Mike Walker

Lessons learned from baseball

Every morning I head to Starbucks to grab a Venti Americano and catch up on my ESPN radio.

This morning the announcement came out that Major League Baseball is going to try out instant replay in their fall league. 

A lot of baseball purists are openly speaking out against it as technology shouldn't be a part of the game and it will slow it down (I guess they haven't figure out that it's baseball and there isn't much you can do to make it slower).

The radio host made a brilliant point. He said "do the purists not realize that a good number of people sitting in the stands at the game are working or playing on their PALM or BlackBerry device? They are likely listening to the game on SIRRIUS Satellite radio. They probably purchased their ticket online. And, they probably got to the stadium by using a GPS system. If the people you are trying to reach and connect with are in the 18-28 year old range then they are using technology."

What about in the churches, are you using technology to it's fullest? What audience are you trying to connect with? Are they a group that is tech savvy? If they are then take a leap and meet them where they are and figure out how to incorporate more technology (effective technology) and reach them.

It's ok to try a few things. Going back to some sports examples, the NBA tried enforcing a dress code which many thought would fail and it turned out to be a great thing. At the same time, they also tried introducing a new ball and it didn't last. Point being, try a few things and see where it takes you.

Rebuilding

The past few months have been spent doing some serious evaluation of everything related to Mike Walker Creative, the website, the blog, etc...I have been in talks with Church Media Group out of Keller, Texas. Yuri Star and Travis Gates, the owners, are pretty amazing at what they do. They have a definite grasp of using the web and technology to really connect with people.

There are a ton of of web builders out there. In fact there are are many cheap web building templates online, but building a site that connects and makes sense for your organization is something different. These guys have it figured out.

The Church Media Group will be doing an entire overhaul for Mike Walker Creative over the next weeks so stay tuned. There is some really cool stuff coming down the line!

Leadership - Brady Boyd notes from Gateway Conference

As a leader you will have crisis

*side note - one of the largest challenges todays church faces is the belief by the world that getting saved will begin a disneyesque experience in your life and you will live happily ever after

1-crisis will test your leadership
Acts chapter 9 - saul - verse 26 - barnabus was the one who saw the potential in saul
Saul got saved and didn't have a disneyesque experience - as a church we have to fight the notion that once you get saved your life will be a disneyesque experience.....its a lie the world believes

Leadership that is not tested can not be trusted

Your first election comes from your church (they may choose you as their preacher), but until you pass the test they won't choose u as leader
*positions are man given while leadership is God given

Brady referenced the scandal that had happened with the predecessor at his church. He mentions that the younger generation wasn't too phased by it. The students and younger generation expects leaders to fail which is why they weren't affected by the haggard scandal

Crisis will confirm your faith-in a crisis you will quickly determine what your values are

You need to write down what your non negotiables are-you don't get to decide what ur core is during a crisis

Whatever you are willing to negotiate with the enemy you will lose

In james it reminds us that when we go through trials of any kind to pray for wisdom

Our opinions have never changed anyones life-truth changes peoples lives

Crisis will reveal God to the world by how we respond

There are 2 times the eyes of the world will be on you...1-when you are successful and 2-when you are in crisis

God trains you for the assignment he gives you

Acts 8:1-this is when God placed growth in the church

Persecution makes us better-the lessons you can learn are priceless

Every plan the enemy has against Gods children has backfired and will backfire

Apple is changing the game

Apple announced yesterday that there is an update to Apple TV coming in the next few weeks and months. You will soon be able to rent movies directly from your Apple TV device. I hate going in Blockbuster stores so this is huge for me.

This news started my brain going. I have been doing some extensive research and reading on the topic of broadcast culture versus digital culture. Here's how it relates in this instance. Broadcast tv, radio, etc...decides what's going to be the show you will watch or the program you will listen to at a certain time. In a digital culture the options are more wide open. Imagine you being able to tune in whatever you wanted when you wanted. I could elaborate more on this, but I'll leave that for later.

So what does that have to do with church?

Most churches have audio, video, teaching materials, etc...that the public can go online and access. In some cases there is a cost involved and in some it's free information. What if...WHAT IF....the public could access all your material at any given time, watch it when they want or read it when they want? What if we were able to basically set up our own networks so people could access it and build their own playlist?

Think about it, not only would this allow public to listen to or watch what they want from your organization when they want to, but think about what you could learn about your audience. Your audience will automatically tell you what THEY think you are great at communicating about. The information that would be collected could drastically tell you how well you are doing with branding...if you are branding at all.

Again, I could go on and on about this....and I will be.....but I think the possibilities of thinking in a digital world open whole new spaces for us in the church world to start considering.

Senator Grassley Investigation Update

The deadline for the 6 ministries publicly named in the Grassley investigation was this week.

I had a conversation recently with a friend who I used to work with who is fairly worried about the investigation and how it will affect churches long term and whether or not it affected the whole seperation of church and state.

The issue has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do with privelege. By signing up as a 501c3 tax exempt organization it carries a lot of benefit. It also carries a large responsibility. The investigation is merely wanting to ensure that money people give to organizations are going to worth while ministry and not lavish lifestyles.

