• Reclaiming Communities

    I’m fascinated about things like traffic. People are annoyed about sitting in traffic, driving to work, the lack of free parking. They are also annoyed about traffic in their neighborhoods, the speed of cars, the fact that no one walks anymore, the fact that kids don’t play outside anymore.

    And, of course, they are annoyed about the price of gas, the effect of emissions on the environment, and the import culture this creates in a nation who defines itself by its independence.

    It’s cognitive dissonance. (Feeling conflict by holding onto competing values.)

    But…

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  • The Chick-fil-A Effect

    sunset-cliffs

    The Set-Up

    I’ve been busy lately. Between traveling a lot and catching up from traveling a lot I’ve missed many important details.

    On Tuesday afternoon guys from my high school small group started texting me, “What are we doing tomorrow night?” Then I got text from my co-leaders, “What are we doing tomorrow night?”

    I kept thinking to myself, “What are they talking about? We’re going to meet at the church, play some volleyball, eat dinner, and have small groups.”

    So I looked at my texts from Brian and it turns out that, and I still don’t know why, last night our small groups did outings instead of the normal routine.

    Cool. So I need a plan. And I’ve got no plan.

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  • The Summit 2013

    Lots of news from The Summit this morning.

    After months of work I’m itching for some feedback. What do you think about any one of those four items above? 

  • The History of Typography

    I’m Learning a Lot Everyday

    As I was watching this video I couldn’t help but think… how did this happen?

    By “this” I guess I mean… 

    Every day I’m learning new things, new techniques, new ways of doing something, new ways to connect vision to reality.

    Today I’ll build a website for The Summit, an event that Marko and I created last year to help youth workers dream about advancing their ministry in new ways.

    Tomorrow I’ll finalize the interior layout for Every Picture Tells a Story, 2013 edition.

    Everything about those two sentences are outside of my formal training.

    • I went to school to be a youth pastor, not a web developer.
    • I studied biblical theology, not the psychology of typography.
    • I was taught how to plan small events and retreats, not conferences.
    • I went to a school that taught the fundamentals of youth ministry, not advancing anything in new ways.
    • My education taught me a lot about books, reading them and not designing them. Much less taking them to market.

    What the point?

    Your knowledge, experience, skills, and aptitude are preparing you for something new.

    This perspective has taught me that what I know got me here but what I’ll learn today will get me there tomorrow, closer to my ultimate goals.

  • Why do people go to a church service?

    why-do-people-go-to-a-church-service

    I think most would agree that the church is one of the last places around that you’ll still see the primary/sole mode of teaching/transformation be a lecture-style sermon, monological preaching. Folks in education have been experimenting with different forms of pedagogy for years, and have moved past the “talking head” format for quite awhile now. Sure, there are times in a large lecture-format course where it still makes sense to give information that way – but most students would probably tell you there are more engaging ways to learn and actually have the information stick, than listening to a lecture.

    Yet, it’s a safe bet that you can show up at church on a Sunday morning at your typical church, and expect, for the most part, to sit back, listen, hear and be a passive recipient of a worship service, particularly during the sermon.

    Source

    Why do people go to a church service?

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  • The Process of Creativity

    Ah Creativity. You Ruse.

    I totally identified with this talk. Creating + efficiency aren’t always best friends. I’m surprised that in my own process sometimes things come quickly while other times they tend to drag on forever.

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  • How to Lose an Internet Debate

    Cat-brain-versus-alligator-brain

    Ah, the internet debate.

    The NASCAR of the web.

    Simultaneously enjoyable and infuriating. Dangerous and alluring. Two sides duke it out in a non-face-to-face battle of “intellects.”

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  • Finding an Identity in We

    I’ve spent the past couple of days thinking about identity. When I think about the great division our country finds itself in I can’t help but think of the way our society sub-divides itself into millions of identities.

    A Few of My Identities

    • I identify in the youth ministry people.
    • I identify with people with toddlers.
    • I identify with married people in their 30s and 40s.
    • I identify with people who like Notre Dame football.
    • I identify with children of divorce.
    • I identify with evangelicals.
    • I identify with urbanites.
    • I identify with WordPress developers.
    • I identify with entrepreneurs and small business owners.

    All of those identities talk to one another in a certain way. And, in one way or another, they build language and norms which communicate that you get it while others can’t possibly get it.

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  • Giveaway: What It Means to Be a Man by Rhett Smith

    what-it-means-to-be-a-manThere seems to be three archetypes of men in the church.

    1. Mr. Rogers – Soft and gentle. But mostly soft. 
    2. Tim the Tool Man – He’s got a tool for everything. And he loves to fix stuff when he’s not out hunting.
    3. Mr. Invisible – You hear great things about this guy from his wife. But you’ve never actually met him.

    I’ve been part of churches with lots of men. I’ve been part of churches with almost no men. But most of my life, I’ve been part of churches who paint a confusing portrait of what it means to be a man.

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  • Open YM – It’s Gaining Momentum

    open-boston-morgan-schmidt
    Open, a movement celebrating new ideas in youth ministry, is growing up and taking shape. Technically, it is growing up by not taking shape. 

    Last year we alpha tested two locations, Seattle & Boston. This coming year? We’re beta testing  at least three additional new confirmed locations: Paris, Bay Area, and Grand Rapids… and a couple more to hopefully be added soon. 

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