Jonathan Herron

STORY

My buddy Ben Arment has a kamikaze approach to living out ministry dreams.

And I love it.

He just walked away Catalyst to launch STORY in Chicago this October.

[ Side-note: Amber, Josiah, and I travel this Fri-Sun to interview at a church 3 hours outside of Chicago.  Prayers coveted. ]

Anyhow, Ben sent a little sumpin' sumpin' my way.  Much appreciated.

As you can see from the pic, Juliet the Wonder Pug tackled me - she is that eager to go to STORY:

Help Juliet's dream come true for yourself.  Check out STORY.
As soon as I get my new Twitter going in the coming days, I'll share more.

Coldplay + Worship

Having downloaded the free Coldplay Live album, I was struck by the audience's engagement with Track 6.  Before a lyric is sung from onstage, the crowd of thousands spontaneously erupts in musical unity. 

Some take-aways:

• This generation craves unity. 
  A shared rallying cry in a darkened theater brings community out of anonymity.
• People want to be part of something bigger than themselves. 
  If we learned anything from the 2008 Presidential campaign, its that the culture of America is ripe for authentic movements.
• We are wired to ascribe worth and weight outside of ourselves. 
  In other words, the human soul craves worship.  Secular concerts are musically no different from sacred worship gatherings; the question surrounds Who is being ascribed great worth...

Fresh Vision

David was raised up as God's new leader for His people.  Saul gave David his royal armor to wear:

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.  David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.  "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.

2 potential lessons for leaders:

1)  Seek fresh vision from God.  Avoid the temptation of copy-and-paste visioneering.  Embrace change and transitions.  God always gives fresh vision to new leaders He raises up.  If He had wanted things to remain status quo, He would have left Saul in charge.

2)  Don't allow past milestones to hold back a prevailing future.  If David had "done it the way its always been done," he would have clumsily fallen down.  The old way of doing things (the former vision) did not fit his unique style of leadership.  Instead, this young new leader did what needed to be done at this moment in Israel's history:  by faith he moved forward confidently in a fresh new direction.

Memorial Wknd Pix

54321 on the odometer. 
C'mon, if you had a camera handy,
you would have snapped a pic of your odometer too!

 

Josiah enjoying cake with Grandpa Jack.
Mmmm...  pudding cake...

 

One of the more creative gifts for 1st time guests:
  - practical use
  - reminder for guest to return
  - free advertising in parking lots

Speaking of Speaking

In the midst of listing our house this week and lots of interviews from all over, I have also been responding to some amazing speaking opportunities.  Upcoming include:

• Speaking this weekend at Grace Chapel's Sat/Sun services in Minerva, OH
  
• Momentum Conference's Main Stage ("God's Inexhaustible Love") & 2 PowerTrax ("From Chris Farley to Christ or Don't Go to Church.  Be the Church.") in Pittsburgh, PA in July
  
• Also in July, a week-long Summer Youth Camp in Miers, MI

The amazingly talented Jerry Brownell has been working on a new speaking website for the past 2 months that will provide better online tools for handling these kinds of opportunities.  Can't wait to see the finished design!

Strive Valiantly

My friend and fellow church planter Rick McKee of Crossroads Community Chapel stopped by today - very encouraging guy with a huge passion for advancing God's Kingdom in northeast Ohio. 

Afterward, Rick emailed me this famous quote from Teddy Roosevelt -
I actually have had this taped to my bathroom mirror for a few years now:

"It is not the critic who counts
Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled
Or where the doer of deeds could have done them better
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena
Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood
Who strives valiantly
Who errs and comes short again and again
Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions
And spends himself in a worthy cause
Who, at the best, knows the triumph of high achievement
And who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly
So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
Who knew neither victory nor defeat."
- Theodore Roosevelt

3 Quick Lessons from Kris Allen's Win on American Idol

1)  Conventional Wisdom does not apply to Millennials.  This generation is for the Darkhorse and the Underdog, everytime. 
And Hollywood, don't underestimate the power of tweens.

2)  Authenticity trumps Acting.  Case in point: the sudden success of Jason Mraz.

3)  Worship Leaders make the best singers!

3 Thoughts about San Diego

1.  Our connecting flight was in Chicago.  I discovered a dinosaur at O'Hare. 
Because my two-yr-old loves dinosaurs, Amber snapped this pic. 

It will definitely raise my cool-factor with Josiah. 

Because I found a dinosaur.

2.  The international flair of San Diego was everywhere. 
Take for instance my complimentary on-flight beverage: Coca-Cola. 
Click the pix:

3.  In the midst of interviews, tours, & tours,
we did carve out a half hour to walk the Naval Bay by San Diego's airport. 
I love California in May.

I love my kid

 Josiah discovered Disney's Oliver & Co this week.

Whenever the Dodger dog comes on-screen to sing,

Josiah grabs his sunglasses to sing along.

And its cool that Billy Joel provides Dodger's singing voice.

Double bonus.

Church - 80% are like bone marrow transplant patients.  You have to take the body to within an inch of mortal death before making the life-saving transplant.  If you don't, the body will reject the enormous, life-saving change.

Have a traditional service?  If the aim is to reach the lost at any cost, try reimagining the worship gathering as a Vintage service.  Still celebrate the old hymns, but bring in modern instruments (ala Star Trek).  It's still the Old Rugged Cross, but with a 21st Century flavor.

The best way to honor the past is by reaching the future.