between realities

SOPA killed this blog.

2012-01-18T16:28:00.002-05:00

CENSORED...

Find out about SOPA.

You can't sue, Pastor...

2012-01-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

There was an interesting ruling yesterday from the US Supreme Court.

In a unanimous decision, the court upheld that churches have the right to fire "religious" employees without having to deal with federal discrimination regulations. In doing this, the court tacitly acknowledged "ministerial exception" to employment laws. Thus, religious institutions can choose to sack religious workers at will.

In other words, to paraphrase the majority opinion, religious organizations can pick (and unpick) who they want, and really do not have to encumber themselves with the same things secular organizations have to when dealing with letting people go.

The court stated that ruling otherwise would amount to the state interfering with how religious bodies are run, and would run afoul of the Free Exercise Clause.

The case was made its way to the Supreme Court by way of an EEOC case filed on behalf of Cheryl Perich, a teacher at a Lutheran church. Ms. Perich had tried to return from illness to her job, but claimed she wasn't fairly treated by the church when they would not re-hire her (the church had granted her leave, but then hired a substitute to finish out the year). The EEOC found that she had merit, and the case was on.

Of course, it gets murkier. Apparently, this applies to "religious" workers only. People doing secular work are not exempt. So...what is the definition of a religious worker? The Justices refused to go that far. In this specific case, there were plenty of disagreements in the lower courts as to whether Ms. Perich was a religious worker; the high court determined that she was since she was ordained.

The separation of church and state is a sword that cuts both ways, but this case is one that church workers need to be aware of, and will probably want to proactively discuss this with their church's decision-makers. Also, it may not be smart to sass Ms Molly if she is on the Personnel Committee.

What are your thoughts? Does this give churches carte blanche to do what they want?

Probably won't make the front page.

2012-01-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

I challenge you to read this through.

Towards the end of last year (December 22nd to be precise) there was a pretty monumental occurrence in Charlotte -- but you probably did not hear about it.

Out on the West-side, at the Arbon Glen Outreach Facility, two organizations were having a Christmas party for potentially at-risk students. The kids came from local YMCAs, but the buses were relatively quiet, so you probably didn't hear them either. City Dive (a ministry endeavor of NewBirth Charlotte) and 2xSALT made it happen. They gave those kids food, presents, music, basketball and biblical principles

You probably didn't know that the founder of 2xSALT played ball professionally with the likes of John Stockton and Karl Malone. I didn't.

The kids got to sing along to Christmas tunes with a true recording artist, Gabe Bello, who bleeds true humility. I am fairly sure they didn't know that... but neither did I. This cat plays the sax as well as anyone. Yes, I am jealous. If I had a fraction of that talent, I'd have a sax tattooed to my forehead.

But amidst all the fun, about two dozen kids -- and even a YMCA staffer or two -- walked down and made public professions for Christ. But that probably won't make the news... not even the Christian radio shows. It should, but I am a tad biased.

There is a lot of positive stuff going on behind the scenes. Literally. These are the groups going in and making a difference, and they are doing it quietly, right here in Charlotte, to little fanfare, one disadvantaged kid at a time. And while they were doing it on that overcast Thursday, they inspired the heck out of me.

It was a privilege meeting and hanging with Reggie, Ria, Gabe, Daryle and Bart. Thanks for all the stuff you guys are doing. Big shout-out to the team at CityDive. Thanks for not confining yourselves to Huntersville. Big thanks to Alan, who thought me worthy enough to attend that activity.

If you want a few ministries to pray for and support, I got your quota here.

Where is your teen? (Straight talk epilogue)

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Being proactively realistic is the key.

Your teen is growing up in the 21st century. He/she is likely more computer savvy than most adults. He or she probably carries a power packed phone and/or iPod touch.

Your teen is probably a good teen. Your teen probably has a good heart, and mostly stays out of trouble.

Your teen also needs to be aware of how crazy of a world it is out there, and if they cannot or will not understand that, you -- the parent -- needs to fill the gap.

The first key is understanding. You need to understand the combo minefield/resource concept known as social networking. You need to understand the different variants, the areas of potential exposure, the current trends, and how they affect you and yours.

You need to understand that the internet does the same things for teens that it does for adults: otherwise sane people do insane things on the World Wide Web. There is a world of temptation, shadowy characters and unsavory ideas that can be propagated. Just like in real life.

Be aware of your child's online identities. I believe in encouraging expression, but ensure that your kid's online creativity matches your expectations at all times. When they don't, you might want to correct unsuitable behavior with a defined repercussion.

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and such are great tools when controlled. Your job is to control them.

Glance at your teen's FB friends. Have a look at the tweets of their followers. Check out what videos they are "liking" on YouTube. Do they have their entire profile, including your home address and phone number on Google+? You should know the answer. I hate to sound ominous, but someone will.

Where is your teen? (Pt 2)

2012-01-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Before we pick on Twitter, let's take a frank look and see why social networking is such a huge area of opportunity to parents and guardians.

Pornography is a huge issue for people of all ages and sexes. Two decades ago, when your stereotypical boy wanted to view nude images, he had to be fortunate enough o have a friend who had a brother who knew a friend that hung out with a dude whose father had a stash of nudie mags. To actually find a "blue movie" you needed an even greater provision of provenance.

In other words, you had to work HARD for smut.

Today? All it takes is a relatively innocent search on Google Images to bring up material of a questionable nature.

Sexting, as a concept, confuses me. I used to think that it must be because I grew up in tamer times, but that is nonsense. To do the equivalent of sending naked photographs back then, one would have had to lug around a Polaroid and a fax machine. It was just easier to keep ones clothes on and take them off in person. Transmitting photographs was just not worth the ROI.

My point is that now, the material is out there, and disseminating it is almost too easy. Kids carry more computing power in their pockets than we had collectively in my neighborhood growing up.

FACT: there are psychos out there. They are not sitting at home bemoaning how technology and awareness have made it harder to do the snatch and grabs they cut their teeth with. They are adjusting too. Facebook does not background users, so, you might assess those 900 friends your son or daughter has -- more than you have met in your lifetime -- a bit more carefully.

What are the true dangers? I dislike fear mongers, so I am truly not being sensational. Still, when you consider that the average teen can give his/her current state of mind, home location, phone number and current location, parents should be plugged in.

This is part 2 of 3 of a mini-ebook. Come back for Part 3.

Where is your teen?

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Your teen can be anywhere right now. Yep, right in front of you.

First let me go ahead and say some opinionated things that may get me stoned. I tend to believe that any device your teen uses is yours. I don't care if they pay for that cell phone with their babysitting allowance. I believe in transference of roof. It's a nifty term I just made up to say that if they live under your roof, they submit to your rules.

I also believe in raising good kids. Trust and verify, baby.

Okay. So back to the original. Where is your teen? What is he or she doing online?

The most depressing aspect of the Chris Hansen show To Catch a Predator isn't how excruciatingly stupid some child predators are. It's how excruciatingly stupid they can be so many times. The recidivism is painfully appalling.

Charitably, I think most parents know to check Facebook. Many parents I know (smartly, IMHO) insist that formal Friendship with themselves is a requirement for their kids to use Facebook. But, do you know your kids friends? Have you met, or even glanced at the profile of any of the 900?

Of even more concern is Twitter.

A few years back, youth workers and pundits alike wondered as to why teens just were not adopting Twitter in large numbers. It seemed like the perfect outlet. It could be managed via text, so you didn't necessarily need a smartphone. It allowed for private conversations and crude broadcast messaging. It was free.

Still, most data showed teens just didn't cotton to it. That was then, though. Things seem to be have changing. With Facebook being ever more clogged, and with the realization that parents have "ruined" it (and hey, my mom is on FB. Weird), teens seem to be giving Twitter a try. More teens have cheap cell phones, and they are inviting their friends to join them across the networking pond.

The problem is that the conversation is much more hidden.

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that provides much of the same stuff Facebook provides to the content-hungry teen, including even greater anonymity. No "real" names are required, and the privacy options are tougher to fool than Facebook.

In other words, Twitter is a teen haven.

So back to the initial question. Does your teen tweet? If they do, are they willing to show you their timeline?

This is part 1 of a 3-part mini-ebook. Come back for part 2

Photo courtesy of eldh via Flickr Creative Commons.

Dropbox

2012-01-03T10:30:00.000-05:00

I love Dropbox. So much so that had someone not been unreasonable, one of my children would be named Boxia.

I use it for a number of purposes: cloud storage, virtual jump drive, host linked files and more. It is a great ministry tool, which is why I plug it incessantly. Having access to files is such a blessing. I can even stream music on my Android device directly from the Dropbox app.

Because I am an awesome guy, I want you to share this. And not just because I get more free storage as well. I really want you to drink from the well of happiness that Dropbox is.

Oh... whatever. Here's the link: http://db.tt/9CtRtDy.

The DIYer within

2012-01-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

I am fairly confident guy. I feel that if I put my mind to something, I can do it, and do it pretty well. I think that given the right information, I can beat anyone in a fair game -- and can make a dent in an unfair one.

I don't think I am overly cocky. I am just... well... confident.

You need that growing up with male siblings, or to man the pipes in a football game, or to deal with coaching teenage ladies. Heck, being a married father. Confidence is the key. There are things that I am pretty awesome at (like making fun of people or making a mean, mean pot of boxed Jambalaya), but I don't want to brag. I like being confident.

To be honest, sometimes it's more about projecting confidence. It's about making people believe that even though you don't know what to do, you have the presence to figure out how to get it done in the long run. It's not about giving an answer, regardless of accuracy; it's about making sure everyone understands that when you do answer, you are giving the right one.

My bubbling projections generally squawk out the door in one area. It isn't just any area either; it calls into question whether or not Clint was right to revoke my Man Card for admitting that I like The Sound of Music.

I am not particularly handy. Home improvement is my personal Kilimanjaro.

I mean, I can do most simple things with the right tools and the right instructions. I still don't mean to brag, but I am a fantastic Googler, too. I know how to plunge a toilet, use drain cleaner and I am especially proficient at switching light bulbs. It's the other stuff that gets me. If it is electrical or mechanical in nature, competence is out the door, and I am reduced to an inconsolable puddle of tears. Manly tears.

My son is no help. While watching me re-arrange the pristine tools in my tool box, he innocently (yeah, okay) asked if my tools were so new. Yeah. Well, he's banned from playing Wii for the foreseeable future. Such cheekiness is not allowed here. Who's new now?

Anyhoo, the saga that was created by the fluorescent bulbs in he kitchen is an excellent illustration of my home improvement frailties. Both lights went out. Easy. I pulled the bulbs out, and went and got the exact replacement.

They didn't work. It ridiculous what these jokers will sell nowadays. They had CLEARLY sold me non-functioning equipment. I went back and got another 2-pack. And another.

Same issue. Uh oh. We were approaching crying territory. I consulted Google, and took the fixture apart. With the use of Google Search and Google Goggles, I guessed that it was some mysterious, alien object called a ballast. I promptly ordered one.

I asked around. It seemed the majority of people I talked to (well, one of seven) knew someone who had been maimed changing a ballast. Considering the fact that I already had a healthy, uh, fear of electricity, the odds looked horrible to me. I decided to cut power to the house.

Try to keep up with me here. The circuit box was outside. The key to the lock was missing. I had to go buy bolt cutters. A giant spider was guarding the box. I did not want to become Spider man or a spider meal, so I went to buy Spider killer. Then it rained. Then I lost my altimeter. In all, it was about nine months, give or take an hour, since the bulbs went out.

And I was still scared of electricity.

I know what you are thinking: Angel Gabriel had visited Mary, and the barn animals had observed the Holy Birth in the time this joker was taking to switch a light bulb. Wow. To my wife's credit, she had become used to cooking in semi-darkness. I adore that lady, sturdy eyes and all. But wait... there's more.

My journey of shame ended (or re-started, depending on your perspective) last week, when my father-in-law and brother-in-law switched out the ballast within five minutes. To make myself feel better, I pointed out to the kids that Uncle Ty did have a degree in Electrical Engineering, so the cheering was a bit overdone.

I did learn a few things. First, electric companies need better customer service. It is NOT unreasonable for me to have wanted them to cut off power to our entire subdivision. Also, children like light. It's sad that they considered a light as an early Christmas present.

But most importantly, unreasonable fear is mostly borne out of a lack of knowledge. And Google does not always trump real-world experience.

As for us, we are enjoying our light bulbs. Directly too, as I broke the cover doing re-installation. I have a year to get those fixed, so mind your business. Ha.

2012.

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Praying for blessings on all of you and yours in 2012. May God touch you this year.

Hey... smile. We made it through 2011. Forget the Mayans... this is our year!

Christmas is over.

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas is gone again. Finally.

We can put away the trees, specialized yard gnomes, wrapping paper and Angry Bird Christmas lighting. No more wrapping paper, reindeer car ornaments or the questionable sweaters (and no... cats do NOT skate), and, maybe most importantly, we can put away the Christmas spirit.

I have begun to dislike the term. It's like we save all our righteous indignation for the season. We expend so much energy fighting to "put Christ in Christmas" that we forget to act like Christ before and beyond Christmas.

What a concept.

