One more thing about Sprout--the incredible new web-based program for easily creating cool content for your website, email newsletters and more.
Sprout also features click-tracking for every project. Thus, a media player featuring your own custom graphics, such as the one found at the top-left on the new Crown True Financial Freedom Stories blog, takes just a few minutes to build with Sprout and allows you to accurately gauge visitor interest and tweak your offerings accordingly.
What are you waiting for? Sign up for a free account today and Sprout some cool new content, to the glory of God!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
I Almost Forgot...Sprout Also Comes with Stat Tracking! - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog
Has Your Ministry Sprouted Lately? - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog
I know, strange headline. But the question pertains to a new technology that you don't have to possess an advanced computer sciences degree or be the church "techie-in-residence" to use to greatly impact your ministry.
Sprout is a new web-based program from the makers of ChipIn. ChipIn produces cool widgets to enable folks to give to ministries and other non-profits online. See the eye-popping Chip-In widget to the left of this post, through which you can give to Lucky Rock Ministries and keep this blog rolling. Check out a short video of the Sprout Builder demo launch here.
Sprout is nothing short of awesome! If you're like me, you want to create cool, interactive stuff for your website, emails and more that the Spirit might use to push believers and non-believers alike toward Christ. Unfortunately, even the best software, such as Flash CS3 doesn't make it easy to create "rich content." Thus, most ministry folks are left out in the cold.
Enter Sprout.
Sprout allows you to build jukeboxes, slideshows and other cool stuff through a simple drag-and-drop interface. Sprout even allows you to upload "assets" such as pictures, music files and sermon audio/video. For an example of what you, yes you, can do in just a few minutes with Sprout, check out the audio player found at the top-left of the recently-created Crown True Financial Freedom Stories blog.
Some of you more tech-savvy readers will find Sprout doesn't let you do all the really cool Flash fly-ins, etc. But Sprout isn't for the ministry tech gurus who know ActionScript, Flex, and Flash. It's for folks who want to create cool content on the fly.
Though Sprout is still in beta-testing, this program delivers. I strongly encourage you to sign up for a free account today and have some fun. And if enough of you ask for it, I'll soon post a mini Sprout tutorial.
Sprout often. . .
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Biblical Ministry Partnerships and Networking: Part Two - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog
Last time we discussed biblical ministry partnerships, we focused on the kind of teamwork to avoid--namely those who are not centered on Christ as measured not by their rhetoric but by His Word. Now let's quickly look at a couple basic principles and examples of truly biblical partnerships through which God works to advance His kingdom and bring Himself glory. While the Scriptures abound with examples, for the sake of time we'll take our inspiration from Paul's letter to the Philippians.
Paul loved the Philippians. They shared in his suffering and his ministry. They even supported him financially when nobody else did. He wanted them to continue walking strong in the faith and to follow his example thereof. Paul and the Philippians' teamwork together for God's glory and Paul's comments about it, provide us with a solid model for working with other believers to fulfill Christ's Great Commission.
Again, because of the time limits imposed by a blog post, I'll focus now on Paul's instructions about spiritual purity & unity and following his example. Next time we'll look at Paul's kind words to the Philippians about his fellow laborers Epaphroditus, Tychicus and Timothy and how we should emulate their service and lifestyle.
In 1:9-11, Paul prays that the Philippians that they would have overflowing love based in knowledge from God and rightly discern between good and evil, with the endgame of approving the things that are morally excellent, that they may live truthfully and without blame until the return of Christ, bearing inner fruit coming from right standing with God which comes through Jesus Christ, to God's glory and praise.
That's a mouthful! As you consider this passage, ask yourself if you're personally striving to meet this standard. And consider if your current and prospective ministry partners are likewise endeavoring after Jesus Christ our Lord. If not, as hard as it may be, you shouldn't continue working together until you get it right. On the flip side, you should actively seek out those who meet Paul's Spirit-inspired standard for individual and community vitality.
Later Paul exhorts the Philippians to make his joy complete by, "being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent one purpose," (Phil. 2:2). The Philippians, and believers today, are to be of the same mind, that is, the mind of Christ, (1 Cor. 2:16). We are to actively preserve the same love--love for Christ and love for each other in Christ, (Matt. 22:37-40). We are to be united in spirit--joined in a community ethos bent on the things of God. And we are to be intent on one purpose. What purpose? For that let's look to Paul's words in Philippians 3: 13b-17:
"Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are complete, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. Brethren, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us."
The goal is Christ Jesus. Earlier Paul told his readers that his goal was to lay hold of that which for Christ laid hold of him--eternal life in Christ.
Notice also in 3:13-17 that Paul encourages the Philippians to follow his example, as opposed to the wicked teaching and living of those "whose end is destruction." His example was one of unfettered, full-throttle following after Christ and teaming with other like-minded believers.
