The Coffeehouse And Free Wifi

Getting some work done today at the Woodstock Coffeehouse. I used to frequent Woodstock Coffeehouse so much that when they saw me coming in the door they made me my favorite drink...iced coffee with a little skim milk...and they always called me by name. It was good to come in today and see the owner....Kevin...I haven't seen him in a while so we briefly caught up. This is a cool place. The atmosphere is good...both locations, the coffee is out of this world, and if you like desserts...they bake them fresh...and I must say they are divine!! And the one thing that makes this place all the more better is the always delightful....free wifi.

You know I was thinking about the free wifi idea today. Why would you not do that if you are a coffee shop? I mean....you are going to need internet anyway so its not like it is a great expense you have to add...you're already paying for it...so why not use it to attract customers in to buy your products, which is what you are really trying to sell anyway. I guess Starbucks is just that fortunate to have such a popular brand that they can not only make a small fortune on their coffee....they can likewise make it on their internet. Well, I love the places with the free wifi...so even though I am a huge Starbucks fan....I will always choose free internet over their coffee, but thats just me.

My BIG FOOT Experience

All the Memphisites have been telling me of the beloved BIGFOOT Restaurant in downtown Memphis, TN. Well, Tuesday night a group of us went and it proved to be as delicious as they had prophesied to me. I ordered the BBQ Nachos...and the infamous BIGFOOT cookie (unbelievable). The only problem is that I ate way to stinking much and the BIGFOOT experience carried on through to the next day......I was still feeling its effects at dinner time the next day as a matter of fact. But it no doubt lived up to its reputation...which I have heard so much of. It was an awesome atmosphere and the food and service were great!!

Memphis is a cool city....a lot of night life. Went down to Beale St. Just watched people be people. Then we went to the Mighty Mississippi River late....couldn't see much but it was very cool to see the lit up bridge and Memphis skyline from the river's edge at night!! Very cool trip.

Two Slow Men And A Full Truck

J.R. hired Two Men and A Truck to come load up the furniture in his house on to a moving truck. They were the slowest people I have ever seen. I will give them a little credit...they did pack it good. But they were going so slow that we began bringing all the furniture out to them just to speed them up. Then J.R. just told them to stop so we could do the rest and get on the road.

So that's what we did. But he had more stuff than the truck had room. So the back end of that truck definitely had a unique packing job done on it. Whatever didn't fit on the truck passed through a process. First, it was evaluated based on its importance and necessity. Secondly, it was evaluated on whether it would fit on our father-in-law's truck...which was already loaded down as well. If it didn't make it through the evaluation process then it was left at the house to be utilized or trashed by the new residents. There were really only a few minor things left there so it was all good.

Once the trucks were loaded, closed and securely fixed we took showers and hit the road. J.R. of course refused to drive the big truck because he didn't know how, but everyone knows he was just scared. So, I stepped up and piloted us to GA where we arrived at about 10:30pm...and the rest....well the rest is history. Welcome to GA J.R....pastor of Freedom Church!!

Nothing Says, 'I Love You Babe' Like.....

.... dead roses? Yep...that is what these are dead roses...and they are for sale. We stopped to get gas on the way to Memphis today and in this gas station they were selling these roses. I had to capture them because....well just look for yourself. This is hilarious. I pointed and laughed for several minutes about this. Can you imagine bringing one of these home for your wife....WOW!!

Road Trippin'

On a one day road trip with the boys (J.R. , Todd, and Jason) to Memphis to do some final moving stuff for J.R. As you can imagine with us boys all together with no females to balance us out....we go a little crazy. We had some pretty funny experiences on the way....but I am sure it will be extremely crazy tonight when we hit the streets of downtown Memphis. We are going to eat at some place called BigFoot. It is supposed to be off the hook...I'll let you know.

For some reason J.R. does not like to drive. So as a result Todd and I have done all the driving. He rented a giant moving truck....which of course he does not want to drive....so guess who is....me! What is wrong with him?

An Anxious Moment

A few weeks ago I made the announcement here that Heather was pregnant. Today she went to hear the heartbeat. I was unable to be there because I left this morning to go to Memphis with J.R., Todd, and Jason to help J.R. with some final moving stuff. So, in order for me to hear the heartbeat I told Heather to call me while she was in the room so I could hear. Well, after several minutes on the phone waiting to hear the heartbeat....it never came. Needless to say I was a little concerned. She then told me she would call me back in a minute. That, as you can imagine, seemed like an eternity. I began to pray as I was driving down the road.

My phone rang several minutes later and she told me they were going to do an ultrasound. She told me she would call back when she was done. I went back into prayer mode and anxiously awaited the phone call.

It turns out everything is fine!!! Praise Jesus!!! They miscalculated how far along she was. She is only 9 weeks as opposed to 14 weeks....which makes a big difference. Her due date is January 25, 2008 instead of January 2. Heather sent me this picture of the new baby!!

Friday Thoughts

It's Friday....and well here are some thoughts....

1. Noah woke up extra early this morning and I....well I didn't want to.
2. There is nothing to watch on TV this summer...maybe thats a good thing though.
3. There are some incredible things stirring with Freedom Church.
4. J.R. is going to be an awesome pastor!
5. Todd is one cool dude...I know because we spend time together moving furniture all the time.
6. No...Todd really is awesome....and I am not just saying that because he is my boss at Freedom Church!
7. I sure am glad the Regan family is here...those people are awesome!! They inspire me!
8. I'm going to MLC this weekend and I am excited about the things I am going to learn from them....again.
9. I downloaded the new Bone Thugs-N-Harmony song with Akon....I like that song a lot.
10. The new Iced Coffee at McDonalds is absolutely terrible.
11. David said in Psalm 69:3 that he was worn out and that his throat hurt from crying out to God so much...I admittedly have never had that problem.
12. I love the blogging world.
13. I am glad its the weekend again...I think I will go to the pool at some point.

I Love Preaching

Last night I had the privilege of preaching/speaking/teaching to the middle school students @FBCW. A great majority of them are getting ready to enter their freshmen year in high school. There are some awesome students in that group. I got to hang with them at student camp a couple of weeks ago. My assignment was to speak on the sharing your faith. I was not to thrilled about the title they assigned me....so I chunked it. Instead of focusing on the "how to", I spoke on the "why to". It seems like everybody and their brother has come up with the "how to" and most of them are ridiculous...whatever helps you I guess.

My message was simple. I spoke on significance. I answered the questions that every person who exists on this planet asks. How did I get here? Why am I here? Does anyone care? Do I have a purpose? I try not to preach with "points" but rather just have a main "theme" or one "point" I guess, and then talk around that. But if I were to have points they would be these:

1. God Made Us
2. God Made Us For Himself
3. God Made Us For A Purpose

I explained all of these things and basically tried to get across the point that God's love is for everyone, and He desires to have a relationship with every single person. The problem is that every life is broken and destroyed by this ugly thing called sin. But Christ came to save the world not condemn it, and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. God has this incredible plan for our lives and wants to use us to bring the message of this great hope to the brokenhearted. I challenge the students to take the message of hope that they have received to those on their campus.

If one has truly experienced life transformation...and found the hope....the "how to" takes care of itself. I love preaching God's Word. It is such an awesome task...I can't believe God has called me to do it.

1 HUNDRED!!

This is my 100th blog!!! I know that pales in comparison to most of the bloggers out there, but I have been doing this pretty consistently since about February or so....and well its a big milestone for me. Thanks for those few and faithful that read...I greatly appreciate you stopping by and leaving the occasional comments.

If you are a reader of this blog...email me from time to time and let me know what you think. Also, leave me some comments. I will keep on blogging....random thoughts, serious topics, and whatever else there is to say....but one thing is for sure...I will not use this blog to personally attack anyone. For some reason there are those out there that for whatever reason or another take it upon themselves to use there tiny little blogs as hitching post for thriving leaders they don't agree with or don't like. This blog will never be used for such. Anyway....celebrate the 100th blog with me....and by all means stay tuned!!!

