How The Urban Pastor Gets Things Done

How The Urban Pastor Gets Things Done

by | May 1, 2009 | Communication, Leadership, Other Stuff, Success, Technology, Tools

Currently, I serve as the Senior Pastor of the Mars Hill Baptist Church of Chicago.  Contrary to what many believe, pastoring Mars Hill is more than preaching, counseling, and praying.  Aside from my pastoral duties, it can be compared to running a small business.

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Yesterday, I received a phone call regarding my productivity habits & tools, thoughts on computer hardware, life hacking, and advice for young pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The questions are as follows:

What type of bag do you carry and why?

Currently, I carry a Tumi Laptop Briefcase.  It’s the Alpha Expandable Leather Organizer Model.  I know this bag is rather expensive, but, after carrying cheaper bags, it’s worth the investment.  Tumi bags are always sleek, modern, stylish, and durable.  The Alpha model is not exception, with its bold, black, streamlined look.  It excelled at each challenge I set for it.  Trust me, you’ll enjoy this bag for decades.

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What’s In Your Tumi Bag?

  1. Apple MacBook (That’s right – no PC here)
  2. BlackBerry Storm (yep, dropped my iPhone until they work out a few kinks OR until it comes to Verizon)
  3. Amazon Kindle (this is the future of publishing – imagine carrying ONE DEVICE around campus that contains ALL your books. Personally, I like it, but, I don’t see myself giving up books).
  4. Moleskine Notebook (Journaling, capturing leadership moments, ideas/planning, etc).
  5. Chicago Tribune To Go (gotta know what’s happening in and around Chicago).
  6. Wall Street Journal (gotta stay connected with the world – especially the financial world).
  7. Leadership Journal (The #1 Journal for pastors & church leaders).
  8. Rev. Magazine (The best magazine for ministry application).
  9. Homiletics Journal (A must have for those who take preaching seriously).
  10. Expandable File Folder (My life is compartmentalized so I need folders to reflect that).
  11. Starbucks Mints (I believe in fresh breath & I carry them especially for others & offer them immediately).
  12. Levenger True Writer Obsidian Pencil (I use this pencil when I’m suited up & taking notes in professional settings).
  13. Levenger Executive Rollerball Pen (ditto).
  14. Levenger Pocket Brief (This time-tested leather notepad is the tool for taking good notes on the run, at presentations, and over lunch)
  15. G2 Pens (The G2’s are everyday writing pens that don’t bleed – honestly, in my opinion, they are the best writing pens on the market).
  16. Flip Digital Video Camcorder (You never know when something may happen).
  17. Reality Check by Guy Kawasaki (This book is a MUST HAVE for leaders – sorta like a desktop reference guide).

What gadgets do you use on a day-to-day basis?

I have such a crowded life and crowded schedule. When people send me a link with a gadget, I’ll look at it and buy it if it looks interesting, but I don’t have time to check out everything I’d like to. Currently, I use the following:

  1. BlackBerry Storm (I use it as a digital camera & voice recorder)
  2. Amazon Kindle
  3. Platronics Discovery 925 (My bluetooth earpiece)
  4. iPod Classic (My constant companion loaded w/many audiobooks, music, & podcasts)

What are you using to manage your email?

Currently, I use Apple Mail, but, lately I’ve grown fond of Gmail.  It has an excellent spam filter and I can access it from any computer anywhere in the world.

What’s your web browser of choice?

My browser of choice is currently Firefox. I do not use Windows Explorer (WE) and may switch to Google Chrome (Mac Version). WE has too many security issues for me and I don’t like its current interface. If they improve WE with Windows 7, I may look at it again.

Do you have any questions that I didn’t cover?

How The Urban Pastor Gets Things Done

A Must Have! Put This On Your Christmas List!

by | Dec 1, 2008 | College Life, Communication, Empowerment, Tools

Web 20
The VisualCV makes a traditional resume come alive with video,
pictures and a portfolio of your best work samples and other supporting
documents.  Informational pop-ups provide background data on the
companies you’ve worked at and the colleges you’ve attended.  You can
securely share different versions with your own network of employers,
colleagues and friends, and control who sees what.

The Curriculum vitae (CV) dates back to 1902.  The shortened form used in the United States and referred to as a resume was adopted shortly after World War 2.  Either way, it’s a document format that
has not changed in decades, even though the Internet has revolutionized
the way in which we use and share resumes.

In a practice that continues in some professions today, job candidates used to bring to a first interview a portfolio
of compelling samples of their work, along with written references,
college transcripts, and documents detailing things like personality
tests, awards and even salary details.

Employers
typically screen candidates through phone and in-person first
interviews. Typically these interviews cover a standard set of
questions, which today can easily be captured in a video or audio file
housed on the Web.

VisualCV brings
both the CV and the resume into the modern Web 2.0 world by
transforming the way in which resume data is presented, accessed and
shared. 

HERE'S MY VISUAL CV