Diary of a Tall White Man

www.jrlive.net

2007-04-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

The new site is up and running! Check it out and let me know what you think...

www.jrlive.net

New Blog

2007-04-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

A blog overhaul will happen very soon! I have wanted to change it forever since I have hated the name jrleereveal the entire time I have had this thing; however, I wasn't left many options since I share the same name with the majority of the Far East.

As a result, we changed it up and the new site will be up and running within the next day or so. Jon Kenney is the man! More to come about he and his family at some point tomorrow.

Hamster Ball?

2007-04-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

We went to a Grizzlies game tonight at the Forum. When we walked through the doors some guys ask us if Todd and I want to take part in the night's entertainment on the court. We can't pass up an experience like that so of course we said yes.

They took us courtside and explained that we would be racing across the court in a giant hamster ball. When halftime finally rolled around we took our places to get ready for the first TV timeout of the 2nd half.

Then it happened. The race began. Me vs. Todd in front of thousands of mildly amused fans. Our main goal was to not fall on our faces in front of the fans, the players, the cheerleaders, and well - pretty much anyone.

I ended up winning the race by a few feet primarily because Todd's hair was sticking straight up because of all the static and it must have slowed him down. Very interesting night to say the least.

Pretty embarassing - but a lot of fun. I don't know hardly anyone who can say they ran across the floor at the Fedex Forum inside a giant hamster ball. Todd and I have and we will be signing autographs for a small fee. See ya then.

Bed Time

2007-04-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Devin and the girls are in Atlanta hanging out with family, looking for houses, and getting ready for her cousin Lisa's wedding.

Since Devin is gone and I hate making up beds - I have decided to sleep on top of the comforter. Greatest decision ever. I just get another blanket to cover up with and go to sleep. When I wake up in the morning - I throw the other blanket under the bed and I am good to go.

Sheets are overrated...at least for the next week.

Easter thoughts...

2007-04-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

Tons of thoughts running through my mind about Easter this morning...

Nothing is more significant than what happened on this day. Nothing.

Easter services for me will never be the same again...Moving from Student Pastor to Lead Pastor of a church plant will change perspective drastically.

I am pumped about hearing what God does today across the country.

I have been praying for several people by name - for their services today.

Jesus is freaking alive! Celebrate!

I love all the food on Easter.

I love hanging out with friends on Easter.

I love seeing life-change on Easter.

Easter - Have a great one!

Team Bushwack...

2007-04-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Todd and I are running in a race this Saturday called the Bunny Run.

It makes me laugh just thinking about the shirt that we will recieve and the fact that we will be running for Team Bushwack. Can't beat that.

Practice run today to start getting ready for the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th.

2007-04-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been pretty intense. It is really strange to have to deal with the many emotions that flood your mind in a time like this.

Excitement about the future as we launch Freedom Church...
Anticipation about what God has in store...
Sadness about leaving people you love...
Stress about the 324,000 details that need to come together...
Living on standby knowing that at any moment a realtor could call your house wanting to do a showing and you immediately need to leave for about an hour...
The list really goes on and on...

I love it. I hate it. I am excited. I am scared. I trust. I doubt. All in all, God has great plans and He has chosen us. Let the adventure begin!

Gators, Buckeyes, and blah, blah, blah...

2007-04-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

The National Championship is almost a worst case scenario as far as I am concerned. The only thing that could make it worse would be for Carolina to be playing Florida. For tonight and tonight only - I am the biggest Ohio State fan on the planet.

Let's go Buckeyes!

The real game that matters tonight is the soccer game that will take place after the game. You can't beat late night indoor soccer!

Leading by consensus?

2007-03-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

Heard a guy (professor) say the other day that great leaders lead by consensus. He was talking in the context of church leadership and how to effectively maneuver through seasons of change. Most of the people in the room shook their heads in affirmation. That statement and the response to it made me sick.

Let's think about this for just a second. If leading by consensus was the way to go,

Then the nation of Israel would have never left Egypt.
They would have never crossed the Red Sea.
David wouldn't have been able to fight Goliath.
David would have never been crowned King.
I could probably go on forever... By the way, there are a lot of people who are following the majority and the Bible say's that (broad way) leads to destruction.

Lead when you have received a Word from God. Follow it. Follow Him. When people think you are crazy - follow God. When you know the what but not the how - follow God. When people try to hijack the vision - follow God - not the majority.

2007-03-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

We have had an incredibly busy and eventful week. Here is the rundown...

1. The house is officially on the market.
2. Devin's having a huge garage sale to get rid of almost everything - which means I will have
to buy it again once we get to GA.
3. A guy (Can't name him yet) that I have been talking to for a long time called yesterday to let
let me know that he is willing (but still praying) to raise his own support in order to be part of
our staff and handle assimilation and small groups. This would be a HUGE freakin blessing!
M - remember that this needs to happen. God has spoken!
4. Church Planters are in the greatest fraternity known to man. Everyone is very willing to
help in any way they can. Thank you Gary, Perry, Steven, Tadd, Woody, and the list goes on
and on.
5. We are already thinking, dreaming, etc. about what Easter will look like next year at
Freedom Church.
6. I am having an extremely difficult time with the idea of not being the High School Pastor at
Crosspointe.
7. I am pumped about having a blast for the next 5 weeks while I am here.

Quotable...

2007-03-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Todd and I went to the hospitals today to visit some people and it took about 231 years to find somewhere to park. We would still be there looking except for the fact that I chose to just invent a space rather than circle the parking lot for the rest of my life.

Steven Furtick wrote the other day that they have a "Quote Box" that they use to write down anything that is said that seems pretty random, ridiculous, funny, or just plain dumb. Since we are some of the most random people on the planet, I loved the idea.

With that in mind, while we were searching for a spot at Methodist North - Todd blurts out "why are there so many people in the hospital - it is sunny outside?"

Congratulations Todd. You were first to make the list.

Lovin it

2007-03-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Great weekend of college basketball! An incredible miracle did occur this week when all 4 of my original final four picks made it through. Can't get much better than that. If Georgetown can pull it out - my bracket will be complete.

For this week and this week only- I am a huge UCLA fan. I hate the Gators with a passion almost as much as I hate it when people pull for an entire conference (SEC fans!).

Just for the record, as a Duke fan - I was NOT pulling for Carolina on Sunday. I wouldn't pull for Carolina if they were playing in the Olympics against North Korea.

To all the Tar Heels of the world...after all your talk - your boys will be watching the Final Four from a couch just like mine. Let's Go Duke!

What are we thinking?

2007-03-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

This has been an emotional roller coaster already and we are not even that far into the process.

It is amazing how easy it is to question God's trustworthiness in spite of the fact that He has proven Himself faithful time and time again. Total reliance on God is something I am learning every day.

At this particular time in my life - I can honestly say that I feel more reliant on Him than ever. He has to come through in a big way in order for Freedom Church to even have a chance. We can't do this thing on our own. We can't even come close! The comfort in that is this - if we could accomplish it, then our vision would not be big enough. If it wasn't scary - same thing.

Apparantly, we have a huge vision because this is by far the scariest thing we have ever done. We are trusting God for huge things - impossible things - supernatural things. Things that can only be explained by the touch of the Savior. Get ready everyone. The journey will be amazing!

Thank you, thank you, thank you

2007-03-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Telling the students that we were going to be starting a new chuch was TOUGH! Their response has been incredible. It was a crazy night but already today I have been encouraged through tons of phone calls, text messages, etc., etc. I flat out love the students at Crosspointe. God has given us some of the best on the planet.

We have seen the supernatural touch of God as over 450 have been saved and baptized in the past 4 years. We have also been through great times and we have been through some extremely tough times.

Through it all - God has been faithful. I look forward to the next 5 weeks at H2O. I can't wait to see what God has in store. To the students who do happen to read this thing - remember what was said last night. Remember that I love you and that God is not done in Millington, TN.

What's Next?

2007-03-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a post from Todd that perfectly communicates what I need to say regarding this next phase of our lives. I am going to cut and paste; however, if you would like to read the post in it's entirety you can do right here.

