Monday Ten

1. Christmas time is finally here. I try to avoid it like the swine flu until after Thanksgiving. My wife wanted to put up the tree on Halloween. Since I'm the only one who can get the tree off the top shelf in our garage, I won that battle. But, she's been playing Christmas music for the past month when I haven't been home, so I guess it comes out as a draw.

2. Christmas time is finally here. Christmas has always proven to be an exciting time at our church. North Point Church does something neat every Christmas season. This year's message series is titled "Xmas: Putting the True Christ in Christmas."

3. As I do every Saturday night, I taught the 4th & 5th grade kids at North Point. In our teachers meeting before the service, our team leader commented that it should be a light evening since it was a holiday weekend. I ended up with 20 kids (about average), and several that normally don't attend Saturday service.

4. On that holiday weekend attendance thing, NPC saw more than 4,000 people attend services Saturday and Sunday. Four thousand...on Thanksgiving weekend. That's totally whacked, but also totally cool. Several people gave their hearts to Jesus in each service. That is totally awesome.

5. The blue men showed up during service this weekend. Well, actually, it was NPC's version of the blue men. As fun as it was, the offering special blew away the entire service. It was simple, yet phenomenal. We do serve and awesome God.

6. I closed the door on a chapter of our lives this weekend...and, I'm okay with it. A few months ago, it was depressing to consider, but today I'm ready to move on. Sorry, no details are forthcoming.

7. I'm taking off a couple of days from work this week, and have no idea what I'm going to do. I don't have money to shop or travel, but I don't want to sit at home the entire time either.

8. The radio station I work for, KWFC, went into Christmas mode this weekend. I'm most excited about our re-vamped overnight schedule. We're airing all-Christmas music until Christmas day. After that, we go all southern gospel. This change has been a long time coming, and I'm jazzed about it. Can't wait for December 26th.

9. As I sit at my laptop writing some of this week's blog entries, I am reminded of a time the college group I led at church went caroling at a local hospital. I'll write about this for tomorrow. The experience was very moving, and still brings tears when I think about it.

10. My wife and I are expecting some news any day now related to the automobile accident she was in a year-and-a-half ago. It will be life changing, but at the moment, the wait is causing a lot of anxiety.

Happy Thanksgiving

No blog posts for the next couple of days. Happy Thanksgiving.

The Church Website: New School

Ok, let's be realistic, every day is a "new school" day with technology. So, keeping up to date with the latest scripts, codes, systems and ideas is not realistic. However, it is important to realize that the world of web design is in a constant state of flux.

With that in mind, churches have to try to balance this flux with their own fluctuating revenue and generally tight budgets. An advantage some churches might have could come from a web designer in the congregation who could provide the services on the cheap. But, the Bible instructs that the worker is worthy of his pay, so I think the church shouldn't expect the designer in their midst to work for free (unless the guy offers).

The church might be tempted to just let the pastor or the office secretary design the web site. Two problems here: 1) it's very likely neither has real experience in web design, and 2) they have more important things to do than babysit the web page.

My suggestion, as I mentioned yesterday, is to use a content management system. They're cheaper, and can be set up to give different users differing amounts of access. So, if you wanted to post your nursery schedule, you can give the person in charge of that limisted access to make those edits. That's the general idea behind content management. One person doesn't have to be responsible for all the editing, and it becomes a team effort.

But, back to reality. Most churches don't go to this extent. They either settle for some poorly designed page (as referenced yesterday), or they don't have a site at all. With today's society so reliant upon the Internet, and web hosting relatively affordable, there is no excuse for not having a site. If you're serious about reaching your community for Jesus, you MUST have a web presence.

More and more people are leaving the yellow pages and going to the Internet to find a church to attend. They do this, because a web site can provide much more information about a church than any phone book ad ever could. And, they'll base the quality of your church by the quality of your web site. I know you probably don't like this little punch of reality, but it's reality, so accept it.

