• Snapchat pictures don’t disappear after all
• Christian heavy metal band singer attempts to hire hitman
• Singapore mega-church pastor charged with misappropriating funds
• Truth is your name recognition is less than you think

Interested in more stories like these? Check out May’s edition of Ministry Briefing Digest.

Every year, around this time, Theresa and I take off for points unknown. This year, points unknown happens to be Alaska, where we will be checking out glaciers, bears, and other kinds of Alaska stuff.

While we are gone, I am going to be taking a break from the internet… no email, no Facebook or Twitter, and I’ll be taking a break from the blog as well.

I’ll be back at it when we get back to Long Island.

While I am not calling for us to abandon the celebration of Mother’s Day in church, I do believe that we need to acknowledge the fact that this can be a difficult Sunday for many in our congregation.

Yesterday we sat down with Ben and Laura Reed for a conversation on Mother’s Day, and how to care well for those who struggle with it. You may know Ben from his blog Life and Theology (and if you don’t, you should), but what you may not know is their struggle with pregnancy and miscarriage.

I will let them share their story in the video below.

How does YOUR church care for those struggling with Mother’s Day?

• Mark Driscoll surprises everyone by making environmentally insensitive comments, and suggests that men who drive minivans are mini-men.
• Ed Young hosts “Dog Days Weekend,” which encourages everyone to bring their dogs to church and tailors the sermon around dogs. Pray for the janitor.

If stories like these interest you, check out Ministry Briefing Digest, 175 stories, articles, and studies that pastors need to read.

However, there is a danger to vision statements. There are times when we turn them into some sort of panacea, a magical cure-all for all that ails an organization. I once visited an elementary school that had three separate vision statements posted on the wall of the school’s office. Each one was developed by a different principal, and unveiled with a great deal of hype, and energy… yet the school continued to struggle and decline. These vision statements failed to work because the principals failed to ask key questions about the organizational culture within the school, and relied on “a new vision” to be the spark that created change within the school.

Warren Berger recently wrote a great piece for the Fast Company Design blog entitled Forget the Mission Statement, What’s Your Mission Question? Through the course of the piece he asks a series of five questions great questions that every leader needs to honestly answer about the organization they lead. These questions go to the core of an organization’s existence, help shape its vision, and illuminate any cultural issues that stand in the way of that vision:

• Why are we here in the first place?
• What does the world need most that we are uniquely able to provide?
• What are we willing to sacrifice?
• What matters more than money?
• Are we all on this mission together?

A word of warning… it can be easy to write these off as “softball questions.” In the church context, it can be easy to look at the first question and answer something along the lines of “to lead people into a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.” While that is a “correct” answer, it may not be a true answer. I believe that the true value in these questions lie in answering them twice: answer them honestly based on where you are currently, and then answer them based on where you believe the spirit is leading you. Once you have two sets of answers, you can begin to address the gap that lies between them.

What are YOU willing to sacrifice for the sake of YOUR vision?

• A picture of Ed Stetzer
• A good bit of laughter
• A Beth Moore reference
• A photoshop challenge
• More laughter
• A gratuitous plug for Ministry Briefing
• Discussion of the facial hair choices of Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, and Billy Graham

I realize that you are busy.
I realize that you have important things to do.
But, let’s face it… you need to laugh today.

What is YOUR facial hair preference?

From MY perspective, the study was intriguing to me as it attempted to discern Christ-likeness in the lives of believers. This is something near and dear to my heart, as much of the work that I do with church leaders is helping them figure out what the definition of a disciple is in their unique context… what are the unique markers that tell the world around them that they are followers of Jesus? Many times, when I ask questions about what leaders are looking to see true in the lives of their congregation, they say something along the lines of “we’d like to see them exhibit the fruits of the spirit.” While this is definitely a biblical answer, when I ask them what that looks like in their day to day life, I often get a blank stare. The Barna article above is worth the read, just for some of the ways that they are defining Christ-likeness… and it makes for a great jumping off point for thinking through how YOUR church defines, and measures, discipleship.

That said, here is our take on the article… we’d love to hear your thoughts below. We’d also love for you to check out this month’s edition of Ministry Briefing… it’s now available for as low as $8 a month. I believe it is a great tool for church leaders.

Are YOU more like Jesus, or a pharisee?

• I know the truth, and you don’t.
• Beware the charismatic leader.
• The end is near.
• The end justifies the means.

This morning we walk through the article together, share our thoughts, and would love to hear yours.

What do YOU believe are signs that religious beliefs are taking a turn for the evil?

Interested in more stories like this one? Check out May’s edition of Ministry Briefing… click here for more info.

• Game Show Network’s new show could put old church ladies out of business. “It Takes a Church” looks to celebrate the awkward tradition of married churchgoers matching up their single friends with their future mate.
• Teens watching more mobile video than their older peers. A growing trend for church leaders to be watching for within the rising generation.
• Divided church shares worship space. A presbyterian church, split on denominational affiliation, has found a way to work together and share resources despite their differences.
• News of the weird: Pastor panty raid? Nigerian pastor steals a woman’s underwear in order to pray for her.

Check out more stories like these in May’s edition of Ministry Briefing!

• Zachery Tims’ memorial service
• The son of Paula White calls out the rapper behind Fal$e Prophet$
• Self-censoring on Facebook
• Catholic school teacher fired for homosexual relationship
• Dallas “Rave Church” shut down

Each of these stories were covered in the soon to be released May edition of Ministry Briefing Digest.

Which of these stories do YOU think is most significant for the church?