Blog of the Week: Resurgence
Oct 1, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Almost Caught Up
.:itunes:. More Shine by Si*Se
Blog Name
Resurgence
Blog Author
All kinds of people, but the primary authors are Anthony Bradley, Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, and Gary Shavey
What is this blog about?
From the “About”:
Resurgence is a movement that resources multiple generations to live for Jesus so that they can effectively reach their cities with the gospel by staying culturally accessible and Biblically faithful.
We are:
* Resurgence means to rise again, or to surge back into vibrancy. We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ must resurge in every generation to meet the needs of people and their continually changing cultures.
* Missional means that we believe Jesus Christ is on a mission to seek and save people, change their lives, and transform their cultures. Because of this we believe that Christians, Christian organizations, and Christian churches exist to join Jesus on His mission by immersing themselves in whatever culture Jesus has placed them.
* Theology means that we believe that personal and cultural transformation is only possible by meeting the living Jesus Christ of the Bible through His gospel. Because of this we believe that culturally accessible mission also requires biblically faithful theology.
* Cooperative means that we believe a team of missional theologians working together as friends and peers, sharing ideas, and correcting errors is the best way for learning to occur. Because of this we are a network of various Christian leaders, ministries, churches, and networks seeking to work together in providing the most culturally effective and biblically faithful missional theology.
Why do I read it?
One of the things I appreciate about Mars Hill in Seattle, along with Mark Driscoll (one of the pastors there) is their heart to do exactly what this mission statement says: be culturally accessible and Biblically faithful. Around Riverview, we call this being “doctrinally conservative and culturally fluid.”
In a very short time, this site has grown into an incredible resource of written doctrinal pieces that live this out.
Blog of the Week: Jing Blog
Sep 25, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Hi there!
.:itunes:. Higher by Creed
Blog Name
Jing Blog
That’s all your getting in a typed version. Why? Because Jing is a screen capture software and the rest of this Blog of the Week will be given to you via screen capture.
Blog of the Week
Aug 28, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Sore, a Bit
.:itunes:. Born Losers by Matthew Good
Blog Name
Overheard in New York
Blog Author
Everyone in New York who is listening. Here’s a list of all the contributors. Here are the top contributors (BTW, does Rachel W remind anyone of someone?)
What is this blog about?
Basically, they just quote the funny / stupid / crazy things people say on the street. I’m sure they are sometimes made up, but it’s funny nonetheless. Sometimes the quotes can be off-color, so watch out for that.
Why do I read it?
It’s funny.
Blog of the Week: Velocity or DaveFerguson.org
Aug 20, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Good, still
.:itunes:. Rain by Audiovent
Blog Name
Velocity (or DaveFerguson.org…the site has a few names)
Blog Author
Dave Ferguson, Pastor at Community Christian Church. Here’s his official bio:
Dave Ferguson and four friends from college launched Community Christian Church, a church that is passionate about “helping people find their way back to God”. This church has grown to 600+ leaders with more than 5,000 in attendance at eight sites every weekend throughout Chicagoland. Dave serves as a resource for other churches and leaders seeking to expand through multiple church sites and provides visionary leadership for the NewThing Network, a catalyst for a movement of reproducing churches. He is also the co-founder and serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Community who partner with real estate developers to accomplish their mission of “helping people build quality relationship where they live and work through the power of genunine commmunity”. In February, 2007 Dave authored his first book with Zondervan, The Big Idea: Focus The Message, Multiply The Impact.
What is this blog about?
Dave (and consequently his church) are big on the idea of “The Big Idea.” This permeates his blog, as well. Basically, that means that during each service there is one “Big Idea” they want everyone to get. This isn’t just in the main auditorium, each ministry focuses on the same big idea each week as well. That keeps them all rowing in the same direction.
Each series also has a “Big Idea,” as does each year, etc. You get the “Big Idea,” I’m sure.
Why do I read it?
Well, despite the fact that Dave is a White Sox fan, he has pretty good judgment the rest of the time. He has a lot of good thoughts, and his church is tenacious (like a pitbull) at living out the “Big Idea” concept. It’s cool to see a church so focused. The one time I visited (yesterday), everyone was working together and 3 different people used the phrase “Big Idea” with me.
Blog of the Week
Aug 13, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Good
.:podcast:. #3 - Know Your Role and shut your hole by Brian Tome
Blog Name
Gizmodo
Blog Author
Tons of people. From the “about” page:
This site is written primarily by a team of writers, along with a rotating line-up of guest editors—and the occasional intern to ensure the whisky has been properly topped off. We rely heavily on tips and suggestions from readers, though, so everybody gets to be part of the process.
