Recently i’ve been engaged in a conversation with several good friends and we’ve decided to invite others into it.  We’ve recorded a 6-part podcast to push out our thoughts and to engage you in the dialogue.

steve caton

ben stroup

the conversation started when i introduced two good men to each other – Steve Caton and Ben Stroup.  I’ve known Steve for about two years now.  We’ve had many conversations about building and sustaining community.  Steve is the Vice President for Sales for Church Community Builder (CCB).  Our outpost uses CCB to manage our ministry.  Ben Stroup is a newer friend. He is  the Chief Broker of Opportunity at GENERIS.  He blogs here.  I stumbled on his blog and quickly learned that he had some keen insight that those doing church management needed to hear..so together, on a conference call last October Steve, Ben and I talked about how to leverage our passions and talents.  We began sharing some thoughts and ideas and then Ben pulled together this podcast.  We invited Lauren Hunter to serve as podcast host.  Lauren blogs about church technology here. So…welcome to episode one.  we’ll be interested to see what you think.

Where: Louisville, KY

Place: The Block @ Southeast Christian Church

When: 28-30 June, 2010

its coming again!  last year our team attended the best practical conference: gurus of tech event in louisville.  for many of our folks it was the first time to a mega church campus.  the journey had its moments too,  check out this video… but the practical takeaways were immeasurable.  the details are still getting worked out, but if you’re in ministry and you use any technology at all…you need to attend.   besides it being FREE…which is an incredible deal…you’ll learn alot.

FREE registration here.  you can follow them on twitter @churchtechtalk

kami gilmour and stephanie cairo

the value of this particular conference is the directed efforts by an amazing team of volunteers and staff who clearly understand the value of creating opportunities to connect and build relationships.  this year’s conference has a very solid feel to it.  with the support of the good folks at Group and the able talents of their conference director kami gilmour and inside track guru stephanie cairo an amazing couple of days are ahead for some 2, 500 folks who are passionate about connecting students to power of the gospel.

this afternoon in between helping to set up the conference were some great conversations.  at dinner tonite doug fields shared his vision for the conference and reminded those in attendance the importance of reaching out to others during the course of the next couple of days as many attendees are on their last legs in ministry and this time away can really be used by the Holy Spirit to encourage and equip tired youth workers.

oh yeah…one of the best things is that some parts of the conference will be streamed live on the net.  you can watch it here.  there’s a schedule there too. and you can follow it all on twitter .

Len Evans, Doug Fields, Brian Ford

doug fields, rick lawrence and marv penner

Persecution in India: Francis’ Response from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.    ht brad cooper

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fatherhood still may be in a state of crisis, but we’re fighting for it, one devoted dad at a time. Drew Brees, fatherhood’s latest poster boy, has struck an inspiring blow for the cause. Like all of us, he’s only human, but there’s great virtue in cheering him on and celebrating the beautiful Super Bowl moment that he shared with his wife and son — and all of us. No paid ad time. No controversy. Only love.

some good folks have set upThe We Love Baby Brees Respect Life Fan Clubon Facebook in honor of Drews good work.

I confess i’m biased to anything john eldredge writes. i’m grateful for his open and honest engagement of issues that are critical to understanding our journey, as men and women through the Story. so now we’ve a book co-authored by John and his delightful bride Stasi looking at the institution of marriage. and Its a definite winner. The book is their sharing in authentic, open and transparent ways about this larger “love story” we a?ll live in…they write:

We live in a love story, set in the midst of war. Love is our destiny, and all hell is set against it. Really it explains so much. We wake each morning and fin that we have to fight our way back to all that is true: we have to fight off the thousands of reasons to settle for less than the life we were created for. Our bodies awaken but then our hearts and souls must awaken too, so that we might play our part in the Grand Affair. And God has made our hearts in such a way that nothing awakens us quite like some great mission which is ours alone to fulfill. Thus the power of fairy tales, all of which turn on this awakening in the heart of the boy and girl.

This book is an excellent read. There is something here that is deep and good. Stasi and John are transparent beyond measure and their risking vulnerability is a huge encouragement to the reader. The reminder of how hard life can be and particularly the difficulty of loving another person in the context of marriage is very real.

Walking through their own struggles and pointing some practical remedies on loving our spouses well. One helpful insight is in the area of spiritual warfare…a reminder that we truly do live in a world that is at “war” and that there is more afoot than what we see.

Along with the book is soon to be released dvd based study. There’s also a useful website that offers a weekly podcast and other information . The Q&A from the book tour (which begins its second leg this weekend) offers some great insights.

Personally, i’ve seen the end result of the honesty of John’s and Staci’s writing in the lives of literally dozens of men and women who are better understanding their walk as Christ followers.

Love & War is book that you’ll want to re-read a couple of times. Much like the Eldredge’s earlier efforts…Wild at Heart, Captivating, et.al. you’ll learn something new each time.

While reading Love and War this week I used a question that is quoted in the book from C.S. Lewis with a couple young men in an at-risk group i lead. That question was “would you rather have Eros or Compansionship?” I was pleasantly surprised by the response that the young men, after pondering it…said “companionship.”  Although “eros” was something the liked…there’s was something deeper they needed.  Both young men come from circumstances where their place in the story was begun out of “eros”. They realize the deeper disconnect that exists when we get the family thing out of order (i.e.sex – pregnancy – marriage).

I need to remind you that Love & War was graciously provided for review by Waterbrook Multmonah. You can purchase the book via their website here.

Yep… Get it…Buy it…Read it…Live it! Definitely A+.

Dr. David Jeremiah is one of my spiritual heroes.  i’ve enjoyed hearing him preach, teach and especially have enjoyed his writing.  I’ve enjoyed reading one of his newest titles: Angels: Who they are and How they help…What the Bible reveals. Dr. Jeremiah tackles all the details of where angels come from. what their purpose is and even wrestles with  helping us understand the concept of guardian angels.  Seems almost providential as the

The book is a great read.  Its easy and there’s lots of great elements that he helps the reader wrestle through, even the concept of fallen angels and satan’s role in the whole created order.

One good take away for me came in chapter 11, entitled Showing us how to work.  Here’s a clip:

Calvin reflects the “in accommodation to us,” “Scripture has shown us the wings of seraphim and cherubim “to assure us that when occasion requires they will hasten to our aid with incredible swiftness, winging their way to us with the speed of lightning.”….God can count on them, and so can we.  There’s no sloppy workmanship or laziness or negligence on their part….When David summons the angels to praise God in Psalm 103, he call the ‘you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word…you his servants who do his will.”

In talking about guardian angels, Jeremiah is quick to tell a boyhood story that almost secures the idea of “something” that kept him from harm so that he could pastor, minister and even right this book.

The good folks at Multnomah/Random House have provided me the review copy and an additional copy to give away.  Please leave your name, email and a comment (if you like) about how a “guardian angel” has intervened in your story, to allow you to continue as part of the Story.  I’ll draw a random name on Wed, Feb 10th. and get it to you.

I’ve learned some interesting insights from reading this book the least of which is “that angels truly love the Lord, and will always love to serve him”…and so like Dr. Jeremiah, will I.

Great Read! I’d encourage you to Get it.
Review Grade:  A