I need your help for our next sermon series, Breathe. I’m looking for stories that I may use in one of the sermons. I need people who became believers EVEN THOUGH…
1) you were already living a ‘good, moral life’; OR
2) you grew up believing that God was hard to please; OR
3) you had a difficult life and thought God wasn’t ‘fair’ to you.
Even if you’ve been a believer for a while, post your story in the comments. Thanks!
- Ken
I read a blog from Fast Company, comparing Apple’s iPhone to Google’s Droid. These two companies are going head to head in marketing their latest phones. It’s a heated battle and the blog talks about how Google needs to learn from Apple. You can skip the two videos below, but if you want to fully understand what I’m talking about, watch at least one minute of each video. As you watch these commercials, ask yourself which commercial you connect with the best, and why.
First, here’s an advertising video from Google:
Now, here’s an advertising video from Apple:
Which commercial did you connect with better??? I had the same answer… Apple. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Fast Company’s Blog gives three lessons that Google can learn from Apple. It’s three lessons that WCC can learn from, too.
1. There’s a difference between good usability and a great experience
Even though something is technically correct, people connect to an experience, not to sterile facts. When we greet people during the ‘welcome’ time of a worship service, that’s a Google approach. When we talk to people we don’t know after the service, invite them to our ABS Group, or ask them to join us at Moe’s for lunch… that’s an Apple approach.
2. A tool doesn’t have to be boring
Did you notice that Apple’s video is 2X longer than Google’s??? But I’d choose Apple’s over Google’s any day of the week for one obvious reason. It’s not boring. This is why our church leaders work hard to make the truth engaging. Kids Rock is a great example of leaders who teach truth in engaging and interesting ways. Truth doesn’t have to be boring.
3. No-one needs a screwdriver
People don’t feel they need tools; they need solutions to problems in their life. People never ‘lack a screwdriver’; instead, they need a screwdriver to hang a painting on the wall. Apple gets this. Google doesn’t. Apple taps into what people want… to be connected. We need to remember this, too. People who don’t attend church aren’t waking up in the morning thinking, ‘Wow! I need to find a church!’ Instead, they’re thinking, ‘I’m lonely and need a friend.’ ‘I’m exhausted and my life is way out of balance.’ ‘My sixth grader needs some good influences in his life.’ That’s why I don’t ask unchurched people, ‘Where do you go to church?’ early in a conversation.
So as we think about the 70′s Date Night, for example, remember that people aren’t staying awake at night asking, ‘I wonder where I can find a great place to take my wife (or girlfriend) on a date with some 70′s music?’ They’re wondering, ‘Where can I find a friend?’ Ask a couple to JOIN YOU for a fun night out. Bring them on your arm. They don’t need a screwdriver, but they do need a friend.
Proverbs 17 teaches us, “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” It doesn’t say ‘a friend talks about love.’ It says ‘a friend loves.’
Let’s be a church modeled after the authentic Jesus (Apple), not an inauthentic religion (Google). People don’t need a screwdriver, but they do need a friend.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion and post a comment!
Oh… how did you like my parallel between Jesus & Apple? 
Is Masturbation Wrong?
Maybe. If you’re single, Christian leaders like Dr. James Dobson say it’s okay in moderation. Because the Bible is silent on this issue, we have to take our lead from verses like Jesus’ command not to lust. But Dr. Dobson draws a distinction between a generalized fantasy and lust over a specific person. You want to be careful not to let masturbation obsess you and turn you inward. Plus, the desire to masturbate usually doesn’t magically disappear when you get married.
If you’re married, I recommend against masturbation (unless your spouse is physically unable to have sexual relations with you). Masturbation will diminish your sex life with your spouse. When we’re married, our body is not our own sexually, it’s our spouse’s (1 Cor 7). Focus your sexual energy on your spouse, not yourself. It’s not easy, but it is good…
What does the Bible have to say about balancing work/financial obligations with placing higher priority (more of our precious time) on things eternal?
The Bible says that we should make eternal things a much higher priority. We’re going to talk about this some in our August sermon series, Breathe. This topic can be the subject of an entire sermon series, so I can’t cover everything here. I do have a few thoughts, though…
1. If this is on your mind, then God is probably convicting you on this issue.
2. This is never easy and you’ll need to put some ‘mechanisms’ in place to make this happen. For example, if you’re not tithing already, decide to give 5% to God, then make your budget work around that. If you wait until you have ‘enough money’ to tithe, you never will. Or another example… if you’re having a hard time balancing work and family, decide how many hours you can work in a week and don’t go over. If you have children in the home, that number is probably no more than 45-48 hours a week, maybe even less. Unless you design a mechanism that will force you to live by your priorities, you won’t do it.
3. Try to be in continual motion toward prioritizing eternal things. The key is not to take giant steps in your life, but consistent and regular baby steps. You’ll be amazed where you end up in a year or two, if you take CONSISTENT and REGULAR baby steps.
I’d enjoy hearing any other thoughts on these two subjects….
- Ken
