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Bring in the Poets, Not the Politicians

February 6, 2013 in Book Reviews, Leadership with 0 Comments

By now, in the year 2013, social media is ubiquitous. A pastor or church leader who does not have at least a Facebook or Twitter profile – let alone an Instagram feed, LinkedIn profile, or Tumblr account – is in the minority. But the more avenues of online connectivity we have, the more digital noise threatens to muddy our lives. How should Christians – church leaders especially – approach the use of social media?

Leonard Sweet’s latest book, Viral, addresses this issue and, quite frankly, hits a home run. In Viral, Sweet analyzes the generation gap that exists between the “Gutenbergers” and the “Googlers.” He examines the changes that have taken place culturally, and makes the case for why the church absolutely cannot be left behind in the world of cyber-communication. Social media, Sweet contends, provides an incredible outlet for connectivity and storytelling. Tweeting and status-updating are a matter of discipline and focus that stem from a mission of reaching into the lives of other people. “[It] is a discipline of transparency. The knowledge that my tweets will be read by thousands of people keeps me more focused on my mission, makes me less whiny and complaining, and keeps me more sensitive to what others may need to hear. It’s a discipline to serve others and to simply express what I’m feeling.”

Sweet makes the case that even the simple things are important, just as every relationship is made up of both surfaces and depths. The important thing is to tell your story; we are to leverage the tools at our disposal to both draw others into our story and to engage in theirs. After all, Sweet reminds us, echoing the words of Plato, “If you want to change the world, don’t bring in the politicians who make the laws; bring in the poets who tell the stories.”

Viral is an invitation and exhortation for the Church to share the greatest Story ever told with a world who is already listening.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

What’s More Disturbing Than A Go-Daddy Commercial?

February 4, 2013 in Entertainment, Faith/Hope/Love, Leadership with 4 Comments

The Superbowl always promises to be full of some uncomfortable moments. The hyper-sexualized Go-Daddy commercials are usually the frontrunners in that pack (and this year was no exception). Beyonce’s halftime performance was solid, though I regret allowing my 9-year-old son to sit and watch all that gyrating and putting on of rings. But despite the usual lustful appeals present during the big game, nothing disturbed me more than the comments coming from the Ravens star linebacker.

Did Ray Lewis mean what I think he meant?

The larger than life LB for the Superbowl Champion Baltimore Ravens has hardly been silent in recent years about his professed faith in God. In fact, since his life and career were almost completely derailed back in 2000 when he was accused of a double homicide, Lewis has been increasingly vocal about his faith. The man claims to love God, and that is not for me to judge.

But I do believe that Christians are called to “correctly handle the word of truth” (see 2 Timothy 2:15) because the danger of mishandling Scripture and spreading false teaching is en ever-present reality whenever religion is concerned.

Which is why I cringed at everything Ray Lewis had to say surrounding the Superbowl last night. Continue Reading…

My Bad, Barack.

January 29, 2013 in Faith/Hope/Love, Leadership, Personal with 7 Comments

Mr. President, I owe you an apology. Let me explain:

I have been fairly critical of you ever since your first presidential campaign. I don’t agree with many of your stances on important issues, some of your policies seem like they are moving our country in the wrong direction, and I always get the sense that your administration is one that will over-promise, but under-deliver.

But do you know what? All of that is neither here nor there. My response to your presidency should come down to one thing: you are The Man. The bottom line, Mr. President, is that my attitude towards you has not been appropriate. Instead of respect and support, mine has been more of condemnation and sarcasm. Now don’t get me wrong: I fully believe that Americans should be able to stand up for what they believe in without fear of punishment or retribution by the government. That is America. But speaking up for my beliefs does not have to go hand in hand with open criticism of our leaders.

You are the President of the United States of America. This did not happen by accident. You were voted in by a majority. And the more important thing for me to keep in mind is that your election did not happen outside of the sovereign will of God. My God is not surprised – nor is he upset, frustrated, disappointed, etc. – by this. He is, after all, God. But I had lost sight of that – at least to the degree where it truly impacted me with an appropriate Christian response. Continue Reading…

You Took It Too Far

October 26, 2012 in Leadership, Personal with 2 Comments

First off, hi there. It’s been a couple of months since I have been able to spend time here on Action Speaks. A lot has been going on. I can’t wait to share it with you. But not right now. In some ways, I hate that my first post back after a hiatus is politically charged, but this subject just bothered me so much that I had share it. So no apologies. Just read on and let me know if I’m way off the mark.

Let me get to the point…

Barack Obama’s campaign just released a new ad that is generating a lot of buzz. This was most likely their intent. In this case, however, I feel that the President and his campaign managers made a big mistake. This new ad features a young woman talking about her “first time.” She refers to doing it with “a great guy”; with “someone who really cares about women.” The ad clearly targets young college-age women and subtly mocks those who are of age but don’t “do it” because they aren’t ready. Continue Reading…

The Man Card

July 14, 2012 in Faith/Hope/Love, Leadership, Personal with 1 Comment

A good friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook last night of some pretty incriminating activity. The caption read: “Daddy/Daughter Date. Can you guess where we are? I lose my man card, I suppose.”

There he sat, next to his 11-year-old daughter. In a big cozy chair. Surrounded by women. Getting a pedicure.

Now, I am sure that some very confident men may read this and argue that pedicures are wonderful and make a perfectly acceptable addition to the male-grooming habits…but those men are wrong.* There are few things that call the legitimacy of man’s “man card” into question faster than a pedicure.**

But lighthearted comments and manscaping preferences aside, my friend’s picture speaks of something much deeper than simple jokes. Here is a small glimpse of the reality: (for more information and additional facts, see the National Fatherhood Initiative): Continue Reading…

When You Can’t Quite Get There

July 11, 2012 in Leadership with 1 Comment

Like him or not, Brett Favre was one of professional football’s greatest players for many years. A perennial winner, Favre will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer as soon as he is eligible. But despite the fact that his Green Bay Packers seemed to always be in contention for a Superbowl title throughout Favre’s 15 seasons with the team, they only ever reached that lofty goal one time during that span (early on, in 1996). Over the next twelve years with that storied franchise, he never managed to win the big game again.

In 2005, the Packers drafted another quarterback: Aaron Rodgers. Instead of being drafted #1 overall and becoming the starting QB for the San Francisco 49ers, he slipped down the Packers at #24 and would sit the bench behind Favre for the next three years.

As Brett Favre’s time with the Packers slowly drew to a close from that moment on, the team was still among the best in the league. Despite his great desire and passion, despite the talent surrounding him, despite the longevity records he was breaking almost weekly, Favre never again won a Superbowl. When Rogers finally took over, it only took 3 seasons  before the Packers were once again league champions. While Brett – and the Packers – undoubtedly hoped to win another championship, the last few years became as much about preparing for the future as they were about trying to win in the present. The Packers were able to give Aaron Rodgers invaluable experience watching and learning under Favre, and they were free for many years to address other position needs without having to worry about the key quarterback position.* The team was constantly building for and expecting a championship. While Aaron Rodgers is no doubt a very talented player,  Brett Favre played a significant role in laying the groundwork for the Packers’ current successes.

Flashback a few thousand years. King David was sitting on the Israel’s throne. After enduring years of misfortune, war, and hoping for the fulfillment of the promise of kingship, David had arrived. He was without questions the MVP of his generation. His armies were successful in everything, his nation experienced prosperity, and the favor of God rested upon David in all he did. Continue Reading…