Not to discount the good that has been done over the season. It is all needed. But there will still be hungry, homeless people. There will still be people trafficked, children abused, and poor people without. We can't afford to wait till next Christmas to stand in the gap.

A friend of mine, Brian, posted a telling poster on his Facebook Wall a few weeks ago. Paraphrased, it said:

Instead of being so concerned about putting the "Christ" in Christmas, how about we work to be the Christ in Christmas?

A little bit more love... just a teeny bit, and no one will ever be able to stop us. I honestly believe if Christ was physically here, one of the last things that would bother Him is how much of Him is injected into a season that has little to do with the sacrifice of His life anyway. If I might be so forward, I do humbly believe He would be in pain with regards to the human condition.

I believe we need to feel the same type of sorrow.

So, I propose we make the "Christ in Christmas" phrase the most redundant one in existence by reflecting God all the time. Let's work to become the Christ people see all the time.

Image courtesy of James Fischer via Flickr CC

Church now allows interracial couples

2011-12-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

I mentioned the interesting case of the Kentucky congregation that voted to disallow interracial couples a while back (to be fair, said couples were allowed to attend funerals. Okay).

In an update, the pastor of the church publicly noted that the church had overturned that vote. I should also note that the pastor who spearheaded the original rule is not the current Pastor.

There is a lot I could say, but since I am a nice guy, I'll hold my tongue. At least till Black History month.

Church Tech on a Shoe String | ChurchMag

2011-12-21T13:20:00.000-05:00

Church Tech on a Shoe String | ChurchMag

The humility of leadership

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Ian Britton via reelworship.com

There is a time, in every believer's life, that he or she finds out just how important they are in Kingdom-building.

You can be such a powerful tool for the kingdom. This precept should be a motivating factor in the life of every Christian. But even more importantly, one must realize that as important as we are, God will get things done... without -- or in spite of -- you. In other words, you might as well get on board, because God's will will be done.

Understanding and appreciating this intrinsic dichotomy is a serious, humbling lesson all Christians must learn, and I admit I am still getting a handle on it myself. It is a thought that frees me from burdening myself with self-doubt and the occasional spirit of reluctance.

As potential champions of social justice, we all have opportunities to impact our local worlds in positive ways. There is a need. God wants us to project love. He blesses our humble endeavors in that regard.

What are you waiting for?

What am I waiting for?

Let's dream big, and worry about meeting people where they are, and showing God's love, with no strings attached. Forget about Christmas Spirit (don't gasp!)... let's make it perpetual.

Let' make it happen.

Twitter, the mayor and the high school usurper

2011-12-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

In yet another example of folks stumbling over social networking, I found this story fairly amusing. A teenager created a Twitter account to poke fun of the mayor of his town. Well, said mayor did not like it, and initiated legal actions to compel the young man to kill the twitter profile.

Not only did the teen refuse to remove the account, he is now running against the mayor (seems there is a recall process underway). Ha!

While the issue of alcohol dependence is sad, this public official did own up to failings, and does seem to be working to stay clean. Still, there are several points to glean here:

Get your own twitter handle, and do it quickly. Think of it as scooping an .xxx domain.
Sometimes, the best way to deal with teens is dialogue, not cease and desist letters.
If you are in a small town, create rules that prevent people who attack you from running for office.
The best way to get people to not talk about your drunken exploits is to have only sober exploits.

I have no idea what type of chance the kid has in any recall election, but if he wins, I will use his likeness as my phone background for a week.

Go Twitter!

Would you hire Jesus as your pastor?

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

via Google images

Would you?

Would our present-day sensibilities preclude us from looking at Jesus as a success?

What would you consider to be a successful minister/ministry? Congregation? Size of edifice? Length of time on local radio or TV? Propagation of intellectual material? Use of high-end technology?

How would Jesus measure up in a world that is instinctively influenced by materialism? I think the answer might be a bit scary.

Now, flip it.

How do I measure up to Jesus (the true measure of success)? Do I battle for those that need to be fought for? Do I show compassion? Am I willing to sacrifice my comfort to present the gospel to people?

Do I reflect God in everything I do?

Hmmm... food for thought...

Interracial couples NOT welcome!

2011-12-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's 2012...

Chalk this up as one of those headlines that make me do a double-take. I was dozing off at the time, too. Apparently, a Kentucky church has gone out of it's way to ban interracial marriage. It made the decision after one of its congregants made the monumentally dangerous decision of bringing her Zimbabwean fiance to church, where she played the piano while he sang. And no, the church is not caught up in a time warp or being punked by M. Night Shyamalan (I checked).

He sang "I Surrender All."

Apparently, he couldn't or wouldn't surrender his skin color, because he is not allowed back, or at least not while engaged to a white lady.

You see... the church decided to, uh, proactively make sure it didn't have to deal with this travesty again. It formally banned all interracial couples from coming to the church. Oh wait... except for funerals (I didn't make this up; plus, I thoroughly believe that there is no better place to relax overtly racist mores than at grave sites).

I would have given good, good money and my favoriite Christmas ornaments to see the looks on the faces of the congregants during the song.

Now, apart from giving me major pause, this unbelievable story let to a blog post that presented me with a few unenvisaged issues:

How would I categorize it with a blog label? I initially wanted to use "Funnies" since it is so shockingly unbelievable, but also considered creating a new one: ...Songs that won't get you invited back to church...
Confusion. How on earth would this church deal with the cast of Jersey Shore? Over-tanning would definitely be an issue. I guess re-runs of Mixed Blessings never play during church get-togethers. Guess who didn't come to that dinner. What happened to simply making people feel uncomfortable? I'm all for democracy, but, c'mon. For real?
A weird sense of understanding... maybe this church is simply misunderstood. Maybe they were striking back for the disenfranchised expatriates Robert Mugabe ticked off with his land reform.

In any case, this stuff still happens in the Land of the Free, so I guess there is still work to be done.

Thanks to Cass for giving me a graphic sign that clearly denotes my speechlessness.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T15:30:00.000-05:00

... to all y'all.

If you're like me, there is so much to be thankful to God for, and I'm not just talking about the turkey, home-made macaroni and cheese and, well, pie.

I am thankful you are alive and reading this.

Got to go. My wife isn't letting me do food testing, but I need to keep at it. Stay blessed!

Wildcat Twitter

2011-11-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

If you need further proof that Twitter is not just for people named Stefani Germonatta, Check out the University of Arizona Athletic Director Greg Byrne, who just announced the hiring of their new head football coach Rich Rodriguez via Twitter.

Great stuff. Remember when Twitter was a virtual race track for CNN and Ashton? Now, major programs make major announcements via social networks.

Of course, the cynics out there will argue that the come-and-go brevity of Twitter is perfect for the revolving doors of college football, but I refuse to talk to such naysayers. So there.

From a practical point of view, it is a pretty tidy means of disseminating news. It's basically grassroots broadcast communication. It gets the word out quickly, effectively and almost guarantees further propagation. Of course, you will deal with unsolicited feedback, but nothing comes that easy. But even that can be a potential advantage. You get to see the reaction to your decisions from everyday people. Press conferences don't do that for you.

Corporation and entities are becoming more savvy, and are understanding how powerful (and free) social networking is. And even teens seem to finally be jumping on the bandwagon.

What if... what if MJ (b-baller) had tweeted his comeback (for you youngsters, I mean the first one)? What if we had twitter when the Berlin wall came down? What is Breet Favre announced his retirement... oh, scratch that.

Twitter can be quite useful. Let's end on that.

Adieu to Fall ball...

2011-11-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

So... the Fall Season is officially over.

And, yes, I already miss it.

It was a tough season, for a number of reasons. We dropped way more games than I would like to in the First Division with my older ladies; my younger ladies did well to gel and pull out an admirable season after an extremely rough start.

Yesterday, one of my favorite kids came and gave me a hug after our parents meetings.

"Coach, you are my favorite coach ever!"

"I am?" I preened. That made my day, even though we both know I am her first and only coach.

Whatever... I am the favorite right now.

My voice will get some rest, and I'll get to spend more time with family. My stress level will go down (even though, as a youth pastor, it seems my youth tend to make up for any deficit over the winter), and my afternoons will not involve pumping balls or washing pinnies.

And I miss it. I miss my players. Yes, I'm pouting.

Every season is a learning experience. I learned one of my kids survived a bout with meningitis. She's only our top scorer and sweetest kid in the world. And I thought I was strong. Ha. One of my other players has dealt with enough emotional pain that I think even the Statue of Liberty would sag under its weight. One broke her wrist during the season. Through all the cookies, cupcakes and candy, I realize that I am so blessed to be an occasional, ever-so-temporary guardian to a phenomenal bunch of almost 30 young ladies.

Every year, we give thanks for a multitude of things. I just want to show gratitude to God for an opportunity to teach -- and learn from -- an incredible bunch of kids. As I have said before, there is no more overwhelming feeling than to be surrounded by a bunch of 12 or 14 yr -old ladies, who are looking up (or, as happens more nowadays with the older group, DOWN) at you with trust and expectation.

I pray God gives me the strength to continually be the right type of guide for them. Love my Mundial and Mundial Select players.

*sigh* Come on, Spring...

Connections vs separations.

2011-11-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

I love cheap tech toys. In truth, I love expensive tech toys too, but I have to hold off on getting that decked-out Maybach. For now, at least.

One of my favorites is my Bluetooth Audio Bridge. It's a BlackBerry-branded device that allows me to turn most computer speakers to wireless output for my EVO. In other words, I can connect the bridge to a pair of speakers, and stream music to it from a short distance. It works well during youth devotions and stuff. Secondarily, you can use it in cars with tape decks.

There is, well, one drawback. It needs a source of electricity, as it is not rechargeable. So, even though I am not tethered to my EVO, I have to add a power cable to the equation.

It's interesting... on the hand, I am able to create a remotely controlled music interface, but on the other, I also created a little bit more clutter, and, arguably, an even greater need for resources.

It occurred to me that some of the "solutions" we pursue in life can be somewhat ambiguous, particularly when we fail to seek God in our decisions. I think this is not only important for church workers, but for believers as a whole.

Even more importantly, I think it is crucial that we don't create more barriers between God and our congregations. This isn't something that we can do with just technology. That new church initiative to go to a dual sermons on Sunday can do the same hing if not implemented correctly. As already noted, seeking God is the first step, because what is "logical" to us is not always God's plan.

The church that remembers that will do well.

Class and courage.

2011-11-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

From rivals.yahoo.com

Courage is a term bandied around quite frequently when it comes to sports. Not to downplay the work ethic of multi-million dollar athletes, but if I made 5 or 6 (or, to be honest, even 3 at this point) figures a game, I'd hobble on the pitch with three broken limbs.

Seriously, I read about the type of courage that really matters... the courage to win by being a brother to one's opponent. Two high school rowers, James Konokpa and Nick Mead gave up chances to win medals at a meet to help opponents.

These two boys actually quit racing to help out opponents that had capsized into frigid water. We live in a world where winning at all costs is celebrated. Even churches buy into this philosophy. We want to win so much that we forget that christianity is a collectives race.

In any case, I love seeing true competition germinating from within brotherly love.

JoePa's last lesson (to the church).

2011-11-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of frangrit via Flickr CC.

The Penn State child abuse scandal has everyone reeling. Frankly, it has been painful to even try to watch sports TV shows this past week.

A telling dichotomy emerged. Even as alumni and school officials publicly expressed shame and disgust, the students themselves seemed unanimous in their defense of Coach Paterno.

Like it or not, it seemed clear that contrary to what we might always have thought, college may not be the best place to teach our young adults about the realities of life.

In any case, there are some things that church staffers can get from this grave issue. The good news? Some are really, really obvious.

When it comes to working with children and young people, some non-negotiable accountability rules must be put in place.

Duh.

The eyewitness account of one of the alleged offenses is excruciatingly horrid. The first question administrators should ask is: where were the controls? How did a coach/camp supervisor end up in a shower with a child?

Are there rules in place? Do the staffers understand them? Most importantly, are the rules actually enforced? A lot of times, the issue isn't with having rules present; the problem is actually adhering to them.

Secrecy generally leads to problems

Some things are meant to never see the light of day... ask Microsoft about the Kin. Staff issues with children? Deal with it, follow the law and put the broom and rug away.

Cooperation with law enforcement is key too.

Time alone does not heal these type of wounds, particularly when the alleged perpetrator is not held accountable. Which brings me to...

Be decisive in response to allegations.

I believe that if you create a transparent environment with protective rules, checks and balances, you won't have any allegations, but if you do, then act swiftly.

Some folks may not agree with me, but I believe if any unsavory behavior is alleged, the prudent thing to do may be to ask the staffer to step down for a while. Why not? The church 's governing entity can decide upon the status of such a leave, but I do think it is prudent to remove, say, a child worker while any issues are being investigated.

Communicate.

This goes with everything else. Enough said.

I never thought that I'd see Coach Paterno not be at the helm at Penn State. It's a shame that it had to go down the way it did, but it should serve as a warning to the rest of us mere mortals. You can do a lot of good, but all it takes to tarnish a legacy is one major misstep.

Troy Polamalu is a poser

2011-10-08T10:30:00.000-04:00

via pacificpostnews.com

This is so cool that I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.