More And More Real

As we loaded our donated desks and chairs and stuff into the new Freedom Church offices yesterday it became all the more real. I can't wait for J.R. , Jon, and Stevie to see the furniture in the office and share in the excitement.

Everyday we are getting closer and closer to the dream that God has birthed in our hearts to reach the people of Acworth, GA with the hope of Jesus. There is still so much uncertainty before all of us, but we are filled with anticipation to see all that God not only will do, but must do!! We are totally dependent on Him...and there is no better place to be!!

Freedom Offices!!!!

A couple of weeks ago Northstar Church donated us some of their office furniture....very nice office furniture. Unfortunately we have had no office for our office furniture. But now we do!!! As an employee/intern at FBCW I have an office at the church so no biggie for me...but Todd, J.R. and Jason on the other hand have been chillin' in coffee houses for hours on end using free internet. But they don't have to anymore. We got hooked up with a sweet deal!! God is doing awesome things to pave the way for Freedom Church....its so exciting!!

Today we are going to go and move all the furniture into the offices. Another fun filled day of moving. But we could't be more thrilled to do it.....hurry up and get here Lee family!!!

Loving The iPod

I am admittedly behind on this whole iPod iTunes thing...but I am definitely in now. I have a video iPod which is really cool. It is such a useful tool for those in leadership. Most any church now has a podcast....so there is unlimited access to sermons, leadership lessons, etc....and its all free!!!

I got my first iTunes gift card for Father's Day. I have only downloaded one song....so far...with it. I am trying to use my selections wisely....anyway....I loving it!!

Father's Day As A Father

I am a father. I am Noah's father. I am also the father of an unborn baby whose sex is presently unknown to us. Being a father is incredible. It is incredible because its fun, but its also incredible because the task of being a father is incredible. It is huge. My son needs a father. My son must have a father. Having a father is crucial to his development. This makes my role incredible.

Being a father is far more than just a being biological contributor. Anyone can do that. Being a father is far more than being the guy who works all day then comes home and crashes on the couch. Being a father is far more than being the guy who buys their kids everything they want just to get them out of his hair. Being a father is so much more.

Being a father is teaching and training your child about life. Being a father is devoting time to pour into your child's life. Being a father is helping mommy get all the things done she needs in order to keep things running smoothly. Being a father is sitting on the floor and playing crazy games. Being a father is waking up at the crack of dawn to comfort and bring nourishment. Being a father is acting like a fool just to see those eyes light up with a big smile because it takes your breath away. Being a father is singing ridiculous songs because you love to hear that sweet laugh. Being a father is laying on your face begging for Jesus to save their souls one day. Being a father is teaching your children about the Heavenly Father, and asking God to help you model Him. Being a father is being there. Being a father is awesome!!

I woke up this morning proud to be a father. I love being a father. I just pray I will be the best at being Noah's father. I have adopted a Scripture for my son's life that I pray for him regularly. I pray that this will be the reality of his life. It is Genesis 6:9....

"Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God."

Interesting

That is how I would define my experience at the 2007 SBC. Some of the things that fellow SBC pastors are concerned with is absolutely ridiculous. After attending the convention I better understand why we have declined in the number of baptisms over the past several years. We are concerned about the wrong things. One guy made a motion for Lifeway to remove all fables from its bookstores because the Bible forbids them...his example was Chronicles of Narnia. Another guy made a motion that the SBC and all its entities (NAMB, Lifeway, IMB, etc.) should refrain from linking, referencing, or endorsing any materials or persons related to or associated with the emerging church. Thankfully these motions were kicked to the curb by the SBC Executive Committee. I was surprised that these motions were made, and that so many people clapped and cheered when they were brought to the floor.

It seems that there are more people concerned with issues than they are the gospel. Some SBCers are more concerned about what we don't do than what we do. Some people are more passionate about "Christian" things, than they are Christ. Some people want to play defense when we need to be playing offense. While we sit and argue about things....whatever they are...people are dying and going to hell.

3 Cities, 2 Planes, 1 Destination

Thursday I arrived at the airport in San Antonio, TX at around 4:15am. I was trying to catch a flight to Atlanta at 5:45am. Heather and I were flying standby....her and Noah made the 5:45 flight, but I didn't. There was another plane leaving at 7:15....I didn't make that one either. The Delta dude told me that my best chance of getting to Atlanta was to take the next flight to Salt Lake City, UT. So that's what I did. I didn't make the first 2 flights out of Salt Lake to Atlanta so I was there for 4 hours. I finally got on a flight that landed me in Atlanta at 8:30pm.

As luck would have it I sat in the middle seat on the plane....the perfect seat for a big guy like me....nope, not really....the dude sitting by the window spilled his diet coke on me, which was pleasant, and the plane ride from Salt Lake was 3 1/2 hours. Never have I been more ready to get off of an airplane and out of an airport as I was Thursday night. One thing is for sure, I am more passionate about not flying standby than I have ever been....I will never....never...ever....do it again!

Happy Birthday To My Wife!!!

Today is my beautiful wife's 22nd bithday. I have the most awesome and beautiful wife in the whole world. I am so blessed to get to spend my life with this woman. She is not only an awesome wife, but she is an incredible mommy to our son....and our unborn baby. This is the second birthday she has spent pregnant. What an awesome b-day present! I love you my bride and I am going to do my best to make this an awesome birthday for you while we are here in San Antonio....Happy Birthday!!! May I remind you on this day of how much God thinks of you with these words....

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you (Psalm 139:13-18)."

SBC Pastor's Conference

Early this morning I went to some breakout sessions at the SBC Pastor's Conference. I went to a panel discussion session that included Jay Strack. He was really the only reason I wanted to go that session. He talked about reaching the next generation....particularly the millennials. Here is a little bit of what he had to say...

• He said that people need to quit criticizing the young preachers who are trying to reach the next generation. They are giving everything they have in order to bring people to Jesus!
  
• Do we have the courage to move this generation from "come and see" to "go and show"?
  
• When do we transition from "love the sinner, hate the sin" to "love the sinner, hate my sin"?
  
• Do we have the courage to transition from us vs. them to together for Him?
  
• When do we transition from "sacred wineskin's" to "simply Jesus"?
  
• When you ask this generation what they think of Jesus they say "He loves, He is kind, He cares." When you ask them about Christians they say, "they're Republican, hate gays, and hate abortion." We need to get back to Jesus!
  
• He played a clip from the latest Superman movie....he underscored this quote..."you say people are in need of a savior, I hear them crying out for one" -Superman.
  

Jay is so cool....I really dig this guy because he gets it. He gets what us younger preachers are all about....reaching people for Jesus unhindered of all the religious garb that clutters the simple, saving, life changing message of Jesus. Thanks Jay!!

In The Land Of the Alamo

Heather, Noah and I left ATL yesterday evening around 6:15 and arrived in Houston for a 2 1/2 hour lay over finally arriving at our destination in San Antonio, TX at about 10:30. We flew Continental Airlines. This was my first time flying them and I must say I was very impressed. They, for some reason, put us in first class on the way from Houston to San Antonio. It was a short flight, but it was good to be there so that we could very easily put Noah to sleep and because when you are a big guy like me you love the space. I will definitely be flying Continental again. The fares are reasonable, the people are nice, and the free upgrade to first class sealed the deal....I am sold.

Now that we are here in the home of the Alamo we will be attending our denominational convention. I am sure there will be some interesting things for me to blog about over the next few days so stay tuned. I have never been to one of these meetings so I am interested in seeing how it goes. Until then.....

I Survived Student Camp!!

