A Heart For God

6 Funny Things About Social Media "Gurus" [infographic]

I'm picking on "gurus" these days. (To read: 5 Things About Facebook the Gurus "Forget" to Tell You, click here.)

I don't know why I'm picking on "gurus" since I am one? (That was supposed to be a joke. I know, stick to pastoring.)

Dictionary.com defines “guru” (and this is the way I’m using the term): “any person who counsels or advises; a leader in a particular field.”

With this in mind, here we go with…

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6 Funny Things About Social Media "Gurus" (see if you agree with me):

(1) They think they're "all that" and a bag of chips (sometimes)
(2) They never blow it with social media? (uh uh, no way)
(3) They'll show you how to get thousands of Twitter followers, but they only have a couple hundred?
(4) They overdo it at times (and neglect the important relationships in life)
(5) They can let social media become an idol to them (an “idol” is something that replaces God in a person’s life)

(6) They get bummed out (become hurt) over negative comments / feedback (yes, even the “gurus” do)

Labels: a heart for god, bible teacher, facebook guru, pastor mike, social media guru, social media infographic, twitter guru

The Story of How I Got My Gibson Explorer (guitar)

I had the following conversation on Twitter recently with Big Shane Slade (@shaneawesome). It's just such a great story about how I got my Gibson Explorer (pictured).

And yet it's about so much more than that...

The Story of How I Got My Gibson Explorer (guitar):

(Each of these are the original tweets. I just randomly posted the first one and the conversation began)

Some days u just feel like pulling out the electric guitar. Did u know I have a purple Gibson Explorer? Might Instagram it this afternoon :)

@shaneawesome: @aheartforgod seriously? That's awesome! < There's a whole spiritual story behind it, too (only with me) :)

@shaneawesome: [Can you share?]

@shaneawesome Well...I was in a Christian band in the late 80s. I felt like God asked me 2 lay it down. So I left the band... #testimonytime

@shaneawesome My fellow band members were brokenhearted. I hated that. They agreed I had 2 do what God wanted me 2 do...

@shaneawesome We had a great ministry going, but God wanted 2 have all of me. Music could not be an idol... #testimonytime

@shaneawesome Anyway, I was gone for a while. That's when something interesting happened. (I so miss those guys)...

@shaneawesome God spoke to me. He said, Mike, you're going back to the band :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I thought, Naaaw. But I called up the bass player (&leader)&he confirmed it. He told me God spoke to him, 2

@shaneawesome Furthermore, he (the bass player) told me God had told him he was to give me his Les Paul #testimonytime

@shaneawesome We scheduled a meeting at a restaurant in San Jose 2
surprise the rest of the band (4 other guys&a gal singer) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I hope I'm not boring you :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome: [No, please go on]

@shaneawesome They were so surprised (&jazzed) when I said, God wants me to come back to the band (as u might imagine) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome Anyway, that's how I got my purple Gibson Explorer (&still have it 20 yrs later).I traded the Les Paul 4 it :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I miss that band so much. God used us in incredible ways to preach the Gospel #Jesus #testimonytime #tears

RT @shaneawesome: @aheartforgod why not start another? < It's past my time (though God might speak to me again?) :)

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Labels: bible teacher, blogger, christ, christian, church, god, guitar, jesus, mother lode, music, pastor mike, religion, sonora, spiritual, teacher, testimony

5 Things About Facebook the Gurus "Forget" to Tell You [infographic]

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5 Things About Facebook the Gurus "Forget" to Tell You [infographic]:

1. Almost 90% of the people who "like" your Facebook page never return (they read your status updates in their home feed).

2. (And those business "leads" people wave around?) They pay hundreds of dollars in Facebook ads per month.

3. Even the big Facebook sites (pages) with millions of fans/"likes" have embarrassingly small interaction numbers/engagement.

4. They (the gurus) have hired/paid staff running their Facebook pages.

5. A miniscule amount of people post a status update on Facebook every day (most do not).

A "Dynamic" Rant

(I haven't written a rant in a while. Here goes...)

It is a dynamic of faith that is ours. What I mean by that is ~ it's the opposite of ritual, it's the opposite of "dead religion." There's a change. There's a power. It's real. It's substantial. (Selah ~ pause to reflect)

I shake my head sometimes (smh) when I think about a few Christian leaders / teachers (even well known ones who I enjoy) that say the miracles, etc., were only meant for the early Church and Apostles in the First Century.

Huh? That makes no sense. Why would God hamstring us (His people)?

I know, I know. The Word of God is dynamic all by itself. (Hebrews 4:12) I'm not intending to minimize that. (Please, hear me.) But since the canon of Scripture is complete / closed and the "perfect has come" (1 Corinthians 13:10) we have no need of what the early believers needed?

Jesus talked about the dynamic of faith. It starts when we confess our sins to Him and repent. He said it Himself, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37-38) That's "dynamic."

Christ goes on, "Truly I say to you, whoever ("whoever" means anybody, not just the Apostles) says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him." (Mark 11:23) That's "dynamic."

And furthermore, our Lord is very clear, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." (John 14:12) That's "dynamic."

And just one more. The Son of God speaks through Paul, "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26) That's "dynamic."

I want it. I long for that "dynamic."

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Labels: bible teacher, blogger, christ, christian, church, faith, god, jesus, mother lode, pastor mike, rant, religion, sonora, spiritual, teacher, twain harte