Madame Tussauds is a world famous wax museum. Some folks say you know you've arrived when you have your likeness in wax placed there for any amount of time. Now, I truly wonder how some people make it there, but this does give me yet another opportunity to make an irrationally jealous dig at the Biebster, so let's move on.

I have thought that the seeing so many famous people eternally frozen must be disconcerting. Having one come to life, though, would be even creepier.

Now, if you know Troy Polamalu, you know that he is a scary guy. That are not too many people that walk around with his flowing locks in NFL and live to tell about it, but he is THAT good. It's as if the Steelers were named after him. So seeing one of the most feared defensive players in football scaring people is so worth it:

We have been talking about the concept of posing with my youth. Using Lifechurch.tv resources, we have been exploring why it is so hard to be ourselves in a world that does encourage what I call conformed uniqueness. We sometimes fall so in love with a projected image that we forget who we are, or worse, Who we are supposed to project.

We talked about the phenomenon on the social networks, and it sure ain't confined to teens.

Loving ourselves is a crucial component of realizing what God has in store, and appreciating what we bring to any table is part of that.

No iPhone

2011-10-06T14:30:00.000-04:00

I am almost certain that I won' be getting the iPhone. And my reason is fairly benign.

Join the discussion at ChurchMag...

No tats, Cam.

2011-10-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

Cam Newton is a polarizing figure.

I, for one, am fine with him. Why?

1) He sure knows how to smile.

2) He's QB for the Panthers, meaning there is an ever slight chance that I might get free tickets from him someday.

3) I think he is a victim of a college system that is extremely unethical.

You can judge me all you want. I am also a Tim Tebow fan, so bring on the rocks.

Anyhoo, an interesting blurb from the pre-season Cam-wire is that he was asked by his new boss to avoid ink. That's right... Panthers owner Jerry Richardson recently asked his top draft pick to avoid getting tattoos.

I am with you. I know exactly what you're thinking. What on earth was Cam doing when his counterparts at Ohio State were trading jerseys for tattoos? Oh yeah... actually winning a National Championship (zing!). But more importantly, how did Cam make it this far without getting tatted up?

Tattoos have become quite ubiquitous. One can actually walk in public and not be arrested while sporting them. In fact, with as many high school and college athletes that have them, I thought it was a requirement to have them to retain eligibility (don't judge me. Can you make sense of any of the "rules" that currently exist?). My youth recently estimated that 65% of their high schoolmates had tats, some clearly and sadly home-made.

In any case, Mr Richardson's request did seem weird on the surface. But is it overstepping his bounds?

The broader question is: can an employer make this request of an employee? What do you think?

Love OR marriage, went together...

2011-10-05T10:00:00.001-04:00

I was watching Steve Harvey ham it up on Family Feud the other day, and an interesting question caught my eye.

To summarize, Family Feud is a game show that it based around two competing families that try to match answers to the answers of 100 respondents to specific questions. Gems like " name a part of your body in your pants" and "name a word that rhymes with 'creeper'" are regularly used.

Answers are giving percentage points based on the number of people who give that answer in the previously recorded poll. High scores are generally in the 30s, so if a contestant answers a question that matches the top response, they would generally net about 30+ points.

On a recent show, one of the final questions was "name something people think will last forever." The wife and I thought the contestant answered with the best answer when she said "marriage."

Great answer, no?

She scored 18.

The top answer was "love." Interesting food for thought, if we are to assume the Family Feud 100-person polls are a true reflection of society. Love and marriage are not necessarily synonymous anymore. LMaybe love does not beget marriage.

Maybe I am reaching a bit. What do you think?

Foray into Fitness

2011-10-04T10:00:00.004-04:00

Courtesy of Katja Giersig via Flickr CC

Enough is enough. And you are gonna help me keep it that way.

I can't tell you what has brought me to this point, but I surely got here. It could have been been when I caught myself wheezing after a gentle jog. Or was it when I was swarmed recently by old players, one of whom affectionately punched me in the stomach and told me I was "showing."

It might have been when I discovered my toddler daughter thought my midsection was a combo trampoline and pillow.

In any case, I recently decided that fitness will return to my neck of the woods.

It won't be easy. I like to eat. Ethnic, soul food, Qdoba burritos... I love them all. The thought of leaving the skin of chicken wounds my soul. I am also hearing that my 2 AM snack may have to go away, too. That alarms me.

It's not like I haven't tried before. Months ago, I decided that my fitness regimen would not just consist of Wii-based aerobics. I woke up before the sun, and told my groggy wife that I was off to recapture my youth. She rolled over.

I limped up about 45 minutes later. She glanced at me quizzically, but looked impressed.

"How did your run go?" then she noticed my injury. "What happened?"

"I hurt my hamstring" I dodgily replied.

"How?

"Stretching."

She wouldn't stop. "How far had you run?"

"Run? I never left the house. I pulled the muscle while stretching."

She rolled back over.

If I am gonna be completely honest, I can probably point out when sense of self-preservation overcame my built-in excuses. Over the summer, while escorting my youth group to a camp in West Virginia, I decided to go for a run. It was about time, too. Minus scrimmage time with my soccer teams, I hadn't run in like forever (well maybe not forever... just a decade. Or two). I strapped on my green and grey kicks, and was rocking my matching green shirt and grey shorts. Yes, yes... I was styling out in the mountains! You never know when Adidas might need a dark, svelte frontman. Or a dark frontman.

Had my music, Runkeeper software going, and I set off. I did a good pace, if I may say so myself. I pushed myself harder than I pushed myself physically in a long, long time. I ran till my eyes got blurry and I collapsed on the soccer field in exhaustion.

Mentally, I shocked myself. I instinctively knew I had ran something like a marathon, but I was humble enough to know I wasn't gonna be breaking any world or county records.

When I recovered enough to lift an arm, I checked my time. Without getting too much into it, something was wrong with Runkeeper. It claimed I had run 0.49 miles; I knew I had run at least 49.

You just can't trust this new-fangled technology anyway. Whatever. It was a near-death experience. And then the irritating piece of software asked if I wanted to share the results with my friends on Twitter and Facebook. Seriously? Where were these friends when I was in desperate need of oxygen?

That near-death experience help me decide that I am tired of hearing folks say that I carry my 190 lbs on my 5'9" frame "very well". I don't necessarily want my weight to be a situation, but I wouldn't mind getting some tone like The Situation (but please, please, hold the tan for the love of all that is decent and natural). Franky, I am tired of everyone else getting fit. I see Derek taunting me with Runkeeper stats on Facebook. Like every day, seemingly. I got Cass over there, running marathons, and now deliberately getting on my nerves by doing triathlons. I mean, come on. Pam, Heather, Jen... all y'all infuriate me.

Even my kid brother is all out, running and getting in shape. This truly provokes me, because I suspect he could probably beat my 0.49-mile time.

I am calling myself out. Why? Because I know y'all will call me out,. I know y'all hold me accountable in my quest to preemptively prepare for the inevitable "Fit-Bodied Baptist Church Workers" reality series.

I am gonna need some Bengay.

Excellence and Summitt

2011-08-25T10:00:00.002-04:00

For the past few years of coaching young people, I have almost exclusively coached young ladies. Something that even male coaches ruefully note is the relative lack of female coaches in our sport at the youth level.

It is hardly restricted to youth soccer. You see the same in high school, college and the pros. It seems guys corner the market on coaching and training opportunities. And, while the situation is changing, there is much to be done in the matter of encouraging and retaining female role models in coaching. My organization has actively and tangibly worked to bridge any gender gaps.

I am not trying to talk myself out of a job; I just feel that there is definite value in finding female role models for young ladies to emulate.

When news surfaced recently that the venerable Pat Summitt, championship coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, is battling a form of early onset Alzheimer's disease, the entire sports world gasped. Scratch that. Everyone gasped.

See, you don't need to be a sports fan to know Coach Summitt. Her scowl is legendary, and her glare strikes fear into friends and foes alike. But beneath that ferocity lies a history of excellence that is hard to ignore. Check how many of her students either have degrees or are working towards one. Here's a hint: if expressing the number as a percentage, you'd have to use three digits.

Ask her players, past and present, about her and they talk about a coach who is not scared to push them to succeed. A coach who would not accept 90%. She does things right, doesn't take shortcuts, and her methods make us all rest soundly in the assurance that good triumphs over evil in the long-run.

I'm saying a prayer for Coach Summitt... for selfish reasons. You see, she isn't just a role model to young ladies; she is a role model to me.

Fearing the best

2011-08-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

I hate to lose.

This weekend, both of my soccer teams had it rough. No goals for, plenty against. A single loss usually does good to put me in a dark mood, but running between two states for most of the weekend to get both teams going (kinda) and getting our teeth kicked in was especially hard to swallow. Tack on the player injuries, tight schedules and forced tan I got, and you can understand my feelings.

In the midst of the losses, there were some bright spots. It exposed our collective need to get better, but also showed how well we can do when we gel. Both sets of ladies never quit.

There was a point, during the last game with my older team, that I had to make a decision. Continue to push and express anger, with injured players all over the place, or be a resource to my players. I reluctantly (I admit) picked the latter option.

I smiled.

My hope was that being relaxed would rub off. And it did. My ladies seemed to open up. Granted, with the way we changed injured keepers and fill-ins, all one could do was smile.

It didn't stop the goals against us; we continued our free fall, but hopefully, the landing was softer than it could have been.

Another lesson learned... don't fear the loss. Deal with your response.

Starting again

2011-08-18T12:30:00.001-04:00

It begins again.

ATTIC is back, and I'll be having three new ladies join the fold... two teams in two new divisions, and a (mostly) new collection of parents.

With Fall comes a renewed sense of purpose. I look on the past year of coaching/ministry, and I think the honest thing is to be grateful for any successes, but be realistic about areas of opportunity.

In everything, it is clear that I must continually refresh myself if I want to be an effective trainer and pastor. I readily admit that sometimes, the sheer breadth of responsibility gives me pause.

The older one gets, the easier it is to see that one's strength isn't necessarily a function of what's within, despite what the cool Nike commercials say. It is more a function of what one attaches oneself to. So, I am making this easy by re-attaching myself to He who strengthens me.

It should be a good season for my youth and soccer teams. Keep us in your prayers.

Image courtesy of Ian Britton via reelworship.com.

Terrahawks and Ecclesiastes

2011-08-17T10:30:00.001-04:00

As a kid, I loved the supermarionation series Terrahawks. We didn't have very much by way of television choice, and when you make a show that has spaceships, aliens and commanders named Tiger Ninestein in the physical manifestation of puppets, we tuned in. Religiously.

Ninestein was a man's man. Not only did he have nine lives (get it?) that allowed one of his clones to replace him in the event of his death, he led a group tasked with protecting earth from Zelda and her minions. He carried a big stick (much like his PGA namesake used to). He was tough, cocky and suave, and at age 12, I was all about being suave.

One of Ninestein's famous quips was "Expect the unexpected." It wasn't a yell, and it wasn't a cry. It was always said with deliberate control... a respect for the inevitability of chaos. It was cool, it was collected, and most importantly: it was incredibly suave.

I had to use it.

I practiced the phrase for hours in the mirror (don't judge me. There wasn't Facebook, cell-phones or an other things that created misaligned kids back then; we had to work to blight our brains back then). I decided that everyone would be blessed with the phrase as my opening point to any conversation. They could expect that. It was the perfect rejoinder, something with which I could show everyone the depth of philosophical thought I had accumulated over my lengthy dozen-or-so years.

And, it worked well. I got blank looks from friends. Most seem more confused and impressed, but hey, plenty of politicians aim to stupefy people in the exact same way today, so I must have been onto something. I kept using my new tool of cool until one fateful evening.

Without getting to deeply into it, when your dad is talking about how badly his day went at work (and we ain't talking about "regular" work; we're talking about stressful work, where colleagues get killed by package bombs) AND how car trouble had left him stranded for hours AND how he had been interrogated by government security forces, you might NOT want to quote Tiger Ninestein at all. That evening, the expected outcome actually did happen.

I think if we focused on how much little control we have in life, it would be crippling. The cliches are mostly true: cherish the seconds, stop and breathe, it could be worse. But for those that need it, getting a true Anchor in God is all we have.

Church work on the cheap

2011-07-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

Here is an article from a writer my wife thinks is gorgeous and extremely smart. The article talks about tools that specifically are used for church work, but could be of help to any business person.

Leave comments here or there...

Feuding

2011-07-05T10:00:00.002-04:00

When it comes to Scrabble, I am The Man. I could try to downplay my awesomeness, or cloak it with false modesty, but sometimes, you just have to underscore the truth. When it comes to this word game, I'm Michael Jackson, and everyone else is Tito. I am William, you're Harry, and I'll look fabulous in ceremonial headgear -- and I ain't abdicating, baby.

One advantage of having a smartphone is the ability to play Scrabble clones against others. While Word With Friends is quite popular, my favorite is Wordfeud. Available on iOS and Android, it allows play between opponents over the air.

Yes...

I played a couple of games with my wife. I love the lady, but I unleashed such a continual can of terror on her that even I started to feel bad. So I had to seek out some new competition. I was getting weary of hiding this word-play genius, and I had to let the world behold it.

I started playing with other friends who had Android devices. The result was generally the same: Me: Awesome, Them: Less so. I reveled in my new found celebrity status (work with me here). I was riding high, beating up on acquaintances and living the life. I beat my brother so badly that I could practically see the welts in his posterior.

Till I played Tee.

Wordfeud is not just any game. As any Scrabble aficionado can tell you, the game transcends just the need to have a wide vocabulary. It entails defense, blocking, letter awareness and strategic placement. Using all your tiles can make or break you, and having a 'Q' can help or hurt.

Everyone has a style of play. KB is a word savant; she uses the most words of any competitor, and she swings for the fences with longer words. Tee is methodical; make one mistake and you're toast. My brother J is annoying; he plays in boxes, grinding the game to a plodding halt while nitpicking words (remote play is necessary with him because you'll wanna choke him at some point. What in the world is "Qi"?).

Tee broke my run. In short order, my streak was gone. Babetta beat me. Karen beat me. Worse yet, my kid brother beat me. The last one hurt, and I had to fight back tears.

And confront my own mortality.

All in all, Wordfeud is addictive way for one to rediscover humility. However, with the roll that I'm on, I am gonna have to postpone that...

Thought dispersal

2011-07-03T14:00:00.003-04:00

I have been blessed with an opportunity to write for a few other web publications, and I am sure it will help with streamlining this blog.

Going forward, I'll be contributing a bit more to Churchm.ag. It will be an opportunity to talk about a concept I hold dear: church and technology.

I'll also be writing some articles for Gone Googling. Obviously, this

will cater to discussing everything Google.

I am quite excited by the opportunities, and I hope that you also visit the blogs listed. They are pretty good, admittedly without my contributions.

Recast

2011-05-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy year so far. With three teams and church work, I felt stretched. Tryout week just ended... looks like I'm gonna have two club teams again.

Truth be told, without some of the best church volunteers and parents on both sides (like my earthbound Angel), I'd never make it.

I'm looking forward to it.

For now, I am so grateful to God for all the opportunities. I am quite happy for the few weeks of respite. End of season brings a multitude of emotions. You say goodbye to players for any number of reasons; it never gets easier.

The longer I coach, the longer I realize that it is an extension of my ministry. That is what makes me keep at it. I love what I do, and even though I may never get rich doing it, I truly feel privileged.

Nuts of grape.

2011-04-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

I dedicate this gem to Cass and Tee. Something tells me that they will truly appreciate it.

No more bacon. No more "nuts of grape." All you...

What a day...

2011-04-16T20:30:00.001-04:00

Tournaments will make or break you.

With the torrential rains coming through, it has been in interesting Saturday. My older team (Gazelle) played first game against a team that had my school (CPS) keeper... we lost a tight one, but it was a mixed bag. I love to see Katie do well, albeit at my expense.

Immediately after, I had to dash across town to get to my younger team (Samba) matchup, guest coached by a fellow trainer Danny. We won that game.

We then had a predetermined rain delay to allow the serious thunderstorms pass. At 3:15, we repeated the sequence -- one game here, then a dash to get to my next game before halftime.

Ended up with two ties, a win and a loss spread amongst both teams.

I am so proud of both teams. My older team is very, very different from a week ago; player movement and injuries changed our entire complexion. They have done so well to raise their own performance, and it is exciting and humbling to watch. Though it has been a rough season, they continually fight to do well.

My younger team has quietly become a formidable force in our division. We lost out on the championship, but an undefeated regular season made me so proud of them. Hopefully we can bring home so hardware tomorrow.

All in all, it was a hectic yet rewarding day. I was supposed to be break-dancing at a fundraiser for our children's department (long story... a blogpost for another day), but I think my age is definitely beginning to show.

Remembering Julian Brown is still a privilege.

And more...

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

So... in my new role as soccer coach at Charlotte Prep, I got a new set of ladies to learn with... a bunch of bright ladies of differing abilities ranging from 5th to 8th grade.

So far, it's been fun. I am quite interested to see how we do. I like the school, and parents seem quite receptive. My schedule has tightened even further, but I truly love this opportunity.

Go Tigers!

Churchdrop

2011-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

As you know, I love church technology. It's my passion. I think the church must harness technology to reach the people we are told to reach. It's the same concept behind the move from papyrus to paper. Better tools make the job easier to do and imbibe.

I was just blessed with an opportunity to write with a bunch of guys who know way more than me on that topic. I'd like to invite you to check out Churchdrop.

Great articles by some great people... and, oh yeah, little old me.

So, so thankful...

2011-02-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

... that my nephew's cancer is officially in remission!

Convergence, baby!!!

2011-01-04T10:00:00.003-05:00

As I have come to believe, convergence of devices is now the name of the game. It seems in our quest to achieve simplicity, we may be willing to sacrifice optional quality... within reason, of course.

In this article from Yahoo Finance, the author suggests that traditional cameras may be on the way to becoming obsolete.

I don't think he is too far off the mark.

I don't know that Nikon, Kodak or Canon are ready to cede the shutter battle just yet, but then again, it wasn't so long ago that I was taking rolls of film to the drugstore to get developed.

Now? I can snap and share via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Dropbox in sixty seconds or less on my Android device. The dual cameras may not win me a Pulitzer Prize, but being able to have a portable camera with me to catalog something funny or memorable at any given time is priceless.

That is a big draw for me. The ability to leave physical bible, camera, checkbook, mp3 player, day-timer, laptop, etc. behind is invaluable. If there is something that can be done effectively on my device, then that is where I want it done. Anytime I have to carry a secondary device, I have the nagging feeling that I have failed at choice of platform and/or device.

Some companies are adjusting to consumer convergence. Even as Amazon and Barnes & Noble make better standalone e-readers, they are spending money to push what could be called competitors to their own hardware: their own software for the major mobile OS platforms. In other words, I can buy a Kindle device, or still have the option of downloading the free Kindle software to my EVO to access e-books that way.

It's all about ease of use and speed of delivery. It's all about how fast you can get a document from a bulletin board to a fellow staffer.

So... do I boot up the scanner and desktop or plop out the EVO with Camscanner?

As Black Sheep said... the choice is yours.

Alltop Church Chatter

2010-12-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

The one thing that Alltop does for me is aggregate current thought from church folks that have a bead on the pulse of our generation. I absolutely feel blessed to have access to the blogs listed. I invite you to check it out too.

I readily admit that if you are looking for a blog to knock mine off your subscription list (and you shouldn't be), you'll find one here.

Alltop is perfect for my other hobbies as well (soccer, mobile technology, books, etc.). All in all, I am sure you'll find a use for it.

And, as the badge on this very page states, I still can't believe I got in...

Ministry Helper Apps (Android edition)

2010-12-28T10:00:00.004-05:00

Since the inevitable Android move has happened, I have been getting acquainted with my new device and the OS that powers it.

As in everything else tech, I try to find a way to bridge it to ministry. Here is my list of Android Applications that currently are must haves:

YouVersion Bible: Yes, I know at this point, I sound like an indefatigable cheerleader with a crush, but YV is really all that... and a BIG bag of chips. With Live integration, Note availability and creation, downloadable version (NLT is one) and built-in reading plans, this is a serious tool for the serious Android-carrying church worker. YouVersion is all the bible you need on the go.

Get on the bus. The possibilities are endless. You can literally run a entire bible-based message from your phone. You can tweet, send to Facebook and add study notes for the church directly from the app.

HanDBase: Relational database on steroids. This bad boy is an app of a thousand apps. Think data entry and utility creation. You can create expense ledgers, member lists, even giving records. Need a task list? A building catalog? List of guest speakers? parent list? Nursery roster? HanDBase is there. It is syncable to desktop/laptop, too.

I have used HanDBase since my Palm days, and it has been a staple on my devices since. I have my unofficial time clock on it. Helps me keep track of my ministry hours, and allows me to send reports (like weekly output). I also use it to catalog my training plans and player stats in soccer. The scary thing is that I don't think I have even touched the surface with regards to its functionality.

Extra bonus: HanDBase is owned by a christian artist, David Haupert.

Pocket Informant: I am a churchworker, soccer coach and also manage our church's online calendar. I also need to have access to my wife's calendar to stay on top of the kid's events.

I run a lot of calendars. Pocket Informant helps me manage everything.

It syncs well with Google Calendar, right down to the color coding. If a fellow staffer adds an entry to Google Calendar, it populates to the general Google Calendar, which populates to my device. Pretty seamless. Besides syncing to the Google Cloud, it also syncs to Toodledo, a fantastic task manager with GTD capabilities. All in all, PI is one of the best PIMs out there.

Dropbox: Dropbox has been around for a while, and I am shamelessly late to the party. Still, it made it's way into my heart quite easily.

Dropbox is a storage repository conveniently located in the "Cloud" an accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. This connectivity has given Dropbox the secondary ability to serve as a universal jumpdrive.

How can this help you? Church workers move more paper and information than the US Mint and Library of Congress combined. Say a busy pastor needed to collaborate with the music minister and head deacon about the upcoming Easter program. We are talking about music, graphics and budgetary concerns... with a click of the button, everyone's physical input could be uploaded instantly to a common file, collaborated on and then re-accessed.

I use Dropbox heavily on the fly, to help get media out on our webpage, FB page and the church twitter account. Instead of hoarding event pictures on my phone, I simply upload them to my Dropbox. It's one less reason to carry a laptop, when I can simply access the the info from any computer.

Dropbox offers free accounts that are upgradeable, but I have not yet used up my generous free allotment. You can also download the app for free on iOS, BlackBerry OS and Mac.

Save a tree: use DropBox.

Season's greetings.

2010-12-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YouVersion. Again.

2010-12-15T10:00:00.001-05:00

YouVersion became a part of my walk not that long ago. A Twitter friend brought it to my attention, and I remember thinking it was too good to be true.

I gave it a whirl, and became such a fan of YV that I penned a review about the Blackberry port. I got to meet some pretty cool people affiliated with Lifechurch.tv, and got to understand the vision that guided the minds of the folks behind YouVersion.

Since then, YV has gained steam, and has become such a blessing in the lives of even more people worldwide. The idea of making Bibles accessible to people in the form of mobile software wasn't new, but removing the financial barrier to ownership was revolutionary.

In its early days, its biggest attribute -- portability based upon wireless signals -- sometimes could be a drawback. Still, this is somewhat soothed by the presence of offline (downloadable) versions on the iOS and Android ports. This makes it even easier to get Scripture, any lack of cellular signal and/or wifi notwithstanding.

I have been blessed with an opportunity to be part of the YV Android testing group, and watching the way the developers respond to glitches and release new builds has been fun. I am particularly smitten with the new Notes feature of the Android port; now I can make notes and add spiritual revelations on the go, right from the handheld. I already rely heavily on YouVersion to do my job, but this added functionality blows it out the water. Add that to the pre-existing multiple translations in multiple languages, social networking connectivity, built-in reading plans and access to "Live" events and scripture word search, and you can see why this software is such a hit.

All in all, I consider YV to be such a huge part of my ministry, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about God. You can do it on any major platform with data access, including a regular desktop or laptop.

For Android users, it is readily available on the Market.
--
Sent via Android.

People I dislike: Katherine Wolfe.

2010-12-13T10:00:00.003-05:00

If you need a dose of inspiration, or wanna read about an old-fashioned hero that lives today, head over and read about Katherine Arnold Wolfe.

Beyond being a woman with untold courage, she managed to survive a life-threatening stroke. This wife and mother also fought to re-learn skills that she lost after the stroke.

People that are braver than me make me feel small. Katherine Wolfe makes me feel refreshingly minute, and it is a privilege to write about her. Every now and then, we meet or read about powerful beings that only wear human flesh. Katherine is one of them.

I am grateful God gave me an opportunity to read about her.

Hotness

2010-12-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

A quick birthday shout-out to my wife. As y'all know, she is hotness personified...

Happy Birthday, Cookie. I love you.

An ode to uncoolness.

2010-10-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a gem from David Meurer via New Man Magazine.

Think about: does the chase of coolness prevent us from being humble?

Reflection.

2010-10-26T10:00:00.004-04:00

Couple of things on my mind, that may or may not make you throw rocks at me:

I admit I have to get myself in shape, even as I squarely place the blame on people like Cass and Jen... people I blame for not yelling at me.
One of my players called me a softie. This angers me, because it goes against my self-described street rep. It also angers me because she might be right. Drat.
I can barely beat my 7 yr-old and 4 yr-old in Wii baseball anymore, and, in any case, I then feel like I need Tommy John surgery.
I was the oldest attendant at my brother's wedding last week. Hurray for getting old.
Yes, I admit it openly. I like Tim Tebow.
My wife says I am getting crankier in my old] age, and that makes me cranky.
I think one of my youth may be hitting the Bible more than me, and this shames me.
The next time I see my kid brother flaunt his Android-powered HTC EVO (a phone which I am waiting on, I will take it and bash him over the head with it. So there.
I find myself referring to "urban dictionaries" more often.
I googled myself last month. Twice.

Prosperity preaching... for the church.

2010-10-25T10:00:00.002-04:00

How do you sell prosperity in an economic downturn? No, doing crusades in third-world countries is not an option.

