a list for friday—overheard at the nacc

“Do you work at this booth or are you just standing here?”

“I’d like someone to do that arrangement of hymns at my funeral.”

“Why is there an exhibitor selling candied pecans?”

“Those Westboro folks really need to get a hobby.”




“I figure if I preach so women and children can understand it, then anyone can understand it.”

“There are 7,000 people at this convention and 5,000 of them are in line at Graeter’s.”

“That’s a LOT of letters in the front of the program book.”

“Wanna go to the workshop on global poverty or should we get a snack?”


“Who were you talking to over there?” 

“No idea. But he seemed to know me.”


“Of course it’s hot—it’s NACC week.”

“I just realized my shirt is on backwards.”

“I don’t remember a traffic jam this bad since an Oak Ridge Boys and Olivia Newton John concert in the early 80s.”

“Dudley/Daryl/Greg/Dave/Phil/Jeff/Francis/Jeff’s sermon was great, wasn’t it?”


“Florida sounds fun.”

how to spice up your church newsletter

Between the new project I’m doing for Standard, my regular Buzz column, managing Christian Church Today, and compiling weekly news about the NACC and its speakers, I read a LOT of church newsletters.

They typically include the same things—a note from the senior pastor promoting the new sermon series, announcements of baby dedication day or a youth group fundraiser, small group sign-up info, a link to the church’s Facebook page, an ad for some program created by Dave Ramsey, a quote from some book written by Max Lucado.

Predictable. A bit boring. No wonder your readership isn’t growing!

 

So in the spirit of being a blessing, I offer a few ideas for new features guaranteed to spike your subscription numbers:

–Top Five Tithers, Year To Date

–People Who Haven’t Given One Red Cent

–Match The Elder To His Wife’s Embarrassing Nickname For Him

–Guess Who Confessed This Sin?

–Last Week’s Internet Searches, Sorted By Staff Member

–The Baptistry Pool: Bet On When The Next Person Will Be Baptized

–Congregants Recently Seen Buying Alcohol

–Bible Verses That Sound Dirty

–The Prayer Request You Only Thought You Knew

–Last Person To Give $5 Online Is Directing VBS

–Who Should the Youth Minister Be Dating?

–Guess The Weight Of The Pastor’s Wife (Chik-Fil-A Gift Certificate To The Winner!)

–Remaining Dollars In Thousands Owed by Senior Pastor for Bible College Student Loans (A Chart Updated Weekly Since 1989)

–”The Act of Marriage” Quote Of The Week

–What REALLY Happened At The Women’s Retreat

Any others spring to mind?

new to you friday–I have a theme

Well, Dudley went another (excellent) direction for the 2011 NACC, but I still like my theme.

This past year I worked through a few issues in therapy (best money I’ve ever spent), began editing a new magazine for young girls (more on this soon), made some new friends, tried ziplining, quit a few freelance jobs and picked up a few more, traveled to Chicago by myself, and even played on a kickball team (well, I got on base a few times). It’s been a great year, mostly because I tried some kind-of-scary things.

This Halloween weekend, fear not! What brave thing do you need to do between now and December 31 to make this a great year?

————————————————————————

It’s a safe bet I’ll never be asked to serve as NACC president, but just in case I’ve got my theme ready.


My mom teaches Human Development at CCU, and during the early childhood portion of the course she describes the “fearful, flexible, and feisty” theory, which defines three basic temperaments.

Every child fits one, and I was definitely in the fearful category. Old friends still laugh about my response to the overstimulation and forced playtime of the church nursery—I hid alone under the cribs until Brandon Abercrombie joined me there to pull my hair. I spent many mornings before kindergarten and first grade quietly crying at the breakfast table, and had a meltdown when I couldn’t write the number 2 as well as my teacher, Mrs. Pence. (My mother’s gentle yet firm response: “Jenni, Mrs. Pence is old. She’s been making 2s for a long time. You’re five.”)


And yet, as I’ve moved into adulthood, I find myself taking risks while others play it safe. I went 300 miles away to a college where I knew only one person and majored in English Lit (go ahead, you know you’re dying to say it: “How are you going to get a job with a major like that?”).

