This past Saturday I was in Louisville, KY running in a mini-marathon. The night before the race my brother, my dad, and I went downtown to Fourth Street Live. Fourth Street Live is basically a huge outdoor/indoor hangout that consist of bars, restaurants, and overall fun. The way they created this space was by permanently closing down a street between 4 buildings and building a glass structure to enclose it. The nicest thing about it was all of the signs that were there. It was like walking back in time with all the neon. Here enjoy some of my favorite pictures I took with my iPhone:












By the way, if you haven't been in a Lucky Strike bowling alley then you should at least go inside. Don't look at the waitresses but check out the overall scene. It is one of the nicest, hippest bowling alleys out there. I was very impressed.

It has been 3 full days since I ran the Derby Festival Mini-Marathon in Louisville, KY. I'm still in pain. My legs are still tight and my feet are killing me. I have been described as walking like I'm pregnant or even constipated. Either way I'm not moving normally.

You see, here is the deal. About 4 weeks before the race I strained/pulled my right hamstring. It felt like someone took a knife and cut my leg open and then balled up the muscle and put it back in my leg. Needless to say, it slowed down my training. I wasn't able to actually run much at all after the injury. I could walk but my hamstring would still bug me. Up until the time I injured myself I was running about 20 miles a week. The most though at one time was 6.2 miles. The most I had walked before the mini-marathon was 8 miles. I told myself though that I signed up to do this and I was going to finish. I was prepared the day of the race to walk the whole thing but I really wanted to run at least a mile with my dad and brother. So, we all got together in the crowd of 15,000 people and started the race together. After the first mile my brother took off because he is in the best shape. After about 2.5 miles my dad kept his pace and I slowed down. Right then I had a choice to make. I could tell myself that I was walking the rest of the way or I could want to finish bad enough to keep going. I kept going. Sometimes I would walk and most of the time I would run.

Then mile 8 came and the next obstacle with it. Every step after mile 8 hurt. My hamstring was on fire but that wasn't the most painful part. My feet were not ready to go past 8 miles. My shoes were not ready either. I could feel the blisters forming and my arches falling. I had 5 miles to go and I knew that every step was going to be a struggle. Struggle is an easy way to put it. I walked some and ran some. I was passed by many people. The pats on the back and the words of encouragement helped, but didn't stop the pain.

You know sometimes in life you have to want to finish more than you want to quit. That was me on Saturday April 26th, 2008. I finished my first half marathon. I finished in 2 hours and 21 minutes. Am I proud of my time? If I would have walked the whole thing it would have taken me at least an hour longer, but no I am not proud of the time. I am proud to finish. When I came across mile 13, my brother and my dad joined me. They had already finished the race but were waiting on me. They joined me for the final tenth of a mile. We all finished together and that is something I will never forget.

I look back on my first mini-marathon as a great experience. I got to hang out with my dad and my brother. The 3 of us haven't done anything like that in a long time. I got to experience what it mean to run with perseverance and finish the race marked out for you. I got to struggle and I got to finish.

My brother finished the half in 1 hour and 43 minutes. My dad finished in 1 hour and 56 minutes. Our next half is in October. We are running the one in Columbus, OH. You should come and join us.

I started using Twitter on March 4th, 2007 and blogged about it on March 9th, 2007. Since then, I have used Twitter 2 different ways under 2 different accounts. The first way I used Twitter was the way it was intended. Meaning I used it as a personal updating service and followed a bunch of people. Then I tried to use it as a parent involvement tool for Children's Ministry. This means I tried to leverage this new technology for ministry purposes by updating parents with what their kids were learning in church. You can read more about the second way here and here.

After seeing and using this service both ways as a personal tool and as a ministry tool or parent involvement tool I have come to conclusion that it is much better as a personal tool for now. Maybe in time when the next generation becomes parents then it would be very beneficial as a interactive tool for parents and ministry but not yet. Or maybe I should say not yet for Horizon's parents.

So what does this mean? This means that yesterday I started from scratch with Twitter. I deleted all of my old accounts and I am starting fresh. You could call it a personal Twitter Relaunch. If you are on Twitter than let me know. I would love to see what you are doing. If you want to follow me then you can find my Twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/mattmckee.

What are you doing right now?

Update: Sorry for those of you who still don't know what Twitter is, please watch this video:



Now go sign up for Twitter.

I was down by our new church property today and drove past this little ice cream store. All I have to say is OH MY! Seriously, check these photos I took with my iPhone. I couldn't make this up if I wanted too.












The above 4 windows are all different windows. I didn't just take a picture of the same window at 4 different angles. Now, don't get me wrong, I can appreciate their love for a sign. The only thing I thought though when I left was that I had died and gone to Sign Hell. So if you are looking for a bad sign or a way not to display a 1,000 signs then this is your place.

If you are looking for a great dipped cone then this is also your place.

Who are you praying for?
Who in your life doesn't know that they can have a relationship with God?
Who has God put in your life to communicate his love?
Who are you grieving over because they are so lost and don't even know it?

When was the last time you invited someone to your church?
When was the last time you shared your faith?
When was the last time you showed your faith?
When was the last time you took the focus off of you and put it on others?

