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Culture

7 Reasons You Need Social Media as a Christian Leader

By Business, Church, Church Planting, Culture, Leadership

So maybe “need” is too strong of a word. Perhaps you can do everything I will suggest as reasons to be involved with social media without social media (Although I would question how well you can these days) but I don’t think anyone could argue social media is not a large part of our culture today. Because it is such an influence, today’s successful leaders, including those in the church, must figure out how to make it work for them and make their ministries even more successful.

For me that currently means Twitter, Facebook and blogging. Not everyone has to do all three, but I have found them to each have unique benefits in my ministry.

Here are 7 reasons you should be using social media:

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Clarksville Now Interviews Pastor Ron Edmondson

By Culture, Interviews

We have a new local online magazine in our community. Recently they asked me to participate in a series of interviews they are doing with people in the community. I realized I hadn’t even shared my answers with my family, so I did this weekend.

Since you often don’t get to know the online person behind a blog, I thought I’d share with you also.

Here’s where we’re giving you a chance to find out more about different people in our community. We recently interviewed Pastor Ron Edmondson of Grace Community Church.

How long have you been in Clarksville, What brought you to Clarksville?
I’m an original Clarksvillian and my family has been here for as long as I can trace. We are the Edmondson Ferry Road Edmondson’s.

Tell us about your family. Are you married? How many kids? Any siblings?
I’m married to my best friend Cheryl and together we have two boys, Jeremy 21 and Nate 18. Jeremy just graduated from Austin Peay and is a third generation AP grad. Nate is a freshman at Moody Bible College in Chicago. I have one older brother and one younger sister.

What do you like most about Clarksville?

To read the rest of this interview, click HERE.

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Do Taste Buds Change as You Get Older?

By Change, Culture

Do taste buds change as you get older?

I know I could probably Google this question and get an answer, but I figure my readers will have an answer for me. Is it just me, or do our tastes change over the years?

Just in the last couple years I’ve learned to love some things I once said I would never eat/drink.

Things like:

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Great Leaders around the World: Lessons from Sierra Leone

By Business, Church Planting, Culture, Encouragement, Leadership, Missions

In Brazil, often the drug lords gave us access into the slums in which we ministered. We were invited to do medical clinics, construction projects, and evangelism. Even though they never allowed visitors, since we could have reported their activities to police or warring gangs, they saw value in us ministering to their people. We even saw many of the drug lords come to a saving knowledge of salvation.

We saw that same type leadership in West Africa. Village chiefs, mostly belonging to religions very opposed to Christianity, allowed us to come into the village and spend time with their people. As a result, we saw many life changes occur.

I recognize both these examples as good leadership…

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Improving International Relations: Lessons Learned from Sierra Leone

By Culture, Encouragement, Missions

ne afternoon, because we were so close to the boarder of another country, our team stood with one foot in the country of Sierra Leone and one foot in the country of Guinea. In one step, we brought two countries together.

We made the short drive to the border of the two countries during our time in Sierra Leone. Our pastor friends simply asked a question of the Sierra Leone border officials. Could five crazy Americans step over the line into another country, just to say we had been there? The border officials considered the request, then casually walked across an international geographical border to the Guinea border officials and presented our request. Request granted. It was a simple as that. We caused no problems, shook hands with border officials in both countries, took our pictures and went on our way.

The thought occurred to me…

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Using Your Influence for Good: Lessons from Sierra Leone

By Children, Culture, Encouragement, Missions

Throughout our time in Sierra Leone children swarmed us every where we went, especially Daniel and Jesse, the youngest two on the trip. Their energy and enthusiasm with the children was highly contagious. They became almost like celebrities in every village.

At one point Jessie admitted she felt guilty for attracting such a crowd. She didn’t want people to think she was seeking personal attention or fame. Daniel agreed with the sentiment.

That’s when the thought occurred to me…

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