Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise

Are you smarter than a 3rd grader?

Easton's third grade class is working through a series of math, language arts and reading problems to increase their understanding of economics. They're using a series of videos to cover five basic concepts:

1. Scarcity - You can't have everything you want. Choices must be made.
2. Opportunity Cost - This is what you give up when you choose one thing over another.
3. Consumption - We are all consumers. We decide what goods and services to use to satisfy our wants.
4. Production - Producers combine resources to make goods and services.
5. Interdependence - Our well-being is partly dependent on the behavior of others. We specialize to increase our well-being.

As we sat around the table last night talking about making hard choices, producing things and depending on each other... I'm reminded in a clear and simple way that our country at large is not smarter than a 3rd grader. Nor am I. Easton walked through decision trees and made up several practical examples on his own using our family circumstances to prove his point. I was impressed as he led the discussion:

"Let's say mom only made 3 turkey burgers for dinner. There's four of us. You see, what we have here is a problem of economics. We will have some choices to make..."

I'm loving this. I never thought I could have so much fun talking about economics around the dinner table with the family. I've got more to learn.

Do you want to collide cultures to impact culture?

Yeah, but how? Glad you asked.

Many consider South by Southwest (SXSW)to be the best interactive media conference in the world. (To get an idea...just look at some of the speakers from last year.) Unfortunately, SXSW has had little if any content for churches in the past. You can change that.

We should be able to go to one place to not only learn from technology leaders but also share unique content about how to leverage the best technology for ministry. All in one place. Come on. Let's be smart about this and help leverage culture to save culture. All you have to do is vote.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS. (As a matter of fact... go ask your mom to vote, too.) Out of 2,200 submissions, only 300 make the cut.

FIRST STEP: Create a free profile for voting. You'll get an email confirmation and then...

SECOND STEP: Hit each link below and click the "thumbs up" icon to vote for each church panel below. Hit each link (all four of them) and look for the "thumbs up" icon at the top of each page to vote.

1. Creating Authentic Online Community: Tony Steward, Carlos Whittaker, John Saddington, & Cynthia Ware (moderator) 
2. Technology For Results Not Profits: Bobby Gruenewald, Brad Abare, Kent Shaffer, & Terry Storch (moderator)
3. LifeChurch.tv - Reaching 2 Million+ With Technology: Terry Storch, Tony Steward, Bobby Gruenewald, & Kent Shaffer (moderator)
4. Pushing Technological Change Without Alienating Your Co-Workers: Me & mystery experts

 

VOTING CLOSES SEPTEMBER 4. I know you have it in you (and so do your friends). Everybody you know is already voting for their favorite on American Idol every week. This is cooler than American Idol. It is. Don't argue with me. Spread the word and help us rock the vote!

Sticky Church Book Tour

Sticky Church by Larry Osborne is an important read in the world of small groups. It's got the right blend: balancing concepts, questions and strategies to adapt to your own environment.

Chapter 13: Determining Your Primary Purpose. (What about chapters 1-12? Take the tour.)

Everyone has their own idea about the primary purpose of a small group. Look around and you'll find a plethora of mutually exclusive goals and purposes.

• Ideal vehicle for discipleship.
• Perfect tool for evangelism.
• Secret to unlimited church growth
• Shepard the flock.
• Administrate the church.
• Provide for deep Bible study.
• Produce an environment that fosters no-holds-barred sharing and prayer.
• A place to make friends.

With so many competing viewpoints, the bottom line is that you've got to define and agree on the primary purpose of your small group ministry before the launch (and continually articulate it from that point forward). Otherwise, everyone ends up using a different measuring stick. Chapter 13 gives you a framework for identifying and agreeing on your primary purpose for groups in your church. (What about chapters 14-19? Take the tour.)

Here's how we defined it at Granger. If you're interested in the why behind our what, you'll want to keep up with Kathy Guy's blog (she's our Directory of Community). Add her to your blog reader to get an inside scoop on discoveries and strategies we're finding along the way about small groups and community environments.

Spurring on those who get it done...

Years ago I was part of a dramatic mime performance at a weekend production. My job was to sit in the front row (hidden from the audience) and narrate into a microphone to complement the story unfolding with dance and movement on stage. Half way through the performance I got so absorbed in the story unfolding in front of me, I totally forgot I was supposed to be reading the narration. The script fell from my hand into my lap. I just sat there in awe of the message. I was completely absorbed. After awhile, I wondered why there was such a long, awkward delay. Why had the performers froze? Where was the background narration? Somebody should do something.

OH! IT’S ME! I’M SUPPOSED TO BE READING! Quickly, I resumed my role and much to the embarrassment of myself and the frustration of the performers on stage.

