This last week was one for the books…in a good way. If you follow along with my adventures than maybe you were ‘along for the ride’ this last week as Justin, Rick and myself drove to Chicago by way of Nashville. We hit the road to get the word out about Gateway Church and The Intersection and each day brought something even more amazing than the next and I thought I would put some names down here and thank a few of the people that made this week so flippin’ rad!

Pete Wilson
Pete was our first interviewee…is that a word? Pete is the pastor at Cross Point Church in Nashville. Cross Point has been making a genuine impact in Nashville and I wanted to hear Pete tell the story. Pete was a gracious and accessible host and it was great to sit with him and hear some cool stories. Look for video from the interview on the No Perfect People Allowed blog and here. Check out Pete’s blog.

Randy Elrod
Where do I start? I have been keeping up with Randy on his blog and twitter and I have always really connected with what he has to say and I had a hair brain idea of bringing in our crew and live streaming dinner at Randy’s house. He jumped  on the idea so we invaded and had an epic evening that I think you will see more of. Video of that will be posted all over the place…stand by. We also got to hang out in Chicago for an incredible meal at Terra Gusto followed by en Ed Kowalczyk concert. I cannot wait until Recreate.

Ken Davis
Ken Davis was around a lot of what I was involved in with youth ministry in San Diego in the 90′s. Ken is a communication guru; you may know him as a comedian/speaker at conferences and the like. I’ve always loved Ken and looked up to his skills and passion. It was cool to chat with Ken and break bread at Randy’s house. Video from that coming soon.

Patsy Clairmont
I’ve heard of Patsy and my mom was always reading one of her books but other than that I didn’t know much about Patsy. This lady is awesome! Les and Patsy are a a really fun couple to hang out with…video coming soon also.

Michael Hyatt
I have been a reader of Michael’s blog for a while now and he always has a great point of view on leadership and communication. It was great to finally shake the man’s hand and tell him I’m a fan.

Alece Ronzino & Mandy Thompson
I name them together because they were always within arms reach of each other. Alece is doing some incredible things in Africa that you must check out and get involved in. Mandy is a songwriter that I have bantered with on Twitter in the past and it was cool to finally meet her.

Chad Jarnagin
I met Chad over an incredible 8 course Italian feast and then our crew went to the Ed Kowalczyk show. Chad is a talented musician and worship leader and a great guy to hang out with. Check out Chad’s blog for more.

I met so many more people during the week and I’m probably going to have to drop another post.

Thank you everyone for being cool and sharing the love.

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Odds are you get social media. Of the 7 or 8 people that read my blog most of you are very into social media.

But if by chance you’re not, and you either live in the Des Moines area or are looking for a reason to go there (I keep hearing awesome things), then the Be Deviant Social Media Summit is for you. Even if you are a social media guru or ninja or jedi or whatever…then you should check it out too.

Go to the super awesome website they have set up…it’s sweet.

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*this is a guest post my friend Justin Wise. Go check him out after the read.

Christian ghettos. Sound funny? It shouldn’t. Christians are huge fans of ghettos. They are as inevitable as death and taxes.

When I say “ghetto” I mean a collective group of people located in a certain sector of society, usually based on cultural identifiers. While there are ghettos based on socioeconomic factors, there are also cultural ghettos.

Here’s a dirty little secret, Christians love hanging out in their own ghettos. Ghettos of their own making. Ghettos where they feel safe, warm and protected. Ghettos where no one else is allowed or would dare to go.

Here’s how Christian ghettos typically start:

1. Cultural trend is established.
2. Trend flourishes.
3. Churches and Christian businesses adopt trend slightly after its cultural peak (i.e. on the way down).
4. Christian communities (ghettos) form around dying trend.
5. Culture moves to new trend.
6. Christians hold tightly to dying trend.
7. Community continues to grow around dying trend, “outsiders” are pushed out.
8. Voíla, a Christian ghetto is formed.

Examples abound. Just look here. And here. And here. But one example that seems to be thriving as of late is the trend to form Christian ghettos on the social web. Little pockets in the social media world where Christians, and only Christians, would ever dare to go.

Case-in-point: Your Twitter “Following” list. Take a moment and scan through it briefly. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

What do you see? Do most of the bios of the people you’re following mention:

• God?
• Jesus?
• A favorite Bible verse?
• How hot their wife/husband is?
• The phrase “Living for an audience of One”?
• Is their location noted as “Heaven” or “Seated with Him in Heavenly Places”?

If so, chances are you live in a Christian ghetto.

Are the things mentioned above bad things to have on your Twitter profile? No. Of course not. But I would say it’s less-than-beneficial if these are the only voices you’re hearing in your social media world.

Here’s why: The social web allows you to connect with people that you never would normally. Stoners, lawyers, accountants, students, bakers, politicians, musicians, celebrities, weirdos, creeps and geniuses. They’re all on Twitter and they’re all ready to be listened to.

