jayhardwick.com

Head On Over to ChrisReeder.com

My good friend and fellow church planter Chris Reeder has a great series of guest bloggers dropping by his blog for the next week or so with nuggets of advice and wisdom for new church planters.

For some odd reason, he invited me to write a post. Head on over to Chris' blog to read what I'd say to a church planter that knows he's called to plant, but has no idea what he's doing.

Keep checking Chris' blog daily for more great advice from much more worthy voices than mine!

Blog Review

Spending some time these days evaluating things around jayhardwick.com. It's been a little more than a year since I jumped in the blogosphere and I couldn't be more glad for that decision. Absolutely the right thing to do and the relationships gained and lessons learned over the last 15 months or so prove it for me.

Just as our family made a huge transition this year, I'm feeling like there may need to be some transitions with the blog. But, as I look at some transitions, some tensions arise...such as:

How personal should one really be on a blog? While I do not have near the readership that some of my blogging friends have, there are thousands of unique readers per month that encompass the globe. Should I feel uneasy about posting pictures of my family, videos, telling stories, etc.? How can I be personal without being stupid?

How do you connect with different readers who read for different reasons? Like a lot of my friends, I have a weird mix of readers: lots of "up and coming" church planters, friends and family, church leaders, people in Columbia, people in Greenville, etc. How do you vary content to connect with those readers?

I guess those are the biggest tensions I'm thinking through. To get gut-level honest, I went through a not so good season with this blog in the early days where I was trying to keep up with the Joneses: checked my stats all the time, checked technorati rankings, thought I was a big deal when the blogging "celebrities" linked to me...then I saw Ben's "No One Cares About Your Blog" shirt and it put me in my place! :-) And, some friends helped me evaluate and it's time for that again.

I want this blog to be a tool - for connecting with people in Columbia, for connecting with and encouraging church planters, for giving people who are away from us a window into our world.

I'd love your comments, thoughts, evaluations, etc. on the tensions and ideas I presented above and your experience with this blog. Leave a comment or send me an email...your thoughts are appreciated!

Ain't Skeered

If you communicate on a regular basis, want to someday, or know you should but are sacred to death, check out Tina Su's advice over on the Think Simple. Be Decisive. blog. Then, come back here and let's discuss...

What do you think? What would you add? How do you deal with the nerves and/or the fear?

Under the Radar

About a year ago, a couple of guys with widely read blogs threw some link love my way. Who knows what would have happened without those generous links, but I know that I would have only learned a small fraction of what I have learned in the last year and I would be minus some pretty vital relationships.

I'm sure I don't have near the traffic those guys did then or do now, but I do want to make you aware of two new bloggers that have some great stuff to say, but are probably flying under your radar. Check them out...you'll be glad you did.

Scott Tanksley
Scott left a pretty sweet commercial real estate job a few years ago to join the team at North Point. I had the privilege of working side-by-side with Scott for almost two years as we launched Catalyst and let me tell you, this dude is smart. More than that, he is passionate about the church being accessible for lost people and believers being engaged in mission. Hey, if you track his blog, you may get a real estate tip or two. :-)

Carey Nieuwhof
Look up "bold and courageous" in the dictionary and you're likely to see this Canadian's face beside the definition. Carey just left a church that he invested 12 years of his life re-igniting to launch not one, but TWO churches at the SAME time in the Toronto area of Ontario, Canada. Carey is a great friend, a true encourager, and a brave pioneer for the gospel.

I'm excited about these blogs and I think you will be, too. Stop on by and tell 'em Jay sent you!

What Are You Up To?

This weekend, tragedy struck the campuses of the University of South Carolina and Clemson University as 7 students were killed in a beach house fire on Ocean Isle Beach, NC. 6 of the students were from USC and 1 was from Clemson. Their names have yet to be released, but the families have been notified.

Obviously, as word spread, students who knew those who were killed and the others who miraculously escaped the house were overcome with fear, emotion, questions, and deep grief. Even those of us who did not know the students are overcome with questions like, "God, how could You allow this?" Fair question.

Over the past couple of weeks, God has taught me to ask a new question that by no means is meant to belittle the situation, but rather a means of finding hope and evidence of His presence, even in tragedy.

The new question:"God, what are you up to?"

In the tragic death of our friend in Kentucky, we saw God at work. In the unbelievably tragic deaths of these college students, we will see God at work. Look what He is already up to at Midtown Fellowship, a church strategically located in downtown Columbia that God is using to reach hundreds of USC students.

There is much to grieve in this tragedy - lives lost, futures lost, friends lost, and sons and daughters lost. But maybe, just maybe, many will find rescue in Jesus. I don't even pretend to have answers for why God allows these things to happen. But, I know He allowed His Son to be beaten beyond the point of recognition, to be nailed to a cross where His blood poured profusely, and to die a criminal's death in spite of His absolute innocence.

But out of that tragedy, God brought about the greatest victory ever recorded. The same One who was beaten, nailed, and dead came ALIVE! And because of His death and resurrection, rescue is available to you and me. The Old Testament says, "Rescue is coming!" The gospels and the rest of the New Testament say, "Rescue is here and His name is Jesus!"

"Father, would you send Rescue to the campuses of USC and Clemson? Would you send Rescue to the families and friends of the victims? Would you send Rescue to all of us who hear of this and wonder what you are doing. Father, help us to trust you - admittedly, it's hard sometimes. Help us to see that you are good. That you are always at work to send Rescue into our lives. May it be so today, for your glory and your Kingdom. Amen."

