Inside the Orange. Louie Giglio

The last session of Orange, Louie Giglio spoke.
I wasn't real familiar who he was.
All i knew was that the middle aged women sitting in front me screamed like school girls when Reggie announced Louie was speaking.

Here's what I got jotted down on what Louie shared before my iBook battery died.



The Church Should Be
...something, instead of doing something.
...having supernatural acts plus supernatural stories.
...more about movement then walls
...about the future more than about the past
...leaning forward.
...about engaging young people.

The Orange Conference

Inside the Orange. Andy Stanley

Andy did a Q&A with Reggie Joiner.
It was hard to take notes.

We have far more in common with non-Christians than what we don’t have in common.
If you create irresistible environments for people, people come.
#1 cause of poverty in America. Is divorce.
People have to get to a point where they become a self-feeder.


Everybody’s stories include 5 elements.
Practical Teaching – recognize some sort of spiritual truth
Providential Relationships – some person was in their life
Private Disciplines – learn how to have a quiet time
Pivotal Circumstances – something that cuts the legs off of their faith, or increases their faith.
Personal Ministry – somebody challenged to serve the church.

Inside the Orange. Don Miller

If you have ever listened to Donald Miller.
You know he is random.
Hard to take notes from.
Tells a 20 minute story for one good statement.



Here are those statements

A good leader is a person who gets to know me in such a way, that I want to take part in their vision.
I need to pay attention to the people I am leading.
A leader speaks something into the nothingness.

Inside the Orange. Creating Success

Creating Success in Your Organization - Nancy Ortberg

Team
Everyday you should be thinking about your team.
Who is your #1 team? The team that you report.
It’s not just about the area we are leading, but about the whole organization.

What to do
Focus only on the 3 or 4 things that you do well.

Vision
Vision is a team sport.
A collaborative effort.
People need to hear vision 28 days. Monthly.
People are inspired by the stories they hear, and those who are perceived as a hero.
Explain the why.
My calendar should reflect our vision.
My conversations should reflect our vision.

Inside the Orange. Francis Chan

Francis Chan spoke in the general session this am.



Christians have a blackjack relationship with God.
Its just about the relationship with them and the dealer.
But it should really be about the relationship with the dealer, and those around the table.

The greatest miracle is Christians loving one another.
If that would happen, people all over the world would see God.

the orange conference

I've got my copy of Pop Goes The Church

Where's yours?

Pop Goes The Church on Amazon
Leading Smart - Tim's blog
Pop Goes The Church - website
My review

I've got my ticket to Orange.

Do you?



Breakout sessions I've signed up for.

• Creating Success in Your Organization
• Unedited – reThinking Student Ministry
• Teach Less for More
• The Five Faith Skills

Are you going?
If so. Let's get together

The Orange Conference

Leadership lunch w/ Scott Hodge

On our way to Target Leadership Conference today, we talked and had lunch with Scott Hodge (Lead Pastor at Orchard Valley Community Church in Aurora) and his creative arts director Mike Jones at Chilis.

What I learned from Scott.

• Hearing God everyday is important.
• Set high standards for volunteer leaders.
• Whenever change happens, some people will leave.
• Don't take people leaving as personal.
• Ron Kenoly isn't his cup of tea.
• Meet the needs of your community
• First Assembly is in a great spot for continued momentum & growth

Thanks scott for taking the time.

Bloggers Lunch @ Target Leadership Conference

Travis and I head to Rockford tomorrow for Target Leadership Conference. We are making a stop on our trip, for lunch with Scott Hodges. Scott is the pastor of an innovative church, The Orchard, in Aurora. I'm excited about talking church leadership with him.

Target is an emerging leadership experience where over 300 youth pastors and leaders gather from around the Great Lakes Region to spend three days experiencing what it means to be an effective youth minister.

There will be 6 general sessions with the following speakers.
Reggie Joiner - The reThink Group
Gabe Lyons - author of Unchurched
Bo Boshers - Willow Creek
Dan Hunter - Seven Ministries
Dave Mudd - FAZE Youth Church

I'm going to be blogging & twittering (my twitter) during all of the sessions, and will be sending utterz after each session. In a little piece that I am going to call, "In 60 seconds." So, if you aren't going to Target, I will give you the jist of the session "in 60 seconds."

Attn Bloggers.
Let's get together.
Let's share ideas and thoughts.
All blogger experience is welcome.
Friday @ Lunch, approx. 12:30pm @ Don Pablos in Rockford.

I'll be on chat during all the sessions.
mufan96 - yahoo, aim
ecourtney@hotmail dot com - msn
evan.courtney@gmail dot com - gtalk

Mark Driscoll in Peoria

Today i went to related leaders 1 day conference at riverside community church in peoria to hear Mark Driscoll speak on preaching to today's culture. Here are my notes from 2 out of 3 of the workshops. I didn't understand half the words he said, and neither did google.

Cross Centered Preaching
1. Jesus is our penal substitution on the cross.
2. Jesus is our victor
3. Jesus is our redemption
4. Jesus is our new covenant sacrifice
5. Jesus is our justification
6. Jesus is our propitiation
7. Jesus is our expiation
8. Jesus is our ransom
9. Jesus is our example
10. Jesus is our reconciliation

mark driscoll's blog: the resurgence
mars hill church seattle
mark driscoll's books

I laughed. I cried. I hurled.

What an incredible read!

