J.R. Briggs
Attempting to behold the miracle long enough without falling asleep
Epic Fail Pastors Conference 2012 promo video
Check out this 3.5 minute video of the Epic Fail Pastors Conference held next month in Mansfield, OH.
Please help us spread the word. And if you are planning on attending and haven’t registered, plan on doing so today.
[ 10 ] Links that will change your life
An amazing video on risk. This gets my blood pumping.
Every Biblical name found on Scripture – and its original meaning. I use this website quite often. You should, too.
A guy you really should be reading regularly: A.J. Swoboda. Brilliant, quirky and has a lot of Portland in him. (He’s also one of the speakers at the Ecclesia National Gathering next month in Washington D.C.)
Don’t forget about the conference for screw-ups, losers and failures next month, too.
What Disneyland looked like in 1957.
This magazine isn’t new (but someone I missed it). Anybody else read this?
If you like hiking, this under-3 minute video is well worth your time (mesmerizing and funny).
Bob Logan on how to cast vision regularly.
Ben Sternke on our problem with proclamation.
The Daily Prayer of John Stott
John Stott’s daily prayer. It’s very Trinitarian. This might be something all of us might want to get into our bloodstream (ht Scot McKnight).
Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control
Holy, blessed and glorious trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me
Almighty God, Creator and sustainer of the universe, I worship you.
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord of the World, I worship you.
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the people of God, I worship you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever,
Amen.
Reasons not to plant a church this year
I’m continuing to think about my last post about Generation Flux and the role of the church in it…
Shortly after reading the Generation Flux article on Fast Company’s website, I read an intriguing article by Andrew Jones (aka Tall Skinny Kiwi) with an even more intriguing title: 9 Reasons Not to Plant a Church in 2012. It’s worth the time to read.
This may seem counter-intuitive in nature, and yet new winds of the spirit bring new opportunities (and new limitations as well). Reading our context, not church planting strategies, is the first work that goes into seeing if there are new ways the Spirit wants to work. Again, read this post here about the dangers of building permanent docks when the cultural water levels are constantly changing. The seemingly ‘right church model’ in the wrong context becomes the wrong model. And the ‘right church model’ ten years ago
may notprobably won’t be the right model today.Church planting is great. I’ve loved planting our church. But let’s be clear: church planting is not the silver bullet. It is not the magic pill, the final solution or the secret sauce. It is a great expression that God uses to see the kingdom flourish, but it is not the only way to go about seeing the kingdom expanded.
We need all kinds of kingdom expressions – various sizes and shapes and colors and expressions. Anyone who says that there is only ‘one way’ of doing church has a complete myopic and inaccurate view of just how big God is and how creatively He works. Dallas Willard reminds us that the local church should be a beachhead of kingdom activity. Others have said, if you plant a church you may have disciples, but if you make disciples you will always have the church.
When we started Renew we actually started with a similar premise as what Andrew is advocating for. From Day One we said that our community of Lansdale, PA probably didn’t need another church (a weird thing to say when you sense God is calling you to plant a church). Instead, we believed that what our community needed were fresh expressions and fresh extensions of the kingdom of God – whatever that might look like.
It actually did turn into a church plant, as it might be called, but it looked drastically different than our original thought process. We meet all together as an entire church every other week, while the opposite weeks we meet in house churches located all over the region. Again, this is not the structure that we had when we started out. I’m sure there are other churches that have this unique structure too, but we haven’t come across it yet. (If you know of another church who does this, please let me know).
We have a mantra at our church that goes like this: the structure must always submit to the Spirit. Easy to say, sometimes hard to do. In many ways, that’s what I hear in Andrew Jones’ article. It’s a new wine/new wineskin paradigm.
When we pour old wine in new wineskins or new wine in old wineskins it ruins the wine, the wineskins and sometimes both. All this to say, the structure is not important – it’s the content. The point of the wineskin is only to hold the wine. How often we forget that fact.