It has been tough for churches. As a church-worker, I can tell you that straight up. When the jobs go, so does the giving. It's the man-made Circle of Life.

The obvious casualties are less programming and reduced spending. Pastoral staffers all around are rethinking priorities, and churches are having to make due with much less. The newsreels last week were dominated by one particular well known mega-church filing for bankruptcy (this church is also tightening it's belt to cut costs).

It's never fun when the church struggles.

So, what are we to do with weightier duties and lighter collection plates?

We need to go old-school: let's pray.

The re-examination of priorities is not a bad thing. Longevity and growth sometimes cloak disadvantageous bloat and waste. It is SO easy to justify foolishness with a "spiritual" stamp of approval, especially during times of plenty.

I think it is also important to understand that our duties to serve do not stop because our physical support does. In fact, more people need help. We may not be able to fill every fiscal gap, but we sure can do a Peter: let's give what we do have.

All in all, this time will pass, and negative as it seems, I believe it is an opportunity for the church to snatch back some relevance. Surreptitiously slipping in tithing material in the church program may get you temporary reprieve, but focusing on the God of Psalm 23 may be wiser.

Stay blessed.

Re:Praise

2010-10-22T18:30:00.001-04:00

Who woulda thunk it? A whole year has passed. Happy Birthday, Little One...

Blessings

Puppets. Big puppets.

2010-07-16T13:00:00.001-04:00

I ask for forgiveness in advance...

I do reserve the right to skip across the lake of irreverence from time to time, but this one might get me fully immersed. No pun intended.

I am making no theological pronouncements, and for the record, I love a well done, tasteful praise dance routine. However, my fear of seeing life sized puppets was mostly surpassed by my feelings of unrestrained joy at seeing the look of abject confusion (or was that horror?) at seeing what could charitably be described as a Black Jesus. And everyone knows that nothing causes more consternation to more people than... never mind...

I don't know how I ever lived without YouTube. It is a true gift that never, ever stops giving.

And this is why I am headed to Android...

2010-07-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

I love technology, and what it allows me to do.

I waited with bated breath to see what new things Apple would roll out in the name of iOS4. As always, beautiful hardware (all "grip of death" jokes aside) and the pseudo-multitasking is definitely welcome, but I think my decision to retire the BlackBerry for an Android device instead of an iPhone is the right one. For me.

Today, I learned of a new development in my favorite part of mobile-based technology. Google just unveiled a new utility from the labs called App Inventor. It allows average joes and geek wanna-bes like me to create applications for Android OS. For free.

Now, the potential is clear. Giving people the ability to create custom-made apps in an easy format is beautiful. Now, your device is even more personal. I read of a poster on an Android-enthusiast forum who eagerly looked forward to creating soundboards of his daughter.

I look forward to seeing what it can do. Another shrewd move by Google, particularly when you realize that Android OD is making its way to TVs and netbooks.

So, in theory, if I wanted to make an app relating to visitations or ministry needs, I could. Opportunities abound.

I have to see how it shapes out... for example, I am interested in seeing how the App Inventor handles issues in the real world. Or, if there will be controls to help dissuade people from adding to already burgeoning list of adult titles in the Android Market. In any case, I like this a lot.

Letting the Spirit lead.

2010-07-03T15:30:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick hitter from Craig Groeschel, Senior Pastor of LifeChurch. As some of my recent posts may reveal, this is something that has been weighing heavily on my mind of late.

As the modern church strives to be relevant to a modern generation, I think it is important to remain focused on God and His spirit as the Decider-in-Chief of our collective mission. While "models" might be an easy thing to emulate, we cannot forget to pray and ask for insight FIRST.

The very ministry of Christ was atypical in so many aspects, and He gave us quite a model to follow, starting with love as an underlining concept.

East Digerati

2010-07-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

I am the beacon of technology at our church.

Iwork on the website, update the Facebook page and send out the Twitter updates. I do the Youtube uploads, and try to keep our Foursquare location relevant.

I am the tech whiz. I am the smartphone-wielding pastor who serves as our gadget evangelist.

One problem: there are quite a few "Is" in that monologue, and not enough "Hims" to suit the type of work that I am supposed to be doing.

In the 21st century, it is key for church works to find acceptable ways to tap into the consciousness of the people we look to reach and serve. However, there is a true danger in loving the medium a bit too much... perhaps more than the Message? It becomes especially wayward when the tools become symbols that distract from the mission.

Sometimes, to some people, seeing their pastoral staff, or getting a simple phone call from them weighs a whole lot more than a tweet or FB wall post asking for prayer. And there is NOTHING wrong with that.

Sometimes, it's the simple, "old-school" methods that make people see the Jesus in us, so we need to work harder to not forget them.

*Thanks to my mentor, PJ, for reminding me of this.

Full Circle

2010-07-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again...

It's been very busy. Just got back from a youth mission trip to Grifton, NC. Now, I'll be honest; I had never heard of Grifton prior to getting involved at East. It's out in eastern NC, and compared to Charlotte or Raleigh, is much quieter and somewhat rural, what with all the sprawling farmland and such.

In any case, it was back-breaking work. It was also very humbling work. I got to know my youth even better, and bonded with my parent volunteers. Through all the sweat, early mornings, hot afternoons and unexpected happenings, we returned as a very tight knit group. The one thing that continually lept out at me was the concept of "renewal." More on this later.

Beyond that, we are saying bye to some of the best seniors in the world. Most are staying around and/or going to local colleges, but I have one going all the way off to Kansas. Happy for her, but truly unhappy to see her go that far away. I console myself with the fact that God has a plan, especially since guilting her into staying didn't work.

Then, I said goodbye to my two soccer teams. I had been with the core of the older team, current U-14s, for some time; they will all be mostly playing first division soccer for new coaches in the Fall, which is a huge jump, and makes me very proud as a coach. Of that team, only one is left, and I had her for only half a season. I am also saying bye to my younger team. We went through so much as a unit, from all losses to a winning record. They are all mostly playing at the classic level, which makes me very proud as well.

In return, I have two new teams... two mostly new ladies, a few who I have coached and coached against in the past. I am looking forward to the challenge, and developing new relationships with my new team and parents.

I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be used, and I hope I can be a blesing to my youth on the field and in church.

Prayers for TN

2010-05-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note of prayer to our family and friends in Tennessee... the rain and resulting flooding has been devastating.

Just wanna throw a quick shout-out to Pete Wilson... if you have a boat and a heart to help, reach out to him and the folks at Cross Point Church, who are looking to help.

The bottom line

2010-04-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

In the last couple of years, much has been made of the drive to use technology to reach people. In church affairs, the subtle undertone has been to use technology to bring people in.

Count me in amongst the shameless adherents.

I believe the church needs to move at the pace with most of society at worst, and leads the pack at best. There are numerous ways we can use technology to help us fulfill our spiritual goals, and I get a lot of satisfaction in finding out new ways.

One big point of pause should be the fact that old concepts should not necessarily be discarded. While we feel driven to share our messages on Sunday from our smartphones and/or tablet devices, there is nothing wrong in acknowledging the fact that some congregants may be reassured by seeing a physical Bible.

Hearkening to the past is not necessarily a sign of weakness.

In taking my current position (and by default, becoming the church "digerati"), I have come face-to-face with a fact that startled me: some of my church family won't ever visit the church website I take so much time to keep updated. It has taken me longer to understand that that is okay.

As soon as I start creeping into ministry, I begin to displace what should be the true Source. There is also a real danger in allowing a ministry conduit become THE ministry. And that is what technological pushes really are (or should be): tools.

You can use all the flash-bangs in the world and hit air if you don't have an overall focus on people. We can play the numbers and unseeingly witness our ministries will go awry. We might have full auditoriums and sweet testimonials, but we might not be truly changing hearts.

My point is to vocalize what I have been cautioning myself with... love what God is doing, not the tools that are harnessed to effect it. When my BlackBerry freezes during a witness, should the witness stop?

Let's not leave folks behind if we can help it. In the mean time, I am off to download yet ANOTHER minstry tool to my smartphone.

I never said we should stop using these tools, did I?

You see,

Android

2010-04-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

I've been bitten by the Android bug...

Weighing the pros and the cons, I might might be surrendering my Crackberry card. I might be giving up my love for GSM handsets, too.

For those who know me and my tech tastes, this is shocking. However, not so much so.

I need a device that serves as a ministry tool. I maintain the church website, Twitter feed, FaceBook page and ministry information on the go. Personally, I need calendar and email with me. I also make use of mobile databases for soccer management.

Since a lot of my professional and personal productivity is tied into Google already (calendars and email), it just makes sense to use their platform anyway. I use my devices heavily, and robust software is a must. Android would provide that. Plus, the hardware is simply beautiful. Toss in blogging capability, social networking and media, and I am sold.

The Nexus One is on my radar, though I would dearly love the new EVO coming out. Either way, I think I'll be moving to Sprint. As long as I can keep on using Google Voice (I can) and figure out a tethering process (I should), I'll live without a GSM handset. With the potential savings, I would still be better off, even with a potential ETF. Cash on hand is of such a premium... Digerati on a dime.

I am not a fan of touchscreens, but again, I think the overall functionality of Android would make it worth it.

I would like to wait and see what Apple will throw into the 4G... but the open source nature of Android will, IMHO, be more consumer-friendly in the long run. Plus, y'all know how I feel about being the stereotypical church worker with a -- gasp! -- an iPhone...

Gonna miss BBM, but GTalk should fill the void...

The Punter? Why?

2010-03-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Okay...

Of all people to highlight on a card aimed to get season ticket holders to renew, why would NFL Buffalo Bills pick the punter?

Everyone knows the punters are not serious football players... where was the quarterback? Star linebacker? Where was TO? Then again, that could backfire...

But when you read this story by Pat McManamon, you ask yourself: where can you find a better representative for your franchise?

We don't usually look to athletes for inspiration (of the positive kind) anymore, so this is especially refreshing.

Hats off to Brian Moorman, a silent hero who just happens to punt pretty well.

Healthcare shenanigans

2010-03-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

On this, I'll be brief.

Check out this tweet from David Bean: Hope.

People, no matter what side of the aisle your sympathies lie, God is in control. The God who heals the sick 2000 years ago still does it today. That is true healthcare coverage that outlasts anything we can or cannot come up with it. Wonder why I am blissfully apolitical? There ya have it.

That is all.

New Stuff

2010-03-04T14:00:00.002-05:00

I still have not figured out this marriage thing out.

Nearly a decade in, and I am still in the dark as to how women think. It's funny really. Almost a hundred and twenty months of matrimony. Two daughters. A mother. I coach young ladies, and minister to more.

The more I think about it, the more I am positive that it isn't my fault. I am a product of my environment. Growing up with three knuckle-headed receptacles of testosterone euphemistically called "brothers" damaged me.

So, I hereby confess: I am STILL clueless when it comes to women. Yes, I have been married for a little while, but while I readily bask in the applause and adulation that marital fidelity and longevity bring, if I were to be candid, I'd point out any success is not my doing, but based on prayer to a Dedicated Source.

Anyhoo, I have come to a decision. I have decided to do what any clueless guy would do. I have decided to do what any bloke who bumbles his way through matrimony would do.

I have decided to start giving marriage advice.

Yes, sir...

And before anyone starts throwing rocks, let me point out that people do this everyday. The former Governor of New York, brought down in a prostitution sting, gives lectures on ethics. His paid, er, confidante, is supposed to start a relationship advice segment. We all know about Dr Phil and his weight loss empire, right?

So, I am throwing my hat into the same circle. Starting next week, I will have a recurring article that graciously gives advice to people that need it. And every article will have relevant disclaimers, including the fact that almost none of the anecdotes come from personal experience. Ha.

Pray, people. Pray hard.

When Media Attacks

2010-02-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

Interesting writeup at Church Marketing Sucks about ways churches can deal with potentially troubling reports cropping up in mainstream media.

It specifically addressed the recent issues faced by Ed Young and Fellowship Church. A local news station did an exclusive report which detailed what it considered excess on the part of Pastor Young and Fellowship.

Now, in the interest of fair disclosure, I like Ed Young, and not just because of the wonderful marital challenges he puts out from time to time *deep smile*. No, I truly, honestly believe he is a committed kingdom worker.

From a personal standpoint, I like the way he and church leadership decided to deal with the issue.

Now, I think it is important to understand that the media is not to blame here. Well, not necessarily. Yep, we know sometimes the headline is juicier than the truth, but there is nothing wrong with a little public oversight. I think when we, as churches, truly work to line up our ethics with God's expectations, we'll be above reproach. Mistakes do happen, and it is never fun to see you or your church beaten up in the news, but I think the proper response (seeking God's face, coming to ensure financial fidelity, reporting to your congregation, etc.) can go a long, long way.

One more thing... I always smile when I see folks to potshots at church works and their wealth. I won't discount true issues of shameless excess, but, as I posted in the comments, lavishness is relative.

Just sayin'.

BTW, Check out Church Marketing Sucks... awesome informational blog that I love to visit.

Heroes: David Benke

2010-02-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

Since I work with middle school and high school students, any and all stories of school violence hit close to my heart.

So, when reports surfaced today about a man going on a shooting rampage in a middle school just three miles away from the tragic Columbine school shooting, my heart skipped a beat.

