Time to go pro. WORLD magazine reviews the new movie Courageous, arguing that the Kendrick brothers are ready for Hollywood. Stop procrastinating … now. "Procrastination is not inevitable. Figuring out why you postpone work and then taking concrete steps to prevent it will help you get more done and feel good about yourself." 8 responsibilities of church members to their leaders. Helpful, biblical insights here. Notes from LifeWay’s 2011 Kids Ministry Conference. Thanks to Tony Kummer for collecting and providing these resources! Most customers who tweet complaints don’t get answers. "A survey shows 71% of people don’t hear back when they Read the full article…

In Memoriam: Steve Jobs (1955-2011)   Apple announced yesterday evening that founder Steve Jobs died. As a fan of all things "simple," I’ve admired the ways in which Apple produced intuitive, creative, and end-user friendly technology with such simple designs that make life fun, enjoyable, and easy. Indeed, the world is a different place because of the creative genius of Steve Jobs. Not long ago, I blogged about his retirement and offered key quotes from him that have stuck with me on a range of different topics.   Much can be said — and already has been said — about Read the full article…

Amazon’s new Kindles, what you need to know. Here are the specs for Amazon’s Kindle refresh and an introduction to the new Kindle Fire. Being a gentleman at the office. Some good bits of wisdom about the dos and don’ts of business etiquette. Gospel or justice, which? Russell Moore’s provoking piece concludes, "The short answer to how churches should ‘balance’ such things is simple: follow Jesus. We are Christians. This means that as we grow in Christlikeness, we are concerned about the things that concern him. Jesus is the king of his kingdom, and he loves whole persons, bodies as well Read the full article…

How Campbell’s Soup went from stale to innovative. The former CEO explains how internal culture change and external culture awareness led to a better brand awareness. Generation X stymied by Baby Boomers refusing to give up jobs. A Generation X survey mentioned in the article "found 41 percent are unsatisfied with their rate of advancement and 49 percent feel stalled in their careers." 5 ways to redeem your ride to work. "Americans now spend more than 100 hours a year commuting to work. The nationwide average drive-time is about 24.3 minutes, which tops the average two weeks of vacation time (80 hours) Read the full article…

State of the media: social media report. Nielsen reports that almost a quarter of American’s internet usage is found in social networks. How digitization is transforming the book industry. In short order, increased digitization and e-reader usage are changing the playing field for book publishers, including B&H Publishing (a division of LifeWay). What are the guidelines for setting a pastor’s salary? Good leading questions from the article: "At least three questions are wise to prayerfully consider in determining a pastor’s salary. What biblical principles do we need to keep in mind? What institutional policies make sense? What cultural dynamics are in Read the full article…

Organizational charts. Microsoft’s depiction is funny, but betrays a common "silo" mentality in most corporations. 12 unusual words that describe words. Great list for all of us grammar nerds.   Remorse or repentance? This contrast between temporary remorse and genuine repentance is helpful.    Twitter: the fastest growing social network. Do you think Google+ will supersede Twitter?   With 9/11 anniversary on a Sunday, pastors prepare their sermons. If you’re a pastor, will you be preaching about something related to 9/11?   Difficult conversations: 9 common mistakes. Good insights here for conflict management.   5 reasons for bringing your Bible to Read the full article…

10 ways to know you’re a social media expert. Some truth behind this humorous post. Minorities are majorities in many metropolitan areas. According to census data, non-Hispanic whites are the minority in 22 of the nation’s 100 largest urban contexts. How to resolve conflict biblically. Conflict happens, and sometimes it is inevitable. Maybe this "4G process" can help. Billy Graham reflects on the end of life. “The best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive,” says Mr. Graham. 6 personas of social media sharing. Which one are you? 7 worst natural Read the full article…

101 inspiring aerial photographs. Stunning photos, unless you’re acrophobic. 8 ways to communicate your strategy more effectively. Inspire. Educate. Reinforce. Tell a story. Good leadership insights here. Why McDonald’s wins in any economy. You can judge for yourself, but I still think the secret is hooking in us parents and grandparents with the Happy Meal. 7 steps to finding time for social media. Bottom line: make time. So you want to be a senior pastor? Incredibly helpful advice and reflection for those interested in pastoral ministry by Pastor Jay Thomas.  Google cuts churches out of nonprofit program. Faith-based groups must now Read the full article…

Campus Crusade is no less committed to Christ. Changing their name to CRU doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned the gospel, as pastor J.D. Greear points out. How to get young people interested in global news. Fascinating concept: "talking about journalism as the embers of innovation might encourage young thinkers to devour more" news and information. Keep emails brief, organized, and on topic to get responses from busy people. I agree with this whole-heartedly. I shared some similar thoughts about email (and Millennials) here. 10 steps to an effective apology. Helpful thoughts on owning up and making things right. SEC decides against adding Read the full article…

Are we the generation that destroyed the concept of communication? Probing questions and pithy statements from Justin Kownacki about the intent behind today’s communication. Revealed: the official name of the Twitter bird. I’m sure you could guess for yourself, but here it is.   10 characteristics of great teams. Brad Lomenick from Catalyst nailed it here. Just a sampling: "Great teams fight consistently. About ideas. About direction. About strategy. And the best ideas win. Trust is crucial. And everyone on the team trusts each other enough to fight for their ideas, and argue, and debate. And leave it at that. Great teams are competitive, Read the full article…