Strategic Christian

So the next time you hear an earth-shattering announcement about Jesus from the media, don’t get angry. Rather, take three deep breaths, sit down with your Starbucks coffee, and watch how the announcement is treated on blogs and other media. Above all, prepare yourself for the opportunities it presents.

That was how Darrell Bock closed his article in Christianity Today on popular media challenges to Christianity. He’s right on the money. Last night I completed the second of two book discussions based on The Golden Compass. The turnout was small, but I believe there was groundwork laid for growth. The people who came–especially library directors–are people who can encourage others to come.

At any rate, it showed me how these challenges can really be opportunities. Do you desire to share your faith? Do you want others to know more about Jesus Christ? What’s the hardest part about that, usually? It’s getting started, raising the topic. They’re raising the topic for us!

Thank God for that, and take advantage of the opportunities.

Keith Plummer has further insight on this.

Technorati Tags: Books, Message, Darrell Bock, Media

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Sarah Scott analyzed sales at Christian Book Distributors and came up with distressing results. This is crucial for the growth and re-conversion of the church and culture in the West. Be sure to catch the comments.

Hat Tip to Douglas Groothuis.

Technorati Tags: Books, Christian Growth, Knowledge, Methods, Mind

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Stand to Reason Blog: The Gospel & the Starbucks Generation:

Challenging thoughts about our message and the way we present it.

Technorati Tags: Christian Growth, church growth, Knowledge, Leadership

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Book Review

(Update June 27: Hear J. P. Moreland discuss this book on Converse With Scholars.)

I had to read twice through J. P. Moreland’s newest book, Kingdom Triangle, before I could even begin writing this review. This is not the way it typically goes for me, but this time it was a challenge to know where to begin. I’ve decided to jump straight to the easy part, which is my overall evaluation:

Get yourself a copy and read it, then read it again. Get your friends to read it. The legs of Moreland’s “Kingdom Triangle” may–or may not–be the three most important things Western Christians must do to make a difference in our world. Two of them, however, are very likely the things we have been most severely lacking.

Technorati Tags: Holy Spirit, Knowledge, missions, Moreland, Naturalism, Postmodernism

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The Science of Team Success

Teams can work more effectively, and it’s not hard to get there. That’s the summary of a landmark study just published by two of the leading researchers into organizational effectiveness. It’s available on the web as a short executive summary or in its original 48 page format.

To whet your appetite, they found that team climate is one of the main factors for team success. Climate is not a vague, undefinable feeling. It’s the result of people working together with a shared mission statement and agreed overall objectives, under a leader with whom they have a good personal relationship.

Technorati Tags: Leadership

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Chapters 6 and 7 of Niven’s book are easy for us here. He walks briefly through strategic planning processes, reminds us that there are many ways to do strategic planning, and recommends an approach. It’s not that much different from what I’ve already linked to, so I’ll just refer you there.

Technorati Tags: Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Planning

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Jacob Stump, who was a frequent commenter here at one time, suggested I look at Ross Rohde’s overview of postmodernism and Christianity. It’s quite good, overall.

Technorati Tags: missions, Postmodernism

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I don’t know which comes first, mission or vision. I do know that both are essential direction-setting statements for any organization. Values go right along with them.

Technorati Tags: Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Planning

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Without a sense of direction, you get nowhere. Your mission, values, and vision are your direction. Do you know what they are?

Technorati Tags: Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Planning

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Three highly recommended articles:

Examining the Endurance of the Balanced Scorecard: Or, why use the Balanced Scorecard?

Adapting the Balanced Scorecard To Fit the Public and Nonprofit Sectors: Summarizes the main differences in using the Balanced Scorecard in these sectors.

Objectives for your BSC Program: Knowing what you want from your program before you begin

Technorati Tags: Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Planning

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