All of this intertwines to bring us to where we left off yesterday. What are some of the things your site can and should have? I've made a list:

• Your basic information, like service times and directions. The service times tend to be a no brainer, but you'd be surprised how many sites don't include directions, both written and map forms.
• Information that visitors would want to know. Highest on this list is what to expect during services, such as casual or formal attire, hymns or praise songs, etc. Visitors also want to know about childcare, and whether their kids will be getting a lesson about Jesus.
• Information about the various ministries and activities of the church are also important. Some churches include a calendar of events, which is helpful for visitors and regular attenders alike.
• A place for online giving. I know this one will be controversial with people who believe that all tithes should be given at the church building, but technology has moved well beyond just checks and cash. I don't know about you, but I rarely use checks anymore. An online portal for giving only makes sense, plus most are safe and secure.
• Video and/or audio casts of the messages. My personal preference is to include the entire service, but adding music also requires that license fees be paid, so I understand if your church doesn't go that route. But, the ability to include the messages online is as easy as creating a website. This is a great way to spead the church's message outside of the normal service times. And, your congregation will appreciate it any weekend they're not able to be in attendance.
• Contact information is a must. I wouldn't include the staff's email addresses, but there should be a general information email address and phone number included for anyone that wants to contact the church. You don't really want to publish your staff email links unless you're prepared for all the spam that will come with that. But, a general email address is great for people to contact the church from the outside world. Oh, by the way, please be sure to check it.
• Real pictures of your real people. One of my pet peeves with church websites is that when you let a design company develop the website, they have a tendency to use stock photos to give the site a human feel. A human touch is fine and all, but stock photos are pictures of people who don't go to your church or live in your area. When you have pictures of people on your website that no one in your church ever sees, your site becomes corporate and non-human. An even worse offense is when your designer rips off photos from other websites and tries to convince the world that those photos of people and their worshipping happened at your church. By the way, if your church is small, the hoax is all the more noticable.

Those are my things to do. Now, the things not to do can be summed up in one sentence: Don't let your site be cheap or cheesy. That's it.

Jesus didn't die on a cross so that the face you show to the public -- the impression the world gets of His church -- is one that comes off as cheap, cheesy and meaningless.

The Church Website: Old School

At one time in this world -- not so long ago, mind you -- there wasn't a creation known as the Internet. Now I know it's hard to fathom, but when I first entered college in the fall of 1992 the Internet wasn't even that popular yet.

Networks were starting to take off. For universities, we relied on a 'net called Gopher, which was kinda like the Internet for Moses. But, within the first couple of years there, the Internet started to make some ground.

I still remember self-learning HTML -- all of it -- well, almost all of it. At the time, to know HTML was to be king. You could design websites. Let's rephrase...you could design BASIC websites. I say that only because the web you know today is nothing like the web I was introduced to in college.

Taking that a step further, the web sites designed today are nothing like the first one I put together 15 years ago. Yet, when I visit many church websites today, I get the old school feeling -- and not for good reasons.

Many sites are barely functional. They may only tell the basic information about the church. If they contain messages, they're not that easy to listen to. If you're lucky, you might find a link to a web map so you can get directions. And, more times than not, you're out of luck as to any information on what to expect when you visit.

A lot of times, churches look at their Internet presence like many businesses did 15 years ago -- as something they HAVE to do, because others are doing it; and not something they SHOULD do, because it can have an impact.

With 15 years of designing under my belt, I can verify that owning and building a web presence today has never been easier. In many places, you can easily get a site that uses a content management system. That's fancy talk for just saying that it can look good without you doing much to it.

Taking this a step further, I'll go ahead and say it -- there's no excuse for a church to 1) not have a web site, and 2) not to have a good looking site.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about some of the things your site can and should have.

Monday Ten

This is Thanksgiving week. Here are ten things I'm thankful for

1. I'm thankful that Jesus took what I deserve, and died on a Roman cross to provide salvation for my family and I. (psst...He did the same for you, too, so accept that free gift.)

2. I'm thankful for God's protection on my family. This has been a difficult financial year for everyone, yet God provides through the good times and the bad.

3. I'm thankful I have a job. It's been a challenging and fearful year for many who lost their jobs. For those who lost their job, I know you have to put food on the table, but I'd encourage you to dream some dreams and work them out.

4. I'm thankful to be working in Christian radio. There was a time this year that I wanted out. But, my wife is encouraging me to take a different approach to life, and now I'm thankful. Still trying to work out my dream, though.