Arrived back to my residence in Canton, GA Friday evening at around 6pm having returned from one crazy week with the students of FBCW. We had a great time! Panama City is an interesting place to take a bunch of teenagers to when your main goal is teach them about spiritual things. Anyone who has ever been to PC knows what I am talking about.

The beach was awesome, the competitions were exhausting, the worship was incredible, the students were awesome, the preaching was good, and the Late Night sessions were absolutely hilarious. I participated in a lip sync medley with the counselors that had me dancing like a backstreet boy, and rocking out like a rock star. It was AWESOME!!

I love the beach and I love the sun...I just wish my wife and baby were there with me...I missed them so very much and was glad to see them when I returned....it was fun, but I am always glad to be home.

Camp At The Beach

Hanging out at student camp in Panama City Beach, FL. Having a great time!! Lots of fun and sun!! I only wish my wife and son were here. I used to do student camp years ago every summer....it was awesome! What's crazy is that some of the students I was a counselor for are now counselors....wow I am getting old!! However, I could not be more thrilled to see these young men and women doing what we did with them several years ago...serving God and investing into the lives of students. They rock and so does student camp!!

Noah Is 6 Months Today!!

My little Noah man is 6 months old today!!! I am 6 months into this fatherhood thing and I must say....it is awesome!! I love being a dad! I can't believe that he is already 6 months old. What is even more surprising is that he is only 6 months and he already has a little brother/sister on the way. He is the coolest kid!! I love being Noah's daddy....I can't wait till he calls me that! I can't wait to teach him how to play basketball, and tennis, and of course....FOOTBALL!! I can't wait to teach him how to play guitar, I can't wait to show him how to hit a baseball, and all kinds of fun stuff!! 6 months....6 wonderful months...I love you Noah!!

This Ship Is Battered...

That ship...well...thats me. For the past couple of weeks I have been playing basketball with some friends, about 2 or 3 times a week. The past 2 times I have played I have walked away with an injury. The other day I jammed my finger...well it got re-injured yesterday and I also managed to sprain my ankle. So....since last night I have been hobbling around everywhere looking like an idiot. I have shook a lot hands with people as well and out of routine I extend my right hand...that is coincidentally the hand with the jammed finger.

I am going out of town tomorrow to go to student camp in FL, so I won't be playing any basketball. Hopefully when I return I will be completely healed...if so that means I will be returning to the court...and when I do.....its on!!

The Preacher's Task

I read this blog this morning by Shawn that I thought was right on. I don't think people understand the emotions that a preacher goes through as he gets prepared to bring forth God's Word. I would venture to say that there is no greater task in the world than that of bringing the message of God to people. It is profoundly difficult, terrifying, and intimidating, yet it is the most rewarding and worthwhile. When lives are changed, and people get it...nothing is more satisfying. It is a task that only God can call you to, sustain you in, and move you through. What a great task!!

Random Thoughts...Randomly Listed

Random thoughts....

1. Heather found out this week that she is 9 weeks along in her pregnancy, that puts the due date at around January 3...life is going to be crazy having 2 babies!!
2. There are going to have to be a whole bunch of volunteers in order to pull off what we want to do at Freedom Church....I can't wait to see people step up.
3. I am pretty sure that Zaxby's sauce will be found in abundance in heaven...anything taste good dipped in Zaxby's sauce
4. I can't wait for college football to get back around...i hope the Bulldogs kick some booty this year!
5. For some reason I am extremely burdened about where in the heck I am going to live 6 months from now...I think its because I am going to have 2 kids now (that's crazy)
6. Noah is such a cool kid...I love to see him smile!
7. I hope the new baby is a girl...my mom and dad will probably turn back flips if the baby is...I will be happy either way....but sure would love to have a girl
8. It has officially been 9 days since I had an iced coffee....for no other reason except I have not gone to a Starbucks or any other coffee shop lately
9. I cannot wait to serve as the Connections Pastor of Freedom Church
10. I am glad that Todd and Joni are here, I am also glad that moving all their stuff is behind me now....we moved it twice...I love Todd, but I ain't moving it again
11. I need more songs on my iPod...but I don't want to pay for them....anyone who has some good CD's I can borrow to put into my iTunes let me know
12. I am so blessed to be able to be Pastor Johnny's intern this year...I wish he would hurry and get back from vacation though....I have a lot of questions
13. I am looking forward to going to camp at the beach with the student ministry next week....even though I have to be at the church at 5am Monday morning...what's up with that?
14. Acworth, GA....get ready!!!!

Mark The Mover

That is who I have felt like this week. I have been helping people move all week long. I hope that what goes around comes all the way back around like Justin Timberlake says it does because I am going to need some help moving at the end of this year. I am a pretty experienced mover so its all good. In the Louisville journey that my wife and I went on to finish my undergrad we moved 3 times in a 2 1/2 year period. As a matter of fact in the almost 5 years that my wife and I have been married we have moved a total of 6 times....at the end of the year it will be number 7. What is wrong with us? Oh well....maybe soon will find a permanent address....but what fun is that? By the way...this is not an advertisement. I am not trying to offer my services...so please no phone calls or emails.....

Todd Is Officially Here!!

Todd is officially here in GA!! Going today to help move his stuff which is in 50 different storage facilities at the Uhaul place on 41. This thing is really happening! J.R. will be here soon, then Jon, then Freedom Church baby!! I hope my finger does not fall off while I am helping Todd since I injured it yesterday playing ball...

Ouchies!!

I played some more basketball yesterday. It didn't go so well. About 10 minutes into the first game I went for a steal, but at the same time the person I was going to steal from did some twisting and maneuvering. When he did my finger collided with his knee and well.....it hurt...bad. I jammed it pretty good. It was on my shooting hand, so I played terrible the rest of the game. It is a little swollen today and hurts pretty bad. A little difficult to type actually. But its all part the game....no hard feelings....

My Memorial Day

Memorial Day has been good. These are just a few things I did today....

• Got up early with my little Noah man...then we took a little nap together on the couch
• Had breakfast at the house with my wife....she makes some killer French Toast
• Went to the pool in some friends of ours neighborhood
• Played some basketball for several hours with the boys....we cleaned house!! (still wish I could dunk)
• Jumped in the pool after some ball to cool off and played with Noah...he loves the water!
• Now we are gonna have a little cook-out and eat some steaks with the fam....

Good day today....back to business tomorrow!

Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

Just had some thoughts today...these are a few.

1. How much different is it going to be waking up on Sunday mornings in a few months?
2. I wonder where I am going to live when Freedom starts.
3. Teaching Sunday School was awkward this morning.
4. Parking is crazy at my church.
5. The cheesy rice stuff I had for lunch today was delicious.
6. Why in the world do they call them "pews"?
7. Speaking in front of a crowd of thousands is way better than speaking to a crowd of 10.
8. It is really smokey outside today and it reeks of burntness.
9. I have not had an iced coffee (and they are my favorite) in 4 days.
10. I learned yesterday that watching a baby is hard work...my wife is AWESOME!
11. I wish I could dunk.
12. Will they have choir lofts in heaven?
13. Who thought that wearing crazy robes to sing in was cool?
14. I can not wait to see what happens at Freedom Church...even though it is so scary.
15. Why in the world is it called Sunday School?

A Pretty Cool Friday...

Yesterday was cool. Went with J.R., the pastor of Freedom Church, to Blue Ridge yesterday to talk with a pastor who is interested in supporting and partnering with Freedom. It was the first time I got to hear J.R. cast the vision of Freedom to a potential partner. It was cool. I learned a lot from that meeting. Also, very excited about how this church in Blue Ridge will partner with us crazy dudes at Freedom.

We also cruised the city of Acworth looking for office space. Bottom line is....its gonna cost us some jack in order to get some office space. However, we did find some good potential spots. It's exciting to think of how incredible it is going to be to reach the people of Acworth, GA with the truth of Jesus!!