About two years ago, God began to place an idea and a dream in the hearts and minds of JR Lee and myself. At first, it was nothing more than that. Just a thought and a dream. As time moved on, we began to think about and pray about it more and more. Both of us had opportunities to go different places that would be appealing to any Student Pastor but every time, God said no. This was instrumental in the process by helping us to seek what God’s plan was for us long term. God began to confirm in our hearts that his plan for us was to plant a new church. This was hard for us to believe because neither of us had ever started a church or served in any other capacity than student ministry. We both love student ministry and really cannot imagine doing anything else. However we know that God has called JR to be the Lead Pastor and me to serve as the Associate Pastor. We began to meet and discuss this calling on our lives with Pastor Steve and Perry. They were 100% supportive.

The next question was when. As we have prayed through this process, this has been the toughest part. We had originally planned to leave in January. We were hoping that Crosspointe would have a pastor by then. We were hoping for a new Pastor because we knew that would be a better time for us to leave. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. God has confirmed to us that the time is now. This dream and vision has consumed us. It is all we think about. It is all we dream about. It keeps us awake at night.Therefore, we announced to the students last night that we are resigning our positions here at Crosspointe to follow this dream that the Lord has given us. We will announce to the church on Sunday. We will be at the church through April 29. We desire to help with the transition to ensure that ministry continues in both the High School and Middle School Ministries.

There are tons of emotions running through my head today. I am excited about the future. God is going to do something so big that it is going to blow our minds. I constantly dream about what it is going to be like in a year, 3 years, 5 years, etc.-I am scared to death. Where is the funding for this plant going to come from? Is my house going to sell quick enough? Is my family going to have food to eat? Are the students at Crosspointe going to be ok? Am I going to be able to function in a role that I have never served in before?-I am deeply saddened. Some of my best friends in the entire world are here. The greatest Middle and High School students in the world live here. I am going to miss them all. It is going to be really hard to leave here. That's all I will say about that right now because the tears will start to flow.

Obviously, we are learning more and more about trusting God. I am learning more and more that He is sovereign and trustworthy. I still have a long way to go!What can you do? Pray, Pray, Pray. Look for more information and thoughts about this whole process on a daily basis. I am so excited that I can now write about this because I want you to know my heart and the journey that God is taking us on.

Longest Day Ever

2007-03-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Today will go down in my brief 27 year history as being one of the longest days of my life. It's a long story that I will explain in more detail tomorrow at some point. By the way - tomorrow also marks the day that many changes will be coming to this blog. (Karen - you will be very excited)

With that in mind, I am going on back to high school tomorrow. Me and a bunch of broadcasting students from Brighton High are going on a field trip tomorrow and I get to be the chaperone. This should be very interesting.

Risking it all

2007-03-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

Sometimes following God seems extremely risky. It would be easy to just go through the motions and never challenge the status quo. God has so much out there for the people who are willing to trust Him enough to take huge risks.

If your vision is safe - than it is probably not from God. If you vision won't cost you something - than it is probably not from God. If people don't think you are crazy when you explain it - than it is probably not from God.

Typically, God shows you the "what" before He shows you the "how". Trust Him anyway! Chase the God given dreams in your life. Make a difference! Leave a legacy!

Bracket Challenge

2007-03-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

As most guys on the planet this time of year - I filled out quite a few NCAA tournament brackets. I think I filled out 6 to be exact.

I am not doing too bad - especially in the two brackets that I actually picked my beloved Duke to lose in the first round to VCU. It was a very emotional thing to not pick Duke to win a game and I felt like I had forsaken my first love and the book of Revelation had been written just for me.

It's all good. With everyone staying in school and the addition of 3 (possibly a 4th) McDonalds All Americans coming to campus next year - it could be ugly for the rest of the ACC. Enjoy it while it lasts America -- Duke will be back!

Major Changes coming soon

2007-03-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

In the next several days this blog will take on a new identity. The look will stay about the same until I can figure out how to change it (or find someone who can do that for me), but the content will be changed up a little bit.

Look for the changes to take place around Thursday or Friday.

You have got to be kidding me...

2007-03-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

This kid has got to go. I don't think I can stand it anymore! I am pretty sure America is playing a huge joke on Sanjaya Malakar by allowing him to stay on American Idol. One more week my friend. One more week.

Part of the journey

2007-03-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

I am learning a ton right now about things I have always heard but have never actually experienced. It's a weird transition to move from hearing about various challenges to actually experiencing them firsthand.

The journey is tough - but it is one that must continue...

Downtown

2007-03-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

I love downtown Memphis. I try to get down there as much as I can to hang out, eat at Big Foot, and just watch the people. Such a wide variety of people up and down Beale St. It makes me think about their lives, their emotions, their preconceived ideas about God and the church...

It is pretty amazing to me that the message of Christ can bring hope to ALL people. The problem I guess is that we try so hard to force people to fit into the "Christian" subculture rather than realizing that God is big enough to relate to everyone just as they are.

We have to realize that we can't change anyone - nor should that be our primary concern... Our concern should simply be to build relationships and love people towards Jesus. When we do that it allows God to change the heart - the only One who can do it in the first place.

Commercials

2007-03-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

As a Duke fan, my favorite commercial on the planet comes courtesy of DirecTV. Gotta love being reminded of a Weber State upset of Carolina 15 times a day this time of year.

This wasn't our year - but it's not far away. Let's Go Duke!

Random thoughts...

2007-03-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Lots of friends and family in town this weekend. It has been great to see some people I haven't seen in a while and to hang out with my parents as well.

Just found out that my mom and dad LOVED the O.C. I think that is very funny. For the record my mom thinks that the Bullet is way cooler than Ryan's dad.

I heard a noise outside the house today. I walked out there and Devin was using an electric hedgetrimmer. That is strange to me.

Learning to trust God with more than ever. I am not there yet- but the process has definitely begun.

American Idol is a Joke

2007-03-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

American Idol is unbelievable! It is hard to fathom that an entire country can be quite as stupid as they were from Tuesday - Thursday night.

The fact that that Sanjaya is in the top 12 makes me want to puke. Just looking at him makes me cringe much less having to listen to his wretched voice. He is like a modern day William Hung only not quite as entertaining.

A girl will win this year - and it won't even be close.

Back to Back

2007-03-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

It is official. Our guys team has repeated as back to back champions!

We played flat in the first half and only went into the break with a few point lead. The second half was a little better and we were able to pull out a 20 point win.

Congratulations to Jesse, Mark, TJ, Javan, Blake, Drew, Jay, Deandre, Terry, Seth, Daniel, and Josh! You deserve it!

It all comes down to this

2007-03-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

One more guys game this year to determine if we will be able to repeat as champions. The game takes place tonight and our guys are pumped.

We have lost only two games in the past two years and we are not looking to make it number three.

This has been a crazy year so far. We had one bad game, one go into overtime, but other than that we haven't won by less than 10 to anyone. Add to the mix a 77-2 win -and it had made for some exciting basketball.

It all goes down at 7. You don't want to miss it.

Fire!

2007-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Iwalked into my office the other day and smelled something burning. I had no idea what it was and couldn't figure it out so I just left it alone.

A few minutes later my computer starts acting really strange. I get down on the floor and look behind the "brains" of the system and I see smoke coming out the back. I turned the thing around and realized that the inside of my computer was on fire.

Not like a stop, drop, and roll kind of fire - but mostly just a "dang...my computer is on fire" kind of fire. Anyway, in spite of everything - nothing was lost except for the time it took to get the dumb thing fixed.

Duke / UNC

2007-03-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

Quick Thoughts...

The game turned on one play...Duke down two with the ball. Paulus drives and dishes to McClure. Ball slips through his hands. Carolina grabs posession and hits a three. Game over at that point.

Roy Williams get a clue. Get your starters off the court with the big lead with less than a minute to play. Duke's starters weren't in the game at that point - yours shouldn't have been either.

As a result, your best player's nose is buried somewhere inside of his face. (Flagrant foul - yes. Ejection worthy? - No!) When Billy Packer argues for Duke - you know the refs made a bad call.

End result - Carolina Wins (Give them credit). One guy walks off the court crying and the entire other team walks off the court counting down the days till next year.

Let's go Duke!

Revenge

2007-03-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

We have been looking forward to last night's game all season long. Our guys team lost the first game of the year to a very good team. We were out of sync that night - primarily because we were missing two starters, one who happens to be a very large individual.

Entering the game last night we were 5-1 and they were still undefeated. Big game to say the least.

We played a mixture of three different defensive schemes which presented huge matchup problems for them. Our defense played another great game.

Offensively, we played well enough to win. Missed some free throws, but made them down the stretch.

