Name: Nate
Posts by Nate:
Holiday Eyes
November 30th, 2010
Here we are again- the holiday season! I think I actually saw Thanksgiving decorations in stores starting in August, no joke. I love this part of the year because as families come together to share memories and stuff ourselves with the best food on the planet- they also have this sense of giving take over. During the holidays, our eyes are opened a little to hurting families, lonely people, and struggling hopes. We go out of our way to include people and show love, I just wish we could have “Holiday Eyes” year-round.
It’s interesting to see how people respond to servant-hood in our churches during the course of the year. For the most part, most churches around the country do a good job of helping people through the year, but I think we could do better. What if we could keep our “Holiday Eyes” even in April. What if we could see hurting people and go out of our way to include people on a weekly basis?
I would like to submit three easy ways you can see people who need love on a daily basis. Read the rest of this entry “
I’m Empowering Passion
July 28th, 2010I once wrote about passions. In short, not everyone’s passion for their specific ministry is the same. One may feel stronger about Worship than Missions, but understands both are essential for showing people Jesus. I still very strongly about it- in fact, I have some great news for you!
Several months ago, I started Be The Now. I believe it to be a great idea, a great vision, and a great resource- which is why I can’t lead this ship anymore. Even though I understand and believe what Be The Now stands for, my true and real passion is to help churches, ministries, and non-profits leverage pop culture, media, and technology to reach people for Christ. Getting Be The Now up and running, leveraging the best WordPress Theme available, and going where the people are (Social Media), is evidence of my passion. Now I need to hand it off to someone who can really run with what Nick Shoemaker and I have built.
Jackie Wild, writer, teacher, and people-reacher, is someone that I’ve been friends with for years. We’ve seen God work in the lives of each other, and I really believe there’s no one (at least not until she empowers someone else) that can and will lead BTN to become the great outreach tool it’s designed to be. Her heart for people astounds me, her desire for God encourages me, and she is now the ‘Big Cheese’ here at Be The Now!
I’ll still be around! I hope to still write about people reaching people and telling them about Jesus. I’m sure Nick will still write and scout for outreaches making a difference too.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to see Jackie in this role… will you welcome her with me? Jackie, it’s all yours!
Slactivism
May 12th, 2010
I just read a post from one of my “must read” blogs by Tim Stevens. He wrote about a post from one of my other “must read” writers, Kem Meyer. His post was agreeing with her post named, Helping Humanity is in Style & Is Easier than Ever. She pushes; As a result of people having the web at their fingers and social networks in the palm of their hands they can join a cause on Facebook or Twitter and not actually do anything for those causes. In fact, it seems to be more noise we have to sort through.
I get that. In fact I’m running into that now a little with Be The Now. We have about 250 fans on our Facebook page, and about 60 followers on Twitter. Only a fraction of them have actually donated $10 to our campaign that will give 800 people fresh drinking water for 20 years. Kem quoted how she sees it:
“There’s a newish movement called ‘slactivism.’ Basically, it refers to doing good without having to do much at all. It’s inch-deep activism that doesn’t cost much money and takes even less effort.”
I’m not trying to call out Kem or Tim. I look up to both of them and enjoy their writings. Tim’s book helped put words to many of my feelings about pop culture & media in the Church and I’m going to see Kem later this month for a web & social media seminar– but I will push back a little bit. In a world where non-profits and churches don’t have a huge advertising budget, and with the free resources at our finger tips like Twitter and Facebook; doesn’t it all make sense? Shouldn’t we try our best to tell people about a cause they may be interested in? I mean, I’m not even a non-profit, I’m just a guy who started a blog to try and fill a need. I know you agree with me, and I certainly don’t want to limit my campaign to the web. I’ve been meeting with some people that I think can help us publicly spread the word through displays and commercials- but my initial marketing push was all things free.
It’s a good reminder to not let your servant-hood be limited to flippantly joining a group but not sacrificing any of your time, talent, or treasure. These thoughts were also a good push for me to get back to the business of trying to spread the word through other venues. I’ve made web banners and videos available to start the campaign, now I can… (i can’t believe I’m going to say this) “take it to the streets.” (Ok, that was a little lame.)
So what about you? Are you a Slactivist, or do you live a big life-story, impacting the need and changing the course of history? I hope when I’m described to people, they describe me as the latter.
Donating By Check
May 9th, 2010
Some people have contacted me about donating by check verses using a credit card. This is very easy to do in only 4 easy steps! Once you get to the campaign page, just….
You’ll receive an official tax receipt 3-4 weeks after your check is processed!
Thanks!!
Being The Change
May 6th, 2010
I’ve been on quite a journey in my relationship with God and the Church. I remembered being cynical and disillusioned with how ministry worked and my assumption of what I believed to be important to the Church. I would sit in church, when I went, annoyed by the flakiness and lack of excellence in the services. On the outside, I was listening politely, but on the inside I was banging my head bloody against the pew in front of me.
