Just discovered Klout a new online tool that measures your level of influence & reach in social media. (Thanks Jeana Lawrence) The Klout Score is the measurement of your overall online influence. The scores range from 1 to 100 with higher scores representing a wider and stronger sphere of influence. Klout uses over 35 variables on Facebook and Twitter to measure True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score.

Currently in use for Twitter and Facebook. Currently the tool measures in three main areas: True Reach, Amplification Probability & Network Influence. So, currently I have 1,995 followers on Twitter and Klout measures about 773 people are truly within my reach. Crazy cool to have data on how effective our social media is. Find out where you are visit Klout.

Influential Leaders on Twitter / Org Website

• Pastor Mark Driscoll / MarsHillChurch.org
• Pastor Perry Noble / NewSpring.cc
• YouVersion / LifeChurch.tv
• Aaron Unnasch / WoodlandsChurch.tv
• Pastor BJ Rutledge / GFCFamily.com
• Jeana Lawrence / FlippenGroup.com

Ok, so you’re standing side-stage just behind the curtain at the most attended leadership conference in 2011. You are speaking to the most driven, innovative and talented leaders on the planet. What will you tell them? How will you let them into your world, inspire and challenge them?

For me I love to hear people’s heart, their struggle, their journey.  I love to hear insights on new ventures and the challenges they have encountered along the way. But the truth is all those things just give credibility and set the stage.

I attended an Innovation Technology round table with the LifeChurch.tv team a year or so ago and also spent some time with Bobby Gruenwald and Terry Storch and left that day with this one question “What are you doing today? Not what did you do last month or last year, but what are you doing today?” That question was stuck on replay for hours and even days. I remember so clearly reading this very same idea in Dell’s mission and vision model — “Keep the celebration short so you can get back to Innovating.” more or less. Not sure how they measure up today but it’s still a very clear idea.

Our team decided to answer this question and started developing a prototype of church online and live streaming for our church. Three months later we were live streaming and answering questions live from stage to anyone all over the U.S. who was attending online as well as in-person (via Twitter using ParaTweet). That next month we were the front page story in the Houston Chronicle “Praise for Technology“. It was wild to say the least. How many conferences and talks will you attend before you actually decide to start making an impact?

Revealing Questions

• What are you doing today that is making an impact?
• What are your strengths & are you using them?
• Do you have people in your life that challenge you to be your best?

Ok, so if the first question is not tough enough, you may find the second question a bit tougher. What are your strengths? Do you know them or are you guessing? This past year I took Strengths Finder 2.0 and the final report nailed me down as Learner, Strategic & Achiever among others. Very revealing and accurate. If you have not taken it and have not taken your team through it I highly recommend it.

But before you even do that. Take some time and inventory what you and your team have done in the past 3-6 months. Are you innovating or maintaining. Don’t get stagnant. Don’t be afraid to reveal what is truly happening in your role, team and organization.

What revealing questions have impacted you? Post here, I would love to check them out.

What happens when you outgrow existing infrastructure? You hit a wall and it slows you down. I can imagine a team of tech gurus hovering over server delay, outage and DNS reports — half the team insisting they knew they would hit this wall eventually, the other half just trying to get the problem solved. So what is the problem? Is it just not enough servers, processing power and load-balancing to keep up with the Facebook demand? Obviously. But where did the failing point happen? Within the company server rooms or in the connection to the back-bone to the Internet? Curious how many co-location sites these guys have, where they might be?

Really, I only noticed the site being down a couple of times today but what I could not ignore was all the hype and fuss about what was going wrong. Interesting. Ah, back to the real world. =)

So, how are you using Twitter search? Why is it even important? You’ll see.

Ok, you have to be signed into Google.com to get the social circle or social media results but get ready for Google Social Results. On January, 29 2010. Social search is now LIVE via Google. Still in BETA Google search now accesses your social media circle in an attempt to display realtime content for improved relevancy. Notice that Facebook was left out. This is due mostly to that most of the content on Facebook is private, which is good for user privacy – but maybe not so great for businesses trying to be found on search engines. Interesting that the search would not at least access “public” pages of Facebook. Fun stuff. Social media – old term but still showing value as integration ramps up.