When it was all said and done we had avenged a 20 point loss with a 13 point win. We have one more game and then the real season begins...Tournament time starts in 8 days.

We have a championship to defend!

Another Great night at H2O

2007-03-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Had a great night last night. Some teenagers accepted Christ, the full band was back in action, and one of our favorite security guards didn't have anything malfunction on his body.

I love watching teenagers "get it". Nothing like that on the planet. This generation of teenagers are the real deal. They are passionate. They are creative. They are desperately wanting to be believed in by somebody. Don't write them off - this group can change the world!

You know your car is old...

2007-02-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

Something happened to me today that has never happened.

First of all, I drove through a car wash. That is not all that strange, and I have done that a few times in my life; however, none were quite like this.

I am just sitting in my car - talking on the phone when ittle wets start hitting my face. I looked over towards my window and realized that mass quantitites (maybe a little exaggerated - but not much) of water were finding their way inside my car and all over me.

I checked to make sure my door was shut and that my windows were raised, but I was still getting soaked. There was absolutely nothing I could do except sit there and take it.

Note to self - when your car gets as old as mine (1994), drive-thru car washes are not the greatest idea in the world. As a result, if you ever see a guy driving a car around in the rain and he is wearing a rain jacket - just wave because it is probably me.

Ooops

2007-02-26T05:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (AM) was a pretty eventful day. To be honest, I totally forgot about the fact that I was going to blog about the service until it had been going for about 10 minutes. I was going to try to come up with some excuse why I forgot - but I didn't really have one. Just forgot.

As a result, I will save my thoughts until next week.

We did have several kids and teenagers baptized last night. Gotta love that.

A little worried...

2007-02-24T16:55:00.000-08:00

Writing about my experience at church every week from an un-churched persons perspective is going to be quite eventful. I have already had some interesting comments (in real life, not in blog world) from people who are curious about what I am going to say.

My goal is not controversy. My goal is enlightenment. Hopefully, this will come across the way I intend for it to. We will see! One way or the other - it will be fun.

I've been inspired...

2007-02-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what goes through the mind of the average unchurched person when they are invited to our churches and actually venture in to the typical (does anyone else see a problem with the fact that I had to use that word) Sunday worship experience?

Ever sat in a church service and tried to look at everything from an "outsiders" point of view? I do this every single time I enter a church, but this will be the first time I actually put the thoughts in print. Beginning this week, I am going to post some thoughts as I attempt to attend church as if I have never been.

This should be pretty interesting (probably in more ways that I can imagine).

Basketball Update

2007-02-22T19:47:00.000-08:00

Our guys team had another game tonight. We played a team with two real threats so we played a box and one to take their point guard out of the game.

We decided to let our big guy try to shut out their forward. Both plans worked. We held their top two scorers without a basket the entire game.

We still weren't hitting all our shots but we pulled out a 20 point win. We are an extremely solid defensive team. Once the shots start to fall we will be tough to beat. Were 5-1 so far with a big rematch against the team that beat us in the first game of the season next week.

O what a night...

2007-02-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a great night all the way around.

1. The girls on American Idol were in a different league than the guys last night. A girl will definitely win this season...

2. H2O was incredible! We saw 8 teenagers walk into the room on their way to hell and walk out on their way to heaven. We see people saved every week at H2O, but tonight God just seemed to show up in an extraordinary way. I can't wait to see what He has in store for the next several weeks.

For all the H2O people - remember to never take for granted what we get to see every week. Thank Him for what we have already seen and beg Him to do even more in the future! What an incredible journey.

Are you serious?

2007-02-20T17:13:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure that the videos that are on Americas Funniest Home Videos are just recycled from the 1980's. Watched it for 3 minutes tonight while I was waiting on my food to get ready ---it was ridiculous.

Extremely effective cleaning method

2007-02-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

So Devin went to the store and left the girls at home with me. They were playing when I noticed London was eating paper.

Then she started choking. And choking some more.

Then she threw up everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE.

Went to go get a towel to clean up and Einstein (the golden retriever) enters the room.

Re-entered the room with the towel but the mess had already been cleaned.

Thank you Einstein and I am glad that you were hungry.

PS - London is fine and is no longer choking.

Lexi Chased a Lion

2007-02-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

We took Lexi and London to McDonalds this morning for breakfast. They have an indoor playground with a big slide and all the Ronald McDonald stuff you can imagine. Lexi was terrified of the slide and refused to get anywhere near it since you had to walk up these twisting stairs and climb through a "dark" tunnel in order to even get to it.

She decided that crying would be a good option so that we wouldn't make her do it. Long story short...that didn't work. Being the "mean" parents that we are we forced her travel through the "scary" tunnel and slide down the slide before we would leave and take her to school. She cried the entire time and we ended up being 20 minutes late - but she went down the slide...twice. Once she faced her fears and did it the first time -- we had to make her leave because she wanted to do it over and over again.

Later on she thanked us for making her do it and now she wants to go back. It was a good teachable moment about how you can't let fear dictate how you live your life. Lesson learned. One of many more to come I am sure.

Basketball Update

2007-02-15T19:33:00.000-08:00

Our guys team had a game tonight. The team we played beat the team that took us to overtime last week. We played incredible defense (box and 2) and held them scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the game. We couldn't hit a shot to save our life so we never went up by more than 15.

We held them off for the rest of the game and ended up winning by around 10. We didn't bring our A game offensively, but defensively, we played incredible. We've got a few things to work on but we are getting better every day.

Really cold ribs...

2007-02-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

It is stinking cold ouside here in the wonderful city of Millington. I definitely had some frozen hair by the time I got done running this morning. Quite the weird feeling.

I hear people talking about barbecue all the time in the blog world. One thing I know is that Memphis has got to be the city with the best ribs on the planet. Most people think Rendezvous when they think about Memphis ribs, but the locals love to eat at the place I ate today, Cozy Corner. I am serious that you have never had ribs until you have eaten at that little restaurant. Go early because I think they close at 5. You will love it and you can thank me later.

Coaching Bball is insane

2007-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight was absolutely indescribably. Our girls team got beat by a few points - mainly because of a bad coaching decision to start the second half. It is a crazy thing to try and play every person and still try as hard as possible to win. We are learning and the girls are getting better. We just need to do it quickly...

Our guys game was a different story. We played a very young team that was very inexperienced. As a result, we barely played our starters and did not allow our defense to press, trap, or pick up before the other team got to the 3 point line.

We are a pretty talented team - however - what happened tonight was insane. When the final buzzer sounded we had won 77 - 2. That is not a misprint and I am not really all that proud of the score. Our second team got a lot of playing time and it was good to see some of those guys have a great game.

Winning that big will have repurcussions. I am sure that winning by 75 is not Christian-like. Jesus would have only let His players win by 20 I am sure. If there is one positive...that other team will be very good in the next 3 years. Keep working guys. It will pay off.

Sexiest Professions

2007-02-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

I read an article today about what people perceive to be the "sexiest" professions. Apparantly, people are still infatuated with firefighters as they received the highest number of votes to earn the title as the World's Sexiest Profession.

Much to my surprise, I did not see Pastors or Church staff members on that list. Wouldn't that be hilarious. They already have Calendar's for almost everything. Why not a sexiest Pastors Calendar. Insert the term "Pastor" in Yahoo Image Search and you will see that it would be very easy to find some sexy preachers.

In all reality - it is probably a losing battle. Maybe next year!

I love Friday's...

2007-02-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

I love Friday's. Almost every week, Lexi and I go to Perkins for breakfast. The people there love us because she talks to everyone and because of the fact that I always let her eat whatever she wants. I get traditional breakfast food, and Lexi definitely does not. Macaroni and Cheese, French Fries, Chicken Fingers, and Cheeseburgers are usually some of the typical things she tends to choose.

Breakfast at Perkins - $14
Cheeseburgers and in-depth conversation with my 4 year old daughter - priceless.

Rec Basketball = nothing like it

2007-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

This year I am coaching a guys and girls rec HS basketball team. It makes for a pretty interesting schedule; however, it is a blast.

Todd and I have coached the guys team for the past 4 years. We came in second when our guys were freshmen and sophomores and last year we won the championship. As a result - we are the team that everyone loves to hate.

Last night our guys team had a game against one of the better teams in the league. It was nuts. We played ridiculous in the first half and we let our guys have it at halftime. They responded to say the least. We made up a 10 point deficit to tie the game with a couple seconds left to send it into overtime. In overtime - we took over the game and never looked back. Big win last night!