I loved worship time. In fact, it seemed that for most of worship hadn’t been screwed up by man. I also loved the times my friends and I came to the church in the middle of the night and worshiped with the music set at its intended volume levels. It seemed like those were the times when God wasn’t deluted by man’s institution.
Then things changed.
In the deep quagmire of my disillusionment, God whispered something to me. As I was stewing on the Church’s failings, He said, “So what are you doing to be the change?” I was busted. I sat there for a minute, and came to the conclusion that the only thing I was doing was complaining. I was complaining without solutions, thus changing nothing.
What I began to learn through that experience is that “The Church” is God’s true love, and if I saw that they need help in being more relevant, better equipped, or more creative, its my job to help them. You can’t effect change with no solutions, that will only breed disillusionment. I don’t have all the answers, but I have some.
If you don’t supply solutions with your complaints, you will not effect change. See the need, effect quality and Biblical change, and get over yourself.
So I don’t mean to be rude, but “put up or shut up!”
Be the now.
National Day of Prayer
May 6th, 2010
I know there’s a lot of criticism out there about the “National Day of Prayer.” I know that we should be earnestly praying everyday and not just on a selected day. Today, as I prayed, and thought about the journey I’m taking with Be The Now, I just prayed that God would start to do in other’s hearts what He’s begun to do in mine. I’m not better than anyone, but I can see a change taking place in my life. I can look at things in a different perspective.
Anyway, take a few minutes today and ask God what his heart is for you and your life story- my bet is, He’ll show you!
The First Week
May 3rd, 2010
In the first week of Be The Now, a few things have happened. On the site, we’ve added 13 new posts pointing people to physical or online venues to help, we’ve started our own campaign to walk the walk, and we’ve added one other contributor besides me. On Facebook, we’ve grown to 163 fans! On Twitter, we have 59 followers! The site has logged 319 visits, mainly from the US, but also from Canada and Sweden.
I’m encouraged because as of yet, we’ve done very little advertising. I’ve posted links on Facebook, but other than that- nothing. I feel like people want to help out, but since we’re all stuck in our own world- we don’t know where to look, or even know about opportunities that may be in our own backyard. My theory is that if you make it easy for people to help, they will.
Read the rest of this entry “
Goodwill
May 3rd, 2010
Traditionally, Goodwill has been the best place in town to grab a sweater for your friend’s “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party,” or the first place one might go if they need to find a totally “Boss” polyester suit for…well, a bunch of stuff! But Goodwill does more than house random things!
In 2009, Goodwill helped 1.9 million people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful, such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care.
Every day, someone gets a good job, with help from Goodwill.More than 155,000 people obtained meaningful employment in 2009 through their participation in Goodwill programs. These people went on to earn $2.5 billion in salaries and wages, and contributed to their communities as productive, tax-paying citizens.
Goodwills meet the diverse needs of people, including youth, seniors, veterans, immigrants, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other specialized needs.
Kickin’ it old school just gave someone a job… radical!
Big Brothers Big Sisters
May 3rd, 2010
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. We have been the leader in one-to-one youth service for more than a century, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors children, ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country – including yours.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters Mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact on youth.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters Vision is successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want them, contributing to brighter futures, better schools, and stronger communities for all.
Our Mentoring Programs Work
National research has shown that positive relationships between youth and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters mentors have a direct and measurable impact on children’s lives. By participating in our youth mentoring programs, Little Brothers and Sisters are:
–More confident in their schoolwork performance
–Able to get along better with their families
–46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
–27% less likely to begin using alcohol
–52% less likely to skip school.
Volunteers of America
May 3rd, 2010
One night in a shelter can provide comfort and security, but one night won’t end a man’s homelessness. Solving the problem that makes him homeless will. At Volunteers of America we help people change their lives for the better. Volunteers of America is unique among humanitarian organizations in that we provide both immediate assistance and long-term solutions that benefit individuals and families.
Perhaps no other organization offers such a wide range of community-based programs and services for people of all ages. Across the nation our programs range from infant adoptions to affordable housing for the elderly. We are caregivers, problem solvers and believers in miracles. When you make a charitable gift to Volunteers of America, you help a man or women take the first step toward self-sufficiency and you also ensure that someone will be there to walk with them the extra mile.
Volunteers of America has a number of programs for individuals interested in community service. One of those programs is the national Action Team initiative, which is a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Trust that aims to instill a love of volunteering in high school students. Young people who engage in community service are more likely to continue serving through their adult years.
We have 38 local offices across the country, many of which are partnered with hundreds of other organizations and volunteer centers. This makes volunteering easier than you think! And by making volunteering opportunities accessible for individuals, we are cultivating engaged citizens, a critical need to building strong communities.
You can give online to Volunteers of America, a local office, or one of their health facilities. You can give monthly, or quarterly. You can donate your vehicle, or even give stocks!
