History in the Making

Off The Blogs

Off the Blogs Starts in 90 Minutes

Me and the Prodigies

Blue Like Catalyst

At Catalyst One Day

Right Hand Jerk

My chief operations leader for Catalyst west, Jason Haynes, used to assist a high-profile leader (HPL) in ministry.

One time, the HPL was approached by a well-intended follower at an event who asked for some special favors. The HPL turned to Jason and waited... waited... and waited... until he finally had to reject the guy himself.

When the gawker walked away, the HPL turned to Jason and joked, "I pay you to be the jerk."

But Jason couldn't do it.

Because Jason's too nice of a guy.

When you're in the business of making big asks, like I am, you get rejected a lot. But I've been so appreciative of the ministry assistants who are nice about it. Recently, someone turned down one of my audacious requests, but I was literally thanking them for how they did it.

You can say no and be absolutely gracious about it.

Twitter Killed the Blogging Star

One year ago, I would've said blogging wasn't going away.

Now...

Twitter is killing it. Or at least re-inventing it.

Blog posts from my favorite ministry leaders are becoming sparse; some are dropping off entirely.

I still think there's always room for good ideas and good writing.

But far more people will be doing it on Twitter than on blogs.

Not me though.

I'll still be here. Re-living the glory days. Remembering when it was just Jordon Cooper and Tall Skinny Kiwi: the RunDMC of blogging.

The Burden of a Leader, Part 3

One temptation as a leader is to unload the burden of leadership on undeserving people.

Let's say you own a basketball team. You're unprofitable. People aren't coming to games. Pressure's on.

The solution is multi-faceted: The team has to start winning. The marketing department has to entice groups to attend. The concessions team needs to upsell from Twizzlers to combo packs.

But sometimes we're tempted make everyone feel everybody else's pressure. We don't want to be the only one under the gun, so we spread the burden, rather than bear it ourselves and work on each piece of the organization.

But the concessions guy doesn't need to run drills with the guards.

Our job is to be chief puzzle-maker. To work on each of the piece of the organization in a separate, customized way.

The final picture that results is rewarding.

Nothing Against Monkeys

Having someone record your conference audio talk is like having blood drawn.

You see your essence get taken away in a little vial, and you think... "I hope someone in need gets that... and not, like... a monkey."

Parting Words

I have the upmost respect for my friend Carlos who laid blogging to rest for the time being. Oh the jobs we would have to quit... the cars we would have to sell... the ambitions we would have to surrender... and the blogs we'd have to delete to restore our souls.

It's Like a New Day for Me

I'm looking forward to leading a breakout at the ChurchPlanters.com conference tomorrow in Cumming, GA. One reason I enjoy not being a pastor anymore: Being able to speak without having to "shuck corn."

Does anybody get that?

Itsaboy

It's Blogging Superstar Week

We're hosting three of the biggest bloggers in the wizzle* this week at Catalyst. Last night, we sponsored a Mad Church Disease book party with Anne Jackson and Shaun Groves at Mariners Church in Irvine. Phenom Daley Hake's photos will appear soon on the Catalyst west website.

Carlos Whittaker's coming in later today, and the author of Stuff Christians Like Jon Acuff is hanging out with us on Friday. By the way, they're all appearing at Off The Blogs on the night of Feb 26. Catalyst One Day in Atlanta is that same day.

* what's snoop for "world"?

Today I Find Out if I'm a...

Er... if our third baby is a boy or a girl.

If it's a boy, I know how to do that. Same clothes handed down; More wrestling in the living room; Pep talks about how "we are Arments" and what that means; Band of brothers; Mountain Dews all around.

If it's a girl...

Yeah, I got nothing.

Leading with Love

No church has ever been scolded into vitality.

I know how it feels to be frustrated by a church's short-comings. The feeling of seeing visitors slip through a service overlooked... the agony of seeing quality neglect in the nursery... the stress of receiving insufficient funds.

But I can't think of a single church that made a turn-around with scoldings.

It just doesn't work.

Best Podcast Message You've Heard Lately

I lost my iPod time when I came on Catalyst staff. I have a 5-minute commute to work, and I read books on airplanes. So I'm dying to know if you've heard any specific, great messages via podcast lately.

Any specific talks exciting you lately?

If We're Only Blogging, We're Numb

Just read a blog post from a friend who has been through one of the most horrific experiences a parent could ever experience: The death of a little son. But what intrigued me and challenged me is that after three months of despair, he and his wife are continuing to follow God's leading to plant a church.

Much lesser things have hindered my faith.

A post like that jolts me out of the superficial mode that is required to blog on a daily basis. Blogging is a lot of fun for me. But it has very little to do with my intimate relationship with God, with the heart-wrenching issues of life, and the very real sense of calling God has placed on me.

I don't share that stuff here.

All that to say... if all we're doing is blogging, Twittering, Facebooking... we're numb.

Life is lived off the page.

What I'm Reading

I've been reading voraciously for the past two weekends. Thought I'd share six of my recent picks. Have gotten in the habit of scanning publishers' sites for upcoming releases. I'm also getting a crash course in book cover design. What am I missing? What books are blowing your mind lately...?

 

Now You Know Me

I can handle the chit-chat. Can do the Small talk. Shoot the breeze.

But honestly, I'm dying to cut the baloney and conquer a hill.

I'm not the guy who has running jokes or make golf outings more fun with my shenanigans. You won't redial my voice mail greetings to get a good laugh.

But I will look around at all of us standing together and say, "Holy crap. If we'd all put our talents together, we could ___________." And then I'll urge us to go after it.

Just saying.

How Not to Seek But to Be Sought Out

Your desperation is showing.

Mine too. It's natural to want to put ourselves out there. Whether it's a book, a blog, an event, a church plant...

But for many of our endeavors, aloofness draws more interest than aggressive promotion.

For example, you're more likely to speak at Catalyst if you're discovered... than if you ask.

One of the top web designers in Atlanta doesn't post a phone number or even his own name on his site. Won't return e-mails until he's free to do some work. And even then, he's got his pick of high-end clients. His portfolio speaks for itself. And his clients speak for his portfolio. Makes me want to work with him all the more.

We all have to "market" our organizations or ourselves in some way.

But we'd be more effective if we looked for ways not to seek... but to be sought out.