::Leading With A Limp::

New Media Primer: Facebook

**UPDATE TO THIS POST: If you want to see the amazing power of a strong social network in action, check out this group and this group on Facebook.  A young lady at our church got rushed to the hospital a couple of days ago with cranial bleeding.  These pages show how prayer and information can move around very quickly in the new media.  Please pray for Katherine and her family.**

The last couple of posts have been dedicated to starting a blog and following others that blog. We're going to move past blogging now to another platform that is even more interactive than blogging: Facebook.

Most of you have probably heard of Facebook, many of you actually use it.  So what is this medium of communication all about?  Well, if blogging is a roundtable discussion after a lecture, Facebook is like a scrapbooking party with friends and family.  With Facebook you can share pictures, videos, links to blogs and play games.  It's more interactive in the way that you can see and interact with what your friends are doing, but it's also a semi-private venture. Unlike blogging, not everybody can see your information on Facebook.  For that to happen, you must become "friends".  Here is what you need to do to get setup with Facebook.

Step 1: Create an Account

Go to www.facebook.com and set up your account.  This may take a little more time than setting up your blog because it's going to ask you for more information. You don't have to fill out everything right now, but you should put down information that will help others find you, like where you went to high school and college.  The more info you fill out, the happier your new "friends" will be.  You will notice that I keep putting "friends" in quotation marks...I'll stop doing that now, but you may find that eventually people will add you as a friend on Facebook that you do not even know!  These are usually friends of friends.

Step 2: Upload Content

Before you go public with your new profile by letting people know you have it, you need to add some content.  One of the key things is your profile picture.  It drives me crazy when somebody has an FB account but doesn't put a profile pic into it.  You can see from the screenshot of my FB page that you can have some fun with your picture...I have opted for the Matt Singley bobblehead to represent me. A striking likeness, I must say! You can also create photo and video albums for sharing these things with your friends, just look in your left navigation bar for an icon called "photos".  Once you click that you can find the area that will allow you to upload pics and videos.

Step 3: Add Friends

There are many ways to add friends to your Facebook account.  Unlike other things on the internet, nobody can see your profile unless you add them as a friend (unless they are in your network already), and you can't just add friends as you wish...you need to request them.  They will get the request and either approve or disapprove you as a friend. You can go to my profile and add me by clicking here. One way to find friends is to go to the Friend Finder page and submit their email address.  If they are on FB it will show their profile. You can also go to the general search page and search by high school or college (by year as well within these) or by company.  Just keep plugging away, you'll find your friends!

Step 4: Interact

The header (the top of the page) gives you several options.  If you click on "Facebook" in the upper left corner you will be taken to the public timeline.  This is the place where you can see what your friends are up to.  Facebook will pull events and actions from your friends and put them here for you to see.  Among other things, you will notice that your friend's birthdays are linked on the right side.  So when one of my FB friends is celebrating a birthday it's easy enough for me to go to their profile page and write on their wall.  Which brings us to interactivity with things like, "The Wall"

The Wall is a public area within each person's profile that allows you to write messages to each other.  I can go to my friends wall and write something like, "Hey, I missed you at the concert the other night, hope you are okay".  They (along with the rest of the people that are friends with my friend) can see this message.  He can then reply on my wall, or he can send me a private message.

Below each person's profile picture is an area that says "Send (your friend's name) a Message".  This is an area for private messages, they are only seen by the person you are sending them to.  This is a great feature for things that are a little more private in nature.

Step 5: Participate

Facebook has several different ways of connecting with other people in large or small groups. One way is an event page.  Events are usually one-time occurrences that you can be invited to, or if you are the one putting on the event, you can invite others. For example, my friend TJ is hosting a music gig next month, so he created this event page.  This way he can send us information, keep track of who is coming and who isn't, and market the event.  Another thing you can join is a group.  This page shows you what Bel Air Pres does for the church group.

Creating an event or a group is a great way to keep in touch and send information to many people quickly and easily.  For example, my friend Syd has set up a group to pray for a woman from our church that is really sick and in the hospital for brain surgery as I type this.  I appreciate that I can check in and get updates so easily, without expecting Syd to call everybody on the list.  In this way Facebook is making our church community feel smaller and very close to one another.

Step 6: Play

As great as Facebook is for keeping track of friends, it's also a good place to play with them!  I think the most popular application for gaming on Facebook is Scrabulous.  I know many Scrabulous addicts, they just can't seem to get enough.  You can start a Scrabulous game within your Facebook account, but I must warn you...once you start it's hard to stop. There are many other games and activites on Facebook that you can explore, but I tend not to pursue them a lot.  Can you say "productivity killer"?