Why do you do what you do?
Why don't you stop doing things that aren't worth it?
Why do you make excuses like you are to busy?
Why have you become complacent?

How do you change where you are spiritually?
How do you learn to be more teachable?
How do you teach to be more understandable?
How do your become more intentional?

Here is a great sign sent to me by Sam Luce. If you are a children's pastor and you are not reading his blog then shame on you. He has great insight and he uses a Mac. How can you not like the guy?



Now onto the sign.

First off, the store in which this comes from is not known for good signs. One of their competitors known as Target is known for great signs. So when I received this I was not surprised by the lack of effort and overall quality. I was also not surprised by the spelling of "guarrantee". By the way it should be guarantee, but I can't say to much because I am sure if you look on this page alone you will find many mistakes.

What does surprise me about this sign? Why not put it over the price? Why is it guaranteed? Aren't all prices at this stored guaranteed? I mean, don't get me wrong, I have never bought anything at this store where the price on the tag was one thing and I paid $3 more just for fun. If they are not guaranteeing the price then are the guaranteeing the game? Like it would be that hard to take something back to this store. They take back stuff that they don't sell anymore or have never sold. Believe me I have done that as well. Also who makes up the last number on the prices? Does it really matter that it is $26.93 instead of $26.99. Do they really think I am going to drive out of my way because I can save that extra $.06? I would rather they make my experience better and the experience of their workers better and charge me the extra.

The best part part about the sign is that they have under-promised and over-delivered. The under-promise of $29.92 and the over-deliver of now $26.93. I don't know about you but I need to more of the under-promise and over-deliver technique. To many times I do the opposite of over-promise and under-deliver.

That's right ladies and gentlemen, 2 Min. Tuesdays are back and better. I think it would be best if I included my boys. I think you will agree. Enjoy.

Session Title: They like Jesus but not the Church

If you get nothing else:
Live a life of Integrity
Take care of your students
Evangelism is still important

Scan the landscape-
What does your community think of Jesus?
-Jesus is my Homeboy t-shirt
-Jesus action figures
-Jesus band aids
-Answer me Jesus "8 ball"
-rock star Jesus

The Bad News. . .
There is a growing disinterest in Christiananity and the Church

Gandi said, "I like your Christ, but not your Christians"

Pastors are creepy even though many don't know any

Be in the world/culture but keep them from the evil one

How are we evangelizing?
-Testamints
-Christian Poker chips
-Products instead of personal relationships

There is hope! Lots of Hope!

Most Churches and Christians are not what the perceptions are

-You personally are the Church
-You can change the future
-You don't have to be extremly cool, just extremly available

Sent from my iPhone

Session Title: Deep Ministry in a Shallow World

Our lives have become mindless
- our food choices

- what we wear
- our youth ministry

We have a feast of resources, so why do students leave undernourished?

We have an epidemic of students leaving the church after High School.

Our Goal should not be to keep students in our youth group but to keep
students long term in the local church.

Cool video from www.liveabove.com

Are you satisfied with mindless youth ministry?

Ask then Act. . .

Are we feeding students the right type of food?

What Gospel are we feeding kids?

Are students doubt welcome at our table?

The Kids' Table Catastrophe. . .

Age separation is becoming a problem

How can our kids become apart of inter-generational ministry?

How can we train students to feed themselves after graduation?

Help them find a local church in their college town.

Don't be mindless in your food choices, your ministry, and your life!

Sent from my iPhone

Speaker- Mike Huber

History of Adolenscence

-teenager originally

-recent concept

-post child labor laws
-not a child & not an adult
-it has created its own customs, music, and value systems

The Mission Field
- followers of Jesus have tried to impact this culture

-We have taken God and made him culture

-We are to guide people to God no matter the culture

-everyone is looking to be apart of something greater than ourselves

-volunteerism is at an all time high for teens

-teens are overscheduled and looking for importance in anything

Powerpoint presentation is down

Teens are hyper-
-Stressed
-sexualized
-over-dosed

Now a talk about technology and teens and culture

-Let kids create within their culture to reach their culture for God.

-let the Kingdom of God be at hand

Sent from my iPhone

Reveal Research Findings

Ministry is harder than the Marketplace because the marketplace has
clear objectives (money) and ministry doesn't (making disciples).

-It is very hard to define making a disciple.

-the basic definition is loving God and loving others

-increasing participation doesn't produce disciples

Now for lots of graphs that I will link to later

4 groups of people attending Church
-Exploring Christ
-Growing in Christ
-Close to Christ
-Christ-centered

Looking at all of the slides are going to help

The most catalytic thing that grows people to become a disciple is the
Bible. This is not news but proven by the research.

Check out all the stuff at www.revealnow.com

Very interesting stuff, I need to look at this more

Sent from my iPhone

A Postmodern Conversation

1 Peter 3:15-16

Just because we disagree we should handle it with gentleness and
kindness

Brian starts with the history of the world

The Modern World
-The Earth is not the center of the galaxy
-The Great Chain of Being is no longer

Themes of Postmodern
-Conquest runs into Conservation
-analytical turns into post-analytical
-objective changes to intersubjective
-critical into post-critical
-secular and spiritual live together
-consumerism into sustainability
-print literacy turns to digital fluid

Then we go to Q & A
So here are the best questions (I think)

-How do I make Life work in this fast changing world?

