Anne Marie Miller

Category: Church

  • Rick Warren and I are on the Same Page About Facebook

    Literally.

    I had the opportunity to write a more in depth article on my three year Facebook journey — the good, the bad, the ugly, for PurposeDriven.com. And see, Rick and I are on the same page.

    rick-warren-facebook

    At least the same webpage. I really have no idea how he feels about Facebook.

    So, if you want the full story behind my Facebook suicide, click here to read it over at PurposeDriven.com.

    And I leave you with this very important question…

    If Rick Warren and Joel Osteen got into a poke war on Facebook, who would win?

  • The Computer Ate My Bible

    When I was seven, I “won” a trip to Schlitterbahn because I memorized all the books in the Bible and could recite them to our small, West Texas congregation. There is nothing quite like trying to say “Habakkuk” while standing on a milk crate (and three hymnals) in order to see over my dad’s oak pulpit. It was quite the balancing act.

    Next up were Bible Drills. It was time to put that knowledge to use.

    Ready?

    Draw swords!

    Proverbs 3:4 – Go!

    Our classroom of fifth and sixth graders would flip urgently through the pages of our Bibles, scouring to find the called out scripture. There was nothing holy about it. Elbows were thrown, feet were mashed, voices were raised, tampers were thrown…but, by golly, did I ever know my Bible.

    Fueled by competition, I went home to study, over and over again, where the books were located in my Bible. Trying to remember themes and stories and memorize the frequented verses so even if I didn’t actually find them in the Bible, I could ramble them off like I had.

    Again.

    Nothing.

    Holy.

    About it.

    Over the last few months, I’ve had the opportunity to do several interviews for radio stations or by phone and I’ll think of a verse in the Bible I want to reference. I typically fumble around,

    “Well, um, I think Paul said….”

    (If it’s something in the New Testament, you’re pretty safe going with either Jesus or Paul).

    “In the Old Testament, it says….”

    (By narrowing it down to the Old or New Testaments, you have a 50/50 shot of getting it right).

    I know these verses. I know a LOT of verses. I just have no clue where they are anymore.

    I’ve realized the Bible I use most often for research is online. It’s so easy to search for a keyword or topic and be flooded with a variety of results. Which, when you’re researching something, is really quite efficient.

    Gone are the days I am digging through cross references and skimming down chapters and chapters looking for a specific verse. And you know what? I kind of miss it.

    There was something very life-giving that comes from sitting down with Scripture in its paper form. There’s something about scanning and reading through Scripture intentionally, yet never knowing what other treasure you may find along the way. Granted, it takes more time, effort, and patience, but I have to say in the end, it’s more than worth it – at least it seems to be for me.

    What are your thoughts? Have you seen how your personal scripture reading habits or knowledge has changed with the use of technology? I know for many people it enhances the experience. I guess I’m just wondering if I’m crazy for wanting to go back in time.

  • I Can’t Wrap My Mind Around It…

    Unfortunately (and if you follow my Twitter account you already know this), I got pretty sick Thursday night. As in wake-up-at-2:30AM-Emergency Room-CT Scan-sick. After it came back all clear for appendicitis and other scary things, I thought I’d just fight through whatever it is and press on to Atlanta.

    I picked up my rental car, literally had everything packed up and was heading back into the house to lock up when I was overwhelmed by the contents of my stomach. My temperature is all funky and I can barely move without throwing up. And it has been a long, long time since I’ve thrown up. Like eight years.

    Part of me knows this is a spiritual battle and that part of me is second guessing my decision to stay home. What if I was supposed to move along in spite of being sick and I made the wrong choice? Another part of me thinks, “Hey, people get sick. You got sick. It’s out of your control.”

    So I’m torn.

    No doubt God is in control of all of the circumstances at hand and everyone who has worked so hard to make this weekend happen is being more than gracious and patient and loving.

    I’m just having a hard time understanding…knowing I am probably overthinking everything…but I’m struggling, you guys.

    Thanks for your prayers and love and encouragement. I know a lot of you have been in situations like this before and I could honestly use your wisdom right now.

  • BOOK GIVEAWAY – Killing Cockroaches

    Well, this is ironic.

    killingcockroachesI had the good intent of getting this post up about five hours ago, but you know what? I had a mess of random things come up in my schedule and I’ve literally spent most of my day away from my computer.

    If, by some chance, I would have actually LISTENED to my friend Tony’s wisdom in his book Killing Cockroaches, I might have been able to plan, delegate, say no, redirect, and focus a little better.

    Lesson learned.

    Again.

    So, before we get to the book giveaway stuff, you have to know Tony’s going on tour. I don’t know if he’ll be giving out hugs, if he’ll have pyrotechnics, or even a 300 pound body guard with zero body fat escorting him to and from his Prevost, but regardless, if he’s in your area, you have to have to be a part of the tour. And it’s cheaper than taking your team out to lunch. If you took them to the Melting Pot and not McDonalds, I mean.? Details are here.

    Tony has been generous enough to donate ten copies of Killing Cockroaches to the Anne Jackson Book Giveaway fund. To be entered, leave a comment having to do with anything roach related – literal or metaphorical – and be entered. I’ll pick winners from both this giveaway and the Mad Church Disease giveaway next Thursday and the winner shall be notified via electronic post. (That’s email). Use the TWEET THIS button below to earn double credit.

    Ready? Go.

  • FREE Mad Church Disease Video Series

    Something I am SO excited about is…

    We are taking some of the core values from each chapter of the book Mad Church Disease and putting them on video so churches or staffs or groups of people can use them to help walk through the book and begin a discussion.

    Oh, and the thing I’m SUPER DUPER jazzed about is that they will be completely, 100%, no strings attached FREE!