That's about it!  Of course there is more to Facebook than what I have written here, but this should be enough to get you started.  Don't forget to add me as a friend! Oh, and if I'm leaving out anything that you think is worthy of mentioning, please put it in the comments section of this post so we can all see it.

The next New Media primer post that I write will be about one of my favorite social networks: Twitter!

New Media Primer: Following Other Bloggers

In the last post we talked about creating a blog, this post will talk about following other bloggers.

I currently follow just over 200 bloggers.  You may wonder how I keep up with all of them without spending all day clicking from one page to the next.  The answer is simple: I use a feed reader.

A "feed" is the name for a post that goes onto a blog that is supported by RSS (really simple syndication).  RSS allows people to dump their feeds into one place so they can neatly sort and read them.  Think of it like a newspaper: the blogosphere is the entire newspaper, made up of different sections and articles.  One blog post equals one article.  Just like you wouldn't expect the newpaper company to deliver one article to you at a time, likewise you should not expect to have to read one blog at a time.  Enter the feed reader (the newspaper), which help you collect them all.

While there are many choices of feed readers, I'm going to explain how to set this up through Google. 

Step 1: Set up an account with Google

Look in the upper right corner of the Google homepage.  You'll see an area that says "sign in".  Click that, then on the next screen, click "create an account now", which you can find on the right side of the page.  Your next screen will ask you for several pieces of information, but should be quick and easy to fill out.  Got it?  Great...sign in and move on to step 2

Step 2: Log into Google Reader

Google Reader will store and sort your blog feeds that you want to follow.  Go to www.google.com/reader to get started.  Once there, let's go find a blog to subscribe to!  Open a new tab or window and go to www.LeadingWithALimp.com

Step 3: Add a Feed

Once you have arrived at the blog you want to subscribe to there are a few ways to add this to your Google reader.  First, look for the universal RSS symbol, which is a orange square with white waves in it.  At Leading With A Limp you can see that it appears in two different places on the page...on the right column and in the address bar.  It appears in the address bar in Firefox, in Internet Explorer it's going to be in the menu bar that stretches across the screen right above the main viewing area.  When you click these they should give you an option to subscribe in Google or in a feed reader of your choice.

Another way of subscribing, which a lot of people find even easier, is to copy and paste the address of the blog right into the Google reader.  It will magically find the feed and at it to your list! This is particularly effective when services like Feedburner mess up.  It happens, technology isn't perfect yet...but it's getting there!

Step 4: Sort

  Just like a newspaper has sections (sports, business, metro life) I like my feeds to be sorted into categories.  I have labeled mine things like "Pure Geek", "Marketing" and "Bel Air Blogs".  Using the settings found in Google Reader, I categorize and sometimes even rename the blogs that I subscribe to.   Since I follow so many blogs, this makes it easier for me to read what I want and when I want it.

Step 5: Start Reading!

You will naturally find blogs over time that you want to subscribe to, so don't worry about finding everything all at once.  Very often bloggers keep blogrolls on the sides of their main page, so if you find a blogger you like, browse through their blogroll since they likely subscribe to similar people.  Add away!  Here are some tips for the morning reading time:

• In Google Reader your bests friends are the "J" and the "K" keys.  Striking "J" moves you forward to the next unread entry, striking "K" sends you back one.  Very useful.
• If you find something that you want to read more in depth or refer to at a later date, just "star" the item! You can find "Add Star" at the bottom of each post you are reading.  Later you can go back to your starred items and go through it closely, or refer it to a friend.
• Speaking of referring to a friend...you should share the most interesting stories!  Right next to the "Add Star" button is the "Share" button. This will put it onto your shared blog (everyone in Google has one, here is mine), or if you are a geek like me, you can add a widget to your blog that will show all of your shared stories.  Another cool and recently-added feature is that your shared posts will go to friends of your that have gmail accounts and have agreed to see your shared items.  I love this...people that are similar to me recommending blog articles to read!

That's it!  Well, that is to say, that is it for this post.  You can explore Google Reader or another feed reader, they will have plenty of other options for customizing your reading experience.  If you follow more than a handful of blogs, I strongly recommend using the RSS technology to keep track of them.

You can start by subscribing to mine!

