Stealing Baby Jesus?

Apparently, stealing nativity scenes is big business. So big, in fact, that churches are now surreptitiously placing GPS receivers inside the displays to assist track the display items.

Watch the video... shows church staff tracking a statuette across town in real-time after a simulated theft.

Image courtesy of Geoff Stratford (ReelWorship.com).

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Thank you!

... for all of you readers who spread the word about Edward Frank Harris... on Twitter, FaceBook and links to your respective websites.

We hear so much of colleagues who fail or betray the trust of the people they are supposed to trust; therefore, this was a story that meant so much to me.

The outpouring of support was very kind, and I think it was a nice send-off to our brother.

Continue to pray for his family. Also pray for all those he served, including the ones who are charged with this heinous crime.

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Youth Ministry e-book

Spotted this post over on MinistryLIVE.org blog: a youth ministry e-book!

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Second place...

I am usually a bit cynical of "trendy" causes and programs, but this particular concept caught my eye and warmed my heart.

I Am Second is a resourceful website that combines down to earth testimonies from celebrities and Average Joes alike to assist people with everyday struggles.

The site provides chat, email, and reading resources for people in need. It also provides opportunities for people to get involved helping others.

I am a fan of ministry ideas that don't get bogged by overly intricate ideals, so much so that they miss the target. This is simple: everybody else first....

Authenticity will never be out of fashion.

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PalmBible for Treo/Palm

For Treo/Palm users: yet more Bible software! Got this from Mobile Ministry Magazine (courtesy of Palm Addict): PearlBible!

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Church Diversity

I have reached a point where I will now blog about my own blog. At least, in my own mind I have.

While hanging out in Twitterville, I eavesdropped a tweet from Anne Jackson to Pete Wilson talking about diversity in church leadership.

This blog was initially started to talk about the cultural challenges of serving in ministry. As a black man in the south, this is especially poignant; toss in the added battle of serving in predominantly white churches, and you get a pretty interesting picture.

So, I feel led to write an article about this albatross. Is diversity really all that necessary in church leadership, or is it just another PC-motivated man-made talking point? What does diversity bring: true cultural awareness, or just the facade of acceptance?

I am looking for thoughts from both sides of the aisle, from both ends of the spectrum.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Sent via my BlackBerry.

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Mobile Phone Ministry

Visited the blog of Bill Reichart recently. Like a moth to flame, I was drawn to his blog post about mobile phone ministry.

Of course, I belong to the school of thought that believes that the sooner the church embraces these trends, the better off we'll be. We have to be swift (as God blesses and time and culture allow) in learning and using technology to reach people.

Pastor Reichart also touches on mobile-ready websites (another biggie, IMHO).

Nice food for thought.

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Review: HanDBase for BlackBerry.

I am the type of phone user that likes to have it easy. There's nothing really complex about it; no insane formula that governs it. I simply like to have as much as I can on the least number of devices. Convergence is key.

It's the reason that I, the most loyal of Palm guys, migrated to BlackBerry. I am a ministry guy, and everything on my device needs to assist me in that pursuit.

The biggest drawback for me as a new BB user was the relative dearth of the third party applications that made life with Palm a breeze. In recent years, the gap is closing; one application that helps shrink this gap significantly is HanDBase Professional for BlackBerry by DDH Software.

I originally had this on my Palm OS device, and it was my most used non-scriptual application. Simply put, it is an all-round database solution with an amazing penchant for flexibility.

There is almost no limit to the possibilities. This application bridges the gap that exists between convergence device and handheld laptop replacement.

The program comes in two parts for the BlackBerry. It has the handheld portion and a desktop companion. The two components are syncable both ways. The idea is that the user makes a database on the desktop that is accessible on the user's device.

To explain further, think of a relational database that could be useful (like a check register) HanDBase allows the user to create a custom check register to fit the user's needs. The interface easily helps you along, and you can create tables and columns that are dependent on each other. In other words, you can integrate data and basically create simple mini-programs that fulfill business and personal needs.

It gets better. Checkable tasks lists, fitness logs, bible studies, business ledgers, contact databases, and more can all be created and then carried on your device.

DDH also offers the ability to create custom databases for individual and enterprise users. It is easy to see why this item is so highly regarded in the Palm world.

To nitpick, I wish that one could create databases on the go on the actual device.

All in all, I enjoyed using this software. Look here for a comparison of features of the BB stable.

Try out HanDBase at the demo download site.

As an added boon, DDH is offering a special code, good for 20% off HanDBase Professional for BlackBerry. Just use the code Dec08TL20 during checkout at the DDH website. The code is good till January 15, 2009.

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Looking for a new Pastor...

Yes, I am looking for a new Pastor.

I have just about had it with mine. His sermons almost always get on my nerves.

Note that I have no problem with the church body; no, not at all. It's Derek alone that I can't stand.