-How do get past the definition of post-modern?

-how do deal with gender issues in a post-modern world?

-can we get past our world views and get to truth?

-How do we go from simplicity to complexity back to simplicity?

Sent from my iPhone

With Tim Mannin from Journey Church about Student Ownership

• Aunthenticity is valued over excellence


• Let students create ministry


• Don't make them do your thing and make it look like you.


• Let them do something that looks like them


• Stay within your vision and purpose


• Let kids dream bigger dreams

Sent from my iPhone

The Scandal of Grace

Main Point: See with New Eyes

Luke 7
Do we have the same integrity as Christ?
Top 3 Charateristics of Christians as seen by non-Christians
1. Anti-Gay
2. Judgemental
3. Hypocritical

-Not better vision but new eyes
-It is easy to see what you do and not who you are
-We are incredibly loved
-We are under the grace of God
-This love is hard
-Love is more powerful than hatred
-We domesticated Christiananity in the United States
-They will know us by our Love and nothing else.
-Grace+Love+Mercy-Hatred-Judment-Hipocricy= the Ministry of Jesus

Sent from my iPhone

Spiritual Formation

Luke 5:1-11
-The Experience of a Gold Fish
-It's about following Jesus
-Cinco De Jesus w/ 2 kids (story)

Florida on my landscape is around my nipples (talking about hair loss
and retirement) really funny

Be a Spiritual Guide and in the Spirit

The Calling
-Be empty and available
-Have a ministry like Jesus
-We do not grieve enough
-You don't need anything else
-Be Free and not imprisoned
-Take a Sabbath
-Be a living person (don't pretend)
-(I feel the Holy Spirit. God is here)

Sent from my iPhone

Here are the notes that I took during the first session. If you can't
tell I like questions and not answers. Enjoy.

Brian McLaren

-On the same planet
-What is your role to influence?
-What are the issues of the church?
-What are the issues of the world?
-What should matter more?

4 Global Crisis
-Prosperity
-Equity
-Security
-Framework Story

Sent from my iPhone

I am here early and sitting in the coffee shop. I just met another
blogger. His name is Jon Biggs. Check out his blog at www.jonbiggs.wordpress.com

He will be giving updates as well.

Sent from my iPhone

Anybody going to the Shift Conference at Willowcreek this week? I know that I am and I am taking my team and family with me. If you are going to be there drop me a note. I would love to see what other bloggers/people are going to be there. I would even like to do lunch with you and blog about it. Seriously, let me know. The think I am looking forward to the most is the Switchfoot unplugged concert. That is going to rock.

Do you go to conferences? How do you pick which one you are going to attend? If you don't go to any then you should. If you go to more than 2 a year and you are not speaking at them then you should stop going to so many. I think conferences have their place. I think it is great to get ministered to and worship with fellow ministers. I don't think they are the place to get away from your family multiple times a year. I don't think they are great places to find your next church. I don't think they are meant to show off how great you are. If and when you go to a conference this year, have fun, be filled, and walk away renewed.

I had the privilege to work with Vanessa Whitwell for 5 years at Fellowship Church. She was a very special person and highly gifted by God. She had many roles at Fellowship Church but the one I will remember the most is being an incredible Drama Director. She let me do a lot of really cool stuff on the main stage at Fellowship and I didn't say thank you enough. Everything from acting to voicer overs was only common place. When she got her new Volvo she let me drive it that day like it was nothing. She loved life and the people that were in her life. I am only one of thousands upon thousands of people who were touched by her.

I pray today for her husband and family. I pray for the staff of Fellowship Church. I pray for the many people that will miss her incredible voice and on stage presence. Thank you God for letting me know Vanessa and for being able to work with her.

Here is what it says on Fellowship Church.com about Vanessa.

Vanessa Whitwell

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

I really like things that have something interesting to them. I know that statement may sound dumb to some but I think there are way to many people that settle for something that is not interesting. They settle for things that are normal or usual or even what everyone else likes. I normally express this liking of the interesting in my clothing choices. You know shirts with embroidery in weird places, ect.

What does these ramblings have to do with HDR? First you have to know what HDR is. . . (Wikipedia says) HDR is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows. Or in my terms, HDR is making a picture interesting and giving it more depth and life.

Now why do this on Sign Wednesday? Because I think you will see that Signs can be given more depth and life through HDR rendering. I mean come on, if you are going to take a picture of a sign why not make it interesting.

Here are some great examples from Flickr.com

The Good News: 2 Min Tuesdays will be returning next week. I promise. I know some of you are saying, "YES!", and the majority are saying, "WHY?", but with my new iMac I can't wait to get back to video blogging.

The Bad News: I am not in the following video but it will only take you a minute to watch. I think you will enjoy it in my absence.

UPDATE: The following video was an April Fool's joke by Google. I know some of you didn't get that but now that you know, I think you will find the video much more amusing.




Want to know more about this project? Go to www.google.com/virgle