Pray for our young people. Pray for our "older" people.

Thank God for David Benke.

Weekend

2010-02-23T12:00:00.001-05:00

What a weekend.

Since somebody decided to leave me with two of the kids this weekend, I had a taste of despair.

I tried the "popular dad" routine to kick things off. You know... saying yes to everything. That lasted roughly 15 minutes, right after my son loudly proclaimed the joy of freeing his nether regions from an invading piece of clothing to the patrons of a packed Chik-fil-A. Talk about embarrassed.

Then it was off to dinner with friends, and I didn't make it back home till past midnight. I figured they'd be tired. But no.

"Daddy, can we watch cartoons?"

"No," I yelled. What was wrong with these jokers? It was already "tomorrow."

"Pleeeease?"

Okay. Fine. Whatever.

Suffice to say, since I had a game to coach at Boiling Springs the next day (70 miles away), followed by a second one 60 miles from the first, we were in for a burner.

I am proud to say we got to Boiling Springs early. So early, in fact, that I found out that I had driven there in error. The Boiling Springs game was not till the next day.

I had driven an hour and change for nothing. Plus, I had two "are-we-there-yet" kids that I now had to drive back to get to a game that was fairly close to home in Charlotte. Goodness.

"This would never have happened with Mommy," opined by daughter sagely.

"I bet Mommy would never leave you on the side of the road either, would she?" I shot back in a mature manner.

Anyway... I coached my 96s (U-13s) and we tied the game with 10 players. The U-11 game did not go as well, and we lost badly.

I had two games Sunday, so we left for Boiling Springs. Again. Now that game, we lost. Again we played with 10 players. As always, my Torsion girls are my heroes. They never, ever quit.

My U-11s made it all worth it it in our second game.

We played a team I truly liked. Nice coach, nice young ladies, nice club. They had beaten us last year, and in this game, we were missing some key players due to conflicts.

Keep in mind we had not won a game as a team. We went up 3-0, and prevailed in what turned out to be a nail-biter 3-2.

Really, really proud of you, Samba Elite!

The wife and baby returned on Sunday, and all is right in my world...

Don't Call me Pastor!

2010-02-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is a tickler from my dear friend ~~Pastor~~ Hey Man Dude Derek.

I am seriously thinking of referring to my father-in-law as "Dude Sam." Pray for me.

Retrusting God

2010-02-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was coasting on a high. Things were really looking up; everything was pretty much lining up. More and more doors seemed to be opening simultaneously.

Then, the floor dropped out.

My nephew Nate, one of the sweetest kids you could ever hope to know, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his brain. All this while going to hospital for something else

I have four nephews, all of whom I love dearly, and Nate is the youngest. Same age, in fact, as my son. The two of them are road dawgs; whenever they are together, you can count on joint operations of a destructive kind. We (the parents) always wondered how two 3-yr-olds could wreak so much havoc.

When the tumor was found, I went numb, and wrapped myself in the supposedly proper male facade of silent strength. My wife was devastated, and holding her while she cried allowed me to hide the condensation that immediately formed in my own eyes.

I prayed. We prayed. But somehow, the lump in my throat would not leave. At night, I cried. And the cycle repeated every day. Public prayer, and private tears, followed by more prayer and a few more tears

And then I became angry. I had reason to be, right? Forget the stuff I taught my youth for a quick second; I could divest myself of faith for a little bit... right? Right?!

Why did my nephew have to go through this? What did his parents do? Why did my boy have to have this dangerous mass pressing into his brain? WHY? Tell me... why. I have EVERY right to be angry and mad and infuriated. And helpless. And a little bit lower than optimal on the faith-o-meter.

No.

I'm gonna see this one through. I am gonna see my nephew win this. I am gonna be able to hold him again. I am gonna see him go through chemo, and probably get tired, maybe nauseous... but I am gonna see him beat this. Because I know, I believe that there is power in prayer, and that the God we serve is a God that still makes miracles happen. And every tear shed (like the ones dripping now) are just precursors to the tears of joy we'll be shedding on the other side of trial.

I am going to retrust God. I admit it may have to do with the fact that I have nothing else, but now that I am on this path, I'm in all the way.

Pray for my nephew, please. You'll be doing yourself a favor; you will want to know that you were part of this miracle, so get to it.

Love ya, nephew!

WIB (repost)

2010-02-10T22:00:00.001-05:00

So, we talked about what you need to do as a minority person trying to fit in a new age, predominantly white church. As promised, I will examine the other side.

Now, now... don't trick yourself into thinking that this scenario is impossible. What happens if you get called to speak at a black church? Or, even worse, you are asked to keynote a (gasp!) Black History Month symposium? (BHM is in February, BTW).

So, because I am the nice guy I claim to be, I have created a cheat sheet for those who need an empirical reference when faced with such scary situations.

1) The Entry/Welcome: Jeans? Please tell me you are kidding. If you don't have a suit, don't attend. Dress for church as you would a funeral. Think of the Boy Scouts motto.

2) Welcome pt II: When elderly Sister Johnson tells you to come give her sugar immediately "or else" you better go give her sugar. She will swat you. Hard

3) You see those paper fans that have MLK Jr's likeness on them? Leave them alone. They are for parents with kids. And Sister Johnson. See above.

4) Careful with the Amens. Don't be too loud. Don't be too soft. Definitely don't scream. A double Amen means no other Amens should follow. And please don't pump your fist in the air. That could be misconstrued if you were not at the Olympics in the 1960s. If in doubt, study a Kirk Franklin outro for examples of correct refrains (like "preach, preacher!").

5) Praise and worship: If the choir and congregation break into an old Negro Spiritual, I highly advise you not to join in. In fact, that would be a great time to use the bathroom. If restrained, just nod with understanding and shut up.

6) Yes, that is portrait of a Black Jesus. And? Let it go. Don't stare. Let sleeping dogs lie.

7) Remember what I said about no fist bumps? Same applies here. No daps, hood hugs or anything that you saw on BET or the WB.

8) Eat a HEAVY breakfast. There won't be donuts. Service will be LONG. You will be hungry.

9) Offering: The offering plate does not come to you; you get up and go to it. Nuff said. The seeker-friendly movement will arrive eventually.

10) You saw right... that was a modesty blanket, and yes, they are used on men as well.

Sent via my BlackBerry.

Church Super Bowl Ad

2010-02-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

Interesting blurb... we might see a megachurch run a Super Bowl ad. Funnily enough, it's one of the finalists in a spoof contest.

Culturally, this is big; as the article notes, it would be a huge platform. Christ in prime time? This is even bigger than that concept.

The Inspiration Currently Known as Bree

2010-01-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

I latched on to this story from David Whitley via FanHouse, and I hope it touches you as much as it touched me.

It tells the story of Bree McMahon, a senior at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida, who overcame an event that would crush almost anyone else.

The varsity soccer player lost her leg.

The manner was excruciatingly tragic. While at a carwash fundraiser for the soccer team, a fellow player hit the gas pedal in a vehicle by mistake and pinned Bree to the wall.

But, as Whitley notes, the SUV left Bree's spirit unscathed.

Now, I cannot tell this story better than David Whitley, and I am not gonna try; all I can say is I wish God will bless me with the a percentage of the grace that this 17 yr-old possesses, so much so that while waiting in pain for the ambulance to arrive, she was able to tell her despondent teammate how much she loved her and how she understood it was an accident.

As a former keeper, there are few people I think can EVER score on me. We cultivate that confidence. Mia Hamm is one person I am wary of. I admit it.

Bree, when Mia Hamm says you are her hero, that it big time. And I just wanna say, you are mine too.

Here's to #12... what an honor to hear of your story. What an honor to have you play Joga Bonito, and what an honor to see the courage you displayed when you took the field, crutches and prosthesis and all, a beautiful example of the character I'd love to see in my own players... and myself.

Image courtesy of Orlando Sentinel/FanHouse.

Ignored tweet leads to arrest

2009-12-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

While reading this PC World story, one element leaped out at at me.

While trying to disperse a rowdy tween crowd that had converged to listen to a scheduled singing event of a teen sensation, the police arrested the music exec associated with the singer. What for?

For not tweeting a dispersal message.

The police hold that it was reckless to do so, and that his (the exec's) refusal contributed to injury.

While I don't understand the legal nuances, I couldn't help but think that the police in this story have an overly ambitious idea of Twitter in this scenario...

That time of year.

2009-12-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

Busy, busy, busy... and grateful, grateful, grateful. Most of the time, at least.

Just felt I should say that... carry on... :)

Olive Tree Bible Software updated...

2009-11-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Olive Tree has put out some nice updates on their Bible software.

Olive Tree makes electronic versions of biblical material -- along with related content -- for every major smartphone and PDA platform, which means you're good on Android, Symbian, iPhone, Palm and BlackBerry. In addition, they have a bunch of free resources (like Bible reading schedules) that are useful for everyone.

Specifically for BlackBerry, it seems they have expanded on the capabilities of both touchscreen and keypad/QWERTY devices.

There are live discounts available for software titles.

Check them out. Bible Reader is a mainstay on my device, and has been a true blessing in my life.

Who teaches you ethics?

2009-11-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

This article from David Knowles stuck with me. The original case was one which stood out in the national consciousness, and it had everyone's moral compass firing North.

I admit it: I think Ms Davis may have point. They are paying him to talk about ethics?

Oh well... wow. I'd probably be more willing to pay Ms Davis for a speech at this point, but then again, I don't roll in the circles that Harvard folks do.

Disciples, disciples...

2009-11-10T16:00:00.002-05:00

While working in the corporate world, my boss had a novel thing to say about his abilities. His worth -- as a trainer of personnel -- was the quantity of his own people that, in our corporate parlance, "moved up". In other words, his abilities as a supervisor were directly proportional to the number of his own subordinates that could do his job after a reasonable period of time.

Now, I know it is easy to draw flack nowadays for referring to the church as a corporate entity. Indeed, I happen to humbly think that church leaders should concentrate a little more on being busy with the gospel as opposed to the business of the gospel... but that is a discussion for another day.

There does seem to be a basic idea that seems to be lost in this new age of leadership. Where are all the disciples?

Discipleship seems to be a lost concept, one which just seems to be overlooked.

In our younger christians, the effects seem telling. It seems we are seeing a new generation of young adults. They are jazzy, up-tempo, have more than just a passing knowledge of Christ, but have no urge to speak of it. College (and later on, life) becomes one big field of landmines because we did not accompany the cool activities with any depth. We developed a population of Christ Followers Lite who know the hooks to alternative gospel but really never learned how quiet time is important.

What happened to discipleship?

We are culpable. I think this is a critical juncture, and we MUST rethink our course. We need to decide if we are gonna continue to pump up these new believers with frills or help them shape their faith. We need to allow ourselves to be used to help create the type of christians who can and will do the continuous job of propagating the gospel.

Just some food for thought. Thoughts?

Should Churches Monitor Staff’s Twitter?

2009-11-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting philosophical discussion from Pastor Pete Wilson of Cross Point Church in Nashville.

Against the backdrop of Larry Johnson's infamous tweets, Pete asks a question: should churches monitor the social networking feeds of their staffers?

I tend to lean towards light on the "m" word, heavy on the "c" (connection). In these days and times, there is nothing like too much accountability. Truth is, what we do online (blogging, tweeting, FB, Tokboxing, etc) are all representative of our ministries. Like it or not, people perceive them as representative of Jesus Christ.

What do you think?

My pastor can beat up your pastor.

2009-11-05T10:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the age of the celebrity pastor.

We've always had popular men of the cloth. The advent of social networking simply helps make them viral.

The results can be funny. I overheard two acquaintances going back and forth about how awesome their respective pastors where. Various major points were compared, from hair gel to mobile device.
Finally, one of the debaters threw down his trump card. "My pastor can do a split!"

At this point, I had to interrupt. I needed to agree... his pastor was cool. A pastor who does splits? Incredible. I felt inadequate and unfulfilled, and made a mental note to request the same from our pastor during the next church event.

Looking back, I wonder why I did not have the presence of mind to ask for an in-depth reason as to why his pastor did a split in the first place. Then again, it was probably best left unsaid. In any case, this pastor had achieved celebrity status on account of his proficiency of a move that defined MC Hammer.

The hushed, reverential tones of congregants when mentioning their pastor is a clear sign. You live where? Have you heard Reverend so and so? No? GOODNESS!

Makes you wanna raise a lighter to the sky.

It isn't only pastors. Lately, it seems the church (I use the term collectively) is eager to bestow the term "believer" on any famous person that utters the word "God" in any public forum. The problem here is obvious; this includes even the most hedonistic stars that win at awards shows and every artist facing felony charges. Look on the cover of some of your favorite christian magazine for proof.

Celebrities rule.

Of course, the real danger is when the messenger becomes greater than the Message. Is modern christianity being driven by personality cults? Do we treasure the trend more than the substance?
We live in an age where we are all addicted to sizzle. We like the famous, and want to be like them. We allegedly unmoor balloons with imaginary children in them in order to get reality shows. Why should the church be any different?

Except for one small fact: it should. And we need to reevaluate our motives, because if I see any pastors making any homemade devices that can float, I refuse to visit that church.

Stay blessed!

