Big Is The New Small

I know there are some varying opinions about texting and utilizing social media during church.  I actually use my YouVersion Bible app. on my iPhone during church and I have also been known to Twitter during a church experience/service.

I think individuals should Twitter while they are in church and here are 5 Reasons Why.

5 Reasons To Twitter During Church

• 1. You have the opportunity to be a real-time extension of your pastor’s voice while he/she is communicating God’s word.
• 2. If the pastor shares something that moves you, inspires you or changes your life; there is a good chance it will have the same impact on the lives of your followers as well.
• 3. When Jesus said: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel… “All The World” applies to the Internet world, as well as the TwitterWorld.  Do your part by going into all the TwitterWorld, tweeting the Good News.
• 4. You will have a stored database of your compelling thoughts and notes, from your favorite sermons.
• 5. You can spare a couple of minutes of (SAD) Sermon Attention Deficit during most sermons.  It’s better use of your time Twittering great thoughts than drawing on the back of offering envelopes.

God’s Omnipresence applies to Twitter as well…  Get Your Tweet On!

Should people Twitter in Church?  Why or Why Not?  Add to this list, share your thoughts!

I took my dog to the groomer and this is some footage of me picking him up from the Doggy DayCare.  Could someone answer this question: Why dogs sniff other dogs private areas?  My dog needs to stop, it doesn’t seem to gentlemen like!

Here are 4 Ways Twitter will inspire you on the 4th of July!

1. Family- As you read all the tweets about 4th of July  family picnics, outings, events… it might be just the encouragement that you need to do something with your family.  If you are already hangin’ with your family or read tweets about people wishing they were with their family; those tweets will remind you to appreciate and value your family time.
2. Food- Let’s be honest you are going to read more tweets about burgers, brats, hot-dogs, steaks, charcoal, baked-beans, polish sausage, hot-links, chicken… in the next 24 hours then you will in the next year.  If you are a guy, your competitive spirit will have you whipping up your secret recipes and throwing something on the grill.  As a matter of fact, I’m willing to bet 50% of the Twitpics will be taken of some form of grilled meat. 
3. Fun- It doesn’t get much more fun than the 4th of July.  The kids love it, you love it, people sitting at home doing nothing but watching the festivities on television love it and the people in the TwitterWorld love it even more, because they get to share with all their Tweeps, how much fun they are having.  These exuberant Tweets of fun might just inspire you to turn up your personal or family Fun-o-meter and do the Cha-Cha Slide right where you are. 
4. Fireworks- This is what this national holiday celebrating independence is all about, a huge patriotic celebration with a culmination of a fireworks display.  People will find themselves doing one of three things when darkness strikes their neck of the woods: 1. Shooting Fireworks  2. Watching fireworks displays live  3. Watching fireworks displays on television.  No matter which of the three describes an individual’s situation, the end result will be Twitpics of fireworks filling up the Twitter streams.  And you are determined not be outdone by the Twitpics of fireworks displays that @guykawasaki,  @aplusk,  or  @iamdiddy  are experiencing, you will be inspired to post an amazing fireworks display Twitpic of your own.  I mentioned in reason #3 that 50% of the Twitpics will be taken of some sort of grilled meat, the other 50% will be taken of fireworks displays.

Be Inspired…  Happy 4th of July!  4 F-Ways You’ll Be Inspired: Family, Food, Fun & Fireworks. 

Special Thanks To All Service Men & Women!

What will your 4th of July Festivities look like?  Will you be Twittering about them?

Here are some Promo Videos for our highly anticipated yearly series that we do at Lifechurch.tv in July called At The Movies.  We take some of today’s hot blockbusters and extract Biblical truths to be delivered as a message.  It’s Kind Of A Big Deal for our church and community!  I’m sharing the 2009 version as well as the 2008.  Be sure to join us, it all kicks off next weekend!

2009
 

2008

Share your thoughts!

