WOW - that was awesome!!!

My buddy Zach and I went door to door today in Marion in hopes of speaking to some potential launch team members for the church plant. We went to some condo's and knocked about 40 doors. A lot of 'not homes' but we spoke with an unbelievable amount of interested people. It was something like 11-12 people that were really receptive. I really feel as if we are going to reap a long awaited harvest!

Thanks Dad

I tried for years to make my dad read books that I thought were cool..

I tried for years to beat my dad in one game of golf.. I did. It didn't feel as good as I thought it would.

I tried to convince my dad for years that sandals have a 5 year shelf life.. It took me six years to figure out that sandals just start to break in about that time.

For years I tried to be a little less like my dad.. not that there is anything wrong with dad - I just wanted to be a little more unique.. yeah, that's not happening.

It took me years to figure out that it has taken years for God to make my dad exactly how he wants him.

Thanks Dad.. you are more of a stud than you think.

Simple Church

I am reading a book entitled "Simple Church" by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. The content of the book is to help churches move beyond mission statements to real mission. I must admit I have had trouble gaining clarity on this subject and have read everything there is about processes, purpose statements, vision statements. All of them had something to say but nothing had convicted me yet.

I think that the point the Lord has been explaining to me is not to go over board on trying to contrive a tag line that will draw people to church but to simply return to a simplistic approach to it.

In the book they say that 500 churched were interviewed to reveal the stats given. The churches that were vibrant and growing, regardless of size, had a short and simple purpose and implemented these four common denominators.

• Clarity - Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people…clarity involves certainty, and it eliminates confusion.
• Movement - Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. Movement is about flow. It is about assimilation. Movement is what causes a person to go to the next step…Movement is what happens in between programs.
• Alignment - Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Alignment to the process means that all ministry departments submit and attach themselves to the same overarching process.
• Focus - Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. Focus most often means saying “no.” Focus requires saying “yes” to the best and “no” to everything else. While movement is the most difficult simple church element to understand, focus is also the most difficult element to implement.

Priceless

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." I did not stage this. I was blogging and Caloway fell asleep on the couch... wrapped himself in a blanket... clutching his bible.

Happy Birthday Bloggy

My blog will be one year old tomorrow and I'm writing tonight because I know I'll forget tomorrow. I'll try to be more consistent this year...

A Diary of Private Prayer

I've noticed something about myself. I can pray in front of others but the words don't come as easy when I'm praying by myself. I have been looking for something to help me with this and I stumbled across this book I got from my grandpa. It is called A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillee. The prayers in this book are very powerful. I just needed a little boost and this seems to be doing just that.

New Music Monday

Right now I'm listening to one of the best albums I've heard in a while. Ben Folds came out with Rockin' The Suburbs on September 11, 2001. No connection with the date but give it a listen. If you like Chris Rice, Billy Joel, or just some rockin' piano ballads you need to pick this one up from iTunes!

Ok - little update... Be advised - Ben drops about 4 f notes in this album and I'm not talking about the musical note.