Burn Baby Burn

John Wesley once said, "I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn."

Lee and I have been talking a lot about what we're passionate about, about what God's desire is for us, about what to do with the gifts he's given us, about what this thing called eleven72 should be about. We want to be fire starters. We want to tell stories about what God is doing in people and in the world and we want those stories to set fire to people's hearts. It is our prayer today that God would set you on fire. That God would set us on fire. And that people would come to watch us burn.

What I'm listening To

More props to Greg Atkinson at Church Video Ideas for continuing to point the way to outstanding resources for all of us doing life in the trenches. His blog turned me on to two great audio assets this week, both of which can be accessed through his post titled Starving Jesus (which is the name of a really good short film by a guy named Blaine Hogan).

Church 2.0 from Wired Parish.com:

Church 2.0 is a six-part podcast seminar for pastors and ministry leaders. The seminar focuses on using technologies such as podcasting, blogging, and social networking sites to fuel effective ministry.

To subscribe to the Church 2.0 podcast for free, follow this link to Church Video Ideas. The free link to the Church 2.0 podcast in the BONUS section of the Starving Jesus post.

Francis Chan's message from Passion '07:

I listened to Chan's message this morning, "Passionately Loving God in A Lukewarm Church," and it changed my life. I know that's a huge thing to say but you've got to hear this message. Chan challenges us on our whether or not we really want God's will for our lives and then he paints a picture from Scripture of what should be the object of our desire. And the picture he paints is so compelling it made me want to drop everything and plunge headlong into the arms of God.

Here's a link to that message available from iTunes.

Church Video Ideas




Lee and I were in Dallas yesterday, where we had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with Greg Atkinson, whose blog Church Video Ideas should be a must regularly read for anyone involved with media or technology in the church.

Greg is a worship leader, a speaker, a teacher and an all around and down to earth expert on using music and media to communicate the gospel of Christ. He's also a great guy to hang out and eat Mexican food with.

Lee and I left Dallas with some fresh new ideas for eleven72. Most importantly, we left encouraged and inspired to keep doing what we love to do - create media that helps communicate the life changing message of Jesus. Thanks Greg!

I encourage everyone to surf over to Church Video Ideas and check out what Greg is up to and what Greg is about. And while you're at it, check out the podcast that Greg does with Anthony Coppedge (jump to the podcast). It's one of the best produced podcasts I've ever listened to.

Here is some of Greg's bio copied from the about section of his blog:

Greg has a degree in church music and has done graduate work in worship, leadership and communication. He helped create, develop and lead WorshipHouse Media, while serving as Director there until the summer of 2006.

Greg is a frequent guest worship leader and plays in the i55 praise band each Tuesday night, where young adults, college age through 30-something gather to worship. He enjoys songwriting, arranging, creating worship backgrounds and producing videos for ministry.

Greg continues to consult and teach at conferences across the country, including NRB, NAB, GMA, InfoComm, Moody Bible Pastors’ Conference, the National Church Music Conference, Purpose Driven Worship Conference and the Christian Musician Summit. He also writes for a number of magazines, websites and newsletters and works as a freelance consultant, teacher, and writer - specializing in areas such as music and worship, creative communication, media ministry and engaging the senses in corporate worship.

You can hear Greg, along with Anthony Coppedge, through their podcast: Creative Synergy. Greg writes regularly for Christian AV Magazine, Vision Magazine, Technologies for Worship Magazine, Worship Arts and Technology Magazine, Church Production Magazine, LifeWay’s “Let’s Worship” magazine and Christianity Today’s FaithVisuals. He also does a weekly column for Monday Morning Insight as well as occasional articles for REV Magazine and Preaching Magazine.