Todd and his wife Joni arrived yesterday after a long day traveling in a Uhaul Truck with no A/C. I am pretty sure that Todd was ready to beat some people in the face with a stick....those people being the ones at the Uhaul place. We managed to get all his stuff into about 20 different units.

Not that anyone really cares but....I recommend that if you moving and need to rent a moving truck not to ever use Uhaul, and after what happened to Todd yesterday I bet he would concur with that statement. I have moved twice from one state to another and have had good success avoiding Uhaul and getting a Penske Truck. All their trucks are less than 2 years old and work perfectly....that's just my 2 cents....

The Realm Of Impossibility

Recently I have been challenged in my personal time with God, and by other leaders to live inside the realm of impossibilities. That is live inside the realm of the Ephesians 3:20. The realm of the impossibility is where God shows up and demonstrates His glory, and that is where I want to be. The challenge of living inside the realm impossibility is that it requires living life on the edge. It means living life with uncertainty. It means living a risk taking life of adventure. It means living life outside the realm of comfort...but it in this realm where God is experienced in a way that He can't be experienced elsewhere.

With that in mind I have turned my prayer life into a prayer life of asking God for the impossible. I am praying for things that I have no possible way of accomplishing on my own. I am asking God to do things that will go undone unless He acts in a supernatural way.

One of those prayers is for a substantial amount of volunteers and leaders to rise up before the launch date of Freedom Church. The amount of volunteers I am praying for is, by all human standards, utterly ridiculous. But you know, Noah probably looked pretty ridiculous when he was building a gigantic boat. Moses probably looked pretty ridiculous holding a stick in the water before it parted the Red Sea. And David probably looked pretty ridiculous walking up to a man twice his height with only a sling shot and a few stones. But when it is all said done God demonstrates His power and His splendor in the most unlikely, ridiculous, and unpromising situations.

God shows up in the realm of the impossible....that is why I am praying for the impossible...I desire for God to show up!! I don't merely want to see what I can do....I want to see what God can do!!

My Freedom Announcement

Freedom Church. This is the dream. Now it is the reality. Freedom IS coming. I am going to join. I have joined. I have committed to join the staff of Freedom Church as the Connections Pastor. I will be on the team with some of the most gifted and talented people I know, J.R., Todd, Jon, and Stevie. Our desire is that God will use Freedom Church to reach Acworth, GA and the World. We are in a time of stategizing, fundraising (show me the money), moving (some of us...trying), praying, creating, dreaming, networking, learning, fearing, believing, and trusting. God has called, we have answered. Join us as we seek the mission of God to take the Gospel to the world. Partner with us as we dare to dream and live the impossible. Go to freedomlive.net and learn more about Freedom Church, and see how you can partner with us in spreading the hope of Jesus.

I could not be more excited about what God is doing. I am pumped to see what God is going to do. I cannot wait to do life with the guys of Freedom Church. Let's dream huge, let's live in the realm of the impossible (Ephesians 3:20)!!!

Drinkin', Smokin', Boozin', Snortin'

I do none of those things, but my desire is to reach those who do. I am not interested in reaching those who go to other churches and are disgruntle because so and so ticked them off, or they got voted off the personnel committee. I want to reach those people who think that church is dumb, Christians are idiots, and God is just the figment of the imagination of the weak minded and simple. I want to reach those people who would rather be skiing on some lake, grilling out cheeseburgers, and doing some fishing at the cabin on Sundays rather than go to some church and be religious.

I want to reach those people who spend their spare time on the golf course, and flirting with other men's wives, those people who sell their bodies for money, those people whose living depends on how much they sell of what is cooking or growing in the basement, those people who feel like living another moment is worthless and whose minds are filled continually with thoughts of ending it themselves, those people who have been told they are useless and good for nothing, those men who sleep with other men, those women who sleep with other women, those people who share each others marriage beds, those people who live with someone they are not married to, those knocked up teenage girls who everyone deems a slut, those people whose every night ends with empty bottles and faint memories, those people who have gained the whole world, yet still feel something is missing, those people who think life is great yet go to bed wondering "is this all there is?"....these are the people Christ died for! These are the people I want to attend our church.

I don't want to reach the pissed off Sunday School teacher who is mad at their church because they got a new pastor, or the Christian who wants to go to another church because they don't like the music at theirs, or because some pastor didn't visit them in the hospital....I want those who never think twice about darkening the doors of a church, those who are desperately searching to CONNECT with their Creator by any means possible...that is who I want to reach...that is who Freedom Church will reach!!!!

My Trip To The "Holy Land": Caesarea Philippi

Caesarea Philippi is the farthest north Jesus ever traveled as recorded in Scripture. This photo is of an ancient Roman Temple built for the god Pan. The cut out arches in the rock are where the Romans placed statues of their gods. This was the back drop in which Jesus questioned the disciples about who they thought He was. It is here were He told the disciples that upon "this rock I will build my church." He told them that "the gates of Hell will not prevail against" the rock that was Him. These rocks lie in ruins, and the rock statues of the false gods are no longer standing. But the Church of Christ remains steadfast built upon the Rock that not even Hell will ever overcome!!

13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20)

Miscellaneous Day

Today was a cool day. Picked up furniture that was donated to Freedom Church by Northstar Church. Can't believe how generous they have been. They gave us more furniture than we could actually take. Much thanks goes out the guys at Northstar!!

In addition to picking up furniture I played a little tennis with J.R. That did not go so well for me. It has been an incredibly long time since I played tennis so I pretty much looked like a complete and total idiot running around the court with a tennis racket swatting at flies. Maybe next time will be a better experience.

After the tennis we went for a little run. I pretty much suck at that too, but I definitely need to get better at it. A lot less eating and a lot more running is what I need.

Got pulled over on the way home from running. Nothing is more horrifying than those blue lights flashing in the rear view. I knew why they pulled me over. I wasn't speeding or anything, my tag is expired. I paid for the new ones, but we did it through the mail for the first time and for some reason they have never sent them. The officer told me they came back good, which I was pretty sure they would because they already cashed the check. So fortunately I did not get a ticket. The irony of it all is that I just told J.R. today I have not gotten a ticket in 5 years....the streak continues...hopefully for a lot longer.

Talked a lot about the future and Freedom Church. So very pumped about this endeavor. Tomorrow I will share all about this and what it has to do with me.

Road Trip

Headed out today on a road trip with pastor....it has been a while since we have been on the old tour bus traveling the country. Our last trip was almost a month ago, which is off the pace of about 2 or 3 times a week for the past 4 months. Looking forward to the trip, but it is going to be a long drive. We are headed up to Greensboro, NC. It's about 6 hours from here. The good thing is that we get to ride in the luxury of Newsong's tour bus. They allow pastor to use it when they are not. It is complete with a well stocked fridge, plenty of snacks, satelite T.V., XBOX, bunk beds...so it won't be that bad of a 6 hour trip. It's always fun to hang with pastor J...you always learn something...still can't believe I get to do this!

I Love Church Planters

The call on my life to plant a church is so clear. Over the past year or so I have dove in to the "realm" of church planting and church planters. It has been awesome. Today I went to check out Ridgestone Church where Gary is doing some amazing things. It was awesome and they are about to do the impossible...but that is a good thing because that is where God is good at showing Himself. I am pumped and excited about what they are doing and will look forward to watching God work!

Just a few minutes ago I read a blog by my friend Shawn. Shawn was talking about multi-site churches. They are about to go multi-site...which is something that seems to be really effective in today's church. What most pastors are doing though is broadcasting themselves via video into other campuses. Shawn does not want to do this. It is the first time I have heard of someone wanting to train up and empower others to communicate the gospel in this endeavor of being multi-site. I have been thinking about multi-site and the idea of piping yourself in....I never was comfortable with that idea, so when Shawn said they were going to do multi-site I was watching to see how they were going to do it. I love what he is doing. This is what it is all about....equipping others....go read this blog. Shawn never ceases to amaze me.