By the way - if you want to see some funny referee's - check out rec basketball. Our refs called 11 technical fouls in two games last night. Gotta love it!

Duke/Carolina

2007-02-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

I hate the day after a Duke loss. Thank God those days don't happen all that often; however, when they do - my life is temporarily terrible.

Last night was no exception. Duke played great for 35 minutes against a much deeper and more talented (I can't believe I am saying that) Carolina team. Duke outplayed them the entire game - but came up short at the end as they simply didn't have enough ammunition to kill the hated TarHeels.

I want to sit around and complain but it is pretty difficult to do when Duke has beat Carolina head to head 16 of the past 21 times they have played. That being said, beating that team 99/100 times is not enough for me. If that happens I will only talk about the one that got away.

The only consolation for me is that Carolina will NOT win the National Championship this year. They do not work together as a team very well and they are playing with ZERO passion.

For all the haters out there.... LET'S GO DUKE! WE WILL BE BACK!

Student Ministry cont...

2007-02-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more thoughts from that Lifeway article...

6. VISION IMPLEMENTATION
Once we have developed our vision, we should concentrate on implementing it. This is much more than just filling a calendar. As a matter of fact, it will probably involve removing events more than it will involve adding them. Do not do things just because they have always been done. We should spend our time and money only on those strategic events that will bring the most return.

7. CREATIVE INNOVATION
Teenagers are not ashamed of God; they are ashamed of their church. We must strive to appeal to our audience by giving them a student ministry of which they can be proud. Our desire should be to do the best we can with the resources we have. Every ministry does not have equal resources; however, every ministry must strive to be excellent with what it does have.

Light Bulb Mania

2007-02-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Saw a light bulb out in my living room yesterday. We didn't have one - so I had to go to the store. Before I left, I went through the house to see how many bulbs might be out. I expected to find 3-4.

When it was all said and done - I had found 16 light bulbs that needed to be replaced! I didn't even know I had that many light bulbs in my entire house - much less that many that needed to be replaced.

I am sure there is a great illustration in there that will come out eventually. Talk about getting use to the dark! At any rate, it is a good thing light bulbs are the cheapest things on the planet.

Snow Day

2007-02-02T18:10:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow. We played with Lexi and London for a few hours - tried to come up with something fun to do on the riding lawnmower - almost killed myself - so I put it away.

Much fun.

The snow is now gone. The city is up and running. Back to normal.

When your church has services on Sunday nights - it makes you especially excited about the incredible invention that is TIVO. For one week and one week only - Let's go Colts!

WeatherMan

2007-02-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I want to be a weather guy. It appears that it works like this...

1. Walk outside and feel the air temperature.

2. Look at the doppler radar thing.

3. No rain - just tell the temp.
Rain - if it is cold then call it snow. If it is hot - than call it rain.

4. Enjoy the fact that getting the forecast right or wrong is irrelevant.

5. When the economy is slow - predict snow in the south. The economy will immediately take a major jump as every grocery store in town will be invaded by very paranoid and excited people like myself.

Student Ministry cont...

2007-02-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

Here are the next 3 from the magazine article thing I talked about yesterday...

3. THE MINISTRY'S PROGRESSION: VISION CASTING Upon receiving a clear and compelling vision from God, it is your responsibility to communicate it clearly to the leaders on your team (see Hab.2:2). Clear and passionate communication of the vision is vital if we want lay people to serve fervently within the context of our ministry. If we are not passionate, why should anyone else be?

4. THE MINISTRY'S PEOPLE: ADULT LEADERSHIP After communicating the vision, the next step is to begin investing in our adult leadership team. Great adult leaders are developed over time. We must engage, equip, and empower them for ministry. Our ministries will only grow as our adult leadership team grows. These men and women of God are the backbone of our ministry.

5. THE MINISTRY'S PLATFORM: STUDENT LEADERSHIP Effectively transitioning our students into leaders is one of the most rewarding tasks in student ministry. Students in this generation have a passionate desire to make a difference. You and I should show them it is possible! You need to concentrate on engineering (disciple making), encouraging (recognizing and rewarding the good), and energizing (challenging and motivating) your students if they are going to make this important transition into servant leadership.

I want the white stuff...

2007-01-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

You know you live in the south when things start getting cancelled because of the threat of snow. With that in mind, I am here at the house anxiously awaiting as much snow as possible. I would love to get about two feet; however, 2 inches is probably closer to reality.

You northern people need to go ahead and stop laughing at all of us in the south and just pray that we get to experience the thing that gets on your nerves more than anything else during the winter.....snow - and lot's of it.

Student Ministry

2007-01-31T05:40:00.000-08:00

For the next several days I am going to post sections of an article that I was asked to write for a student ministry magazine.

I would do it all at once but then it would be the longest post in the world - and nothing is more frustrating than reading a novel disguised as a blog.

With that in mind. The article was given the title "Achieving Success in Student Ministry" by the magazine people. There are a total of 10 points. Here are the first two...

1. THE MINISTER'S CHALLENGE: GROW
In order to develop an effective student ministry, we must learn to lead others effectively. In order to lead others effectively, we must learn to lead ourselves effectively. John Maxwell was right when he said that when you quit growing you will quit leading. To go to the next level of effectiveness in ministry, we must grow in our leadership abilities and aptitudes. The following statement is true, "You must commit to a lifetime of learning and executing diligent daily disciplines whereupon you do the right things day in and day out."

2. THE MINISTRY'S BEGINNING: PROPHETIC WORD
One of the most difficult aspects of ministry is knowing where to begin. Many books have been written about student ministry and the various paradigms that have been implemented in ministries across the nation. The temptation is to adopt one of these ministry paradigms, then make your ministry look just like theirs. Everything looks great on paper, but then we are surprised when our results do not happen just like those mentioned in the book.

Most of us have found ourselves in this scenario. When I began in ministry, I had to be reminded that God already had a plan of redemption for the community in which I served. It was my responsibility to partner with Him in His plan. I had to get on my face before God and beg Him for a clear and compelling vision. I had to get on His agenda. I had to learn to begin with God by obtaining a prophetic word (vision) from Him specific to the ministry that He had entrusted to me.

Gotta love TV

2007-01-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

Going out of town presents a pretty interesting challenge for the capacity of my TIVO. Here are three things that I know.

1. No matter how young, inexperienced, etc. that everyone says that Duke is - they will not go away. This will not be their year (they will do much better than everyone expects) but this group of freshmen and sophomores will bring home a national championship to Durham. Mark it down and remember that you read it here first.

2. American Idol is absolutely hilarious. I wish that the whole show would center around the bad interviews. They are much more entertaining. By the way, I am pretty sure that the church is responsible for 50% of the ridiculous singers on that show. Some churches will let almost anyone get on their stage. As a result, American Idol will always be full of people who think they can sing.

3. 24 is amazing. No show has ever killed off so many main characters and still kept on rolling. Never a dull moment. Even when things are slow by 24 standards - it is still intense. You've got to be smoking crack if you are not watching 24 :)

Vacation is over

2007-01-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

Coming home from vacation always produces mixed feelings. Excited and sad all at the same time.

I am excited about...
Seeing Lexi and London for the first time in 8 days.
Hanging out with friends, etc.
Getting back to the real world of life and ministry.
Coaching basketball.
Running in 30 degree weather (but at least there isn't a constant 45 MPH wind)
Not having to eat 13 times per day (by the way - the food was amazing)

I am sad about...
The fact that I will no longer be hanging out on islands all day.
The fact that the week of vacation goes so fast while the weeks leading up to it seem to go so slow.

At any rate, we had a blast last week. Devin and I got to spend a ton of time together which we very rarely get to do and it was incredible. I look forward to writing about some of the things that happened on the trip. We met some very interesting people and had some pretty funny experiences. I will fill you in soon.

Until then.

Most expensive blog ever...

2007-01-23T03:24:00.000-08:00

Royal Caribbean charges a fortune to use the computer. That being said, this will be short.

I love cruises. There is nothing better on the planet.

I am reading a book called, Confessions of a Pastor. It is incredible. Go pick it up and no I don't have time to add the link as I am already at around $9 for this.

Talk soon

Victory

2007-01-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

Game 2 was bueno. Played a strange rotation throughout the game and rested my normal starters for over two quarters. We got out to a 25 point lead and finished with a quality win.