Do your ministry partners meet this standard? Or do they simply call themselves brothers and bail on biblical purity, goal-setting, and living? You'll know by measuring yourself and your co-laborers by the Spirit's words to the Philippians through Paul. Act accordingly and you will indeed set a great example for other ministry networks and churches to follow.
In the next post in this series, we'll look at the characteristics of Epaphroditus, Tychicus, and Timothy--three of Paul's Spirit-led co-bondservants in Christ Jesus. Until then, let me know about your experiences with ministry partnerships--good, bad, and otherwise.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Theology Bleeds - Getting Serious about the Great Commission - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog
Later today I'll deliver the second part of my series on biblical ministry partnerships. In the meantime, check out this incredible communique from Dr. Russell Moore--Dean of the
Dr. Moore wrote this email to students and faculty at Southern Seminary--people who, along with us, are supposed to be busy fulfilling Christ's Great Commission. As you read, pray about how the Spirit might work in you and through you to heed Dr. Moore's battle cry...
"I’m concerned about something, and I’d like to ask you to join me in prayer and action about it.
It seems to me that too many of our churches—and too many of us—think of the Great Commission as little more than Jesus’ way of promoting a Christmas offering or of marketing an evangelistic video series.
Too many theologians—even pastor-theologians—tend sometimes to ignore the Great Commission. After all, isn’t it a “practical” exhortation, better left to denominational bureaucrats and women’s missionary auxiliary leaders? At the same time, too many missionaries and evangelists tend to ignore theology. After all, what does abstract theorizing have to do with Jesus’ ultimate church-wide missions emphasis—the Great Commission?
The problem, whenever the Great Commission is taken for granted, is the eclipse of Jesus.
We in the
The Great Commission points to faith in Christ and the forgiveness of sins as the vehicle for cosmic restoration and the salvation of the world. Those reconciled to God through Christ are receiving more than personal freedom from guilt—they are becoming “sons of God” who share with Jesus in an inheritance that includes the entire created order (Ps 89; Rom 4:13, 8:15-17; Gal 3:27-4:7).
The Great Commission is a theology of cosmic warfare—a theology centering on the unveiling of the long-hidden mystery of Christ and his church. It means the overthrow of the ancient powers that have long held the creation captive through sin and death. It means the triumph of a resurrected Messiah over every principality and power hostile to the reign of the Creator. It means that God is keeping his promises to his anointed King.
It means war.
In the end, demonic powers don’t tremble before denominational programs or bureaucratic public relations campaigns. What they fear is something more ancient, more mysterious, and more personal. What they fear is not a program, but a person—with a name, an authority, and an inheritance. Since the church bears the Spirit of the Anointed One (1 Pet 4:14), the satanic powers lash out violently against it (John 15:25-16:11).
Their question to the missionary advance of the church is the same question they once voiced to the church’s King in his hometown synagogue: “Have you come to destroy us?” When the church is faithful to the commission of its Warrior-King, the answer is heard by an expectant creation even when it is not voiced—“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom 16:20). And that is what Jesus would call “good news.”
In the year 2008, I am challenging all of us in the
Soon you will be receiving in the mail a card to help you join with me in prayer and action. I am asking all of you to commit to pray for the lost—specific lost people that you know. I am asking all of you to share the gospel with at least one lost person at least once a week. And I am asking us to do this not just as individuals but also as a community of scholar-preachers.
Take a look at the card. Pray about it. And enlist in this battle. Let me know of your commitment to renew your efforts at Great Commission warfare. Join with a small group of other students—a Great Commission Group—to hold one another accountable, and to pray with one another about sharing the gospel.
These Great Commission groups will not meet at a formal time assigned by me. You decide with the people you enlist to join with you when and how often to pray together and to talk together.
Go door-to-door witnessing together. Organize an evangelistic block party. The possibilities are endless. Let me know how it is going in your battalion, and let me know of ways we can be even more effective in equipping Great Commission warriors.
Additionally, check the
Above all, let your affections be broken for the lost. And let’s join with our God in pleading with sinners to be reconciled to God’s Kingdom through the shed blood and the empty tomb of Jesus. Let’s join in the unseen battle with our tears, our feet, our voices, and our hearts.
And remember, theology means a word about God. Scripture tells us that the definitive Logos about our Theos is not a systematic theology text or a Hebrew grammar, as important as these are. He is not a “what,” but a “Who.” He is our brother, and our Lord. He cries for sinners, loves them, warns them of the wrath to come, and promises them the ends of the universe if they turn to him.
Theology doesn’t just think. Theology walks. Theology weeps. Theology bleeds.
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