Message Prep Tools

At the last Tampa Bay Church Planters Network gathering on Monday I shared some of my message prep tools all printed out for everyone to see. Here is how that looked:

Bible Online

• http://www.biblegateway.com/ (easiest to cut and paste into message text)
• http://www.crosswalk.com/ (better selection of translations)

Study Tools

• “The Bible Exposition Commentary” Volume 1 & 2 by Warren W. Wiersbe
• http://www.bibleinfo.com/ (330 topics and Biblical perspective on each)

Other Guys Stuff to Feed On

• http://www.pastors.com/ (Rick Warren is tough to beat if you can add some creativity)
• http://www.creativepastors.com/ (Ed Young Jr. & Fellowship Church content)
• http://www.willowcreek.com/ (Willow’s site, tough navigation, check out some Axis talks)
• http://www.lifechurch.tv/ (Craig Groeschel, Open Content is FREE!)
• http://www.wiredchurches.com/ (Grainger Community’s new site)
• http://www.northpoint.org/ (Andy Stanley, can buy CD’s but no transcripts or creative content)
• http://www.sermoncentral.com/ (Sermons by everyday you & me, great if you have time to sort)

Guys to Watch

• http://www.fellowshipchurch.com/ (usually you can watch Ed’s talks)
• http://www.northpoint.org/ (I always watch Andy each week, you will need Flash)
• http://www.lifechurch.tv/ (I am watching more of Craig, have to get past his voice)
• http://www.fotw.org/ (Kerry Shook at Fellowship of the Woodlands in Houston)
• http://www.newspring.cc/ (Perry Nobel, you have to watch a guy that adds 5,000 in a year)

Guys on the Edge

• http://www.marshill.org/ (Rob Bell, the guy is too smart for me, great communicator)
• http://www.marshillchurch.org/ (Mark Driscoll, “the cussing pastor”)

Creative Content

• http://www.sermonspice.com/ (great videos from multiple sites and easy searching)
• http://www.bluefishtv.com/ (only $1.99 per video!!!)
• http://www.youtube.com/ (can find some great stuff, low quality, convert using http://www.vixy.net/)
• http://www.fye.com/ (you can find music videos on DVD for a lot of “secular” music)
• http://www.willowcreek.com/ (great place for dramas)

Hope this helps you take your study, content, and delivery to the next level. Learn from the best out there. Your people deserve it!!!

your WORK matters

This Sunday at Church of the Suncoast we begin a brand new series called, "your WORK matters." This is one of those topics that some of the more traditional churches might not ever talk about. They might say we are, "Watering down the Bible..."

But, here is my thinking on this. You will spend over 1/3 of your life at work. Why in the world would a church not talk about that? Many of us spend more time with the people we work with then we do with our own families. The truth of the Bible is God has some important things He wants to do in and through you at the office, at school, or working at home. So this Sunday we dive into the first of those. For more info you can e-mail me at brian@canthisbechurch.com

The Blogging Church

Since you are reading my blog, my guess is, a large percentage of you also have a blog. If you are in the ministry check out this new book from the guys at Fellowship called:

"The Blogging Church"

In it you will find the why's, the what's, and the how's, to using this powerful tool to connect people to your church or ministry.

My thought is... Don't be afraid to use this new tool to reach people and connect people. I am by no means great at this, but I have found it effective. It also allows you to pass on the knowledge and insight you have gained to the next generations. Give it a look today!

Q: Asking Questions

I was talking to another church planter today who went to a local church conference and had some push back to it. As I thought about the situation I remembered something that has helped me tremendously as a young church planter. Keep asking questions!!!

Questions, questions, questions. The biggest things I have learned in my life have come through questions. For example Hal Mayer, who planted Church @ the Bay, was a guy who I picked his brain clean when we were about a year out from launching. I still to this day call him just to ask questions. Relationships like that are worth thousands of dollars in mistakes I might have made if I had not asked questions. We need to be asking questions of people way out in front of us... I just got back from the C3 Conference at Fellowship and that was a place to ask far out questions. We also need to ask questions of people not so far out... I have a network of church planters called the Tampa Bay Church Planters Network that is a place to ask people like Hal questions. He is at 500 people. We are at 100. He is 2 years old, we are almost 1 year. Finally, we need to ask questions of people behind us that are up and coming... A lot of times they are up on new trends that we have missed. They challenge our systems and paradigms.

So my advice to him and you is ask some questions. The moment we stop asking questions is the moment we miss the chance to move God's church further down the field.

Website Back Up :-)

Church of the Suncoast's website www.CanThisBeChurch.com is back up and running. Wow, what did churches do before websites and e-mail... that is a scary thought.