For those of you who dabble in stocks, when you choose to invest in a company you most likely want to know how they spend their money so as to know where your money is going. Would you invest in a company that spends frivolously? Of course not...

As a giver you should have that same desire....how is the money being spent? You can agree or disagree with it, but I think it's ok to ask. Everytime you say yes to one organization you say no to another. Knowing where your money is going is a big deal. There are organizations out there doing a GREAT job of making sure the money you give goes to what you think you are giving to.....I know others who do not.

The issue here is not religion or theology, it's merely tax laws and benefits and whether or not some of them are being abused. Our government set up laws for us to live by. They also set up some benefits for those involved in ministry. I personally don't have a problem with them checking to make sure that organizations are staying above board. We live in this society and we should honor the laws and governing folks above us.

If ministries want the privelege of maintaining 501c3 tax exempt status then don't be upset about disclosing the information. If you want to exist in a commercial society and have all the benefits of a lavish lifestyle, then don't worry about your tax exempt status. It was set up to aid organizations that are trying to do charitable work.....not make it a tax shelter for those who want to make a ton of money under a religious umbrella.

Here is a link for an article I came across that might shed some light on the investigation.

Great thoughts on email

I read the following post from Phil Cooke who had some great thoughts on email.

I recieve on average 55-70 emails a day (not including junkmail) and it is so easy for me to get caught up in quickly responding that I could eat up my entire day doing nothing but emailing. I forget sometimes, that while email is nice and handy you also need to completely think through what you type.

Take a minute and read this. It will help you both personally and professionally. If you don't have policies regarding email I would encourage you to put some in place. It can bite you real quick...

Senator Grassley Investigation

I have waited a while to put any thoughts out there on this subject as I am really torn. Several folks have taken the stance that the Christian Community should be outraged by the investigation concerned that once the government gets involved they won't get out. Others, meanwhile, have remained silent...which I know has frustrated several people in the Christian community.

Having grown up in the church (my dad was a minister) I have been around churches and many non-profits. There are some really GREAT organizations that are doing it right. In fact, I know some of the organizations that are on the list and have had the privelege to do work with them. Some of them are operate very much above reproach. This doesn't mean they are perfect, but they do make every effort to stay away from what would be considered "gray" areas.

Unfortunately, just as there are those doing it right, there are also those who are taking advantage of the system and finding every loophole. They have the wrong people around them advising them and empowering them to take advantage of the system. It's because of these organizations that we could use some reform in the system.

It's not just the Grassley investigation, but there have been other non-profits in the news just here in Dallas about questionable financial practices in relation to donors.

Let me be clear, I don't have any issue with people making good money. I know several ministers who have made lots of money, own large houses, planes, etc...and I don't have a problem with it. God has given them business relationships outside the church and God has blessed them. Whether it be real estate, book sales, speaking, etc...they have done other things to make their money....AND...they are transparent about it. I applaude them.

There are also those taking crazy salaries, making extravagant purchases, homes, etc...and willing to be open with their books. Here's the thing, if a business is a publicly held company then as a person investing you would have every right to inquire as to how the money is being spent. I realize the church is not publicly held, but if ministers stand up and ask for money and do fund raising I feel like the people who are giving should have the right to know where the money is going. If you disagree with how the money is spent you would invest elsewhere and you also might give elsewhere. Again, I don't have a problem with the purchases as long as you are willing to also own up to them and let the people know what and who they are giving to.

It's been interesting to watch how the various ministries have responded as well. Some have had no problem with complying which tells me they probably don't have anything to hide. Some have blasted the Senator (these are the ones who could use PR help by the way). I heard a quote in a movie once that said "there is no use in difusing a bomb after it has already gone off"...while I am sure most of us would rather not have people looking through our books, at this point it might be best to just comply...especially if you don't have anything to hide. If you feel like you have to hide it, then maybe you shouldn't be doing it. It keeps you out of gray areas.

I doubt that the Senate will make an example of anyone unless there are some serious improprieties, but I do think there will be some reform.

I know there are those who think the government should not be stepping in, but at the same time IF, I repeat IF, there are things wrong, then whose job is it? The boards? So what do you do when the board is hand picked by the leader? While there needs to be seperation of church and state, the scriptures also tell us to abide by the law of our land.

It's all very tricky and it's a very interesting time in our country. I would hope that IF there is anything found in any of the ministries that are on the list that they would make the proper efforts to make things right. Until we know more I will be watching along with the rest of you.

Days ahead

My brother-in-law is graduating from Arizona State this week (Congrats Kirk!!) Ginger flew out to Phoenix to hang with the fam some which leaves me here in Dallas for a couple of days holding down the homefront.

My first item on my to-do list is to actually catch up a bit on rest. I have been extremely run down the past couple of weeks and I am just not feeling very creative or inspired. Hopefully I can catch up on some rest before I hit all the to-do items around the house.

I'm about to head out the door down the road to Walmart and pick up a couple of things and then the Mavs play tonight and I intend on being firmly planted in front of the TV...Go Mavs!