And don’t listen to us, we’re idiots. We do make our living staying right on the hemorrhaging edge of gadgetry, though, so even if we say something totally boneheaded, we’ll at least usually be the first to say it. And that’s something.
What is this blog about?
Tech stuff.
Why do I read it?
I am a tech weenie, and because of that I love this site. They profile just about every cool / weird / stupid / awesome gadget that pops out onto the wide wide interweb. It’s a fun read if you like gadgets.
Blog of the Week: Bluejake
Aug 6, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Efficient
.:itunes:. They by Jem
Blog Name
Bluejake
Blog Author
Jake Dobkin, a 30 year-old amateur photographer living in New York City. He’s also the publisher of Gothamist.
What is this blog about?
From his “about page”
[Bluejake] focuses mainly on urban landscape, with occasional diversions to abstraction, or even more rarely, to portraiture.
Why do I read it?
Everyday, I look at various photoblogs because they are inspiring. I know it’s subjective, but I just like Jake’s pictures. He has a great eye.
Blog of the Week: The Dawn Patrol
Jul 30, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:medical condition:. Sore Back
.:itunes:. Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N’ Roses
Blog Name
The Dawn Patrol
Blog Author
Dawn Eden. From her bio:
I used to work in the New York City newspaper world, as deputy news editor at the New York Daily News and, before that, a copy editor for the New York Post (one of my Post headlines won the 2004 New York State Associated Press Award). I left the Daily News in June 2007 to become the first director of the Cardinal Newman Society’s Love and Responsibility Program, a multipronged effort to reestablish chastity as the cornerstone of Catholic campus culture.
What is this blog about?
Dawn is the author of the book
“The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On” (Dawn Eden)
Her site goes along nicely with the book (I would guess…I haven’t read it yet). Basically, she is a prolife, prochastity advocate and author.
Why do I read it?
Dawn is very articulate and intelligent and I like her strong stance on issues not many people are taking a stand on, particularly chastity. She portrays abstinence as an intelligent and attractive option, while many others paint it as prudish.
Blog of the Week: Evotional
Jul 23, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Getting Moving
.:itunes:. Polar Opposites by Modest Mouse
Blog Name
Evotional
Blog Author
Mark Batterson. From his “official” bio:
I serve as Lead Pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. I feel as called to write as I do to pastor. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day came out in October of 2006. My next book, Wild Goose Chase, is set to release in April of 2008. Lora and I have three kids: Parker, Summer & Josiah. And we’ve lived on Capitol Hill since 1996.
What is this blog about?
Almost exclusively, this blog is about Mark’s experience as a pastor in Washington DC. (By, the way, I just added his church to my church locator). Through his experience as a pastor, he pops out great little tid bits that help me out in my own ministry.
Why do I read it?
For me, Mark just appeared out of nowhere, but his site archives show he has been blogging as long as I have. I love reading his blog because he has such singular focus - reaching the Washington DC area for Jesus. He also has very creative ways of doing so. For instance, his church meets in movie theaters in trains stops all across the city. Very cool.
Blog of the Week: Church Marketing Sucks
Jul 16, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Scripted
.:itunes:. In The Air Tonight by Nonpoint
Blog Name
Church Marketing Sucks
Blog Author
Brad Abare - Founder, Blogger
Kevin D. Hendricks - Chief Blogger
What is this blog about?
From the “about” section:
Our mission is to frustrate, educate and motivate the church to communicate, with uncompromising clarity, the truth of Jesus Christ. Church Marketing Sucks is a part of the Center for Church Communication, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the church matter.
Why do I read it?
Well, to be completely frank, the first time I read it was because I resonated with the name of their site. I saw it in someone’s blogroll and I visited. Ever since then, I have been hooked.
These guys ask the difficult questions of churches trying to reach a world that is surrounded by so many conflicted messages. But they don’t stop there. They point out good examples of communication in the church, as well as provide great resources to those in ministry
Blog of the Week: small WORLD podcast
Jul 9, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. OKish
.:video:. Evelyn Glennie: How to listen to music with your whole body
Blog Name
small WORLD podcast
Blog Author
Bazooka Joe
What is this blog about?
From the “about” section:
Interviews with people from all walks of life from all over the planet. Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours?
Why do I read it?
OK, this week’s “Blog of the Week” is a little different because it is not really a blog, but a podcast. That means I don’t really read it, I listen to it.
Part of my job is anthropology. I study people all the time. Right now, I am sitting in a coffee shop and I have been studying the interaction between the manager and his employee. I have watched delivery people, business women and men, students, and housewives wander in and out all morning. I am always watching and learning and trying to figure out what makes people tick.