5. I'm thankful for North Point Church. My wife and I started going there five years ago, and it's one of the best things that has ever happened to us. I never knew "church" could do what this place is doing for Jesus.

6. I'm thankful 2009 is about over. Aren't we all?

7. I'm thankful my wife's medical treatment on her injured right hand is over, and the insurance settlement is being processed. I don't envy anyone who has to go through that stuff. It isn't easy on the injured person or her family.

8. I'm thankful we haven't captured the swine flu. A lot of people have, but we're doing what we can to avoid it...and that does not include a flu shot.

9. I'm thankful for our military. They're in places I don't want to ever go or danger I won't ever want to face. I have a deep respect and love for all of you.

10. Finally, I'm thankful for quiet times. Life is loud, obnoxious and difficult. Peace and quiet help us to reflect and process what's going on in our lives, and gives us a chance to connect with our God. I think God meant for it to be that way.

Do Something

In Matthew 26, Jesus tells us that we will always have the poor with us. I wonder if at times this reality doesn't seem too big for the church to handle. I know just by looking at all the needs in my community that it can seem overwhelming to try to tackle all of them.

For the church, especially the small ones, I'm sure the task of caring for the poor seems equally daunting. Yet, scripture doesn't let us off the hook.

One of the most beautiful passages regarding the church helping the poor comes at the end of Acts 11. The Gospel message is being preached outside of Jerusalem and churches are being established through the Mediterranean region, and into an area of great poverty. Here you find churches consisting of people with less than those in Jerusalem.

Yet, Acts 11:29 shows us something remarkable. These people didn't let their lack of funds get in the way of God. It says, "So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could."

It doesn't say they gave millions of dollars, or rubies and gold. It says they gave as much as they could. Simply put, they did something. Just something. They couldn't solve the world's problems, but they recognized an area of need that they could address and they fixed it.

In your town or your neighborhood, your church can do something. So, band together and DO SOMETHING. Fighting the injustices of this world requires that much at least.

The Poor Among You

"You will always have the poor among you...."

Those words of Jesus to his disciples still ring true today. One doesn't have to drive far from the comfort of their home to find those without a home. On your way home from your job, you'll no doubt pass someone without a job.

All around us there are people in great need. Yet, for far too long, the Church, especially in America, has ignored them. We live in the wealthiest country in all the world, yet most of us refuse to lend a helping hand to fight poverty.

"The poor can just go get a job."

"Let them ask someone else for help."

Have you heard those lines before? Maybe you've used them. Whatever your excuse may be, the Bible tells us that we have no excuse.

Matthew 25:31-46 contains one of the more familiar passages about the poor. The most well known line is found in verse 40, "I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"

In this passage, Jesus tells Christians what we're supposed to be doing in regards to those in need. "For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."

To His disciples who follow this command He says, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world."

To those who didn't follow this command He says, "Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons."

That tells me that the Church will not get off the hook for ignoring the poor and needy. It is our duty, our responsibility as Christ-followers to lead the charge toward helping those who need help.

To not do so is the same as flipping Christ the middle finger. How do I know? Because of what Jesus says in verse 45, "I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."

Don't Ignore IT

In Christianity, IT's the given ... the assumption ... the ignored. IT's the thing we all know is right, but the thing we do the least. IT's the thing that calls for us to get our hands dirty with people in places that most don't want to go.

IT is the poor, the needy, the abused, the widowed, the destitute, the diseased, the addicted, the uneducated, the homeless, the lonely, the depressed, the challenged, the unemployed, the broken. We live in a world filled with IT.

Sadly, many of us who call ourselves Christians treat IT like an it. We make IT nameless and faceless with no personality -- just a fuzzy slate framed on the wall. We may send some money to someone else who can get the funds to IT, but we distance ourselves from actual contact with IT.

Jesus, however, took a different view of IT. He used terms like "he," "she," "they," and "them." He saw their great need, and commanded us to do something about it. In fact, it wasn't just a single command. The Bible has nearly a hundred passages devoted to the poor, needy, widowed and fatherless. And, not a single one of them lets us off the hook in caring for them.