Last night my wife and I took our boys to see Transformers II.  It was a good movie: classic battle of good vs. evil, great action and special effects, surprising profanity and dog humping scenes, with a great love story wrapped up in one.  Anytime I go to the movies, I always have my iPhone notes up and ready so that I can jott down notes, thoughts and quotes from the movie; that might sound weird but that’s how I roll.

I didn’t take too many notes last night; however one important note/thought for me was relative to the whole battle and trying to save Optimus Prime and the message the now college student “Sam” received on his near death bed.  Here is the quote: “The Matrix of Leadership is not found, It’s Earned!” 

Let’s unpack that quote, first be defining Matrix.  Matrix- something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates, takes form, or develops.  

My Thoughts: Note to Leaders- The matrix, beginning or origin of leadership does not take form when you get the office, title, position, degree or promotion.  The Matrix Of Leadership is earned through hard-work, intentionality, earning the respect/trust of your followers, learning, growing, over-time, reading, leading, trying, crying, praying, developing and seriously accepting the weight and responsibility that comes with being a leader.

The Matrix Of Leadership Is Not Found, It’s Earned!  You can’t just learn it my friends, you gotta go earn it!

Thoughts?

I sent out a tweet asking tweeps to define Twitter in one-word and the results are below!

It seems as though thwitter is all about COMMUNITY! Share Your Thoughts or Your One Word!

In all my years of leadership/followership and from my experience providing leadership consulting, I have come to realize that Great Leaders Challenge ‘The King.”  You may be reading that statement and wonder if I’m talking about Great Leaders are willing to challenge LeBron James to a game of 1:1 basketball.  I’m not talking about LeBron; however I am referring to “The King” as the Big Boss, The CEO, The Department Chair, The Senior Pastor, The President… The Senior Leader that’s making the decisions, ‘The King.”

What generally happens in an organization is that ”The King” develops a style, a system and a reputation for the types of decisions that he will make and the type of feedback that he will take; BTW- that he can also be a she.  Those that are closest to “The King” begin to accept those tendencies as the law and over-time challengeable actions, decisions and offenses go un-challenged.  This type of situation is not good for “The King” nor the leaders that follow him.

“The King” ends up leading from an isolated rarely challenged bubble that’s not going to bust because it’s not being poked, prodded and challenged.  Those that follow “The King” will sit around and talk about what ”The King” is or is not doing and the decisions ”The King” is or is not making, which only leads to more problems for “The King” and the organization. 

Great Leaders Challenge “The King” which makes him a better leader and a better King.  If an organization is being led by a King that is not willing to be challenged by those around him, the organization is being set up for failure.   If  leaders are not willing to challenge “The King” they will never be great leaders.  If an organizational culture does not embrace challenge at all levels, it’s time to change the culture.  Great Leaders Challenge “The King” and Great Kings create a culture where all things, decisions and people will be challenged… even “The King.”

Should “The King” be challenged?  Why does “The King” go un-challenged?  Share your thoughts & experiences!

It’s very early in the morning as I’m writing this post in the midst of my morning reading, dreaming, thinking and praying time.  The over-arching theme of my thought process this morning is this simple four word phrase “I Will Be Successful.”  That has been the mantra or theme of my life even when I didn’t believe it.

When  was growing up, through college and even to this day my mom has always encouraged me with those words “You Will Be Successful.”  Over-time and as my relationship with Christ grew, I began to beleieve that no matter what “I Will Be Successful!”  Sometimes this may come off as over-confident, cocky, arrogant, prideful… but the reality is, it’s true.  I Can Do All Things Through Christ… is Truth,  PERIOD!

I tend to believe this same thing about my team and my 2 sons; the result may be some perceived over-confident, cocky… Successful People; but that’s fine by me.  I once read a quote that stated:  “You will only be successful as the most important people in your life think you will be!”   This makes since as to why some people walk around with the mindset of “I Will Be Successful!”and others have the mindset of “I Will Never Succeed!” 

If I’m being honest, there is always a lot on my mind and a lot that I need to do… I just need to go make it happen, because I know that “I Will Be Successful!”  How about you?

Share your thoughts!