DougPagitt.com

Confession of a Unicorn Puncher

dougpagitt — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:32:05 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with Tony Jones and he used the term “Unicorn Punch”. I had never heard the phrase, but he directed me to Urban Dictionary…

(noun) The opposite of the unicorn chaser. When one is overwhelmed by cuteness, one feels that only punching a unicorn in the face can re-establish balance.

“Those pictures on your blog are so adorable, they’re going to cause a unicorn punch epidemic!”

It struck me that I might be a Unicorn Puncher. I like to call it being a “wide-eyed contrarian” but UPer might be better.

Jon White, the graphic genius friend of mine, made an image to go with it.

Seeing the image, it somehow makes me proud to be a UPer.

Anyone else a UPer?

San Diego March 9

dougpagitt — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:19:55 +0000

I will be in San Diego March 9 for a Social Media Bootcamp from 9-4. Registration here.

Also, would love to connect with some other Hope-Filled Optimists in the area Tuesday night. Interested? Let me know in any of the communication ways – (email, comment, tweet – pagitt, facebook, call).

I will update here and in my SM stream when details are set.

Why I don’t believe in miracles

dougpagitt — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:34:23 +0000

Here is a segment rom the radio show this week on why I don’t believe in miracles. You can listen in the Twin Cities from 10am-12noon on AM950 or at DougPagittRadio.com. You can also see the live video feed. You can get the podcast at itunes and here.

You can subscribe to all my youtube channel here.

Why I don’t believe in miracles:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Social Media Boot Camps Around the Country

dougpagitt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:12:28 +0000

JoPa Productions (my company) will be offering Ministry Leader Social Media Boot Camps around the country this Spring and Fall.

The San Diego event is only a few weeks away and is limited to 50 people, so spread the word and get registered.

Offerings in other cities as well:

MARCH 9, 2010 (San Diego)

APRIL 9, 2010 (Dallas/Fort Worth)

April 14, 2010 (Durham/Raleigh)

APRIL 23, 2010 (Nashville)

APRIL 27, 2010 (Chicago)

May 3, 2010 (Washington DC)

MAY 13, 2010 (Minneapolis)

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 (Boise)

OCTOBER 14, 2010 (Boston)

A one-day workshop that will cover Ministry uses of blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and broadcast media.

Sometimes technological advances come along that have the ability to transform ministry as we know it. The current advent of social media is one such revolution — one that church leaders cannot afford to miss. While some in the church bemoan the changes in communication that result from social media, to ignore them would be like ignoring the telephone or email.

Although entrance into the social media world can seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be. In just 90 minutes a week, you can connect with scores of church members and potential visitors to your church in a way. You can communicate church events and announcements, get real-time feedback as you prepare your Sunday message, and keep up with the latest theological and ecclesial trends.

In just one day, you will learn the basics of blogging, Facebook, and Twitter, and introduce you to a powerful free social media Broadcast tool. You’ll leave this day feeling confident of your ability to communicate with your church (and the world!) via social media.

Chicago this weekend

dougpagitt — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:13:14 +0000

I will be in the Chicago area this weekend.

A preaching seminar in the Evergreen Park area,on Saturday and at

North Park University Sunday night

Events are open to all and I would be glad to connect.

Are you…?

dougpagitt — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:21:24 +0000

On a tough day when I found out my van has a cracked transmission and I need to figure out a new car, I ran across this little story in the presentations I am working on and wanted to offer it as a little levity.

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off.

So I ran over and said, “Stop! Don’t do it!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” he said.
I said, “Well, because there’s so much to live for!”

He said, “Like what?”

I said, “Well, are you religious or atheist?”

He said, “Religious.”

I said, “Me too! Are your Christian or Buddhist?”

He said, “Christian.”

I said, “Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?”
He said, “Protestant.”

I said, Me too!

Are your Episcopalian or Baptist?

He said, “Baptist!”

I said, “Wow! Me too! Are your Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?

He said, Baptist Church of God!”

