A strong analysis of the strength of Bezos’ apology for how Amazon wrongly deleted books off of people’s Kindles. Everyone in leadership will have to apologize from time to time. This gives great insight on how to do it well.

Another great principle was taught to me by a mentor Dave Guion.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Rom 12:15

If someone is wounded or defensive, don’t make all your counter arguments for how you were right and be highly defensive. They will not be listening to you at that point anyway. A perfect example was modeled by Dave:

We were doing an huge student ministry event in the Alamodome featuring headline artist and communicators. Dave and I were charged with running a portion of the event before the show where youth bands got to play on two side stages before the main part of the event started. Friday night went off almost hitch free and we even image magnified the bands onto the jumbotrons. Saturday morning the second group of bands were supposed to play but the major network video switcher guys had been given the main event start and not the youth band start times. So though the bands played, they were not image magnified onto the giant screens. A student’s dad, perhaps not a Christ follower, approached the leadership of the event irrate who passed it onto us and asked us to meet with him. We had never legally promised to video or image magnify any of this and I knew it and Dave knew it.

When we met the dad in the corridor steam was coming out of his ears and his face reddened as he threatened suit. David lived out the mourn with those who mourn principal. He didn’t say, “Sir, those kids last night got lucky that the camera guys happened to be here and were willing to do pre-roll work. Your kid was fortunate enough to get selected so you should be grateful.” Instead, I watched David say, “_____, there is nothing more that I would have liked than for you to have the experience of watching your son on the large screen. I realize you were looking forward to that and we were looking forward to it, too. We tried our hardest to make it happen up to the very last minute, but unfortunately we couldn’t. I want you to know if somehow they were rolling tape, we will do our best to get you a copy of your son’s performance. I don’t know if they were, but I will do everything in my power to make it happen.” The situation was instantly diffused and the guy was saying, “Listen guys, I am sorry I came on so strong. It’s just that I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time and we had friends and relatives come……I appreciate all that you were doing.”

When we try to not be defensive and mourn with those who mourn, the walls come down. The principle works equally well if something was totally your fault.  A short-lesson that David Guion modelled for me so well that I have never forgotten. In fact, God has given the opportunity to practice it several times in the last few weeks….usually because of something that was my fault…ha!

• about to roll out “Warning: Sudden Visitor Approaching” a message on The Parable of the Bridesmaids (Matt 25). Help me Jesus! #

• The continual search for a “suitable” church makes him a critic or connoisseur where the [Father] wants him to be a pupil. Screwtape CSLewis #
• Sin is sin as it serves a greater end than its mere committal…great Screwtape Letters quote at http://tinyurl.com/lwqdds #

It Might Get Loud movie by Sony.

Watch the trailer of the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White talking about the history of the electric guitar. A new movie coming soon.

It does not matter how small the sins provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light & out into nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards do the trick.

Indeed the safest role to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle , slope underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

CS Lewis’ SCREWTAPE, a demon writing his nephew apprentice on how to throw his new Christian assigned to him off track

• “If a man can’t be cured of churchgoing then the next best thing is to send him looking for the church that ’suits’ him.” Screwtape-CS Lewis #

• prepping out this weeks message on Matthew 25:1-11 The Warning of a Sudden Guest. No complex end-time charts needed, but when are they ever. #

Video crew just showed me the menus for our new small group curriculum released in August throughout NorthWood and then beyond. It is called 3 Stories: Casual Conversations about the Serious Subject of Evangelism.

Check it…

3 Stories DVD menu from Chris Johns on Vimeo.

• God’s threats are a curbing bit to check us so that we might not run full speed to hell. There is a merciful warning in every threat. Watson #

• If we get the atonement wrong, nothing else can be right. For a great talk on this…http://tinyurl.com/kj3yux #

Several orders serve as skeletal outlines upon which we hang the meat of specific elements. A sermon development team meets on Monday and then Tuesday morning, the worship design team (worship leader-brent, creative director-me, producer-chris johns and sometimes others) meets and decides which skeletal outline best fits the degree of response the message needs. Sometimes we’ll invent a new skeleton  from scratch (a service built upon the order of the Tabernacle elements) but most of the time one of these works.

Skeleton 1

When to use: On weeks there is a response that is not as pointed and doesn’t need an specific altar time. Used for sermons that shape thinking such as How Do We Know the Bible is True. There is the response, “If it is true then I need to start living it,” but that might not need a walk-down altar response. People can still come down at the conclusion of the service and pray with our altar ministers or make a decision to follow Christ.

3 Songs
Welcome
Shake Hands Greeting
2 songs
Sermon Series Video Bump
Sermon
Response Prayer
Offering/Announcements

easy tweaks to the skelton:
• switch 3/2 songs to 2/3
• insert an interview or video after greeting
• insert a scripture or responsive reading before the second grouping of songs or between songs.
• insert a video before the sermon bump
• include communion in response

Skeleton 2

When to use: On weeks there is a response expected that is one of starting to walk in obedience as the prime behavior of response. Example, a message on sharing your faith or blessing someone in tangible ways. People are committing to take action.

4 Songs
Shake Hands (opt)
Offering/Video Announcements
Sermon Series Video Bump
Sermon
1 Response Song for Time of Obedience

easy tweaks:

• insert guided prayer time or interview into first set of songs
• insert scripture reading or response reading into first set of songs
• insert a focus video between songs
• include communion in response

Skeleton 3

When to use: On weeks there is a guided response that we feel large numbers will participate and might carry with it the emotional weight whereby people need a little more time to process.. Example: A recent message on laying down burdens where we had large buckets of rocks symbolic of burdens. People were able to grab a rock and come to the altar and lay it down, even handing their rock to an altar ministry person and agreeing in prayer with them.

3 Songs
Shake Hands (opt)
Offering/Includes Video of Welcome and 2 or 3 Announcements
Sermon Series Video Bump
Sermon
2 Response Songs for Time of Obedience

easy tweaks:
• insert guided prayer time or interview into first set of songs
• insert scripture reading or response reading into first set of songs
• a tactile response
• include communion in response
• make one of the response songs a special which is sung over the congregation

• Lamentation allows us to do something heaven can never do…http://tinyurl.com/njkplt #

“Micah 6:8″ from Northland Media Design on Vimeo.

Great execution and post-production. What I love best is that Northland allows the whole thing to feel authentic.