I tackled projects, like teaching myself QuarkXPress to design the NACC program book, that seem foolishly difficult in retrospect. (There is something to be said for the ignorance of youth.) I moved to California alone, then moved to Nashville alone. I helped reconfigure a company, then realized I couldn’t take another day in a cubicle and launched out as a freelance writer not knowing if it would actually allow me to pay my bills.


My fearful temperament hasn’t changed, but I’ve learned it’s okay to be afraid—what counts is how you respond.


Think about it: almost every Bible character who allowed God to use his life in a significant way did so because he obeyed in spite of fear. Abraham left everything familiar to travel to a far country, David spent years on the run from a mad king, Mary delivered a baby alone in a cave, Paul survived shipwrecks and endured prison. I’d bet my “Footprints” plaque they felt fear, but the glory—God’s glory—came from their choice to obey anyway.

So that would be my NACC theme: Fear not! The angels said it to terrified shepherds (who then obeyed by finding Jesus). “Be strong and courageous,” God told his people (who obeyed and conquered the Promised Land). “Fear the Lord your God,” he commands us, and we obey, even if it means swallowing our fear of people.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people feel fear as a noun but don’t indulge in fear as a verb, and I’d use my hypothetical presidency to remind God’s people today to follow their example. Dudley, you’re up for 2011—you can have this one if you give me a credit line in the program book.

counting my blessings

The NACC is full of blessings. A squeeze on the arm from a woman who has known my mother since before I was born. The moment when, as I happened to pass the stage area, Ben asked me to talk with a woman who came forward after the service and requested prayer. Dinner with dear friends who live too many states away and the delight of getting to know their young daughters a bit more each year. (“Miss Jen, I like your necklace. Miss Jen, what’s your favorite food? Miss Jen, I like soccer and reading and singing and I can make every letter in cursive and our dog is named Vito.”)

This afternoon I experienced another blessing at the special women’s event with Carol Kent. For one thing, the 600 women gathered in the Hyatt ballroom did not come to be entertained. Although they enjoyed the food and the door prizes and the giveaways, they also worshiped, standing spontaneously at the round tables and raising their hands.

And they shed tears as Ms. Kent shared the story of her son who killed his wife’s ex in a parking lot several years ago and is now serving a life sentence in a Florida prison. Although he leads Bible studies and counseling classes among the inmates, he will never be released alive. She will never have grandchildren or a Norman Rockwell Christmas.  She’ll never even have a National Lampoon Christmas—she and her husband spend every holiday in the visitor room of the jail. She can never “fix it” and it will never be okay.


So she spoke with credibility and power to these hundreds of women, all of whom have their own scars and struggles. (In one of my favorite moments, she asked, “How many of you have had life turn out differently than you expected?” Every hand raised. “How many of you had life turn out better than you expected?” A few hands. “We’re happy for the two of you.”)

She shared simple, simple but hard, hard ways to “move beyond surviving to thriving” when life takes an unexpected turn:

–Choose life instead of emotional, physical, and spiritual death

–Choose to trust

–Choose vulnerability; don’t live in your secrets

–Choose gratitude

–Choose forgiveness

–Choose purpose

Could you choose vulnerability when the entire community is discussing your darkest moment? Could you choose gratitude when your son has been beaten by other inmates?

Carol Kent does—I suspect on a daily, if not hourly, basis—and this hard-won maturity gives her words extra impact. My lunch is eaten and I didn’t win a door prize, but these words have stayed with me. In a world where every person experiences disappointment and hurt, her example is the real blessing.

all in the family

During this week of our “family reunion” at the NACC, it seems fitting to revisit the topic of family worship.

In most churches, this term—if it’s used at all—means a service, held once each month or each quarter, designed for entire families to attend together. Kids’ classes are canceled and often the service will include “kid-friendly” elements like a short devotional time (don’t call it a children’s sermon, we’re not Presbyterians), or a terrifically perky adult will lead the whole congregation in singing one of the songs used in children’s church. Hand motions may be involved.

Despite my strong opinions on bringing kids, especially squalling babies, into many intended-for-adults venues, I  like to see kids joining their parents and other adults in worship. (The babies should still go to the nursery. Seriously.) It’s great for churches to develop weekend programs where kids can learn about the Bible in age-appropriate ways, but I think it’s also important for them to observe and participate in the larger church. They need to see their parents, their friends’ parents, and total strangers praying, singing, serving communion and giving an offering.