Monday Mind Dump

What a weekend! Some thoughts and reflections...

The Hardwicks are now official residents of Columbia, SC! Feels good to have one place to call "home." Lara Beth is the master unpacker - when we went to bed Friday night, everything had found its place and no boxes were left. WOW!

The Gamecocks got away with a win in Chapel Hill on Saturday. After a first half in which they looked like a top 10 team, they played a second half that looked like a bad middle school team. A lot of that had to do with Jake's young and quickly improving Tar Heels. But, we still won. Every team that has a big year has one or two ugly wins. Hopefully that's what this will be for the Gamecocks.

Really enjoying preaching on Sunday nights at Center Grove Church in Clemmons, NC. One of my mentors, Dr. Steve Corts, has been senior pastor for just over a year and the church has doubled in attendance and seen hundreds cross the line of faith in that time. Along with preaching on Sunday nights, I am helping them better focus their strategy and systems and develop leaders.

Loving unChristian. Statistics get boring, but Kinnaman and Lyons did a great job making this much more than just a book of numbers and percentages. It's written as a means of creating conversation, raising tension, and offering possible solution to the definite image problem Christianity has in America.

Lara Beth and I are continually amazed at the people we are meeting and running into in Columbia. I have no idea who is going to come together to launch this church, but it's exciting to think of the possibilities that exist with the people we've talked to so far.

Midtown Fellowship is straight up rockin' downtown Columbia. Lara Beth and some friends have gone the last two Sunday nights and the vibe is incredible. Dustin and his team are doing an amazing job connecting with downtown culture - and, they are serious about seeing Columbia transformed. Check out what they are doing the third weekend in November. Great stuff.

That's all for now...

Long Day

I left the hotel at 6:45 this morning. it's now 12:09 am and I just walked back in...LONG DAY!

BUT, a GREAT day!

Huge, bigger than life-sized stuff at Catalyst! Andy Stanley, Frances Chan, and Rick Warren ripped it up.

Saw lots of friends.

Topped off the day with a GAMECOCK WIN over the previously undefeated Kentucky Wildcats!

Off to bed...more fun tomorrow!

Messing with My Mind

Several books and blog posts have really messed with me, encouraged me, and challenged me of late. In no particular order...

Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution is definitely messing with my mind. There's so much about what he does and writes about that makes my heart pound with excitement. Yet it seems so out there and seems so out there for me. Not quite sure where the balance is, but I'm begging God to show me. I'm not quite finished yet, but when I do, I'll try to post some thoughts/highlights.

Love Gary's post on your calling, Furtick's post on rededication, Casey's post on the hot seat, Seth's post on hard work, and Ben's post on the danger of casting vision. You've probably already read them all, but just in case you haven't, check them out.

Every time I hang out with my good friend Rich Butler, my vision for what God is doing in Columbia seems to expand and take on a little new twist. Rich isn't from Columbia and he's not on my team...but his heart to "pastor a city...for the sake of the city" is contagious and challenging. If you're not reading his blog, you need to be.

Another guy who messed with my mind recently is Reggie McNeal. His book Present Future raised some tremendous questions for all of us who lead churches to consider. I am having coffee with Reggie tomorrow, so I am sure my mind will be messed with even more.

Excited about what God is doing to stretch and teach me in preparation for what He wants to do in Columbia.

Video Church Guys...Pay Attention

My good friend, Eddie Johnson, Lead Pastor of Cumberland Church, North Point's Strategic Partner in Nashville, TN, has started a much needed blog. Appropriately enough, it's called Video Church Blog...Let's Talk About It.

There are few people on the planet that have the experience Eddie has in launching and leading video churches - not venues, but churches. There's a big difference. Prior to launching Cumberland, Eddie led a team of people to launch Watermarke Church, another North Point Partner, in Canton, GA. Yes, there's enough room for North Point and Gary Lamb in Canton...but just barely. :-)

Eddie has been a tremendous encouragement to me and I think this blog is going to be one to follow. As the multi-site revolution continues and more churches leverage the multiplying effect of multi-site, more and more leaders are going to be called to lead these churches/campuses. Many of them will be "video campus/churches," so voices of experience like Eddie's will be HUGE.

Eddie, welcome to the blogosphere...FINALLY! Can't wait to continue the conversation!

Dustin Willis & Midtown Fellowship

Lara Beth and I had the privilege of being the oldest people in the room among 225 people last Sunday night. No, we didn't eat at Chuck E. Cheese. We visited the most happening church in downtown Columbia, Midtown Fellowship.

The music was off the chain. I was a little sketchy about their location...the State Museum...but it actually was an awesome venue - sort of movie theater-like. Lead Pastor Dustin Willis and his creative team did something they've never done before. The message was on video, sort of Nooma-like, with small worship sets weaved in between segments. The crowd was big-time engaged and passionate in singing. Oh, it was stinkin' loud...not Elevation loud...but it was loud. And really, really good. They've doubled their attendance this summer when most of their "regulars" are gone. They'll easily blow past 400 when Carolina students are back.

Dustin is a new blogger, too. And, even though he's a Tater fan, I like him a lot and his blog is way sexier than mine. I love Dustin's heart for reaching Columbia - he's been praying for years for someone to start something in Northeast Columbia, which is where we are going.

Dustin and Midtown team...keep it up! I'm honored to come alongside you to turn Columbia on its ear. And, I bet we'll be LOUDER! :-)