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Meet Dave Gibbons!

I’ve gotta be honest... I am blown away at the caliber of people God has surrounded my life with.  I'm serious.  The leaders, pastors, entrepreneurs, creatives, artists, etc... who I've had the opportunity to get to know and become friends with over the years is something that I am so grateful for!

One of those people is a very new friend of mine by the name of Dave Gibbons.  Dave is....umm...let's  see.  Well let me just paste in what Zondervan says about him:

Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet and spend some time with Dave while at The Idea Camp in  Irvine, CA.  In fact, not only did I have the privilege of spending some time learning from Dave, but  SOMEHOW......I also found myself sitting between him and Eugene Cho during a Leadership Q&A  session at Idea Camp!  That was quite an honor... (even though he made me eat this.)

SO ANYWAY....with all that said, there’s two things I want to tell you about:

First...

DAVE'S BOOK.  The Monkey and the Fish.  I read a lot of books, but seldom do I read one twice.  I'm already half way through my second reading...

It’s hard to describe how much I have found myself resonating with Dave’s heart through his book.  Plus, watching how God is using him, not just in SoCal, but also in places like Bangkok, India, London, Mexico City, and multiple other cities, is stretching and challenging me in some unbelievable ways.  (You can read about my visit to NewSong Bangkok here.)

Second...

THE VIDEO.  The other thing I want you to know about is this video interview recorded last weekend by Eugune Cho (who you also need to get to know...).

On a side note, Dave will be speaking at this year’s Leadership Summit at Willowcreek. 

Lastly, here’s some linkage.

Dave’s Blog

Dave’s Twitter
NewSong Church
Buy the Book

Get to know Dave Gibbons folks.

The eyes are the window of the soul...

The old proverb, "The eyes are the windows of the soul," contains a powerful truth.  Our eyes reveal whether our souls are spacious or cramped, hospitable or critical, compassionate or judgmental.  The way we see other people is usually the way we see ourselves.  If we have made peace with our flawed humanity and embraced our ragamuffin identity, we are able to tolerate in others what was previously unacceptable in ourselves.

Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

My Friend Anne!

This is my friend Anne Jackson.  (And next to her is another friend, Jon Acuff - a.k.a. Stuff Christians Like)

Anne just wrote a new book.  It’s called Mad Church Disease.  And it’s one that I seriously predict is going to be one of the most influential books for church leaders this year and beyond.

I’ve gotten to know Anne personally over the past couple of years and here’s the bottom line:

Anne is willing to step out on a limb and talk about the **** that very few have the guts to talk about.

It’s that way when you hang out with her.  It’s that way on her blog.  It’s the same way when she speaks. 

And NOW...it’s most definitely the same with her new book as she writes very openly about a topic that most of us are familiar with (even if you don’t know it yet):

BURNOUT

Folks....burnout is a serious issue.  Especially in church work, where the lines between “work” and “personal  life” are constantly blurred. 

In chapter 5, Anne shares one of the most helpful tools I’ve seen on how to distinguish between “stress” and “burnout”.  She has also included some interviews on this topic with some great church leaders like Bill Hybels, Perry Noble, Mike Foster, Wayne Cordeiro, and others. 

But the best part of the book is where Anne offers hope for health - spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational health. 

Check it out here.

Pre-order it now.  In fact, do what I’m going to do and buy multiple copies for your staff.

Thank you Anne for pouring your heart and passion into this book!  You are a gift!

A mess of a mind map....

My teaching mind map for this weekend looks like some super analytical thinker just thew up all over it.  Now I have to figure out how to interpret it all. 

Oh dear Lord help me....

A Great Neue Resource

Neue is the latest offering from the gang over at Relevant.  It's a resource focused "specifically on the  issues, challenges and opportunities facing emerging ministry leaders."

Brian Orme, Neue's editor (and a guy whose blogging I really miss), recently asked me to do some writing and blog sharing for their site.  Today (Tuesday), they featured an article of mine based on a recent blog post that their editors cleaned up and made into a pretty nice article if I might say so myself!  :)  Thanks guys! 

It's a great neue resource and one worth checking out now.

Study Day

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...

Customize Your Moleskine

Check this out... 

Custom laser engraving for your Moleskine. 

Create your own or select from one of their own artist's designs.

Link

Eugene Peterson on Storytelling, Imagination, and God's Story

I've been enjoying watching and taking notes of an interview with author Eugene Peterson (The Message) recorded last month at the Writers Symposium by the Sea, sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University. 

Peterson shares some great thoughts on storytelling, our place in God's story, and the importance of imagination.  (Great thoughts on imagination and faith towards the end.)

It's about 30 minutes in length, but well worth watching.

Link to interview on YouTube.

Cattle List Is Over

Catalyst is over.  I'm wiped.  And now I have to write like a DAWG.  So it's time to crank in my deep purple chair in this suburban Atlanta Starbucks before heading out to catch a late flight back to Chicago. 

Photos coming. 

Innovate 2007 - Will you be there?

I'm devoting my day today to focusing on my upcoming talk for Innovate 2007 happening next week in Granger, Indiana.  I have to say....  I feel so blown away by the opportunities that have shown up to share our story with pastors and church leaders from all over the country.  Wow, wow, wow......

I'm really looking forward to Innovate's speaker lineup this year!  Can't wait to hear from the infamous Guy Kawasaki (former Apple guru turned author, entrepreneur, evangelist, investment banker and venture capitalist) as well as my friend, Troy Gramling (aka - The Naked Pastor) and my homeboy, Dave Ferguson.  And of course Mark Beeson is always full of wisdom and strong leadership challenges.  It's going to be a great time!

Are you going to be there?  I'd love to connect!  Shoot me a comment and I'll try to set up a gathering for all of us at the local Granger Starbucks sometime during the conference.