Numero Dos!!! Unbelievable!!

Yep....that is what it says....we are pregnant again!! Honestly...it wasn't really part of our plan, but very obviously apart of God's plan. We wanted more children...we just did not realize it would be this soon after the first one. Noah is just under 6 months old...so his little brother/sister won't be far behind him. We could not be more excited about having another baby though. Nothing has brought us more joy than our little Noah man, so now we just get double the joy and double the fun!!

I tricked Heather a little bit on this one. You see we have this pact. Whenever she gets the hunch that she might be pregnant she gets the pregnancy test, but I am the one that goes in to check the answer. We bought one of those bargain Wal-Mart ones (we did this the first time too), you know the ones with the lines. Well the plus sign was there but the vertical line was light....makes it a little confusing. So I sent Heather back out for the ones that just say it. Well, when I went in to check it I came back out and told her it said not pregnant. Her immediate action was "That's Cool"...which translates..."that really sucks!". So I hugged her and told her it was okay because we have plenty of time for more kids. Then she told me she was fine, but I could see it in her eyes...I asked her if she was about to cry, and she said no. Then I said...."that's good because your pregnant!" Then she started crying...tears of joy. I know I am mean...but it made it really fun!! We are so pumped about having a second one on the way!! Thank you Jesus for Babies!!

My Trip To The "Holy Land": The Sea Of Galilee

In Israel there are a lot of what they call "traditional sites" and "authentic sites". Traditional sites are those sites which are possible sites where certain events in biblical history took place, while the authentic sites are those that scholars know are the actual sites where events took place. The Sea of Galilee is an authentic site. This is the actual sea that Jesus walked on. This is the actual sea where Jesus calmed the storm. This is the actual sea where Jesus came after his resurrection from the dead to get His disciples who had gone back to their day job. This is the sea where Jesus told Peter to throw down his net on the other side and he caught more fish than his boat hold. This is the sea Jesus crossed when He went and cast the demon out of the Gerasene man. The Sea of Galilee is the sight of numerous events in Jesus ministry. It was an unbelievable experience to ride on a boat where the Lord Jesus Himself once walked...He walked upon that sea!! What a moment!

Starbucks Chats

I had a couple of good "Starbucks Chats" yesterday. I love Starbucks. It is such a cool place. You can go there and just hang out, meet friends, read a book, have a business meeting, drink delightfully delicious coffee, and if you hang out there long enough....you will get free samples.

I had 2 meetings at Starbucks yesterday....so needless to say I was on a pretty good caffeine buzz all day...which is good because I have started this new thing at my house to help out my wife. I have been getting up with Noah in the mornings so she can get a little more sleep before taking care of him all day....he has been getting up early this week so the caffeine was good.

I met with my friend Drew for a little while and we just hung out and talked. We go way back. He is a cool guy. Our friendship has changed over the past couple of months....the past year actually, but it is cool. Drew is a really gifted individual and very down to earth guy...it was good to hang with him.

I also met with Louie Lovoy. Louie is the Pastor of Guest Services/Volunteers at MLC. Louie is extremely cool guy who gave me lots of practical advice and tools. He supplied me with some resources and was so open to helping me out. What a cool guy. It is just another reason I love MLC. I think they have the most helpful and generous and gifted leaders over there...so grateful for all they have done for me and the rest of our team.

Thanks to Starbucks for letting us meet in your facilities and allowing us to partake in the Divine beverages that are offered is various forms.

My Trip To The "Holy Land": The Wailing Wall

The most holy place in the world for the Jew is the Wailing Wall, or the Kotel. It is such because it is the remains of the Western wall of the 2nd Temple. It was built for the Jewish people by Herod the Great and stood from around 516 B.C. to 70 A.D. when it was destroyed, as prophesied by Jesus. The Western wall of the Temple would have been the closest in proximity to where the Holy of Holies was located in the time which it stood. Because of this the Jewish people come from all over the world to pray at the Wailing Wall deeming it a Holy place. It was an incredible sight to see. It is crazy that at one time the presence of God dwelt right there near that very spot, furthermore, it is crazy that the Word of God in flesh walked upon those very grounds. I am glad though that because God did come and dwell among us that I do not need a wall to visit to get into His presence, but that His Holy Spirit dwells within me. I am glad that the curtain that once hung in that Temple separating man from the Holy of Holies was torn into (Luke 23:45), and now all can come into the presence of God through the Person of Jesus!

Funny Things I've Read In The Bible This Week

Here are some funny things that I read in the Bible this week. I know those who are super spiritual will think I am blasphemous because I am saying that there are things in the Bible that are funny, but I don't care because I thought these were funny...get over it.

• "When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes (Judges 1:6)." -big toes....that is funny
• "...Eglon king of Moab, who was an extremely fat man (Judges 3:17)." -what a way to be remembered and described to others....that is funny
• "Even the handle went in after the blade, and Eglon's fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly (Judges 3:22)." -get in my belly!! Poor guy....but it's funny

I am sure that these are not meant to be funny, but let's face it to the modern day reader of these passages...they're funny!

I Love Mountain Lake Church

I really do. Shawn is awesome and never ceases to amaze me with his kindness and wisdom. Casey is cool and he so desires to help anyway he can. Tomorrow I am going to hang out with Louie. Louie is the Pastor of Volunteers at MLC. He is sure to give me great insight. This past Saturday me and some friends visited MLC and Shawn invited us to sit in on a meeting following the 2nd service on Saturday. It was a meeting with the Lead Staff critiquing the service so that they could make it better for the 3 Sunday Services. They gave open and honest critique of everything from the music all the way down to Shawn's sermon. It was so cool to see the behind the scenes of how MLC makes it work week in and week out. They are so cool and I am so glad that I met Shawn last year. Can't wait to see all the exciting things they are going to do and I can't wait to learn more from them. Great church.....thanks MLC and thanks Shawn and the gang!!

Creating A "Buzz"

When Jesus took his triumphal march into Jerusalem on a Donkey (I guess the modern day equivalent of a convertible) it created quite a buzz (I was just walked down the Mount of Olives last week were this took place...pretty crazy). There were two camps of people following Jesus that day. There were those who were pumped about Jesus and they were shouting and praising God. These people were excited about what God was doing their midst. They were so excited to be a part of what was taking place. They were sold out the cause of Jesus. Then there was another group of people that were not so happy. I bet you can guess who those people were....that's right it was the religious folks, the Pharisees. They told Jesus to rebuke his disciples and tell them to shut their yappers. But Jesus being the leader he was told those religious dudes that even if they did shut up the rocks would scream out in praise (raise your hands if you would like to have seen that!!). Creating a buzz for Jesus is no different now than it was some 2000 years ago. There are people that are pumped about the vision of making the name of Jesus famous. There are people amped up about being apart of something bigger than themselves. There are people that are so jacked up about the mission of taking Jesus to a lost and disconnected people. But where there are these people, there are the religious folks who are going to try and shut you up. You can just bet if you start creating a buzz that you will make some noise in your community, and it will come from both camps. But rest assured in the words that are recorded in Luke 19:47-48

"Every day He was teaching in the temple complex. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to destroy Him, but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were captivated by what they heard."

Regardless of who might try to destroy you and your vision to proclaim Jesus to the world if it is of Jesus they will not be able to do it and people will be captivated by what they hear.