    We start working on them next weekend, and before we do, I’d love to get your opinion on what makes (for lack of a better term) a “teaching video” helpful to you?

    If you haven’t read MCD yet, you can download a FREE chapter (which happens to be one of my favorite chapters) here.

    And I just got a case of books in a few weeks ago, so if you’d like a bulk discount on books (10+ copies) just shoot me an email. We’ll get ya hooked up.

    Have a great week!

  • BOOK GIVEAWAY – Less Clutter, Less Noise

    Fact: Kem Meyer has the coolest chick hair I’ve seen.

    Fact: She’s also given one of the niftiest presentations I’ve seen.

    Fact: She has a book that you need to read.

    Fact: Especially if you have no background in communication and you work in a church.

    Fact: Or even if you do.

    Fact: I have 10 to give away.

    Leave me a comment with either your biggest communications FAIL or your biggest communications WIN and you’ll be entered into the contest…next Thursday I’ll pick ten random people and you’ll get a copy of the book! Tweet this post below and you are entered twice!

  • Innovative Ministry Leader Launch

    So here’s something you need to know about.

    I’ve partnered with a new web-based video teaching/training site that launches next month called Innovative Ministry Leader. And the crazy kids over there are using my little video to launch things on June 9th! It was a great experience working with these guys. Even though it was the day Nashville got pounded by tornadoes, that didn’t stop them from doing the video shoot!

    imlshoot

    Following me in the month of June are videos from Jeff Deyo (Sonic Flood guy), Troy Gramling, Sheri Gould, Greg Stielstra, Doug Gould, Jonathan Lee, Dino Rizzo, Paul Jackson (no relation!) Tommy Kyllonen, Mark Batterson, Ross Parsley, Glenn Packiam, Skye Jethani, Carl Cartee, Jud Wilhite….and the list continues to grow.

    Innovative Ministry Leader is the world’s first complete web-based training center for today’s leaders. It allows EVERYONE from your team (one person or one million) teaching and insight from innovative leaders from around the world.

    IML has video teaching in the areas of leadership, worship, marketing, culture and technology.

    Every month IML features new web-based videos that range in length from 20 to 60 minutes. There are areas for people to engage in chat rooms as they watch the teaching and even has a “buddy list” of sorts so you can connect with leaders with similar interests.

    All videos are archived as well, so you can access them at anytime!

    It’s a monthly subscription and it is SO affordable…$34.99/month for unlimited access to everything. Again — that is for your WHOLE staff, leadership team, volunteers, whoever!

    **And…I’m happy to announce the first 150 people who register will receive all 8 of the Leadership Network Innovation Series books FREE!**

    flowerdust-graphic–

    -Deliberate Simplicity by Dave Browning
    -Confessions of a Reformission Rev? by Mark Driscoll
    -The Multisite Church Revolultion by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon and Warren Bird
    -Leadership from the Inside out by Kevin Harney
    -The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson
    -The Monkey & The Fish? by Dave Gibbons
    -Sticky Church by Larry Osborne
    -Servolution by Dino Rizzo

    So…click over, check it out, sign up…and can’t wait for June 9th when some Mad Church Disease teachin’ will be going down.

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  • Book Giveaway – SERVOLUTION!

    The cold rain was unusual for Baton Rouge in December. Yet even in the dark, we pulled the van in to the parking lot at the Alamo Motel. The same motel where drug dealers and hookers are the nicer people you’d meet. Where a 47 year old stabbed his 76 year old cousin to death. Where a serial rapist found refuge until he was arrested.? Where girls under the age of fifteen are raped or sold for sex.

    A group from Healing Place Church and I checked in on Miss Ella – a grandmother who was taking care of her six grandkids, and a dog, in a 300 sq ft motel room. If you could even call it that. She had a roof over her head and a few mattresses, but that was about it.

    During the time I spent in Baton Rouge with the people at Healing Place Church — one thing was for certain. This church was living out the message of love and Christ in their own backyard. From the places where they were rebuilding from hurricane damage, to Dream Centers that housed anyone from the homeless to the domestically abused to the kid who didn’t have anyone to go home to.? While we were out, we saw another van delivering meals to the widows in this community. We visited strip clubs to give flowers to the dancers and earlier that morning, set up tables full of a warm breakfast for anyone who needed it. And there were several hundred who were fed.

    Pastor Dino Rizzo and his team have been friends, encouragers, and champions in my own little ministry. I’m so green and new at this, but they don’t care. They challenge me, love me, pray for me, inspire me, connect me with others I can learn from, and they love to learn from others too. I don’t have much to teach them, but their attitude of openness and servanthood is beyond what I could possibly describe in a blog post.

    Pastor Dino has a book out called Servolution. If you could package the DNA of Healing Place Church this book does that. I am not exaggerating when I say every single believer out there needs to read this book. We are called to transform the world with the love of Christ and Dino has been so gifted to share what he has learned along the way.

    I have ten copies of Servolution to giveaway (although I highly encourage you to go ahead and just buy it).

    Here’s how you win.

    Leave a comment about how you have seen the church BE the church lately and you’ll be entered to win. I’m going to throw in something new this time. If you use the “Tweet This” button below and retweet this post, it will count as a double entry so you’ll have a better chance of winning, plus you’ll be spreading an important message that needs to be heard.? Next Thursday I’ll randomly pick ten people and Zondervan will contact the winners to get their mailing information.

    Ready? Steady? Go.

  • The Remedy for Shame

    Shame is a sickness…

    A disease…

    That keeps us hidden.

    The remedy for shame is grace.

    Grace that requires you to step aside when you know you’re right.

    Grace that requires you to consider others better than yourself.

    Grace that hurts and is dangerous.

    Someone around you needs that grace right now.

    Go give it.

    And give it freely.