are seen as "impure."
3. Caricature - Because I don't know them, I caricature them. They now become one dimensional.
4. Passive & Active Oppression - Now these become the type of people I can push away and ignore. Passively at first, then over time, actively.
One of the things about The Orchard's culture that I'm REALLY proud of is our constant desire to DO BETTER! And one of the ways we accomplish this is by intentionally diving in and doing POST-reviews of all of our events and weekend gatherings.
For example, not only do we spend a lot of time creatively planning our weekend gatherings on the FRONT end....But we also critique, review, and improve IN BETWEEN services and again AFTER the weekend is over. Here's what it looks like....
Saturday Nights:
Sunday Mornings:
Monday Mornings:
Overall, there are a couple of reasons why I think this works so well for us.
For one, everyone has an understanding that when it's time to sit down and critique that it's not about DEFENDING our areas or making excuses. Instead, it's about the overall experience and figuring out what needs to be corrected, made better, or sometimes just left alone.
Secondly, there is a mutual respect and trust among the team that allows us to sometimes say some hard things to each other, yet still walk away loving and in support of whatever decision is made.
And of course, I realize that it all starts with ME - modeling the ability to open my ears and receive feedback, criticism, and input on how to make it better. Is it always easy? No, of course not. But having a team around me that I trust, respect, and who believes in the mission like they do sure makes it a lot easier!
Wow, what a weekend! We LITERALLY rolled out the red carpet for all the moms who showed up Saturday and Sunday at The Orchard. We also had a live video feed from the red carpet where our friend, Jason Hartong, was interviewing moms and warming up the crowd before each service. It was a blast!
My FAVORITE part of the weekend was the exciting opportunity that I had to interview four amazing mothers who shared tons of insight, wisdom and some of the real life challenges that they have faced through their journeys of motherhood.
This was all a part of our "That's What She Said" series. And I just have to say.......these moms did an AWESOME job of communicating from their hearts in an authentic, yet impacting way! There's NO DOUBT in my mind that God used each of them to speak to the hearts of EVERY person there. Great job Kristen, Connie, Jenny and.........MY MOM, Loudene! I'm so proud of each of you!
Here are some sights... (Click for larger images)
This is my wife, Amanda. She is an amazing mother to our three kids (and sometimes to me too). I'm so proud of her. I honestly don't deserve to be married to someone so spectacular. But I am. And man, am I thankful....
Happy Mother's Day Amanda! I love you!
It's official. The last couple of Mac stragglers on our staff (kidding guys...) have now transitioned from PC to Mac. Now we're looking for a good notebook "stand" solution for those of us who use their notebooks as their main office computer.
Here's a few we're looking at:
Griffin Curve 2
Griffin iCurve
Any suggestions? What do you use?
The message of the resurrection is that this world matters! That the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice, and love have won...
If Easter means Jesus Christ is only raised in a spiritual sense - [then] it is only about me, and finding a new dimension in my personal spiritual life. But if Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead, Christianity becomes good news for the whole world - news which warms our hearts precisely because it isn't just about warming hearts.
Easter means that in a world where injustice, violence and degradation are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things - and that we will work and plan, with all the energy of God, to implement victory of Jesus over them all.
N.T. Wright quoted on p. 212 of The Reason for God by Tim Keller.
Alan Hirsch
Shapevine | Forge Mission Training Network
To be a creative organization sometimes you have to have your backside kicked...
The church has experienced the weight of tradition....theologizing.....
Sometimes God has to kick us in the ass.
Reality check - when you look at church in the west.... We are in decline in every western city. Sometimes this happens very fast.... Visit Europe to get an idea of this.
We have to go back to something primal. Recover a lost ethos... The answer is not some new fad or new ideas...
Four areas that we have to recover in order to regain this ancient ethos.
1. Recovery of the Centrality of Jesus in His own Movement
When you study movements, it is Christology that lies at the heart of the renewal of the church.
We must radicalize in order to missionalize.
"unChristian" - why? Because we don’t look like Jesus.
It is Christology that determines missiology.
Laodicean church - lukewarm because they live in a very rich culture. Does this sound familiar?
God created us in his image and we returned the favor.
On the 7th day God created man.....and on the 8th day man re-created God. “Wow Jesus! You look and sound just like me!”
You know Jesus is like you when he hates the people you hate.
(Alan presented slides showing ways we have done this...)
Spooky Jesus.... The humanity of Jesus is at stake.