Dr. Jerry Falwell...We Will Miss You

I could hardly believe the news this afternoon that Dr. Jerry Falwell had gone to be with Jesus. A man with unprecedented passion, vision, leadership...a pastor and a pastor's pastor. I will never forget the night that I had the opportunity to drive to the airport with Dr. Falwell. He simply asked me, "Mark, what can I do for you?" I of course did what any young preacher would do in that moment, I asked him as many questions as possible. I wanted to somehow take brief moment and drink from the wellspring of knowledge and wisdom that was Dr. Falwell. He freely offered me wisdom and advice, and then he did something I never expected. When we arrived at the airport for him to board his private jet Dr. Falwell stayed behind while his entourage went to the plane. He preceded to give me advice and then grabbed the hands of me and my friend Drew, who was with me, and right then and there he prayed for us. That moment impacted my life greatly. Who was I in the presence of the this great leader? But yet, I was somebody, and he made me feel that way. Dr. Falwell is the personification of a dreamer who chased his dreams with relentless passion....all the way down to his last moment. The world will miss you Dr. Falwell.

Noah's Mom Has Got It Going On

That's right...and I am in love with Noah's mom. Noah is my awesome five month old baby boy, and yesterday was his mommy's very first Mother's Day. I already new that Heather made a great wife, but now I have been able to witness how great of a mommy she is too. Nothing gives her more joy than being my wife and the mother of our son. She is so awesome! Proverbs 18:22 says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD." And Proverbs 12:4 says "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband." I have found a good and excellent thing for sure, and she is definitely my crown. Noah is the luckiest boy on the planet to have Heather as his mommy, and I am the most fortunate man to have such an incredible and beautiful wife as her. I hope she had the best first Mother's Day ever. I love you lady!

God Bless America!

Well it has been a long time since I have been in the blog world...here is why: I have been out of the country. I just returned Thursday from spending 10 days in Israel. My pastor took a team of us on a tour of the "Holy Land." It was pretty awesome seeing the places where Jesus actually walked! However, America is awesome!! I really am proud to be an American! I will definitely be singing "God Bless America" with a lot more enthusiasm this 4th of July! As much as I enjoyed my experience, there is no place like home. Besides missing the States I missed my beautiful wife and my baby boy like you wouldn't believe. I was so happy to kiss their faces when I got off that plane, the plane I was on for 13 hours sitting next to a lady who trashed our whole row with garbage and clothes and toys for her baby (the plane ride home was not such a pleasant experience to say the least). I spent the weekend hanging out with my family and celebrating Mother's Day, but now I am back to the blogging world.

Time To Get Packing

I leave tomorrow to go on the trip of a lifetime. I am leaving on a plane tomorrow night and will fly 13 hours landing in Tel Aviv, Israel. I am going on a tour of the Holy Lands led by my pastor. I can't believe that I get to go on this trip. I am going to be packing tonight....of course waiting until the last minute. I have never been out of the country before, except one time on a boat, but that does not really count does it? I am a little nervous, but not about the long plane ride or being in the Middle East where it is always crazy, but I am nervous about my seat on the plane. Let me explain. I am a rather big individual. The seats on planes are very compact. The two of these things do not make for a good combination. It is manageable when you are on short flights, but when you are going to be on a plane for 13 hours it can't be good. I am going to bring a sleep aid to try and help me, but I have a feeling that it is going to be the longest 13 hours of my life. But I realize that regardless of how miserable my plane ride might be it will all be worth it in the end. I am going to attempt to post updates here on what is going on, but no promises. Internet may be scarce, and even if it isn't my use of it certainly will be. I must get packing, the time is drawing near.

Family Day

Today was declared family day. Because I have been out of town all week, and because I am leaving Tuesday to go out of town for 10 days, today (and the rest of the weekend for that matter) is family day. The 10 days that I will be gone will be the longest that Heather and I have been apart from each other since we have been "Mark and Heather." That includes our dating life. We dated 2 years and have been married for almost 5, so that means in the 7 years that we have been together we have never been apart from each other this long. Now Noah is in the picture and that makes being gone all the more difficult. I am going on the trip of a lifetime so I am very excited, but I will miss my family more than anything. That is why I am taking the day to spend with my family. I love my family. I love my wife so much, I can't believe I have such an awesome wife...God is so good. I not only have her, but now Noah. I have the best baby boy on the planet. He is so cool. My world is so awesome because of my wife and my son. Thank you Jesus for my family. Family days rock!!

I'd Like To "Christianize" That Please

Oh how funny this kind of stuff is...my first question is always, of course, why? Why do people do this? My second question is similar, why do people purchase this stuff? "Christian stuff" has become some what of a normality in the so called "Christian subculture." If you walk into a "Christian" Bookstore, you can get everything from "Christian" t-shirts and hats all the way down to "Christian" pencils and chewing gum, and who could forget about "Testamints." I read Rob Bell's book, Velvet Elvis, a couple of months ago. He said something that I agree with wholeheartedly, the word Christian is a noun, and it makes a far better noun than an adjective. In our modern day practice of Christianity we have attempted to "Christianize" everything. We love to offer a "Christian" alternative to every "secular" trend. The other day I was on myspace, yes I have a myspace, and I saw that there are "Christian" substitutes for myspace called dittytalk, and one called yourchristianspace. We got our own kind of music, our own kind of clothes, there are businesses that advertise themselves as "Christian." Furthermore, there is a resource available that helps people find "Christian" businesses. There is an Internet bookstore that sells "everything Christian for less." Churches now have "Christian" athletic programs, workout facilities, dance lessons, and all kinds of other "Christian" things. It seems to me like people have so submersed themselves in the "churchy" things that they no longer interact with the world. As a result they are not connected to nor have any real relationships with people who are lost and unchurched. These Christians walk around flaunting their hats, like the ones above, and/or t-shirts that match, and never take the time to BE Christians to anyone. Would it not seem only rational that if Jesus said to go "into the world" that we should immerse ourselves in the community and the culture in order to establish relationships with those who need the gospel? I believe that instead of creating things that keep us from the world, we need to be active participants in the world so that we can effectively reach the world. Why don't we just cast off our "Christian" things and just be true, authentic Christ-followers who are passionate about getting others to follow Him as well?

On The Road Again

We just drove through St. Louis on the way back to Woodstock...first time I have ever seen the St. Louis Arch. It was pretty cool. Not as big as I thought, but it is by no means small. I am looking forward to getting back to GA to see my wife and baby, even though they will be asleep when I get home. It has been a good trip. I got to talk to my pastor and get some great wisdom. Traveling is fun...but it is exhausting, don't really know how people do it all the time. This trip is just the beginning for the next few weeks. The next trip I am leaving on comes up on Tuesday. I will be gone for 10 days. I am very excited about the trip, it is once in a lifetime, however, my wife isn't going, so I am not excited about that part of it. Onward we go.....

Oh What Jubilee.....

I am here in Branson, MO traveling with my Pastor and helping work the Jubilee Conferences put on by pastor's son-in-law....hard to believe that these are the same guys who put on Xtreme Conferences, but nevertheless. It's always cool to hang with my Pastor, and of course always good to hear him preach like he did this morning. It's also cool to hang with Dr. Jerry Vines. He is so awesome!! Got to chill with him briefly at Starbucks, and helped him sell some of his cd's and books. He is so down to earth. He is a pastor at heart, and a pastor of pastors. Can't believe I get to hang out with guys like Johnny Hunt and Jerry Vines. Not really in to all the Southern Gospel music or all the shows they do, but it wasn't designed for people like me. The senior adults love it, to them there is nothing better. It is funny how different my generation is from theirs. Can't wait to get back in town and get to researching on some things regarding the future.

The Wheels On The Bus Go Round And Round

I have been on the bus for a really long time. We left Woodstock last night at about 9:30pm and as of 10am eastern time we have still not arrived at our destination. I thought I would not have difficulty sleeping on the bus, but I was wrong. So in order to get some sleep I entered into a Nyquil induced sleep. Praise the Lord for the Nyquil. Maybe we will get there soon.

For Those Who Missed It

For those of you who couldn’t make it last night to hear me preach at First Baptist Woodstock….shame on you!! Not really. I understand that everyone has their own lives to tend to and are busy with all sorts of things so it's all good. The good news is you can still see it!! Go to this link and you can watch. I am not sure how long it will be up, but it will be there for at least the next couple of weeks. If you don’t want to do that you should be able to order an audio copy of the message here. Thanks to all for your kind and encouraging words, and your prayers and thank you to all who were there to support me…you are the best!!