Balloon pic courtesy of AP.
Sent via BlackBerry

Scary!!!!

2009-11-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

Here is an unvarnished quick-hitter from my friend Duncan.

The illicit sex slave destroys the lives of way too many people. Maybe it's time we started paying attention.

Too many people are victims, and we cannot stand aside and let human trafficking continue.

Face it..

2009-11-03T10:00:00.002-05:00

Universal truth time:

Your teen is gonna network socially. Okay?

Now, what are you, as a parent or youthworker, gonna do about it? How about harnessing it?

I think they are fantastic outlets, and can really be used to develop existing bonds. I do tend to lean towards being a hardliner when it comes to supervision.

If you're child won't let you have unbarred access to it, they shouldn't have the medium. Period.

Even better... why don't you have your networking identity and "friend" your child? It's a win for all.

Just some food for thought...

The good, the bad and the insane.

2009-11-02T10:00:00.013-05:00

Innovation is the name of the game at church nowadays.

You have to have an angle, something that pumps up the crowd, and no only keeps the congregants coming, but encourages them to invite friends and family to come see.

Some ideas are worse than others, and so I have taken it upon myself to write an abbreviated guide to help churches figure out a few ideas to roll with, and a few too discard. I have four (4) grades:

Winner! (This is cool, everfresh and can't be faded).
Good (worth trying, but look left, right and left again before implementing).
Fail! (I wouldn't do it, unless I was trying out for a dysfunctional reality show.)
The Benny (dedicated to my good friend Tee; this is "Fail to the nth power" {where n equals infinity}. I have taken the liberty to use a graphical illustration to denote The Benny).

1) Donuts and coffee
Grade: Good.
Reason: 10 years a go, you could build mega churches on this alone. Now, it is almost expected. With proper fellowship, it is effective. Do not try to save money by going for saltines and sweet tea.

2) Online resourcing
Grade: Winner!
Reason: Uh, Duh... meet the needs of the people in the prevalent medium. No-brainer. Website, Twitter account, FaceBook page... whatever. If there is a void, fill it.

3) Social Networking
Grade: Winner!
Reason: see above, my friend; see above.

4) Fundraising car washes with teens in bikinis

Grade: The Benny
Reason: the image says it all. Fail, fail, FAIL!!! I wish I had a coat big enough to beat you all with simultaneously. What were you thinking? Why? It's a church fundraiser, not a casting call for Baywatch.

When your programming starts to require parental advisory labels, it's time to step back and reevaluate your goals.

5) Civil War reenactments
Grade: Fail!
Reason: C'mon. Do you really have to ask? C'mon. Some cultural experiences are best left outside the church. What next, a stage reenactment of The Alamo or The Battle of The Bulge (the musical)? Just stop. C'mon.

6) Hospital/Infirm Ministry
Grade: Winner!
Reason: This one gets the overlooked award. Nothing screams "caring" more than pastoral staff and/or congregants willing to fellowship with folks in hospital or at home. Hospitals are sterile and cold; visitations provide warmth. Old school? Our Lord spent more than a little time with the sick and infirm. Let's copy that.

7) Church Stickers and bumper magnets.
Grade: Good.
Reason: I like it, but tread carefully, friends. We have all heard of the pastor who was cut off in traffic by a car he didn't recognize (but which had his church's big, glossy sticker on the bumper). When the pastor blasted his horn (actually being more friendly than confrontational), he was answered with three upraised middle fingers, from the driver's side, passenger and a rear windows. All together.

The pastor pulled close at the next light and was astonished by the glare he got from one of the church deacons, the deacon's wife and son. The glare turned into a look of meek shame, of course.

While it makes for a great opportunity to reshuffle your deacon board, one fundamental truth stands out: if you live by the sticker/magnet, you (or more accurately, your church's reputation) can die by the sticker/magnet. Overall church health first, frills later.

8) The special "offering staff" relay.
Grade: The Benny

Reason: Call me stuffy, but giving each family that makes $1000 offerings a special, faux-bling-encrusted staff to run around the church on Sunday makes me uncomfortable. Granted, I do admit to wondering how it would feel, since, as the eldest son, it would have been my right to run the staff on my family's behalf.

No, I am not making this up.

I need a coat...

9) Bibles. No... really... physical Bibles.
Grade: Winner!
Reason: Wanna know what the most important thing a new disciple needs? Same thing that a tenured, seasoned Christ-follower needs: a bible. Yes, I myself am a huge proponent of electronic resources, but sometimes, nothing is more reassuring than an old-fashioned, tried and true physical bible. Have some available. In the sanctuary. In the dining area. In the vestibule.

People I Dislike: Kimberly Thompson

2009-10-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

When it comes to life, the toughest thing sometimes is just living. It takes a deep immersion in faith to get to a point where you can do it well, and do it with an "overall" smile.

Some folks do it better than others. And this is one reason I dislike 180 pal Kimberly Thompson.

Kimmie (who she is to me) is a special kind of person... she makes me question why I would ever stay glum. She has this thing about her that makes me ashamed to be down.

So, why do I dislike Kimmie? Too many reasons to count. Here are a few:

- When asked about her outlook on life, she answers with: "To sound incredibly cliche, life is what you make of it." I don't like people who can get profound points across so concisely.

- When you ask her how she finds a way to be positive, she comes back with: "By knowing that I serve a God who is faithful, and ultimately everything will work together for for my good." Since I sometimes struggle with this, you can see how she gets on my nerves.

- You get the same grounded answer when you ask her what biblical verses she uses to anchor herself: "'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' is always a good pick-me-up."

Even with all this, I was willing to give Kimmie a pass. The answer to my last question pretty much sealed the deal and put her squarely in the "Dislike" category:

- What do you think of Karen Byrne? "She is awesomeness and you know it!!!!" She really used 4 exclamation marks.

Whatever.

On a more lucid day, I could talk about how wonderful it is to communicate with someone with such an undisguised love for God. I'd say how cool it is to have an instant prayer partner, and how Kimmie is an inspirational friend that I hold dear.

But, that last answer bothers me, and so I simply won't say that stuff.

One week with Malena

2009-10-29T23:00:00.000-04:00

To all our friends and family,

Thank you... for all the flowers, thoughts, wishes and especially the diapers.

Malena has had a blessed first week.

One nation...

2009-10-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

I thought this was an interesting story...

On paper, it is easy to develop angst and all, but is it really that simple? It might seem odd, but I kinda see Depot's point in all this.

What is the ethical responsibility of Christ Followers in this type of scenario? While I am sympathetic, I feel like he should have removed the pin.

Mowing Love Without The Strings

2009-10-27T12:00:00.001-04:00

The other day, I decided to work harder at being the type of servant I teach folks to be. I decided to start small.

Let me preface this by saying that currently, my favorite thing in the world is not mowing grass. I love a nice, tight lawn, but the combination of weather and cheap lawn mower makes the whole process a downer for me. Every time I prepare to rev it up, tears of apprehension inevitably well up in my eyes.

Anyway, I found the perfect service opportunity. My neighbor needed a cut. I knew she was busy, she lived with her adult daughter, and was always nice. So I zeroed in.

When I found her driveway empty, I quickly mowed ours, and moved on to hers. As soon as I mowed the first line, my lawnmower conked out on me.

Uh-oh.

My mind raced. I knew how it would look. I would be viewed as the neighborhood bully... the guy who cut his grass, and went on to harass others about theirs. The HOA informant. It would look like I was sending a message: Cut Your Grass. OR ELSE.

My kids would be ostracized, my wife's car would be egged, and any shot I had of joining the school board would be permanently nixed.

I feverishly tried to restart the mower, lest my noble, genteel, holy intentions were misinterpreted.

The mower characteristically refused to start, but it gave me time think and analyze my own motives. Why was I doing this? I truly did not want to receive thanks, but who was I doing this for? Was showing love my true motive, or was I trying to make myself feel better about, well, myself?

Eventually, I got the mower to start. I finished the yard, swept up the spare grass on her sidewalk and driveway, and went in to rest. Yes, I did feel a great sense of completion.

Our neighbor didn't say anything about it. In truth, she works so hard it is possible she didn't even notice it. I am fine with that, and it actually makes me feel even better. I wondered if I could start an alternative lifestyle as a secret hero, helping people solve their lawn problems at night.

I could take this to a global level.

Oops... there goes the "me" again. The aspirations to be the famed Masked Mower will have to be put on hold; I have people to serve closer to home.

Image courtesy of DuffDudeX1 via Wiki Commons.

Praise

2009-10-23T14:31:00.000-04:00

Malena got here at 11.05 PM...

Car lights and pride.

2009-10-22T10:00:00.001-04:00

I am a fairly competent guy -- by my own estimation, at least -- and I hate failing at challenges.

My biggest strength, I believe, is resourcefulness. In other words, Google is my friend. Give me a laptop or smartphone and an internet connection, and I can do just about anything.

Till recently.

My wife's driver's side headlight went out. No sweat; super hubby was here. How hard could it be? Besides, I had the Holy Grail of consumer car repair: The Hanes Manual.

I went out and looked at it. The setup was a tad different than my car, but with my Hanes Manual, it had to be easy. Right?

Then came hurdle 1: my beacon of manly car repair, my sweet Hanes Book, was missing.

I looked high and low for it. Nowhere. Not good.

In truth, I wasn't too perturbed. I still had Google.

I searched high, and searched low. Finally, after hearing some genius wax authoritatively about entering the wheel well through the interior of the car, I was done. DONE!

"Don't worry... I'll just take it to Sam" my wife suggested, referring to our trusty mechanic.

Not on my watch. I have no problem with taking serious stuff to Sam. Granted, I have a low threshold, but in that moment, changing headlights was that self-imposed limit.

So, I grabbed my tool box, and stepped outside, daring any of our neighbors to ask me why my 18V Dewalt cordless drill looked so new, much less why I was using it on a car.

I toiled all afternoon. Soon is was dark. My wife came out and looked at me sympathetically, looking wondrously at the sweat on brow. She guessed (correctly) that the perspiration was caused by shame.

"I think we should take it to Sam," she said quietly.

I agreed.

I refused to shame myself by calling Sam. I had her do it. On Saturday morning, I drove her car to Sam.

I was apologetic to Sam. I knew this was a major job, and I didn't want his ego to take a beating. I knew how that felt. It wasn't his fault; it was the blasted American engineering. I had my blog idea list ready to go, and I was ready to wait out this job.

It took a while. About 180 seconds.

I hadn't even pulled my BlackBerry out, and he was done. With both bulbs. Two tabs, and bingo.

"Anything else?" Sam asked.

Whatever.

I got in the car, and drove around to kill time. Still, when I got home, my wife looked knowingly when I came in.

"That was fast," she said.

"Don't wanna talk about it. Ever." I stomped up the stairs.

Pride cometh before a fall. I comfort myself with the fact that no one, and I mean NOBODY, can change a tire faster than me.

Ha.

Sent via BlackBerry

Thank you!

2009-10-21T12:30:00.002-04:00

A few weekends back, my older girls had a tough going in our regular league play.

Ravaged by flu, we went into back-to-back games undermanned against two good teams. On Saturday, we drove 90 minutes to play in Asheville. One of my toughest players, Y, was so sick she could hardly stand. With only 11 other players, I knew it would be tough, and we dropped our first game of the season 3-1 after an understandably dismal second half.

Sunday looked to be bleaker. Y was done, so we had only 11 players. 11! Then, one of my players forgot her cleats. We were three hours away from home, no sports stores close by, and no one had extra cleats.

In youth sports, we talk about going to war, and kicking in the opponent's teeth and more. The news is filled with abominable stories of crazy youth parents, but when it comes down to it, we meet some of the best people around in youth sports.

I am taking my hat off to the players, parents and coaches of Carolina Mountains Soccer Club U-13 Blue G team. Coach Bill and his parents treated us with class. My player was provided a pair of cleats by the mother of one of the CMSC players. Bill inquired into the health of my players, and even offered to let us take breaks during the game to ensure my players did not get dehydrated.

The game ended in a goalless tie. It is memorable to me for many reasons; my ladies showed their grit, but I also have Bill to thank for that, because he did not cheapen the game by holding back. I believe both teams are the better for playing it, and it helped create the deep regard I have for CMSC.

Thank you for showing why we do what we do. It is an honor to have played those ladies of 96G Blue.

Beauty amidst chaos (week 41=pink)

2009-10-21T10:00:00.002-04:00

I am a tough guy.

Till I received this blog link from my dear friend Pam, and found teardrops accumulating in my eyelids.

Cancer is harsh, and even when defeated, the scars -- physical and emotional -- can be overwhelming. As a disease, breast cancer is only rivaled by the pain and despair it can leave in

its wake.

This month, take time to say I love you to ALL the women in your lives. It's perfect practice for the other eleven months.

And, God willing, we'll continue to make a dent.

BTW, if you aren't following Dana Snyder Suggs, you should. Now.

Grateful to be busy.

2009-10-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy Summer and Fall. Two teams to coach (and travel with), running the youth program at East, deciding to help run the YCI program at East Meck, finding the time to do FCA at the same school, and most importantly, a new baby at any time.

Oh Yeah. I. Am. On. Fire. God keeps the doors permanently open.

