Willow Creek, the poster child for seeker sensitive ministry, is no longer trying to be so hip. At the recent Catalyst Conference, a Willow teaching pastor, Darren Whitehead, surprised us with the new Willow. Thirty years ago Bill Hybels launched Willow and the “Seeker Sensitive” movement from a theater. It was all about being fishers [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Evolving Culture’
Salty or Worthless
Posted in Culture, Empowering Leadership, Relevant Ministry, tagged Connecting, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, Purpose, Valuable life goal on October 19, 2011 | 3 Comments »
Why We Do What We Do
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Leadership, love, Purpose, Relevant Ministry on October 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Here’s an inspiring story from Pastor James Emory White: Just a few weeks ago, on a Thursday afternoon, a young woman came by the office to give me something. She was going to put it in the offering plate, but decided to just hand it to me. I was in a meeting, so she left [...]
14 Ways to Raise the Bar
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged clarity, community, Connecting, Consumerism, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, Missional Ministry, Relevant Ministry, Valuable life goal, vision on September 26, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Over 100 years ago, Charles Spurgeon proclaimed every Christian here is either a missionary or an imposter. Recollect that. You either try to spread abroad the Kingdom of Christ, or else you do not love Him at all. You are either doing good, or you are not good yourself. That kind of challenge has been [...]
It’s Easy to Say “No” When
Posted in Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Evolving Culture, Leadership, Missional Resurgence, Purpose, Relevant Ministry on September 3, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Over 20 years ago, best-selling author Steven Covey shared a quote that changed many lives: It’s easy to say “no” when there is a deeper “yes” burning within you. Covey explained that success is often a result of a clear, deeper “YES” within us that empowers us to say “NO” to distractions. During those same [...]
Cynical Sensitive
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged building momentum, community, Connecting, connection, Consumerism, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, Relevant Ministry on August 22, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Thirty years ago, Bill Hybel pioneered the “Seeker Sensitive” movement and became the poster child for evangelicals. Casual, connecting, creativity, kicking music, themed Sunday school, anonymity and low expectations were in. Recently, Hybel’s “Reveal Study” highlighted surprising trends. A large part of his church failed to become disciples once they were introduced to Christ. Even [...]
Do Young People Desire Anguish?
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Authentic, building momentum, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Leadership, legitimacy, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, Valuable life goal, vision on July 14, 2011 | 6 Comments »
They may frustrate you with their expectations or intimidate you with their social connections. They’re “Digital Natives” while we struggle as “Digital Immigrants”. What they want from church is very different as well. Here is research data from Dave Tonen regarding what the 18-30 year old crowd want from you and I at church: Community [...]
Father’s Day Challenge
Posted in Bahler Family Doing Life, Evolving Culture, tagged Bahler Family Doing Life, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, love, Purpose, Valuable life goal on June 8, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Media consultant Phil Cooke reports that the research has been done and the verdict is in (though we hardly needed it to tell us): We are hopelessly addicted to our digital devices. So much so, in fact, that some psychologists are pushing to have “Internet Addiction” broadly classified as a clinical disorder. Take a look [...]
Sage Advice from Billy Graham
Posted in Culture, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged clarity, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, missional, Missional Ministry, Relevant Ministry, vision on May 28, 2011 | 2 Comments »
In his new book, The Next Christians, author Gabe Lyons writes that every generation must confront the unique challenges of their era. Here are three questions that must be addressed to do so: What does mission look like in America in the 21st century? How should the message of the Gospel go forward? What does [...]
Taking Risks
Posted in Bahler Family Doing Life, Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Bahler Family Doing Life, Connecting, connection, Consumerism, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Leadership, love, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, Valuable life goal on May 11, 2011 | 6 Comments »
Ten months ago, we met our 12-year-old daughter in China. We were scared and overwhelmed but driven by the vision that we were being called to stretch beyond our own comfort. Francis Chan’s words were ringing in our ears: God hasn’t called us to comfort. We’re called to take big risks so that if He [...]
You’re Not Typical?
Posted in Evolving Culture, tagged alignment, building momentum, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, vision on March 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The typical person in the world right now is a 28-year-old Chinese man that makes less than $12,000 a year. He has a cell phone but no bank account. But typical is always relative. How does this impact the future for you and me? What does it mean for our grand kids? Check this video [...]
Divorcing Facebook
Posted in Evolving Culture, tagged communication, Connecting, Evolving Culture, love, trust on February 20, 2011 | 23 Comments »
The Leadership journal recently reported that Rev. Cedric Miller of Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in New Jersey has banned Facebook. He has ordered about 50 married church staffers to delete their accounts or resign. And he has called on his 1,100-member congregation to do the same. The problem isn’t lost productivity while checking out [...]
I Want, I Need
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Consumerism, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Hope, Leadership, Relevant Ministry on February 8, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Friday, February 11th we’re hosting a pastor’s lunch in Naperville, IL. Alan Hirsch is speaking on “Everyday Mission For Everyday People.“ We filled the 100 available seats in four days and have a waiting list. What is stirring this passion to find purpose beyond ourselves? James Emory Wright’s thoughts are very revealing: The names say [...]
The Courage to Ask
Posted in community, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, tagged Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Purpose, Relevant Ministry on January 28, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Success isn’t having all the right answers. It’s the courage to ask the right questions. This was pointed out to me in a conversation with a pastor friend who built a large mega church of over 12,000. His ministry was built on one key question: Who are we trying to reach with the gospel? My friend went [...]
Better Isn’t Always Bigger
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership on January 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It’s a time for resolutions and fresh starts. But its more than a new year, its a new day. There’s fresh thinking everywhere. The new House Speaker John Boehner took the gavel from Nancy Pelosi yesterday and vows change as we shift from spending to constraint. And constraint is the buzzword for ministry as well. [...]
Facebook Joseph and Mary
Posted in Evolving Culture, tagged Authentic, Evolving Culture on December 20, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Had Facebook been active 2010 years ago what would have Joseph and Mary’s social networking looked like? Check this out! Touching…somehow it makes it all very real.
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