Mark R. Rank of the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis co-authored a study analyzing the financial circumstances of U.S. kids (ages 1-20) over a period of 30 years. Key findings include:

• 49% of all U.S. kids will be in a household that uses food stamps at some point during their childhood.
  >> 90% of black kids
  >> 37% of white kids
  >> 91% of kids in single-parent homes
  >> 37% of kids in married homes
• Nearly 25% of all U.S. kids will be in households that use food stamps for 5+ years during childhood.
• 97% of U.S. kids by age 10 who are black and whose head of household is not married with less than 12 years of education reside in a food stamp household.

Even limited exposure to poverty can have detrimental effects upon a child’s overall quality of health and well-being.
- Mark R. Rank :: George Warren Brown School of Social Work

While these findings encompass decades of ups and downs, do not forget that current food stamp usage is at record levels (10%+ of the total U.S. population). Simultaneously, 80% of food banks can not meet demand (based on May ‘09 research).

Churches can help fight this hunger.

(via USA Today)

SimChurch is a book by Douglas Estes of Western Seminary (San Jose, CA) and Berryessa Valley Church (San Jose, CA) that explores the answers to the question, “what does it mean to ‘do’ church in the virtual world?” I had an opportunity to ask Douglas Estes a question of my own:

What are the main advantages that a virtual church has that a brick and mortar church doesn’t?

Here is what Douglas said:

The average Christian in our world today is only vaguely aware of the coming role of the internet in being and doing church, and many are stuck on the questions of whether a virtual church is even real, or possible, or just a glorified video game. Most people can think up disadvantages (whether accurate or not), but if they see me praising the virtual church … it may seem crazy to them! Or cause them to wonder how much of my retirement I have invested in Google, Apple or Second Life.

To answer your question, we need an honesty-check: Are we willing to admit that any and every type of human church has both advantages and disadvantages? That traditional Lutheran churches and conservative Baptist churches and überhip ‘contemporary’ non-denominational churches and every other imaginable type of churches have strengths and weakness? I meet a surprising number of church-leader people who can’t wholeheartedly say ‘yes’ to that question. They’re convinced their version of the church is the one that God has blessed. If we can admit that all churches found in our world today have advantages and disadvantages, then here are three of the top advantages I see of virtual churches:

First, the most obvious is the increased reach a virtual church can offer as a congregation of believers. When I say reach, I don’t mean it will help Glory Church have more tithers members around the world. I mean that it will allow churches to reach areas where a brick and mortar church has a harder time reaching. We in the U.S. forget that our particular culture makes brick and mortar churches much more accessible than almost any other world culture (for a variety of reasons). In fact, virtual churches will not just increase reach in communist countries, but also post-Christian societies, cultures torn by war, isolated regions of our world, or places inhabited by busy upper-middle class workaholics. Part of this reach, I hope, will be within our own Western world—where being a Christian may one day have more to do with regular virtual connections with our church co-laborers and a lot less to do with one day a week performances.

This leads to a second big advantage of the virtual church: Its ability to redefine and even reform what church means in many parts of the world. Myself, I’m a pastor of a typical brick and mortar church in the US. If I had to pick one model to describe our church, it would probably be contemporary-attractional (though we subvert this at times). I say this because like most churches we are locked into Sunday performances; no matter how much I talk about being a follower of Jesus is more than this, actions do speak louder than words. Some folks would like to get rid of my kind of church to set up something communal but what the church needs (as always!) is some reformation, not destruction (as razing all our buildings to all meet in communes or homes would surely lead to). All this to say: The coming of the virtual church can retrain Christians in thought and practice to understand that church is not so much about a place or building but about the people who are connecting with the purpose of building up the Kingdom. (I see lots of people on blogs defend virtual churches by stating that church is the people … but this is inaccurate. The church is the people united by the presence of Christ on mission for the Kingdom. Just a few Christians hanging out at Seattle’s Best for coffee does not make a church, even if God may be there with them). So the virtual church can reform the church at large by reminding the church at large of the true nature of community (without demolishing the church at large, as some alt-church movements desire).

