• How do you create an environment for innovation?

    The Saturday morning session at The Summit last year was the strongest single session of any event I’ve ever attended. (And I’ve been a part of a few events) I remember leaning over to Marko and saying… “I’ve paid way more money to attend events that weren’t nearly this good.” It was that good.

    Ben Chestnut’s talk is so important for leaders. He’s not just talking about this stuff out of an ethereal or academic perspective, he’s  talking about it as the CEO of one of tech’s most healthy, creative, and on constantly innovative companies: MailChimp.

    He dives into one of leaderships most challenging questions: How do I foster an environment that is insanely creative, moves faster than the marketplace, and sustainable so it doesn’t burn people out or run out of cash.

    Questions from Ben’s Talk

    1. What’s the impact of not creating “things” in your work? (Non-profit, for-profit, etc.)
    2. One of Ben’s core learnings was that he can control time people get on a project. How would that translate to your context?
    3. Do you think your role as a leader is primarily connecting things?
    4. What in this talk  doesn’t correlate at all to your context?

  • What does your school partnership look like?

    The courtyard a Megan's school has this mural, a paraphrase of Philippians 4:8 which also exhibits the values of the school's charter.
    The courtyard a Megan’s school has this mural, a paraphrase of Philippians 4:8 which also exhibits the values of the school’s charter.

    “I can’t get in schools. It’s a no-go in our town.”

    I have heard some form of this phrase a million times. Go to any gathering of youth workers, ask about public schools, and someone will say it.

    Guaranteed.

    “I’ve never had a school say no.”

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  • From Bad Kids to Big Influence and the Problem of Nice Church Kids

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    Researchers in Sweden have found a link between kids who get in trouble and kids who grow up to become entrepreneurs.

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  • Looking for a Bible for your middle schooler?

    Ignite - The Bible for Teens - SquareMy daughter, Megan, starts middle school on Monday. When I tell people that they tend to make this crinkly face. Like, “Oh… middle school sucks.”

    To the contrary I’m pumped for her to start middle school. 

    New school. New friends. New stuff at church. It’s a nice fresh beginning. It’s one of those rare restart moments that life provides. Yup, there will be bumps. But yup, that’s not filling us with trepidation.

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  • God loves me when I be

    God Loves Me When I Be

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  • Luke 18:1-8 Teaching Notes

    Screen Shot 2013-08-05 at 8.18.15 AMI enjoyed teaching in Encounter, the high school ministry of my church, yesterday morning. I’ve taught a few times and this was really the first time I felt comfortable to teach fully in my style. That’s hard to explain… but I only mean I was comfortable to just be me. 

    There’s no scripted version of this talk but I thought I’d pass along my notes as well as offer my materials for anyone who’d like them.’

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  • She Keeps Me Warm

    This song jumps out of the radio with it’s depth and quality. So many songs on the radio are just… songs. Maybe they feature a catchy beat or a chorus you can’t get out of your head. But they aren’t really about anything.

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  • The Books I Read and the Power of Fear

    I’m not a big book reader. Sure I read a ton every day. But I really struggle to sit down long enough to read a book. I’d rather do something. Kristen pokes fun at me because I had Master and Commander on my nightstand for almost three years before I finally mercifully finished it. Each night I’d read a paragraph or two before falling asleep. Meanwhile, she devours 4-5 books per week.

    But this year I’ve found myself on a lot of planes and reading is a good way to pass the time. Consequently, I’ve read several books from cover-to-cover.

    Here’s what I’ve read: (from most recent to furthest away)

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  • Ain’t nothing easy

    We live in a society of instant. Easy. And cheap.

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  • The Persistent Teenager

    Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

    “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

    And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

    Luke 18:1-8

    The Persistent Teenager

    “I need to get out of here.”  ~ Every teenager. Ever.

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