I really wish I had could have read this book eight years ago when I started my blog. It is an ideal one-stop shop for anyone who writes a blog.

Platform is a wonderful, generous guide for anyone who uses social media. A platform, Hyatt explains, is about how you connect with people who have an interest — and even passion — for what you are about. The question is: How can a person be heard when there is so much noise and activity already on the Internet?

The book has 60 chapters of helpful information. Hyatt covers principles related to blogging as well as using Twitter and Facebook. Each chapter consists of useful lists on various subjects related to social media.

Why is this book helpful to someone who uses a blog as a part of ministry?

One may write good content but unless you know how to use social media, you can severely limit the good that might be done otherwise because fewer people are exposed to your message.

Think of it this way. Today, public speakers, preachers, etc. typically speak in rooms that are fairly large. The room may seat hundreds or even thousands of people. In such a setting, a quality sound system is very important if the message spoken is going to be heard. The same principle is true when writing. One may write quality material that has value to a reader; however, if very few people read the blog or see the website, that written material is severely limited in its impact. The content may be good, but somehow one has to be heard among all the other voices.

Hyatt has written a valuable work outlining how a writer can use social networking so the most people hear one’s message. In fact, today there is great potential not only to be heard by but also to engage with one’s readers.

Eight years ago when I first began my blog, I thought that I simply needed to write a post and put it on my blog. I could not, however, figure out why so few people were reading it. I thought that if the content was good, people would naturally begin to read my blog. I have since learned there is more to this process than simply focusing on my content. This is where Michael Hyatt’s book can be very, very helpful.

What now?

1. I will return to particular chapters to see what I need to pay attention to in getting the most out of my blog.

2. I will keep this on my desk as a reference guide when I need to rethink the way I use Facebook, Twitter, or my blog.

3. A number of these resources are new to me and I look forward to further exploration.

4. I plan to address a few details regarding my blog that really need attention. This is as important for someone who has been writing a blog for a few years as it is for someone who is just beginning. For awhile, I did not pay enough attention to parts of the functioning of my blog for a few years. Then one day after I had the blog redesigned, I noticed there was no way to get an email subscription; yet, that is very important. So, I plan to use suggestions in Platform to refresh my blog in ways that are important.

The book will can be helpful to anyone attempting to use social media effectively. I want to particularly encourage those who use social media as a part of their ministry to get this book. I believe you will be glad you did.

Check out Michael Hyatt’s new book Platform. You might notice the freebies that you get if you purchase the book this week. I just finished the book. I wish I had read this book eight years ago when I began this blog! Very helpful.

Are you stuck in your thinking?

Margaret Marcuson has written a fine post: “Ten Ways Church Leaders Can Get More New Ideas.” Even reading through her list gave me a couple of good ideas.

I found this fascinating.

Check out this video with Ken Burns. Burns reflects on what it means to tell stories about history. Interesting.

A call to the church.

Karen Spears Zacharias has written an excellent post regarding child abuse and the opportunity for the church to make a difference. One of my daughters is a social worker in an abuse shelter. Through her I have become especially sensitive to this heartbreaking reality.

Good Theology, Good Ministry?

Skylar Thomas reflects on a new book entitled The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry by Andrew Root and Kendra Creasy Dean. Very interesting! (Appeared on Scot McKnight’s blog.)

No, I don’t do this on a regular basis.  However, after reading this book, I wanted them to each be able to hear this story.

The book is The God Box. The author is Mary Lou Quinlan.

Mary Lou Quinlan has written a fine book. On one level, the book is about Quinlan’s mother, Mary Finlayson, and her relationship with her daughter, Mary Lou. Yet, on another level, the thread that runs throughout the book is the prayers of Quinlan’s mother.

Her mother regularly prayed for others. Many of these prayers came after others poured out their hearts to Mary Finlayson regarding their problems, worries, and fears. For twenty years, she would write down these concerns on random pieces of paper and slip them inside her “God box.” This was a box in her home in which she placed her petitions to God.

The book is well written and attractive.  Not only does it contain numerous pictures of the family, but there are many photocopies of her mother’s prayer requests.  To see these prayer requests handwritten on pieces of paper is very moving.

There is much to be said for the book. I especially appreciated the portrait of this mother who, in the course of her life, prayed to God regarding her husband, her children, her friends, and many other people.

