Teens Using Social Media - Changed your Ministry?
Teens Using Social Media Connie Bensen: My Conversations
As I was reading this article I starting wondering what youth pastors out “in the field” where noticing in how teenagers use social media. Is email nearly as effective as sms or using a social network like facebook or myspace?
How has social media changed the way you communicate to your teens and what trends do you see appearing over the next 2-3 years?
Personal attention drives Apple Store success - what about the church?
How good is your church at paying personal attention to people, their questions, their concerns, etc? Apple has certainly keyed in on the combination of support, convenience and the expression of authentic concern in their stores. Starbucks does it in their coffee shops. In both cases the level of community, loyalty and commitment are unbelievable and totally natural at the same time.
When I walk into an Apple store I know that I am not intruding if I am only there to check my email on their computer. When I walk into a Starbucks I know if I am just there to get a newspaper, or sit down and work on my computer for a while, that I am welcome to do so - no pressure to bye something first. Both of these places feel comfortable and welcoming because they value being the center of their community along with providing the highest quality possible.
In fact I would bet that most people are more loyal to Apple or Starbucks more than they are to there church, and at a certain level for good reason. They have focused on how people feel when they come through the door, not what they can get out them, at least at first. And a real key is that both Apple and Starbucks don’t have to beg people into their stores.
Now think of this in regards to ministry. How can we provide an environment where people can come and check us out? How can we make ourselves a place that is at the center of our community? How can we let people know they don’t have to make a commitment first before we will help them out?
In my mind the church should be the leader in this space, and if you especially Apple you can see the truths of the Bible and “evangelism” in full play. They might not even realize the truths they are using to build community and spread a message -but they have nailed something churches have missed. They best environment to do this is in a neutral setting, where people aren’t pressured but where they are served. hmmm..
What do you guys think?
Personal attention drives Apple Store success - (37signals)
Paul’s Advice to a Young Leader for 2008
I am currently studying through 1st Timothy and came across a classic piece of scripture that many young leaders in ministry like to point to, myself included. It is 1st Timothy 4:12 that says;
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
I think most of us get pretty frustrated when we are looked down upon as being too inexperienced, to “youthful”, or are just not taken seriously when we speak or contribute. But most of us stop there, we don’t look at the “rather” statement by Paul.
Paul’s advice to Timothy, who probably dealt with the same issues, was to focus on how to “show yourself an example of those who believe.” Paul was basically saying, what all of us have either heard or have been told, to not focus first on other people’s expectations. That we need to focus on who God is calling us to be and we need to follow that calling, especially in regards to the behavior we exhibit and the decisions we make.
The advice most of us have ever received usually stops there, with the generalization of putting God’s expectations first, and to not worry about people. Thankfully, Paul doesn’t stop there. Paul takes it the step further most of us have missed and gives Timothy some specific areas to focus on as a young leader in ministry.
The Five Essentials for a Young Leader:
Speech: A lot of times it isn’t so much what you say - but how you say it that shows wisdom or reveals foolishness. Or, it is if you say anything at all. Do you have the patience to say the right things at the right time?
[James 3:5-12, 1 Peter 2:1-3]
Conduct: This is a pretty obvious one, but how do you conduct yourself around others. Are you the one always stepping over the line in humor? When there is a large group serving, are you talking to people or putting yourself to action? First to come and last to leave, or just putting your time in?
[James 3: 13-18, Titus 2:1-5]
Love: What are your motivations? Are you reaching out to people in love or using them in ambition? Are people an interruption or an opportunity? Do you avoid the unsightly, poor and the “weird”, or are you drawn to them like Jesus was? What was the last truly selfless thing you did for someone (outside of ministry)?
[Luke 6:27-36, 1 John 4:7-21]
Faith: Who is your faith stirring you to be? 1 Timothy 3:9 describes faithful men as “holding to the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.” You don’t have to know everything, but do you believe in a way that is transparent and authentic? Are you clear about what you believe and is that a consistent element in the decisions you make?