However, I think they also need a way to participate, so I was thrilled to hear of a church that’s defining “family worship” in a broader way. During a chance discussion during a seminar last week, I met a woman named Dana whose church celebrated the 4th by not only inviting kids into the service, but onto the stage.

The praise team singers led worship flanked by their children, who stood and sang next to them. The people praying, presenting the communion thought and giving announcements were accompanied by their children. Even the preacher was joined by his kids, who shared a few minutes of the sermon. Each adult involved in the service in any way brought his or her children up front to share the experience.


I love this for so many reasons.

It teaches kids the importance of serving the church and doing so in an orderly, God-honoring way. It expands their perception of “big church” and why it matters. It respects and values their contribution. It reinforces ideas of family, both the small biological family unit and the larger extended church family. It could even spur the adults to think about the weekly service in new ways, to reconsider the why behind what happens because a curious six year old has lots of questions.

Worshiping this way takes extra planning and extra patience. It requires intentionality and thoughtful consideration of every age group. It happens because a group values the gathering more than the inconvenience.

The same is true for the NACC. Family worship isn’t always the easiest, but it’s worth it. I’m sure Dana’s service was a success and I’m looking forward to a great week in Indy…….although I hope there aren’t hand motions.

into africa: one question after a week in kenya

My dad just got back from his trip to Nairobi with Christian Missionary Fellowship, and writes one last blog post about his journey and the insights he’s still processing. Click here and here to read more about his trip.


Maybe Dick Alexander will ask Mary Kamau the question I posed to her in Nairobi about a week ago.

They’ll share the platform at this summer’s North American Christian Convention when the evening’s theme will be “Beyond Words: Global Impact.”

Dick preaches at LifeSpring Christian Church in Cincinnati, a congregation sponsoring work in one village in the sprawling Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi.

Mary is executive director of Missions of Hope International, an agency working to share Christ’s love among ten such communities jamming 800,000 shanty-dwellers in a 1.5 square mile labyrinth of oppression. Under her leadership an army of schoolteachers, social workers, and community development workers has been unleashed to share the gospel and combat the forces of darkness among people thirsty for hope.

Christian Missionary Fellowship has joined with the multifaceted mission Mary began to create a collaboration called Hope Partnership. This is one of CMF’s works I’ve just returned from visiting in Kenya.

Mary is a native Kenyan who came to the United States for her college education, which led me to my question.

“Many from the Majority World who study in the U.S. end up staying there,” I said to her. “Why did you return to Africa?”

She looked away and seemed to sigh before answering. “I believe I can be more useful here in Nairobi than there in America,” she said.


And even though I’ve flown away from the squalor and the sickness in the slum where she serves, I can’t get away from her answer.

It is something of a cliché, when comfortable Americans encounter abject poverty on the other side of the world, to speak of being overwhelmed by it.

It is also common, however, (perhaps subconsciously) for such mission-trippers to celebrate the “sacrifice” in their visit and then soon settle back, unchanged, into the luxuries of their middle class routines.


Mary’s testimony suggests a better response. Her answer to my question begs the question I must ask myself: “Where can I be used best?”

<> Am I convinced God is getting the greatest good from the opportunities he’s given me?

<> Am I working where I can have the greatest influence for him?

<> Am I spending my money where it will bring the greatest return for his kingdom?

<> How do my hobbies, my leisure time, or my entertainment contribute to my usability by him for others?


Considering such questions need not make us feel guilty. Not everyone can or should serve in Africa—or Haiti, or India, or Eastern Europe. There are many battles for God to be fought in the cities and suburbs—and yes, the slums—of America.

But after seeing some Christians doggedly bringing hope in a place like Kenya I’m convicted to listen for his answer to the question Mary Kamau dealt with many years ago.


“Where can I be used best?”

money, meet mouth

I’m a firm believer that it’s unfair to criticize something if you’re not willing to be part of the solution.

For instance, last Sunday the person clicking through the song lyrics and scriptures during the morning service at my church was either high, unable to read, a high schooler, or all three. Sometimes the words never appeared. Sometimes they appeared late. Sometimes we were treated to the chorus during the verses. Eventually I just sang with my eyes closed, which had the double advantage of keeping me sane AND making me seem super spiritual.