“She inhaled a worry. She exhaled a prayer.”

Mary Finlayson connected with many other people in a compassionate and caring way.  Family members, friends, and people she had just met poured out their problems and difficulties to her. She in turn took these petitions to God.

These petitions were handwritten and then placed in her God box each time she wrote one.  Upon her death, a number of boxes were found containing twenty years of these notes.  The notes are simple petitions; however, they reflect a deep trust and familiarity with the one to whom she was praying.  

As I read these petitions, I was reminded that the beauty of prayer is not in ornate language or eloquent speech.  Rather, the beauty is found in a childlike trust in God. Mary Finlayson expresses her petitions with great detail at times.  She includes times, places, and the people who are involved in a particular concern. No vague generalities in these petitions!  She expresses these particulars much like one would speak in a normal conversation.  

The book is about a close relationship between daughter and mother.  It is also about a woman who gave herself to others.  Many of us know what it is to carry with us the problems, worries, and anxieties of others.  Mary learned to bring take problems and worries to the God box and leave them there.  

I am glad I read this book.  Not only did this book inspire me to pray more about the ordinary moments of life but also to leave the cares and worries of others in the hands of God. The God Box is a reminder that there is someone else who is willing to bear our problems and those of our loved ones.

(Note: I received a complimentary advanced copy for review.)

With whom am I spending time? I have to monitor just how much time I spend with negative, critical people. Too much time spent with others who are constantly griping and complaining will sure enough drain me of energy. I have a friend who described one preacher as so negative that his sermons on grace had a negative edge. Others seem to be constantly critiquing everyone else and finding them lacking. I want to love these people but I do choose how much time to spend with them.

What about you? How much time are you spending with people who are negative and bitter people?

What am I putting into my mind? On a typical day, I talk with people (email, phone call, personal conversation) about matters that are very serious. Someone has learned that they have cancer. Someone else is deeply concerned about personal financial debt. Still another is wrestling with marriage issues. At the end of the day, it is easy to go home and immerse myself in the national news, which much of the time is going to be very negative.

As a result, I have to be very intentional about what I put into my mind. I can’t think about sad and tragic situations all of the time. Often I make sure I watch something funny on television. I might watch a good ball game. I might read a biography, especially one that is not filled with tragedy. What I put into my mind really does matter.

What about you? What do you intentionally put into your mind? What adjustments do you need to make?

Who am I resenting? Unresolved conflict and resentments can be such energy drainers! It is amazing how much energy I can spend thinking about a person I am frustrated or angry with. Occasionally I need to ask myself, “How much time do I spend thinking about old resentments or things that long ago should have been forgiven?”

Do you ever find yourself daydreaming about an unresolved conflict?

When do I re-create my body? I generally work out at the gym four times a week. My motivation for doing this is not my weight nor is it because I am a health nut. My motivation is rooted in the way it makes me feel when I am regularly working out versus how I feel when I am not. If I am not getting some kind of exercise, not only do I feel sluggish, but I tend to have less energy and motivation, particularly in the afternoons.

Some ministers get their emotional strokes by talking about how hard they work. They go on and on about what everyone has asked them to do and how busy they are. There are ministers who do not even take a day off. Not taking time to rest, to get away, and to recharge will eventually catch up with a person.

Do you find the space in your life to re-create your body?

Many people start. Fewer finish.

Consider what we begin:

• A marriage begins with a wedding.
• A student begins an academic program.
• A homeowner begins a do-it-yourself project remodeling the family’s kitchen.
• A person begins a blog.
• A church member takes on and begins a project for the congregation.

Many people begin. Fewer finish.

This past weekend, our family and some friends gathered in the Lloyd Noble Arena at the University of Oklahoma to support our daughter Jamie, as she received her Master of Social Work degree after several hard years of study and work. As you might imagine, I was a very proud father.

I was especially proud that she had finished.

Years ago, I received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Harding Graduate School of Theology. Shortly after graduation, Ken Dye, a longtime friend, said to me:

“You finished! A lot of people start things, but you finished!”

I especially appreciated this because I once came very close to dropping out of college as an undergraduate at the University of North Texas.

I was a first semester junior and was very discouraged. I was struggling in several of my classes. One day, I decided to quit. I cut my classes that day and went to Dallas in search of another direction. I first went to an electronics school and talked with them. Then I went to a school that trained radio announcers. Finally, I went to the Dallas Police Department.

At the police department, I talked with a person about the application process. Then at the end of the conversation, another officer joined us. This officer was an African-American gentleman in his late 40s. He was dressed in plain clothes, a sportcoat and slacks. He sat across the table from me and smoked his pipe. At one point he said,

“Son, if you are interested in this, we will be glad to talk with you. My suggestion to you, however, would be to finish college. Don’t quit now.”

I didn’t, and to this day I am grateful for this person’s candor.

Before you quit anything:

1. Remember once again why you began this course of action. Remember why you started this degree program. Remember why you got married. Remember why you volunteered for this project.

2. Know that anything worth doing is probably going to be very difficult at times. In fact, there may be moments when you feel stuck. Before you quit, ask yourself, “Is this to be expected?”

3. Many people will exit once something becomes really difficult. Anything worthwhile is going to have its “but-this-is-hard” moments.

4. Seek to make progress just today. Take a step or two forward.

5. Talk with people who have a track record of persevering. Learn from them. Remember that there will be far more people who will give you reasons why you should quit.

6. Pray, thanking God for the ways you can become more Christlike even through a very difficult process.

Book Review: Subversive Kingdom

Ed Stetzer has written an interesting and inspiring book about the subversive nature of the kingdom.

What does it mean to be a part of the kingdom of Jesus? Stetzer pushes back against status quo Christian living by presenting a robust guide to help the reader imagine life in the kingdom of God. We are called to live a subversive life in that our loyalty has changed from one kingdom to another.

Stetzer suggests that the kingdom is not only a different way of thinking and living but also is a mandate for action.

What does it mean to be rescued? What does it mean for our kingdom loyalties to be changed? We respond by living subversive lives. We “rebel against the rebellion.” Stetzer does a wonderful job of unpacking this.

He answers the questions so many of us ask as we consider the kingdom life. What are the implications of such a life? What does this look like in everyday, normal life? Again and again, Stetzer reminds the reader that the answers regarding the practical implications of the subversive life are found in Jesus and the Gospels. He invites us to think about the broken world and the mission of Jesus in this world and, consequently, the mission that the church carries out.

As one who teaches/preaches each week, I found his book particularly helpful. Far too often, Christians speak of the kingdom life with a vagueness that is difficult to grasp on street level. Consequently, the kingdom life remains a theory instead of a distinct lifestyle. I found the chapters “Uncommonly Good” and “Rules of Engagement” to be especially strong as Stetzer speaks regarding the power of the kingdom life in this world. He fleshes this out for the reader by providing a good picture of what this life might look like every day.

He concludes with the section “A Subversive Plan of Action.” The book was helpful in expressing some of these issues in a concise, memorable manner. This should be helpful to the readers in general and to preachers who attempt to communicate some of these concepts to congregations. For example, he writes that there are two critical questions that should follow one’s initial identification as a citizen of the kingdom:

What is the King’s mission?

What is my role in the King’s mission?

The book contains the wonderful vision of what the kingdom looks like when it is lived out on this earth. It is a reminder that the kingdom, unlike “conventional church,” is robust and dynamic. In fact, the ordinary man or woman can live a significant kingdom life by simply following Jesus in the ordinary course of everyday living.

(Note: I received a complimentary advanced reader copy for review.)

This may be one of the best posts Jeff Goins has written: “When You’re Scared to Death, Do Something Anyway.” I really enjoy reading Jeff’s posts. You might enjoy this great interview with Jeff Goins.

Pictures of the day

You might enjoy these pictures from The Telegraph (UK). I especially like the first one.

Do you read fiction?

I confess. I read very little fiction. I am wondering if I should not be reading more. See this post from Scot McKnight.

What they are thinking

You might be interested in this chart from Scot McKnight’s blog entitled “What Young Adults Care About.”

“What are three things you wish you had done that you didn’t do?”

These people responded with a number of answers. The three most prevalent responses were:

“Take more risk.”

“Reflect more.”

“Focus more on things that will live beyond me.”

I have thought about how I might answer this question. I probably would say, “Focus more on what I desire to do and not allow fear to hold me back.”