Third, and the thing that I am actually the most excited about, is the advantage the virtual church has to push margins. I need to say up front that I do not consider myself a margin-pusher, a radical, or anything close to that (far from it, actually). I’m just not wired that way. But as I was writing SimChurch, I really was struck by the testimonies of folks in virtual churches … and began to realize that many of these folks are marginalized-by-society people. And then I started to read a few Christian “trolls” (shouldn’t that be an oxymoron?) who would respond to blog posts about internet churches, implying that people who can’t or won’t go to a brick and mortar church are somehow lesser, weirder, weaker in their faith, or some other implicit negative descriptor. To be fair, many of these comments were not mean-spirited as in the political blogosphere, but there definitely was a strong undercurrent of ‘if you can’t go to a brick and mortar church, then there’s something wrong with you.’ To be honest, this torqued me quite a bit and got under my skin. Yes, a lot of testimonies from virtual churchgoers that I saw, read, heard, or heard about are in fact from people the world would write off—but why would the church do this? Just because a person feels uncomfortable in a Western-style brick and mortar church makes them unworthy of Christian community? If you met me in person, you’d know I’m not a bleeding-heart anything but to know that a real church with a real community could reach real people that Christ died for—people who have been marginalized by both society and church culture—does something for me. The church I pastor is an urban church, and I honestly know it will be very hard for us to reach the many marginalized people who walk past our church each day because they just don’t ‘fit in’ (and no amount of convincing myself they should fit—or simplistically thinking we just need to love them more—will cause that to happen). But a virtual church can reach them. And I applaud them for that.

For more insights on the pros, cons, challenges, and peculiarity of doing virtual church, read SimChurch.

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of SimChurch.

Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) closed Catalyst Conference’s last and 10th session by discussing how to create a healthy work culture at your church.. Here is what he said:

I think that your church and your church culture should be the healthiest organizational culture in your city. I think that business people in your city should stop by during the week and say, “Wow! I have never seen an organization run so well!” I am not talking about on Sunday. I am talking about your church’s weekly work culture.

Think about this.

In the local church we have so much going for us culturally (if we follow the Bible… love, harmony, work as though unto the Lord) that we should have the best work cultures. Yest some of the meanest people I have met are on church staffs. Some of the laziest people I know are on church staffs. Some people think it doesn’t take much competency to work at a church because they lazy people who work at a church. And that is a shame.

Healthy people are drawn to healthy cultures. Healthy people don’t stay in unhealthy cultures. Unhealthy people thrive in unhealthy cultures.

Occasionally, there are gaps between what we expect people to do and what they actually do. As leaders, we choose what to put in this gap. And what you as a leader choose to put in that gap will shape your culture. And what you put into that gap, will also be what your staff puts in that gap. You will either assume the worst or expect the best.

There are a couple of things that determine what I put in that gap:

1. What I see
   If someone consistently brings you poor quality, you will always assume the worst.
2. Who I am
   Your past hurt and betrayal will influence what you put in that gap. We like certain types of people. And we dislike others.

Developing a culture of trust is critical to the health of your organization. Trust fuels productivity. The message of trust is this… I think you are smart enough to know what to do, and if you make a mistake, you will tell me then fix it.

A culture characterized by trust attracts healthy people.  You will never know who you can trust until you trust them. The longer you refuse to trust people, the longer that untrustworthy people can hide in your organization. The moment you feel to tightly manage someone, you might have made a hiring mistake. And if you don’t address the hiring problem, you might create a culture where everyone distrusts each other. You will never know who you can trust until you trust them. Trusting is risky. Refusing to trust is riskier.

Trust enables an organization to move faster. In an organization of trust, the culture is fluid. When their is a high level of trust, I am going to act/email/write/communicate as if I believe the best. Teams use trust as currency. The development of trust then becomes a significant leadership strategy. It feels 100% relational and 90% emotional.

Developing a culture of trust begins with a leader. Trust and suspicion are both telegraphed from the leader throughout the organization. We must learn to choose to trust.

When you choose to trust, you must choose to confront. The moment there is suspicion in a person, everything he does is tainted. When you and I sit on our raw assumptions, and it leaks out to our family and organization, the energy makes our suspicion grows bigger and uglier. And then all of a sudden, a handful of offense gets a huge response. If you want to build a culture of trust, you must confront fairly and quickly and refuse to sit on it. Before I assume the worst, I should at least ask for the facts. The consequences of concealment are far greater than the consequences of confrontation.

To develop a culture of trust, leaders must be trustworthy. Worthy of trust does not mean perfect. It means when I create a gap where your expectations don’t line up with the experience I give you, I talk to you about it.

5 Essential Commitments of Trust

1. I will believe the best.
2. When other people assume the worst about you, I will come to your defense.
3. If what I experience begins to erode my trust, I will come directly to you to talk about it.
4. When I am convinced I will not be able to deliver on a promise, I will come to you ahead of time.
5. When you confront me about the gaps I’ve created, I will tell you the truth.