Proverbs 21:13 - Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

Monday's Ten

1. Great weekend with the family.

2. It was nice enough after church on Sunday that I lit the grill, and made some burgers before the rain came.

3. This weekend's church services were a great ending to a great series called ImpACT.

4. This series illustrated the needs of this world and the ways the church should address it.

5. North Point Church can't defeat all the needs of the world, but we can tackle some.

6. If every church would tackle some, we could defeat all the needs of the world.

7. I'll be writing this week on how the church should be impacting the world, not only leading people into a salvation relationship with Jesus, but also meeting the needs of a hurting world.

8. My wife and I pledged more money today than ever before to help people in need.

9. I with Missouri's NFL teams would show more signs of improvement than incompetence.

10. This week could be a life changing week for my family. More on that another day.

Movie Time

I enjoy good movies. I love really good movies. Some may find it strange, but my favorites are old ones. "Singing in the Rain," "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," etc. I love a good story. One that's entertaining. One that you can watch over and over again.

Movies I don't really care for are ones that push agendas, or paint certain types of people to be more than they really are. We see that a lot today coming from Hollywood. We call it propaganda. Television and film have proven to be powerful forces in shaping the way future generations think about subjects.

Those pushing the propaganda aren't terribly concerned about shaping our opinions. They're interested in our children. History has shown that cultural shifts usually begin with the youth. Educate them a certain way, and they grow up believing that as truth.

So, when Hollywood pushes films that promote violence and dysfunction, we shouldn't be surprised that our society gradually embraces that violence and dysfunction. No singled movie or TV show is to blame. They all work together to numb our senses to the atrocities around us.

As a Christian, I want to see films that promote family values. I want films that illustrate how men are supposed to act, how dads are supposed to be there for their children, how moms are supposed to care for their families, how spouses can work through their difficulties without violence and dysfunction. That type of film may sound phony to most people, but I would remind you that the stuff you see on the silver screen is mostly phony.

Here's an example. One of the great movies of all time, Mel Gibson's "Braveheart," botches the historical accuracy just to make a compelling story. And, the botch job isn't a small one. We're talking people in wrong time periods inaccurate.

I'm writing all of this to point out that the newest installment in the Sherwood Pictures line of motion pictures will be announced this Sunday. You will recognize their three existing offerings as "Flywheel," "Facing the Giants," and "Fireproof."

Critics of their work would point to the unrealistic and somewhat hokey nature of the first two films, plus the poor production and scripts of all three. I'll even grant it that elements of all three films are kinda lame. But, these are all progressions in Sherwood's maturity. The newer has always been better than the predecessors as these film makers learn the trade.

Whatever your opinion of Sherwood's work thus far, you have to credit them with one thing. They're trying. For decades, Christian film makers have put out some of the worst possible productions with terrible scripts and horrendous acting, slapped a dove sticker on it, aired it on TBN and tried to claim their work glorified Jesus. Instead, they end up being a slap in the Almighty's face for their lackluster efforts.

Back in the early 90s, I interviewed Steve Wiggins of Big Tent Revival. At the time, he was an aspiring Christian film maker, but admitted to running into difficulties, because there was little to no support from the church community to see wholesome films made. He had a desire to make the type of movies that Christians wouldn't be embarrassed to show their friends.

I think that's what the people behind Sherwood are trying to achieve. Their most recent title, "Fireproof," went where no other film was going, into the home of a couple on the way to divorce. It tackled some of the issues that most churches are afraid to touch, because they're uncomfortable. And, it provided a solution, a forty day study to "fireproof" your marriage. What's more, it worked.

So, here's hoping the next installment in the Sherwood feature film line will be an improvement on their previous work, and one that offers a way out of the troubling path Hollywood is leading society down.

Ticket Giveaway

I'm giving away three pairs of tickets this week through my radio show on KWFC and at my station page on kwfc.org for the Stained Glass Theatre's production of "The Christmas House." These ticket vouchers are good through November 28, 2009, and all winners will need to reserve their seats in advance by calling 417-581-9192. Winners will be announced Friday.

Simply click here and comment to the post to enter. Only one entry per household. You must enter your email address in the form to qualify. Winners will be selected at random and announced Friday at 4 p.m.

