I’m really enjoying the book, “Trust Agents: Using the web to build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust” by Chris Brogan.  Chock-full of information, and practical advice about how to use it. I posted on Chapter 2 – Action Step #1 – Make It Your Game. You can see it and posts along the way on the book here.

Recommended resource for those wanting to improve your online presence and credibility. What books do you recommend?

At Suncrest, we’ve relied on an all-church study in the fall for 2 reasons…

1. Jump start small group momentum

2. Refocus on one of our four “C”s.

Generally, we keep the all-church study between 4-7 sessions, and groups have great curriculum liberty after that.

As group leaders step into leadership, I meet with them and talk about the need to be unified with what the church’s mission is. Leaders also sign a covenant which outlines their responsibilities. The first one being Unity, and it says, Leaders at Suncrest will always strive to protect the unity of the church. We will speak positively of other church leaders…etc.

So what do you say when a group leader doesn’t want to do the all-church study? When they’ve told their group they don’t really like the study? The reasons are pretty flimsy…Homework. Not cool enough.

Pagan Christianity had us reflecting on church practices and how many were derived from the secular world. Once again, in From Eternity to Here, Frank Viola makes us stop and think about the validity of our modern expression of church. I think we are drawn into the discussion from a nagging sense that the modern-day American church lacks the passion, vitality, or spontaneity of the Acts 2 church.

While  I can’t say I agree with all of Viola’s assertions, I strongly resonate with some. For instance, I love the picture he paints of God’s love for us. “...So take heart: You are someone that God ’so loves.’ He has drawn you to Himself….in the moment when you feel the most unworthy, you are the most welcome.” I also agree with Viola’s emphasis on the church as the body of Christ as opposed to a religious structure bound by man-made limitations. “…there is a habitat that is native to our species as Christians. It’s called the ekklesia. And it is commonly translated ‘church’ in your New Testament. Ekklesia is not a building. It’s not a denomination. It’s not a church service…It’s a local gathering of God’s people who live as community and who assemble together regularly.”

“The church is called to gather together regularly to display God’s life through the ministry of every believer.” Agreed, but as soon as you begin to describe the how, you have once again resorted to man-made limitations. Maybe we need to revisit those churches from Acts. Those churches we all seem bent on reproducing today. What happened to them? Were they really as perfect as we think?  I’m not suggesting they were/were not perfect, but I do think that the best expression of individual churches today would be the one God is dictating to those He has called to lead them. As the body of Christ-at-large, there are great things happening! There is a greater sense of belonging across denominations, distance, generations and preferences.

I recommend reading this book if you want to be reminded of how much God loves and pursues you, and challenged to re-evaluate the practices you engage in both personally, in your church, and as the body of Christ-at-large. Thanks to Frank Viola for always challenging us to think about who we are in Christ, and how that is expressed in our lives and in our churches.

OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE “FROM ETERNITY TO HERE” BLOG CIRCUIT

Today (June 9th), the following blogs are discussing Frank Viola’s new bestselling book “From Eternity to Here” (David C. Cook, 2009). The book just hit the May CBA Bestseller List. Some are posting Q & A with Frank; others are posting full reviews of the book. To read more reviews and order a copy at a 33% discount, go to Amazon.com

For more resources, such as downloadable audios, the free Discussion Guide, the Facebook Group page, etc. go to the official website: FromEternitytoHere.org

