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D6 Days Online Experience

July 24, 2012 — Leave a comment

I’m a big fan of all things NextGen and Family Ministry related.  I love hearing voices that can speak some creative things into my life as a leader, and I love the idea behind the D6 Days experience.  There were two previous D6 days was back in February and again in April, but it’s coming again TODAY!  

Have you ever wanted to get a taste of the D6 Conference, but haven’t had the chance to actually attend in person? We’re excited to introduce you to D6 Days—a way for you to experience D6 from your computer, iPad, or tablet for FREE at D6Conference.com/D6Days.

They’ve invited Brian Haynes, Michelle Anthony, Kurt Bruner, and a few other family ministry enthusiasts to give live, fresh content just for this event. We’ll also be streaming full length past D6 Conference sessions from Doug Fields, Darren Whitehead, Rob Rienow, Fred Stoeker, Richard Ross, Jay Strother, and others! On top of that, they are also giving away 15 mp3s from some of our most talked about previous conference labs. All free!

Today is the LAST D6 Day of the year!  D6 Days content will be available for up to two weeks after today, then it goes away forever! For a more detailed schedule, visit D6Conference.com/D6Days.

You don’t have to do anything to receive this content. No sign up, no registration fee, nothing. Just go to D6Conference.com/D6Days TODAY and learn from some incredible leaders.

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Tools I Can’t Live Without

July 23, 2012 — 2 Comments

DoYourWork

My name is Jonathan Cliff and I’m a Family Pastor. I work hard, I think. I can get off-track sometimes, I know.  I’m working hard to keep from getting off track. Here are 5 essential tools that keep me on the right track and I can’t live without them.

Producteev – I’ve tried a dozen task management applications for my iPad, iPhone, and general web usage. It’s been a struggle to find exactly what I need, and for the most part I can’t find anything to replace Producteev. Want it synched between devices? CHECK. Want to create groups of different checklists? CHECK. Want to prioritize tasks so that the important ones don’t get lost? CHECK. Want to have a to-do list fairy follow you around and remind you of things? NO CHECK. Proucteev does so much, but not that much. Go get it NOW (www.producteev.com)

Google Calendar – Don’t be tricked into thinking that you don’t need a calendar. You need a calendar. Your spouse needs a calendar. Your kids need a calendar. Google Calendar is what you need. My wife can open her iPhone at anytime and know what meeting I’m in, where I’m having lunch, or find secret messages from me embedded in the calendar just to mess with her mind.  Google Calendar is something you need. Go get Google Calendar NOW. (www.google.com/calendar)

Email – Sounds silly to say email, doesn’t it? If you’re still that leader that needs someone to call you to say, “Check your email!” then it’s time to change. I see more children’s leaders than any other leader in the church ignoring email. Face it, the reality of our world demands you have email. You don’t have to be a slave to it, but as a leader you need to be accessible and email gives you perfect accessibility.  Go get email NOW, or better yet…start checking the one you have now.

Facebook – See #3. I was a late adopter, and I still detest much about the book of faces. However, it’s another way we connect with families. Spend 3 minutes on Facebook and you’ll see pictures of kids, moms, dads, and cats. Throw out the cat pictures and you got something valuable. Go get Facebook NOW. (www.facebook.com)

Sleep – The most important tool of all. What, you think this is a dumb must have tool? Let’s do a little experiment. Tonight when you go to bed…don’t go to bed. Just stay up and keep working. You’ll go for about 2 days before you crash and burn. It’s time to admit that God designed us for sleep, use it for the tool that God intended it to be. Get some sleep NOW!

These are the 5 things I’ve learned to use as a leader to families. Some are probably on your radar, and some probably aren’t. But at the very least this helped make you sleepy…and you are now well on your way to accomplishing #5!

What would you add to this meager list? Any tools you can’t live without?

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Friday Bag #8

July 20, 2012 — 1 Comment

The Friday Bag is a collection of often unrelated and always random things I’ve found on these fantastical Internets. I always post it on a FRIDAY. It’s a virtual BAG of stuff. That is why it’s called the Friday Bag. Enjoy.

10 Tips for Leading Young Pastors- I love, love, love this post. It’s a “They’ve Read my Mail” type of information. “Here are some important principles I think will help older leaders to guide us young guys well.”

6 Unexpected Ways to Make Someones Day – “If you really want to brighten someone’s day, do the unexpected. The effect could last a lifetime.”

7 Ways to Raise Up Young Leaders – “Frankly, some pastors I talk with are frustrated with what they see as a lack of leadership among the newer generations.”

Most Extreme Hiking Trails from Around the Country - No Thank You. “If you are an adrenaline addict and adventure lover, plus you can boast excellent psychical condition and strong nerves, you should try one of these mountain routes.”

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” -Edmund Burke

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The Friday Bag #7

July 13, 2012 — Leave a comment

Fake Love, Fake War: Why So Many Men are Addicted to Internet Porn and Video Games – “You know the guy I’m talking about. He spends hours into the night playing video games and surfing for pornography. He fears he’s a loser. And he has no idea just how much of a loser he is. For some time now, studies have shown us that porn and gaming can become compulsive and addicting. What we too often don’t recognize, though, is why.”

The Best Sermon I’ve Ever Heard on Marriage – “My reaction to what the President said probably wasn’t that different from yours. I thought that what he said was outrageous. I thought that citing Jesus as if He were in support of sexual immorality was blasphemous. But I also thought, there’s really nothing new here.”

Difficult Topics: A Love-Centered Way to Approach and Broach Them All – “This method handles just about everything that’s hard to talk about and can be used for small, medium, large, and even huge, difficult topics.”

I think leadership comes from integrity – that you do whatever you ask others to do. I think there are non-obvious ways to lead. Just by providing a good example as a parent, a friend, a neighbor makes it possible for other people to see better ways to do things. Leadership does not need to be a dramatic, fist in the air and trumpets blaring, activity.
Scott Berkun

…and now let us lighten the mood a little.

Star Wars Action Figures Recreate Iconic Images

Ali_StarWars

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Unlike Christ

July 11, 2012 — Leave a comment

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Get a downloadable version here:
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/31157/Unlike-Christ

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