It made a big difference having some of our guys back. One of my favorite people on the planet, Jesse (5-9) almost had a break away dunk. If he didn't have the world's smallest hands it would have went down.

Our crowd was hilarious. Good job everyone. By far the best rec league crowd of all time. What?...

Game 2

2007-01-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to keep this pretty quiet for the past several weeks - but I can't hold it in any more. Tomorrow morning we are flying to Ft. Lauderdale so that we can get on a big honking boat in Miami. For the next 7 days I will be hanging out in the Caribbean. Can't beat a cruise - definitely the best way to vacation on the planet.

Getting ready for our second guys game of the year. They have been dying to get back on the court and so have I. Tonight - winning isn't an option.

Lovin Some H2O

2007-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

I talk to student pastors all the time about student ministry. It is interesting to hear the thoughts that people have - the highs - the lows - and everything in between. One thing I know is that after talking with these people that I flat out love the students at H2O. I love hanging out on Wednesday nights with the most diverse group of teenagers on the planet. 200+ High School students who come from so many backgrounds and so many different family situations. I am pumped that God is allowing me to experience this journey with them.

Quick Update

2007-01-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

Two games over the weekend....
Guys game: We played well considering we didn't have 3 of our players (2 are starters). We got beat by a good team, but I am greatly looking forward to playing them again with our full squad. Without our big man (6-6, 280), we didn't have anyone to stop their post play. That won't happen again and the rest of the season will be a different story.

Girls game: They played great the first quarter and the second half. The only problem is that we had a horrible second quarter. We will make several adjustments and we will definitely be ready to play next Saturday.

College Bball: I am pumped that UNC got beat by the same team that beat Duke last week. Gotta love it when UNC fans start running their mouth (I do concede the fact that they should win the whole thing this year) and it backfires on them. LET"S GO DUKE! Sorry Tadd.

Let the Games Begin

2007-01-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

Mine and Todd's guys team will begin defending their championship tonight. We are playing the only team that beat us last year in the regular season and they definitely have a chip on their shoulder since we beat them in the championship game.

I love being a part of the most hated team in church basketball history! People don't like teams that win....whether on the court or in the church (different story altogether).

Gotta love it!

My girls team starts Saturday. I can't wait. We have a few surprises for the girls league this year. Come and check it out!

SEC

2007-01-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

This year's college football season = a worst case scenario. It was bad enough that Miami was terrible; however, the fact that Florida won the national championship is almost unbearable. I hate the Gators. Not because they are good, but because they are part of the SEC. The reason I hate the SEC is because of the vicarious nature of the conference. When one team goes down - the fans of that team begin to cheer on their most hated rival simply because they are part of the conference. Nothing can be more despicable than a fan of Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, etc., pulling for the Gators. Just for the record...As a Miami fan, I will never cheer for Florida State. I am a fan of the Miami Hurricanes - not the ACC.

Just Say No

2007-01-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

2007 is going to be an incredible year! Devin and I are really taking some drastic measures to make sure that we position ourselves in such a way that we can maximize our effectiveness in everything that we do. Success doesn't happen by accident. In order to maximize our effectiveness we are learning the art of saying NO. There are so many things competing for our attention. Good things. Things that matter. Things that can help other people and make a difference in their life. If I have learned one thing lately it is this...just because something is good does not mean that I should do it. Your passion is your passion and if it is your passion - carry it out and make it happen....but don't expect me to be the champion of your cause. I will support you all day long, but I can't make your dreams come true. That may sound mean - but God doesn't give everyone the same burden. He doesn't give everyone the same gifts, etc. Find out who you were created to be, who you are, and don't apologize for being that person. I am learning to say no to the good so that I can say yes to the best. What are the "best's" in your life? Say yes to those and quit playing games with the good.

Knee Update

2007-01-06T14:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday started out like any other day. It was a typical overcast day in Millington, TN and so I decided to go and get me knee drained a few days early because I was tired of it not being able to bend. I knew it was going to hurt, but nothing had prepared me for this. After waiting for 1.5 hours I finally got to see the Dr. He told me that this was going to hurt tremendously, but I thought he was just messing with me. He told me that he wasn't going to deaden my knee because it would hurt as well and there was no reason to hurt twice. To make a long story short...After it was over, I had punched a wall, made bite marks in my arm that I can still see, and almost left the room before he was done. If you ever have to get that done and the Dr. tells you to do it without anesthesia - just punch him in the face and get your copay back. Most painful thing I have ever done in my life and if I ever have to get it done again, they are putting my butt to sleep!

Eruption

2007-01-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Today as I was typing I felt this wierd hot liquid dripping on my head. I thought it was a leak or something but come to find out that the candle on my desk had erupted like Mt. Vesuvius. There was wax on everything. Just in case you ever get the urge to pour wax on your head and on your clothes....don't. Trust me - you will regret it.

Today is another one of those days that made me realize how much I CAN'T blog about. There are so many funny/sad things that happen in the context of church, etc. I think I am going to start an anonymous blog just to save all the things I really want to write about until I am able to do so. I can't keep it in forever :)

Knee

2007-01-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

Just found out I have to get my knee drained next week. When I think about things that I am not happy about.....I think about that.

Simple Church

2007-01-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

I feel like I should go on staff as a marketing strategist; however, you MUST get a copy of Simple Church.

"Are the people in your church being transformed or is everyone just busy?"
Simple is in...Apple, Google, Graphic Designers, Southwest Airlines, Papa Johns, Interior Designers, Marketing Gurus, and Growing Churches all know this!
"Many of our churches have become cluttered. So cluttered that people have a difficult time encountering the simple and powerful message of Christ. So cluttered that many people are busy doing church instead of being the church....Jesus is adamantly opposed to anything that gets in the way of people encountering Him."
"Ministry Schizophrenia occurs when churches and church leaders are not sure who they are. They are not clear what their fundamental identity is. They run in a disjointed and frantic fashion."

I wish I didn't have to stop here, but that is as far as I have read so far. Going to keep reading and pusuing that which is...simple.

2007

2007-01-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

I love the start of a new year! It is a time of new beginnings and a fresh opportunity to take advantage of all the things that God put's out there for us to seize. I am extremely excited about 2007! I can't wait to see what God has in store!

Devin and I are at the back end of putting together some specific goals to accomplish this year. With that in mind, here are a few books that are already on the reading list for this year...

Simple Church by Rainer and Geiger
In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Batterson
Practicing Greatness by McNeal
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Lencioni
A New Kind of Christian by McLaren
What a Daughter Needs from Her Dad by Farris
Searching for God Knows What by Miller
Organic Church by Cole
Leaving Church by Taylor
Courageous Leadership by Hybels
Dear Church by Cunningham
Confessions of a Pastor by Croeschel
Letters to an Atheist by Confort

I have already started Simple Church and it is right on! Buy this book for your pastor immediately and give it to him anonymously if you think he will get the wrong idea. I promise you that he needs it and will thank you for it especially if you are a member of the typical Sunday morning, Sunday night, Tuesday night, and Wednesday night kind of church.

Shaving Gallery

2006-12-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Gary was right when he said going to the Shaving Gallery would be the greatest thing I have ever done in my life. I stinking loved it! I could have fallen asleep or just stayed there for another couple hours. If you ever get the chance - go check it out. It is amazing!

Couple interesting things that I learned while I was there...
1. There are actually razors that cost over $200. I will no longer think that the Fusion is expensive.
2. Most supermodels shave their entire face - from their forehead down to their chin. They say it's the best way to exfoliate (I think that just means knock the dead skin off). Pretty girl or not - it would be pretty wierd to walk into the bathroom and see your wife with a face full of shaving cream.

To end the night, we went to Stoney River to eat. It was unbelievable. The roll's are incredible and I could probably just eat a plate full of those and leave extremely happy.

$50 Shave

2006-12-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

Every time I come back to Woodstock I try to hang out with as many people as possible. As a result, I end up spending quite a bit of time at Starbucks. I was there this morning meeting with a guy who is a creative genius. Tonight, Devin and I will go there to hang out with some friends of ours that we haven't really spent time with in several years. Tomorrow morning, I will go again to hang out with a friend who now lives in VA that I never get to see. I love Starbucks, but better than that - I love Starbucks gift cards! Free Starbucks coffee - is way better than $4 Starbucks Coffee.