To be fair, this rarely happens, and I found out later it’s because the team recently switched systems and is still working out the bugs. But that’s my point—I found that out because I made a beeline to one of our staff people after the service and offered to help.

So, a few weeks ago I wrote a post questioning the NACC’s current mission and calling for “an overhaul of messaging methods and branding.” I can’t fix the mission part, but I already spend hours creating blogs, email updates and social media for other organizations. When Ben Cachiaras, this year’s president, asked me to do the same thing for the NACC I was more than willing.

The 2010 convention has a really strong program, but not enough people know about it. A few months of me sending emails won’t reach everyone or convince everyone, but it’s a good start at spreading the word and, yes, being constructive instead of just constructively critical. (Full disclosure: I am being paid a little bit.)

So over the next week I’ll be developing a weekly eblast that will not only promote the convention but will link to resources: articles, blogs, and videos by the 2010 main speakers and workshop presenters. We’ll also be sharing some of this info via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I may organize a blog tour in April.

I’m willing to help, but we need you, too. Join our Facebook page and invite your friends. Follow us on Twitter and retweet our stuff. Subscribe to the YouTube page and pass along a video you find interesting. Leave your blog URL in the comments if you’d be willing to write something about the convention on your blog this spring (I’ll even send you sample copy!). And email me (jen@seejenwrite.com) if you want to be added to the weekly email list.

The NACC still needs to address some bigger issues, in my opinion, but I’m willing to help this much, this year. Are you?

does the nacc have a future?

Apparently I offended someone with a recent post because I said the NACC was dying.

Maybe (probably) I offended more than one of you, and that’s okay. It’s never the goal of any post, but why would anyone read a blog they always agree with?

(A brief reminder: the opinions in this blog are solely mine, NOT necessarily those of Christian Standard or Standard Publishing.)


I worked on staff at the NACC for five conventions (1998-2002) with two managing directors and two executive directors. Since then I’ve served as a Continuation Committee and Executive Committee member and planned last year’s “conference within a conference” for women. I also write for CS, of course, plus manage our “denomination’s” online directory and news site at CCToday.com.

So, I kinda know this movement, and I really know the NACC. If I offended you with my statement, at least I’m informed enough to make it.


The plain truth is that attendance at, financial support for and interest in the NACC continue to drop off. I could spend this whole post exploring the various reasons why (less institutional loyalty throughout our culture, growth of specialized and niche events, an “uncool” reputation) but I’m more interested in thinking about whether it matters, and what can be done.

Most of my cooler, hipper friends will say it doesn’t matter. I’ve written about this before—because there are so many other events offering amazing resources and access to the preeminent Christian leaders of our time, they ask, why do we need another one?

It’s true; the broader evangelical world offers tons of events, podcasts, videos, books, networks and relationships to help our ministries. Why should we care about this network, about these relationships?


It matters because everyone needs a tribe. I read Andy Stanley and listen to Tim Keller and watch Rob Bell and follow Carlos Whittaker but none of those guys took me aside last month to hear my story and offer encouragement and mentoring. It was someone in “our” churches who has known and worked with me for years, someone who had a history with me.

On a broader scale, the same is true for all of us who affiliate, however loosely, with the Restoration Movement. Without long-term teamwork and relationship, organizations like Christian Missionary Fellowship, Orchard Group, Church Development Fund and our colleges—not to mention many of our individual churches—would be less effective (or non-existent), and the kingdom would be smaller for it.


So connections matter, and for some of us that connection is found in the independent Christian churches. Great. But that happens all year long, and would happen even if the NACC died tomorrow. We really don’t need a convention with big speakers and exhibit halls and Babyland to work together.

Because it’s really not about the event, it’s about the mission.

And that’s what needs to change. Getting together for the sake of getting together isn’t enough.


The convention’s current decline happened not because people don’t attend conferences, but because this conference no longer has a clearly-defined mission.

Is it for leaders or entire families? If leaders, vocational, volunteer or both? It’s “the connecting place” but to what end? Who’s connecting? Why is it valuable? How are the connections different from the other ways people are already working together?