See you in the next post, where we will explore Facebook with a little bit of depth.

New Media Primer: Blogging

This is the first entry into a mini-series I am writing about the New Media.  To some, the NM is a way of life, to others it's a foreign concept and to still others it's a threat to the old way of communicating ideas and actions.  No matter where you fall in this, I think this series should be of some interest to you. Today I will cover blogging, how to set one up, and what to do once it is set up.

Blogging has been around for the better part of a decade, although it's really come into maturity in the last few years.  I actually missed my billion-dollar idea about eight years ago when I coded an entire blogging platform by hand, but then never pursued the commercial application.  I thought, "sure, I like to post up my thoughts and have others comment on them, but would this idea really take root in the real world"?  We all know the answer to that question now.  So instead of owning my own country, here I sit in front of my computer in SoCal, telling others about blogging and it's benefits. :) Me? Bitter?  Nah...

The word 'blog' is a shortened version of 'web log', in other words, an online journal.  Most people have kept a journal or diary of some sort at some point in their life, so think of a blog that way.  The difference?  Anybody can read your journal, and not just read it...but leave comments about what they think!  Yes, the New Media is about radical transparency and global information collaboration.

If you are comfortable with the idea of blogging and want to get your ideas out there for the world to see, I'm going to tell you how to get started now.  BTW, as a side note, most blogging platforms can let you set your page to 'private' so that only people you allow or invite can read your blog.  You'll have to figure that part out on your own however, I'm going to tell you how to share your information with the world.

Step 1: Select a Platform

There are many, many blogging platforms (services) that you can use.  I have been using TypePad for about 2.5 years and I love it.  This is a pay service, and it allows me a tremendous amount of control over content and code.  For about $15/month I can do what I want, when I want to my blog.  This may be overkill for the beginning blogger, I'll talk about free services in a moment.  If you want to get started on TypePad, just click here and you will be taken to a page where you can start a free trial.  It should take about 10 minutes to set up, and it's very intuitive, you just follow the prompts and fill in the information that it asks for.

Another very popular platform is WordPress.  This is a free or paid service, depending on which features you want.  I don't use WordPress, but I know a lot of people that do.  A lot.

My favorite totally free service is Tumblr.  It's a very simple platform without a lot of bells and whistles.  I like that!  I like it so much, I started a mini-blog over there a while ago, intended to be my floating thoughts.  I saw a Twitter stream the other day between Kem Meyer and others that involved Tumblr as a destination for some beginning bloggers.  I totally agree.  From sign-up to first post should take you about 2 minutes...if you're slow.

Google has a great blogging service called...well, blogger.  It's free and very popular.  This is also a great option for people to use, and signing up is simple.  You never know who you'll find there, people like my wife and my son. 

Now is the most important part...select one of those platforms (and this is far from an exhaustive list, but I don't want to overwhelm you with choices) and sign up!   Then on to step 2...

Step 2: Know Your Audience

Are you writing your blog for Uncle Floyd and Aunt Mildred in Kansas so they can keep track of the kids, or are you wanting to share your business knowledge with a broader audience?  If you want people to follow you...and keep following you...then you need to know the answer to this.

A personal blog, that is, one that is familial and very personal, can be done very well.  Take a look at my friend Alli McKenney's blog.  She takes approximately 6,430 pictures of her kids every day and then puts the best of the best online for her friends and family to see.  It's very well done! That's an example of a good personal blog. Cute kids, too!

Think you know a lot about your industry?  Then write about it!  Check out VC and marketing guru Guy Kawasaki's blog.  He gets a ton of traffic through here because he is an authority on many things, and people want to know what he has to say.  Same thing with Seth Godin's blog.  He's an author and speaker, and very well respected.  He's an authority, so he writes about what he knows.  That isn't to say that you have to be super popular to have a great blog. Perhaps you like to knit.  Hey, who doesn't? Make a blog about it and share your passion and knowledge with the world.

Step 3: Write, Baby, Write!

Want a lot of readers?  Keep your posts short.  I know, I am totally violating that right now.  Call it creative license.  But do write...and write often!  I lost 500+ regular readers over the last 8 months because I haven't been blogging with frequency or passion.  If you stay regular, and if you stay passionate, you will have people find you and follow you, it's just that simple.  I think if you are putting up posts (the name for an entry on your blog) 2-3 times per week, you'll be just fine.  Of course some people have to post every 15 minutes, but that is more of a spiritual gift than anything.

