Ministry Monday: Plan B, C, and D?

As you know it is always good to have a plan B. The plan that you talk about but rarely ever need. The plan that says if something crazy were to happen we have at least thought about it and we could make it. But what happens when plan B doesn't work and you have to move to plan C or even to plan D? What do you do? Are you the type of person who freaks out and stresses because things are now not going to be perfect or are you the type that does the best with what you have?

Yesterday, I think we made it to plan D. Plan A is a well oiled machine. It consists of many people on stage with plenty of volunteers that are schedule at least a month in advance. The kids in plan A have practiced their songs that they are going to lead for Large Group and their drama parts have been rehearsed as well. Our sound/graphics guy knows what he is doing and how to run the system. The service goes off very easily and is done with excellence. This is plan A.

Plan D is half of the normal staff are out on Spring Break. Their backups call in sick at 7:00am on Sunday morning. Set up is done with 2 people instead of 5. The backup of the backup to do sound/graphics for the service is up and running 15 min before the service. Instead of doing 2 Large Groups broken down between K-3rd and 4th-5th, 1 Large Group happens in plan D. Classes are combined for small groups because volunteers have called in as well. Yours truly not only does a really creative Bible Story and acts in the drama but also leads the music and the kids' worship team.

Yes ladies and gents, we made it yesterday. God showed up at our church and we had a children's ministry program that wasn't plan A in my book but was the only plan that God had. Sometimes I wish that God would let me know about this stuff a little sooner so that I could plan a little better.

Do you have a plan B, C, or D?

Tech Thursday: Google Browser Sync

When I sit down at someone else's computer, I feel lost. They arrange their desktop differently then I do. They especially use the web differently than I do. When I sit down to my office computer or my home computer I want everything to look and feel the same. In my goal to become the most efficient, effective person I can become, I have tried to streamline as much as possible. One key area of streamlining has become my use of Mozilla Firefox, or in other words, how I use the web. As you may know, I am converting between Mac and PC right now and this transition has been made much easier with a little tool called Google Browser Sync. Firefox works with both Mac and PC. It has become my only browser and Google Browser Sync makes it even better.

What is it?
Google Browser Sync for Firefox is an extension that continuously synchronizes your browser settings – including bookmarks, history, persistent cookies, and saved passwords – across your computers. It also allows you to restore open tabs and windows across different machines and browser sessions.


Why is this important?
Let's say I have to leave the office and I am working on something on a website. I can open that website up and pick right up where I left off because of the Browser Sync. I also have all of the same bookmarks and saved passwords. Seriously, why do something multiple times when everything can be synced and you only have to do it once. It has also helped Jessica make the transition because everything within Firefox looks the same and acts the same.


How do you get Firefox? (go here)

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/


How do you get Google Browser Sync? (go here)

http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/browsersync

Sign Wednesday: On my iPhone

I found this little program for my unlocked iPhone. It is called LEDBanner. You can type in anything you want. I thought this was appropriate.

My March Madness Bracket

This year I have filled out to many brackets just like years past, but I thought I would post the one that I believe to be the best. If I were on Mike and Mike in the Morning then this would be my Sheet of Integrity.

Mac Conversion, Step #2: iMac

Yesterday was a huge day for me and my family. As you know I am making the transition from a PC to a Mac. It has not been as fast as I would have hoped but money always comes into play. My first step was with the iPhone. I have had my phone for a month and I love it. It has become one of my good friends. My second step came via UPS yesterday. Yes ladies and gentlemen I got my first Mac yesterday.

Which Mac did I get?


After many thoughts, I decided on the 20" iMac with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 duo processor. I upgraded to 2GB of Ram and the wireless mouse and keyboard.

Why iMac instead of one of the MacBooks?

This computer will be replacing a desktop that I built over 3 years ago. Yes myself and Justin Tapp built a computer together. I have already had to replace the mother board, the sound card, and the graphics card is going out on this one. The desktop I built is also making some great noises now as well. Needless to say, I went the logic of Apple can build a much better machine and their software is kicking everyone else's tale. Also there will be no need for a MacBook at the house since I have a laptop at my work.

Where did I get it?

I could have gone to the local Apple store but I chose to order from MacMall .com instead. They had some great rebates and specials that I got some nice perks by going with them instead. They had great customer service and helped me get the best deal possible.

