NilsSmith.com is up!!!

I've launched a new blog/site at www.NilsSmith.com. Feel free to read through the archives on this blog and then head over to NilsSmith.com and read the new posts/pages and comment please!

Break from Blogging

Hello friends, I apologize for the gap in blogs. There has been a lot going on in my life both personally and professionally. There are lots of things that I'm excited to blog about but have been unable. I am actually working to launch a new blog as I'm selling out on Blogspot and transitioning to Wordpress. I'm hoping to have that launched in the next couple of weeks before the end of April. Please read through the archives and comment on some of the older posts.

Music Suggestion: Robbie Seay Band

If you're not already familiar with the music of Robbie Seay Band, you need to get their new album, Miracle, and get familiar now! Robbie Seay was probably the first Christian artist I began following when I first became a Christian. Robbie used to lead worship at Metro Bible Study in Houston and I would listen to their CD over and over and over again. Robbie's music has come a long way, and I've become more of a fan every step of the way. Robbie's last album was a huge success with Song of Hope becoming a huge hit across the country.

Robbie Seay Band came to Segue about 6 months ago and my appreciation of for their ministry went to another level. The guys were incredible to work with and were so cool to be around. Robbie's passion for Compassion International and using the platform that God has given him to meet the desperate needs of so many around the world is incredibly inspiring. We are excited to be welcoming Robbie Seay Band back to Segue along with John Mark McMillan and Jillian Edwards this coming Monday. We would love to have you join us in person for this FREE concert at 8pm at Tripoint or if you can't be there in person you can watch live on our webcast at 8pm CST.

Book Suggestion: Gary V's Crush It

I highly suggest that you read Gary V's book Crush It. This is the first non-Christian book, music, or podcast that I have suggested on this blog. I believe though that the things that Gary suggests in this book are not just game changing for the marketplace, but for the church as well. We live in a different age that is changing so fast due to social media and technolgoy that we have to be in tune to the possibilities.

In this book, Gary lays out a practical Social Media plan that any entrepreneur can adopt and take their passion, product, or organization to the next level. I believe that the ideas that Gary suggests can be easily adaptable when it comes to the church and opens up windows to possibilities that we have never dreamed of before. It is mind blowing to think that a small home church in Indiana can now have a global impact using Facebook, Twitter, and a Flip Cam.

I really can't encourage you enough to pick up this book with an open mind. It's a quick read that took me about a day and a half or so. I have to give fair warning that some of the language is PG-13 but pretty clean in comparison to some of Gary's keynotes. When you've read it email me at nilssmith1204@gmail.com and let me know what you think. I would love to buy you a cup of coffee or iChat and get your thoughts and discuss how we might Crush It together. You can get more info about the book on the Crush It website or at Amazon.

Learning from Kaplan University and Uncle Phil

I just saw this commercial and love it for so many reasons! First, it has Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air which makes it legit from the start. Most of all, I love the message. He makes the statement that education must change and use technology to rewrite the rules of education. Technology is changing everything including education, entertainment, the marketplace, and the church. There are great traditions in the church, but we cannot cling to our traditions and miss our opportunities that we have when it comes to technology. We have great opportunities as a church to rewrite the rules and begin reaching people, connecting with people, and impacting the world like never before. In the words of Uncle Phil: "It's your time." Let's take advantage of this new age and see how powerfully God might use our efforts in these new opportunities that are before us!

How He Loves Us

If you haven't heard the story behind the song, How He Loves Us, I hope you will take a few minutes and watch this video. John Mark McMillan's story is powerful and brings a whole new understanding to the song! This song was recently made very popular by David Crowder Band and has had a powerful impact on our Youth and College students here at Trinity. At Segue we will be hosting John Mark McMillan along with Robbie Seay Band and Jillian Edwards on March 29th. The concert will begin at 8pm at Tripoint (281 & St. Mary's). You can get more information at www.SegueSA.com and if you can't make it in person you can watch live online at www.SegueSA.com/live.

The State of the Internet

I saw this video on Church Crunch (which is my 2nd favorite blog to read second to The Kisers) and thought I would share it with you as well. One of the YouTube videos that first captured my attention about a year ago was Social Media Revolution. You can read that blog post here. This video takes things to a new level and continues to blow me away at how fast the internet is progressing and how it is changing everything! It's changing the way we meet people, interact with people, reconnect with people, and on and on. I read today that Facebook has now become the #1 website in the US passing up Google. The world is changing fast around us!

As I watch these videos, I continue to get excited about what this means for the church. How our lives can now impact and be connected to anyone, anywhere through the internet. How can we as the church better Love God and Love People using these resources that are now at our fingertips?

Baptist Standard Article

A couple weeks ago Pastor Les Hollon and I were interviewed by the Baptist Standard about my new role as Community Online Pastor at Trinity Baptist. The article is on the cover of the paper which you can read here on their website. The article was also posted by the Associate Baptist Press and you can also find the article on their website here. It was a privilege to meet George Henson and he did a great job in writing this article for the paper. I hope that our experiences and efforts can be helpful to churches and ministries everywhere in expanding the gospel through online resources. The YouTube video was a clip from out interview with Mr. Henson. If you have any questions about what I'm doing at Trinity or about technology and ministry in general I would love to talk. Feel free to email me at nilssmith1204@gmail.com.

Music Suggestion: Zac Cleveland

I apologize for the delay in posts but life has been crazy. Many new posts coming soon, but wanted to give you some new music to download while you wait patiently.

Zac Cleveland has been one of the key leaders in the Student Ministry at Trinity Baptist for the past 3 years and is an incredible musician. Zac just released his first album, The Start of Something New. You can check out his music on his MySpace or go ahead and download his album on iTunes by searching Zac Cleveland in iTunes.

Suggested Music: Mark Wagner

On March 15th we're having a FREE concert at Segue during Spring Break with Mark Wagner, Ryan Long, and Jake Ousley. Honestly, I've never heard Ryan Long or Jake Ousley live but their recordings sound great. Mark Wagner alone is worth driving from hours away though to come and see. About a year ago he joined us at Segue in concert with Trey Duck. Mark has an incredible sound and could entertain you for hours with his incredible music and stories. If you're near the San Antonio area, come out to Tripoint and join us on March 15th for this FREE concert but otherwise get familiar with Mark's music and go hear him live when he comes to a city near you.