• The Digital Farmer

    The Digital Farmer

    Adam’s Weird Dream

    Last night, I had a vivid funny dream.

    The vivid part was that I was just going about my normal day-to-day life. Running errands, going to meetings, taking kids to school, going to the bank and post office and all the normal stuff I do every day. That part is not funny. What was funny was that as I made my way around all day with a horse trailer with a horse in it. So, in the dream, I was navigating normal SoCal life in San Diego with a horse in tow. So I’d have to leave a meeting to go feed or water the horse. Or I’d have to figure out how to parallel park a pick-up truck & trailer on El Cajon Boulevard.

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  • Childhood Lost – Stay Up All Night

    Childhood Lost – Stay Up All Night

    I’m thankful for Childhood Lost.

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  • Is the youth room making your church sick?

    Is the youth room making your church sick?

    Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

    1 Corinthians 12:12-14

    I’ve taught on this passage dozens of times. The Pauline epistles make allusion to it a number of  times. Reading Paul’s writings you are left with the impression that this illustration was part of the stump speech he delivered everywhere he went.

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  • It might just be the content…

    It might just be the content…

    I’ve been the recipient of a lot of back-sided compliments because of my blog.

    • “I’m amazed how consistent your blog is– how do you find the time to post?” (Instead of, “I’ve been reading your blog for years. It’s cool how you’ve kept my attention for that long.”)
    • “Where do you find the time to research all those topics and find things people care about?” (Instead of, “You seem to have a good pulse on what people are thinking about.”
    • Or, my least favorite– “You are a master of marketing your blog.” (Instead of, “You write things I like to share.”)

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  • Just say “Christian”

    I read every bio of every new person who follows one of my Twitter accounts.

    It amazes me how common it is for church leaders to use symbolic, flowery language to describe who they are or what they do.

    You could just say “I’m the youth pastor at First Baptist.”

    Why does it have to be “I lead others to follow the One in The Way He has lead me.”

    We live in a trust society that has some trust issues with the church. We need the good people to be more direct about who they are to help people see that there are a lot more normal people leading churches than there are quacks.

    Don’t beat around the bush… Don’t use flowery language or make people surf around to find out more.

    It’s like the “I’ve got a smoking hot wife” thing, using a lot of flowery language to describe yourself seems to project an insecurity.

    Just be direct, folks. Be proud of who you are and what you do.

  • What are teenagers sharing on social media?

    So what are teenagers doing online, anyway?

    It’s a fair question. For generations parents of teenagers have wanted to know about “the secret lives of teenagers” and teenagers have done whatever they could to keep their private lives, private.

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  • You’re subscribed to YouTube You Can Use, right?

    You’re subscribed to YouTube You Can Use, right?

    Each week I produce a short, free resource called YouTube You Can Use.

    It’s kind of self-explanatory what it is. It’s a short YouTube clip, a devotional thought, and some discussion questions. You can use it however you want… but here is a short list of how I’m hearing it’s used around the country:

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  • Still Praying. Still Giving. Still Going. Haiti Four Years Later

    Still Praying. Still Giving. Still Going. Haiti Four Years Later

    It’s been four years since the world awoke to the reality of the January 12, 2010 earthquake that devastated the Port-au-Prince area.

    Millions were displaced.

    Nearly every home was damaged.

    Over 100,000 lost their lives.

    The Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, imploded. 

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  • My Jaw is Tired

    photoIt’s been a long week.

    The kids went back to school. And while I know I’m supposed to celebrate this with relief that those kids are finally out of my hair, the truth is I’d rather have them home. And the transition from having them home over break to getting back into the routine of shuttling people around causes stress.

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  • Reaction Porn

    Reaction Porn

    There’s a trend out there. And it’s getting worse. And you might be addicted to it without even knowing.

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