Thanks to Tony Buzan, the man who innovated mind mapping, we now have access to an easy system to do brainstorming. Further, computers and touch screen devices have begun to allow the process to be even more fluid. However, as popularity has risen for mind mapping, so has an influx of programs and apps that enable you to do so. After looking over many of the programs, web apps, and testing out 10+ iOS apps, I believe there is one system that tops them all.

MindNode

MindNode is only available on Apple products (OS X or iOS based devices) and is a perfect solution for any Mac lover.

You can go to their website if you want all the features, but I’ll give my endorsement here.

Out of any program, web app, or iOS app I have used, it is the simplest to use, while maintaining most of the advanced features. This means, if you want to make it look pretty, you can, but your thought process is not going to be inhibited by an excess of steps. Plus, this app is made for the Apple product, as the desktop version takes full advantage of auto save (file versions) and full screen that were introduced in OS X Lion.

Now, although I do love it. It does cost a bit. $19.99 for the Desktop version and $9.99 for the app. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Go take a look on their website to get all the details

Here are 3 ways you can begin brainstorming more effectively:

• Keep it simple: Often, we over complicate brainstorming, coming up with complex or complicated processes that focus more on the appearance then the ideas. Great brainstorming sessions produce great ideas that are later reorganized into good looking presentations, not the other way around. Don’t let anything get in between you and your thoughts.
• It takes time: When I sit down to brainstorm Children’s Ministry, Social Media, or Leadership ideas, I get impatient when I don’t start coming up with great ideas. Have patience, invest time and the ideas start flowing.
• Keep a record: Although you do need to keep your brainstorming simple, you also need to make a record of every idea you have. Don’t let any idea get lost, because if you don’t write it down then, you probably won’t remember it later. Even if you don’t think it is a viable thought, write it down. It’s often the ridiculous ideas that we write which inspire the innovative ones.

Crowd Booster

This analytics system is free for one account and provides you with a graph track your follower growth, visually displays which tweets are reaching the most people, analyzes and provides you with what times you should be tweeting at. Further, it helps you keep track of who you should be interacting with and allows you to schedule out tweets. This system helps you take advantage of your twitter account.

Go to CrowdBooster.com to create an account

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Klout

Klout is a newer system that has grown fast. It helps you understanding how influential you are online, combining all of your social network statistics for a streamlined score and analytics. Further, you can compare your score to others and see what specific topics you are most influential in. This helps you integrate each individual social network into an over all social media strategy.

Go to Klout.com to create an account

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You have potential for influence, your width of leadership and depth of leadership online can quickly grow if you are willing to put some effort into it. The ministry you could do online, could be huge! Think of the impact your church could have. Set some time aside, start strategizing, analyzing, and most of all engaging with other online.

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Start engaging online by sharing this article or commenting below.

I’ll admit, I am one of those people who waste the precious opportunities that I have to influence. Instead of standing up, I often step back. At times when a leader is needed, you’ll find me hiding… no literally… last semester I felt like I needed to step it up, but I got scared and went and hid near a creek just down the road. I fear that I am not adequate to be the influencer… because I am not. I dread that I will fail as I influence… because I have.

The issue I’ve been having, is that I made influence focused on me. I thought of my potential based off of my abilities, not my relationship. You see, we are inadequate for ministry, but are empowered to do it. We are inept leaders, but still charged with a call. We have failed, but are seen as clean. If we are going to take hold of this precious resource and use it intentionally, then we must put the focus of our accomplishments on Christ. We must recognize that we are inadequate, inept, failures, who are blessed by a good God and who have been rescued by an incredible savior.

The potential for our influence is HUGE. We could make a MASSIVE impact if we stopped wasting this resource by overcoming our insecurities about our abilities, as we put the focus back on God.

Start influencing NOW, by sharing this post or commenting below.

1. Tebow Tag:

Does the name Tim Tebow ring a bell? It’s time to teach your kids about tebowing (it’s like planking). Every time they get frozen, they have to get down on one knee and tebow. The kids will love it, if you explain who Tim Tebow is and what tebowing is.

2. Double Unfreeze:

Make it easier for the freezer, by requiring that every kid has to be unfrozen by two different people, before they can move. This makes it way more difficult for the kids to be unfrozen.

3. Shooting Ice!

Give the freezer a nerf gun and let him freeze the other participants by shooting them with the harmless nerf darts. This changes the dynamics of the game significantly allowing the kids to use both short range and long range methods for freezing.