The gaps are the opportunities… the gaps are the litmus test… for you to choose what culture you will have.

Questions to Ask

1. Are there people in your organization you have a hard time trusting.
2. Is it your issue or is it theirs? (if you have never chosen to trust it is still your issue)
3. What can you do about your part?
4. What do you need to address with them about their part?
5. Who do you sense having a difficult time trusting you?
6. Why?
7. What can you do about it?

If you choose to trust, you will create an organization that is more nimble and effective.

Louie Giglio of Passion City Church (Atlanta, GA) discussed how everything in life is about Jesus during Catalyst Conference’s 9th session. Here is what he said:

I don’t know much about leadership but I do know this:

It is all about the person Jesus Christ.

There is nothing going on that is not about the person Jesus Christ. Leadership is about knowing and following Jesus Christ.

The only thing I had going for me in elementary school was that I was fast. So I wanted to race everybody. But before you race, you always have to ask a question:

Where are we racing to?

So if you are on your mark, I think we need to ask where are you going? We are all going to a common destination, and it is important that we all get our minds around this.

Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.
-Thomas Merton

We all a have a common end at the end… the face of the Son of God. We are on a collision course with the face of the Son of the living God. From Him are all things. Through Him are all things. And to Him are all things.

And I believe that leadership is choosing wisely to see His face and to reflect His face to the world. 1 Corinthians 13:8 tells that love never fails but abilities fade away. You have to say, “I as a leader am determined to know the face of Jesus and reflect that face.” Jesus has the face that has launched thousands of churches and has raised from the grave millions of people.

Two Things We Find on Jesus’ Face

1. We find matchless beauty and significance, and it is what we were made for.
   It is what our souls were made for. A.W. Tozer says,”God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live in Him and draw our life from His smile.”  If you want a heart that is beautiful, generous, and pure, it is on the face of Jesus. And reflecting His face shapes us into that. Anyone who sets out for anything else other than the face of God, will be turned into that, which is less than what God wants for your life.
2. The confidence and the courage to be the leaders we need to be.
   It is not about you. It is all about Jesus. And you know that when you see the face of Jesus. We have to rise up out of “we don’t have enough money to do that” and “that would be crazy to do that.” We must not be afraid. Jesus is the head and not you. And Jesus is unstoppable.

When the world says, “I found God on your face,” that is leadership.

Chuck Swindoll of Insight for Living discussed 10 things he has learned in almost 50 years of ministry during Catalyst Conference’s 8th session. Here is what he said:

Fifty years ago, I was a first year student at Dallas Theological Seminary. I was scared, unsure of myself, and fresh out of the Marine Corp. I did not know much about seminary.

I remember sitting in chapel, and a minister told me, “When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible person and crushes him.” I am so proud of everything you are dreaming of and doing that I hope that you remember to leave room for the crushing.

10 Things Chuck Swindoll Learned in 50ish Years of Ministry:

1. It’s lonely to lead.
   Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decisions, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed.
   It is dangerous to succeed while being young. rarely, does God give leadership that young because it takes crushing and failure first.
3. It’s hardest at home.
   Nobody at home is applauding you. They say, “Dad! You’re fly is open.”
4. It is essential to be real.
   If there is one realm where phoniness is personified it is leadership. What I care about is that you stay real.
5. It is painful to obey.
   There are rewards, yes, but it is painful nevertheless.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. My attitude is more important than my actions.
   Some of you are getting hard to be around. And your attitude covers all those great actions you pull off.
8. Integrity eclipses image.
   What you are doing is not a show. And the best things you are doing is not up front but what you do behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
   God is going to have His way.
10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 tells us that we must be willing to leave the familiar message without disturbing the Biblical message. We get that backwards. This was written in the first century, and now we are in the 21st century. The message stays the same. Don’t miss the message. As you alter the methods, don’t mess with the message.

Traditionalism is the dead faith of those still living. You will defend those things that don’t need defended.

Three Important Observations:

1. With every ministry a special mercy is needed.
2. In every ministry the same things must be renounced and rejected.
   That is hiding shameful things, doing deceitful things, and corrupting truthful things. Guard against deception. Guard against deception.
3. Through every ministry a unique style should be pursued.
   We don’t preach or promote ourselves (it isn’t about us). We declare Christ Jesus as Lord (it’s all about Him). We see ourselves as bond-servants for Jesus Christ.

Five Statements Worth Remembering During Your Next 50 Years of Leadership:

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone.
   It will help you become accountable.
2. Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity.
3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you the best.
   It will keep you from exaggerating. it will help keep your stories true. Your good friend will tell you things that others will not. They will hold you close to truth.
4. Whoever may respond to your ministry, keep a level head.
5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.
   Stay thankful. Stay gracious.

