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4 Bold Ideas about Compassion that Can Transform Your Life in 2012

Jan 03

1. We often confuse the heart of compassion that requires a response with the feeling of sympathy that remains idle.

2. Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it. But, I'm afraid He would ask me the same question. [-Anonymous]

3. Need is everywhere, yet we too often fail to see it. If we don't see it, we won't be bothered by it. If we're not bothered by it, we won't engage it. By our neglect, we become the oppressor.

4. All movement toward mission requires sacrifice. Nothing of great value comes without great cost.

Learn More

These quotes are from Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture by Brandon Hatmaker (@brandonhatmaker).

Learn more about Barefoot Church.

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team

(This post does not represent the official view of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's opinions are their own, and are shared for information purposes only. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

1 Response barefoot, brandon, church, compassion, consumer, culture, hatmaker, heart, service, sympathy Read & Comment

Going Deeper (3 Commitments on the Way)

Sep 30

I've said it, and maybe you have too: "I wish the preaching would go deeper." What did we really mean?

I wondered this when I read a recent post by pastor and writer Kurt Willems (@kurtwillems). Willems knows a lot of people who have left their church because it didn't go deep enough. This is occasionally a valid reason, but Willems suspects it's more likely to be a holy-sounding excuse for leaving a church that we just don't like.

What does "going deeper" really look like?

To challenge our thinking about what we're looking for (and not looking for) in our faith journey, Willems quotes from writer/pastor Alan Danielson's 3-point definition of going deeper:

1. Going deeper into my commitment to God's Church.

I can't be committed to Jesus (the head) without being committed to the church (His body)…

2. Going deeper into my commitment to the world.

…If I am to "go deeper" I must dive deeper into the muck and mire of a borken world in order to reach people…

3. Going deeper into my commitment to being mastered by Christ.

I'm a work-in-progress, and the more God works on me, the more progress I realize I need…

Danielson summarizes, "Deepening knowledge is not enough; it must accompany deepening commitments!" On Willems' post, commenter Craig Falvo reminds us that commitment will become visible in action: "At my last church, going deeper would mean … getting into the Word. Lots of talk about it, little emphasis on doing." Falvo then pleasantly surprised us by adding, "At my current church, we … are working our way through the Bible using Zondervan's The Story. The emphasis from preaching bleeds over into the small groups… The trick is going to be to keep the excitment going throught the year." (Incidentally, Falvo makes a good point that it can be a challenge to remain engaged throughout a year-long series. Soon we'll share some tips on how your church can make the most out of your year in The Story.)

My personal opinion of The Story is that it first targets Commitment #3. The Story helps people encounter the Christ of Scripture (#3); The Story also helps people unite as a church body (#1); the united body serves by spreading Christ's love and hope to the world (#2).

Which of the three commitments of going deeper do you find most difficult, and which is most energizing? Commitment to God's church, commitment to reaching our world, or commitment to being mastered by Christ?

Learn more about how The Story is taking people deep into Scripture.

(-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its partners and representatives. The writer's opinions are his own, and he's sharing them for information and entertainment purposes only.)

http://www.thestory.com/the-story-testimonials?cm_mmc=ZT-_-Blog-Sep11-_-Blog-_-The+Story+Testimonials

2 Responses church, commitments, danielson, deep, deeper, going, preaching, scripture, story, willems Read & Comment

Join Gabe Lyons and Tim Keller in Live Webcast

Feb 10

Few people have spent more time considering the new generation's interplay between the church and culture than Pastor Tim Keller and Gabe Lyons. Together, for an exclusive LIVE webcast conversation with Q&A, these two leaders will discuss the timely opportunity for church leaders who care about connecting with and mobilizing the younger generation for the sake of the Gospel.

Live Webcast: February 17, 2pm ET
Learn more about this free, live event: www.qideas.org/webcast

Next Christians Curriculum Pack

Learn More

Hearing insights from Gabe Lyons' new book and curriculum, The Next Christians, church leaders will better understand the competing dynamics underway and gain vision for how to disciple and meaningfully send out "on mission" the most volatile segment of Christianity's future population. With clarity and conviction, Lyons will describe in candid terms the six hopeful characteristics emerging among this group of Christians and what it will take for churches to capture their heart and imagination in service to Christ.

