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Awkward Questions about Jesus

Thanks to Tim Stevens for this priceless piece of cinematography.

Innovate Highlights Part Deux

Had a great second day at Innovate. Here is what Francis Chan, Ed Stetzer and Perry Noble had to say. No notes from the afternoon session because I spent that time with Jack Bauer saving the world.

Francis Chan

Honestly, I just could not keep up with the guy, he spoke with both passion and speed and I would have missed the experience if I stopped to take notes. The only written note in my moleskine during this session was his remark that "I always think I'm funnier than other people."

In order to check out his entire Innovate message head over to www.innovatechurch.us. It is worth the click.

Ed Stetzer

-We need to live gospel-centered, repentance-filled lives.

-If Satan cannot compromise our beliefs, he's more than happy to compromise our character.

-Secret sins are only that way for a short time.

-Your sin can sap your church's spiritual power.

-The Church's toleration of sin distracts from the mission.

-A return to God's mission begins with a repentance towards God's standards.

-Just because your life is filled with sin, does not mean you have to be comfortable with it.

-Sin grows and will define your life if you do not confess it before God.

Perry Noble

-Q1: What is it that God wants to do in my church?

-Q2: What are the barriers that stand in the way?

-Q3: What do we want to celebrate?

-The older son (Luke 15) was so busy doing the work that he had no time to commune with his father.

-It takes time and effort.

-If we want to reach the world, we have to work hard to get it done.

-You can't lead by personal preferences.

-You can't enjoy the blessings of God when you are focused on what God is giving others.

-The older son had no idea what he had access to.

-"...but we had to celebrate!" Luke 15:32

I'm looking forward to some more challenges this morning...

Innovate Highlights

Here is some of what I'm learning at the Innovate 09 Conference.

Eric Geiger (Simple Church):
-Everything else is drowning out the sweet smell of the gospel.
-Drift never corrects itself. It always needs to be addressed.
-"Religion is the deep default of the human heart." -Martin Luther
-View discipleship as a whole process not just a part.
-You do not want to compete against yourself.
-Behavior from important people in the organization that is contrary to vision overwhelms the entire process.
-Remove the clutter.

Kerry Shook (Fellowship of the Woodlands):
-It's not the size of the church that is important, it is the life change.
-Q: What would I do If I knew I only had one month to live?"
-Q: What would I do if I knew our church only had one month to live?
-Live passionately. Love completely. Learn humbly. Leave boldly.
-Are you allowing God to do everything He wants to d0 in in your life and ministry?

That was yesterday, now today begins with Francis Chan and closes with Perry Noble. It should be good.

Learning from Others

There are a few conferences I get to go to.
There are many more that I catch online.
And there are a whole bunch that I catch via live blogging...

Here is a sampling of what I missed at Catalyst West last week:

“Lukewarm pastors build lukewarm churches.” – Craig G

“Never compare yourself to anybody….but learn from everybody.” - Warren

“Forget time management….it’s about energy management.” - Warren

“You can’t win your enemies to Christ…you can only win your FRIENDS to Christ! - Warren

“I’m addicted to changed lives….that’s my agenda” – Warren

“When you create something great you will create conflict.” – G Kawasaki

“The higher you go in any organization the higher the complexity and uncertainty.” – Stanley

“Retreat to your vision.” – Stanley

“You can be uncertain as a leader…but you can not be unclear” – Stanley

“Inventors must stay in a state of denial” - G Kawasaki

Thanks to Buddy Creamans for the insights.

The Stages of the Masculine Journey

On Tuesday evening I got to hear John Eldredge speak about much of what is in his newest book Fathered By God. If you enjoyed Wild at Heart, you'll be drawn in by FBG as well.

Here is just some of what I walked away with that evening:

• There are six stages of the masculine journey, the first of which is boyhood.
• During boyhood we live "in a world made safe by your father."
• This is when we seek the answer to the question: "Can I do it?"

• At about age 13, we enter into the cowboy stage and begin to ask "Do I have what it takes?"
• If we don't get the answer we long for, we tend to then avoid risks and simply settle for the status quo and camp out in what we are already good at.

• During the ensuing warrior stage we enter into a grander battle, that of good v. evil.
• It is now that we need a mission, we need to know that we are powerful and dangerous and we need to develop inner discipline.
• Eldredge comments that "The way God trains the warrior is by putting him into battles."

• In our early 20's we enter the stage of the lover. Although it takes a woman to awaken the heart of a lover, this stage is not primarily about romance but about the awakened heart.
• "Men hide in reason and logic but it is in the heart that we find action--faith, hope, worship, love, convictions..."
• "I run in the path of your commands because you have set my heart free." -King David

• In our 40's we enter into the king stage which may be the most difficult of all.
• The question is: When can you trust a man with power? The answer is: After he has been initiated, then he is worthy.
• God wants to take you back and initiate you.

• Around age 55 or so, we then step into the stage of the sage.
• As a sage we may look after a smaller kingdom but we wield a greater influence.

As I walked away from this casual talk, I prayed "Father, show me what you are doing, father me through the stages of my life."

Flutter: The New Twitter

It is just so darn hard to keep up...