Customer Service Matters

Date June 18, 2007

razr.jpgI just wasted 2 hours of my life! My recently purchased cell phone has a defect. The screen went black. Never dropped or damaged in any way. So I go to the store I purchased it from and ask for assistance. He says I need to call the warranty line. So I go home and call the warranty phone number. This person proceeds to tell me that my phone warranty ID was never registered and that I needed to go to the store to have it verified. So I traveled back to the store and was told that the number has been registered. Then I am told to sit and call the warranty line again. (Did I mention there was a hold time of over 15 minutes each time I called that number?) Then I had to have the store associate get on the phone and verify the ID number on the back of the phone. All of this because I was sold a defective phone. I never once received an apology - we are sorry - or anything. All I can say is that now I understand why they lock you into a contract. Read the rest of this entry »

iTunes U

Date May 30, 2007

I just downloaded the new update to iTunes and noticed something that I have never noticed before (maybe it is new with the update).  It is called “iTunes U”.  It is a collection of free podcasts from schools, universities, and seminaries.  You can even find an entire beginning Greek class.  It is definitely worth a look.

Listen to the heart of a missionary

Date May 29, 2007

My friend Kyle recently posted about his heartfelt desire to reach Thailand for Christ. Read his words here. May we all feel this same passion and desire to give up everything so that those around us may respond to Christ.

How the West was informed . . .

Date May 12, 2007

Bob Roberts, a pastor I heard in person for the first time last month, has some simple, clear instruction for pastors/church planters.

Read it here.

Sharing your faith and making disciples

Date May 7, 2007

Lately, I have been having an ongoing conversation about sharing our faith and making disciples. It tends to be a conversation not about if we should share our faith, but how and when we should share our faith. Most of my friends are working at making disciples, but some (including me at times) struggle with knowing the best approach to share our faith in each situation. Our mission has been set before us (Matthew 28:19-20). The question is how do we best accomplish it.

My short answer is to “always be ready” as Peter says. Sharing your faith and making disciples must coincide with a disciplined intake of God’s word. We must be reading his revelation to us. Making disciples of others must also coincide with our own sanctification. In other words, we must be “working out our own salvation”. We need to seek accountability from a few people who we give the authority to speak truth to us. God uses these people (along with scripture) to “renew our minds.” Finally we must seek opportunities. We must remember everyday that we have been sent to make disciples. We must love those around us at work, school, or our neighborhood in such a way that they ask why we are the way we are. We must also be ready to share our faith at a moments notice. You can not have it all together before you begin to share your faith and make disciples, but you need to be in the process.

A great article was recently posted by Dr. Ed Stetzer on begining a conversation about Jesus. It is a must read.

What will your legacy be?

Date May 2, 2007

I found this little piece of news in the USA Today. This got me thinking, especially after reading a post from my friend in Thailand. Here is the short news story:

MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — Paul Wellener’s family found the perfect marker for his grave: two blue plastic seats from the Three Rivers Stadium auction. Wellener, a lifelong football fan and a Pittsburgh Steelers season ticket holder for 42 years, died unexpectedly on March 16. Wellener’s son, Paul, and widow, Mary Ann, bought three pairs of stadium seats for $2,100 at an auction — and knew they had found the perfect gravestone.

So when your friends and family remember you after your passing, what will be the one thing that will dominate the conversation?

Welcome to the new Creatingmovement.com

Date April 27, 2007

It is now time to introduce you to the new, revamped blog. I have decided to turn this into a more personal blog. It will still contain thoughts about church multiplication and making disciples, but I will also add other things that might seem out of place on the other blog. Also if you have any suggestions please let me know.

Welcome to CM

Chris

NNCC - Day 3

Date April 26, 2007

I really enjoyed my time today. It was by far the best day! The first session was with Alan Hirsch. It was tremendous as he spent time explaining the concepts of liminality and communitas. He defines liminality as a situation in which people do not know how to interpret or deal. It is a situation that makes you rely on those around you to make it through. The example Alan gave was an African tribe in which the young men are taken from the womens camp and left in the African bush.

Read the rest of this entry »

NNCC Day 2 - Dave Ferguson

Date April 25, 2007

Dave Frgeson spoke at the final plenary session for the evening. He had some good things to say but he obviously applies them differently than I would. Multiplication was the theme of his talk.

Acts 1:8 “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.”

What is it going to take for us to see Rapid Reproduction?

Read the rest of this entry »

NNCC Day 2 - Ed Stetzer

Date April 25, 2007

This morning Ed Stetzer lead the main session. His assigned topic was the phrase “You shall be my witnesses” found in Acts 1:8. However, he used the text: Acts 16:7-10 to help explain this phrase.

Below are my notes from the session.

Multiplication can only take place when we see believers multiply.

Read the rest of this entry »