Step 4: Interact

At the bottom of most posts is an area for people to comment on what you just wrote.  There is a reason that is there...people want to interact with you!  A blog is a platform for you to get your ideas out to others (like a lecture of sermon), but the big difference is that it's also a place for people to respond.  So suddenly your thoughts have moved from a lecture to a roundtable discussion!  I've found that fewer than 10% of the number of people that come by and read actually comment, so if you only get one or two people leaving their thoughts, don't be discouraged!  Make sure you talk back to them!  Leave a comment in your own comment section in reply to them!  One blogger that does this just about better than anyone is Anne Jackson.  Reading through her comments feels like eavesdropping on a fireside chat...it's very conversational, and she often replies directly to those that say things about her posts.  Very cool. 

Of course some people don't want to have comments on, and that's fine.  Seth Godin, who I mentioned earlier, doesn't allow any comments on his post.  This works well for Seth, but probably not so well for start-up bloggers.

Step 5: Share The Love!

Once you start blogging, others are going to follow you (which I will explain in detail in the next post).  You will follow others as well.  When you find some bloggers you like, share the love with your readers!  Create a blogroll.  That's an area in the sidebar where you link to other blogs.  Some people have blogrolls as extensive as a phone book, others (like myself) believe that too much information just makes people ignore it.  On my blog I have a rotating blogroll, so every time you refresh the page it's a different group of people.  Three categories (soon to be four), five people in each category per page load.  Simple is better.  If you want to know how to create a rotating blogroll, check out my post here.

If you made it this far....God bless you for your persitence!  In the next post we'll look at how to follow other people's blogs without clicking through to each page one at a time.  It's easier than it sounds, I personally follow 201 blogs and it takes very little time or effort to do so.

New Name, New Feel (Part 1 of 2)

Leading with a limp...

Let me explain the title.  It has to do with my philosophy of management as well as ministry, and it has a personal connection to me on a very deep level. For my RSS readers you should pop over to my blog and see the change so you know what I'm talking about.

First the management and ministry stuff.  I have interacted with leaders of all calibers, backgrounds, statures and vocations in my jobs at church as well as with my previous two companies.  There are as many leadership styles as there are leaders, and if you ask any of them the best way to manage people, they always have an opinion.  Welcome to my little corner of the internet, this is my opinion.

I believe that management, when integrated with ministry, should produce fantastic, excellent and wildly transparent leaders.  This goes against many management styles of the latter part of last century which would tell you that you must appear invincible and somewhat removed from your workers.  But of course, since you are reading a blog (something that has not even existed until very recently), you know that the world has changed since this style was born.  In a world of incredible information and reach, transparency is the new invincibility.  Gone are the days of steadfast separation from the staff and instead we live in times where  management must have a new and intimate awareness of the staff which they serve.  Yes, I said that correctly...the staff which they serve.

I believe that with the Next Generation and with the New Media comes an acute awareness between what is genuine and what stinks.  I am not in this generation, I'm afraid I'm too old now, but those that come behind me are amazing with the ability to sense genuine relationships and intentions.

Which brings us to my philosophy of management: I believe that with this acuteness comes acceptance as well.  Although many are quick to separate the wheat from the chaff, when they do determine that somebody (a person or an organization) is true to what they say, not just in word but in action, they will accept a great amount of variation from the traditional leadership role.  In other words, they will not only accept but actually expect vulnerability in their leaders.  Paradoxically, this usually creates a greater sense of loyalty and faithfulness.

That is not to say that leaders should be faulty or incompetent.  No!  Quite the opposite...leaders should be held to very high standards, and should be excellent and what they do.  It would be a big mistake to confuse vulnerability and transparency with incompetence and ineptitude.  This is where many leaders fail to make the leap, they equate sharing their struggles with their staff to weakness.

I'm proud to say that I work for a man that is not afraid to share himself with his staff or his congregation.  The result is a passion for his vision that people want to carry out, they want to be a part of it!  I believe that as we move through these days of social networking, 24/7 information and sometimes scary intrusion by the New Media, we must change the way we interact.  The rules of society and work are quickly changing, and we must be the leaders that carve the path to great things through transparency, brokenness and inspiration.

