Tipping Points for the Church

We've all read the book, "The Tipping Point" but check out Brian Orme's great post on "The Tipping Points for the Church".

Megatrends of Megachurches

In an article in Outreach Magazine, Bill Easum lists 4 Megatrends of Megachurches and what we can learn from them.

MEGATREND No.1: Rapid Growth
One of the most important and visible changes in church growth over the last 20 years is the size and rate at which churches have expanded and will continue to grow.

MEGATREND N0. 2: Small Groups
The most significant church growth event in the U.S. Church today and for decades to come is the explosion of small groups— meeting both in Sunday school classes and during the week outside the church.

MEGATREND No. 3: Multi-Service
As churches grow larger they are becoming more creative in their use of time and space.

MEGATREND No. 4: Diversity
Our churches are not the anemic church profiles portrayed in much of today’s media projection of America’s churches and their leaders. Approximately 30 of the nation’s 100 largest churches are heavily ethnically mixed.

See any other trends?

Free Mp3s!

Shawn Woods from Seacoast Church read my post on mp3s and said offering "Free Mp3s" really hasn't hurt the sales of their CDs! He says, "It has actually been a very cool experience. Our sales have not been effected too bad, only about a 10% decline, which could actually just be a coincidence..."

Great Communicators that I'd love to see get podcasts or free mp3s:
1. Ed Young
2. Andy Stanley
3. Bill Hybels
4. Rick Warren
5. Mark Beeson

Leave anyone off?

iTunes 4.9

In reference to my previous post, iTunes 4.9 was just released with the ability to download and manage podcasts! Got to go figure it out!

Update: Churches that do have podcasts need to submit their podcasts to the Apple Music Store!

The Mp3 Connoisseur

I have to say I am a connoisseur of sermon mp3s, much of my sabbath on Mondays (I preach twice on Sundays) is spent being refreshed by listening to great communicators. Of the 600 songs on my iPod, probably 100 are sermons. I've hounded Terry and other megachurches about putting out podcasts or mp3s, those of you who sell them give us a sample once a month! I also will say I never listen to Real Media or any other Streaming Media, give me something I can take with me. Here are my top five "FREE mp3" great communicators and where to find them:
1. Perry Noble
2. Rob Bell
3. Kevin Myers
4. Brian Tome
5. Greg Surratt
Honarble Mention - Erwin McManus , Mark Driscoll

Is there anybody I don't know yet, but needs to be on the list? Drop me a comment.

Blind Spots

Over the weekend, I read most of Coach McCartney's book titled, "Blind Spots". The book is okay, but there was one thought that really struck me. Right before he quit coaching, he talked about having a moment when he asked himself, "Have I become the man that my wife thought she was marrying?" My wife and I have a great marriage, but that question really hit a nerve for me. Am I putting the effort I need into my marriage and home? Are there "Blind Spots" that are keeping me from being "the Prince Charming" she thought she was marrying? Are you being the person that your spouse thought that they were getting? Are you being the leader that your followers thought they were following?

Sunday Stew

Philippians 2:4 - "Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." (The Message)

Raise Your Staff

Arlan has an interesting post on the use of your staff. Check it out.

Blog Maturity 101

Check out Tally's post on Blog Maturity 101! Great stuff.

Rick Warren on Neil Cavuto

Rick Warren was on Neil Cavuto on Fox News today and he made an interesting statement, he said that there was no more mainstream America, that there are many streams in America and Christianity is a large stream. What do you think?

Vision Quote

"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet." ~ Theodore M. Hesburgh

What is leadership?

Bob Franquiz hits the nail right on the head with his definition of leadership! Check it out!

ENTJ

After Terry took the personality test, i decided to do so. My results were ENTJ. (Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging).

Here's the description:
ENTJs have a natural tendency to marshall and direct. This may be expressed with the charm and finesse of a world leader or with the insensitivity of a cult leader. The ENTJ requires little encouragement to make a plan. One ENTJ put it this way... "I make these little plans that really don't have any importance to anyone else, and then feel compelled to carry them out." While "compelled" may not describe ENTJs as a group, nevertheless the bent to plan creatively and to make those plans reality is a common theme for NJ types.
ENTJs are often "larger than life" in describing their projects or proposals. This ability may be expressed as salesmanship, story-telling facility or stand-up comedy. In combination with the natural propensity for filibuster, our hero can make it very difficult for the customer to decline.

What's your personality?