I just finished Pop Goes the Church: Should the Church Engage in Pop Culture authored by Tim Stevens. Tim is an executive pastor at one of the most innovative churches in the states, Granger.

When I first saw this title, I immediately thought it would be all about putting on a rock show, and firing up the HD projector for a blockbuster movie and popcorn in a state-of-the-art auditorium. But the truth is Tim Stevens so wonderfully challenged me to take a look at the needs of the people in my community, and for me to meet them.

I took an emotional rollercoaster while reading this, from being inspired, to being frustrated. I laughed. I cried. I hurled.

Talk about research. Tim has studied pop culture and how to minister to a pop culture saturated people. He also takes a look at how some of the most incredible speakers of time used pop culture. Speakers you might be familiar with. Jesus. Paul. Tim just didn’t go to the local used record store and pull from a cd from the hottest hits, or the grab a movie from the Blockbuster Video's Employees favorites. He has researched his thoughts both with society and biblically.

Tim is so in your face, in a good way. He inspires the Christian community & churches from pulling out of the culture, and challenges them to instead engage in it.

Pop Goes the Church…
Challenges the boring church.
Addresses the problem with evangelism.
Connects the gospel to the community.
Gives practical help of how to avoid the art of being boring.

I can’t wait to get this book into the hands of our staff and leadership team.

What Preachers Can Learn from Steve Jobs

I just finished watching the SteveNote. As I was watching, I noticed how Steve Jobs had the audience eating out of his hands. I had the thought, what if preachers could present like that.

Characteristics of Steve Job's presentations

• Shows success by numbers
• Let them know they (apple customers) aren't alone, that others have "buy-in" too.
• Inspires
• Makes the features seems do-able
• Leaves the audience with the feeling of "I want to buy everything!"
• Talks about the product features
• Demonstrates the product features (how it works, how it applies to their life)
• Talks about the product features again
• Shows how this will change your life and productivity
• Doesn't use acronyms
• Knows his stuff. No TelePrompTer. Has checklist of what he wants to cover.
• Rehearses: Practices timing & delivery
• He knows what is coming up next in the present
• Comfortable & relaxed. 
• Invites others on the stage
• Uses humor
• Repetition: says the same thing, over and over

Top Ten Best (and Worst) Communicators of 2007

How to Wow 'em Like Steve Jobs

Steve Job's Greatest Presentation

How to Present Like Steve Jobs

I'm Reviewing a New Book

Tim Stevens, the executive pastor at Granger Community Church, has written a new book titled Pop Goes the Church: Should the Church Engage Pop Culture? Tim posted on his blog, asking for 10 leaders willing to read his book, and review it. I applied and I was selected.

I'm super pumped.
I will be posting more about the book as I'm reading it, but I can't quote any parts of it.

Also my name will be mentioned in the book.



Like my blog. Subscribe. My RSS Feed

Being Reversed Mentored

Last night I was reversed mentored by a college student on the art of catfishing. Here are a five thoughts on reverse mentoring.
1. You can never ask too many questions.
2. Watch and listen.
3. Don't act like you know everything.
4. Be appreciative of their time.
5. Acknowledge to them your need of them.

WIU Head Coach Leadership Thoughts

thoughts on leadership from don patterson wiu's head football coach

1. Good Value System
2. Be consistent with your beliefs and actions
3. Loyalty to others, during both good and bad times
4. Teamwork, place others above yourself
5. develop a sense of honor
6. a quiet self-confidence
7. strong self-esteem
8. show compassion to your fellow man
9. accountability to other, never let down another man
10. great work ethic
11. show sportsmanship
12. be a good listener
13. show your sense of humor
14. recognize your limitations
15. share the responsibility of all loses and setbacks
16. don't be afraid to tell them that you love them

Conversational Van Rides

Have been thinking about a lot of things recently. Just finished reading donald millers "searching for god knows what." i might write about my thoughts on what he calls "the lifeboat theory".

also need to update about our first live love night at h2o. amazing. maybe i will do that tomorrow.

today though, i went with pastor to see leonard sweet speak at riverside in peoria. thoughts i took from leonard.

christianity today is more muslim then it is christianity.
first non-temple based religion: christianity.
shouldn’t be leadership, should be followership.
why are we not communicating like Jesus did.
killer metaphors that will kill a church – refuge, shelter, a safe haven.
we trust strangers more then we trust the holy spirit.
the primary language of this culture is not about words, but images.
sometimes god is more active in the world then the church.
modern christianity is more modern then christianity.

stuff that pastor and i talked about on the road
meeting the needs of the homosexual community
future of church leadership (followership)
how long does it take to defrag the church
cards walk off grandslam
fishing in a river
importance of knowing your future-in-laws

Conversation with Jeff Kossack

What i learned... (from conversations with jeff kossack)

1) easier to tell people about jesus, than showing them. both are effective, but which one needs to be done more? does one come before another? what does showing them about jesus look like?

2) a discipleship process is needed for the youth ministry. and an understanding that discipleship is a lifelong journey, not a ten week sunday school class.

3) students want to change the world, we must give them the opportunity

4) maybe youth services aren't the best way to evangelize jr. high and high schoolers. or should unchurched students even be a target during a service? or should our target be to teach our students to be jesus in their world?

5) during worship and message time at h2o, feels like xxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxxx xxx xxxx.

6) acoustic worship might be a good idea, to get back to the heart of worship for our students who are concert saturated. need a separation from one another.

7) what is the role of an adult in youth ministry? elder?