My dad, brother in law, and I are going to some place called the Shaving Gallery tomorrow. My mom decided to spend $50 per person for the three of us to have someone else shave our faces. It is supposed to be amazing; however, some random lady with a razor blade on my neck freaks me out. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow night; however, if you don't see a post from me in then next 24 hours it might mean that the lady with the knife went psycho. I really hope that doesn't happen. Ill keep you posted.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Had a blast going to three totally different churches today. Gary Lamb and Ridge Stone knocked it out of the park! Great atmosphere, music, and message. I got a free Tshirt, 3 different free Cd's and I even got a glimpse of Santa Claus walking around the lobby. Great job Gary. Ridge Stone is rocking!

Mountain Lake was very good as well. Their band was incredible. Their worship guy was very good and they had a girl singer who was amazing. Shawn Lovejoy did a great job with the message and the coffee was bueno.

Woodstock had a packed house. Over 7000 people enjoyed hearing Billy Goodwin sing Christmas Shoes and Johnny Hall sing O Holy Night as they have every single year for as long as I can remember. It was great to see so many people that I haven't seen in forever.

After the Christmas Eve service at Woodstock, we always go eat Chinese food in Woodstock. Our waiter was hilarious. He was exactly like the guy in Christmas Story who sang Deck the Halls. If you havent seen that one clip - it is worth watching the entire movie just to see it.

Merry Christmas my friends. Ya'll are awesome!

Christmas Eve Eve

2006-12-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

I am pumped about the fact that I am going to three different churches tomorrow. I will be checking out Gary Lamb at Ridge Stone, Shawn Lovejoy at Mountain Lake, and then head back to our home church, First Baptist Woodstock. It will be a great day.

Devins grandpa has his first wife die many years ago. Since that time, he has remarried. Devin has tried to explain that to Lexi several times. Tonight, she was walking around with Gipper (Devin's Grandpa) while we were all hanging out at the house. While they were talking, Lexi taps him on the shoulder, looks straight into his eyes, and announces...."Gipper, I know your wife is dead." Definitely an awkward moment - especially for the wife who is very much alive and sitting on the couch listening to every word.

Much fun.

Selling the Honda

2006-12-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

We need to get a car that is just a little bit bigger for Devin. As a result, our Honda is officially on the market. It's a Champaigne looking 1996 4 door with 158,000 miles. Blue Book value for that car with those miles in good condition is $3,750. We are selling it for $3,500. We already have one deal that is pending, but I do need to make this happen ASAP! If you are interested or know anyone who is please let me know.

Headaches and Very large people

2006-12-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

I have had a headache for about 8 days now. I am not excited about that fact; however, the people who make Excedrin Migraine most definitely are.

I went to Gold's Gym last night to get in some extra running and lifting so that I don't rapidly expand over the holidays (Maybe I should say, "over the Christmas" so that some Christian organization doesn't boycott my blog). Anyway, when I walked through the door it was like I had entered a different world. I saw some of the largest (strong not fat) individuals I have ever seen in real life. I am not a small person, but I felt tiny in that room. It was insane.

Given my discussion yesterday with Joe Sangl, I want to encourage every person who reads this thing to create a financial strategy for their lives. It doesn't matter whether you make a lot or a little. Begin now! If you can invest just $25 a month in a mutual fund of some kind or another - do it! Compound interest can become your best friend. Satan has a plan to destroy you in the area of finances. Don't let that happen! Develop a plan now! You will thank me later I promise.

Georgia

2006-12-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

We left Millington this morning at 5:45 and got to Woodstock in just under 6 hours. It was actually the fastest I have ever made it in a car and as a result, I think I should have received a trophy upon my arrival. I did not and for that reason I am very bitter.

On a different note, I had a phone meeting with a guy named Joe Sangl today. He's a financial advisor and on staff at Newspring. He is the man! I am excited about getting to know him. I will fill you in on more of the details later as I am anxiously waiting on the second half of the Duke game to begin.

Mark and I just decided that we are going to go to RidgeStone, Mountain Lake, and First Woodstock on Christmas Eve. All three churches are totally different in methodology which should make for an incredible day. Pretty sure I have never been to three different churches in the same day. Should be fun.

GA!

2006-12-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning we will pull out for a week in Woodstock, GA. I am excited about seeing friends that we haven't seen in about a year and hanging out with our family. We are going to have a great time. Mark hooked me up with a one week membership to Gold's gym which means that I will be able to run a few extra miles every day to keep from adding extra poundage while I am there.

Couple of things I am excited about....
1. Talking with a financial advisor tomorrow who assures me by doing what we are currently doing (savings/investments, etc.) that Devin and I can count on a pretty substantial amount of money when we get older...much, much older :)
2. Going to try and read a book called "Simple Church", while I am out of town. It is supposed to be incredible and I am looking forward to it greatly.
3. Seeing my one and only nephew who is around 3 weeks old that I haven't seen as of yet. His name is Noah and he is huge (already almost 10 pounds).
4. Giving Devin her Birthday (January 3) and Christmas present. She will be very happy!
5. Newspring's services are now viewable online! That my friend - is simply amazing.

Christmas Trees

2006-12-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

As of today we are officially one week away from Christmas. As a result, we thought it would be a great day to take down our Christmas tree. Actually, we took down all our Christmas decorations. Pretty strange thing to do I guess, but I am very happy that we (when I say "we" I mean Devin) took them down now so that we didn't have to worry about it when we get back in town. I am stinking ready for Christmas. I love it. I love everything about it, except for the "I hate Santa Claus because if you change the letters around in Santa it spells Satan" crowd. They make me laugh.

Relentless pursuit

2006-12-17T05:37:00.000-08:00

Jacks was right yesterday when he wrote about the fact that there are constantly things that are competing for our attention. Everything from television commercials, ringing telephones, family obligations, work demands, and personal time, etc., etc. Trying to make decisions on what to do and what not to do can become a pain as you try to balance everything going on in your life. How do you manage the chaos? The key has got to be relentlessly pursuing that which God has called you to be. Anything that will take away from that (whether good or bad) should be avoided at all costs. Pretty easy thing to write - but an extremely difficult thing to live. I guess you could say that I am relentlessly pursuing being able to say that I am on a relentless pursuit to become the person that God created me to be.

Lovin it...

2006-12-15T05:10:00.000-08:00

I love the journey that we call the Christian life.

I love the fact that I was dead, destined and doomed for hell, but because of God's mercy and grace I now have life.

I love the fact that my walk with Christ is a journey. He is walking with me and interceding on my behalf along the way.

I love the fact that He is big enough to handle the thousands of questions that I have and still don't fully understand.

I love the fact that in spite of His "bigness" that I can still communicate with Him and He with me.

I love the fact that He has surrounded me with the most incredible family and friends.

I love the fact that I can end this blog because my 1 yr. old London is running towards me right now yelling "Mama" (Sometimes she get's very confused) and I tend to love her more than I do writing on here.

Have a great day!

MacArthur on the attack

2006-12-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

It's sad to see people who have done much good for the Kingdom of God place an agenda above their better judgment. Whether he is a guest speaker in the pulpit of First Baptist Woodstock declaring that "Jesus Was a Calvinist", writing articles, or preaching about certain styles of church that he does not agree with, it is apparant that this pastor has much time on his hands. It is also apparent that he has chosen to use his free time to criticize those who have differing opinions rather than to engage in conversation with the leaders of those particular movements (Emergent Church) and/or churches (Mars Hill led by Mark Driscoll) before making accusations.

There are several things that I do not agree with and/or understand within the context of the Emergent Church movement. The same seems to have been true for MacArthur. Before his book comes out I really hope that he will take the time to pick up the phone and ask the tough questions instead of making empty assumptions that are based on hearsay. I am glad that the Bible is culturally relevant. Relevance is not the enemy! If that were true than it would have been sin for us to have translated the Bible to the many languages and dialects that we now have today. I am sure that this pastor does not stand in his pulpit wearing the same clothing that Jesus wore during His life here on earth. As a matter of fact, I have seen this pastor preach in person and I can assure you that he dresses in culturally relevant suits (is there such a thing?) like the majority of traditional pastors. Bottom line is this. If you have a problem with a person - go to them. I think I read that in the culturally relevant English translation of the Bible and in a commentary with the last name MacArthur inside the cover.

