Catalyst 2008

The past few days have been phenomenal. Doug, Mark, Dick and I got a chance to travel up to the ATL and go to the Catalyst Conference. This is one of the best leadership conferences in the country and I was super blessed to have had the opportunity to go. We along with another 12,000 people got to experience this. We heard wonderful leadership from guys like Matt Chandler, Steven Furtick, Dave Ramsey and Andy “Freakin” Stanley. We also got to worship with some phenomenal worship leaders like Kristian Stanfill and Steve Fee. Of course, the production team nailed everything. (I had to give props to those guys because it wouldn’t happen without them). On the way home yesterday we talked about some things we took away. There was so much I took away, but only a few touched me and hit me pretty hard. Well, here is my one thing I learned.

“To reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing.” Wow. That means we can build a church and worship together, but there will still people that don’t and won’t go to church. So, to reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing. As Andy Stanley pointed out, not his words, that might piss some people off. This one saying has challenged me. I’m always thinking, how can we make things better so that we can reach people for Christ? It’s simple, do things no one else is doing. What is “normal” now, is not going to be “normal” 5 or 10 years from now. “The Next Generation product almost never comes from the previous generation.” So, “to reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing.” I’m challenged.

There is my one thing. There were other things that challenged my leadership and challenged to me to think and grow. More than anything that I heard, learned or saw, here is the biggest. God BROKE me this weekend. I was very emotional. I really felt God pulling at my heart this weekend. During worship and during some of the messages I really felt God tugging at me. He was tugging at me in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever felt. At some points I felt overwhelmed with emotion. When I thought about this, the word that came to my mind was “break.” I’m not speaking in the sense that I’m not saved, because I am, but I am speaking in the sense of something that Craig Groeschel brought. I felt God pulling my heart so that my heart would break for him. It was almost as if God said, “pay attention to me.” It felt good. In order to acheive what he wants to achieve, he needs me to focus on him. I often put up a wall around my heart when it comes to deep emotional things. God was breaking down that wall and told me to pay attention to him. That was the greatest thing I took away.

Of course, the experience itself was awesome. I’m a technical guy and those guys just knocked it out of the park. Kickin’ audio probably around 112 db, lighting that looked amazing, and sweet video team. Overall, Catalyst stretched me in more areas than one.

Speed Bumps

Everyone is feeling some tough times right now. To bring things a little more home, here is a glimpse in our lives. When God calls people to do his work, there WILL be trials and speed bumps in the road because God wants us to grow, but Satan also doesn’t want us to succeed.

Last night, April and I had a moment of panic. Without going in to details, it was mostly an emotional attack. Everyone has something that will hurt them most. Satan knows which buttons to push and he does. Ours are emotions. April and I talked until midnight and afterwards we spent a few moments in prayer. I told God my heart. I have not been that real in a long time. I’m frustrated with God. I told him I wanted to know where he was and when he was going to show up. Very bold. That’s the kind of relationship I have with God, honesty. It’s a relationship. (So before you comment, just don’t cause I don’t want to hear how much more “holy” you are).

When I got to work this morning, I turned on my computer. I have quiet time when I get to work and I opened up to Air1’s verse of the day page. They had Hebrews 13:8 up. But instead of just reading one verse, I read most of Hebrews 13. Here is what 13:8 says:

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Good stuff right? That was enough for me to just stop there. Well, when you zoom out, this is what I read.

5 be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

6 So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

Talk about God speaking. It couldn’t get any more clear. This is exactly what I needed to see. I have said before, when things get rough, I get closer to God. I turned to God last night and got honest. He already knew my heart. So this morning he decided to put me in my place. How awesome is our God? The words that come to mind are “aw.” I’m simply in aw of our God. I read Matthew 10:37 yesterday and I really thought hard on it last night. Relationships take work. Am I doing everything I possibly can to work at my relationship with God? God shows up and breaks my heart for him. It’s great.

I ask everyone to continue to PRAY for us. PRAY for Canvas Church. The church is not the building, it’s the flippin’ people! PRAY!

Canvas Band Auditions

Its out now. I have been working lately on getting band audition information together for Canvas and its finally finished. I think I’ve got everything ready to go, but there are still some things to work out. On November 2nd at 1:00pm, we will be having band auditions for Canvas. We will be holding these auditions at Calvary Baptist Church. My buddy who is the youth pastor there has graciously offered his youth room for us to use. The information can be found on the Canvas website under Elevate.

