scotthodge.org

IamScottHodge.com!

Hey everyone!  The new site is LIVE.

IamScottHodge.com

Change your RSS feeds now: http://feeds.feedburner.com/iamscotthodge 

Thanks!

Top 100! Thank you!

Hey everybody!  Thank you for helping make scotthodge.org one of the top 100 church blogs over at churchrelevance.com. I'm actually blown away that I'm even on the list this year.  My blogging has fizzled quite a bit over this past year.  Actually encourages and excites me for my relaunch in the next couple of months!

Check out the entire list and update your RSS readers to include some of these pretty phenomenal voices to your reading lineup. 

And btw... Kent, you really should have included yourself in that list!

Orlando...Austin...Atlanta.....and next, Uganda.

Ok, I'm diving back in to the blog.  It's been way too long.  My lame excuse: I've been running 200MPH since a few weeks before Easter with writing, travel, etc... and blogging just hasn't been that high on my priority list.  Sorry faithful folks.

So anyway...  Rather than try to knock out a bunch of amazing blog posts, I thought I'd throw out a few random thoughts of what's been happening over these past few weeks.  Here we go:

• Easter.  This year's Easter weekend The Orchard was a record-breaking weekend!  Our teams did an amazing job and I think my head is still spinning after a HUGELY successful Helicopter Easter Egg Drop.  All I can say is WOW.  If you missed the video review, click here.
  
  
• Orlando.  Had a great time at Exponential in Orlando.  Exponential is sort of a like a big family reunion (but without the weird uncle and the funky potato salad).  This is actually the largest church planting conference in North America and one that I would definitely encourage all church planters to attend in 2010.  Had fun teaching a session with Gary Lamb (did he really say "wanker"??) and then participating in some great conversations in the Exponential Lounge with guys like Erwin McManus, Francis Chan, Dave Ferguson, Craig Groeschel, Matt Chandler, and others. 
  
  
• Austin. After a couple of days home I found myself in the amazing city of Austin, TX to be a part of Q.  Q is one of my favorite gatherings of the year.  It's small and all about influencing and changing culture.  Think TED format.  Loved connecting with a bunch of friends - both new and old.  People like Kem Meyer, Mike Foster, Jeff Shinabarger, Tim Stevens, Alan Hirsch, Kyle Zimmerman, John Burke, Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, Gabe Lyons, Mel McGowan, Charles Lee, and a bunch of other amazing people. Next year, Q will be here - in Chicago!
  
  
• Austin II.  All I can say is - what a cool city.  And with a slogan that's all about keeping it "weird" what do you expect??  Check out a few photos I posted in Facebook.
  
  
• Jackie Huba.  Writer, Author, Speaker, Blogger, Marketing Guru-ess, co-founder of the Society for Word of Mouth.  Forbes calls her work "the word of mouth gospel."  Anyway....  Had a chance to grab lunch with Jackie while in Austin.  That was worth the trip alone.  If you don't follow her twitter you need to. 
  
  
• Atlanta.  Orange.  It's THE premier and the BEST family ministry conference in the flippin' universe.  Loved being a part of this and having the opportunity to share The Orchard's story and some thoughts/ideas on the topic of navigating change with a room full of Lead Pastors and Senior Leaders.  Just wish I could have stuck around for more than a few hours, but was glad to be able to hang with a few of our staff who were attending and introduce them to some killer Korean BBQ. 
  
  
• Uganda.  In a couple of weeks.  More on this later, but looking forward to getting my heart messed up by this trip. 
  
  
• Study.  It's what I should be doing right now.  So I'm done.  Hopefully back in the groove of blogging.  We'll see.  Thanks for the encouragement folks.

What do YOU predict?

So Perry Noble is blogging predictions for 2009.  Here is his prediction for me:

Scott Hodge will discover a way to have coffee fed to him through an IV when he preaches, resulting in a new wave of church growth as people flock to hear twice as much information in half the time.

HA!  We'll see....  Not a bad idea actually.

Now let's make this real interesting....  What's YOUR prediction for me?? 

No, wait.  Nevermind.

This, that, and the other....

Anthony Bourdain is hangin' in South Asia right now.  Kinda jealous.  Especially after what I just saw outside on my driveway.  Several inches.

Apple Insider's review of the new Apple iPod In-Ear Headphones.  I hate the standard headphones that they give with the iPhone and iPod.  C'mon, whose ears are shaped for those things???

Ben Arment has some good conversation happening on "mission statements" VS. "mantras." 

Found this new site.  If you're into design it's worth checking out.

Just downloaded a Christmas album called Advent Songs.  It's a nice, eclectic mix from the folks at Sojourn Music.  And it's free if you tell five people!

Have you seen this great new site?  It's called I Am Second.  Thanks to Jason Boucher for the link.

My foot is asleep right now.  Hate that...

Watch & hear Sol Sender talk about how they designed President Elect Obama's campaign logo.  Fellow Chicago folks btw.

I have no idea why I thought of this, but did you know they have Shakey's Pizza in Tokyo?  I remember walking through the Takeshita-dori district (I think...) and seeing one.  For some reason that blew my mind.  Apparently, they're all over there.  Anywho.

Lastly, I've linked to this guy before, but holy smokes.....his amazing food photos make me miss Thailand like crazy!

