Travis Johnson

R.I.P.

2006-07-29T13:54:00.000-05:00

www.travisjohnson.net

2006-07-22T18:25:00.000-05:00

Go to www.travisjohnson.net to continue the conversation.

New Travis Johnson Blog Domain

2006-07-22T09:13:00.000-05:00

My blog will soon be moving to www.travisjohnson.net - I'm also changing over from Blogger to Typepad. I'm having some difficulty exporting my blogger content into Typepad. If anyone (like David) has any tips, I'm all ears. In the meantime, Please change your bookmarks and your your blogrolls to the new domain. All new posts will be there.

Blogging the COG General Asembly

2006-07-21T22:35:00.000-05:00

Church of God = fellowship of churches I am ordained through
General Assembly = where I'll be Mon-Fri of next week (Indy).
Blogging = what I'll do late each day with news of how its going.

I'll try to keep it to the point and interesting for all.

TLC-The Messengers

2006-07-21T22:10:00.000-05:00

The Messengers - TLC Spiritual Reality at its best. I think this was originally supposed to be called Pulpit Masters. Interesting social commentary.

Outside of Modernity - Outside of Emergent

2006-07-20T09:03:00.000-05:00

Mark Hardgrove, wrote some comments regarding Socialization and Emergent Movement. I appreciated his thoughts. In fact, while not totally agreeing, I share many of the same concerns regarding the open-endedness of emergent theology. Brian McClaren, the face of Emergent gives me the chills. He pushes me outside of Emergent...far outside.

However, when I read and follow Mark Driscoll's thoughts, I get fired up. Driscoll was a part of Emergent when the movement was finding its voice. He shares an orthodox view of Christ and the Church as well as a general dissatisfaction with the state of the church. But, he has been outspoken against the lack of Scriptural fidelity found in the statements of McClaren and other Emergent leaders. Joel VandenBrink gives a brief brief glimpse and links to the articles and responses in order. I was thankful for those public conversations of which Driscoll later apologized for his tone. In my opinion, Driscoll makes the emerging church appealing to me with a call to orthodoxed theology and unorthoxed practice.

I believe that much of modern church is failing. It is a gut feeling. It may be in my gut because of peer pressure. Ed Stetzer points out that it is also a factual reality. Stetzer summarzes that problem well in "Planting Missional Churches." Again, here are those statistics:

In 1900, there were 28 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 1950, there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 2000, there were 12 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 2004, the latest year available, there are 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans.

The state of the church in America is unhealthy. This in itself is not an argument for emergent. But, it is an argument against the status quo. In the past, we could say it was an argument against mainline denominations. Now, even the Church of God which in the late 90's was the fastest growing denomination in the US is experiencing decline in some statistical categories. In 2005, the Church of God closed more churches than the denomination opened. It is now a widespread American Church problem.

So, I am left dangling outside of modern church practice and outside of emergent theology, unable to resonate fully with either. I don't know exactly what you call that. But, that's where I am. I know other guys like that. But, I don't know what its called. I believe I fall within some kind of a "Missional" label.

This week, I will participate in our denominational conference which will determine direction for our World Missions organization as well as other denominational issues. I am simulataneously aggravated at the non-missional, non-core focus of many of our initiatives and excited about the passion I hear from pastors. I just came out of a meeting with one of our denominational guys and about 6 pastors. What we discussed would be fantastic for the city of Miami. It would also address some of the things that some people find aggravating. I am encouraged by that and pray for the missional focus of our group to be expanded and to influence what I see as an all too often corporately safe, modern church organization. My prayer is that we will find ourselves outside of modernity- yet fully within orthodoxy.

Jointly Fit and Bottom Up Culture

2006-07-18T09:42:00.001-05:00

Without direction from God, there is no gas in the tank. Without decision making there is no foot on the accelerator, no impetus to move forward. Without horizontal and bottom up counsel, there are no passengers in the car.

In 2005, Media is transformed by the pajamas media that don't buy the corporate spin. Just ask Dan Rather who is now enjoying retirement. In 2006, the Southern Bapists respond to the bottom up leadership of Wade Burleson and the SBC Bloggers like Steve McCoy.

Honesty, integrity, involvement, empowerment, and shared ministry will energize this bottom up culture and release the innovation and passion of the local church. Our churches must embrace the diversity of the community of individuals and rally around singlular passions as articulated by Christ. If there is a time to understand the depth of the concept of colaborers, jointly fit together in Christ, that time is now.

Rhett Smith wrote an excellent piece on bottom up culture. In his article, he said:

The "bottom-up" culture wants to be at the table. They want to be part of the process. But as long as the church operates in a "top-down" model, those at the bottom will often be excluded and will not be allowed to think for themselves.

I would change his premise. Top-down, restrictive leadership, while perhaps depriving people of information, does not prohibit people from thinking for themselves. However, it will prohibit participation and stifle people who are hungry for interaction, development, and personal investment.

"40 Days of Prayer for the Children"

2006-07-18T00:50:00.000-05:00

From 8.1-9.9, I will pray for the children. Join Dan and me for this 40 Day prayer journey with Children's Cup.

Roscoe at Reformation '06

2006-07-16T18:10:00.000-05:00

My boys in Roscoe out of Clemson are playing Reformation '06 in Atlanta. These guys are the real deal...not nearly as flaky as most musicians. I'd say they kind of rock in a big way!

Ed Young and Fellowship Church-Miami

2006-07-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

Tony Morgan says its official. Ed Young Jr has opened Fellowship Church-Miami. At the last C3 Conference, I told my team that I had a hunch that was going to happen. So, Tony scooped me but at least I broke the news to Gary first. That has to count for something. See the first response on Tony's blog for that story.

My feelings? I am excited. Miami is a city in desperate need of life giving churches. Bob agrees. I pray the best for that cool cat, Ed jr. The guy has got style. He can pull off wearing some sick shoes and has good taste in cities. Ed, you're a stud. I have a Pastor's small group that meets once a month. Now that you are pastoring here in Miami, you may need the connections and encouragement as you start up your little mission. Feel free to drop by for our next lunch.

Indianapolis Eight Days and Counting

2006-07-15T15:27:00.000-05:00

A week from Monday, I will be in Indiannapolis for our general conference. I'm meeting up with some guys that are involved in some pretty creative stuff. Ben Hodges, lead pastor of Four Corners Community Church is one I particularly look forward to. I will also be linking up with some other pastors that are change agents in their communities and in our church fellowship to dialogue.

I plan to sleep little, interact a lot, and sit through a ton of meetings. You can probably find me on the floor of the RCA Dome 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, at the Reformation '06 booth during breaks, and almost any night of that week (post 10 pm) sitting around a table at Embassy Suites asking lots of questions and sharing the remaining pieces of my mind that I can locate.

Striking the Balance

2006-07-15T08:13:00.000-05:00

When I was in Canton at Ridgestone Church, I was talking to Gary about striking the right balance with our atmosphere and our messages. I don't know that we figured out the answer to that question.

Consider this. The iGod series was a lot of fun for us. It was almost cartoonish in some ways. The environment at Life Pointe is exciting, inviting, permissive, and I believe very comfortable for our guests. But, sometimes in our casual approach, the gravity of "God interactivity" is missed.

The Origins message series is a pendulum swing in the other direction. There is no pop-culture reference in the title. It's a back to the basics look at ancient faith. This Sunday is also the first Sunday that we are asking that no one leave during the service. We've been prepping for this for 6 weeks. If you do, we have greeters that will politely tell you that you cannot re-enter. Our aim? Minimal distraction.

Also, we have invested a lot in creating a superb worship experience for kids from 0-12 years old. Please take advantage of that so that you and people around you can focus on the moment and so that your kids can be taught in an age appropriate environment. It's just an attempt for us to try to strike the balance.

Home Alone!

2006-07-14T12:41:00.000-05:00

Pete did it. I can too. Fortunately, Kelly is only leaving me with the girls until Sunday night instead of the two weeks Mr. Zefo pulled off. Between my mom, Tammy, Isabel, and the detailed "kid handling instructions" left by my sweetheart, I may survive while Kelly does wedding #2 this week in South Carolina.

Are you amazing?

2006-07-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

Stop and look around you. There are some incredible people with incredible stories. Ela and Ivan Ortega surely are. They make people feel welcome with their amazing gifts of hospitality. They do that while overcoming serious physical challenges. When I hear people making excuses for why they cannot serve, I think of Ela. Amazing!

I hung out with another amazing guy from LPC today- Art. The guy is as cool as the other side of a pillow. He's South African. He looks like a younger Sean Connery. He's got an edge and he is totally a sell out to Christ. He reads the same books as me. He's a Moody Bible Institute graduate and a doctoral student at Regent University. I really like him. Unfortunately, we are losing him. He is moving to Stuart where he will be working with foster children. I consider he and his family to be amazing.

Who else out there is amazing? Who is on the road to amazing? I am. I choose the edge...the bleeding edge of Christ followership. Sometimes, it seems I fall over the edge. My wife says I go off the deep end. That's where I want to be...not off the deep end. Rather, I want to be suspended in the hands of God's grace. No apologies. No regrets. I want to possess an open, blatant edge-pushing desire for Christ. Art, Ivan, and Ela have inspired me to be closer to amazing.

Warren Blogs, Troy Blogs

2006-07-13T10:35:00.000-05:00

Rick Warren Blogs. This guy is the new Billy Graham, no doubt. Troy Gramling blogs. Cool cat from SFL. He's got Influence.

Blogs are an awesome tool to get personal with people, to expand influence, to exchange ideas, to be open source, and to promote Christ. I think every pastor should have a blog (especially Brian at the hip new Genesis Church). In fact, every person that has something to say in life should seriously consider blogging. We are given the responsibility to steward and expand our circles of influence. Connect, communicate, and listen to the millions of conversations around you.

Origins- the message series

2006-07-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that as you go through life, you collect a ridiculous amount of non-essential junk?! I have. I have lived a fairly nomadic life here in Miami (4 residences in 4 years). In about two weeks, I will move into my fifth. This is the last one until I am kicked out of town by my peeps at Life Pointe who have been living a parallel life of change.

When I move, I take everything that has not been used in the last 6 months and get rid of it. I hate junk! I hate it in church life also. The Christian life has had so many trinkets, doo-dads, thing-a-majigs, and add-ons over the last 2,000 years, that the clutter may have pushed God over into some dusty corner. I really cannot wait for this message series- "ORIGINS." We are going back to the beginnings to understand how it all worked originally. This preparation has been challenging for me. I hope the series is challenging for you as well.

Top 50 Most Influential Churches

2006-07-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

Check out the Top 50 Most Influential Churches as released by the Church Report. Newcomers to the list include:

Community Christian Church - Dave Ferguson
Granger Community Church - Mark Beeson
Life Church.TV - Craig Groeschel
Without Walls International Church - Randy and Paula White

Dave Ferguson had some humorous commentary on his church ranking #13 on the list. By the way, I just finished reading Multi-Site Church Revolution. I totally agree with Dave and CCC's ranking. Great stuff!

Blogging Church & Blogging Pastors

2006-07-11T09:32:00.000-05:00

Thanks to CMS, here is a great article from the Washington Post about blogging and the church. My favorite quote in the article came from Mark Batterson when he said, "John Wesley [a prominent 18th-century evangelist] had to travel 250,000 miles on horseback to reach people, and I can do it with one click of the mouse."

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Brian Bailey's book on the Blogging Church.

Ridgestone Church - Cool Leaders II - UFC 61

2006-07-09T19:05:00.000-05:00

Saturday night I got back in from the wedding. I planned to watch UFC 61 on PPV. I'm glad I didn't waste my cash. Tito flattened Shamrock in 1:31. I watched it today for free on You Tube. You can too at the bottom of this thread.

Sunday morning I got up early for a long drive to Ridgestone Church in Canton, GA to visit perhaps my favorite Redneck pastor, Gary Lamb. I also got to hang out with the sharp Brit pastor from Grace Church in Long Island, Roger Blackmore. Roger and Gary are cool people. Ridgestone was my kind of church. It was worth the drive.

Gary and Ridgestone have a great theater setup. Their 1st Impressions team made me feel at home. They greeted me at the front door and all the way down the hall to the auditorium. The signage was also great. Their children's areas were clean, safe, and very well organized. Kids in Canton would want to be at Ridgestone on Sunday mornings.

I walked into the auditorium during the first song. I think you could pretty much interchange Tim May's band from Canton to Homestead and you would not tell a difference. They rocked. Their worship set included a Black Crowe's song which I enjoyed. Gary went right into his message...giving his people an earful on the Ridgestone vision and referencing his story and dirty southern rock frequently. Ridgestone is the kind of place you can bring your buddies to and they'll feel right at home, especially with Gary's chauvanistic ways.

I have to admit, I was amazed (and a little jealous) at the size of their staging. When I saw their breakdown, I was no longer jealous. But, I was even more amazed...mad props to the setup crew at Ridgestone. Speaking as a pastor who has two teams that do the same things as those guys every week, you guys are studs for making it happen like you do!

The lighting setup was over the top. During the service, I was wondering if we could pull that off. I just don't know how they were pulling that much power in a theater without tripping a breaker. I was very impressed. Gary pumped me for critiques on the service. I really didn't have any. I have had a few decent ideas for him since I left lunch. I also stole plenty of ideas that we'll use pretty soon. Hats off to Gary and the Ridgestone team. Cool people!

Oh, enjoy the fight! I wonder if Shamrock will retire...hope so.

Atlanta, Matrimony, Cool Leaders

2006-07-09T17:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I was out of commission from the Pointe. It was the finale of the iGod series and I was absent. I hear my pops did great as usual. I was in Atlanta so that I could perform a wedding for my cousin, Heather Smith and Clint Jenkins. Performing a marriage ceremony is always a privilege. This was very special. I have always been close to Heather. Being there yesterday in that capacity was significant for me.

While I was at the reception I got to hang out with my extended family. They are awesome people. Being around them gives me this huge sense of responsibility. I have something to live up to. They are all pretty spectacular people who are out doing some amazing things in the world. I can't just exist through life. My heritage dictates that I have to be a person of substance. I am more mindful of that today than I was last week.

I also hung out with some pretty cool church guys-Jerry Chitwood, the administrator of Church of God in South Carolina, James Byrd from Mount Paran Church of God- North, and Ron Gilbert from Lee University.

I think James Byrd is one cool cat. His wife took a picture of him whispering something in my ear and I am grinning from ear to ear. I've got to have a copy of that. It looks like we are plotting something. Really, it was just me enjoying the company of a great man. Ron Gilbert was my Advertising professor at Lee. He's partly responsible for my warped, unbalanced approach to church packaging and my sometimes overly sarcastic handling of people. Blame him!

Ron is in the middle of writing a dissertation on Post-literate churches in our fellowship. It looks like he will be in Homestead at some point this fall to survey our people since we would be considered post literate. I am really looking forward to his work. A reformation is underway in the Church today...Ron is all over it academically and practically. The videography that he does for Lee University and our Fellowship is pretty amazing. Hopefully, his dissertation where he will be highlighting several churches including us will help some of our good literate churches step forward and reach out more effectively to this increasingly unchurched emerging culture.

Pastors that should be bloggers

2006-07-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

Brian Hunter - Life Church - Tallahassee, FL (has a blog in development I hear!)
Anthony McDaniel - Abundant Life - Largo, FL
Marty Baker - Steven's Creek CC - Augusta, GA
Tony Byrd - Morningstar Church - Tampa, FL

If they were, I'd be a daily reader.

Think on These Things

2006-07-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. -Phil 4:8

from Kelly's blog

"Suspend the Rules"

2006-07-05T22:22:00.000-05:00

"To suspend the rules and to tend to all other business from the agenda before any elections are completed."

There is a circle of people I run with where this statement is being discussed. I like it. In fact, I love it. Thomas Jefferson understood it best when he said, "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."

So, I'll stand with that statement and I am guessing a lot of other people will also.

The Incredible Shrinking Church

2006-07-04T10:39:00.000-05:00

From Ed Stetzer in Planting Missional Churches (2006):

In 1900, there were 28 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 1950, there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 2000, there were 12 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
In 2004, the latest year available, there are 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans.

That's startling. Thank you, John Smulo.

A Maniacal Focus on High Potentials

2006-07-04T09:20:00.000-05:00

Kathy Bernhard of KFB Leadership had 20 Top Companies for Leaders published in The Journal of HRPS. In that article, I grabbed onto the following statement:

A Maniacal Focus on High Potentials: The Top Companies focus disproportionate energy and resources on correctly identifying the top 10%-15% of their current leadership population, giving them a rapid series of developmental assignments to assess or confirm potential, and sharply differentiating their rewards based on that potential.

Advancing Church leaders DO NOT replicate themselves in available people. Inordinate amounts of time, resources, and energy must be spent by leaders with people who have the greatest potential to expand Kingdom influence.

Saying No and Placing Limits

2006-07-03T13:35:00.000-05:00

"I'm sorry but, No." I love the way that rolls off my lips. Not everyone likes how it sounds. But, they usually get over it. For someone like me, saying no is a discipline. I love to say yes. I am a permissive person. I love people and I love empowering people. But, saying "no" is an imporant part of every leader's vocabulary. It is challenging to the person saying it and it causes the person requesting your time, resources, or energy to think through their requests going forward. What other reasons can you find for saying "no?"

to be a good steward of time,
to make room for truly important things,
because God did not design us run from one task to another,
to inspire others to say "yes" to something someone else can do
to honor family and personal time
to be able to go the distance (marathon runners don't sprint)
so that people respect your space, time, and personal boundaries
to be proactive instead of reactive
to break dependency issues

Following are some excellent thoughts on how to say no to the stuff you should say no to:

Linda Dessau from Talent Develop
A neurotic map for saying "No" on MAPping Company Success
20 Ways to Say No by Ramona Creel
Seth Godin on "The Customer is Always Right"

I Am One Sucker of a Dad

2006-07-02T21:38:00.000-05:00

I am God's Biggest Limiting Factor

2006-07-02T19:48:00.000-05:00

On a personal level, I know that God wants to bless me. I've experienced His favor in so many areas. Every morning when my daughter wakes me up, I am reminded of it. When I leave my home and get in my truck, I see it. When I am surrounded by an abundance of friends, I know it. When I arrive at the theater for church and see new faces, volunteers, and am able to dive into worship, God's favor is expressed.

Of all the blessings I possess, I understand that I am the biggest limitation to God giving me more. While Life Pointe has certainly been favored and continues to grow almost weekly, why is it that it we have not grown beyond where we are. We could have advanced more rapidly. I know timing and maturity has a lot to do with it. I am not the most mature leader and I tend to want things ASAP. I see my ability as a leader as the key ingredient for our rate of growth - I stand in the way or facilitate growth in the church.

To this point in time, I have been able to facilitate growth by doing and leading doers. From here, I (and we) will have to facilitate growth by more effectively leading my leaders.

Check out related struggles with growth both in our town and in ministry eslewhere:

Mayor Warren on Homestead Growth
Ben Sternke on Church 2.0-Radical Decentralization
Keith Bates on Change in the Church
John Schroeder on Growing
Andy Rowell and Andy Stanley on Leadership

Blog Tips

2006-07-01T19:21:00.000-05:00

Bling that Blog. If Christ is your subject, make sure you get read.

Content Tips
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18 Learned Lessons

I Can't Wait for Tomorrow

2006-07-01T16:20:00.000-05:00

I just returned from Tampa and a conference (camp meeting) held for the churches in our fellowship. Among our 450 churches in Florida you'll find all kinds of different churches- country churches, urban churches, suburban churches, classical Pentecostal, Charismatic, Seeker, Emergent, Holiness (no makeup, long hair, long dresses, etc...), multicultural churches, ethnic churches, and just about any kind of church you can think of.

Getting out of town and interacting with other pastors is always enjoyable. Seeing ministry from another perspective is good. But, I have definitely had my share of long winded offerings, back slapping, and hearing people say, "Hey Doc!" when they can't remember your name.

My experience this week was good. I reconnected with some guys that are getting it done in a big way. It really made me want to hurry and get back to Homestead! I really can't wait for tomorrow.

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2006-07-01T08:44:00.000-05:00

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My Favorite Mexican Restaurant in Herald

2006-06-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

Art, or as we call him, "Frenchy" has one hooked up Mexican restaurant. He was featured in the Miami Herald by Sue Mullin. Let me give you the real scoop though. Try the #30- the Salsa Verde Fajita Steak Burrito or the Salsa Verde Seafood Enchilada. If your wife likes dessert as mine does, make sure she gets a Fried Banana Burrito....good stuff.

Not only is the food excellent, the experience is superb. You won't eat here without getting to know Art. He's personable and will make you feel like a VIP everytime you eat at El Nachito's. The restrooms are spotless. He even has a hand dryer that will totally dry your hands in 15 seconds. The atmosphere, the food, Art, Hilda, and all of the staff are amazing!

Read the Miami Herald article here.
Read the El Nachito Blog Here

UPDATE- Check the Miami New Times article "Think Inside the Box-Homestead Births Another Fine Mexican Restaurant" by Bill Citara

Most Important 9 Word Sentence in Marketing History

2006-06-28T17:30:00.000-05:00

Scott Aughton shares the truth about Marketing your church. Thank you, CMS.

Good Time- Heading Back Home

2006-06-28T16:02:00.000-05:00

The conference has been good with the exception that there was no childcare. After wrestling with the girls through last night's service, I finally took Kourtney over to the Coffee Bar and let her run amuck where no one could see her. I'll go to the service tonight and leave first thing in the morning.

We've had a good time connecting with some friends and acquaintences here in Tampa. It has been especially good to see how God is using some of the guys I went to school and worked with in the past. I am blown away at how well things are going for Brian Hunter. Brian is one of those guys that it seems has the midas touch. God has blessed him with an abundance of tools. Just over three years ago, Brian started a church in Tallahassee with 9 people- Life Church. On Easter, they had over 1,000 people with over 100 people making commitments to follow Christ!

I also enjoyed hanging with Anthony, Paul, Matt, John, David, Earl, Oz, and my boys from Actscelerate.

Big Days Ahead

2006-06-26T10:23:00.000-05:00

I'm on my way to Tampa for a conference. I'm looking forward to meeting with some people I really admire. On Tuesday, I will receive my ordination. Tuesday night late, I will meet with a group of pastors that I have gotten to know from a discussion forum over the past 7 years. On Wednesday and Thursday, I'll also be helping Phil Underwood a bit to promote Re:Formation 2006, an event to educate and inspire the development of relevant missional ministry. Re:Formation 2006 is set for September 8-9 at Lawrenceville Church of God in Atlanta. Alex McManus will be the featured speaker.

On Wednesday, I was really wanting to be a part of a pastors network that Perry Noble of New Spring Church is forming. It was starting with 20 pastors. I really wanted to be a part of that. I sent an email on Saturday excusing myself because I was already scheduled to be in Tampa and need to maintain that commitment. I will definitely jump in at the next opportunity. The guys involved are some very aggressive, creative pastors. I want to be around those kind of guys as much as possible. There is great value in connecting in environments like that.

While I'm in Tampa, I'll also get to hang out with one of my closest friends, Matt Robinett. Matt was my room mate in college. We have stayed in touch over the last 14 years. Matt has definitely stayed in my home more than anyone outside of my immediate family. He's taking a job in Avenura and moving to Homestead. I'm very excited that he will be a part of Life Pointe. More importantly, I am excited that he'll be closer to my family. He is a lifetime friend. He'll be a huge boost to me personally. You just don't come across friends like Matt very often in a whole lifetime.

If I have time, over the next few days, I'll share some pictures.

Re:Formation 2006 poster

Connection - Connecting - Relationship

2006-06-26T07:43:00.000-05:00

This weekend was very enjoyable, busy, exhausting, and involved. Quick recap:

Miami Heat Parade with the Molinas
fishing with Doug, Mike, Shaun, Michelle, Casey, and Phillip
church
newcomers' lunch at Joe and Mayra's.
Bowling with a new connecting group

As I sat in the newcomers' lunch packed with some really great people, we all got to share a bit. I was blown away with the level of transparency among people who have known one another for a short amount of time or not at all. Throughout the lunch, I heard the words connected, connecting, and relationship.

Then, as the lunch was over, someone whom I respect a great deal pulled me aside and said, "Take this for what its worth, I have been in a lot of churches and I have never seen a church embody Hebrews 10:25 like Life Pointe." That meant a great deal and confirmed some things to me concerning our future and connecting strategies.

Overall, I love how the people at Life Pointe take responsibility for one another. They are involved in one anothers' lives and quickly receive new people into the community. Yesterday, our lunch hosted about 25-30 new people and I couldn't really see any distinctions between them and our old timers (defined as people here for more than 6 months). It was an awesome time complete with food, laughter, tears, prayer, and lots of stories told by all.

For more encouragement to develop relationship, check out these Scriptures.

Fishing out of Blackpoint

2006-06-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

Today, I hung out with my brother, Mike, Doug, Michelle, Shaun, and Casey. We hooked up with a couple schools of Dolphin and got what we could while we could. Then, a few of us got a little sick thanks to Doug's powerful story telling. I loved his opening rendetion of Robert Sevice's "Cremation of Sam McGee." But, the stories surrounding the Tuna Sandwiches pushed me over the edge.

After that excitement, we came back in and stopped at a reef to snorkel. That was cool. Shaun is from Maryland. I was glad he got to do that with us. While we snorkeled, Phil kept fishing. He and Mike got some yellow tail, a grouper, and a schoolmaster. Then, we came back in. Awesome day with some great guys.

Miami Heat Parade

2006-06-24T21:11:00.000-05:00

Very Hot. We took our girls and went with Manny, Lisette, and their crew. It was worth every blazing second.

Origins - the Message Series Trailer

2006-06-22T19:18:00.000-05:00

We are still three Sundays out from "Origins," our July message series. But, I thought I'd go ahead and get this up at least on my blog. We are coming off of an almost cartoonish series in iGod (which has been awesome) and will be going into a weighty, deep subject. Let the pendulum swing!

We are blessed to have some great musicians on our team. Many of the musical scores for this series are originals. One in particular, "Shadows and Dust" written by Paul Koch is inspired by the line in Gladiator where just before battle the comment was made that we are just shadows and dust. Well, in light of our temporal position in eternity, we are going back to the origins of our Christian faith - symbolum apostolorum, the Sacraments, the disciplines, and Pneuma. We have 4 weeks of multisensory Scriptural exploration. I can't wait!

eBible Revisited- Invitations here

2006-06-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

OK, I got an invite for eBible some time back and fouled it up. I just got in....finally and have three invites for the first three responders as long as you too will pass them along. So, leave a comment with your email address and I'll send you a golden ticket! Oh, and it is extremely easy to use and a thousand times less cluttered than Crosswalk or BibleGateway.

A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

2006-06-22T10:22:00.000-05:00

I'm halfway through "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink. I didn't think I was going to make after the 1st two chapters. The lessons on the industrial and information ages were just a little too drawn out. It is a bit more enjoyable as I breach the halfway point. I am not captivated. So, it is being bumped over as an occasional read...coffee table kind of stuff.

The book is about the rise of the Conceptual Age. As mind disciplines and Left Brained professions are automated and outsourced, all professions are trending to high concept, high touch. The creative class is not only becoming more influential but, creativity, empathy, emotional intelligence, and other high touch practices and cencepts are filtering in among even the most rigid worlds.

I do appreciate Pink not making the argument for a right brained vs. a left brained world. Rather, he describes that they both are necessary. Analysis without synthesis is easily replaced. However, a thinking person who can connect, emote, and create remains a valuable commodity. This is where I really listen to Pink.

The Church has excellent facts. The proofs for Christ are pretty irrefutable. However, if we are unable to tell our story well...the story of Christ, our personal stories of faith, the story of our faith communities, we will be wholly unprepared to bride the gap between our consumer and our Savior. This is our challenge to figure out.

Other Bloggers on "A Whole New Mind"
Mike Atkinson of Church Marketing Sucks
Aaron Wall in SEO Book
Andy Knight of Godbit Project
Alex Osterwalder of Business Model Design Blog
Chris Brogan of ChrisBrogan.com

Should I Make My Site Meter Public?

2006-06-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

Site Meter provides a way for me to track the number of visits I get on my blog. Last month, I had about 5,200 page views...a modest number of page views. Some blogs have those records as public info. I started to make that info public on a couple occasions but decided against it.

The site meter shows partial IP addresses (withholds the final 3 digits). It may give a general location of the reader. There is a global map that will show dots for each reader (very cool). You can see a sample report here.

Anyway, should my blog records be public access? Or should I maintain my records as a private record just for me? What say you?

MIAMI HEAT 優勝!!

2006-06-21T10:35:00.000-05:00

From Big Masa
From Swing Chan
From Bloomington

heat win!

2006-06-20T22:58:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like the sound of 15 guys cheering in an arena of 25,000!

Blog Etiquette

2006-06-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

Just an FYI- don't be an rude on my blog, please. For a more detailed explanation of what that means check out Tally Wilgis' instructions on Blog Maturity 101. He does a good job of breaking it down for you. Here are his points without the explanations:

1. Each blog you visit is the internet "home" of someone.
2. Any attack on a blog is a public attack.
3. It takes time to type so people will judge you a little tougher.
4. A sign of maturity is the ability to delay gratification.
5. Look up the term Ad Hominem.
6. You can be both true and Wrong at the same time!

Follow the Latest NBA Finals Conversations

2006-06-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade
Pat Riley
Shaq

Dallas Mavericks
Mark Cuban
Dirk Nowitski

Mark Cuban Rants and Bill Simmons is a Yawner

2006-06-20T15:16:00.000-05:00

Mark Cuban. Hey the guy's a brilliant business man. Mark, if you happen to stumble on my blog via Technorati, you have to know you'd be welcome to hang with me anyday. Actually, it would be my privilege. You are a cool cat, slightly over the top, and definitely out of the NBA box. I dig that. I dig your blog. For a Heat fan and a Pastor, I am left in a dilemna not knowing whether to respond or to call you to a confessional.

But, citing Bill Simmons as a guy that gets it when it comes to the State of the NBA Finals is just...I don't know...maybe "lame." I read most of his article. Unfortunately, I had just finished a Salsa Verde Burrito at the world famous "El Nachitos" and I nodded off before I could plod through the whole 38,000 word diatribe. Summed up, Bill Simmons prays for pretty boy basketball and hopes against the return of 1990's style play which personifies the Miami Heat in some kind of sappy romantic wish toward a kinder gentler future which an NBA title by the Heat would destroy via some kind of cataclysmic domino effect. Bill Simmons, what are you smoking?

There was a 2nd Shooter on the Grassy Knoll

2006-06-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

Or so it would seem according to Mark Cuban's explanation of the Mavericks' inability to win in Miami. Its going to be a tough finale. Dallas is a great team. It was enjoyable to watch them melt down after Game 5 though.

I don't think I've been more entertained since the 1998 Knicks v. Heat 1st round playoff game where Jeff Van Gundy complete with a wispy hair transplantation comb over was dragged across the floor clinging to Zo's leg during a bench clearing altercation with the bad boy knicks.

Church should...

2006-06-20T06:46:00.000-05:00

be meaningful
be full of people that you love and love you
be challenging and engaging
be a center for healing and renewal
make Jesus Christ the main attraction
be simultaneously organized and messy
have some serious flavor
change the unchangeable

A Church Group Forfeits its Credibility

2006-06-19T14:58:00.000-05:00

Apparently, the Episcopal Church has decided they know better than the Scriptures.

Why bother with Church??

2006-06-19T12:17:00.000-05:00

This is an old entry on another blog. But, its well worth the read, especially if you've had some negative church experiences and are just wondering why the heck you even DO church in the first place...a nice little book review from CMS.

Game 5- Heat gettin' it done!

2006-06-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

Could Wade have shot more balls off the glass? Unbelieveable game! Lets get the next one in Dallas!

Service Highlights 06.18

2006-06-18T14:02:00.000-05:00

High Point - after service a very bright young guy (11 yrs) came to me and said he wanted Jesus in his heart. So, right there between the stainless steel trash can and pier 3, this young man put his head on my shoulder, wept, and invited Jesus Christ into his heart. What a moment!

Low Point - sound issues. Since we've moved into the theater, we've dealt with the problems of mobility. Settings change. Equipment gets damaged. We are meeting Monday night to empower an individual to run everything that happens from the moment that the theater opens until we leave. We have to have a person that will take control and coordinate every function in the production of the day and will be responsible to bring excellence to our service in those areas.

Cool Person of the Day - In this case, its two people, Josh Whelan and Rolando Rodriguez. They have totally taken over setup. I didn't come in today until 8:15 AM. I was fresh, studied, and prayerful. I did not have to do any running around. They helped me to do my job well. hey are stepping up in leadership in a BIG WAY.

Favorite Artistic Presentation - I loved Emily Nelson's presentation. I am very proud of Emily. She ministered to every Dad and really reinforced my message on worship. I also enjoyed the bands opening song, Tom Petty's "Refugee."

iPod - Crystal Banks is cool people. She got the 1gb iPod Nano. Congrats, Crystal!

Our people - Our people keep bringing friends and we keep building greater community! Attendance was up 20% over the same Sunday last year! Our volunteer base is up by 51% Great stuff guys!

Bullish on Vision

2006-06-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

Buy stock in "vision passionate people." Sell stock in "vision critical people." The right people with the right passion for the vision will cause you to reap significant Great Commission gains.

End of the Spear (quick review)

2006-06-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

I don't get to go to movies like I used to. So, since I saw this on DVD, this is a little late coming.

End of the Spear told a story that I first read in the 7th grade. It was meaningful then. In the real story and in the film, Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian were martyred by the Waodani tribe whom they were trying to reach. They left behind families and children to reach them. Their families responded to their sacrifice and again took the Gospel to the same tribe and they received Christ. It is an amazing story of grace, love, and power!

The production, cinematography, acting, and music was superb. It was compelling!

Watch the Trailer

Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Pastoring

2006-06-16T10:36:00.000-05:00

Mark, great words.

Our Gang at C3

2006-06-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

I have never been more proud of our team than I am right now. They work hard and love to play. The level of dedication is high and they are reproducing leaders and bringing in new people (98 new families and individuals since Easter). It was great to disengage from the daily stuff and get a good charge at the C3 Conference at FBC of South Miami. We went last year when it was at Flamingo Road Church. We'll go every year they host the regional conference here in South FL. Ed Young is just a cool guy that does ministry in a big way.

In addition to our team which could not all be in the picture, Pastor Lewis Wilkerson and Joey from Life Pointe in Port Charlotte and Pastor Oz Ramkisoon from West Kendall Church of God hung out with us. After the conference, we sat down and challenged one another. We are going to redefine our values...they've gotten away from us a bit. We are going to focus on the basics and do them as remarkably as possible. We are going to involve ourselves with leaders that are tenatious, leadable, and positive. Our commitment to our volunteers will be as higher than ever before.

McKenna is keeping an eye on things for me

2006-06-14T23:03:00.000-05:00

I'll be out all day for the C3 conference. So, be cool.

My birthday and C3 with My Good Bros!

2006-06-14T22:39:00.000-05:00

I had a great time tonight at my birthday party. I hit 33 yesterday. I spent the evening with some really great people at my house. They put me in the middle of the room and said some really great things. I kept waiting for the zingers...none came. That's a first. Actually, I was all geared up for a few good ones from Joe Herrera. He owed me. Now I'm tired and about to crash for the night.

We are taking about a dozen people from our church to Ed Young jr.'s C3 conference here in Miami tomorrow. I'm looking forward to spending some time at the conference with my boy Lewis Wilkerson from over at Life Pointe Church in Port Charlotte and Oz Ramkisoon from West Kendall Church of God. Pastor Oz looks just like Lando Calrissian, the former Administrator of Cloud City in Star Wars!

I'm going to spend of a few more bucks downloading songs on iTunes (thanks Manny & Lisette) before I doze off. Then, I'll download them into my shiny new 2gb Nano tomorrow during the conference the first time someone starts droning on about the importance of being organized.

The Refs in the Miami/Dallas Game STINK!

2006-06-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

With 8:33 seconds left in the 2nd quarter of the Miami game, I just want to go on record that the refs are just ridiculous! O'Neal just got called for a foul and he was a foot away from the shooter. These guys are blind.

CONCLUSION: Wade is a big stud!
Miami 98 Dallas 96

New Books!

2006-06-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

After receiving a gift card in celebration of my 33rd year on the planet and then going a bit above my allotment, I am now awaiting the following educational, inspirational, and recreational loot:

MARKETING/BRANDING

Experience the Message : How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World by Douglas Atkins
The Big Moo : Stop Trying to Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
The Culting of Brands : Turn Your Customers into True Believers by Douglas Atkins
Small Is the New Big : and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas by Seth Godin to be released August 16
Unleashing the Ideavirus by Seth Godin

MINISTRY

Radical Reformission, The : Reaching Out without Selling Out by Mark Driscoll
Multi-Site Church Revolution, The : Being One Church in Many Locations by Geoff Surratt and Warren Bird
Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church by Mark Driscoll
Revolution by George Barna

Perhaps a bit too ambitious for a day or week. But, at least I've got my summer reading list nailed down. I'm very much looking forward to all of these books but, especially "Small is the New Big!"

6-11 Wrap Up - Oh Soggy Day!

2006-06-11T12:07:00.000-05:00

It rained mega hard all day. In spite of that, our crowd was up by 20% from 6-12-05. We had 8 people invite Christ into their lives! That's awesome! The iPod giveaway was neat but, kind of anti-climatic. We've got to spice that up next week. Maybe we'll shoot the 30gb ipod into the crowd with a water baloon launcher. LOL.

The rain definitely presented some major challenges for the setup crew during setup and tear down. Overall, setup was sloppy. In total, we've got 19 volunteers on the team list. Rolando, Josh, and I are meeting today to get that process and those teams air tight. I am totally proud of our guys. They're beasts for setting up 44' of staging, lights, sound, nursery, children's church, and a welcome center every week in the time span of about 1 hour. What a bunch of studs! They really are super. We owe it to them organize our process better.

One final thing, my brother Phil was on vacation. So, Paul and Gabby filled in as lead worshippers and they did fantastic. During the second song, we had a power surge that fried one of our projectors. And, our electric drum set died 20 minutes before service. We replaced it with an acoustic set seconds before service start. The guys made quick decisions, jumped on both of those situations ,and got it done. Thanks for that! Without missing a beat during the surge, the band continued leading "Life Song, Set Me Free, and How Great Is Our God." Its really so weird to go from 1 musician to piles of talented, passionate people ready to be used.

Anyway, I had a great time today guys. There is some really big stuff in the pipeline right now that I can't really talk about. But, I will soon. I'm pretty stoked! I know you will be too.

Bob Franquiz on Church in Miami

2006-06-10T15:09:00.000-05:00

True that!

iGod Message Your Final Prep!

2006-06-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

Going into this weekend, this will most likely be my last entry. The iGod series is going to be ridiculously awesome...perhaps our best weekend yet. There is a lot to do still. In fact, if you want to be a part of our street team, we will be meeting under the sign at Flagship Cinemas at noon tomorrow (Saturday) to go canvassing with our iPod invite cards and mailers. We need every person available to hit the neighborhoods while we get "Gorilla/Guerilla." We'll have pizza and sodas tailgate style before we go out for about 1 hour of lightning fast outreach.

Now, Donna Jean at 89.7 FM is going to email over a file of our interview. It may get here before the day is over. If I get that, I'll post it ASAP. Then, you need to share it with as many people as you can. In the meantime, feel free to pass on links to the iGod Message Series Movie Trailer to your friends. We want more butts in those theater chairs than the opening showing of the DaVinci Code. Let's kick it this weekend and make an eternal difference!

My work of art ala Jackson Pollock

2006-06-09T11:50:00.000-05:00

I'm an artiste'! You can be too. Check out this highly addictive virtual canvas and be Jackson Pollock site. Thanks, Scott.

Life Pointe "iGod" Rumor Mill

2006-06-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

Rumor 1 - Beastie Boys styled message intro for iGod series? Maybe. Maybe not.
Rumor 2 - 89.7 FM is interviewing me re: "iGod" series? Fact. The interview with Donna Jean will be aired a few times start 06/08/06. Read more here.
Rumor 3 - Guest appearance of 2 Contemporary Christian Artists during 1 week of the "iGod" series.? Maybe. Maybe not.
Rumor 4 - iPod Nano giveaway on Sunday? Fact
Rumor 5 - Microscopic "God Rocks" button for everyone at "iUpgrade" opener? Hmmm. That's a weird one. We'll see though.

iGod interview with 89.7 FM

2006-06-07T17:42:00.000-05:00

I just received an email from Donna Jean at 89.7 FM. She'd like to do an interview with me about the iGod series that starts this Sunday. Of course, I said "yes." I'll let you know when it airs.

UPDATE: I just finished the interview. Donna Jean is a super person to talk to. She made the interview really easy. It will be airing a few times starting 6/8/06 and will be in her news segment. Check it out.

Need Coffee Sleeve Ideas

2006-06-06T15:48:00.000-05:00

The coffee cups at Life Pointe Church at the Movies are just major league lame! They house the best, fresh ground Starbucks which we offer F.O.C. But, when you pick up the tiny cup, you may scald your hand off. To get into the lid, we use a tear back tab. I am yet to successfully pull that task off. Usually when I am done opening my lid, it looks like my cup has been mugged and thrown in a ditch...gotta chage that one! So, we are on the search for the Holy Grail of Java cups, holders, and lids. Any suggestions? We're all ears. Here's what we've found so far that has the coolest design. I present to you BriteVision Coffee Sleeves and Ad Agency.

This last one is a free sleeve. If we are willing to billboard our coffee, we can have the sleeves for free. Hmmmm....I kind of like the overtly capitalist approach to cheapening our coffee distribution! Give me your thoughts and help me google some good coffee product to make our people feel ENERGIZED prior to the service countdown on Sundays @ 10 AM!

Roscoe is the real deal

2006-06-04T15:20:00.000-05:00

In the past 6 months, we have done around 10 concerts. The guys from every band we've had have really been incredible. But, the guys from Roscoe are truly excellent people. Their sound is phenomenal and their show is great. But, this morning when they lead worship for us, I heard their hearts. They are after God. They're based out of Clemson, SC and they absolutely kick! Get these guys while you can. They are going to fly.

Scott Hodge is a Cool Cat!

2006-06-03T19:39:00.000-05:00

How many pastors do you know who have the rapper from the BluBlocker commercials throw down a rhyme for you and your church?!?! Way to cool, Scott!

Be Purple - Purple Cow by Seth Godin

2006-06-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

I just killed a Purple Cow. Now, I want to be purple. Seth Godin is a sharp man and Purple Cow is a great quick read. Summed up in two words, Godin explains that "being remarkable" is truly the only viable marketing plan.

He speaks to ideaviruses, sneezers, influential early adapters, the death of mass marketing. In the past two weeks, I've read Buzz Marketing, Pyro Marketing, and now Purple Cow. They were all good. But, the Cow is the best. Its packed with Case Studies and concise 2-4 page topics. Every pastor should get his hands on this book...make that every Christian. It fits. There are too many parallels that can be drawn between our faith, our churches, and the business leaders Seth Godin is writing to. Read it!

Here is an excerpt from my favorite page:

My friend and colleague Chip Conley runs more than a dozen hotels in the San Francisco area. His first hotel, the Phoenix is in one of the worst neighborhoods downtown.

Chip got the hotel for next to nothing. He knew it wasn't a hotel for everybody. In fact, no matter what he did to the hotel, hardly anyone would choose to stay there.

Which is fine. Because "hardly anyone" can be quite enough if you've got a hotel with just a few dozen rooms. Chip redesigned the place. He painted it funky colors. Put hip style magazines in all the rooms. Had a cutting-edge artist paint the inside of the pool, and invited up-and-coming rock-and-roll stars to stay at the place.

Within months, the plan worked. By intentionally ignoring the mass market, Chip created something remarkable: a rock-and-roll hotel in the center of San Francisco. People looking for it found it

Last Espresso - Roscoe - Prep iGod

2006-06-01T18:20:00.000-05:00

2006-06-01T12:28:00.000-05:00

I love being "Dad."

iGod Styled Cheesiness en Vogue

2006-05-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

The ultimate in cheesiness has arrived! iGod buttons and T-shirts. All are available this Sunday. There are only a couple more Gorilla modeled iGod "download.shuffle.sync.live" t-shirts left. After those are gone, we might have a new shirt.

Espress Yourself - What Do You Say slides

2006-05-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

Burnt to a Crisp and Wanting More HEAT!

2006-05-29T17:05:00.000-05:00

Today, we went to Henry Harris Park in the Keys to hang with some of super people from Life Pointe. Fished a little. Swam a little. Grilled ribeyes under the Gumbo Limbos. When we got in the car to come home, I looked like a racoon (not as bad as Jim Nelson though). I'm burnt. But, I want more. I'll get more heat tonight, too.

The HEAT is being turned up tonight @ 8 on ABC. I can' wait. If I wasn't so tired, I'd go scalp some tix. Instead, I'll have to settle for D Wade and Shaq throwing down on the Pistons via DirecTV! Let's Go Heat!

Today Rocked

2006-05-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

Life Pointe has absolutely been rocking lately. Today, was killer. Our Memorial Day crowd was great. We had a ton of key people out and everything went very smoothly. That's the kind of leadership growth I like to see.

Something Like Simon jammed. The gorillas were wearing really great shirts. I heard the speaker was phenomenal! It was also awesome having my pastor, James Walden in the service to officially launch me out as an "Ordained Bishop." Don't worry. I won't wear a tall pointy hat any time soon.

I'm looking forward to next week when Roscoe leads us in some fully caffeinated worship. They are incredible artists! Oh yeah, something else happened. I got word from the newest member of my creative team that we may very well have a surprise visit from a really cool guy that has spent a lot of time on top of the Christian music scene in the next few weeks. I really can't wait for this next Sunday. It keeps getting better and better!

Pyro Marketing - Greg Stielstra

2006-05-27T07:02:00.000-05:00

I just received Pyro Marketing by Greg Stielstra yesterday via Amazon. Along with it, I also ordered Purple Cow by Seth Godin, Brand Hijack by Alex Wipperfürth, and A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink.

Pyro Marketing is the marketing srategy behind the success of Rick Warren's Purpose Drive Life. I cracked P.M. open last night at 1 AM and woke up at 6:49 on a Saturday morning to continue. So far, its that good.

eBible.com

2006-05-26T18:26:00.000-05:00

David Russell hooked me up with an invite to Beta test eBible.com, an awesome, simplified online Bible. I've been slammed with some projects this week and did not have time to activate my account. Now it is expired and I'm left waiting in line like a regular Joe. Since this is the hottest tool going, I've got to get bumped back to the front of the line and get my invite back. Hopefully, sending traffic and more people to request access to this dynamic new tool will curry some favor for me. David Russell will you once again smile on me?!?!

Request Your eBible account here.

iGod Direct Mailer

2006-05-25T13:18:00.000-05:00

The iGod postcards will be hitting mailboxes between 06.07-06.10. This is prime time to invite friends and neighbors. The postcards by themselves generate little response. But, when they are coupled with your personal invite, the response rate multiplies. Grab a fistful of our iPod shaped invite cards this Sunday and spread the wealth, baby!!! Peace.

Something Like Simon & Roscoe @ LPC

2006-05-25T09:12:00.000-05:00

Something Like Simon - 05.28.06 - MySpace

Roscoe - 06.04.06 - MySpace

The next two Sundays are going to rock at Life Pointe Church. Our band is clearing the stage for Something Like Simon to lead worship this Sunday. Next Sunday, Roscoe (formerly Vagabond 12) will do the same. Something Like Simon will be a first for us. But, this will actually be the third event with Roscoe. Randy and the guys from Roscoe are not only incredible musicians with a Christ passion but, they are great people. I can't wait.

George W. Bush & George W. Bush

2006-05-24T22:14:00.000-05:00

I love this video. Thanks, David.

Amazed by My Creative Team

2006-05-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

This morning we met at Starbucks on Old Cutler Road to go over some elements of the iGod series. I don't know what to say except that some amazing stuff is developing. This team has the potential to be really great. I'll share more about them later. To really experience what they've done, you'll have to wait and see on 06.11 or potentially sooner.

Ridgestone Backstage

2006-05-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

Gary Lamb, my redneck buddy from Ridgestone Church in Canton, GA is getting it done in a big way. They are about to launch Ridgestone Backstage soon. Thanks, Gary for pulling back the curtain and letting us take a look at how its going down in your town.

iGod Message Series Video Trailer

2006-05-23T07:39:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty excited about this series. We've stolen ideas from all over for it. I'm excited enough that we postponed our Roadtrip series to do iGod. There is also a decent chance we might get a little spiff in a prominent place in town prior to this the 06.11 opening. That's all I can say about that. Just watch for a new development this Sunday and enjoy the trailer.

Blogging DaVinci Code

2006-05-22T22:52:00.000-05:00

I just got in from watching Ron Howard's movie at Flagship Cinemas with 20 others from Life Pointe. My quick observations:

There is no way that DaVinci's Last Supper portrays Mary Magdalene at the table. If that's the case, John is missing from the story. Scripture, the most authoritative historical text shows that to be impossible.
The scrolls sitting in an unairconditioned, exposed centuries old building containing historical data on the descendants of Christ were laughable.
The movie was enjoyable but long, drawn out, and slow moving. I thought it ended with Hanks in the hotel and then it started back and ran another 15 minutes.
It was a fiction, a decent fiction.
When I was leaving the theater, I actually heard someone say, "all I wanted to do was unlock the going to sleep code."

Now, I am watching a National Geographic special on DaVinci. They concluded with the phrase, "Dan Brown's story if received as fact is nothing more than a house of cards."

"Espresso Yourself - Rude is the Mood" Graphics

2006-05-21T21:12:00.000-05:00

DaVinci Code is Here

2006-05-19T16:16:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, a really nice lady handed me a leaflet as I passed Flagship Cinemas on the way home from my office. The flier was a call by the Catholic Church to boycott the movie. Of course, I am the biggest fan of Flagship Cinemas. I buy big cokes and super sized candy there as often as I can. Kelly and I sneak in for movies whenever we can. We'll probably go see the Davinci Code as well.

I understand if someone decides not to go see it. You may not want your money to go to a venture like that. But, the fear-mongering on the part of some of my brothers in Christ is getting on my nerves a bit. Why? It gets on my nerves because truth is truth. Jesus died having accomplished little as far as material accomplishments go some 2,000 years ago. Three hundred years after his resurrection, Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire. Today, Jesus is without a doubt the most influential man to ever walk the earth.

If he could have been discredited, He already would have by now. In fact, we tend to do the discrediting of Christ by our daily actions and unwillingness to love and show grace like He did. Why fear a novel, a fiction? Christ is true. Compare the truth to fiction and the truth is always so apparent.

Andre and Aristotle

2006-05-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow at 10, I will do a funeral for my friend Aristotle. He was 37. At about the same time, Baby Andre will face a fairly significant heart surgery. Andre was born at 23 weeks into the pregnancy at 1 lb 5 oz. He is now 9 days old. God's grace is more than sufficient.

Espresso Yourself - Yank The Plank Slides

2006-05-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

Worship Guide - Sunday, May 14

2006-05-18T09:19:00.000-05:00

Creative Church Conference - June 15th

2006-05-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

We're going. My team is going. And, because there is a blanket registration fee for the church, anyone that would like to go from Life Pointe, can apply to go. If you've been here for a week and want to go, email Mayra with your info. The only caveat is that following the 4:30 PM conclusion, you head off with us for a strategy/brainstorming session until 8:30-9 PM and find a way to use your gifts to plug into this really killer thing God is doing in us at Life Pointe.

"Da Vinci" Misses the Mark for Critics at Cannes

2006-05-16T21:46:00.000-05:00

"It's a movie about whether the greatest story ever told is true or not, and it's not the greatest movie ever screened, is it?" said Baz Bamigboye, a film columnist for London's Daily Mail.

Read the Article

Miami: The Number One City for Road Rage!

2006-05-16T21:29:00.000-05:00

AutoVantage didn't need to commission a study find out that Miami has more road rage than any other city. They just needed to ask me. However, they were right for all the wrong reasons. They cite speeding, tailgating, cutting into traffic and having parking places stolen as the reason for these negative incidents. That's where they are wrong.

First, the left lane is for passing. DO NOT GO 50 MPH in the left lane of the Turnpike! You will get tailgated. Someone will cut you off. Frankly, you will have deserved it. If it happens at the hands of someone with a Life Pointe bumper sticker, I'll go ahead and apologize in advance because it was probably me (or maybe Eve Torres...she's Puerto Rican and has the matching temperment when driving).

Secondly, it is difficult to speed between the hours of 7 AM - 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM - 7 PM. There's too much traffic on the always under construction interstates to break 20 mph. By the way, can the FDOT not give Performance Based Contracts to the contractors building our roads? The 20 year project that has been going on on 826 and 95 is just stupid.

Finally, I'll give them the parking place observation. I leave those people alone because they just don't care. They'll snap. Just go to another grocery store and forget you ever lost your parking space.

Sunday in Review

2006-05-15T07:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a great day a LPC. The set up team rocks. Every week, they are faster and more organized. It's really amazing to watch! The music jammed. The stage is a little crowded. This week, we add another 12 feet to our stage...can't wait for that! The band played:

Everyday
Evermore
Open Up the Heavens
Gratefully Yours

Our new people feel like they've been around forever. The message was fun. And, when we prayed for Baby Andre, I really felt like the church linked together around that need. I am really expecting a miracle for him. This summer is going to be an exciting time for us. I'll share more about that later!

Espresso Yourself Trailer

2006-05-12T23:48:00.000-05:00

Espresso Yourself is our May Message Series. Now showing Sundays @ 10 AM!

"The DaVinci Code" - opening 5/19

2006-05-11T17:21:00.000-05:00

Hanks vs. the Catholic Church or so it seems. The movie is a fiction. Of course, some won't see it that way. But, the truth is that people have been trying to show Christ for a fraud for 2,000 years now. 300 years after Christ was killed by the Romans, they made Him the religion of the Empire. In China and nations the world over, Christians are killed for their steady followership of Jesus. Yet, in China the Church is growing faster than in almost any other nation. What's my response to The DaVinci Code starring a greasy haired Tom Hanks? Go see it if you want. Read the Scriptures. Check out Lee Strobel's book, "Discussing the DaVinci Code." Then share the truth about Christ, nothing more, nothing less.

Developing Evangelists According to www.800ceoread.com

2006-05-11T15:55:00.000-05:00

According to 800 CEO Read, here are a few tips to "creating evangelists for your events." There are 10. The ones I really liked and saw easy application in the church are:

2. Provide peer-to-peer opportunities.
3. Be interactive.
5. Be creative and surprising.
6. Plan a social-media strategy (blogs, forums, etc...)
8. Webcats sessions, presentations, and keynotes
9. Solicit Feedback.

Ray Lewis is a Beast!

2006-05-10T18:26:00.000-05:00

Monday night at the Hurricane Hall of Fame Induction, Ray Lewis waxed eloquently and was inducted along with Ryan McNeil, Darren Smith, Alex Roca, Leonard Hamilton, and a couple others. He's a beast on the field and a beast behind the mic. His passion coupled with his ability make him the most dominant defensive player on the field today.

Darren spoke about his faith in Jesus at length. I was really impressed with his story and his strong represtation of Christ.

Something Pertinent

2006-05-09T22:30:00.000-05:00

I got my Espresso Yourself mailer at my house today. So, I guess I decided to write something pertinent on my blog in case some of you really brilliant people find your way over to here from the Life Pointe site. Let me tell you that Sunday is going to be absolutely killer.

During this series, we will also have two fully caffeinated bands, Something Like Simon and Roscoe leading worship. You won't want to let your friends miss that high-octane experience. On top of both bands, our crew rocks Pier 2 on Sundays at 10. I'm really looking forward to a significant worship experience for us all. See you then.