A company we’re looking at teaming up with to purchase equipment through has given us an opportunity to demo some equipment for this event. I’m truly excited. I’m even more excited to see the talent. God has given us all gifts that he wants us to use for his purpose. So, if you have any musical talent, come to auditions. We want to see what you got. Visit the website for all the details.

In a world where things change all the time, be watching the website and this blog in case something does change. I don’t anticipate anything, but you never know.

Interesting Thought

Last night I got a chance to hear my buddy Jeremy speak at the church he serves at. First off, worship was amazing. Richard did an awesome job with he and his acoustic. It sounded amazing and it was absolutely intimate. I haven’t worshiped like that in a while.

Anyway, Jeremy began to speak. He brought a wonderful message, but the one thing that stuck in my head was this. ‘Many people go to Jesus like a vending machine, sticking whatever change they have in their pockets, pushing some buttons and expecting to get what they want out of it.’ Wow. It makes me think about prayer specifically. When I pray, it is so common that I say God “bless me” with this or something similar. That’s stupid. So last night, April and I spent a few moments in prayer and I just stopped. I thought about what Jeremy said with the vending machine. I stopped and simply counted my blessings. I praised God for the simple things, the things I take advantage of so often. So many people don’t have what many of us DO have, so I simply PRAISED God. I don’t want to be one of those people that go to Jesus, sticking some “spare” change in and expect to get something in return.

I just wanted to share that thought. It challenged me. I like things that do that. Take me out of the box and make an example out of me.

God Speaks Clearly, Again

Within the past 12 hours, something happened. I’m not going to discuss it, but it caused me to become upset. This morning I got to work and like usual, I turned on Air1 radio online. I have to have music or else this silence kills me. Now I don’t usually listen to Christian radio because most Christian radio stations are too stuck in their “christian bubble,” but this one is different and they play awesome music.

Anyway, on their website, they post a daily Bible verse. I go by this every day, but for some reason I actually read it today. It was James 4:10. I read this a couple of times and each time I just felt a sense of calmness come over me. It was as if God told me to let it go, get the heck over it and move on, He is bigger and far more important.

I’m not the type of person that “reads God’s signs” because I just suck at that. Some people can see God in the clouds or the way something smells…nope, not me. I have to have it very plain and clear. Well, it doesn’t get any clearer than that. He puts in WRITING. I then went back and read the other verses of that chapter. Put pride aside and become humble. It was then that I stopped my “busy schedule” and read, that He told me to let it go and get the heck over it because He is God and is FAR greater than any stupid thing that would pis…upset me. The presence of God is flippin’ awesome. Whether it was the verse that spoke to me or the fact that I actually stopped and read the verse long enough for God to do His thing, or both, who cares. The fact is I LISTENED to God this morning and He embraced me. God is amazing. I love it when He does that.

So, there it is, there is God speaking clearly, again…

What An Experience

WOW!! I just had an awesome opportunity/experience. For those who don’t know, I work at the Baptist Center here in Savannah. Today is food day and many people walk in wanting food. A lady and her grandson walked in a little while ago. I figured they wanted food, but she said she wanted someone to pray with her. Usually I would direct someone to her that would typically handle this situation, however no one was here but the office staff. Myself and another administrative assistant walked out, held her hands and prayed with her. She didn’t tell us the details, but only that she had been called to preach four weeks ago and that she has had nothing but attacks on her and her family. The pain was evident.

We sat there and prayed with this woman that we have NEVER met before and simply talked to God. I have never done that with anyone before. Usually its people you know, but it was a whole new experience this time. I didn’t know what to say, but all the sudden it hit me. It is times like these when its hard and ugly when you can see God’s blessing and presence the most. As we spoke words to her, she broke down.

This was an awesome experience and a phenomenal opportunity! It was new and I look forward to more opportunities like these.

Its Been a Year

In just a few days, it will be one year since I was told about Canvas Church (It was actually called ABC Church because we didn’t have a name yet). I went to eat with Mikey and Doug at O’Charley’s in Villa Rica. I was told about the infamous trip to Utah that about trapped Mikey and Doug just weeks before. I sat there listening to Doug and everything starting making sense. Another story for another time, but I remember thinking about how much I was fighting God at the time. I knew He was doing something in me, but didn’t know what. Now, it started to make sense. I was astonished at what was happening. Honestly, I thought he was flipping crazy…still do. You can’t plant a church and not be. BUT, I know after working with Doug for a while now, he is a man that can make things happen because he is a man of God who listens to Him.

I am just amazed at all that has happened over the past year. I’m married and in Savannah helping start this thing. I praise God for the opportunity to serve Him in this magnitude. I like Savannah alot better than Salt Lake City.