2 Other Reasons to Join the Webcast…

Preview the New Updated NIV Church Bible

Dec 13

Are you a pastor or church leader interested in updating your Worship or Pew Bibles? Then you are eligible to receive a free updated NIV Bible for review.

Sign up for your Bible now and you'll also receive a free softcover Gospel of Mark Sampler, which will ship to your mailing address immediately. (Your updated NIV Church Bible will ship in March 2011.)

5 Responses bible, church, new, niv, pastor, pew, preview, updated, worship Read & Comment

“Being Hip Didn’t Work” + More on Church Community from Mike Tatlock

Sep 14

Pastor Mike Tatlock is a self-described "recovering church hater," so I didn't know what to expect from his new book on building church community, Faith in Real Life. I certainly didn't expect optimism–and I found loads of it.

"I believe," Tatlock says, "that authentic Christians want a faith that is more than just lip service to God and the world. We want to reconcile our faith with the realities of our daily lives… [this calls for] an ability to see the bride of Christ the way the Bridegroom sees her. Faith in real life captures the optimism of what it means to be the church — as in the community of God’s people … a vibrant group of Christians expressing themselves through a community of faith that engages with the surrounding culture."

You probably noticed Tatlock's double-edged emphasis: Christianity is a faith lived in community and lived by us everywhere, every day in real life — not just behind the four walls of our church.

That's more or less the thesis statement of Faith in Real Life. From there author/pastor Tatlock shares stories of success and failure in four areas:

1) the New Church, a.k.a. moving the center of importance from "services" to relationships
2) the Park, a.k.a. connecting with the larger community around your church
3) the Coffee Shop, a.k.a. people you know who aren't ready for small groups
4) the Living Room, a.k.a. small groups

I haven't finished the book yet, but I wanted to share a passage I liked. My unofficial title for this section is "Being Hip Didn't Work." It really got me thinking about what I desire from my church. If you'd like to read more of Faith In Real Life I recommend you check out the excerpt on Scribd. -Adam Forrest

EC Podcast 3: Satisfaction, Suffering and Shopping (Skye Jethani Interview)

Jul 06

Do Christians grow more through times of satisfaction or suffering? Pastor Skye Jethani, author of The Divine Commodity, shares how your answer may be connected to your beliefs about customer service. Also discussed: how we’re encouraged to see people, church and God as products — and what we can do to change this.

Learn More | Read Excerpt

Listen to the new EngagingChurch episode on iTunes

1:23 – The dirt on "Consumer Christianity," and how some of us are Consumer Christians without knowing it.
5:00 – Can evangelism differ from marketing?
10:42 – Skye claims the church has "lost its imagination;" if so, how do we reclaim it?
19:02 – How "commodification" puts friendship and church community under fire.
23:20 – When should we go "church shopping"? And some final thoughts on the satisfaction/suffering question.

Don't use iTunes? You can listen to it here

EC 3: Satisfaction / Suffering / Shopping

We’d love to hear your thoughts:

Do our churches behave too much like corporations?
How can our evangelism differ from marketing?
Do we view our church and internet service through the same lens?

Full disclosure: the views expressed in the EngagingChurch podcast belong to the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Zondervan.

0 Responses divine commodity, ec, engagingchurch, podcast, satisfaction, shopping, sky jethani, suffering Read & Comment

Story Conference for Creative Church Leaders in Chicago, Sept. 23-24

Jul 01

Story_label STORY is a conference for the creative class in ministry on September 23-24, 2010 at Park Community Church in downtown Chicago, IL.

The purpose is to fuel the church’s artists, writers and producers in communicating the greatest story ever told. You’ll hear from some of the best creative practitioners in both ministry and the marketplace, from filmmakers and authors to actors and musicians. Presenters include:

Dan Allender – best-selling author, professor at Mars Hill Graduate School
Charlie Todd – creator of Improv Everywhere in New York City
Princess Zulu – AIDS victim from infancy, advocate for the oppressed
Jason Fried – founder of 37Signals, creator of Basecamp, author of Rework
John Sowers – president of Donald Miller’s The Mentoring Project
Shauna Niequist – former creative director at Mars Hill, author of Bittersweet
David Hodges – formerly of the band Evanescence, award-winning songwriter
Leonard Sweet – futurist, author of 40 books, professor at Drew University
David McFadzean – creator of Home Improvement, producer of Roseanne
Richard Walter – accomplished screenwriter and professor of film at UCLA
Sean Gladding – member of Communality, a new monastic community
Andrew Klavan – author of True Crime (Clint Eastwood) and numerous novels
Gary Dorsey – founder of Pixel Peach Studio in Austin, TX
Music by Vicky Beeching, Kari Jobe and Carlos Whittaker