The Superman Complex, Part 3

According to the book the Superman Complex there are several things you need to quit doing if you have the Superman Complex. They are Quit:
-Telling yourself you can do everything
-Placing blame
-Insisting "It's my way or the highway!"
-Indulging in contempt for "lesser beings"
-Engaging in "coulda, woulda, shoulda" thinking
-Maintaining your dignity at all costs
-Wallowing in impatience
-Interrupting
-Being a perfectionist
-Asking others to be a perfectionists
-Intimidating subordinates, friends, or family members
-Trying to control everyone and everything

Time Management Test

Check out Mac's "Time Management Test". I scored low on all of them but the lack of discipline one.

The Superman Complex Part 2

"Hi my name is Josh and I have the Superman Complex." After yesterday's post you may want to ask what's wrong with having a Superman Complex, I get things done! Is it wrong for me to have ambition & drive? No, the book talks about the Superman Complex being more than just normal ambition & drive. You know if you're going overboard. Along with the good parts of being a "Superman", there is a what the book calls, "The Darkside of Being Superman".
Here's the Dark Side of Being Superman:
-You put your mental health at risk with worry
-You damage your psychic health (self worth)
-You damage your spiritual health (no room or time for God)
-You damage your relationships with others
-You rist your physical health
-You do damage to your workplace, your family, & to your future

Tomorrow, we'll look at what to do if you've got the "Superman Complex".

The Superman Complex

Yesterday, I picked up the book, "The Superman Complex" by Max Carey at the library. Wow! It's very convicting and every leader, pastor, & business owner should read it. I'm half way through the book and here are the "Six Pillars of the Superman Complex".
1. The Renaissance Man - He can do anything and he could do it better than anyone else.
2. The Know-It-All - They believe they are the expert in every field of human endeavor.
3. The Glutton for Punishment - They are willing to sacrifice anything to get the job done.
4. The Lone Ranger - They don't need anyone at all.
5. The Puppet Master - They have to control everything.
6. The Hall of Famer - They have to win all the time.
Anyone come to mind?

Are you Mr.Clutch?

As I watched the Pistons & Spurs game last night, I sat in amazement as Mr. Clutch, Robert Horry hit the game winning shot for the Spurs, again. Horry scored 18 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Horry has knack for delivering when the pressure is on and that's why he has 5 NBA Championship Rings! I was wanting the Pistons to win but in the end I was rooting for Horry to come through.

During Horry's run, I remembered playing ball as a kid and wanting the ball at the end of the game. Most people would rather pass off the ball to someone else, but me I wanted the pressure. It made me focus more. In your church, business or leadership role, can you deliver when the heat is on? When everyone else wilts, can you knock down the big shot, so to speak? Are you the go-to-guy or girl or do they try to get it out of your hands because you'll panic? When the heat is on, be the leader that will step up and deliver and people will gladly follow, Mr. Clutch.

The Positive Paradigm

Check out the post by Mark Batterson called the Positive Paradigm. "A research study at the University of Iowa found that the average two-year-old receives 432 negatively oriented statements a day compared to 32 positively oriented statements. That's a 14-to-1 ratio."

Which are you?

Convenience people are emotion based; Consistent people are character based.
Convenience people do what is easiest; Consistent people do what is right.
Convenience people are controlled by their moods; Consistent people are controlled by their priorities.
Convenience people have a selfish mind set; Consistent people have a servant mind-set.
Convenience people look for excuses; Consistent people look for solutions.
Convenience people quit during tough times; Consistent people continue in tough times.
-Building the Winning Team by Alton Garrison

Get Back Up!

I took my family to see Batman Begins last night at a local drive-in. I hadn't been in to a drive in for probably 20 years as a kid. It was a great experience for us and the movie was good. There were several good quotes in the movie, but one that was repeated often was, “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

The quote reminded me one of the most helpful things some one ever shared with me, when I was starting out my walk with God, and that was that "What separates overcomers from strugglers is that the overcomers learned to get back up, dust off, and keep walking and strugglers wallow in their fall." Have you learned to pick yourself up? If you're stuggling with your walk, get up, dust off, & start again.

Father's Day

As I prepare for my Father's Day message, I am reminded of the influence that us fathers have on our children. If we are going to be successful leaders, then we must first make a decision to lead our family. Are we successful, if our churches and organizations are growing but our families are falling apart? I think not! I know the benefits aren't recognition, pay raises or bonuses but there are major rewards from leading a successful home. The bible says in 1 Timothy 3 that if someone desires to be a leader, he must first "rule his own house well." Let's make a decision that we fathers will step up and use our influence for good and lead our families in the right direction.