East has been a fountain of opportunity. Great people, and there is ALWAYS something to do. Our Youth Sunday was successful, and now we are looking to be used by God in other ways.

I also get to work with PJ on our web initiative. Very, very time consuming, but very, very rewarding. I take my hat off to all the REAL web architects out there. Creating a church website is no joke, and for all my assumed computer savvy, it has been a steep learning curve.

So, all in all, it has been one blessed time period.

Gotta run. I have a pregnant woman to attend to, and I want to live to tell y'all some more.

Letting go...

2009-10-01T10:00:00.003-04:00

As a soccer coach, I have learned quite a lot about being charge. Mostly, that "being in charge" is not a call to dictatorship. I have also learned that to be successful with kids, you must be successful with the motivating factor behind those kids.

Yes, I am talking of the "P-word" here: PARENTS!

When I was younger, it was easy to view parents as a necessary evil. You almost always had one that was a a braggart, another who knew the governor, and one whose knowledge of soccer consisted of the drunken periodic scream "Big kick, d*****!" Yet, in everything, those folks are the same people who have the most influence on your players. You learn to value them. Some of my best friends are parents of current and past parents.

Last weekend, I was thrust into the hot seat. My baby girl was playing a game. And I was on the sideline, for the first time in my life, as a parent.

When I watch soccer games, I automatically go into analytical mode. I look at formations, balance, weak side threats and relative speed of attack. It is the goalkeeper in me, honed by years of coaching. Within seconds, I can generally figure out leaks and advantages.

On Saturday, I couldn't do that. My eyes were on #7. My pride knew no bounds, even when she stood rooted to the ground for 5 minutes without going for the ball. This same move would have elicited a growl from me with my older players... but at that moment, to me, it was almost adorable.

The toughest thing was letting go. I had always shied away from pushing Mimi towards soccer. I never wanted to become the crazy father, forcing her to practice juggling till 1 AM daily. So seeing her pick it up and play herself was humbling, and it was weird seeing Coach Thad bringing her along.

I take my hat off, again, to all the guys and gals who coach youth soccer at the grassroots level. You know... the folks who have not been jaded by advanced coaching courses, and who probably never heard of the game till they found out their kids would not have a season if they did not step up. Thanks for all you do, for creating the individual masterpieces that we get later on in the journey.

Thanks to all the rec coaches, like Coach Thad, who work hard, a lot of times for free, and help ensure that I can switch from Coach Tre to the one title in the world cooler than that:

Daddy.

Oh boy(s)...

2009-09-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

So...

I happened to catch some of Tyra Bank's show the other day, and was it heart-wrenching. Tyra had a bunch of teens, one as young as thirteen (13) who confessed to having numerous sexual partners. The discussions, which included most of the girls talking about sexual activities in public, their parents bed, without contraceptives and even multiple partners, included commentary from shocked mothers and pep talks from the host.

Interestingly, the mothers generally knew their daughters were sexually active. It was the sheer amount that seemed to scare the daylights out of them.

But one thing stood out to me. The script was not too far off the beaten path. Some of the girls seemed nonplussed, all the mothers were mortified and the studio audience feigned shock and indignation.

As always, load the ladies on stage, force them to confront their self-destructive behavior, and, if you are able to make them look stupid enough (and their parents overly naive), television ratings will follow.

One question: where are the boys?

Now, forgive me for donning the naive hat myself for a qucik second. Yes, I have heard all the arguments that state that society has conferred the duty of being the gatekeepers of sexual morality at the feet of the Softer sex. Still, until we begin to confront the issue in our boys and young men, it will always be a problem.

The high-five culture has to stop. Promiscuity in boys should not be celebrated or, even worse, ignored. When do we start reminding our boys to treat women like rubies? I propose you put the boys up on stage, and show them the insecurity and devastation their actions cause, and superimpose the images of the girls they treat shabbily with pictures of their mothers and sisters. Then, tell the studio audience to look at them with the same type of uncomprehending shame.

Till then, these shock shows will be blips on the radar, and the problem continues: we are raising boys who are not learning how to esteem women.

Hanging out at East Meck.

2009-09-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

I want to give a quick shout-out to Rick Parker, fellow Tarheel and principal at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, NC. Mr Parker was kind enough to take the time to meet with me, even with last minute schedule changes on my part.

I have a couple of his wards in my youth group, and is the first principal I have ever known to be loved by all the kids in the group. It's always nice to have your local principal pledge support.

I look forward to getting involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It is a blessing to share boundaries with a high school in this biz.

Light the Night

2009-09-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

This is from my dear friend Pam. I admit she is loony, but she does have a heart made of gold, and because this cause is important to her, it is important to me.

Dear friends and family:

Most of you know that I don't normally send out solicitations, and I apologize if you've made it onto this list and would rather not be there.

Unfortunately, this is one that is near and dear to my heart. One of those that is closest to me is living with this disease and I have seen first-hand what it can do.

Fortunately, Carey is in remission - her ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY is TODAY!! - but for those with Myelogenous Leukemia, remission means a pill every day, not a cure. A chemo pill. With some pretty nasty side effects. Still, the side effects are better than the alternative, which is not surviving the diagnosis.

Last year, our team raised over $2000 for this cause. I am hoping that this year, we can shatter that record and help even more people fight this disease. I'm raising money for a very important cause: finding better treatments and cures for blood cancers so patients can live better, longer lives through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. I'm asking you to help by making a contribution! Please use the link in this email to donate online quickly & securely. You will receive an email confirmation of your donation as soon as it is made. I thank you in advance for your support which will make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients battling blood cancers.

I really appreciate your generosity!!

http://pages.lightthenight.org/nc/Charlnc09/waalien

Thanks, Pam

YouVersion Live

2009-09-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

Just got this from the good people at LC.tv:

Hey YouVersion friends,

We've got some really exciting news and we want you to be the first to know! Soon, you’ll be able to use YouVersion in a whole new way...

Introducing YouVersion Live!

Beginning in October, you'll be able to interact with live events on your mobile device using YouVersion Live.

During church services, conferences, Bible studies, small groups, and more, you can:

Follow along with message outlines and take notes
Read related Bible verses and click through to the expanded passage
Vote on a poll and see the results live
Respond to questions anonymously
Request prayer
Take it all home with you on your phone

Anyone with a web-enabled mobile phone will be able to take part, along with iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android users. And if you’ve got a laptop or computer with an internet connection nearby, you’ll be able to join in too.

YouVersion Live gives you a simple, free way to participate, contribute, and get involved in the conversation.

Check out http://youversion.com/live and sign up for email updates to stay in the loop!

By all means, watch how you cut your meat!!!

2009-08-13T10:00:00.003-04:00

In this article retrieved from Yahoo! Hotjobs, Maria Hanson details tricks that employers are using in an ever-tight job market. There was an interesting point about watching the candidates eat, and how one company passed on a candidate based on the way he cut his meat.

On the surface, nothing new here. Employers do go to extreme lengths to ensure they invest the right type of human capital. They go to FaceBook, Myspace and Twitter. Meat cutting was bound to be the next frontier.

Of course, a standardized chart of demerits is in order. Here's one that churches can use:

Different sock color: 3 demerits (color blindness won't fly in ministry).

Shirt unbuttoned to navel with unsightly chest hair: 5 demerits (denotes habitual errors in judgment)

Shirt unbuttoned to navel without unsightly chest hair: 7 demerits (no chest hair? Then why are you doing it?).

Lack of knowledge of John 3:16: PEIN***

Any use of the terms "outside-the-box," "donuts" or "urban": 10 demerits. (if "urban" is used 3 or more times, PEIN; candidate has been watching too much BET).

Plays with light switch when left alone: 5 demerits. (I refuse to budge on this, so don't ask).

Long, dangling Jesus faux bling hanging from neck: PEIN

Saying the word "bling" at any point during the interview: 30 demerits. (Hip-hop auditions are across town, doofus).

Sir Mix-a-Lot ringtone: 30 demerits and immediate prayer

Maranatha Singers ringtone: PEIN. (Same as bringing Jesus, in person, to the interview. Simply too good to be true).

Gang signs shown by reflex: 0 demerits (what? For all I know, you'll blame me for the non-offer, and then I get hunted. Figure it out).

Cutting meat in the wrong fashion: 10 demerits plus counseling by elder board on the off chance you are hired (look, I know this is supposed to be really bad, but I figure it could be much worse).

Lewd comments: PEIN (and call 911).

I am sure the meat cutting can be applied to a host of different situations. Now, instead of scouting games, I could simply trail an opposing coach secretly to watch him/her eat at his favorite steak house for insight into his/her game plan. Or, predict how my wife is feeling by how she wields a fork and knife... wait a second... scratch that. Why give her a knife?

***PEIN denotes "Please end interview NOW!"

Saving lions

2009-08-12T14:00:00.001-04:00

So, it was one of those headlines that grabbed at me...

Two Men Live With Lions To Attract Attention To Saving Them.

Come again?

Now, without getting into the meat of the article, it was clear to me that this is not something I am called to do. I am one of those weirdos that buy into conserving the planet, but living with an animal that can eat me -- in order to save it -- is just not something I can wrap my mind around.

I can do puppies... may even bunny rabbits. I can see myself going wild and living with teddy bears. But lions, cheetahs, tigers and the like... well...

Seriously, the headlines would be shameless: youth pastor/coach decides to live with lions to save them... and does so till the end.

Modern day lion-whisperer gets inside lion's head (and eventually, its stomach).

Youth worker gives his all to furry friendly felines he adored.

Humans show a unique aptitude for being able to sacrifice for the things we care about. We'll go to unique lengths to ensure we meet the ethical standards we place for ourselves. It defines are humanity.

This is why missions are extremely important. Old-school methods in a fast-moving world. Humans loving humans will never grow old, and even the Lord showed how important social responsibility is. Sometimes, the neediest people are not across the globe; they can be in the house down the street.

Some food for thought...

Accept my sympathies. LOL.

2009-08-07T10:00:00.002-04:00

IMO...

This is an interesting write-up on the proliferation of text abbreviation in everyday life. We've all seen the phone commercials that make light of the phenomenon, usually with an unhip parent, and laughed.

Truth is, every generation seems to develop a unique means of conveying thoughts. Mobile technology provides an easy platform in ours. All of a sudden, shorter seems to better... and I cannot say that it is a bad thing. Now, every major news network has a "text chat" feature for their top shows, presidential candidates tweet, you can choose your American Idol with a few keystrokes and even bully high school kids in under 160 characters.

Now, I'd love to claim that I have been down with this form of mobile communication, but I admit that I generally avoided it. After all, I reasoned, it is much easier to just call than start banging away on a minute keypad that probably doesn't have a QWERTY display anyway.

Ever since I started blogging on my BlackBerry, I have gravitated towards texting a bit more myself, and have discovered it is a very effective means of keeping in touch with my wards. Many have told me if they had to pick between a million minutes or an unlimited texting plan, they'd pick the latter without hesitation.

Texting used to be the exclusive plaything of teens, but that isn't the case anymore. Churches even run services based of text interactions, and it ain't only aimed at youth. Simply put, if it something your children or youth are into (and, if they have a cell phone, they most likely are), it is something parents and youth workers should understand, if not embrace. Do you know what "sexting" is? I bet my bottom dollar that your kids do.

In any case, ETATILT (enjoy the article that I linked to). Yeah, I made that up. And?

Picture courtesy of Alton via Wikimedia Commons

Politicians, knives and Twitter.

2009-07-22T19:00:00.000-04:00

Politicians, including our favorite, Ahnold, are finding that the Twitter sword cuts both ways.

Ah... the joys of social networking. The whole "140 characters or less" concept was supposed to help communication, not muddle it up even further.

A note for church workers who tweet: what's bad for the goose is much worse for the church gander.

iPhone apps? Whatever...

2009-07-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

So many of my christian brothers and sisters own iPhones. Anyone who casually reads this blog knows that I feel real christians use BlackBerry devices... but I feel that I must soften my stance a bit. Now, I simply see iPhones users as misguided. It will still be a struggle to fellowship with them, but someone's got to do it. Especially since LifeChurch has created additional strife by streaming services to iPhones, as in iPhones only (for now, I hope).

Whatever. Thanks a lot, Brandon! Now BJ, Ron, Amanda, Danny and Pamela Edwards all have bragging rights.

Ron is one of these misguided people. Still, if anyone can use his iPhone as a ministry tool, it's Ron. And despite my misgivings, I caught myself enjoying an article about another iPhone bible. As if there not enough compelling reasons as to why the iPhone can be a powerful ministry companion.

It goes to show: the gospel can be propagated. Even on the iPhone. I still will throw rocks at Ron and BJ.

Furniture, Race and Music

2009-07-13T16:00:00.008-04:00

Twitter/FaceBook buddy Pastor Ben Cotten always finds these gems...

Wow. I guess High Point is a melting pot. At least, as far as furniture is concerned.

One somewhat unrelated thought was the fact that one thing that does surely help one overcome prejudice (or at least shields it for a season) is money. Don't read too much into my ramblings here... this really has nothing to do with the ad. However, I do believe that nothing strips away the facade of tolerance than some hard times.

Ah... let us bask in the musical stylings of the crew at the The Red House...