Great article on the details here. http://econsultancy.com/blog/5332-google-social-search-goes-live-without-facebook-results

It all starts this November 2009!

Join us for this LIVE Online Event // Pastor Kerry Shook and Woodlands Church services online! If you are in the area join us at one of our three locations in The Woodlands, Atascocita or Tomball.

Or if you are elsewhere join us for our BETA test of Church Online and let us know what you think. http://live.woodlandschurch.tv/ Saturday 6:00pm or Sunday 9:30, 11:00am or Wednesday at 9:00am.

See you on campus or online!

Wow, great article posted front page on the Sunday, October 11 Houston Chronicle Newspaper. “Praise for Technology: Tweeting during church services receives blessings from pastors.” Really excited that Pastor Kerry jumped in and is experimenting with new technologies and connecting with the congregation. I am still amazed and how church is viewed and how this sort of thing might create controversy in the public. Check out the comments and the rest of the article here: http://www.chron.com/disp/discuss.mpl/metropolitan/6662287.html

Seems to be a bit of a controversy Tweeting in church. What do you think? Cast YOUR VOTE. Also, fun note: just got off the phone with my other half and she said this is the main article on the front page of the printed edition!! Amazing. Give a quick hello to Pastor Kerry via Twitter and maybe follow Woodlands Church if you want to track with us.

Great article! Your comments and thoughts can be posted via the huge button below.

Great post on Facebook and Twitter Office Spaces.
http://www.photopharm.com/facebook-offices-vs-twitter-offices/

Great word this weekend from the “Pleasers, Perfectionists, Procrastinators and other people like me” series.  Control Freaks is the topic. So which are you? I really identify with all of them at one time or another but recently I seem to fit into the “Worry wart“. Seriously, have I always been that way and just never noticed?

Just in the past year I have really began to experience the consequences for being a control freak. I seem to be very frustrated, fatigued and honestly feel like I am failing. So what now? Lately, I feel like God is just trying to show me how to do well with what I have been given, with what is right in front of me. Make sense, but harder than it sounds. My mind tends to stay 2-5 years ahead of where we are and if I/we are not making progress towards those goals, dreams and the vision then I panic. Still working on this and other things. Feel better just writing it down though. Peace.

Oh yes, types of Control Freaks just in case you can’t read my writing:

• The Intimidator
• The Perfectionist
• The Worry Wart
• The Uber-Planner
• The Anti-Planner
• The Master Manipulator
• The Micro Maniac
• The Opinionator

Are you a Control Freak? Comments from You

Really enjoying Interactive worship and the online experience today. I went to church this morning at http://live.lifechurch.tv/ and heard from Christine Caine from Hillsong. She spoke about the tough reality of slavery today; 27 million people are caught up in slavery. She specifically spoke of sex trade of women and gave several examples of her encounter with girls and women who were kidnapped or sold into this cruel business.

This is a very tough topic and I instantly stopped to pray about what God wants us to do; wants me to do to help. I then began to be very thankful for the opportunity to hear Christine’s story. To hear the other girls story to learn through an online experience. Then I started to think about the thousands of others who have had a similar experience. This is possible because we are learning to become more interactive; engaging; we are learning to be more like Christ. He is giving favor to those who are exploring new areas to deliver the word and His hope.

I am writing all this thinking about the investment that Woodlands Church is making to be more Interactive Next weekend a whole new level of interaction will take place. You will love the leaders behind this new experience, join Kerry Shook, Justin Keller and many more passionate and driven Christ followers and experience something fresh and unique. Find out more at @WoodlandsChurch or #SundayPM. This is just the start. I feel like I want to pour everything I have into creating an online interactive experience, a place where people get excited about and will inspire action and change. I am praying for a fresh perspective and approach to doing what Christ called me to do; us to do.

Would love to hear what you have experienced recently that excited you that you want to learn more about. What new areas are you exploring in the next few months? How are you making this world a better place? I am asking myself the very same questions.

What do you feel compelled to right now? Anything? Let us know here.