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Confucius on Missional Living

In a grad class on the Confucian Analects this semester. This will NOT be the only quote from Confucius. :)

From 2.21

Someone asked Confucius, 'Why are you not employed in governing?'

The Master replied, The Book of Documents says: "It is all filial conduct! Just being filial to your parents and befriending your brothers is carrying out the work of governing. In doing this I am employed in governing. Why must I be 'employed in governing'?"

Suppose you replaced 'filial conduct' with 'ministry' and 'governing' with 'pastoring' . . .

Think this might have some parallels with missional living??

How to Read Through Your RSS Feeds Super Fast

I keep track of 100 or so RSS feeds. Generally that means 100+ new posts greet me every morning in Google Reader. That can take a loooong time to work through; so I've developed a very simple, very quick system of working through my RSS Feeds.

Typically I can work through 100 or so posts in 10-15 minutes by using a combination of keyboard shortcuts in Google Reader.

Here are the settings and shortcuts I use:

1. Google Reader launches in the 'All Items' view.
2. Settings show full text of new posts only.
3. Cycle through posts with J/K.
4. Mark posts read with M.
5. Star posts with S.
6. Open a post in a new Firefox tab with V.

Here's my process:

1. Click M to mark post read.
2. If I want to read the post, I Star it with S.
3. Click J to move to the next post.

Now I have all the posts I want to review more closely in my 'Starred Items' section of Google Reader. Everything else is gone.

4. Click on 'Starred Items.'
5. Important: Set my cursor on the Google Reader tab in Firefox.
6. Click S to remove the star on the first post.
7. Click V to open the post in a new tab.
8. Left click the cursor (which is already on the Google Reader tab) to return to Google Reader.
9. Click J to move to the next post.
10. Repeat 6-9 until all posts are launched in new tabs.
11. Read through launched posts, add to Del.icio.us if I want, and close each tab when I'm done.

100 posts. 15 minutes tops.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster?

I wish there were a setting that allowed me to stay in Google Reader even when I launch a new tab . . . Anyone know how to do that?

When an Apology Is a Bad Thing

I (VERY BRIEFLY) played basketball in college. Actually, they gave me a uniform and a great seat for the games in exchange for 2 1/2 hours of practice a day and more trips through the Furr's buffet line than I care to recall.

Learned a lot of life lessons in that program. Here's one that I've carried with me for well over a decade:

I played out of position at point guard. Never was comfortable, mainly because it was my job to get other people the ball, and let's face it, I always picked my team in gym class based on who could pass to me the best. :)

Playing very uncomfortably out of position meant I turned the ball over. A lot. No really.

I got in the habit of apologizing after a turnover. 'My fault.' 'Sorry.' That kind of thing. The apology bug caught on because of me, and several people amped up their use of apologies after making mistakes.

Of course, apologizing can be a good thing. Taking responsibility for mistakes and such.

But one day our coach stopped practice after I tossed the ball into the third row and quickly acknowledged that it was my mistake and not the mistake of the guy who watched it sail over his head.

He said, 'Apologizing and taking responsibility for what you did is a good thing. But I'm less interested in an apology as I am that you do it right to begin with.'

Sometimes an apology for what you did--particularly one that is graciously received by the other party--gives you a false sense of freedom to do it again next time.

Famous Last Words

The sermon at church today was on death. It was a real pick-me-up.

The subject of 'Last Words' played a minor part, but I started thinking . . .

If you could choose your last words, what would they be?

Thoughts?

This Guy's Gonna Be Famous

Check out Brennin Hunt. Dude's music is ridiculous. Eagles. Maybe a touch of Gavin DeGraw on some of the tracks. Definitely Don Henley sans the Eagles as well.

Why Are Pastors So Discontent?

Why do I continue hearing reports from pastors who are discontent?

Discontent with the members of their church. Discontent with their senior pastor. Discontent with their staff. Discontent with their elders/board.

Not hopeful, holy discontent that leads to action and change, but 'I don't want to do this anymore' discontent.

At least 6 pastors in the last 6 months have told me they're seriously considering leaving paid ministry, getting a 'real job,' and doing ministry as a lay person.

Is this as prevalent as it seems?  Or do I attract these stories since many moons ago I was a discontent pastor who left paid ministry for a 'real job'?

If it is truly as common as it appears from my vantage point, why is this? Is it something wrong with pastors? Something wrong with the way church is done? Something wrong with Christianity?

I'd love your opinions.

Getting Things Done with a Cool Stopwatch

I installed this stopwatch today. I'm using it to count down blocks of time when I only do one task. Turning out to be a nice focusing tool.

Food Court Wars - Take No Prisoners

Our local mall food court has 2 Chinese places. One Sbarro's. One Subway. One Chick-Fil-A. Two Chinese places.

One has been there for years, and when the 2nd moved in a couple of years ago, they put up a sign that said, 'Don't let the imitation fool you.' Classic.

Today, I noticed the 'imitation' fought back. Their newest sign highlights their 'new original Bourbon Chicken,' which the 1st place apparently started selling AFTER the 2nd group moved in.

The new sign reads, 'Don't eat it from the imposters.'

Gunshots will eventually ensure, I'm sure.

Check Out Soularize--in the Bahamas, No Less!

Wanted to pass this along from our friend Spencer Burke. You should go. Seriously.

N.T. Wright, Brennan Manning, our very own Jim Palmer, Dwight Friesen (who we love), and Gareth Higgins (who we also love--purely for his wonderful accent :) ).

All-star cast. Love it.

Soularize – a learning party – Oct. 25-27, 2007

Beyond Our Borders

Two Years in the Planning – Less Than 90 Days to Register

Host Spencer Burke has popped the creative cork off Soularize the original / catalytic emerging church gathering

Key Note Line Up of the Decade

N.T. Wright, Brennan Manning, Rita Nakashima Brock, and Fr. Richard Rohr

International Conversation and Venue – Nassau Bahamas

Take advantage of off season rates and ease of travel for our international friends

Five Learning Modes of Engagement

Keynote, Small Groups, Extended Experience, Reflective Time, 24/7 Web Collaboration

Varied Relational Environments

Private Island, Art Studios, Swim w/Sharks, Social Network, Lecture Hall, Limited to 500 attendees

Totally Wired Conference

Free T-1 wireless access, Live Web Interface with polling, chat, webcams, whiteboard

Most Progressive and Diverse Workshop Facilitators

Frank Viola, Becky Garrison, Karen Ward, Mark Scandrette, Kristyn Komarnicki, Michael Dowd, Barry Taylor, Dwight Friesen, Jim Palmer, Gareth Higgins, Ron Martoia…

Knowing that all have limited budgets to invest in annual learning opportunities, we hope you take opportunity to compare the Soularize learning experience with a few of the other national learning opportunities happening this coming year. Perhaps you'll be as surprised as we were that an event in the Bahamas is actually cheaper than attending an event in San Diego (see comparison chart http://www.soularize.net/compare-conferences.php ) . So if you're looking for a more progressive, independent, and cost-effective learning experience in a tropical setting, perhaps you should consider joining us for the Soularize learning experience.

What makes Soularize unique is the learning environment. We create a casual, safe and interactive place where you can wrestle with issues your church and faith are facing today. You’ll engage in a wide variety of learning experiences like facilitated groups of less than 50 people, hands-on learning experiences, main sessions with keynote speakers, and workshops. Open times in the schedule offer chances for you to reflect and refresh in a hammock overlooking the Caribbean.

Come and lend your voice, your experience, and your dreams as we explore the Evolving Church – rethinking and reinventing what the Church could be in years ahead. Learn more - http://www.soularize.net/