Promiscuous Girl

2006-12-12T14:36:00.001-08:00

Got off the phone a little while ago with Tony Nolan. I have known him for a long time and he is definitely (I am going to start a support group for people who think definitely should be spelled definately) one of the most interesting people that I know. He is full of encouragement and is flat out in love with Jesus.

Creative meeting was today. Planned a series called Itunes (which I am sure we stole from someone and if I could remember who...I would let ya know). We are going to to do a week on porn called "Dirty Little Secret", and another week on relationships called "Promiscuous Girl". Our interns came up with an idea for a video for the P.G. week that will be amazing.

Go check out this link for a pretty funny Christmas Eve promo clip that you probably won't find in most churches.

Couple thoughts

2006-12-11T14:43:00.000-08:00

I want to reach people. I really am convinced that going after the people that are far from God is the key to seeing Him do the impossible within the local church. If we are not willing to go after those who are far from God - than we have missed the point. That's why we are here. That's why H2O is here. Thank God that He sends us those who are not welcome elsewhere. Thank God that He sends us those who have issues, who are desperate, who are searching, who are broken, who have things going on in their lives that many of us could never understand. Keep them coming. God loves them and so will we.

Today is Jeff Hill's birthday. Jeff has been my worship leader for the past 2.5 years and he has done an incredible job. It is rare to meet a musician who loves God more than he loves music, the stage, and/or himself. He is a huge blessing in my life and I thank God that He has allowed us to partner together in ministry. You are the man, Jeff. Happy Birthday!

Weekend Highlights

2006-12-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

I love weekends. It is fun to be able to hang out, get some things done, and just enjoy being around friends and family.

Highlights...
Thursday PM - Adult Leadership Christmas Party. We had a great time talking about everything from real heads being put in coolers, the holocaust, and the 435,000 drinks you can get at Starbucks.
Friday - Went to the mall with Devin and London while Lexi was at school. Hung out the rest of the day, made the largest homemade pizza the world has ever seen, and watched The Sentinel. It was incredible. Basically it is a 2 hour episode of 24. Gotta love that.
Friday late PM - Todd, JC, Brent, Andrew, and I went downtown. Didn't get there until around 11 and hung out till around 2. It was freezing outside (around 17) so there wasn't a lot happening on Beale. We did decide on the way home that Todd's car had never been in the Mississippi river. As a result, we drove down the boat ramp and put the front two tires into the water. It was an exhilirating experience for both the car and for us. I have no idea why we did it, but I guess you can just blame it on the fact that we had nothing else to do that late at night.
Saturday - Went back to the mall and to ToysRUs to get some things for Lexi and London. Lexi got an African American doll and London got a puppy (not a real one - a stuffed one). Devin lost her purse and some honest person who I will never meet actually turned it in at ToysRUs. That makes me very happy. Then we went to Emily's birthday party in downtown Munford. Saw a really wierd picture of myself but other than that I had a great time.

What a night...

2006-12-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Another bueno night at H2O! The band did an great job, I felt really good about the message, and 3 people gave their life to Christ as well. I am pumped that God continues to change lives every single week.

To answer a few questions that I have already been asked.... Yes, I did throw up less than 5 minutes before I walked on stage (no worries - I made it to the bathroom), and Yes, I did throw up again less than 2 minutes after I walked off stage (again, no worries). It made for an interesting evening as I had to have the band on standby to play randomly in case I couldn't make it through the message. Pretty fun stuff. Don't know why I told you that - just thought you would like to know.

I might do a post in a couple days about the Super Nazi Christians who hate Santa Claus. I think that is funny. Also, stay tuned to Todd's blog because he just told me that he got bit by a dog today. I am sure that it will be a pretty funny story. Go check it out here.

Here we go...

2006-12-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

My entire family has been sick for the past couple of days with Stomach Virus. London had it first - gave it to Devin. London and/or Devin gave it to Lexi. Now, London and/or Devin/Lexi will no doubt give it to me. I have been fighting this reality because stomach virus kicks my butt. I hate it with a passion! I have escaped it's fury so far; however, even as I type, I can feel my stomach beginning to do things that it does not normally do. Not a good sign for me!

I can't wait for H2O tonight! It will be incredible all the way around. I would continue to type more, but round 1 of many trips to the restroom are calling me....

Oatmeal, Cars, and a bunch of people...

2006-12-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

I love oatmeal! Let me rephrase that. I love the kind of oatmeal that comes in those little packages that are flavored with things like Blueberries, Strawberries & Cream, and Brown Sugar. Today, I tried the oatmeal that comes in the tall container with absolutely no flavoring. It was absolutely disgusting. It tasted like slimy and somewhat textured paste. I tried to add some splenda and all it did was make it taste like sweetened slimy textured paste. Word of Caution - if you ever try oatmeal - stick to the little packets.

Devin and I are going to have to get a newer car at some point. Both of our cars have over 160,000 miles on them and the odds are that they will not last forever. They have both been good as we haven't had a car payment in over 5 years; however, their time is nearing an end. If anyone knows anybody that can point us in the right directions...let me know! You will definitely become my hero and I will love you forever.

Last week I talked to a guy (Steven Furtick) that I went to school with at North Greenville. He has just started a church 10 months ago in Charlotte, NC. Yesterday, they had the highest attendance that they have had so far (only 10 months) with over 900 people! They also saw over 50 people baptized! God is moving at Elevation Church. If you are in that area -go check it out next week!

Breakfast with Lexi

2006-12-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

Every Friday morning before Lexi goes to school the two of us go out to eat somewhere for breakfast. Typically, we go to Perkins (only breakfast restaurant that I know of in Millington) and hang out for about an hour. I love spending this time with her. Couple of interesting facts...

1. She always wants either a cheeseburger or chicken fingers with fries for breakfast. Of course I let her get whatever she would like when we are out together. The waitresses think I am crazy - but we are always their favorite customers.

2. She won't let me sit across the table from her. I must sit on the same side of the booth "to keep her company".

3. She prefers water over any other drink.

4. She saw a "Merman" on TV the other day and has been very confused about it ever since.

5. She knows that her dad loves her more than almost anything.

On a different note... the first basketball practice for both teams was yesterday. It is going to be a great season.

Far from God

2006-11-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

Just for the record. You have never locked eyes with a person who did not matter to God. It doesn't matter who they are, what they look like, what "religion" they choose to follow or not follow, what movies they watch, what songs they listen to, where they spend their weekends, what parties they attend, how drunk they get, or what job they have - People matter to God. All people, not just some people, or the people that are like you and/or like me. Everyone matters to God. Those who are close to Him - and those who are a little further away.

I want to be a person that reaches those who are far from God. I want H2O to be a place that is consumed with reaching those who are far from God. We want the students that other churches don't want. Send them to H2O on Wednesday night. They can come and be themselves. We don't force them to be religious - we allow them to be real. That should be what modeling Christlikeness is all about. We make the purpose of our life and ministry the purpose of Christ's life and ministry...to seek and to save that which was lost.

On a side note....It has been raining here for many days - and that makes me very sad.

Smiling Sammy

2006-11-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

Todd and I just got back from the incredible adventure that is driving through the booming metropolis of Millington, TN. On our way back from lunch we decided to drive through the new apartment complex down the road from the church. As soon as we turned into the apartment complex parking lot - we noticed a man riding his bike. He was probably in his 50's and you could tell that he. had a very special relationship with his bicycle. Once he heard my car driving up behind him - he turned around - gave us an extra special grin - and proceeded to nod his head repeatedly. I could only see part of his head as this man apparantly loved his mother very much and still chose to listen to her when she told him to wear his helmet. It was a nice helmet that I am sure had been an incredible gift to "Smiling Sammy" at one point in his life. So, if you ever happen to drive through the apartment complex in Millington, keep your eyes out for Smiling Sammy. He is sure to put a smile on your face.

H2O

2006-11-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to go to Starbucks for our creative meeting as we get ready for the next several weeks. It still amazes me that Millington has a Starbucks. We are officially moving up in the world!

H2O will be incredible tomorrow night. I am pumped about the message and the music will be bueno!

Over My Head (The Fray)
Take My Life (Jeremy Camp)
Time Has Come (Hillsong)
Awesome God (Hillsong)
Jesus Blood (Delirious?)
What the world will Never Take (Hillsong)

If you ever need a band to do any kind of event in your community or at your church - let me know. H2O has the best Student Ministry band on the planet. Thank you Jeff, Josh, Brent, Justin, and Carmen. You guys (and girl) are awesome!

