Clayton Bell | Online

Son. Husband. Father. Planter.

Archive for category Resources

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Feb 4

Posted by Clayton Bell in Cultural Commentary, Resources, Spiritual Insights | 1 Comment

Yesterday I plowed through Donald Miller‘s latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I love the subtitle- “What I learned when editing my life.” We all would like a chance to back and make edits, improvements, change characters and scenes in our life, wouldn’t we?

While we can’t go back and change past experiences, we can live with greater intentionality and focus for the rest of our lives, which is the path Miller travels in this book. In the process of editing a previous book into a movie screenplay he learns what a great story is, realizes his life isn’t one, and determines to start living a great Story.

However, a succinct summary of the book doesn’t do it justice. Miller’s writing style, very stream-of-consciousness, drifts without getting lost, is funny and lighthearted right before it pierces you with depth and insight. He seems just like the kind of guy you’d want to grab a drink with, be it carbonated or fermented. If  you’re not the kind to pick up such a book, it’s the very reason you should. You need to be stretched to dream, wonder, reflect and imagine what you life is and what it could be.

I do want to add on caution to the book. As with Blue Like Jazz, Miller’s writing seem to strike their deepest chord with long-time or disaffected Christians. Since I’m neither, I never resonate as deeply with his writing, though I’ve seen it’s impact on others and appreciate the healing it’s brought them. However, I would be wary of a non-Christian reading this book, as they may come away thinking the way to a better story with God is to “try harder,” one of the most dangerous and horrifically wrong things a non-Christian can think about God. Someone who understands sin and redemption, but never quite found their groove or purpose in Christ (Ephesians 2:10) will find a sympathetic and challenging voice in Miller. Had I read this 12 months ago, before I started planting Trinity New Life, this would have been a great encouragement to take the steps to do so, and I hope it plays the same role in the lives of other Christians.

Oh, and if you want a review of the book covering more of the actual content, check out Ross Middleton’s review.

Have you read it? What did you think?

New book feature on the blog

Jan 29

Posted by Clayton Bell in Leadership, Resources | No Comments

Wanted to let you know I’ve added a new page on the blog called Recommended Books. I’m trying to get through 30 books in 2010, so each time I finish one I’ll add it to the page with my comments.

Two up (one link is having problems, which is a Barnes and Noble problem), and hopefully one every other week!

Get your chronological on in 2010!

Dec 29

Posted by Clayton Bell in Resources, Social Media | 5 Comments

Over the last few weeks YouVersion.com, home of online Bible awesomeness, updated their website and mobile applications to include multiple reading plans. The one that caught my eye was a chronological reading of the Bible in a year. According to the website

The Blue Letter Bible “Chronological” plan is compiled according to recent historical research, taking into account the order in which the recorded events actually occurred. This is a fantastic plan to follow if you wish to add historical context to your reading of the Bible. If the schedule provided is followed, the entire Bible will be read in one calendar year.

Sweetness! I’ve always wanted to take things chronologically, as reading the prophets with the historical books usually put context to what they were saying. Same thing with the epistles and the book of Acts in the New Testament. It seems many other wanna do the same, so here’s what you need to do:

  1. Sign up for a free account at YouVersion.com
  2. Sign up for the Chronological reading plan HERE
  3. Edit your setting for the plan to start on January 1, 2010 HERE
  4. Join our YouVersion reading group HERE
  5. If you’re using a mobile device, make sure you’ve updated to the latest version. Select the Reading Plan icon and then “View all plans.” Your plan should appear on the top, allowing you to keep track on your computer or your iPhone/Blackberry/Android.
  6. Each time you complete the reading, you check off the sections, allowing you (and eventually everyone else) to track your progress and keep you accountable.

You’re all set! In just a few weeks, YouVersion.com will update to allow us to see each other’s progress and “encourage” each other as needed, which should be really fun in the group. I don’t know if there’s a discussion feature in YouVersion, so I’ll post a summary blog each Friday? Monday? Thursday? with a few thoughts, and hopefully we can ask questions and interact in the comments. I’m not suggesting I’m the end-all, be-all theologian of the group, but if you ever have questions or want clarification on something, please don’t hesitate to ask me and I’ll do what I can.

Any other questions?

Redesigning the Bible

Dec 9

Posted by Clayton Bell in Resources | 4 Comments

Timeline

The other day on Twitter I complained about the ordering of the book in the New Testament. If Luke wrote Luke and Acts to the same dude, why not put them in order? Too logical, I know.

