The folks at The Exponential Conference are a never-ending source of creativity. They have an RV. That's right, a conference RV. It has its own web site and Twitter account. They even made a video to introduce the RV.

They are touring the planet as part of their promotion of the Exponential Conference. Exponential gathers about 3000 people to each year in Orlando to talk about church planting and ministry. I will be sharing again this year presenting some research and inspiration from my new book Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers. The book will be released at the conference itself.

Well, the boys in the RV came by my house on Saturday. I was one of several people they visited in Nashville including Thom Rainer, Pete Wilson, and Anne Jackson. Some pretty fun stuff.

Needless to say, it was a guerrilla-style shoot. My person favorite part is that each video seems to begin with some version of what you say just before you start filming. ;-)

The guys were great fun and good sports. Josh Jackaway is the guy doing the interviews and he wants to be a church planter, so he is OK in my eyes! And, his cameraman, Corbin Franklin, put up with a lot of foolishness from me.

Here are my four videos:

First, from my exercise area over viewing my exercise plan and what I read on the elliptical:

Next they wanted to see my kitchen where I describe my food and how it is different than my wife's food. For the record, I don't eat what she eats. ;-) I thought it was funny that this video got aggregated into a weight loss site.

And, probably more importantly, here are two videos with viewer questions about church planting:

Enjoy... and be sure to visit the sites involves:

The Exponential RV
The Exponential Conference
The Exponential Network

And, I will see you in Orlando April 19-22, 2010.

Today I am switching places with Thom Rainer. He was supposed to be preaching in chapel at Southeastern Seminary today, but we switched about ten days ago due to some scheduling conflicts. So, if you were coming to chapel to hear Thom Rainer today you will be greatly disappointed.

In the spirit of switching places, check out the program from this year's Christian Book Association / International Christian Retail Show (CBA/ICRS) in Denver. As you can see (below), I am no longer President of LifeWay Research but am now, according to the ICRS program, president of LifeWay. I am very excited about the promotion.

Oh, there will be new policies, fellow LifeWay employees. Many new policies. And many others will be deleted. I'm currently considering 4 day weekends, and lunches catered by PF Chang's. Please stay tuned.

This is the longest time I have gone without posting to the blog.

I have been super busy, speaking this weekend at The Summit Church and C3 Church, both in Raleigh Durham. I was there with my daughter Jaclyn so I did not have time to post. I will make up for it this week.

The last time I wrote, I mentioned that my denomination has a statement of faith that includes an article on cooperation:

Well, it seems to be the season for videos.

If you have not already done so, you will DEFINITELY want to go to Friday's post and take a look at the conflict and resolution throughout. (Part two is my favorite.) It is good to see Al not make it all about himself for a change. Mission is good.

Well, we also had some wild parties this weekend. And, thankfully, there is video!

Well, it began a few weeks ago.

I began to mention my conflict with Al on my Twitter feed (and Al did the same).

I shared about Al, his objections to "missional," his ego, and his demands. Several people began to guess who "Al" really was and I, of course, did not know anyone named "Al" who fit that description. So, we waited.

Then, we had our first conversation and it became a little more clear.

The second conversation seemed to go worse than the first, but it did clarity the issues.

Well, yesterday, Al and I picked a very missional location and worked it out. It was not easy, but I think we got "mission" and "al" back focused on being "missional." Take a look and let me know what you think:

Thanks to the guys at the Acts 29 bootcamp in Dallas who showed these videos-- you got a bit of a preview!

Today, the LifeWay Communications Department put out their weekly "Lifelines," which is our employee newsletter at LifeWay. Since I am in the office today, I had a chance to see the issue. It is not available on-line, but this is the actual text (no April Fools "trick," just a little "treat").

Doing their jobs well, the communication folks edited my answers. But, since the newsletter came out today, and in the spirit of April Fools Day fun, I have added the original text back in underline/italic at the beginning or end of each question.

Unlike our staff at the LifeWay building, you get to read the rest of the story... grin.

.
Here they are in order as I spot them...

Bill Kinnon shares Microsoft's decision to abandon PowerPoint:

Bill Gates announced today, that in spite of its popularity, Microsoft (MSFT) would be abandoning PowerPoint.... Gates made the announcement at a symposium put on in Seattle by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Eyeballs. Commenting at P.E.T.E yesterday, Gates stated,

Continue reading My Favorite April's Fools Day Posts....

Go ahead... what caption would you suggest for this picture from the ComeBack Challenge conference? (picture: Tim Gentry)

Rick Warren & Ed Stetzer

Updated:

Thanks for the great submissions. There are many great ones, some good ones, and a few, well, weird ones.

Of course, there must be a winner and a prize for such a contest. Below are six winners and each will recieve a free copy of my new book (Compelled by Love) in a few weeks. The winners were based on an intense judgng process-- they made me laugh.

And the winners are........................................

Lance Ford:
"Geeze Lord, why do you tell Rick all the good stuff?"

Luke Britt:
goatees + wavy hair = missional

Michael:
Rick: ----
Ed: Boy, this cardboard cutout of Rick Warren sure is life-like. I'd better take it home with me.

James Cross:
Ed thinks to himself, "How many times do I have to tell Ricky, that is not how you spell TULIP?"

Todd Rhoades:
Ed's thinking, "There's got to be a good book idea on that paper somewhere!"

SJ (Steve) Camp:
WARREN
CONFIDENTIAL FROM STAFFER:

RICK: NEW DATA - EARTH HAS COOLED .67 DEGREES IN THE PAST 100 YEARS. DON'T MENTION THE GLOBAL WARMING THING... IT WAS A HOAX.

ED
OH NO... THAT'S GOTTA HURT! HOW CAN I TURN THIS INTO A POSITIVE MISSIONAL MOMENT? HMMM.

... and I have responded to the accusation here. For the record, I deny that I did it (much). I also deny that Beth Moore is in any way related to NAMB or can be compared to a certain preacher inferred in the post (and we love her at LifeWay and think she is a great Bible teacher).

I have been called out on a couple of blogs this weekend...

Dan Kimball comments (among a few other nicer comments and some reflection on the topic of hell):

I believe Ed would look fantastic in a rockabilly hair cut and I encourage him highly to take his hair to the next level.

Dan knows:

And, Bob Roberts tells me:

FINALLY - ED STETZER - WRITE THAT BOOK!!!!! I was in San Diego with Ed at a conference. Several of us were talking about needing a book for missional church on "theological realities" and "historical" tracing of movements and end results to serve as a guide, base, and encouragement. It would be a more technical book, but I'm convinced many of us need it - me being one - and it would serve us well.

I promise to pray about one of these things.

-----------------------

UPDATE: David Phillips chimes in and provides a suggestion and what this tragedy might look like:

This evening I took a fall while speaking in Maryland... so, tonight, I'm here in my hotel bed with little to do but blog, take pain medication, and pray for a swift recovery. It was not just a fall, but it was one of those fun, standing on stage, arms and legs flailing, then flat on your back, falls that just embarrass the socks off of you.

But, it was still a good meeting. I taught on the Kingdom of God and was pleased to see that folks were responding to the Missional Network.

Here are two helpful videos for your personal "growth" (particularly if you are parents).