Buddy Jesus - no respect... no divinity. This is my buddy and I can do anything...
Sunday School Jesus - Jesus with little children and lambs... If you want your kids to grow up safe don’t introduce them to Jesus.
Jesus is my boyfriend (stained glass embracing woman) - “touch me Lord". He’s not my boyfriend - He’s my Lord.
Bearded Lady Jesus (chiseled face Jesus w/ dark tan) - Jesus done over by queer eye for the straight guy.... Doesn’t inspire a revolution...
Suburban Jesus - designing his cross....
We need to be committed to recovering Jesus.
2. Recovering discipleship as our critical task.
Movements can grow only in proportion to their capacity to make disciples.
Discipleship is the basis of apostolic movement. Provides the basis for transformation.
It’s quality control. If you fail here, you’ll fail everywhere.
It’s only the disciples who can change the world. Leadership is an extension of discipleship.
Consumerism is killing us (from within)
3. Recovering the Ethos/Structure of Apostolic Movements
What do movements look like?
What we need are missionally responsive, culturally adaptive, organizationally agile, multiplication movements.
Agility is not what we’re known for, but it’s whats most needed.
Every believer is a church planter. Every one carries the capacity for ecclesiology. Why? Because we carry the gospel and the spirit.
Is your model reproducible? If it takes million dollar budgets, it’s probably not reproducible.
If it takes 7 years, then maybe your leadership is not reproducible!
If you want a movement, it has to be a movement of the people of God.
Employ missional leadership and ministry modes.
4. Recovering an Incarnational-Mission Impulse
Missional God
Incarnational God.
Missional church - going out.
Incarnational church - going deep.
"Yes, Dr. Keller, I understand that you are a speaker, but you and Todd Rhoades MUST have a badge to be in this area. So both of you please, go. Now!"
Ok....that was my lame attempt at a caption for this photo of me and Todd Rhoades having a brief conversation with Dr. Tim Keller (author of The Reason for God and pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC) at Exponential last week.
So now it's your turn.... Go.
Finally getting back into the groove of things... Sort of. The "groove", but with the realization that it's time to once again make some adjustments/changes to my schedule/time/priorities so that I can continue to narrow my focus on the stuff I ought to be focused on. (This is becoming a theme in my life...)
ANYWAY.....that small rant just to mention that I'm planning to throw some more Exponential stuff onto the blog in the next day or two. I've got some notes from Tim Keller, Alan Hirsch, and a few others that I haven't posted yet.
Stay tuned friends.
Sent from my iPhone
posted via iPhone.
A bunch of you have been emailing me about the video interview we did with Andy Stanley at Exponential and asking why it has not yet been posted.
Here's the deal... While Andy was extremely gracious and more than happy to sit down and talk with us, he was not aware that the video was being broadcasted LIVE across the internet at the time of the conversation. HAD he known that, there is one subject he discussed that he probably would've avoided speaking as specifically about as he did (i.e. overseas missions where Christians are being severely persecuted for practicing their faith.)
So....we are going to send the folks at Northpoint the video first to let them go through it and cut out any names or information that could put people at risk. As soon as we get it back we'll post it!
Hope that helps!
Now please, stop emailing me about Andy's video. Sorry Terri (my assistant...)!! Thank you!
PS - Hope this explanation was helpful. Andy, if you read this and want to chime in, comment, or clarify at all, please feel free to do so! And thanks again for the interview!
We've got the live cam set up for our live conversation with Rick Warren happening around 12:45pm or 1:00'ish EST (Eastern Standard Time).
Comment your questions now.
Working on a live chat with Rick Warren.
What do you want to ask him?
Comment now.
Here's the video of our conversation with John Burke (Gateway Church in Austin, TX) and Vince Antontucci (Forefront Church, Virginia Beach).
Recorded some good conversation today with Ed Stetzer backstage at Exponential. Talked about everything from the Southern Baptist Convention to the Assemblies of God. DEFINITELY worth a watch!
Great conversation with Alan Hirsch. Here's the video clip:
Getting ready to interview Alan Hirsch...
Questions? Comment now.
Trying to set up live video link too.
Here's a list of the bloggers who attended our workshop at Exponential today!
There were a lot more people there than who is on the list - which means that either a large number of you don't yet have blogs or you forgot to add it to the sheet.
Were you there but not on the list? Leave a comment and I'll include you in the list!