It’s one of the reasons that I love working with Fresh Expressions US, an organization devoted to encouraging, supporting and celebrating the flourishing of new wineskins in a changing context that is seeking to communicate the powerful message of an unchanging God. It’s heart is to work with all kinds of churches – large and small, mega-churches and house churches, suburban, urban and rural – but it also works with things outside of our traditional understanding of churches: community centers and non-profit organizations and coffee shops and concert venues.
Where the wind blows, we cannot anticipate or plan for. Regardless of the direction, location, amount of sacrifice or outcome, we follow, whether it looks like a ‘traditional’ church plant or not.
Generation Flux and the Future of the Church
My favorite magazine is Fast Company.
This may seem like a strange combination as a pastor, but for an apostolically-wired visionary (sometimes to a fault) like me who doesn’t mind taking risks for things that are significant, this magazine is pure candy.
It forces me to think differently.
I read different perspectives.
It gives me a pulse on culture.
I am challenged to think about the future.
I am entertained.
And I am pushed to new areas and levels of creativity because I am thinking about things I normally wouldn’t think about in my ‘normal circles.’
Now, FC is a business entrepreneur magazine. For a pastor who has strong convictions that the church should not borrow or adopt business practices for church leadership, I have to use a great deal of discernment when I read. Sometimes there is dissonance in me when I read, but I try to embrace the turbulence, even if it makes me dizzy. It makes for great discussions and debates in my head. Sometimes there is crossover and agreement, but there are also dominant themes of empire expansion when I am called to submit to the kingdom of God.
Recently I read an article in the most recent issue called This is Generation Flux: Meet the Pioneers of the New (and Chaotic) Frontier of Business that made my head spin. Again, while it deals purely from a business perspective (and not a ministry one) I found myself asking many questions about what implications – good and bad, big and small, direct and indirect – this might have on the Church in North America.
The premise of the article is this: the current state of business, technology and communication are in such a fluctuating period of chaos and experiencing rapid rate of change that only those who adapt will have any chance of surviving. This sounds like a “survival of the fittest” meets technology approach. In a way, it is. However, it brings up several provocative -even haunting – questions about how institutions have been run in the past and how they will have to be led in the future.
As a pastor, of course, I make the obvious connection to the chaotic, messy, uneasy, rapidly shifting and turbulent culture we’re experiencing in the North American Church. This institution, of course, is Christendom, which has been a part of our heritage for over a thousand years. We’re impacted by Christendom so deeply, that we don’t even know much it has gotten into the bloodstream of North American culture. But the cracks of Christendom are growing larger to the point that they can no longer be ignored. Watch this very well done video created by the good people at 3DM and narrated by Mike Breen.
Will we be adaptable enough to move as the Spirit blows? We have a saying at our church: the structure must submit to the Spirit. Easy to say, hard to actually do. Read Matt Steen’s thoughts on what the Church can learn from Kodak, which overlap and intersect with what I’m attempting to communicate here.
A few years ago I wrote a post on the vital need for the Church in North America to rethink how we “do church” – and why adaptability is so key to the process. Its less stable and more scary, but it gives flexibility and the opportunity to provide new avenues of possibility as Christendom crumbles.
I also wonder about the value of staying put. We live in a microwave culture. Read this post from Mike Breen on a similar thought. How do we teach people to use ovens correctly in a microwave culture?
Do me a favor: Read the Fast Company article. Consider these questions below and dialog with me about this topic.
[ 1 ] When it comes to the Church, what will always change? What will also remain the same?
[ 2 ] What’s the difference between feeling the urgency that things must change and we must do it now and the assurance that this is Jesus’ church and nothing (not even the gates of hell) will prevail against it?
[ 3 ] How does this inform our church structures? How does this article not inform out church structures, and therefore we should be careful not to draw out too many conclusions from it?
[ 4 ] Where is the role of loyalty in a culture that is always looking to move to the next biggest, coolest opportunity? Where is the staying power? Is it “uncool” to stay with a place for so long? Is it smart to be flexible and adaptable or is it just veiled consumerism?
[ 5 ] What implications does the leap frog approach to careers have on the mindset of the people in our churches?
[ 6 ] The article states: “The vast bulk of our institutions – educational, corporate, political – are not built for flux. Few traditional career tactics train us for an era where the most important skill is the ability to acquire new skills.” Does this apply to the Church as well?
[ 7 ] Should this mindset of adaptability that expects people to move around when new opportunities arise be encouraged in the Church – or frowned upon?
The process of spiritual growth: a visual
e-lectionary
So, how are those New Year’s resolutions going for you?
If you’ve set a goal to be involved in the Scriptures more deeply this year (and I hope you have) and are finding that you are stalling a bit, let me recommend a resource for you: the daily reading texts from the Moravian Church. These readings are the same reading texts/rhythms that were used by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (one of my heroes in the faith).
How it works: This resource is automatically emailed to you each morning. It’s a short email – and its free. I’ve been using it the past month and absolutely love it. It includes an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading, a Psalm, two verses and a prayer. The digital lectionary.
What’s also been beneficial is knowing several friends are using it as well. It makes for good conversation with them to discuss the text (and to challenge each other if we’ve not read it for the day). It’s easy to sign up and subscribe/unsubscribe.
Using the lectionary may not be your thing – or maybe you’ve never been introduced to it before.
That’s my challenge. Try it for one month. One. Just try it. If after a month it isn’t working for you, then unsubscribe.
What’s on your to-don’t list?
For the past few weeks, I’ve been asking friends and respected leaders in various fields, industries, sectors and ministries this question: “What are you not doing that makes you effective as a leader?”
It seems that so much attention and focus has been given the past several years to what a leader does that makes them effective, but little has been done to explore what a leader refuses to do. There are so many good things out there to pursue, so many that they can actually distract us from our goal. If leaders aren’t disciplined enough to have a laser-like focus on exactly what they are called to do, it can lead to incredible ineffectiveness. Distraction is one of the worst enemies of a leader.
As Jim Collins wrote in his significant Good to Great, “Good is the enemy of great.” Another way of putting it, leaders must learn to “say no to the good things so you can say yes to the best things.”
Here are some of the fascinating and wise answers I received back from leaders when I asked the question:
- I’m not doing everything that people ask me to do – and I’m not feeling guilty about it
- Checking my phone or social media when I have “margin moments” in life.
- I’m not worrying as much about disappointing people, and I don’t forget that, at my core, I’m a craftsman
- I’m not trying to convince people to like me. I’m not working harder than my clients
- I am not micro-managing. People need to know that you trust them and that you have placed the ministry in their hands. They need to feel the full weight of the responsibility.
- I try to focus on results, and not whether people do things exactly as I would
- I do not seek to exert unilateral control through problem solving and telling people what they need to do
- Anything that others can do better than I can
- not trying to be who I am not
- I am not chasing every lead and opportunity, doing too much too fast, or doing everything myself
- blogging
- I’m not spending all my time trying to fix weak areas/groups/ministries. I’m not pouring my best time, prayer, effort, and wisdom into areas of ministry that want, or better - need to die.
- I’m not being everyone’s primary pastor, as good as it feels to be needed
- not micromanaging. I believe I need to trust my people and unleash them to use the gifts and skills God has given them
- Not trying to do too much; giving myself time and space to recharge, reflect
Leaders: what would you add? What is on your to-don’t list?
Easy guide to the federal debt limit
A difficult, but worthwhile investment of three minutes of your time.
I laughed – and I grimaced – when I watched this video.
You will, too.
I feel like I just got my bell rung. Does this ring anybody else’s bell?
Epic Fail Pastors Conference 2012: for failures, losers & screw-ups
It’s official.
Registration for the 2012 Epic Fail Pastors Conference is now open.
I’m excited. And I’m scared out of my mind.
A year and a half ago, I wrote about this crazy little idea.
And last April, we actually did it. We hosted this crazy event on failure. We hosted this event specifically for failed, failing and soon-to-be failing pastors, former pastors, ex-pastors, leaders and people who didn’t know who they were anymore. We called it the Epic Fail Pastors Conference.
After we announced we were actually going to risk it and try this conference experiment, I had people all over the place contacting me, encouraging us in this pursuit (while others told us that something like this would never work). The response was overwhelming. It was picked up in the Huffington Post, religion editorials across the country, newspapers in St Louis, Moody Radio in Chicago and elsewhere. We had 10,000 hits to the website within several weeks. We knew we had touched a pastoral nerve.
Much to our surprise, it didn’t fail. It actually worked.
In fact, it turned out to be an experience that I (and many others) will never forget. It was incredibly rich, deeply personal, tangibly significant space and sacred time. It was hopeful and saturated with grace and healing. Several pastors who attended said it was the most formative experience in all the years they had been in ministry (see some of the quotes from last year’s attendees.
Shortly after the event was over, the question arose. Everyone began asking the same question:
“So, when are you going to do it again?”
Honestly, at the time I didn’t know if we were even going to do it again. It’s a lot of work and time and planning behind the scenes. It involves a lot of logistics and details.
But after much prayer and discussion, we’ve decided it’s incredibly important to host again. Based on what we experienced and heard from people, we believe it was too important not to do it again.
And so, the Epic Fail Pastors Conference is happening again. March 22-24, 2012, to be exact.
Last year, we held the first Epic Fail conference in our community, Lansdale, PA a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The venue was a building that use to be a church – but failed (and is now a bar). But our creative team sensed it would be wise to shift locations. This year it will be in Mansfield, Ohio.
Ever been to Mansfield, Ohio?
Neither have we.
Why Mansfield, Ohio then?
With a conference like Epic Fail we sensed it was symbolic and fitting to avoid the sexy Christian conference locations of New York, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles or Portland (all good places, mind you) and instead host it in a unique yet unfrequented, “average” location. We also had a pastor who attended last year’s conference who was interested in hosting. It was so formative for him that he was passionate to make sure this happened again, offering to host it on his turf.
If you missed last year (or have never heard of the Epic Fail Pastors Conference, check out these other links:
- The very un-cool video where I explain what the conference is about.
- Further explanation of last year’s event.
- The opening video we showed to kick off the event.
- And the post-event reflections.
- I was asked by Duke Divinity School to write a reflection on what I learned from the process.
A few days ago, I told my wife at breakfast that I am more anxious about the second year of Epic Fail than the first one.
Why?
The sophomore slump.
I began to think: Anybody can do anything well the first time, but can you do it again?
Last year there were no expectations, no history, no real understanding of what it could be. It worked. And it surprised us. But now that people have tasted it and found it to be formative and significant and worthwhile, expectations appear. Expectations aren’t bad, but with it comes pressure when you do something a second time.
I began thinking, “What if it bombs? And what if nobody shows up? And what if it’s a waste of people’s time and money?”
And then it hit me: all the more reason for me as an insecure, anxious pastor who fears failure to host this conference again. In all its sweet and painful irony, it seems that this year – like last – the person who benefits the most from participating in a pastors’ conference on failure may be me.
Practically speaking, the cost of the three-day conference is low: $89 – and for a reason. Most ministry failures don’t have huge ministry conference budgets so we’ve worked hard to keep it at a level that is affordable. But, please: if cost is a problem, please don’t let that keep you from coming. Contact us and we’ll work hard to make sure you can make it. If you’re sensing that this important enough for you to attend, we want you here with us.
[By the way, if you live in Colorado and are unable to attend the National Conference at the end of March, there is a smaller, truncated version called the Epic Fail Roundtable that we are hosting in Colorado Springs Mar 2-3.]
Pastors: you won’t regret joining us in Mansfield, OH.
You are not alone. There are other broken ragamuffins trying to love and serve Jesus.
Join us and jump in to this messy and hope-filled aventure with us.
Will you be courageous enough to join me – and other failures, losers and screw-ups – looking to experience grace in March for the Epic Fail Pastors Conference?
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