This morning, he had the audacity to speak about service -- about becoming Christ personified in the way we approach helping others. He spoke about how, for him, Christmas prep was sometimes a drag, and how it could feel like just another chore.

I guess I would have been fine, but every time I tried to laugh self-consciously, I felt a sharp jab in my ribs from my wife, who figured her elbow should be used as a constant reminder that I was no better.

Whatever.

In any case, he specifically challenged the married guys to be better husbands (the women applauded), and even hinted at the fact we could be better servants by doing more around the house on Saturdays. That was truly unforgivable.

So, I am off to find a pastor who is a little less into forcing me to confront my deficiencies. Someone who will let me be me, even if it means I'll fall short of God's plan in my life.

Boo, Derek. Boo. Can't trust a Tennessee fan.

Sent via my BlackBerry.

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Get a-twitterin'... NOW!

If you are a youth worker, parent, pastor, church staffer... if you are a human being, and you are not twittering yet, why not?

Beyond being just a fad, Twitter is growing in influence in christian circles. As I have said elsewhere and previously, the potential is endless; microblogging brings a sense of intimacy and accountability to ministry.

It is no longer just the domain of young and trendy; more and more pastors are using it to develop bonds with people in the real world. With a simple device and text plan, one can really get an opportunity to fellowship with people on the other side of the globe, or across town.

Give it a try... you'll most likely be pleasantly surprised.

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The Lego Bible

Twitter friend Brian brought this to my attention: a lego-illustrated Bible. Interesting...

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Lightin' it up!

I wanted to take the time to give a huge shout-out to the wonderful guys and gals of Light Of Christ UMC in Charlotte. They are absolutely great people who I owe a lot of recent stuff too:

Shalonda: for giving me some shopping tips that I have decided to pretend I came up with (more on this in a future blog);

Team Llama (don't ask): for ruining my childhood and telling me people actually eat llamas;

Pastor Kyle: for forcing me to accept the fact that God wants us to love EVERYBODY, including evil Duke fans such as himself;

Whitney: for not thinking I was weird for wanting to watch Warren Sapp twirl around on Dancing With the Stars.

Jean (and her crew): classy, kind and everything honorable.

Great church family, and proof that God abides in the heart, not necessarily in multi-million dollar edifices.

Love you guys!!!

Sent via my BlackBerry.

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Send me...

Edward Frank Harris Jr was, by most accounts, a "joyful" guy with a "loving spirit" about him.

He served at Pendergrass Baptist Church in Cleveland, Georgia; he was one of those pioneers and laborers euphemistically known as youth pastors. He also served as a chaplain at Compassionate Hospice in Gainesville. His favorite verse was said to be Isaiah 6:8.

This past Sunday, after service, Frank Harris called home. Apparently, he had found two people that needed help, and he decided to give them a ride. You see, Frank Harris didn't take his "church hat" off; he didn't rationalize excuses to drive away. He saw an opportunity to serve, and he took it. It is a little unclear as to whether he knew the couple; it is assumed they were strangers.

Early the next day, his lifeless body was found in an empty field, the victim of murder, most likely at the hands of the very people he had helped. He left behind a wife and three kids.

While it is easy to think of the what-ifs, the basic point is that here was a man who never quit serving. He didn't measure his faith by work shifts. He lived it 25/8/366.

Here is proof that you don't have to search too hard for heroes. I never knew Frank Harris personally, and I'll never meet him. I mourn that fact.

In lieu of flowers a college fund for the children will be set up and donations may be sent to Compassionate Hospice 2565 Thompson Bridge Rd, Suite 112, Gainesville, GA 30501.

Online condolences can be made at littledavenport.com


Sent via my BlackBerry.

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Reaching out... by any means necessary?

Now, I am all for creative expression. I will even admit that I find the commercial above funny. At first. But then, when you stop to consider that this is guy is singing about his woman creeping with chicken nuggets, and then subsequently reprimands her -- soulfully -- for not sharing said nuggets with him, you have to feel uneasy.

And by the way, what, pray, is "stingaaaaaay?"

In actuality, it is interesting to see how companies transform and adjust identities to reach particular segments of society. Kind of like Bruce Wayne at night. On BET, McDonald's becomes the urban-tinged Mickey D's with R&B singers that croon about the evils of being selfish.

Of course, it boils down to economies of demographics. Different strokes for different folks. Advertising and catering to the needs of Mr A does not always compute to achieving the same results for Ms B. Quite understandable. Different people like different music. I even have a video to prove how interpretation can vary very, very widely:



Now, the same type of thinking seems to be prevalent in the church.

Big question: should the church tailor its offering to particular people? I am not talking about the content of the message: in essence, that should and will be unchanging. What about the frills? The music? The style? The atmosphere?