Mission Accomplished

On the bus now headed to Branson, MO with Pastor Johnny, and the preaching event is behind me now. I did it. The task is complete. From what I can gather from others it went well. I have never been so nervous in my life, but once I was there is was all good. Nothing like the preaching moment. It is an unbelievable experience. I can't believe I get to do this thing. God is so awesome, Jesus is awesome!

Me, Noah, And Our "Chuck's"

Noah is the coolest little boy on the planet! The other day his Dee Dee (one of grandmas) bought him some shoes like his daddy. His are red, mine are black...which is cool because those 2 colors together are a great combination.....GA BULLDOGS BABY!! We were just chillin' last night with our cool kicks. My wife and I decided that we were going to make sure that our kid dressed hip and cool. The chucks are just the beginning. I am so blessed to have such a cool son!! He is the absolute joy of my life.

Very Excited About The Future

I did some things today that pertained to my future in ministry. I am very excited about the people I am going to be working with, and I am very excited about the stuff we will be doing. The time is drawing near and things are really unfolding. I cannot wait to see all that God is going to do. The call on my life has never been so clear, and I am so excited about taking part in this journey that God has called me (us) to. I can't believe I get to do this. Let's roll baby!!

Why I Love Coffee Shops

I really love coffee shops. I mean that, I really do. I am sitting at one now constructing my message for Sunday. Here are just a few of the reasons why I love coffee shops.

1. I love coffee. But even if I didn't there are always other things you can get and still enjoy the coffee shop, like smoothies, muffins, cakes, milkshakes, etc.
2. I love the environment. It is so inviting, comfortable, and relaxing.
3. There is something for everyone. You can always find something at the coffee shop to enjoy.
4. You can stay in the coffee shop and hang out for as long as you want and they don't care. There is no pressure to buy anything, and there is no pressure to leave.
5. Most of them offer free Internet. Who does not like free stuff? Who doesn't use the Internet?
6. You can meet all kinds of different people. Every type of person goes to a coffee shop, from the old to the young, the business man to the hippie.

Yep, those are just a few reasons I love coffee shops.

Different, Yet Still Significant

Just because some do church one way, and others do church a different way it does not mean that one is wrong or one is less significant. There are all kinds of different people, therefore, there needs to be all kinds of different churches. What matters is that they are serious about reaching people with the gospel. That is, people who are lost, unchurched and disconnected from God. This is what matters. In Luke 9:49-50 John told Jesus that he saw someone casting out demons in His name, but that person was not following them so they tried to stop them. Jesus rebuked John and told him not to stop him because "whoever is not against you is for you." There are a lot of "churches" that are not for us. They emphasize things that are ridiculous, and instead of making Christ followers, they cause people to be disgusted with Christ followers. These churches are not for us. But there are those who my differ in philosophy, and as such do not necessarily "follow us," but they no doubt are for us, doing everything they can to reach thousands for the gospel. They may very well do it differently than we do or ever would, but they are no less significant as they desire to see people authentically encounter Jesus in such a way that they are forever changed.

Nervous, Terrified, Anxious, Scared...Just To Name A Few

These are just some the adjectives I would use to describe how I feel this week as I prepare for the preaching moment on Sunday night @ FBCW. The message is coming together well, but I am just freaking nervous. It is unbelievable how overwhelming you can feel when you do this thing called preaching. The Bible calls it a foolish thing, and sometimes quite frankly you feel like a fool when you are doing it, but nothing is better than taking God's Truth and speaking it to others and seeing their lives changed. Pray for me as I prepare, pray for me as I preach, and pray that lives would be changed. This is a significant event for me, but it could very well be even more significant for someone else as God does what only He can do through His Spirit and His Word.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Had a very cool weekend. I did several things this weekend and here they are:

1. Had a great time hanging out with this guy and his wife...they are so cool, can't wait till they move to GA with their family!

2. Got to sleep in a little with my beautiful wife and my favorite little boy on the planet...Noah!

3. Went to a wedding which proved to be very interesting for more than one reason....it was out door and it was raining is just one of them...Congrats Lisa!

4. Had several people chillin' over at my house on Saturday night...and we indulged in the always delightful homemade strawberry milkshakes...can't believe that a couple of people did not like them...something is horribly wrong with them...but it worked out good for me and Stevie!

5. Worshipped at MLC on Sunday morning where my buddy Stevie was co-leading worship...it rocked...Stevie did awesome, and Shawn rocked the house as usual...God is doing unbelievable things through Shawn and MLC...they rock!!

6. Went to the Varsity after church and took in enough calories for the rest of the year by eating their infamous chili dogs and french fries....mmm...so good, but back to low cal's and the gym today!

7. Went to Turner Field and froze to death watching the Braves destroy the Marlins in great seats (see pic)...I literally did not feel my toes or my face for about 2 hours...Go BRAVES!! World Series baby...mark it down!!

8. Hung out with my wife and baby at home for a few hours before bedtime...good times!!

Land Of The Free, Home Of The BRAVES!

Headed downtown ATL tomorrow after church to go watch the Atlanta Braves play some baseball against the Florida Marlins. I was given some free tickets just behind the dugout, and a free parking pass...can't beat that! I am looking forward to seeing the Braves spank some boo-tay tomorrow afternoon, and enjoy some good fellowship with some friends at the ole' ball game! GO BRAVES!

Mister Rogers And Me

Do you remember watching Mister Rogers? Do you remember when he would come in singing "it's such a good feeling...?" Do remember how he would always go to his closet first thing and change his more dressy coat for his more casual one, and then he would do the same with his shoes? Then, when he was leaving he would do the opposite, do you remember that? Well, I do. And today I felt like Mister Rogers because I had a meeting with this guy (it was awesome by the way...very cool guy) this morning so I when I got ready I put on my "chucks" and a t-shirt. That is what I like to wear. That is just me. But then I went home for lunch with my wife and baby, and when I was about to leave to come to the office I realized, I can't wear this to the office! So I put on a sweater, and changed my shoes. For some reason when I was changing my shoes I felt like Mister Rogers. I dress one way for work and then one way for play. I guess that is what Mister Rogers did too. Well, not really much of point I am trying to make, except that I felt like Mister Rogers, but he was way cooler than I am!

I Finally Did It!!

I finally started going to the gym to run again!! I was running everyday back in the fall before Christmas and Thanksgiving, but the holidays took me off my routine and I stopped going all together. In combination with not going to the gym I started back to my old eating habits, and well...I paid the price. For months the number on the scale was going down, and for the past few months the number started going up again. But I am back, and I am going to attempt to train for a road race in July becuase some of my friends have coerced me into doing so....so I am running again and this time I am not stopping!! I am going to Forrest Gump-it (well, sorda)!

Java and The Sermon

I decided to take my office on the road today and make the Serene Bean my place of study. I am studying for the preaching event on April 22. That's right April 22. That is the day I will preach at FBCW PM service. I am sitting here sipping on the always delicious Iced Coffee and studying for my sermon. I love coffee, and I love to communicate...I love to prepare for the communication event, but I hate the nervousness that comes before the event. So to clear my mind of all the tension of the event, I am enjoying a relaxing cup of coffee and making the best of my preparation time. I feel God has put upon my heart a verse of Scripture, and I am studying that Scripture and sculpting what will become the most significant sermon I have ever preached to date. I can't believe I get to do this, I can't believe I will stand in front of the church at FBCW, I can't believe that my pastor will be there, I can't believe God called me to do this, I can't believe it, but it is true and the time is drawing nigh...so I must get back to my prep...and my java...that's Tuesday for me.