Monday's Ten

1. The great weather this weekend made for some awesome outdoor fun for the family.

2. It also prompted me to pull out the grill, hopefully not for the last time this year.

3. I went to church both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, I taught the kids. Sunday, I enjoyed an awesome worship service.

4. My church is renewing the ImpACT program which is the church's outreach vehicle.

5. ImpACT focuses on meeting four needs of the community: Poverty, Disease, Illiteracy and Spiritual Emptiness.

6. This current preaching series reminds me why we fell in love with North Point Church five years ago.

7. Last week was very stressful for me, which is very unusual. Normally, stress doesn't get to me. It did last week.

8. I realized last week that I have felt as though I have something to prove as a church leader and a radio program director.

9. I'm learning that trying to prove yourself to mankind is not what's important. Seeking God's favor is the important thing.

10. Galatians 1:10 is the game changer for Christians.

I'm a Sinner

Are any of us perfect?

That's the question I keep asking myself each time that religious crowd directs their boney fingers my direction. They're pointing out my imperfections.

I know I've made mistakes. I know what I've done. Some of it has been public. Most has been private. I don't need you to use me as an example of how great you are.

You know, I hear your loudly spoken prayers. I hear you thanking God you aren't like me. If only you knew my heart. If only you could know how desperate I am for God to fix my failures.

Fortunately, I have found a solution to the junk in my life. His name is Jesus.

I am His disciple.

I'm a Tax Collector

He spotted me through the crowd.

I was manning my post dutifully. Well, as dutifully as a tax collector can.

Rome would get theirs, and I would get mine. Just enough to ease the pain of selling myself to the emperor, enduring the hatred of my people, and overlooking how much I despise myself for this career I have chosen.

I was manning my post dutifully. As dutifully as a tax collector can, I assure you.

He spotted me through the crowd.

"Follow me and be my disciple," he said.

I am changed. I am no longer scum.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I'm a Tent Maker

Fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, carpenters and tent makers all have one thing in common.

They're supposed to be ordinary.

They're supposed to go through life, and never create any trouble.

They're supposed to do their work dutifully, then go home and live a peaceful, quiet life.

Their primary duties in life are to make a living, raise a family and disappear quietly into the pages of history.

FISHERMEN. TAX COLLECTORS. SINNERS.

These did not go quietly into the night. These were changed people. They had met Him.

I have met Him.

I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I'm a Fisherman

I'm a fisherman.

I'm a tax collector.

I'm a tent maker.

I'm a carpenter.

I'm a farmer.

I'm blue collar.

I'm white collar.

I'm not the kind of person you would expect Jesus to pick to spread the Gospel.

Three years ago, God called me out of the ordinary to use me for something extraordinary. Three years ago, I went from punching the clock to punching Satan in the throat.

I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Monday's Ten

1. I'm starting a new blog series today that should run through Friday. It's a bit abstract, and each day's entry is a short, easy read. I hope it makes us think.

2. I had a very interesting weekend of church. Halloween night, I taught the 4th and 5th grade boys and girls, then we all went on a hay ride. I came back Sunday morning to catch the message (on the advice of my wife who had heard it Saturday night).

3. North Point Church's ImpACT outreach program is one-year-old this month. The program seeks to combat four spiritual giants: Poverty, Illiteracy, Disease and Spiritual Emptiness.

4. Pastor Tommy announced that the next phase of expansion for NPC would be in the form of a video campus. I'm totally excited about this prospect. I believe video campuses are the best thing to hit churches in a long time.

5. I took a three-day weekend to spend with my wife and kids. We had a blast trick or treating Saturday night. Then, Sunday, I raked the leaves in our front yard into one big pile for the boys to jump and play in.

6. I almost jumped in myself, but didn't want to be picking leaf flakes out of my hair and clothing the rest of the day.

7. I entered the Sunday determined not to shave my face until the Kansas City Chiefs won another game. I aborted that plan when I realized they were on their bye week. I should've gone for the St. Louis Rams. They won...finally.

8. I am determining to become more disciplined.

9. My first step in becoming more disciplined is two-fold: a) re-organize my office (a recent staff change has thrown it into chaos), b) lose weight (I really need to get into shape. I'm okay, but that's not good enough).

10. My wife and I missed out on the time change's extra hour. We stayed up until after midnight (Daylight) talking.