To bed I go.  G'nite.

Relational Leadership

Larry Boatright has had some great posts on the topic of relational leadership over at his blog where he has posted a recent conversation with John Atkinson from Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi, TX.  John shares some great insight.  Definitely worth reading and diving into!

Link

I'm back.

It's a  bit dusty around here at scotthodge.org.  But I'm back and ready to get this place moving again! 

BTW......had a great time in Las Vegas with Amanda.  I was there to officiate a wedding ceremony, so we took advantage of the time away and extended it out to celebrate her birthday.....VEGAS style!  :)  Whatever that means....

Anyway.....my I'm going to vomit some A.D.D. all over this post with a bunch of thoughts/links/etc....  Here it goes:

Thanks to DJ Chuang, just found out that past talks from "Q" are available for online for free.  DJ has posted the details and link here.  This is probably my favorite conference of the year because it's all about influencing culture.  Go watch 'em.

Barton Damer at Already Been Chewed recently shared a video link featuring Shepard Fairey - the "OBEY" guy.  I LOVE his work and have a few shirts featuring his designs.  Interesting to see & hear how he works. 

While you're at it, check out this video about Fairey's work on the Obama campaign.  It's interesting and cool - regardless of what you might think of Obama.  Also, check out this this screenshot of my desktop.  It's an "OBEY" style design by Barton Damer.  LOVE IT!  Thanks Barton!

I think I need to get this iPhone app.  It's like Tetris on LSD!  Or something like that.  But anyway....here is Kevin Rose from digg.com showing it off.

Have you seen the lineup of speakers for Exponential?  Holy smokes!  Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Craig Groeschel, Alan Hirsch, Tim Keller, Erwin McManus.  Check out the entire list here.  Exponential is one of the largest gatherings of church planters in the US.  I'll be there!  Hope you will be too!

Last but not least....  Do you have a tattoo?  Check out MyTatStory.com - a new site that we've launched in conjunction with our new fall series called "INKED."  We're asking people to snap photos of their tats and share the stories behind them.

That's it.  I'm done.

For now.

BUNCH-O-STUFF

My view:

 

It's called a BRAIN DUMP.  And man, do I need one.  So I'm spread out all over my office....chillin' on my couch doing some sorting, emailing, REM listening, and trying to figure out what's next to go on the list of "things Scott is doing that he shouldn't be doing."

So anyway...thought I'd share what's rattlin' around my noggin' right now along with some links worth checking out.  

• Leaving on Wednesday for Catalyst Conference in Atlanta.  Will you be there?  I feel like I'm heading to a giant family reunion...  Except I'm actually looking forward to it!
  
  
• How to write awesome headlines (So people will read your stuff)
  
  
• Free download of new song from Fellowship Church's new worship recording.
  
  
• Looking forward to speaking at this event in November.  I've heard so many great things about this church!
  
  
• Really enjoying using this program for mind-mapping!  I'm now using it for all sermon prep and project management. 
  
  
• Just downloaded new Anberlin and Thievery Corporation.  They're both great!
  
  
• Was recently asked to write an endorsement for Dave Gibbon's new book The Monkey and The Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third Culture Church.  Just received the manuscript and can't wait to read it!  I really, really appreciate Dave's heart.  Hoping his book messes me up a bit!  Check out Dave's blog here.
  
  
• Oh yeah....  I'll be in Las Vegas for a couple of days next week.  Any show and restaurant recommendations? 

That's it......for now. 

Back to it.

blogging bruthas from different mutha's

A few blogs that I've been diggin' for a while.  Definitely worth a look....

Donald Miller - yeah, that Donald Miller....  Author extraordinaire.

Mark Miller - My friend, Mark, is from a couple towns over and serves on staff at this church.  Great guy with a swell head.  Also interesting to note that Mark is actually Don Miller's uncle.*

Joe Thorn - Again, a fellow Chicago guy.  Nice photography and some great thoughts on the church and theology.  Pastors a church in St. Charles, IL and has an amazing hairdo.

Without Wax - I've never met Pete Wilson in person, but if he's even half as cool as he comes across in his videos, I'm pretty sure I'll dig him.

Stephen Brewster - Stephen is the Sr. Director of Marketing for Integrity Music.  Not only has this guy been incredibly generous in hooking me up with some great tunes, but he also has a GREAT heart that really comes across in his blog.  You can't help but like this guy...

Steve McCoy - Yes, another Chicago dude.  I met Steve and his family at The Orchard once when they were visiting.  We hit it off immediately!  Steve pastors a church in Woodstock.  It's Baptist, but we won't hold that against him because he's really into Tim Keller and has what must be the best Keller resource page around.  Bless him.

Brad Lomenick - Brad is the President-Boss-Man-In-Charge of Catalyst.  They do a small conference every year in Atlanta.  BTW.....who's going?  I am.  More on that later....  Brad is one of the nicest guys I know.  Seriously.  Even though it's been rumored that he has a secret crush on the Brady Bunch mom....  But that stays here, ok?

What blogs have you been diggin' lately?

* BTW - I almost forgot....  I was kidding about Mark being Don Miller's uncle.  He's actually his son.

Typepad Formatting

Hey Typepad users...

Has anyone else noticed how this new typepad formatting causes there to be too much spaceing happening between paragraphs?

Anyone know how to fix this?