I’m fascinated by LeBron James’ latest Nike commercial. “The Decision” was a mistake. I take the very existence of this commercial as an admission of such, even if James never explicitly says so in the ad. I hated that ESPN aired “The Decision” and I hate that I watched it. Where an athlete like LeBron […]
Archives for 2010
Back to the Drawing Board
I’ve always tried to be honest on this blog, especially when it comes to my experiences in either trying to turn around an existing church, or more recently, trying to launch a new church in the North Austin area. If I’m being honest, it is much easier to be honest when things are going well. […]
October 18, 2010 by 10 Comments
Empire of the Summer Moon
I’ve written before about my love for Audible books. I usually listen to a couple a month, mostly while I’m doing chores around the house or driving around town and sometimes when I’m working out by myself. I like to listen to fast-moving guy fiction which serves up lots of spies, explosions, and geopolitical intrigue. […]
September 27, 2010 by 1 Comment
Feed Me!
Genre Alert: The following post is a rant. They were once popular among bloggers, but have since all but disappeared, with good reason I’m sure. ******* “We just want to be fed.” Every pastor has heard it from someone. Sometimes you catch it when they’re coming and sometimes when they’re going. It’s something that church-going […]
September 15, 2010 by 13 Comments
Advice to Young Preachers
Since I used to be one, I thought I would offer some unsolicited advice to young preachers. Stop writing sermons for people who aren’t in the room. For the first few years after seminary, preachers write sermons to please their former professors. The more successful they are in doing this, the less effective they are […]
August 31, 2010 by 12 Comments
I was a Preacher Once, and I was Young
I was a preacher once, and I was young. I’m still a preacher, but a couple of years ago I ceased to be a young one. If I had to pick an age, I would say it happened at 35. I preached my first full-length sermon when I was 18. I started preaching regularly for […]
August 26, 2010 by 7 Comments
I Still Don’t Like August
Last year I posted about why August is my least favorite month. A year later, I haven’t changed my mind. Here’s why I still don’t like August: 1. The brightness of summer-come-upon-us in June is now dingy and dull. 2. I’m tired of the heat. 3. We usually vacation in June or July. Winter vacations […]
August 16, 2010 by 3 Comments
Why We’re Launching Weekly Gatherings
I’ve been encouraged by several readers to keep posting some of the things we’re learning from this experience of launching The Fulcrum Community. By nature I love to share what I’m learning, so I’m happy to do so. As I’ve written elsewhere, we’ve been hesitant to move too quickly into launching a weekly large group […]
July 27, 2010 by 7 Comments
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons