BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Friday, March 27, 2009

Playing to strengths.



My Life has been very busy these days getting ready to move into Parker rd, conducting the wedding of 2 different couples, Lisa being pregnant, and playing in a community band (www.myspace.com/standbyonmyspace). At times I feel a bit helpless because I am not really gifted in construction and have not helped out that much over at Parker road. I find that playing to my strengths is a good way for me to stay engaged where God has me. I think that is important to play to your strengths. Philip is gifted at alot of things. Raising money for this ministry, networking, pulling teams together to get a job done. Brad our media guy is great at working out the mechanics of services, events, and outreach ideas. Brien is a gifted worship leader and knows instinctively how to structure the flow of worship during services. Jeff is a dot connector for us. More on dot connectors in another post.

Even Jesus didn't try to do it all himself. He had 12 guys who were gifted in different areas and then gave the commission that we would do greater things..... If we are going to impact placing gifted people in the right spot is essential.

I spoke

Monday, March 16, 2009

Monday Morning Quarterbacking....

  • Another amazing day at Discover Point.
  • I find it funny that it snowed 2 sundays ago, was stinkin HOT a week ago, and was cold and rainy this past sunday.
  • We are 100% united as a church on reaching this area with Jesus Christ.
  • I think our solution right now is gettting into that new space...
  • We have a our work cut out for us as a staff to keep problems in front of us and keep coming up with solutions ie....a problem...60% of Conyers has no need for churches...the solution....be relevant in service, worship, messages, video, kids program....
  • Project Green is right around the corner and it's the start of an amazing focus of discoverpoint
  • Philip did a great job of sharing himself this week.
  • He finished up Identity Theft this week and the entire series was great!!!!!
  • My guitar signal kept going in and out during the set which kept me completely helpless.
  • We rocked Reign in us by Starfield and we will rock it again at the Cherry Blossom Fesitival. this time with a drummer!!!!
  • It's always great to see everyone at DPC and I missed some that were away!!!!1
  • Next week is one more week closer to Parker Road
  • I realized this week that our website is a gateway to our church. Almost everyone who comes went there first.
  • Congrats to Brien getting married this Saturday!!!!! Go make some sheet music dude!!!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Sometimes couple's devotions are friggin sweet!!!!!!

Lisa and I try to have a couple's devo spiritual thang on Sunday night's. I thought this devo we did tonight was genius and I know all the husbands who read this will 100% agree!!!!!!

Read and apply....---------------------------------------------

The "One Flesh" Challenge by Barbara Rainey

Ephesians 5:31
And the two shall become one flesh.

As a wife, I believe the Bible calls me to commit to my husband in a mutually fulfilling sexual relationship-to truly become "one flesh" with my husband. That means I need to understand his needs and desires in this area.

My husband's sexual needs should be more important and higher on my priority list than menus, housework, projects, activities-even the children. A friend shared something with me that I think puts the sexual dimension of a man in a biblical perspective. A man can send his clothes to the laundry, eat all of his meals out, find companionship with friends, be accepted and respected at work, be listened to by a counselor and in all those things not go against the will of God. But if he meets his sexual needs with someone other than his wife, it is sin.

I believe that many wives don't really understand how important the act of "becoming one" is to our husbands. We make time for the PTA, church work and helping a child with homework. Think about it: How often do you set aside time to be together? It may be a weekend getaway or a romantic dinner in your bedroom.

Perhaps one of the most "spiritual" acts a wife might need to do is put the kids to bed and invite her husband to go to bed early.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Did I mention Lisa told me this was dumb.....(sad face)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

a post from tony morgan.....check this out

check out this blog...The New Traditional Church

Let me preface this by saying I’m not sure what I think about what I’m about ready to share. I’m still processing. I’m still waiting to hear more from God on this. I haven’t landed.

As best as I can tell as I study churches across the country, here’s how the typical contemporary church asks people to invest their time today:

  • Participate in Sunday worship services.
  • Read their Bible.
  • Become a member of the church.
  • Attend classes to learn more about the Bible and their spiritual walk.
  • Participate in a small group with other believers.
  • Serve in a ministry.
  • Participate in events and programs that connect believers with others in a similar life stage. (i.e. men, women, married couples, moms, singles, college students, etc.)
  • Participate in missions efforts either locally or globally.
  • Invest in people’s lives and invite them to church.

I think that’s a fairly comprehensive list, but you could probably modify that for your specific church and add or delete from the list.

Now, as a result of all this, we see that about 20 to 25% of people end up doing most of the serving at a church. Contemporary churches struggle to get more than 30% of their people engaged in small groups. A very small percentage of people are in the Bible daily. People end up spending a lot of time at the church rather than connecting with people outside the church. We reinforce a consumption mentality that says if you’re going to grow in your faith that the church needs to spoon feed you. People become reliant on the church rather than Jesus for their spiritual maturity.

This is going to sound a little sacriligious, but I’m wondering what would happen if we eliminated some ministries of the contemporary church. What would happen, as an example, if we only asked people to invest their time in this way:

  • Participate in corporate worship and Bible teaching.
  • Read your Bible.
  • Serve others.
  • Make disciples.

Kind of scary isn’t it? There’s a lot of stuff that we do as churches that’s not on that list. Most of what’s not on that list are the gatherings and activities that bring believers together to learn more. No small groups. No classes. No singles ministry or women’s ministry events. No structured missions programs.

I’m wondering what would happen if rather than focusing so much on transferring knowledge, we focused on helping people love God, love others and make new disciples. What would happen if we asked people to spend less time at the church and more time in the lives of people who need Jesus? What would happen if we offered fewer gatherings to transfer knowledge and more tools to help people study the Bible on their own? What would happen if there was less emphasis on church activities and more emphasis on reaching the world for Jesus?

Maybe groups and classes and ministry programs aren’t the discipleship strategy. Maybe encouraging personal disciplines and serving and making disciples is the discipleship strategy.

Like I said, I’m not sure where I’m going to land on this. I just think some aspects of the contemporary church that we’ve accepted as requirements for “good ministry” are creating barriers to spiritual growth and to the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

In many ways, I think we’re becoming the new traditional church.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Monday Morning Quarterbacking...

  • I'm glad it wasn't snowing this week although attendance was about the same.
  • Brien led worship this week and did an amazing job.
  • Our sound has changed over the past few weeks and it kinda sucks. Alot more echo and when you have a full band in a concrete box it gets a little loud.
  • Time change hit the band hard as everyone was extremely late minus Brad...just a little late.
  • Greg played this week and did a friggin great job.
  • Philip and I co-taught which I think went pretty well.
  • We spoke on the lie that "you're not good enough" which is crazy because that's how I feel whenever I speak.
  • A church member shared that they connected with God which is very cool.
  • Dave played a good song at the end of the service which was much better than last week.
  • The band started back practice which was in a little room and loud but a needed adjustment.
  • Had dinner with Philip and a good friend and went home to be with my wife and kid.
  • Discover Point Church is such a cool church.
  • I can't wait to see where and how God uses it.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Monday Morning Quarterbacking...

  • I played my new guitar this week at church while I led. The guitar sounded amazing the songs went amazing. I think our church connected with the truths we sang and were impacted for Jesus. That is my goal is to lead people closer and deeper with Jesus. A strange thing happened during the worship set....my left hand went completely numb. At first I thought I was so happy playing my new guitar that I was having a heartattack!!!! After inspecting my new guitar and checking with my old one I realized that the gibson's neck is much wider and will not allow for me to rest my palm on the back. That's a lazy way to play anyways but a habit that I have embraced.
  • Philip and Jeff shared some strongholds and gave some practical solutions!!! Good job
  • 10 visitors on a snowy icy sunday!! Now that is proof there is a God.
  • Burt's new look....no need to say anything else.
  • Dave playing a crazy country song at the end of the service.... not cool.
  • The band hit hard...maybe too hard I saw ears bleeding. jk
  • Lisa and I going to Macon and back on the biggest snow day of the year was not the smartest thing we have ever done.
God has amazing things planned for DPC in the next few weeks!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

To be excellent in what we do?




Now wouldn't this be amazing to be a part of. This level of professionalism focused on leading toward a stronger commitment to Jesus. I pray for God to use me in such a way that reaches alot of people. I am always conflicted about what it takes to be excellent. What do I do to further his Name?? Can I make changes, or hard decisions because it's better for what He's doing? What is he asking me to change that just may take DP's worship arts ministry to a "whole nutha level" (to quote Ed Young jr?)

Is any one person's desire more important than making a larger impact for Jesus?