It’s a hard truth and those are tough questions, but they offer hope: if the NACC can identify its unique mission, if it can connect us while celebrating our independence, if it can become indispensable in helping us plant churches and bring the Gospel to Nairobi and educate a new generation of leaders, it will thrive. If it doesn’t, it not only will die, it probably should.


Ben Cachiaras, Senior Pastor at Mountain Christian Church and president of the 2010 convention, gets this and has planned this year’s convention with a focus on going “BEYOND.” Francis Chan, Rick Warren, Gene Appel, Brian Jones, and many others will push us to move out of our comfort zones and think more deeply about evangelism, discipleship, racial and justice issues and our own calling. (You can read more, including a great interview with Ben, on the CS site.)

Say what you will about the NACC, this is as strong a lineup as any conference out there. But it’s just one year.

One of the convention’s systemic problems is the lack of continuity caused by annual changes in executive and board leadership. To reverse the convention’s decline, we need a multi-year leadership team committed to one easily-articulated mission, an overhaul of messaging methods and branding, and the money that (in theory) follows mission to pull it off.


“Keeping up with [Jesus] means leaving certain things behind,” Ben wrote about his 2010 theme. “And those who dare follow him quickly discover Jesus always takes you to new places.” Some people who love the movement need to leave behind their outdated cynicism about the NACC and give this year a chance. But the convention itself must leave behind old glory days to discover a new identity. If it does, the results could be beyond exciting.

happy blogiversery

Today marks three years for this blog! (And tomorrow involves a birthday with more threes…….heaven help us.) Here’s a look back…..

Ten of the posts I like best, for one reason or another:

Do we really want a country of McChurches?

The story is bigger than our short-term happiness.

Can Christians drink?

A Holiday Tip.

“Leadership” means dealing with reality—including conflict.

eHarmony: I’m not a fan.

If you must read “The Shack“……

On preaching politics from the pulpit….

Why I’d rather work for men.

An open letter to Tim Keller.

Ten of the posts that received the most feedback, on or off-line:

Apparently you can’t love trees and love God—or so say some readers.

How would Jesus vote?

Parents, please keep your crying kids out of worship services.

“Shout to the Lord” on American Idol…….oh, the drama.

The church’s response to homosexuality.

How I messed up the 2008 NACC.

So we saved ‘em. How do we disciple ‘em?

One attempt to start a small group.

All a-Twitter.

Is this it? I’m ready for more.

Ten people, places or things I still think you should check out:

Tokens Show

Andrew Peterson

Books by Henry Cloud

Christian Church Today

Design Intervention (both versions!)

What kind of church is this?

Ring the Bells: A Christmas Offering

Deadly Viper Character Assassins

Nichole Nordeman

Second Guessing God by Brian Jones

somewhere, God is smiling…..

….because I’ve been tapped to coordinate the women’s conference at next summer’s NACC. This is due less to my (considerable) administrative skills or (much less considerable) love of women’s ministry, and more to do with my status as the only woman on the 2009 Executive Committee.

Also I made the mistake of asking if anyone was planning it. The NACC started this conference-within-a-convention last year and it was apparently a big success with the ladies who attended, but its 2008 champion didn’t volunteer for another year. Understandable, but that left me and my two X chromosomes to make sure it didn’t die in ’09.

So far, however, things are going well. We’re planning to continue the best of last year’s programming, including a special Gathering Spot for women, a full track of workshops and Bible studies, and a luncheon with Tammy Trent. (I think she does stuff with Women of Faith? I should know this.)

We’ll also offer another special tea. Last year this event was exclusively for minister’s wives—only women married to a minister could attend. I love that last year celebrated those ladies, and this year we’ll honor another distinct group—women in ministry, defined as those serving on the staff of a church or parachurch ministry. I’m looking forward to encouraging these women.

But I will need help, so if you’re reading this and already my friend, you now have fair warning that I will soon be calling and asking for favors. And if I don’t know you, but you’d like to be involved, please let me know—especially if you’re one of those gals who just naturally thinks, “You know, this would be better if we had wooden place cards with our names stenciled on them.” Seriously, if you just intuitively know how to MacGyver a frilly centerpiece from baby’s breath and some tulle—call me. I may have the chromosomes of a woman, but I’m missing that gene.