New Gadgets I am Test Driving

The busyness of the last few weeks has led me to explore some new gadgets and aps for staying on track. We already went Google a few years ago, so they have to plug in....

1. Remember the Milk - It has been around a while but after dumping Microsoft Outlook I never found a good task manager, RTM works seamlessly with my Google calendar without crowding every date with details.

2. Jott - Now this is where it gets fun. Jott allows me to phone in any ideas to a 800 # and it translates it into text and can be emailed to my inbox, added to my calendar, my Remember the Milk list, or emailed or texted to my staff.

Now best of all, both are totally free!

Iraqi Underground

Yesterday I got to meet a pastor of a former underground church in Iraq. I say former because after "Iraqi Freedom" they are free to worship Christ. Here are some things I took away from the meeting: Milad is an Iraqi national born in Baghdad. He received Christ as his personal Savior and pastored an underground church in Iraq. Below are some notes from his testimony.

• It all started in Iraq: Eden, Ur, Nineveh, Babylon...
• Muslims do everything "for" God. Our message is that everything has been done.
  
• (He showed pictures of Suni Muslims cutting themselves and even their children)
• Saddam killed at least one member of almost every family in Iraq
• Saddam killed over 1 million Kurds
• Americans say war was a mistake, As an Iraqi, I say it was the greatest thing
• 95% of Iraqis are so happy for the liberation
• The news only shows Baghdad and Mosul
  
• Iraqis celebrate Christmas with trees and lights but they don't know why
• Public schools have invited him to come and teach about Christmas and the Reason
• He is able to distribute Bibles to the public school students and on the street
• Iraqis have more freedom of religion now than America does

My New Favorite Blog

My Sister Jessica suggested that I read this blog. I added "Prodigal Jon" to my reader and he is not only hilarious, he always has something funny to say and updates regularly.

Personal Favorites:

#203. Not knowing what meals to pray before. (A ha...

#196. The secret bathroom at church.

#194. Traveling Mercies

#192. Using "love on" as a verb.

#188. Judging someone's faith based on their Bible...

#182. Saying "pot blessings" instead of "pot luck...


man they are all good...

Here is one last one, the one that got it all started....

#5. Bootleg cookies.

Random Friday Thoughts.

• Got slammed this week.
• Behind on everything.
• Today does not look good.
• Up at 3:45 a.m. on Friday, awake at 2.
• Writing a paper on the Holy Spirit as God.
• Still digging out.
• could use prayer.
• Andrew got his first set of wife beaters. (t-shirts)
• He wore them to bed
• could also be more efficient.
• I will catch up before the day is done.
• could also stop blogging and get back to work.
• I am set to have lunch with Raphael of Baptista El Buen Samritano today.
• I hope to see you all in church this weekend.
• Highlight: Free tickets on the 3rd row at Cirque Du Sole last night.

Staples & Best Buy Come to Four Corners

Today Posner will celebrate the Grand Opening of the Best Buy Store. I plan on going there at least once today to look at the same stuff that I used to drive 45 minutes to look at. In some Pinocchio way, I feel like Four corners is becoming a "real" town.

The Deception of Worry

BoingBoing blogged this Swedish {Correction: Dutch} insurance ad plastered on the back of a bus. It reminded me that a lot of the time I worry about things that only appear to be threats. How do you respond to threats? Do you have something that appears to be a bus barreling toward you right now? Remember that much of what we worry about never comes to pass and that Jesus reminds us not to worry, but to trust. Insurance companies make great money on our worries (read hurricanes) Just remember that it was Jesus who calmed the storm.

Busy Day at Exponential

Great day today at Exponetial, My new bud Julio and I checked probably 2000 (exageration for effect) church planters in to the conference. Got in to hear Andy teach on vision.

Vision - What could be, fueld by the passion that it must be!

1. State it simply
2. Cast it Convincingly
3. Repeat it Regularly
4. Celebrate it systematically
5. Embrace it personally and publically

Some Questions to ask....
* What must be done in our environment?
* What would go undone if our church ceased to exist?

I got to see some great friends and make some new ones. Church planters are a so different, but a blast to hang with and I am looking forward to hanging with some of my bro's tomorrow.

Just another day at work.... Making Magic

Making magic is not easy for all the cast members of Disney World Resort. Pastoring a Company D church at Disney's back door has offered much insight into the kind of people who go to work for Disney and I believe they are the greatest people on earth. Fox News reports this morning about Drew Weaver and the 7 dwarfs... em... other cast members, digging through the trash to recover a lady's wedding ring. It is this kind of servanthood that makes magic. In the end, every magician has to admit that he really doesn't make magic, it is just an illusion. In truth Drew, you and your 7 dwarfs made magic, the kind that is no illusion and the kind that will continue to make Disney the best destination in the world. I am proud to minister alongside magic makers, the unsung heroes who are willing to dig through the trash to brighten someone's day.

Volunteering at Exponential

Worked our tails off at Exponential today. A dozen or so of us arrived at 7 a.m. to unload two PODS filled with books and other heavy stuff. Then it was off to register the first thousand attendees for the lion's share of the day. In spite of the sore back and the fried brain, it was great to work alongside my church planter buddies and to help the Exponential team encourage church leaders from all over the world. Tomorrow I hope to take some time to sit in on a class or two and Boomer and I are already planning to heckle Todd Rhoades at the Blogger's Forum.

Exponential Conference

This week I have the privilege to volunteer with my friends at Exponential, the National New Church Conference here in Orlando. I was able to attend last year and it is one of the best conferences out there as far as I am concerned. All of the guys who are speaking this year are on the cutting edge of ministry and are killing some giants. Also, they offer breakout sessions dealing with the dynamics of church planting and basic ministry practices that in my book far exceed the other conferences. I am practical to a fault sometimes, but I look forward to being a part of this conference, and I will blog this week what I am learning.