Dave Ramsey discussed the importance of unstoppable momentum and how to get it during Catalyst Conference’s 7th session. Here is what he said:

Despite The Beverly Hillbillies not airing since 1971, many people (even born after 1971) can sing the theme song.  How would you like to have that impact? Imagine people being about to talk about what you did 39 years after you did it.

When you have momentum, you better than you are. The thing I’ve discovered about momentum is that it is very important to get some in every area of your life. Momentum is not a random occurrence. It must be created. You must pour yourself into your calling. You must pour yourself into your craft.

Learn the momentum theorem.

Momentum Theorem
Focused intensity over time multiplied by God creates unstoppable momentum.

Focus is lost for two reasons:

1. Fear
   Fear can cause you to lose focus. Fear is not a fruit of the spirit.
2. Greed
   You can get greedy for money, stats, fame, and/or more. James 1:8 says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

With focus, you can’t see anything but what you are looking at. With focus, you have an unbelievable advantage. Rick Warren says, “Focus is intentional.” You have to be proactive. You have to happen to things.

Intensity  matters. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” If you are going to be an intense sports fan and take your shirt off and paint yourself blue, live your life with that same intensity. Be intense at parenting. Be intense about your calling. Intensity moves things. You’ve got to be fired up. You can’t do it with lack of focus because your intensity will be too spread out then.

Focused intensity is good, but if it only lasts for three days, it is not going to amount to anything. This is the hardest part of the equation. Og Mandino says, “If I persist long enough, I will win.” As Paul talks about - run your race well. It is a long race… over time. Don’t quit. Stay on course. Keep moving. Be the focused, intense tortoise and not the ADHD hare.

If you are quickly successful be very, very scared because you may not have the proper foundation underneath it.

But even still, you need God. When you multiply your focused intensity over time by God then God gives you the energy and ability needed to win. Get plugged in to God as your power source and your momentum will become unstoppable.

Priscilla Shirer of Going Beyond Ministries discussed divine interruption during Catalyst Conference’s 7th session. Here is what she said:

Two years ago on CNN I saw an interview of ex-Korn member Brian Welch. I was captivated by this young man, and when I heard him say the name of Jesus, I wanted to find out what this was all about. Brian explained his conversion and how the love of Christ transformed him. He was basically giving the gospel on primetime television. Brian had come across a verse in the Bible that said, “And they left everything.” And his life was interrupted and he gave up the band and his previous lifestyle to follow Christ.

When God interrupts our life and intervenes and gives us a specific direction, will we go? Right now you are either on your way into an interruption or on your way out of an interruption because that is the nature of God.

A leader in the Bible named Joshua knew how to handle interruption. There are four things that Joshua did in Joshua 3 that show us how to handle interruptions:

1. Act immediately in obedience to God
   What is God asking you to do? Are you procrastinating? You and I are good at giving excuses.
2. Act fearlessly.
   God want leaders who are fearless and do not let the world sway them. You have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. Do not be afraid.
3. Acknowledge the presence of God.
   Jesus said in John 5:19, “I only do what I see the Father do.” Jesus did His Father’s will and nothing else. What if we only moved for God? If Gods not going, we shouldn’t be going.
4. Anticipate God’s miracles.
   God can do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond anything that we can ask or think.

Matt Chandler of The Village Church (Highland Village, TX) discussed the importance of confession, repentance, and focusing on God during Catalyst Conference’s fifth session.

There are a lot of things going on in your churches. Some of you are in good places. Some of you are in bad places. Remind yourself what you have been caught up in.

Apparently according to Hebrews 11, the gauntlet that you and I will run has seasons with lions and seasons where we escape the sword and seasons where we die by the sword and seasons where the dead will rise and seasons when the dead are dead.

Somehow the idea of confession and repentance has become negative. It seems like the longer we are Christians, the more we think you shouldn’t be confessing things. The problem is, well… the Bible. 1 John 1:5-10 says if you live and walk as if you are sinless, you are a liar.

Look at every delay as an opportunity to deepen the waters with the God of the universe. It is a lack of gratitude and therefore a sin that causes you to want to be something that you aren’t. A day is coming when history in your life will be rewritten as it really is. Your role is bigger than you think.

Look to Jesus because He is the founder of our faith. Without Him there is no reconciliation with God.

May we remember what we have grown up in. May we remember what God has called us to. And may we run well.