How would you answer this question?

1. Live an insular life. Live as if you were on a remote island. You have probably seen ministers like this. Some live this way within their own congregations. Others exist like this within their fellowship or denomination. They live and function with their lives centered around concerns that are small and unrelated to kingdom issues.

As a result, my concerns become either the intramural concerns of a particular group/denomination or the local concerns of my congregation. As a result, I fail to see the larger issues and concerns that impact the world.

An insular ministry can be toxic! It will shrink your thinking and dwarf your faith. This is a slow death which is often painful for the congregation to endure. Unfortunately, its victims are often unaware of its presence until it has become a chronic condition.

Nothing has been more refreshing to me than to explore the issues and concerns of the world through reading, conversations, etc. If I don’t do this on purpose, my thinking will be reduced to the immediate. One way to begin is with drinking coffee and eating lunch with some people who think beyond your immediate context. Start with college students or if you are fairly young with an older, thoughtful person. As they speak about their concerns, listen intently – not to answer but to understand.

2. Sabotage your ministry with your negative, cynical spirit. Yes, as with any family, you probably see the flaws, inconsistencies, and failings of your congregation or particular fellowship. Some people become negative and cynical as they experience life or ministry. Of course, there is nothing wrong with pointing out a flaw in an effort to deal with it or in some way make it better

However, the minster who communicates more cynicism than hope has a way of wearing out a congregation. After awhile, these barbs or cynical remarks are not seen as insight or depth but as the grousing of a worn out minister. Those cynical remarks that may have been humorous at one point, now seem shallow and boring.

After awhile, some may begin to wonder: “Is there nothing good about our congregation? Is there nothing good about our fellowship?”

I have found that I cannot spend a great deal of time with negative, cynical people. I can easily take on that spirit. Often, in the mornings, I think about the attitude I want to have that day. Otherwise I can let my emotions or moods determine how I begin the day.

(to be continued)

I couldn’t believe it.  

The house was huge.  

It seemed like the house covered much of the block.  I was in college working for a company based in the Dallas area. On the instruction sheet were directions to this home located in an exclusive part of Dallas.  I was going to the home of the daughter of the president of this company.   I didn’t know what was in the envelope.  I just knew that I was supposed to have it signed and return it.

I pulled the car in front of the house and walked to the service entrance and rang the bell.  A woman answered the door.  She apparently was a part of the domestic staff.  She told me to follow her.  We walked through a very long room.  I looked through the plate glass window to the outside and couldn’t believe how big the yard was.  Swimming pool, gardens, etc.  It was huge!

A woman was sitting on a couch.  She looked very somber.  She looked as if she had been crying.  I handed the brown envelope to her.  

It was then that I realized I was delivering her divorce papers.  

I thought about how quiet this house was.  It was a big house.  It was a beautiful house.  It was a house like no other I had ever been in.  Yet, here was this woman who was in tears over what was happening.

Later that afternoon, I got off work and went home to my parents’ house in southeast Dallas.  Compared to the home I had been in earlier, my parents’ home was modest, significantly smaller, and in a middle-class neighborhood.  I realized that my parents had something positive in their lives that I had not seen in that sprawling home.

Yet, during my lifetime so far, I had spent far too much time thinking “if only.”

If only I had a larger house.  If only I had more money. If only I had a better work situation. If only our church was better than it is.

Does this sound familiar to you?  

Some of us spend years wishing for more and never experiencing the joy of contentment.

“I have learned the secret of being content…” (Philippians 4:12).

What a statement regarding contentment!

Sure, (we think), contentment is possible for those who are living the good life.  Sure it is possible for those who seem to be doing well in life.  Sure it is possible for those who are not threatened by layoffs or bankruptcy.

Surely this can’t be possible for those who have problems with their children.
Surely this can’t be possible for those who wrestle with addictions.
Surely this can’t be possible for those who have a less than desirable marriage.

Or, you may have more than you realize. After all, through Christ, it is possible to experience a contentment that brings joy (Philippians 4:10-13).

Maybe instead of nursing your discontentment, you need to celebrate what you have in Christ.

Question

Does this sound familiar? What has helped you with discontentment?  

What has helped you experiencethe joy of contentment found in Jesus?