That’s what makes this podcast so great for me. Joe interviews people from a wide range of backgrounds, professions, and cultures. He doesn’t use his podcast for any agenda other than awareness. He wants you to hear people’s stories, period.
With that said, this is one of those podcasts that I have the hardest time keeping up with. Joe posts so many episodes that I literally don’t have time to listen to them all. I wish I could listen to them all, but I just can’t.
Blog of the Week: Protest4
Jul 4, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Mad at my computer
.:noise:. My harddrive failing
Blog Name
Protest4
Blog Author
A grassroots coalition of people fighting against human trafficking.
What is this blog about?
From the “about” page:
Human-trafficking causes slavery. Protest4 exists because millions are silenced through this injustice. Protest4 is one point at which we can unite our voices and actions on their behalf in the protest for a more just world.
Protest4 is a global network of activists, tricksters, cultural creatives, and entrepreneurs, working in collaboration for justice. The first issue we’re picking off the ‘hit-list’ is human-trafficking…
Protest4 began almost by accident in early 2005. It grew out of a conference aimed at raising awareness on the issue of human-trafficking. Significantly, the conference was held in the church building in London used by the early abolitionists (Wilberforce and friends) to lobby government and end slavery within the British Empire. Protest4 now has hubs in the USA, the UK and most recently Denmark. We aim to continue the tradition of bringing about change through informing political and social attitudes.
Our medium is art and language. Art humanises and breaks out beyond the capitalist calculus of profit before people. Language describes another world. We will interact with politicians, the media, and the perpetrators of injustice in a way that will undo any logic which enslaves.
Why do I read it?
I was at a conference once where John Piper was speaking. I remember one of the things he said really stuck out for me. He said that he goes out and looks at all the world’s injustices and pain on a regular basis. This means everything from watching the videos of beheadings online to viewing pictures of partial birth abortion. He does this to remind himself about the consequences of sin and why we so desperately need Jesus.
Human trafficking / Sex slavery is one of these injustices. I read about it on a regular basis to remind myself of why the world needs Jesus.
Blog of the Week: PastorHacks
Jun 23, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Excited
.:itunes:. Letter Read by Rachael Yamagata
Blog Name
PastorHacks
Blog Author
Bob Hyatt, the Lead Pastor of The Evergreen Community in the city everyone who has read Don Miller thinks they are called by God to plant a church in (but that is another post). Here’s his official bio:
Overcoming a crippling fear of clowns, Bob has pastored in Portland OR, the Netherlands and Durham NC. A graduate of Western Seminary, Bob is slowly, slowly considering restarting a doctoral program he began in 2004. He blogs too much here and here Bob loves his wife Amy, his son Jack, and his daughter Jane, and is struggling to put them ahead of everything else, including this church.
What is this blog about?
Basically, this site is about making you more effective in ministry. By the same token, it’s useful for anyone. There are very few things he talks about that wouldn’t help anyone focus their careers / lives / ministry.
Why do I read it?
This guy gives great little organizational tips and points to lots of little programs (yes, he’s a Mac guy) that can help you get more organized. Most of his posts are very short, which speaks greatly about his ability to streamline his life.
I would highly recommend subscribing to his RSS feed because it will only take you a second to glance at each post and maybe the post you scan on his site could pay you back with minutes or hours of time management / effectiveness tips.
Blog of the Week: MacRumors.com
Jun 17, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Still chilling on vacation
.:noise:. Not much, actually
Blog Name
MacRumors.com
Blog Author
I have absolutely no idea.
What is this blog about?
From their about page:
Welcome to MacRumors.com. MacRumors was founded in February 2000 and has since become one of the most popular Macintosh interest sites on the Internet.
We feature a strong community and a dedicated user base who enjoy following the latest Mac related news and rumors.
The goal of Mac rumors is to compile interesting news and rumors from all source to try to create a big picture view of what to expect from Apple, Inc.
Why do I read it?
Oh, come on. Do I really need to answer this? I am a Mac junkie. Yes, I get crap about it. Yes, I know it makes me a snob. Deal with it.
This site is great not only because they throw every Mac rumor that they can find up, but also because of the comments on each entry. If you are a Mac junkie like me, this is a great site.
My favorite page ever is the infamous “Thread 500.” On this thread, you see everyone line up to slam Apple for creating an MP3 player (the iPod) and making a big deal about it. Almost everyone on the page thought it was going to flop. Now, “iPod” is almost synonymous with “MP3 player.”