In part 2 I will discuss why "leading with a limp" means so much to me personally, and describe briefly the pain associated with this phrase.  So for those of you that like to see me in pain, come back soon. ;)

Archive: Message Frequency

Continuing the series of re-posting old entries.  Although I am referencing my former church and a specific event in this post I think it speaks volumes about communication.  Interestingly, I mention that one of the distractions that we must overcome if we are to communicate a message is the election cycle.  I think we are there again.  As church or business leaders we cannot say things once and expect that 100% of the people will absorb it 100% of the time.  As soon as we think that way we are doomed to failure.  Originally published 11-08-06:

Today we had an extended, off-site Management Team meeting.  It was good.  We debriefed Sunday's Annual Meeting and shared with each other our personal and team goals for the upcoming year.

The question was raised (I am paraphrasing), "so...think we've done enough communication about the annual meeting now?"  My pithy response was...NO!

I think frequency of communication is important.  We need to say fewer things, but say them more often.  In other words, instead of trying to send out 100 different messages 1 time each, we need to send out 10 messages 10 times each.  Another way of saying this is we need to do fewer things but with excellence.

Seth Godin talked about this very thing today, and he did it through the filter of the political cycle that we just went through.  Why do they (they being the political savants) play ads up to the very last minute?  Because they are hoping to get their message through when somebody is "unfull"...when they have decompressed just enough to allow new information in.  The winner of that coveted slot of brain matter?  The message that has been "in line"...the one that was repeated and retained, ever so subliminally, and is ready for greatness in the human mind as a new thought.

That is why I posted, in writing, what we discussed in the annual meeting.  That presentation was not the finish line...it was the starting line.  We must get the message out, and we must begin talking to people about this.  The leadership of the church has cast the vision, not it is time to figure out how to fulfill that vision.  It is greater work than just the primary leadership (management team and session), it is the work of everybody.  The key leaders.  The small group participants.  The mid-week Bible study folks.  The guy that sits in the back row during Sunday service.  Everybody.

So the message must be pushed out.  Why?  People's minds are full.  Full of election stuff.  Full of work thoughts.  Full of what they are going to make for dinner.  Full of how they are going to pay the electric bill.  How much of what was rolled out Sunday night was absorbed? I think we would be flattering ourselves to think that even 10% was picked up.  People are full.  We need to continue to roll out the vision until they are unfull and at that moment, if we have succeeded...maybe another 10% will creep in. 

Those in attendance on Sunday night probably only heard what they were listening for.  Were you upset about a middle school change?  That's probably all you remember.  Are you curious how our building campaign money is being spent?  That's the 10% that got into your mind.  Do you have anxiety about what two new worship service formats will mean to you?  It's doubtful you could retain anything else beyond what was said about that.

Seth said it well:

"I've been thinking about frequency. I've been thinking about frequency. I've been thinking about frequency".  So have I Seth, as it relates to casting vision at our church, and you are absolutely right. I will continue with this until those moments that people are unfull. Why?  Because people matter, and this new vision is our strategy for connecting people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

What about you? What do you think are the most effective ways to get a message out?

Archive: Superlatives, Comparatives, Blah Blah Blah

Continuing my series of re-posting old entries.  It will teach you a little bit about communication, but also it is just for fun. Originally published 10-13-06:

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use. -Wendell Johnson

I am in conversations all day long.  It doesn't expressly say it in my job description, but I think I might suggest to HR that we add a line that says something like:

"Expected to start or participate in conversations in the workplace totaling not less than 6 (six) hours per day.  Conversations may be light-hearted in nature on occasion, but at least 75% of the content must involve language that will result in hours of ponder and consideration.  Very often these conversations must require an executive decision to be made, and very little time between the conversation and the decision may elapse"

Conversations are so important.  The art of conversation is lost I think when people forget the weight of their words.   Some people in the office give me a hard time because they think I analyze everything.  To some extent they are correct...when talking with somebody I observe not just tone of voice and body language, but also cadence of speech, breathing, eye direction and use of syntax. These say a lot about the meanings behind the words.  Something I noticed in a conversation about two weeks ago with somebody, and then again last week: superlatives are abused in our modern speech. (BTW, this was a conversation with somebody OUTSIDE of the work place, they don't even attend our church).  This person, a very close friend of mine, LOVES to use superlatives peppered throughout our conversations. It's hard to participate in serious banter with somebody when they use superlatives to modify their adjectives and adverbs.  Example:

Me: "I'm sorry we haven't gotten together for a while, it's been a really busy couple of weeks"

Them: "I guess so, you never seem to have time to do things anymore"

Me: "Never?  C'mon, that's kind of unfair"

Them: "You always used to be available, now you never are"

Me: "Are you aware that grammatically speaking your are creating infinitives that I cannot retort? To categorize my action, or lack thereof, as never occurring, you are in essence precluding me from any potential for action.  Instead of using superlative adverbs, may I suggest the use of an elative, perhaps rarely or seldom, or even the more strongly weighted 'often' ?"