Enjoy the reviews and the Q and A:
—–
Out of Ur – http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2009/05/viola.html
Shapevine – www.Shapevine.com (June newsletter)
Brian Eberly – http://www.brianeberly.com
DashHouse.com – http://www.DashHouse.com/
Greg Boyd – http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/
Vision Advance – http://vision2advance.blogspot.com/
David Flowers – http://ddflowers.wordpress.com
Kingdom Grace – http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com
Captain’s Blog – http://www.captainestes.blogspot.com/
Christine Sine – http://godspace.wordpress.com
Darin Hufford – The Free Believers Network – www.freebelievers.com
Zoecarnate – http://zoecarnate.wordpress.com
Church Planting Novice – www.churchplantingnovice.wordpress.com
Staying Focused – http://kimmartinezstayingfocused.wordpress.com/
Take Your Vitamin Z – www.takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com
Jeff Goins – http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org
Bunny Trails – http://bunny-trails.blogspot.com
Matt Cleaver – http://mattcleaver.com
Jason T. Berggren – http://blog.jasonberggren.com/
Simple Church – http://www.simplechurchjournal.com/
Emerging from Montana – http://wordofmouthministries.blogspot.com/
Parable Life – http://www.theparablelife.blogspot.com
Oikos Australia – http://www.oikos.org.au/blog/
West Coast Witness – www.WestCoastWitness.com
Keith Giles – http://www.Keith.Giles.com
Consuming Worship — http://www.consumingworship.org
Tasha Via – www.tashavia.blogspot.com
Andrew Courtright – www.andrewcourtright.blogspot.com
ShowMeTheMooneys! – http://www.showmethemooneys.com/
Leaving Salem, Blog of Ronnie McBrayer – http://leavingsalem.wordpress.com/
Jason Coker – pastoralia.missionaltribe.org
From Knowledge to Wisdom – http://isthistheway.typepad.com/
Home Brewed Christianity – http://www.homebrewedchristianity.com
Dispossessed – http://kblog.kevinjbowman.com
Dandelion Seeds – http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Dandelionseeds
David Brodsky’s Blog- “Flip the tape Deck” – http://flipthetapedeck.blogspot.com/
Chaordic Journey – http://jeffrhodes.wordpress.com
Renee Martin – http://www.reneemartinmusic.com/profiles/blog/list
Bob Kuhn – http://organicchurchnola.wordpress.com/
Living with Freaks: www.livingwithfreaks.com
Real Worship – http://therealworshipleader.com
Fervent Worship – http://ferventworship.blogspot.com
Julie Ferwerda Blog – www.JulieFerwerda.com /  www.OneMillionArrows.com
What’s With Christina?! – http://w2christina.blogspot.com
Irreligious Canuck – http://www.irreligiouscanuck.com
This day on the journey – http://guychmieleski.blogspot.com
Live and Move: Thoughts on Authentic Christianity – http://liveandmove.blogspot.com/
Spiritual Journey With God – http://www.elvineve.blogspot.com/

Dries Conje – http://www.echurch.co.za / http://www.thejesusfeed.com / http://www.bookdisciple.com.
Journey with Others – http://journeywithothers.blogspot.com
On Now to the Third Level – www.080808onnowto.blogspot.com
Christine Moers – www.welcometomybrain.net
Breaking Point – http://marybethstockdale.wordpress.com
Hand to the Plough – http://www.handtotheplough.com.au
Jon Reid – http://jonreid.blogs.com/oneanother/welcome-pilgrim.html
Weblight – www.blog.worldwidewebservices.se
D. L. Webster – http://gzmproductions.com/dlwebster
Searching for the Whole-Hearted Life – wholeheartedlife.blogspot.com

Testing out Vodpod with video of Twitter co-creator Biz Stone on Colbert Nation

The best part of this conference has already begun. So many connections were made prior to today, and it is paying off in a huge way!  Meeting people you’ve already ‘tweeted’ on Twitter removes so many awkward barriers.  I can’t even tell you how many people I’ve met today.  It’s like we’re a group of long lost friends. Thanks to Innovation 3 for thinking ahead on that.

Worship is beginning, so I’ll be back in a few to update you…

Granny & the Air Bag

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I was overcome with feelings of hope and joy yesterday as I read our local paper. Right there on the front page, was the story of a family that has experienced flooding several times recently, including having had to replace the furnace 4 times in two years, and the response was…

“It was Barbee’s fourth flood in two years. Looking at the water, she began singing songs of worship.”

Not only did this quote make the front page, but they also quoted Lynn Barbee’s prayer blog from the day of the flood:

“Lord, I pray for those in the Hobart/Merrillville area, who don’t know that God will take care of them no matter what.”  Check out the article here.

Wow! What a testimony to God and the hope only He can provide on the front page. I am blessed to know Lynn personally -and am encouraged regularly by her prayer blog The Air I Breathe.  Rock on, Lynn!