Blog of the Week: Seth’s Blog
Jun 12, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Chilling on vacation
.:noise:. Kids eating breakfast
Blog Name
Seth’s Blog
Blog Author
Seth Godin. Here’s his bio from his site:
SETH GODIN is a bestselling author, entrepreneur and agent of change. Godin is author of seven books that have been bestsellers around the world and changed the way people think about marketing, change and work.
What is this blog about?
Basically, this guy’s site is about marketing. He has great short little posts that make you think about what you are doing and how you can do it better. For instance, this is the post that popped up this morning:
When you are sitting right on the edge of something daring and scary and creative and powerful and perhaps wonderful… and you blink and take a step back.
That’s the moment. The moment between you and remarkable. Most people blink. Most people get stuck.
All the hard work and preparation and daring and luck is nothing compared with the ability to not blink.
Why do I read it?
His posts always make me think about how to “do church” better. Since I spend a good chunk of my time working on strategy for Riverview, I am always thinking about how to tweak things.
Today’s post made me think about our church planting plan I am working on. It’s gonna be huge.
I better not blink.
Blog of the Week: Emergesque
Jun 3, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. A little tired
.:itunes:. Gloria by Van Morrison
Blog Name
Emergesque
Blog Author
Stephen Shields, who not only writes this blog but is also the founder of faithmaps.org, where I stole the rest of this bio:
Stephen Shields is a Manager with USA TODAY, a consultant, freelance writer, and a frequent contributor to Next-Wave. Stephen serves on the Leadership Development Team of Grace Community Church in Fulton, MD and he and his wife also co-lead a ministry serving folks in Louisiana that survived Katrina and Rita called KatrinaGrace. Stephen received a M.Div from Grace Theological Seminary and lives with his wife Bethany and three daughters - Michaela Siobhan, Skye Teresa, and Alia Noelle - in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
What is this blog about?
This blog is Stephen’s personal blog, where he posts most of his articles as well as thoughts on various faith related topics. He is not an “emergent” guy, but an “emerging” guy. If that distinction means something to you, then you’ll get why I like his stuff. He calls himself a “friend of Missional” and links to a site by the same name. I haven’t read the site, but I suspect you can learn more about Stephen by reading it.
Recently, he took a two month break from blogging and I didn’t realize how much I missed his writing until he stepped back in. Here’s his first new post, where he explains what he did during his break. Because he is newly back into the blogging scene, it’s hard to say “this is what his blog is about” because there is a subtle shift to the tone and only time will tell where it will go from here.
Why do I read it?
I have read Stephen’s blog for a long time now. Last year, he mentioned that he would be at the Multi-site Conference in San Diego. Feeling a bit like a stalker, I emailed him and asked if we could meet there. He was gracious enough to say yes and we sat down (with DJ joining us) for an hour or so and talked about plurality, Leadership Network, Church Planting, etc. He is a super smart guy and a great example of someone who is gutsy enough to ask tough questions, but always with a kind spirit. He is a great writer and you can read a lot of his articles on the sidebar of his site (including the 2007 Multi-site Leadership Report).
Blog of the Week: Monday Morning Insight
May 26, 2007 Blog of the Week
.:mood:. Great
.:itunes:. World Come Crashing Down by Undercover
People often ask me what blogs I read on a regular basis and why. To this end, I am going to attempt to review a different blog each week. When I decided to do this, there was no question which blog would be first.
Blog Name
Monday Morning Insight
Blog Author
Todd Rhoades, who wears a great many hats. He works with Leadership Network, he developed ChurchStaffing.com, and he is an elder at New Hope Community Church in Bryan, Ohio. (His church has a series going on right now that makes we want to cry it is so beautiful. You can check out the video promo here.)
I have emailed a little bit with Todd and had the opportunity to meet him last year in San Diego. He is one of the most unassuming guys out there, who seems very passionate about resourcing the church body.
What is this blog about?
According to MMI’s “about” page:
Well, so you want to know more about MondayMorningInsight.com. MMI, as most people affectionately refer to us, is merely a compilation of internet stories and resources that would be of interest to pastors and church leaders across the United States and the world. We discusse everything from serious theological issues to humorous stories and satire about church ministries.
You’ll find that we really don’t take our selves all that seriously, but we do take the work of ministry very seriously. And that’s what we discuss and communicate about here at MMI: ministry, innovation, leadership, current events… you know, the things we passionate about.
Why do I read it?
I read MMI because it is hands down the best single source of resources for church leaders out there. Todd must spend hours online every day, weeding through all the crap on the net, finding the right pieces to throw onto his site. His bits are short and concise and always thought provoking. He adds a few questions for you to think about at the end of each article.
I have paid good money before for magazines that claim to do what Todd does every day for free. If you are a pastor or Christian leader, bookmark MMI. Do it now or else.