Some churches are more explicit than others. The most popular focus is to reach the "young, post-grad unchurched or rechurched" crowd. To be brief, just say the Starbucks crowd (though, admittedly, recent developments in the economy may force a change in the tag). Why not? It is probably the largest Gen Xers segment out there.

But what about others? What about the soon-to-be largest minority in the United States, Hispanics? What about the immigrant African population? Should a church that straddles a reservation approach work differently from a church that borders a large community of Asian ancestry? Questions, questions, questions...

Integration seems to be the measure of success, and for all the wrong reasons. I spoke to a pastor of a predominantly white congregation a while back who wistfully dreamed of how great it would be to have a black guy on staff, even while being visibly concerned about the reaction of one or two older members to such a hire. Now I cannot say that full-out sit-ins were in the picture, but I do find it interesting that an informal type of affirmative action-type mentality seems to be setting in. I also wonder if we should be concerned that a minority face on the church staff webpage is becoming standard strategy.

Of course, it is hard to fault folks that think this way. I will be so forward as to say I doubt that a lack of sincerity is at play. In the big picture, we should be careful of the potential fruit (of course, I do tend to be cynical sometimes, but hey, when you have had a white pastor of yours where an afro wig, bell-bottoms, platforms and a dashiki in the name of being culturally relevant in February, you are allowed to be a little jaded).

And yes, this is reality. Take the stereotypical African American worshipper, for instance. Yeah, you hate to lump people in batches, but most would probably say quality of music is a biggie. And, by quality, the perfect opera performance by the late Pavarotti wouldn't cut it. Neither would a bluegrass praise session, just as praise session headlined by BB Jay would confuse and concern a "Starbucker." Anyone with the most basic understanding of African American history would understand why music is such an important part of the spiritual consciousness.

While I do applaud the efforts of churches that strive to be open, I think the biggest thing is the need for change and acceptance in each heart. I do believe that folks should make efforts to learn the cultural attitudes of people in our communities. Furthermore, I humbly think that sometimes, the church should strive to do what is RIGHT, even above societal leanings or trends. Openness and love is openness and love.

One thing to consider is that if we applied some of the modern day definitions of success, our Lord's ministry would probably been labeled a failure. As much as we hate it, regional mores will always affect attitudes. Centuries of mistrust, misconceptions and prejudice (on EVERY side) won't disappear overnight... but we do have the morning after, right?

Blessings at ya!

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Technology and the gospel.

Love hearing how folks are leveraging technology? Can't get enough of hearing about the latest tech gadgets, and their potential in ministry? Than you have to check out Mobile Ministry Magazine.

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Being Prodigal Jon

Remember the flick Being John Malkovich? Crazy fable about some finding a weird portal into the brain of the title character.

Now, there are a few people in whose minds I think I'd be interested in spending time in. My daughter, for one. Maybe I can finally decode the irrational love for Backyardigans and SpongeBob.

My kid brother comes to mind; so does Flavor Flav and maybe Britney Spears. I think 15 minutes each would stretch the limits of my sanity, though.

This priceless gem from Jon at Stuff Christians Like, though, is the type of genius that keeps him at the top of my Malkovich list.

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The theory of the singing youth pastor...

I am not a singer. No, not at all.

Now, I love music. I love melodious sound. I love deep lyrics. I love single instruments and even symphonies. I love solos. I love choirs. I even listen to Dolly Parton.

I just don't like to hear myself partake in any activity aimed at creating any of the above.

I am blessed with the fact that I realized my musical shortcomings at a very young age. I remember the pained half-smile on my mother's face during an especially hoarse rendition of "Happy Birthday" one year. My dad's dream of managing his sons in a boy band died that day (or at the very least, were altered). In any case, any dreams of having people applaud my musical stylings someday were extinguished long ago.

In time, my psyche healed. It felt good to find out that my horrendous singing was trait inherited by all my siblings. Somehow, I am not even the worst singer; that honor goes to Son #3. Sadly, his confidence in his vocal abilities is barely overcome by our vicious taunts. Nothing clears a room like his sadistic cover of Alicia Keys.

So, I was thoroughly satisfied with a life of musical mediocrity. In church, I worked hard to make friends with the most voracious people; you see, that way, you could sit beside them, and they were almost always sure to sing the loudest. That way, they drowned you out. It worked well.

I remember a misguided choir director back then. The poor guy had the misguided belief that anyone could sing. In search of tenors, he demanded I join. I tried my hardest to dissuade him, I truly did. He didn't listen, and kept trying to get me on the choir. It took one practice.

He actually stepped down shortly afterward. I think my singing shook his faith.

At one point, I decided rap would see me through. That foray ended when a producer told me he didn't even know our group had been performing in English. Whatever.

When I got into youth ministry, my mandate was clear: aid young people in their pursuit of faith. Clearly, with this in mind, I knew I was morally right to never expose these kids to my "praise" music. No way. Torture by ear does nothing for "growing" the numbers.