So there you have it. I now have my first Mac. What are some of the best tricks of the trade that I need to know? What will make my conversion the easiest?

Sign Wednesday: An incredible quote

If Excellence walked into your ministry, your business, your office, your life. . . What would it recognize?

Ministry Monday: To Coach or Not to Coach?

When looking at the community in which I minister I have to ask myself some very tough questions regarding community involvement. The questions are: Should I coach a sport or not? Should coaching count towards my job? Do I put a budget line item in for coaching if it is the right thing to do? What better way can I get into the community besides coaching? Would coaching or other community activities take away from my performance as a minister?

I think we all have something very similar to these questions that we have to deal with when it comes to ministry. It all comes down to what is the best and not what is just good. In other words, how am I going to be the most effective minister possible for the community in which I have been given? Do you struggle with this? I know I do all the time. My goal is to be the most effective, efficient pastor I can be. So how does community involvement play into this?

Did you know that both of the Student Ministry Directors that I have on my staff coach at local public high schools? They are really great coaches. They can coach anything from soccer to golf to basketball to baseball. I come back to the question though, is it worth it? It takes a lot of their time and creative energy out of them. It means that they are not in the office that much. It means that they are hanging out with non-Christian kids all the time. It means that the community gets to see how they are when they win and even when they lose. It means that they are touching a huge number of families that don't go to our church.

Did you know that I coach as well? My season started today. Our first practice was at 5:45pm in 44 degree weather. I coach track. I know, I know, I don't look like a track coach. I don't smell like a track coach either but that is not the point. Why am I coaching? Because it is through the recreation commission and is totally volunteer. Because I have 70 Kindergarten-6th graders that I get to impact 3 days a week. Because I get to show Jesus and yes even talk about him on a regular basis when asked why I do it. Because sports are more important in my community than church and I can have influence on that priority. Because I like kids.

So is it worth it? Is it the most effective and efficient way? Couldn't I be writing curriculum or books that impact the children's ministry of a nation? You know, I truly don't know the answers to those questions or even the questions about coaching. If you think you know then feel free to comment. This is truly one of those things that I wish I had the perfect answer to.

Tech Thursday: Watching March Madness

How do you plan on watching/keeping up with all of the basketball games over the next several weeks/weekends? Conference tournaments started yesterday and today and people are using technology to keep up like crazy. Yes it is to check scores on your favorite sports site but I want an experience not just a score. I want to watch as much basketball as possible but I don't want to have to pay for the March Madness package on DirecTV, especially since I have Dish Network. I might be willing to switch though if they threw in that package and their HD channels, but that is a different post.

So back to the question at hand, how do you plan to keep up? Here are some ways that I plan on and you can chime in on the comments about your plan of attack.

1. All games are going to be streamed live through Joost. Get your Joost player at Joost.com and you to can watch basketball while you do prep work for other things. (Don't want to do Joost then sign up for a free VIP pass at CBS Sportsline.com watch it that way.)

2. I am going to be following certain people on Twitter. Knowing how the crowds are at games helps with the experience.

3. I am hoping to get a new HDTV and have it set up by next Thursday. Why watch it on an old TV.

So there are my top 3. What are yours?



2. Don't

Ministry Monday: March Madness

One thing I love about ministry is the ability to leverage the culture around me and use it for the cause of Christianity. I wrote in the past about how to use Fantasy Football as a tool for ministry and I believe another opportunity is coming on us very quickly. Yes, I am talking about bracketology, March Madness, and the NCAA tournament. Right now the talk of the week is about bubble teams and who is in and who is out. Which conference is going to have the most teams represented this year? Who gets the #1 seeds?

The best thing I think about all of this talk and excitement around the tournament is that it is mostly men. My new found ministry and passion for reaching the dads of the ministries I lead has me thinking of ways to get them to connect with each other. What is a better way than to fill out some brackets and talk a little smack about each other's alma mater?

