Just Come Home

Here's a video from New Spring Church in SC from their Christmas Eve service...powerful!

Christmas Opener: Just Come Home from NewSpring Production on Vimeo.

I Got Your Back

Check out a really great post important to any setting where you work closely with other people. I know it's hard to get past the red monkey butts.

Big Give Sunday!

Generosity by Command. Wow, waytocomethru MCCher's! Our Christmas Big Give offering exceeded our expectations. We're going to bring you a final number later this week. But a big, huge thanks for embracing the country of Kenya and particularly the Agape Christian School and The Water Project. Christmas is coming to Kenya ~

MCCh - Generosity by Command

6 yr old artist Leah Miller, is excited about good, clean drinking water for the people of Kenya and is joining us in our quest to raise $10,ooo to dig a well and put a roof on the Agape Christian School. We're getting other stories of kids getting really focused on collecting change preparing for BIG GIVE Sunday on December 20. What an exciting time to consider the generosity of Jesus to us as we give to others. If you want to give before the 20th please visit firstgiving.com/mcch. Additional information can be found at maplecitychapel.org or at The Water Project.

Soul Purpose Reunion Concerts

Hey everybody if you haven't heard already, after a 4 year hiatus, we're getting back together for a two night gig at LVD's concert hall at the Old Bag Factory in Goshen, In. It's gonna be a fun time, especially if you're there. If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about...we're a group of people that love music and have played together off and on over the past 13 years doing a wide repertoire of music that you'll love. LVD's is charging $10 per tickets plus we hope to restock a local food pantry, so bring a non-perishable food item. Additionally, the tradition at LVD's is that there is a finger food potluck at intermission, so be advised and eat well. Tickets: 574.825.7785

2009 Leadership Summit notes:

Session 7 – Chip and Dan Heath ~ To bring about change, one must appeal to the emotions. Big problem, small solution. In our quest for success, failure is a necessity. Is it a people problem or a situation problem? Bono is up next, then Tony Blair. It's an amazing day.

Session 5 – Dave Gibbons, executive coach; pastor: Our pain and suffering are our connection to humanity. Walk slowly, see the people. Failure is success. Our weaknesses guide us. Relationships trump vision. Best discipleship happens in life on life.... Hang out with people unlike myself. Read authors I disagree with. Understand that obedience is more important than passion

Session 2. Gary Hamel - Atheism has quadrupled since 1990. We should feel grateful that so many people are no longer pretending to be Christian. Church needs to be the most vibrant, adaptable, flexible institution in the world.

The kindest form of management is the truth but in the church world we tend to twist that into avoidance.

1st session Leadership Summit - Bill Hybels: The old “normal” may never return. Rough patches force new levels of courage and commitment. Leaders know that these type of conditions draw out of us elements of leadership that otherwise may remain hidden. Nobody is coming to church for a mild dose of God. All killer no filler! People will still give to a white hot vision. Are we having honest conversation?

The View From Conservative Mennonite Conference

For the second time in as many years I produced the main stage sessions at annual conference. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked but this gives you some idea of what happens.