I said, “That’s great, me too! Are your Original Baptist Church of God or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?”

He said, “Reformed Baptist Church of God!”

I said, “Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?”

He said, “Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915!”

I said, “Die, you heretic scum!” and then I pushed him off.

Humor is often found in the truth.

Things must be changing at Focus on the Family

dougpagitt — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:19:57 +0000

Man alive, things must be changing at Focus on the Family.

I received their weekly email today and to my surprise it was not advocating a political position, nor making judgments about people’s “life-styles”, it was not even pushing a particular model of parenting. Not this time. Nope, it was about the unconditional love of God.

Unconditional!. Meaning God’s love come not by thinking or believing right; not by living right; not by voting right, just straight-up love.

They even went so far as to make the headline “God is Love”.

Here is part of the text from the email and an image of the rest of it.

And the Greatest of These Is … Love

All of us long to have true love in our lives–and we can. We don’t need to have a spouse, a sweetheart, a child or even a close friend to enjoy that. After all, God is Love (1 John 4:8). It’s His very essence, and He’s a giving God.

So bask in the unconditional, lavish love of God today and share it with others through your actions and words.

I mean get a load of that! I tell you people, the Good News is spreading.

Better Face to Face

dougpagitt — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:40:09 +0000

I have become convinced of a number of realities of the “emerging church movement” over the last decade and one of those is that it is always much better when experienced face to face to face than face to screen to face or page to face. That is why many of us have endeavored to create faith communities, start cohorts, or even attend graduate school.

As has been the case for 10 years, there are this year, many times, places and pricepoints for folks to meet, spend time together, and engage face to face.

I want to point out four national events that I will be part and invite you to consider joining in one or more of them. 2 are free and the other 2 are a quiet reasonable cost.

A Youth Ministry Event -

This First Third (ministering to people in the first third of life) event will be top-notch meeting of the best youth ministry thinkers and practitioners. The event is limited to 150 and only a few spots remain. Held at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN March 1-3 and cost $165.

A Theology Event –

Theology After Google will be an exciting time of conversation and engagement on the role and function of theology in an open-sourced, educated world. This event will bring together “high powered” presenters and “high capacity” leaders. Held in Claremont, Ca March 10-12 and costs $99.

A Bible Event –

Free For All is just that, Free. Being held in Durham, North Carolina April 15-16 this event will engage the Bible Geek and normal person alike. Based on Tim Conder and Dan Rhodes terrific book by the same name, Free For All, will provoke, encourage and even restore your faith in the Bible as a community member. If you wonder about the Bible and it’s role in faith today, this event will be terrific for you.

A Missional Community Formation Event –

The TransForm East Coast Gathering is another Free event meeting April 30-May 2 in Washington DC. The event will bring together missional practitioners on the East Coast to learn from each other and to mobilize others for forming new missional communities.

Yet Another Social Media Response – Bootcamp Feb 4

dougpagitt — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:50:22 +0000

Here is another sign of the power of Social Media to interact with organizations.

I tweeted the question “why does the tram at the Minneapolis airport use a woman with a british accent”. Not only did dozens of comment on the tweet (and FB post) but the MSP tweeter replied to me.

Here is a screen shot.

This is a good example of Social Media in organizations. JoPa, my company with Tony Jones, is offering a social media bootcamp on Feb 4 in Minneapolis. A few spots remain if you or someone you know wants to join us. Price is right at $95 for the day including lunch (man, we’ve gotta raise the price on this thing).

Jeff Sharlet on Doug Pagitt Radio Sunday

dougpagitt — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:45:36 +0000

Jeff Sharlet will be on my Radio Show this sunday at 11.

We will be discussing his new book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the heart of American power.

Jeff is also the author of Killing the Buddha: A Heretic’s Bible and Believer, Beware: First-Person Dispatches from the Margins of Faith.

The Family describes the role of a certain version of Evangelicalism in the halls of congress and beyond.

I am really looking forward to it.