Lately, I have seen so many ads looking for youth/worship pastors. Why? They tickle me. I have always wondered if I could lip sync, Milli Vanilli style through an audition. After that, a good mix of flamboyant arm waving and face-squeezing would provide some job security. Since the only instrument I play was a bass drum, I knew I really needed to perfect the arm-waving.

Today, I accept my deficiency. Whenever I even hum, the same pained, disapproving glare that is usually on my wife's face is replicated on my daughter's. To assuage my shallow ego, I tend to take a keen interest in American Idol auditions, where I live vicariously through Simon.

And, when I'm all alone, I whisper Dolly Parton songs. Still.

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The innate power of networking

It is a much smaller world we live in today.

Earlier this year, I wrote about the great experience of networking with local youth workers. Those Charlotte boys and girls are sharp and quite innovative.

I do love the fact that we are now blessed with an opportunity to network across the country and abroad. With the ministry superstars on Twitter, I always have a veritable support group. You can always get advice, bounce ideas, or just ask for prayers on your own behalf. Love my Twitter family! They are just one TwitterBerry post away...

Also, I am thankful to my "BlackBerry Brethren." I have never met these guys, but I am continually encouraged by the fact that we "talk" quite often, using our common bonds of faith and BlackBerry PINS to facilitate fellowship. Again, nothing beats having a moment of doubt, and being able to whip out your phone to belt out a message to a friend you know will pray for you on the spot. Or, having the ability and privilege to do the same for them.

I truly believe that social networking can be such a powerful tool in ministry. It has such potential to help meet the needs of people, and even more potential in meeting the needs of pastors. I know I can contact my Pastor via Twitter or email and that he'll get back to me soon.

I still hold that as long as the human interaction is not permanently displaced, social networking is a powerful ministry tool in every facet of ministry. The potential in youth ministry is truly unlimited, and I enjoy reading how savvy youth workers are harnessing these tools.

Facebook is much maligned, but I do consider it to be a potentially excellent resource. For many parents, it's not a matter of if your child will get a social networking identity, it's a matter of how many. I subscribe to the belief that we (youth workers) should work to immerse ourselves in the fabric. No hidden identities -- just online lighthouses.

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Being thankful for the opportunity to give thanks.

It's that time of the year again... in North America, we mark Thanksgiving day, and we generally do so with plenty of family and food (did you know that a Hokie is basically a turkey? Trivia point of the day to jab at y'all Virginia Tech fans).

So, it is usually a time of year to reflect on what you are thankful for. Of course, this can be an exercise in futility if you let it; The Detroit Lion faithful are probably not thinking about gratitude right now. Those with loved ones away, or ill, or gone probably have weighted minds. Worldwide, some people have no concept of Turkey Day, and with recent massacres and related tragedies, such region-specific observances are pushed even further out of mind.

But there is plenty to be thankful for... probably starting with the opportunity to be thankful in the first place. We can be thankful for the seemingly simple things (like oxygen); for being in a country such as ours; for the troops who selflessly work to ensure that I can blog about being thankful (a huge shout-out to my brother-in-law Kenneth serving in the Middle East); for everything and anything.

Let us take a little bit more time than usual to think of those who don't have, who are dealing with loss of any kind. In the current economy, we can -- and should -- be even more thankful. As we all relax watching football in a half-sleepy turkey-induced stupor, let's be grateful to God for all our blessings.

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Tech to the rescue!

I tweeted enthusiastically about getting my new Freedom Keychain Bluetooth GPS receiver a few weeks back. It was the last piece (along with TeleNav software) that I needed to make my BlackBerry a fully convergent device. A devotion tool, ministry manager, mp3 player, social networking hub, financial monitor, calendar/task keeper, news device, and now, voice GPS navigation... you get the idea.

Last night, the GPS functionality was of great help.

While coming back from practice and driving through the two-lane back roads of Cabarrus County, NC, I came across an accident. The car was precariously stopped, half off it still seemingly on the road. Something made me stop.

So, I stopped, and saw the driver. He was in a lot of pain (hit a deer), and on the phone with a 911 dispatcher. The dispatcher was not able to get the driver to speak coherently. Neither could the driver's kid brother, who was hurt as well. So, I took the phone and attempted to give the dispatcher our location.

Problem being, Rocky River is a VERY long road, and when I say we were out in the country, we were really out in the country. There were no mailboxes within sight, and walking along a two-lane highway to find one was not something I looked forward to. Unfortunately, she (the dispatcher) had no way of knowing where we were, so help would not be swift in coming.

Then it occurred to genius boy (yep, me): I had a GPS puck.

So, I put it on, paired with my BlackBerry, and was able to give the dispatcher exact cooordinates. The calvary was there in five minutes.

It felt good to be able to help someone in need, and to use the technology at my disposal to do it.

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