Posts Tagged ‘Twitter’

How Well do You Maintain Relationships?

February 1st, 2010
Wedding
Image via Wikipedia

I don’t do a great job of maintaining relationships. I can talk a good game but in the end I do a much better job of maintaining distractions than I do in actually sharing my life with people. In fact, if I don’t see you on a regular basis there’s a good chance I won’t really do a good job of keeping up with you.

Most of my relationships are geographic

I seem to do the best job of maintaining relationships with those I see regularly. This works well with my wife, my colleagues at work, and my fellow parishioners. But it doesn’t work nearly as well with people who aren’t in my regular weekly routine. Because of that, I tend to focus on my relationships in this order:

  1. God
  2. My amazing wife
  3. Friends and colleagues I see regularly
  4. My parents
  5. Everybody else

The problem with that is that far too many of my very close friends are ending up in the “Everybody else” category.

This is to my detriment because I’ve done a very poor job of keeping up with some close friends of mine. Those where we used to interact regularly but aren’t in my weekly circle any more. Some of them have been friends for years and have poured wisdom, spiritual insight, and love into my life. In fact one was the closest of my friends for several years and lives only a few miles away, yet we now have trouble even scheduling time to hang out. But it gets worse.

» Read more: How Well do You Maintain Relationships?

Social Media and Ministry

January 12th, 2010

While you can’t have fondue on Facebook, there are many ways that social media can benefit ministries and churches. Here are just a few ideas. Please feel free to add your own suggestions.

Facilitating Communications

One of the most difficult things in nearly any group is communication. Whether a marriage or a country, communication is tough. I don’t know about your church, but at ours (I’m not a pastor but I am in leadership), communication is tough.

We have difficulty making sure everybody is aware of upcoming events. It’s sometimes hard to cast vision. And we aren’t always aware of the needs in the congregation.

Note: As we look at open communication, don’t forget that there are some things that should be kept private. Don’t let the ease of communication on social media push you into inappropriate territory.

Here are just a few ideas on how electronic social media might help facilitate communication (that’s really what it does best). Add your suggestions in the comments. » Read more: Social Media and Ministry

You Can’t Have Fondue on Facebook

December 17th, 2009
Fondue, Choucroute, Fromage, etc.

How is your online social life?

Seriously, how are you doing? What are you doing?

Do you have a lot of friends? Do you invest a lot of time building relationships that mean something? Do you invest in relationships with people you actually know? Are you looking for followers or friendships? Are you hiding in the anonymity of being just another name on somebody’s friend list? Do you judge what kind of friend you are by the number of people who follow you on Twitter?

Electronic social media is a wonderful thing – or at least it can be. It can help us reconnect with old friends and classmates. It can make the miles between us seem fewer. We can feel less separate.

Social media is good for

» Read more: You Can’t Have Fondue on Facebook

How Can Spouses be Good to Each Other?

September 2nd, 2009

81e0e2a9defb3afbA couple of weeks ago I wrote something about spouses being good to each other and why spouses should be good to each other. These were in response to a message brought by Pastor Barbie Loflin (@sheteaches on Twitter). I’d like to follow those two “theoretical” posts with a post dedicated to making theory into practice.

I Want Your Comments

Before I even head down this road I would like to say that I don’t begin to know all of the answers. In fact, I’m hoping that I hear many great ideas from you. And that because I am a follower of Jesus, my comments will certainly be bent towards the perspective of living the Gospel.

My (Incomplete) List

Here are just a few ways that spouses can be good to each other. » Read more: How Can Spouses be Good to Each Other?

Why Should Spouses be Good to Each Other?

August 8th, 2009
Father and Daughter at the Zoo
Image by newagecrap via Flickr

A couple of days ago, I wrote about a right (Biblical) relationship between a husband and wife. How submission and surrender can be freeing and can help the “two become one flesh” (Mark 10:8). I trust that you went to listen to Pastor Barbie’s sermon, where she laid out a beautiful picture of how this can look. A picture filled with grace and freedom, not condemnation and legalism.

So now the question follows: Why?

Why should a wife an wife pursue a right relationship with each other? What’s the point? Here are five reasons, just off the top of my head. Perhaps you have some more – share those in the comments section below.

  1. It’s in the Bible (Ephesians 5:21-33) – For a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, this alone should be a good reason.
  2. A right relationship between husband and wife improves their marriage.
  3. When things are right at home, we are free to minister to others.
  4. The relationship between a husband and a wife reflect on the nature of God (refer again to Ephesians 5:21-33).
  5. We are better role models for our children – when we model a good relationship, we give our children a chance to have a marriage relationship that is as good as (or better than) our own.

Perhaps you know of some reasons as well. Perhaps you have a story of how your parents’ relationship has affected your life. You should share those in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your stories.

I’ll close with the chorus from “Daughters” by John Mayer. Fathers and mothers, be good to your daughters (and sons). Treat them well. Raise them well. And model a Biblical marriage relationship.

Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

John Mayer “Daughters”
Heavier Things Sony 2003

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