On October 1-2 (my mom’s birthday…Happy Birthday, Mom!), I get the chance to be part of a conference unlike any I’ve ever seen. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about getting absorbed in the awe of the images in front of me and completely losing my place. Somebody should do something! Oh, it’s me! I’ve got to stay focused. I can’t drop the ball. I’m going to talk to leaders about the cost of information overload. Less clutter. Less noise. applies to ministry, marketplace, government and military arenas. And , leaders from all arenas will be at the Spur Leadership Conference.

“At a time when careers are measured in weeks and fiscal quarters, leadership at any level in every arena carries unique burdens.” And, this is one unique line-up.

• Texas Gov. Rick Perry 
• Gen. Tommy Franks (Ret., U.S. Army)
• Pastor Steven Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC
• Roy Spence, GSD&M Advertising
• Les Csorba, Heidrick & Struggles
• Kem Meyer, Granger Community Church
• Courtney Spence, Students of the World
• Steve Price, Dell Computer Corp. HR VP
• Mac Richard, Lake Hills Church, Austin TX

I feel like the out of place element on Sesame Street. But, I can't wait to do my part. Can you make it to Austin, TX on October 1-2?

When it collapses...

"This is a man with a history of duty and patriotism. Not as punch lines, but as core beliefs. Some people don't know what to do when their belief system collapses. - Colonel Issac Johnson, Shooter

I actually hit rewind when Danny Glover's character said this and listened to him say it again. It caused me pause. I reflected on so many examples that affect our world because of that reality. Some people don't know what to do when their belief system collapses.

A core belief is something we accept as true, without question, without argument. Running in the background at such a discreet level, we are usually not even aware it is there. Many times our sense of reality can get so tied up, polarized and distorted it is almost impossible to see which beliefs are working and which are holding us back. Expectations can be a belief system. But, then what we think is going to happen, doesn't.

What happens when that belief system collapses?

• People believe their work is their identity. What happens when that systems collapses?

• People believe they are worth something because of their accomplishments. What happens when that system collapses?

• People believe they are strong when don't show emotion, look like they have it all together and self-medicate to cope. What happens when that system collapses?

• People believe that if you love someone enough, they won't disappoint us. What happens when that system collapses?

• People believe if they accelerate sexuality, they will be complete. What happens when that system collapses?

• People believe if they are a good person, everything even outs in the end. What happens when that belief system collapses?

• People believe if they go to church, their troubles will go away. (Our daughter will be healed...my marriage will be saved...his addiction to alcohol will end...my struggles with loneliness and depression will vanish...my teenager won't rebel.) What happens when that belief system collapses?

Why do I give my life to what I do? Not because I don't have trouble. Not because I never mess up. Not because I think I'm better than everybody else. Not because I have all the answers. Not because people don't disappoint me. Not because I don't hurt. And, not because I'm immune to unhealthy belief systems of my own.

I give my life to what I do because I know Jesus is the only hope when a belief system collapses.

But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way,
who can't see where they're going.
I'll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country.
I'll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don't fall into the ditch.
These are the things I'll be doing for them—sticking with them,
not leaving them for a minute."

Isaiah 42:16

I originally published this post in October 2007.

Information Obesity

I got to share an excerpt from Less Clutter. Less Noise. over on the Catalyst blog today. Freaky to see my picture next to some of my heroes. Thanks for the opportunity, Catalyst!

Seven quotes from the Leadership Summit 2009

I LOVE learning environments. To make the most out of them for ME, I've adopted a controlled note-taking format. I can't chew on everything presented during a conference or workshop or book. Extensive note-taking is too heavy for me to carry and too much to implement. For this year's Leadership Summit: Seven quotes I'm going to chew-on. THIS, I can do.

1. Bill Hybels

"The pace at which I'm doing God's work is destroying God's work in me."
1 Chronicles 29:12

2. Tim Keller

"Are you doing stuff for others or is the stuff you're doing for them really for yourself? Don't go into the ministry to save your soul."
Romans 1:17

3. Jessica Jackley

"The secret to changing the world is a change of mindset."
Psalm 19:7-8

4. Harvey Carey

"Nothing is impossible to those who believe. When you reach outside your grasp--outside your capacity--you will see amazing results."
Matthew 17:20

5. Dave Gibbons

"When we love those who are hard to love, hard to get close to, completely unlike us--people will notice. It's completely abnormal. That's our calling. What's noticeable about being normal?"
John 13:34-35

6. David Gergen

"Leaders can be so activistic they don’t reflect, journal, write, discuss, etc. It’s easy to confuse motion with progress."
Mark 1:35

7. Chip & Dan Heath

"Am what I'm doing TBU (True But Useless)? That's worth asking."
Matthew 6:22-23

(Last year, my notes looked like this.)

Making love last...

Maybe we’re asking the wrong questions. Instead of wondering how to FIND or MAKE someone into the right person, what if we ask how to BECOME the right kind of person? Whether you're married or single or dating ... want to spend four weeks with us wading through the FICTION to find the TRUTH? I'm really looking forward to this.