Another Monday

Mondays are not my favorite...I think I have mentioned that before. But today I have some exciting things I am doing. I am going today to have a meeting with Casey Graham who is the Connections Pastor at Mountain Lake Church. I am pretty excited about getting to hang out with him because they are doing a phenomenal job with small groups. I can not wait to hear what he has to say about that. I am also excited today because I read several great reports of what God did yesterday. I can't believe New Spring Church had over 10,000 people come to their services this weekend! God is doing great things there! Gary Lamb's church, Ridgestone Church, had over a 1,000 and they are only 2 years old! Wow!! Makes me really excited about the future, and what this blog will say next year! Oh, how I can't wait!!! Still a Monday...but this one is better than the last.

Risen Conqueror

"HE IS RISEN!" Those were the words of the angels at the tomb on that very first Easter Sunday. There were no Easter eggs to be hunted, and there was no Easter Bunny (or Peter Rabbit) bringing Easter Baskets to good boys and girls, but there was indeed a stone rolled away, an empty tomb, and thanks be to God, a Risen SAVIOR!! Mary and Mary Magdalene came to the tomb looking for Jesus' body, only to find He was not there. Today...countless thousands of people, who at no other time of the year do so, flocked to churches all across America possibly hoping to find Jesus, I hope they found that He WAS THERE! Unfortunately, I believe that for many churches, today was just business as usual. The sad truth is that Jesus was not there, and has not visited those churches in years, if ever. But I am grateful to God that there is a movement spreading across the globe of church planters who are serious about making the name of Jesus famous. Today was no exception for them. I can not wait to hear from some of them about all that God has done in the lives of thousands of people who went to church this Easter and encountered the Risen Conqueror, Jesus!

How Expensive Is The Oil In Your Jar?

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that's why she loved much (Luke 7:47)." Is this true of you? Have you reflected on the cost of the cross as it pertains to your sin? Read this. Have you poured the oil of your love on the nail scarred feet of the Savior? Have you kissed His feet with your adoration? Have your tears of praise and thanksgiving washed the blood that was shed for your sin off of the Saviors feet? How expensive is the oil in your jar? Pour out the oil and wash the feet of your Savior... "then He said to her, 'your sins are forgiven'" (Luke 7:48)."

Good Friday

What is so GOOD about GOOD Friday? Is it good because it is the best day to finish getting ready for the Easter Bunny to come? Is it good because of all the great candy that is available (God Bless this kind)? Is it good because lots of people get the day off? Is it good because we get to look forward to good eatin' on Sunday? What is so good about Good Friday?

Is it good because God sent His Son into the world? Is it good because He lived a perfect life? Is it good because He was falsely accused of crimes He did not commit? Is it good because He was arrested? Is it good that He was chosen over a murderer to be condemned? Is it good that He was sentenced to death? Is it good that He was given over to be crucified? Is it good that He was scourged over and over and over and over and over and over and over again with whips containing broken glass, bone, and metal that ripped apart the flesh of His back with each lash? Is it good that they placed upon Him a robe and mocked Him? Is it good that they pressed into His scalp a crown made with thorns, piercing through His flesh causing great agony? Is it good that they beat Him in the face with a scepter repeatedly making Him unrecognizable just to make fun of Him? Is it good that they ripped off the robe they had placed on Him reexposing the wounds on His back? Is it good that they made Him carry His own cross outside of the city and up a mountain to be used for His own torment? Is it good that they nailed into His wrists and feet long nails to suspend Him above the ground on this so called cross? Is it good that He hung there hours grasping for life in utter agony from physical pain? Is it good that God the Father turned His back on Him as He bore upon His sinless Self the guilt, the sin, the iniquity, the shame, the punishment, the death that was rightfully due to all of mankind? Is it good that He absorbed the full wrath and justice of a Holy God due to all humans that ever would exist just so they would not have to?

YES, YES, YES!! It is not only good but it is GREAT!! It is the greatest feat of all history, that the God of all creation, the only God, would put on flesh, and even though He knew NO sin, BECAME sin FOR US, in order that WE could become the RIGHTEOUS OF GOD (2 Corinthians 5:21)!

It is indeed a GOOD FRIDAY, but it was an even GREATER SUNDAY!

Here's Your Sign

So I am driving down the road last night going to get some dinner with my wife and just down the street from my house is this sign for this church. I had to stop and take a picture because...well...look at it. With church planting on my mind 24-7 now days a few questions come to mind when I see signs like this one:

1. How often do visitors come to this church?

2. Are there any unchurched or lost people that see this sign and come visit?

3. How "missionary" are you with a sign like this?

4. Are these people as passionate about reaching lost people as they are about which version of the Bible they use?

5. Do they not allow people to come to their church if they do not believe this way?

6. What message do they think this sends to a lost world trying to connect with a real God?

7. Seriously, why?

No wonder so many have a distaste for church and Christianity. God help us to get back to what really matters.

Stirring In My Heart

Several things stirring in my heart. I believe there is something huge about to happen. I believe I (we--you know who you are) are on the brink of something larger than finite minds dare to even grasp. Just some things that are in my head and on my heart:

"God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time."
~Mark Batterson (In The Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day)

"The Lord spoke...(to Moses)....you are to take possession of the land and settle in it because I have given you the land to possess (Numbers 33:50, 53)

"...You will see greater things than these (John 1:50)."

God is awakening my heart to the vision! God is awakening my soul to the dream! God is speaking, I am listening...He is moving...I am moving!

....Die GATORS!

Stupid Gators....I hate the Florida Gators. I am really disappointed that Ohio State...who I could really careless for as well...had their opportunity at 2 national championships and lost both of them to the same freaking team...and unfortunately it was the Florida Gators. This is ridiculous. This has to be the worst year in college sports. I would like to do my part as a GATOR HATOR (I spelled it that way on purpose) by casting my judgement upon them...here goes:

• I hope the GATORS lose every game this football season!
• I hope Tim Tebow gets injured the first game!
• I hope the Gators get GATOR-AIDS!
• I hope the Gators never win another national championship in any sport, even if it is water polo...EVER!
• I hope that the GATORS get put on probation for something so that even if they did win they would have no bowl eligibility and as a result have terrible recruiting for the next 100 years!
• I hope the GATORS get eaten by real gators!
• I hope the GATORS.......slowly but surely wilt out of existence!
• I hope that the University as a whole becomes one those tech schools you see advertised on TV for training car mechanics and such!!

That is what I hope for the GATORS...total annihilation...GO DAWGS!!!

LOST On 24...Or Something Like That...

LOST and 24 are pretty much the only shows I keep up with these days, and I usually only catch them on tivo. I am caught up on my Lost, but I am not caught up on my 24. That is a little discouraging because 24 comes on tonight and I can't watch it...at least the newest one. I was able to watch one this weekend but I still have 2 more to watch before I get caught up...3 if you count the one coming on tonight. So I guess you could say I am lost on 24, but not lost on Lost...or something like that.

Random Monday Thoughts

• Mondays are not my favorite day of the week. I think Mondays should be considered part of the weekend and no one is allowed to do anything on Mondays except for spend time at home with your family. That is what I think...or maybe that is just how I feel today. I did not get home till late last night, and then I stayed up later than I should have, and today I am paying the price...it would probably be a lot better if I had some Starbucks.
• Starbucks and Mondays. That is probably a good combination. I should have went there first this morning. Then maybe I would not feel like someone beat me in the head with a 2x4 repeatedly.
• Maybe I should go Starbucks now....I think I might...well at the very least I am going to get some coffee...iced coffee that is...its my favorite...plus it is getting hot outside and who can drink hot coffee when it is hot besides seniors and war vets?
• Which reminds me, I was at Wendy's the other day and the older couple in front of me ordered cheeseburgers, fries, and coffee. Who drinks coffee with cheeseburgers? Seniors and war vets...that is who. It's just weird.