Seating is limited to just 500 attendees, and the event is scheduled on a Thursday and Friday so you can enjoy the weekend in the city. Following its inaugural event in 2009, STORY is now a two-day, main-stage event with no breakouts or workshops; just an intimate audience with the top creative minds. You’ll be able to ask questions during the event and continue the conversation after it’s over. For more information visit www.storychicago.com.

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EngagingChurch Podcast #2 EP: Dave Ferguson on Church Growth, Small Groups, and Discipleship

May 27

Learn More | Read Excerpt

Last week in the EngagingChurch podcast episode 2, pastor Dave Ferguson shared how churches benefit from taking chances on artists.

Now you can hear more of Dave’s experience: how “movement thinking” benefits the church, how small groups can prepare new leaders, and why Dave’s dropped “discipleship” from his vocabulary.

Listen to the full interview on iTunes

EngagingChurch: Dave Ferguson on Church Growth, Small Groups, Discipleship (EC "Extended Play")

0:00 Why churches can benefit from “movement thinking”
2:53 How the Great Commission affects the average Christian
4:22 Becoming disciples apprentices of Jesus
6:33 Small groups = leader training
11:03 Artists are crucial to ministry (From EC Episode 2)
14:35 Question: How do we keep missional movement simple?

Do you have tips for keeping missional movements simple? Share your comments in this post.

Next time on EngagingChurch

In Episode 3 we’ll hear from Divine Commodity author Skye Jethani on how shopping influences our Christian faith. Watch for Episode 3 here, or subscribe to the EngagingChurch podcast.

0 Responses church growth, dave ferguson, discipleship, ec, engagingchurch, podcast, small groups Read & Comment

EngagingChurch Podcast #2: Art and Risk in Worship, Interviews with Dave Ferguson and Eric Bramlett

May 14

Is there a place for visual arts in the church? What are the benefits and risks of inviting artists to take chances in church? The EC crew talks it over, then Dave Ferguson shares why artists are fundamental to a missional church movement. Then Christ Community Church’s Creative Arts Director, Eric Bramlett, shares what it’s like to take risks on new artists.

EngagingChurch 2: Art and Risk in Worship, Dave Ferguson & Eric Bramlett

What images have helped you along in your spiritual journey? We’d love to see them. Leave a comment or email us at engagingchurch@zondervan.com.

Coming soon: EngagingChurch “Extended Play” with Dave Ferguson Dave shared some practical ways we can pursue the Great Commission. The conversation was eye-opening, and we’re still thinking about it. Watch for the interview here or subscribe to EngagingChurch in iTunes.

Exponential
by Dave Ferguson:

For anyone who considers the missional challenge of Jesus as inspirational, but not something that’s achievable…

The Big Idea
by Eric Bramlett

Nothing is more dangerous than a single compelling idea that is lived out and nothing is more harmless than lots of little ideas never applied.

Full disclosure: the views expressed in the EngagingChurch podcast are the views of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Zondervan.

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Introducing the EngagingChurch Podcast: a New Resource for Pastors, Leaders, Small Groups

Apr 19

EngagingChurch is a brand new, twice-per-month podcast that engages in the conversations that matter to the church. If you’re a pastor, lay leader, or small group member, this is a resource for you to continue the conversation with your ministry and community.

EngagingChurch 1: Creation Care, Interview with Dr. Matthew Sleeth

Our first episode is about creation care. What does the Bible say about our stewardship of the earth? How can Christians care for creation in a way that pleases God? The EngagingChurch crew discusses these questions and interviews Dr. Matthew Sleeth, whose film series for small groups (Hope for Creation and Hope for Humanity) is sort of like good organic coffee – tasty, invigorating, and hard not to share with friends.

Here’s the Blessed Earth trailer, and you can watch full sessions, free. And don’t miss the Hope for Creation Live Simulcast on April 21.

What are your thoughts on creation care and stewardship? EngagingChurch is about dialogue, so share your comments here or email us at engagingchurch@zondervan.com.