Here we go again...

2006-11-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

For the third consecutive year I will coach a high school rec basketball team after promising myself that I would never do it again. I have a love/hate relationship with church basketball. Here is why.
1. Showing any emotion at any time is considered blasphemy and automatically means that
you do not love Jesus.
2. Winning by more than 2 points is considered poor sportsmanship. Allowing that to happen is
against the "church league code of conduct" and also means that you do not love Jesus.
3. Talking to referees is strictly prohibited. If this is ever done - then plan on being
excommunicated (not from the church - from Christianity as a whole).
4. It's not about winning - it's about having fun....I wouldn't have a problem with this except for
the fact that it is much more fun to win.

Since I have such a love/hate relationship with church basketball, I have decided to coach both the guys team and the girls team. Yes - I will show emotion. Yes - I will try to win every game (hopefully by more than two points), and Yes - I will probably point out to the referee's the proper call that should have been made. I am sure I will get frustrated. I know for sure that some of the people from other churches will wish that I would just sit down in my chair and not say a word. Why put myself through this? This is gearing up to be a very interesting season. Besides, our guys have a championship to defend.

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

The race went very well. I finished somewhere around 330th. That sounds absolutely ridiculous; however, with close to 4,000 runners - I will take it. I saw a guy dressed up like Elvis, a banana, and a turkey. I also saw a couple hundred men wearing spandex. As a result, I will have to go to counseling for quite some time.

Have a great day and a great weekend. God has given us all so much to be thankful for.

Gobble Jog

2006-11-23T03:03:00.000-08:00

Justin (brother in law) and I decided to run in a 5K called the Gobble Jog this morning in Marietta Square. This will be the first race I have run where the temperature was below 90 degrees. It will only be a few degrees cooler as the weather guy just said it would be around 37 for race time. This should be a great race as over 4000 people are already registered. The race starts in a couple of hours....I will keep you posted.

Commentary from a Starbucks in Roswell

2006-11-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

As I type, I am waiting to meet with a friend of mine in Roswell. I am sitting in Starbucks, with a nonfat White Choc. Mocha, while reading The Deity Formerly Known as God. So far, I am loving the book. Great quote from just a moment ago, "God is not dead, but you'd never guess it by going to church. In fact, there are times when church feels like nothing more than a funeral service. Everyone dresses up and is on their best behavior, because he would have liked it that way. A pastor gets up and says something like, "Brothers and sisters, we have gatthered here today to remembr the lord. For he hath done great things." Anyway, on a differrent note. Here is the real reason I decided to write. Immediately to my right are two people (guy and girl) sipping on "double" hot chocolates. The guy is wearing a beanie on his head that continues to travel about 9 inches higher than the top of his head. The girl (probably 18) looks like a spokeswoman for denim and likes to talk to her friend like he is in another time zone despite the fact that he is only 2 feet from her face. She is not into racing even though her dad is and the Russian police have apparantly begun torturing crime suspects which greatly upsets her. She is wearing a promise ring, but has explained that it only means that she will only date guys who her parents approve of. I recommend that she amend the promise in order to include the fact that any guy that she considers dating had better come with the built in equivalent of an anti-hearing aid. She has just explained to beanie head that the reason that she is cold is because of the low temperature that exists outside. I am thankful that Jesus loves her very much - because she is annoying me greatly....

Couple days off...

2006-11-20T06:40:00.000-08:00

Late this afternoon we will leave for Woodstock, GA to hang out with family for a few days. I love going down there and spending time with everyone that I rarely get to see. God has been very good to us by giving us an incredible family. Everyone actually gets along and even likes each other. The three families (mine, Devins, and Justins (sisters husband)) all get together to celebrate Thanksgiving at my parents house and have since before we were even married. Gotta love that as it makes life much for enjoyable, not to mention convenient.

I look forward to a few days away to read, unwind, and get ready for an incredible season of ministry at H2O. I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next several weeks...

Pilgrim update

2006-11-19T05:26:00.000-08:00

The pilgrim mystery from Thursday has been solved. Apparantly, it was not a pilgrim at all, but rather just a person who felt the urge to dress like one for all to see. Oh well, pilgrim searching was fun while it lasted...

Went down to Beale St. with Devin on Thursday night. We definitely had an interesting time. Tower Records, Starbucks, the Peabody Lobby (with the world's oldest piano player), and walking up and down Beale trying to avoid any kind of wierd confrontations was very exciting. We almost made it 5 minutes without me having to say something to two morons. who had decided that they both wished they were me (or at least wished they were with the person I was with). It ended up being all good and we had a great time.

Side note...A church needs to lease the space that Tower Records is moving out of at the Peabody. It would be an expensive place to start a church - but it would be an incredible location!

Babies and a wandering pilgrim...

2006-11-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

Mark and Heather (brother-in-law and sister-in-law) are getting ready to have a baby here in the next few moments, days, or whenever the little kid decides he is tired of being trapped in a warm, wet bubble. The timing is pretty good from my perspective because we will already be in town celebrating Thanksgiving. Good job Noah (new kid's name), you already passed the first test.

Last night went great. We had a good crowd, Jeff and the band were on it as always, and the message connected as well. I have already received great feedback from people and we had a girl accept Christ for whom many had been praying for several weeks. We have the week off from H2O next week and then we have 3 more weeks to build momentum getting ready for the new year.

As I type, I am pretty sure I just saw either a real pilgrim walk past my door or someone who is pretending to be one. I looked outside and didn't see anything that resembles the Mayflower or Plymouth Rock (unless you consider one of the many rocks that fill our wanna be softball field) so I assume that it is just someone who has their dates mixed up regarding Halloween.

Bathrooms and Fried Chicken

2006-11-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my day to make the rounds at the local hospitals visiting people who go to our church, have ever gone to our church, might one day go to our church, and/or are a relative of someone who might fall into one of those categories. Memphis is the hospital capital of the world and as a result I had to drive for 231 years criss-crossing the city trying to get to all of the hospitals on the list. Because I drink so much stinking water (about 100 oz per day - give or take as a I am not a water nazi), I had to go to the bathroom at every hospital I went to. This is a little wierd but I noticed that each hospital has their own "bathroom smell". In case you want to know - here is an update.
Methodist Central - Pretty clean bathroom but it smells like citrus sewage.
Baptist East - Smelled like a kid who had been playing in the mud for 3 days with no shoes.
Methodist Germantown - Smelled like most people's grandmothers. (Not a bad smell - just kinda wierd)
Crosspointe BC- Our bathroom smelled crazy yesterday. I walked in and immediately thought of Fried chicken. I didn't know whether to do what you normally do in the bathroom or just stand there, close my eyes, chew, and pretend that I was eating.

Moral of the story? I think I am going to invent air fresheners that smell like fried chicken. Just a thought.

My life stinks...

2006-11-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

My Life Stinks is the title of the message we are doing on Wednesday night at H2O. You can check it out here. Should be a great week.

God has been so good to us. It blows my mind how much He is doing in the lives of our students. Here are a couple emails I received the other day from two of our students...

Before I began a real relationship with Jesus I lived my life however I wanted. I did what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it and didn't really care what other people thought about it. All that changed the night I accepted Christ into my life at H2O. Since that time God has given me a passion for my friends and has given me a purpose for living. I know now that I am on the right path as I seek to follow after the heart of God. Nick

Another one...

I've always believed in God and until i turned fifteen i thought that was enough. I went to church every sunday, said my prayers, and read my bible sometimes. I was never a "really bad kid" but i knew i was making a lot of wrong decisions. Moving to Tennessee would forever change my life. I'd been living here for four months when the Cheerleaders were invited to perform at h20. afterwards i listened to the message and it touched me so i let Jesus into my heart and asked him to change me and use me in anyway he needed me. And that happened, this year i've built an amazing relationship with him, I've learned to completely trust in him and be thankful for each day. I've also learned to look past the bad in everyone and to spread the word that God is amazing and loves you no matter what He's not some big guy that will stomp on you and dislike you for making a mistake. Being saved made me a much happier person in every aspect of my life, I've learned to resist a lot of peer pressure that teens face today by praying for strength and I just know that even if i feel like i'm alone and nobody is here for me, I can always turn to Him. I'm happy to know i'll spend eternity in heaven. Dawn

That is what it's all about!