[Hebrews 11, Matthew 21:17-22]
Purity: What does the morality in your dating relationships look like? If we could get your web browser alone and we interviewed it, what kind of things would we find out? How truthful are you at work? with your spouse? What kind of reactions do you have when your children mess up? Have you been faking the progress of sanctification for so long you don’t even know where to start living pure?
[1 Peter 1:13-21, 1 John 3]
I’ve been harsh on these questions and their assumptions because my experience has shown that not many people are willing to ask these sort of questions before something happens. But they usually have no problem putting them to someone the already know is guilty (no risk). If your desire is to honor your call, and is to “show yourself an example of those who believe”, then focus on these five areas of spiritual leadership. I have included some simple verses for each area for you to process. Take some time and journal through your thoughts, talk to God about how you are doing in each of them. It would be great to start the new year focused on taking Paul’s advice and seeing where it can take you.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The Who Are These Guys Podcast is going to be taking a holiday break until the new year. We are getting ready to gear up for 2008 and continue to talk about the issue and questions we all have as regular “joes” being used by God in powerful and significant ways.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will see you in 2008!
Blogging from Textmate
I have just discovered that I have one of the best desktop blogging applications sitting right under my sticking nose! It is also the best text editor for the Mac platform by leaps and bounds, Textmate.
It is hard to explain, but it is very powerful with a lot of Bundles that are pre-installed to help with everything from CSS & HTML to Programming and on and on. I am not using it to blog with for the Who Are These Guys Blog - and I am hoping it works for my blogger blog as well (but I don’t think there is support for that.)Anyways, this is one of the rare super nerd posts here at watgs, enjoy!
Episode 29: Preparing for Christmas
Well, we are back with a show. This week we have a panel made up of an Ohio team and California Team. Chris Walker, Tom Roepke and Kerry Mackey all sit in and talk about there experiences in preparing for Christmas as a pastor - and some helpful tips in making sure you don’t get overwhelmed.
LeadingSmart: Brand New Conference Announced
This seems like a pretty rocking idea for a conference - some of the same thinking I have been passing around with friends. Hmmm… now - how do I get there…
LeadingSmart: Brand New Conference Announced
(Classic Post) Avoiding the Mentality of a Victim
(This is a post from over a year ago when my family first came to California right on the heals of have everything we owned stolen in our Uhaul. The spiritual warfare has only gotten more intense and today I needed to hear this more than anyone.)
What my family and I have been through in the last couple of weeks has been certainly crushing and overwhelming. The affect it has had on us, both positive and negative, will probably stay with us in some sense for the rest of our lives. And I think it would be very easy to let this event define us as victims. That there is a temptation to hold on this great hurt just because of the attention, grace and fellowship we are receiving because of it. And don’t get me wrong, we need as much of that as we can get - but we can not, must not stay there.
We must pursue growing in our faith through this great wound into the character and people that God is calling us to be. To stay a victim is to not only give in to being a leech on the body of Christ, it is to deny and show a lack of trust in God’s power in your situation.
Plus, a victim mentality is one that accepts a helplessness, a powerlessness. Whereas, in our situation we have definitely needed help, but God has provided. And while we don’t know the person who stole our Uhaul, we know who was behind it. The attacks from satan have been obvious as we have made this jump to trust in God and follow his lead out to Southern California. Never in my life have the attacks from satan ever been so vivid and obvious, but I am not powerless against him. God is on my side, his is my heavenly father and my protector and my savior.
There are no victims in a war, but there are certainly deep wounds. Our family has been deeply wounded, and continues to feel the heat of war on the doorstep. And that directly correlates to the sense Mandy and I have had that God is up to something big in our lives.
So, as we continue to push on into this big hairy adventure God has us on, please pray for our protection. Pray for our faith and time in the Word. Pray for our little babies. Pray for our marriage. And pray that most of all, we will be able to bring glory to God through this. We have said from the beginning that if “this” is going to work it is going to have to be because God showed up and made it happen. If that isn’t obvious at this point, then as he continues to move it will be.
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