Them: "I don't know why I even talk to you, you have serious problems.  You should seek counseling."

Me: "Agreed.  Let's go to McMenamin's and get an Arnold Palmer!"

Okay, that's not exactly how it went. But it is close.  Here is my point: as the quote at the top of this post says, use terms that are so final with caution, especially when talking to others about subjects that are tense.  "Always" and "never" definitely put things in a box, and that isn't a good thing.  When I write posts like this I usually get a lot of email telling me that I am a fool and I shouldn't worry about language so much.  What can I say?  This is one of my favorite websites and I'm proud of it!

It "Had" To Be "Done"

Once in a great while I will post a mini-rant on this blog of things that annoy the "heck" out of me.  One subject that I have often pondered but haven't snarked about is the use of "unnecessary" quotations.  Do you ever see those "signs" that throw quotations marks around a word or phrase for no "apparent" reason?  I thought I was the only one sensitive enough to have my day ruined by this, but it appears that there is another.  They are far more powerful than me, they have dedicated an entire blog to the "use" of unnecessary quotations.  The "violators" are well documented and photographed.

Ladies and gentlemen: The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" quotations (make sure you check out her blog roll of other snarkers)

And if that isn't enough for you, my dear grammar-nazi friends, check out Literally, A Web Log.

BTW, if this doesn't get Karen S fired up, I don't know what will.

How Many Times Do You Communicate A Message?

Answer: 7 x 77

When communicating information to your staff, your congregation or your community, how often do you put the same message out?  Did you say 'once'?  You did, didn't you?  You will need to stay after class I'm afraid, because once will rarely make an impact.

I'm not talking about an announcement like "there are muffins in the work room"...I'm talking about a message.  A direction.  An edict.  A vision!

I often talk to frustrated staffers that are upset because their message isn't getting out.  "But I already sent a memo," they will say, "everybody knows!"  No, everybody doesn't know.  You know, and that is about it, because the message is only important to you at this point.  So what do you do?  You need to repeat your message.  And then do it again. 

Before you think that I am talking about email, I am not!  Do not start spamming people with your thoughts, that will only make them tune you out more.  Talk to individuals one-on-one.  Reinforce your message in small meetings.  Make sure that those that work with you most often are aware of what you are trying to communicate, they can help spread the message. Above all...be patient! Remember, just because you know something is important it doesn't mean that others have grabbed a hold of your vision. But they will!

Getting The Message Out: God In The Spotlight

When the news of the fires in Malibu first got to us, and when we found out that Malibu Presbyterian Church had burned to the ground, I was sad.  In the midst of it all, I prayed that glory would come to God in spite of the loss. In my initial post about it, I hoped that the message of Christ would get into the media.

Jen called me earlier today to let me know about something interesting.  She had just left her Bible study in Westlake Village, a community Bible study that has nothing to do with Bel Air Pres or Malibu Pres.  She said that the instructor played a news clip for everybody, talking about God in the media as it relates to the fires.  She was surprised that the clip was one of the interviews that I did with NBC on Sunday.  I'm glad to say that the focus wasn't on me, it was on our Christian belief, "God exists outside the walls of the church".  I believe that to my core, and it's a great message that the media is helping us to relay to those watching the tragedy in Southern California.

In times of trouble, when the world focuses on loss for the church, we have great opportunity.  Always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that lies inside of you!

If you want to watch the news footage with the short interview you can find it by clicking here.

I will keep the blog community updates on what happens with Malibu Pres Church. 

Gen Y Stats

I just read a great post from Anastasia Goodstein over at YPulse.  She talks about some pretty interesting stats for the "Net Generation" (16-29 year olds).  I think I was born a generation early, they are describing me.  Among other things:

• 77% can live without television, but only 23% can live without internet
• 70? of females and 80% of females demand truth in advertising.  They want authenticity!

Check out the post, it's short.

My question: if we (the church) truly care about reaching out to this generation (as we often claim we do), what are we doing to meet their needs?  Now please do not misread what I am saying...we should NEVER twist or change the Gospel, ever!  However, the way we present it can change.  The places we can present it can change.  The people that present it can change.

What are we doing to reach the Net Gen?