Reflections from Kevin Sterner @ Story 09
There is a difference between being convincing and being compelling. You can be convinced that you need to diet and exercise, but you can still choose not to do it. If you are compelled to do it, then it will happen.
Is your church a “Me Monster” or are you a “Moon Walker?”
Is your church telling a compelling story in the marketplace that no one can top?
Excellence has stopping power.
Story has stopping power.
Everyone has a Brand Identity. It is what is making your first impression.
Story Sequencing
1. Brand Identity (Introduces)
2. Brand Experience (Investigate): Are you exceeding expectations?
3. Brand Association (Internalize): Are you truthful? Are you trustworthy? Are you temporary?
Brochures are a “Pre-experience” not just ink and paper.
You can’t tell effective stories if you don’t document effective stories.
For more from Kevin check out www.brandpoet.com
Ministry Is Messy – How Do You Love a Wife Beater?
You know the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss.”
That became more real than ever today as I found out that the husband of a young mother that we assisted yesterday punched her in the face when he found out. It became real when I discovered that it wasn’t the first time. It became real when I discovered that he’s broken bones before. It became real when I found out that the child, who is in Kindergarten, has witnessed it more than once…saw her Daddy beat her Mommy.
You know what we assisted with?
Laundry…we gave her money to do her laundry, his laundry, laundry that she completed then paid for with her face.
The man in me wants to run to her rescue. I am suddenly consumed with a rage that will, in itself, turn violent if I were to see the husband…the father. I am suddenly consumed with an urge to purchase a handgun, and to call some old friends to help me pay a visit.
His excuse for beating her is that he becomes so enraged that he blacks out and doesn’t know what he’s doing.
What a load of #$%^! He knows exactly what he’s doing, and that wicked heart of his likes it.
How do I love this wife and mother who is afraid to involve the police because of what happened the last time he got out of jail for beating her?
How do I love this little girl trapped in a home that could eventually see her victimized?
And here’s where I almost can’t believe I am asking this question and it’s where following Jesus just freaking make no sense, and that is how do I love this man that beats his wife for getting enough money from the church to help do his laundry?
Jesus, how do I love him?
I know that loving him isn’t to excuse his actions, or to ignore pursuing criminal action, or to just pretend that I never heard what I have just heard.
But I just don’t know how to love him?
I am posting this because I want to ask for you to pray for this situation. Yesterday I saw her make a commitment to follow Jesus and today I found out how incredibly difficult that is going to be for her. So, pray.
Otherwise if anyone has dealt with something like this before successfully I’d like to hear from you. Please, leave me a comment. Thanks.
We Will Never… – by Perry Noble
We Will Never… :: Perry Noble | Leadership, Vision & Creativity
We Will Never… November 24, 2009
Here’s a list of 20 things I believe we will NEVER do…
#1 – We will NEVER be without a message as long as we are desperate for God’s voice.
#2 – We will NEVER make everyone happy; therefore, pleasing everyone should never be our goal.
#3 – We will NEVER be successful in ministry by immersing ourselves into full blown competition with other churches.
#4 – We will NEVER be content in life if we believe we have something to prove.
#5 – We will NEVER be able to serve Jesus to our maximum capacity if we are not actively obeying His commands to rest and disconnect. (See Isaiah 30:15)
#6 – We will NEVER accomplish what Jesus is calling us to accomplish if we are not willing to take risks.
#7 – We will NEVER do what God has called us to do alone…if He’s called us to accomplish something amazing then He will also surround us with the people to pull it off.
#8 – We will NEVER discover a strategy that has been the “secret” for church growth all along…because each church is different.
#9 – We will NEVER honor God by seeking to build “our brand” rather than building disciples.
#10 – We will NEVER achieve our maximum potential in ministry if our goal is simply to impress our online audience and, while doing so, neglect the people in our own community.
#11 – We will NEVER see people become who God is calling them to be if we make INFORMATION rather than TRANSFORMATION the goal.
#12 – We will NEVER see God’s power unleashed in our churches if we refuse to talk about Jesus and what HE did for us on the cross.
#13 – We will NEVER truly connect with the people we lead if we always pretend that we have it all together…people identify with our failures way more than our success’s.
#14 – We will NEVER be able to teach about self control with integrity if we are obese because we are gluttons.
#15 – We will NEVER be looked at as successful in ministry if we grow a great church, but sacrifice our family to do so.
#16 – We will NEVER see great things happen in our ministry if we believe that every great idea must come from us!
#17 – We will NEVER see staff members achieve their maximum potential if we don’t trust them…and if we don’t hold them accountable.
#18 – We will NEVER have a great staff if we make it their goal to serve us rather than serve Jesus!
#19 – We will NEVER successfully motivate the people we work with through manipulation and/or fear…if your vision isn’t enough motivation then there is a problem. (AND btw…if you take pride in the fact that people “fear you,” then it is obvious that there is no fear of God in you!)
#20 – We will NEVER honor God by compromising the vision He gave us in order to not ask so much of people.
