Earlier today, I posted about Ken Miller’s review of Erwin McManus’s The Barbarian Way. After I read Ken’s blog about the book, I went out to run some errands and picked up the book. I started thumbing through it, and actually ended up reading/scanning it all the way through. WHILE I WAS DRIVING! (OK, OK! I know…but it is a book about being a barbarian, after all! Right?)

Anyway, it is a small book in size, and it is very easy to read. But it packs a pretty good wallop of challenging thoughts and ideas. I’ll post some after while (but now I’ve got to go do my voluntary citizen’s duty, and finish my income tax return!)

Buy the book! But as KenBob said in his review…

Brace yourself!

One of my redneck buddies, Ken Miller, updated his blog – finally! (Just kidding, Ken…I’ll take the good stuff you post whenever you post it!)

He recommends Erwin McManus’s newest book, and his post includes this gem…

Here’s an excerpt that will remain a priceless jewel as long as the established church is stuck in the mire of man-made tradition:

“With insects most of us know that bees are called swarms, and ants are called colonies. Among ocean life, I was aware that whales are pods, and fish are schools. Cattle are herd, birds are flocks, and if you watch Lion King, you know a tribe of lions is a pride. If you grew up in the country, you might know that crows are murders. Maybe the most unnerving one is an ambush of tigers.”

Brace yourself…….

“I was surprised to learn that a group of buzzards waiting around together to feast on leftover carnage is called a committee. Just this one insight is worth the price of the whole book. This explains so much of what’s going on in churches – a lot of committees waiting around to live off human carnage.”

Erwin Raphael McManus

Ken – who has a knack for getting right to the point in some creative ways – ends his post with this…

* The cost of pastoring established, unhealthy churches – 3 years of religious detox.
* The cost of The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus – $11.55 plus shipping.
* The quote above from the “Resident Alien” – priceless.

Earlier this week, I mentioned in this space that I’m reading 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by the gang over at North Point Community Church. There’s some pretty good stuff in the book – and I’m only on the first “explanatory” chapter about what it means to “clarify the win.”

Anyway, we read this kind of stuff and we think, “OK, that’s all good – for the big ol’ churches that have the resources and staff and all that. But it’s not for us ‘regular Joes.'” We think all that and then we read in the 7 Practices book that one of the ostensibly “big church effective” things that North Point does actually came from one of those “regular Joe” churches. The section about using video testimonies in connection with baptisms includes this little paragraph…

In fairness, I must point out that we got the idea of shooting video testimonies from a small church in our area. You should always be on the lookout for creative ways to communicate the win. (p. 82)

Now, I could nitpick, and say it would’ve been really cool for the North Point “big boys” to actually name the “small church in our area” where they got the idea – that would’ve been a huge win for the small church. But the fact that they included that “admission” was pretty encouraging for me.

I’ve often said that some of the best preaching, most creative programming, etc. is going on every single week in some of the most “obscure” places. Every bit as “good” and effective as the mega-guys – just not as noticed. Whatever “small church in our area” did the video testimony thing probably borrowed it from somebody else. They thought it was cool. And they probably never expected that God would use that idea to bless North Point, and through North Point, to bless the rest of the Kingdom!

The moral of the story? Be on the lookout for good stuff – everywhere and anywhere you go. It’s not just the big boys who have great ideas.

God bless the “regular Joes and Janes”! Help us be as committed to excellence for Your Kingdom’s sake as the big guys. And help us be appreciative when the big guys give us a shout!

I’ve long been a fan of what is commonly called “new age” music…you know, that kind of ambient stuff that creates good backgrounds for working or relaxing or whatever…

I’ve also been a fan for a couple of years of AccuRadio…it started when I discovered their Christmas music channels a couple of years back.

Yesterday, I got an e-mail heads-up about the newest channels at AccuRadio…a collection they call Textures. It features a lot of piano- and accoustic guitar-based stuff (think Windham Hill, Jim Brickman, Yanni, etc.) and some other goodies – some you’ve heard of and some that are pretty obscure.

Is it great music in the “great music” sense of the word? Naaaah, probably not. But if you’re looking for a good source of new age stuff, you might want to head on over and check it out.

(Oh, you bemoaners of “pomo crap” – and you know who you are, Gary – you might want to stay away…just a thought!)

Tonight I was looking for something particular, but I came across this in the Book of Common Prayer…

In the Morning

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring
forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

Interesting that I found it while trying to find something else to encourage a woman who is facing cancer. I believe it will encourage her, but I got my dose, too.

I go through these spurts sometime when I can’t wait to discover new and cool stuff on the Web. I still think it’s amazing to sit here in northwest Georgia and connect instantaneously with people, places, ideas, and events around the world!

But lately, it seems I fire up the computer, check my e-mail, hit my feeds at Bloglines, scan the local news and a couple of other sites, and that’s it.

Oh, sure…there are times when I spend a good deal of time looking for something specific – research – but right now, at least, those days are fewer and further between.

“The Boy” has gone from classic rock through a (thankfully!) short-lived gangsta rap stage to now, when he’s on a country kick.

Well, kind of country, anyway! He’s into folks like this, this, and this???

C’mon…gimme a break, already! (What in the world does somebody from Australia know about Nashville?)

If it ain’t this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and of course, this, it might be better than a lot of things…but IT AIN’T COUNTRY!!! (Oh, and on a related note, just remember this indisputable truth of life: “It don’t matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the king!”)

Oh, well…at least he hasn’t latched onto this poseur…YET!

I’ll be re-reading the McManus book, after watching him on James Robison’s show the other night. I’ve had the 7 Practices for a while, but this will be the first opportunity I’ve had to get into it at all. Half of a Moleskine left and some smokin’ Mirado Black Warrior #2s…gonna be fun!

Check out today’s Peanuts over here!

It’s got to be the right ball! Check out this article about the CEO of Ryanair from Terry Paulson’s Message of Mastery and Mirth e-mail newsletter…

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, isn’t known for holding back: “I’m just a small, loud-mouthed Irish guy running the lowest-fare airline in Europe. We are what we are. Our corporate results are the barometer of our success. Comparing management styles is for the Muppets who write management books. I’m focusing on our business, not my management style. There are three signs when things are starting to go wrong in a company: The CEO announces new headquarters, buys a helicopter and then writes a ‘how to’ book. These are three signs of somebody taking their eyes off the ball.”

While recently providing leadership programs in the UK and Brussels, I was able to read insights from some top European leaders. Just like Southwest Airlines in the states, Ryanair is a budget airline that can teach us all important lessons about giving customers what they want. Ryanair has developed a valid business model to deliver a lot of customer value – They attract customers of all ages and occupations in search of cheap, simple air travel from point A to point B. Ryanair is hugely successful, but it still gets complaints regarding their bare-bones service. Those complaints don’t phase Mr. O’Leary. He asserts that customers whine because they refuse to ‘read the Ryanair label.’ They fantasize about what they would like Ryanair to be, but the budget airline keeps its focus totally clear! Ryanair offers the lowest airfare, with safe and normally on-time service. That’s it! It works because O’Leary keeps his airline focused in delivering only that. His eyes are squarely on the right ball!

Know what you are and what you are not! Don’t chase unprofitable tangents. Never let complacency and pride stall strategic growth and progress. What is the ball your team should be focused on? Work to keep your focus where it belongs.