4. Freeze the Name Tag:

In this version of the group game, all the kids in your children’s ministry or classroom will have to be wearing name tags to participate. Every time someone is frozen the freezer must say their name. This version of the game works as a great ice breaker to help the kids get to know each other.

5. The Unfrozen:

Every time someone is frozen and then unfrozen, they stop being able to use part of their body. First, they can’t use their right leg, so they have to hop. Next they can’t use their left leg, so they have to crawl. Finally, if they get frozen a third time, they are the freezer.

Needed:

• Chalk or tape (to make the start and finish line)
• At least 5 participants

Objective:

To be the first participant to cross the finish line.

Set-Up:

Draw a start and finish line about 25 feet apart.

How to Play:

Have all the kids line up on the start line and ask them to spread themselves out from each other by putting their right arm out to their side (so they will be 1 arms length away from each other). When you say “go,” the kids will race to the finish line, only taking a step when they tag or are tagged by someone. The trick is, there are no tag backs.

Winner:

The first person to go complete

Lesson:

Say: It took some work to figure out how to make it to the finish line, didn’t it? It took for then just aimless walking, but instead it took you carefully thinking. You had to strategize   and be intentional with ever step. That is how our lives must be also, we must carefully choose every step, as we move towards heaven, our finish line.

Suggested Bible Verse: 2 Timothy 4:7

Comment below with ideas and suggestions:

What if every leader, at every church, started making an active effort to be developing a young leader? What if they handed over responsibilities to young people who didn’t have a clue what they were doing (like me. haha) and gave them the opportunity to fail? Think of the potential! Sure, mistakes will be made, events might flop, but leaders of the future will be better equipped and more effectively empowered then ever before.

What if we, the Church, stopped thinking of interns as grunt labor, but instead as those who are doing the ministry they are called to, with supervision and guidance. Think of the impact that could make!

Honestly, I have a long way to go, and a lot to learn, but also the degree to which I have been equipped is rare. The opportunities for interning, working, and serving are not offered often or at many churches. The Body of Christ could take a HUGE leap forward in both relevancy and width of reach, if it developed more young leaders. It would grow and reach more if every leader made an effort to have interns.

So if you are a Pastor serving at a church somewhere or a member of a congregation, begin using your influence to push for more young leaders at your church. Go be like Jesus and invite them to join you, don’t wait for them to beg.

For further reading on interns, take a look the this encouraging article from Ron Edmondson

Honestly, whether you are in ministry, the workplace or school, you are going to come across times where you hit rock bottom. It will HURT! According to the National Health Interview Survey 75% of the population is STRESSED OUT. Despite best efforts, sometimes stress overtakes us, the business of our lives consume us.

Here are 3 Keys to Surviving a Collapse:

• Focus on God’s Goodness: We must focus on God’s goodness, because despite the stress, despite the pain, despite the anguish, God is still good. In situations like this, we must assure ourselves that God is good (Psalms 100:5, Psalms 13:6, Jeremiah 8:10). Thus, if God is good, then we can also know that the collapse we are experiencing, the difficult things we are struggling through is a privilege.

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. – Philippians 1:2

• Be in Community: Often times, we don’t like letting others see us collapse. However, when we are collapsing we need others to be there with us, to lift us up and carrier us (Galatians 6:2). Being an introvert, it has been the difficult lesson to learn, that when ministry has me tired our, job is stressful or school is exhausting me I need to be around people who can help lift me through it.

• Endure: We must endure, and rejoice in our suffering knowing that it is making us into a better, stronger person. We can’t give up, we must keep pushing and accomplishing the task set before us by God.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope - Romans 5:3-4

What do you do to survive a collapse?

The police showed up and began interviewing the few people who had been in the store. When they came to one man who did not seem to be shaken from what had happened they asked, “Can you described the guilty person?” The man’s response was, “The man who came into the store is guilty of theft, but lady at the counter is just as guilty. She had a chance to show compassion on a broken man, but instead she was demeaning. She had a chance to express love to him, but instead she hated him. She could have told him about eternal life, but instead she damned him to hell.”

Feel free to comment and share it.

Thanks,

Brandon

The question is, as leaders, what beat are we keeping? When we change our beat, so will our followers. If we miss a beat, our followers might also. We must place a high value on the influence that we have. When someone sees us and our followers, will it be a beautiful song? or will we be indecisive, switching the beat up and leaving no consistency? Inconsistent leaders attract half-hearted followers. Consistent leaders attract committed followers. Find the beat that’s right for you and play to it consistently.

What helps you be a more consistent leader? Comment below: