November 2006

Here’s my latest round of sweet-links.

Video by youthwork.co.uk did an excellent video interview with Rob Bell, asking tough questions on how the church really started, emergent labels, and not becoming Ted Haggard. Hosted by premier.tv here.

Also here’s a link to the entire Mastering the Art of Living series by Rob Bell. I’m not sure how long this one will be around for. I listened through it back in 2004 I believe and thought it was absolutely phenomenal.

Mac Tablet? I’ve been waiting for this, now if only I had the money.

Someone’s daughter got a bit excited playing her nintedo Wii, check out what happened.

Article on Thom Wolf describing seminaries as being counterproductive.

A good listing of helpful church planting links

Seedstories - Appears to be a good hub /forum for church planters as well

Sketch - If you’re in Toronto, check it out. I just visited yesterday. They do some extraordinary creative arts work with at-risk youth.

Mosaic Alliance has a preview of their members only site for free currently.

** This one just in.  Monkey’s kissing on you tube.  You’ve gotta love this one!

Acts 29 is a church planting network that was founded by Mars Hill Seattle and helps plant churches that plant churches. It is a resource I draw on that I would say is very different from the Mosaic movement and Mars Hill Michigan. In fact Mars Hill Seattle would probably enjoy a street fight with Mars Hill Michigan.

Much of this is fueled by Mark Driscoll, who people simply love or hate. I have no problems seeing past most of the peripheral issues and drawing from most ‘camps’ in the church planting world. Whatever your thoughts on Driscoll are, he sure does make biblethumping almost seem cool again.

I visited Mars Hill during the summer when I was in Seattle. It’s definitely a young crowd. And as anti-femenist as they are pegged to be, there were just as many girls there as there were guys. It’s amazing what they’ve done in their short history.

I also had a chance to meet up with Scott Thomas the A29 church planting director the following day. I love how theologically-driven they are. Mars Hill Seattle and the A29 Network would consider themselves first Christian, then Evangelical,then Missional, and finally Reformed.

They have an adapted model of Leslie Newbegin’s Gospel <-> Chruch <-> Culture and what they call a ministry matrix that shapes how they do things, from Christology -> Ecclesiology -> Missiology -> Ministry.

I’ve learned quite about both theologially and practically through their resources over the last several years. While I understand how many ministries need to recoup costs, one of the things I love about Mars Hill and all things related, is that they make their resources free.

There’s much more if you dig through their primary websites, but I’ll list off some of my top picks here. Again, I’ll try to continually keep this page updated. Let me know if you’ve got some excellent finds.

ARTICLES

Here is a digital copy of the Acts 29 Church Planting manual that I acquired which gets handed out at the bootcamps.
Mars Bars - Article on Mars Hill and the Paradox Venue
Interview with Mark Driscoll 2006
Church planting trends as seen by Mark Driscoll - Notes from Steve Addison’s blog

MEDIA - They are all audio mp3 links and video where specified

The Ox - Qualifications of an Acts 29 Church Planter - Mark Driscoll
Reverse Engineering your life - Mark Driscoll
Church planting resources and timeline - Steve Tompkins
Theology - Knowing God’s mission - Mark Driscoll
On Mission as One - John Ryan
Art Gospel and Culture - Ed Marcelle
Jesus-Centered Reformed Theology - Chan Kilgore
Death by Love - Mark Driscoll @ Reform & Resurge 2006 / Video
Gravity: The weight of pastoring - Matt Chandler @ R&R 2006 - A must listen! / Video
Preaching the Gospel - Tim Keller @ R&R 2006 / Video
Humble Orthodoxy - Joshua Harris @ R&R 2006 / Video
Breaking the Missional Code - Ed Stetzer @ R&R 2006 / Video
Life and Death of the Missional Leader - Darrin Patrick @ R&R 2006 / Video
Mars Hill in Acts 17 - Mark Driscoll
The Whole Glory of the Gospel of God part 1 and 2 - John Piper @ Reformission 2004
Reformission: Reforming Christian Mission - Mark Driscoll
Holy Hospitality - Mark Driscoll
Theology of Alcohol - Mark Driscoll

Some pictures from my visit

In the middle of taking a break from writing papers in the library today, I did a bit of dreaming and scheming for the future church plant. Inspired by the leadership synergy diagram from origins, I decided to flip it around and plot out some values of what I’ve been imagining. It’s been on my heart for so long, it only took a few minute once I had a framework to map it out in.

- At the core of every human being is the intrinsic desire to believe, belong, and become.
- We believe that these longings call people out on a journey towards drawing on Christ, deepening in Community, and being driven by the Cause
- Each of these are driven by values throughout in the culture. Both the divinity and the humanity of Christ, the individual purpose and corporate movement of the cause, and the unity and diversity of the community.
- This develops an environment permeated with visionaries, missionaries, and passionaries
- Collectively this is what forms a community of faith, hope, and love.

I wanted to take this a step further, and include another layer or additional overarching values of Reconciliation (faith + love), Beauty (love + hope), and Meaning (faith+hope), but it might be a little overboard.

What do you think? Any suggestions, tweaking, or major overhauling required?

Here’s a photo of me during Halloween. Yvonne painted my face to look like a zebra with the mohawk, but after playing around with the saturation in picasa I thought I looked a bit a Darth Maulish.

You can get Google Picasa free with the link near the bottom of my sidebar.

I’ve got focus issues. I’m serious. Our small group did a test for A.D.D. earlier this week, and every single one of us are categorically A.D.D. We were so restless we couldn’t even finish the test!

The mere moments I’m focused, I gun straight through things, and am fairly effective. Maybe I’m overly relying on my abilities? But this is something I really need to deal with.

It often takes me at least a couple hours before I can get to a level of productivity. Quite often I’ll clean around the house, Make sure I’m on top of my news/blogs, optimize my desk, do my budget, scribble my daughter’s ’secret’ name, exercise, eat, anything but do the one thing I need to do at the moment.

Now I know many are like this, but I really need to get my act together. My pace of life is excellent, I’m definitely not doing too little or too much in my life. Over the years I’ve found a good balance of work and rest, but it frustrates me every time I set out to do certain things and take forever just to get started. I feel like I’m leaving time on the table and mockery of the moments I’ve been blessed with.

People tell me all the time how amazing it is the amount I seem to accomplish. I don’t believe this is true in comparison to what I’ve been blessed with. I find most of these focus issues are usually tied to school work and non-urgent tasks. However with the baby coming and the pressure of ministry increasing, I really need to stop squandering my moments and maximizing what I’ve been given.

If everyone’s got any life-transforming tips in this area, I’ll take it. Please help. Now to get back to my paper.

oh look, I just found a few more mp3’s and videos to add to the Erwin McManus and Rob Bell resources. Okay, now back to work, really.

This page will no longer be updated. For the latest Rob Bell and Mars Hill resources and links please see my new site at SolarCrash.

Alright. To follow up the Mosaic Movement Resources as promised, here’s some articles, audio’s and video’s for you Rob Bell fans. I’ve been downloading all of their sermons since back in 2002, but again, to be on the safe side, all links here are just what’s currently available on the web.

For those of you who aren’t up to speed on Rob and Mars Hill, I’d say their the Mac of the megachurch world. clean and simple. Rob Bell’s an excellent communicator who does his homework, especially with contextualizing ancient Jewish culture. Their church is legend for exploding by word of mouth as Bell preached through Leviticus the first year.

Nooma video’s have been the latest craze. People thought I was being silly for spending money on them a few years back. You can borrow them from me if you’re in the area.

I’ll try to keep this resource page up to date, let me know if there’s anything worthwhile that I’m missing. Feel free to share this link on your sites/blogs.

This page will no longer be updated. For the latest Rob Bell and Mars Hill resources and links please see my new site at SolarCrash.

ARTICLES

Article on Volunteerism at Mars Hill
Ben Witherington reviews one of Rob Bell’s talk
Notes from Sex God Q&A
Excellent resources thanks to aspiringindie
- 50 pages of notes from the “Isn’t She Beautiful” pastor’s conference
- Blog entry and 9 pages of notes on the Sex God tour
- Rob Bell’s recommended reading list

Stats from the Calling all Peacemakers sermon series
Excellent notes from Isn’t She Beautiful 2007 here.
Interview with Christianity Magazine UK Feb ‘07
Great wikipedia biography
Reviews on the Everything is Spiritual tour here, here, and here
Beliefnet interviews Rob Bell
Article on Christianity Today on mhbcmi
Preaching.org review of using Nooma

AUDIO

Last twelve messages at mhbcmi are always here.
Additional archived messages
Beautifully Angry Beautifully Angry mp3 by Rob Bell from EmergingConversation
Rob Bell at Mosaiek Church - Flames of Heaven Flames of Heaven
Rob Bell at Mosaiek Church - Barefoot and breathing Barefoot and breathing
Healthy Grieving Healthy Grieving2005 by Rob Bell
Catalyst interview Catalyst Interview with Rob Bell
Between the trees Between the trees by Rob Bell
Sheep and goats and you and me Sheeps and goats and you and me
Rob Bell interview on episode ten of x3church.com podcast
Jesus Wept Jesus wept
Audio Review of Velvet Elvis
Interview Interview with Rob Bell
Another interview interview with Rob Bell
Communicating Christ in Contemporary Culture Part 1, 2, and 3 1, 2, 3
Suffering: Having nothing and having everything Having nothing and having everything mp3
Transforming History Transforming History - Rob Bell at Rock Harbour. Notes here.
Also here’s a link to the entire Mastering the Art of Living series by Rob Bell. I’m not sure how long this one will be around for. I listened through it back in 2004 I believe and thought it was absolutely phenomenal.

VIDEO

These videos below are all from Willow, links courtesy of Yuling

The Nazarite Vow
Between the Trees
We’re over here
Jesus and Domitian
A Day of Atonement
Covered in the Dust of the Rabbi

Full videos from the Nooma series (I’m surprised it lasted this long, looks like some of the videos have been removed. Feel free to let me know if you find alternative links).

Rain
Flame
Sunday
Noise
Kickball
Luggage
Dust
Bullhorn
Lump
Rhythm
Matthew
Rich
Breathe
Clip from the Everything is Spiritual Tour
Clip from Sex God tour in Michigan
Video not of Rob Bell, but one of the “Way of the Master” guys in response to the Bullhorn Nooma.
Video by youthwork.co.uk did an excellent video interview with Rob Bell, asking tough questions on how the church really started, emergent labels, and not becoming Ted Haggard. Hosted by premier.tv here.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mars Hill bible Church
Nooma clips and study guides - You can by the DVD’s here
Isn’t she beautiful - seminar for leaders celebrating the local church January 2007
Velvet Elvis - First book
Sex God - Second book
Calling All Peacemakers European Tour
Rob’s new tour on “Sex God” with a pdf of the 1st chapter! Thanks Lacey

This page will no longer be updated. For the latest Rob Bell and Mars Hill resources and links please see my new site at SolarCrash.

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Friday night Jake, Isabelle and I roamed the downtown core of Toronto for our youth-at-risk class.

We checked out some drop-in centers (Sketch, The Gateway, Seaton House, Sanctuary), Gay bars (Woody’s, Sailor’s, Churchmouse & Firkin), Other hang outs like Bovine Sex Club, Allan Gardens, The Falls, Hooker-Harveys, Boys town, and other nooks and crannies.

These are some pics I found off the web of a few of the places we checked out. I would’ve brought my own camera but didn’t want to look like a tourist.

From Graffiti Alley (Some good sets here and here)

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I’ve been anti-brand name for most of my life, especially when it comes to clothing. I’ve always felt that brands were just another way of outsourcing our creativity.

We spend those extra dollars in exchange for some sense of assurance, that at least someone out there says it’s okay, normal, legit, fits-in, acceptable, etc.

I’ve begun my own clothing line. It’s called “LON-GERIE”, get it? The tag line is:

“FASHION THAT BRINGS OUT BEAUTY IN OTHERS”

Here’s two from the ‘portfolio’.

I’m not sure how long my iron-on will last. Here’s two interesting companies that beat me to it and can help create clothing with a personal touch.

Mondonation
Zazzle

May every one of us find ways to creatively contribute rather than conform.

Mark Batterson of evotional/NCC is reverse gifting and giving out free copies of his new book (In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day) to church planters for his birthday.

You’ve heard latest craze of Chuck Norris jokes. Chuck responds. (Thanks Albert)

Zaadz a new social-network gathering those who intend to change the world. I think it’s got potential. Join! Here’s mine.

Ode Magazine - Magazine for intelligent optimists, who also intend to change the world.

Zooomr Photos keeps developing and has just upgraded their pro accounts to 4GB/month! Get a pro account free here. Here are my sets.

Things really aren’t looking good for Ted Haggard. I hope I’m wrong but I can’t say he looks convincing to me on the video clips. Mark Driscoll writes some good thoughts on the matter.

Update: Looks like the decision’s final on the NewLife church website.

Here’s an excerpt from Ted Haggard’s wife Gayle that I thought was very powerful.

Dear Woman of New Life Church,

I am so sorry for the circumstances that have led me to write this letter to you today. I know your hearts are broken; mine is as well. Yet my hope rests steadfastly in the Lord who is forever faithful.

What I want you to know is that I love my husband, Ted Haggard, with all my heart. I am committed to him until death “do us part”. We started this journey together and with the grace of God, we will finish together.

If I were standing before you today, I would not change one iota of what I have been teaching the women of our church. For those of you who have been concerned that my marriage
was so perfect I could not possibly relate to the women who are facing great difficulties, know that this will never again be the case. My test has begun; watch me. I will try to prove myself faithful.

I’m amazed she has the strength to say something like this so soon.

Update2: Audio mp3 message of the sunday service at NewLife Church. It’s loaded with insight in terms of grace, trials, church polity, and discipline.