In fact, very little of the Bible is arraigned chronologically. Part of this is because we don’t have exact details. But when have facts ever stood in the way of Christians?!?

So here’s a little heretical help from me- a Bible study that breaks down the book of Acts into sections and tells you when to read Paul’s letters based on scholarly assumptions of when they were written.

I’ve read through Acts once like this, pausing to read the Epistles, and it really rocked my world. Looking at where Paul was, where he’d been, and what his time was like in the city he was writing to really helped bring perspective while reading.

Alright, ENJOY!

I’ve reached the end of the internet

Nov 30

Posted by Clayton Bell in Resources, Social Media | 2 Comments

end-of-the-internet

Or so it feels like.

I’ve got a rotation of roughly 15 website I check daily, and it all seems to run together into mindless drivel. Of course, most of of the internet could be accused of being mindless drivel, but I digress…

It feels like a very small amount of websites don’t include some level of nudity (I’m looking at you, FoxNews.com) or near-nudity, or list about nudity or something of the like. I’d rather not have to hold my hand over half of the screen while reading a list of the top ten worst movie villains of all time.

So help me out! I’m a tech geek, pop culture fan, sports-lover, theologian, father, husband and church planter. Tell me, what am I missing?

What corner of the internet am I missing that you know about?

If you’d like a Google Wave invite…

Nov 25

Posted by Clayton Bell in Resources | 15 Comments

google_wave_logoI’ve got (7) Google Wave invites left.

First seven people to post a comment get an invite.

Twitters, DMs, text…these will not get you an invite. Comment only.

And don’t get hasty if it doesn’t come immediately- it takes a while to get there.

OK, have at it.

More Tim Keller Awesomeness

Nov 13

Posted by Clayton Bell in Church, Church Planting, Cultural Commentary, Leadership, Resources, Spiritual Insights, Trinity New Life Church | 2 Comments

keller200You know I love me some Tim Keller. Man’s got game. Smarts. Insight. Fruit. Hair.

Well, three of four ain’t bad.

His church in NYC, Redeemer, is currently casting the vision for their next ten years. Here’s how they described the RENEW campaign:

By the end of this next decade the vision is to have three strong congregations serving a total of 9,000-10,000 people, worshipping at 7-9 locations and 12 or more services around the city, drawing many more un-churched people into a relationship with God, and with a reputation for serving and loving those in the city who don’t share our beliefs as well as loving those who do.
Keller’s been preaching a series of messages tying a key theme of the Christian life with hope and showing how it should be lived out in the city. The sermons are available for free HERE during the campaign.
Download them. Listen to them. Listen them again. You’re welcome.

How to get a TNLC Shirt

Sep 29

Posted by Clayton Bell in Church, Church Planting, Leadership, Resources, Trinity New Life Church | No Comments

I just posted over on the Trinity New Life Church blog how you can get one of our hot, dead-sexy church shirts.

Hop on over and get yours…

Where will you be November 8?

Sep 10

Posted by Clayton Bell in Church, Church Planting, Leadership, Resources, Trinity New Life Church | 1 Comment

Because Trinity New Life Church will be at the James P. Gills YMCA!

YMCA

November 8th is the first preview service for Trinity New Life Church, and it’s official that it will be held at the YMCA. We’ve been in talks for a while now to rent the facility, but today was the day I signed on the dotted line.

We couldn’t be happier about partnering with the YMCA. Perfect people, perfect location. They’re a first-rate organization, a key fixture in the community, and their facility is wonderfully situated to host the entire family on a Sunday morning. Plus, the potential to partner with their community activities helps us to fulfill the “Serve the City” element of our mission.

So consider this your first (but not last) official invitation to the first service of Trinity New Life Church, November 8th, at 11:15 a.m., at the James P. Gills YMCA.

See you there!

Can there ever be a good animated GIF?

Sep 1

Posted by Clayton Bell in Church Planting, Resources, Trinity New Life Church | 1 Comment

YES! Especially when you’re helping us promote Trinity New Life Church!

The most despised element of web design, the animated GIF, can be redeemed for the Kingdom of God with your help. If you have a website or blog, please consider placing this little bit code somewhere on the site, probably in the widget section.

<a href=”http://www.Trinitynewlife.com”><img title=”Animated-GIF” src=”http://trinitynewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Animated-GIF.gif” alt=”Animated-GIF” width=”200″ height=”300″ /></a>

Hit publish and this little beauty will now be a part of your website!

Animated-GIF

If you have any tech trouble, let me know and I’ll do my best to help.

Are you pimping Trinity New Life Church on your website? Leave us a comment and let us know!