My most successful clients are a part of what I call “learning organizations.” These are growing, dynamic churches, businesses or ministries that are seldom satisfied with the status quo. They are always learning and searching for ways to make a good experience a great one, to reach even more people, and to improve on what most people would label as a “wow” product. This past weekend I had the privilege of joining another learning organization. The Women of Faith tour reaches out to hundreds of thousands of women every year in 30 cities around the country. They have world-class speakers, singers, entertainers and production that’s second to none. I believe every woman would benefit from being in a WFO event no matter where they are in their faith walk. This weekend, for example, over 12 thousand women came to Atlanta’s Philips Arena for this two-day event. On record, there were…

This week I had the opportunity to host a client’s first trip to Nashville. He grew up in Dallas, now lives in Colorado Springs and has traveled extensively through Europe. He is also is a foodie and has eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world. I wondered how Nashville would fare in his ranking of cities. Michael loved the green, rolling hills, the cool evenings and mornings. We had a phenomenal meal at Watermark in the trendy Gulch district, which rivals some of the best known restaurants in the country. Driving around downtown, I introduced my friend to our Capitol building, the Union Station Hotel, Second Avenue (he even commented on the Batman Building) and then we made our way to beautiful Williamson county, which I consider part of the greater Nashville experience. We never got to Edwin and Percy Warner Parks, the Natchez Trace or Old…

This week I got to spend some time with a great group of people at C3 Church in Clayton, NC. I always enjoy connecting with visionary leaders. I meet professional Christians almost on a daily basis, but it’s not often that I run into people who see what’s not there and who trust God to build something than can only be described as a “God thing.” Matt and Martha Fry took over a Bible study in the middle of nowhere, NC back in 1998. Today there’s an amazing church drawing close to 4 thousand people on the weekends, reaching out to an entire community and region with the good news of the Gospel. Driving up to the church one has to go through tobacco fields on a one-lane road and suddenly, there it is: a sprawling beautiful campus–a testament of vision, faith and leadership. It has that “field-of-dreams” vibe to…

I travel all over the country visiting some of the most innovative churches around. It’s rare when I run into an experience that touches me deeply, and I recognize it as the latest trend that will sweep the country. It looks like the Worship Team from Faith Community Church is on to something big. < p/ center>

I miss my dad today. Monday I left him in Florida at my sister’s house while my family and I drove back to Tennessee. He stood at the front porch fighting the inevitable tears. Being close to my father, Senhor Maurilio, as he is known in Brazil, is something very new to me. Growing up I respected my father, but I mostly feared his occasional outbursts of violence. Even though there were not often, these incidents left very powerful and negative impressions on me. I also remember my father always nursing headaches that prevented him from any meaningful exchange with me or my siblings. But God and time have a way to heal wounds and change people. In the last 25 years that I’ve lived in the US my father has changed into a kind, low-maintenance and fun man. Three weeks ago he came from Brazil by himself without knowing…

I’m often in meetings with CEO’s and business leaders looking for cutting edge ways to reach their customers. I must confess that I love technology–almost as Kip in the movie “Napoleon Dynamite” for those of you who saw it–but technology can be a trap. Today I was reminded that it’s not technology that sells, but creative, self-motivated people behind technology that make the sale. Yesterday I got an email from Courtney Ivey. Courtney works for a men’s store, John Craig, in Orlando, Florida. Earlier this year, I bought a shirt from her during one of my speaking engagements at the Shingle Creek Rosen Resort where her store is located. Yesterday, I got an email from Courtney with 5 pictures she took of her new shipment of Robert Graham shirts. I have gotten more compliments on my Robert Graham shirt than anything else I’ve bought lately and have wanted to buy…

I travel a lot, more than I’d like. People are often puzzled by my busy travel schedule and seemingly calm demeanor about it. Interestingly, I book all my trips and have done it for decades. But traveling well is something you learn with time and experience. I’ve decide to write a few posts on the art of traveling well to help some of you who are fortunate enough not to live out of suit case catching flights, and worst–connecting flights–all over the place. This one will focus on the trip planning. Subsequent posts will deal with how to choose your travel wear, things to know about airport security (you never want to hear “cavity search”), and productivity tools while on the road.Book Your Trip ASAP If you’re going to fly to your destination, then you must book your ticket as soon as possible. With rising costs of fuel, airline tickets…

I’ve been Twittering for over 90 days now, and I must say it has been a great tool to build community instantly. While I’ve loved the positive aspect of Twitter, I must, in all fairness to those of you who are new to this social network or are contemplating signing on, share my experience with Twitter’s dark side. In case you’re wondering about my list, not all of it happened to me. Ok, most of the list is “loosely based” on my personal experience. Well, maybe all of it is. Ok, enough already. Here’s my top 10 ways you can get in trouble with Twitter:10. Post fun tweets about your Vegas vacation and watch some crazy, anonymous fundamentalist jerk turn you into this money-spending, luxury-loving, pleasure-driven Satanist on his loser hate blog. (Do I sound bitter?). I guess what happens in Vegas should really stay there. 9. Post about a…

Yesterday I spent the day in New Millford, CT celebrating 10 years of ministry with a client and good friend, Pastor Frank Santora. His church dedicated the weekend services to Frank and his family for his faithfulness to his calling and to Faith Church. I met Frank 8 years ago shortly after he had taken on a very difficult situation where even the most seasoned of leaders might not have survived. But Frank not only survived, he went on to build one of the largest churches in New England. During the service I was thinking back to my first visit with Frank and all the years we have worked together. We have been through three capital campaigns, a building campaign, one major relocation, a name change (from Bright Clouds Ministries–ok, that was not a hard one to do), hundreds of creative sessions and several strategic plans. Through all these years,…

God has a way to intersect our lives during the mundane to do something amazing when we least expect. I call these moments “divine appointments.” These are times when God places people, often the unlikely, in an intersecting path with our own, but the result is seldom what we anticipate. It’s usually something truly inspired. Unfortunately, I, for one, too often fail to see these divine appointments for what they are, and let them pass by unaware of their power to change lives, mostly mine. I travel a lot–frankly more than I want to, but it’s necessary to do my job. One of the things I enjoy about flying is the time it affords me to read , to write, or to just nap after a long day (I’m one of the few people who can sleep soundly in a plane). A few months ago I was on a flight…