Same thing with Facebook.
Same thing with blogs.
Same thing with Flickr.

If you’re reading this post and you live in the Christian social media ghetto, my challenge to you today is to move out. Pack up your belongings, saddle up, and ride out. Get the heck out of Dodge, if you know what I’m sayin’. How do you do this? A few different ways:

1. Run a search on Twitter and find a group of people that believe the exact opposite of you. If you’re a Republican, search for Democrats. If you’re Christian, look for atheists. If you’re in ministry, look for people in the marketplace. Then follow them. Lots of them. Then listen to what they’re saying. You don’t need to agree, just listen.
2. Find a Facebook group or fan page of a group that you’d never visit in person. For instance, not too long ago I joined the Atheists Anonymous group on Facebook. I didn’t blurt out how wrong they were and how they would all go to hell, but I observed the culture and watched how they interacted.
3. Offer to meet up with someone in your area who falls into group #1 or #2 and start a dialogue with them. It’s amazing how many differences can be settled when you sit in front of someone and listen.

We’ve lived in Christian ghettos too long. Let’s have the social web be a place where ghettos, at least for now, are really hard to make and inhabit. Let’s be a people who are interested in the lives of others–even those people who aren’t like us. Not as a project. Not so we can “get them saved” (whatever that means). Not even so we can get them to come to our church. But simply because they bear the same image of God that you and I do.

As for me and my house, we’re moving out of the ghetto. What about you?

If you liked what you just read you may like:

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You can catch John Burke live on the internets at 1:00 PM eastern time on Tuesday. John will be on with the good folks at The City.

Here’s the link

You can run and tell that home boy!

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I have been reinventing leadership in my mind for the last couple years. I’d like to think I’m changing the way leaders think all over the world but I’m pretty sure I’m not.

The way leaders communicate has changed from one way platforms to dialogue, conversation and story. I watched the film Art & Copy a few months ago and it really impacted me on a couple thoughts, but one in particular that anyone who desires to move people into action can learn from:

If your story can add value to someone’s life without them ‘buying’ what you’re selling then you’ve nailed it.

This is the new standard. The reality is that the current generation is very good at ignoring you and is overwhelmed by stimuli.

So for you, a communicator, the point is to keep the conversation going so that you earn the right to make the ask (again). If you try to close too fast you’re just going to get ignored.

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I’ve thought it. I’m sure you have too.

“If I only made XX,XXX this year I would be happy”

Well, some researchers did some research, that sounds funny of course they did, and they discovered that, for the average American in the average place in the US, 75,000 dollars a year delivers the peak of ideal day to day happiness.

They determined that people’s day to day outlook improved as they made more money and it stopped at 75K. More than that just meant more stuff and more problems. The Notorious B.I.G. was right! Mo money mo problems.

They did however say that people who made more money did apparently feel better about their life as a whole:

“…That doesn’t mean wealthy and ultrawealthy are equally happy. More money does boost people’s life assessment, all the way up the income ladder. People who earned $160,000 a year, for instance, reported more overall satisfaction than people earning $120,000, and so on…”

So there you go; you just need to make 75,000 dollars next year and you will be stoked. Unless you live in say…San Francisco where 75,000 is enough to rent a 200 square foot flat in the tenderloin district.

So are you happy?

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I was asked a few times… so here are my thoughts.

I come at this issue from two totally different places on one hand I am a Christian and on the other I am an American. Yes the two are mutually exclusive realities contrary to some beliefs. That said I will address the issue twice; as a Christian and as an American

As a Christian

Dude, don’t do it! How does this do anything good? I think even the people who want an excuse to hate Christians more think this guy is way out on the fringe, so I don’t expect the event to set Christianity back at all.

As an American

It’s still dumb, but the guy totally has the right and the freedom to do it and we need to be clear about that. Truth is, if the media didn’t make it into such a big deal barely more than the 40 people that are a part of his church would even know about it. This morning it sits at the top of the US section of Google News.

I did find some humor in all this when President Obama is quoted as saying:

“You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan,”

I know right? Cuz those two places have been bastians of peace lately and we wouldn’t want to shatter their reality.

But I digress.

In conclusion the guy is an idiot and if I’m upset at anyone it’s the media for blowing this thing up (now I’m mad at myself for blogging about it). Maybe we would be better served to worry about the 25,000+ children that died yesterday from malnutrition and preventable sickness?

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I’m not a huge fan of the football.

But I am a fan of competition. So I find myself in a fantasy football league again. I should mention that I am the defending champion of this league. That’s right a California skateboarder came to Texas and beat them at their own game. Everyone of them a football nut…me not so much. I’m hoping to repeat.

I have a team of people who know a lot about fantasy football and I consulted with them very closely and here is the squad I start the season with:

If you know much about football maybe you can let me know if I have a good team, cuz frankly I don’t know a whole lot.

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