So how does this work? How do you turn this into ministry? It is quite simple if you are strategic. Set up a league/group on your favorite website. I prefer Yahoo for this but you pick your favorite. Invite all of the dads that are in your ministry. Let them know that there is a prize for the winner and make it a good one. The better the prize the more participation and that is a great thing. Don't make the prize cash either. Then plan a party for the final game. It is on a Monday night and guys want to watch the game with other guys anyway. Just make sure that it is a place with incredible HD and you are good. Then let the connections happen by themselves. Sometimes the best ministry that can happen is when non-Christ-followers figure out that Christ-followers aren't freaks.

I can't wait for the tournament to begin. It truly is the best time of year.

Weekend Review: The Good Parts

Here are the highlights from the past couple of days.

• It has snowed at least 10 inches Friday and Saturday here in Cincinnati. A nice picture to prove it:

• It was nice to play in the snow but spending 2 hours shoveling the driveway was a little much.

• Did you know that you could cancel church? We didn't but more than 400 churches in the Cincinnati area did. Our numbers were low but not that bad.

• Best quote from the weekend comes from my 3 year old. "Daddy I pulled my underwear up to far and my peeper is hanging out. Help Me, Help Me!" I love my son and love my wife for calling his man parts a peeper. That is to funny.

• I spoke at our High School program tonight. I love the Beatitudes. They hit the soul and ring true no matter how old you are.

• Kentucky won a basketball game today that probably put them in the tournament. They had a really rough start to the season but have finished well. I still don't expect them to do well in the tournament but will cheer them on with all I've got.

• I am playing fantasy NASCAR for the first time ever and I picked the winner today. The problem is I don't know if I really care. I am truly a pro football, college basketball type of guy and am struggling with the NASCAR thing. It might be because my wife is beating me.

Until tomorrow when we talk Ministry Monday. . .

Sign Wednesday: Creation Museum

Last Thursday I went to the Creation Museum in the Cincinnati area. No matter how you feel about the content of the museum, you have to be impressed by the atmosphere of the place. Of course while I was there I took a bunch of pictures of signs. What can I say, I am a sign geek. I guess it was a little distracting because when we left my wife said, "Maybe next time we go we could just walk through it since you have a picture of all of the signs."

So here you go. Here are the best and worst of the signs of the Creation Museum. #1 is the best in my opinion and #7 is the worst. Enjoy.

1.
I love 3-D sculpted signs and this one rocks. Sorry for the shadow but you could read it very well.


2.
This one has 8 layers and the guy in closest to me is life size. Very well done and cut out of gator board. Impressive.


3.
A cut out stained window with a LCD screen behind it showing you what is going on in church. Very Slick.


4.
Every wall can be a sign. When the entire wall is a sign I like it.


5.
Great use of adding interest to what could have been a very boring sign. 2 signs are better than one in some cases.


6.
Standard kind of boring. Makes little impact and gives information but not a lot of wow.


7.
Good idea but horrible execution. This guy makes me laugh again and again. Seriously just look at him long enough and you to will think Microsoft is cooler than Apple.

Ministry Monday: A Successful Event

Why do something if you aren't successful? Seriously. . . Why? If it is not successful you should quit it right now. Do us all a big favor and just stop whatever is falling short. Pat yourself on the back and say good try or it has run its course and then move on.

Now for the hardest part because quitting is only the second hardest part. How do you measure whether or not something is successful? That is the hardest part of any event or activity. You can justify anything as being successful. Believe me I am very good at it, but that doesn't make it successful.

Last night, my team and I put together a Family Fun Night. There are many different ways to measure if we were successful. How many visitors came? How many of our target came? How many connections were made by staff? Was there any type of buzz that followed it? Are people asking to do it again? How many people became a Christ-follower? Those measures and questions are all valid but not why I called last night a success. No one became a Christ-follower to my knowledge. No one called me today and asked to do it again next week. So why was it a success? We had 73% of the number of kids attend the event that came to church that morning. Imagine if you had 73% of your Sunday morning attendance show up to a Family Fun Night. The second reason it was a success was because it had as many dads show up to the event as moms. Anytime you get dads involved you are doing something.

What was Family Fun Night? We rented out Run, Jump-N-Play, a local indoor inflatable fun center. We encouraged dads to bring their sons and beat them at joust. We encouraged play and community. We offered a safe place to invite visitors. We charged $10 a kid and adults were free.
So there you have it. A church sponsored event that I don't think I even said the name Jesus. I didn't even pray for the pizza that we ran out of and in my book it was a SUCCESS!