new blog....

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I just got bored with writing about my own life, so I wanted to write about something with a little more meat to it. It's a concept that changed my walk with Christ forever. People wonder how I walk with God... this might explain it.

New Youth Room

Finally... and I mean FINALLY we finished the floor of the youth room. It looks awesome!

We have a few more things to do, but I feel blessed that we have the resources to create a great environment for students.

How It Came Together...

About 20 minutes before yesterday's morning service I was panicking. I'll be honest, a series of events made it so our worship band was just not ready. We started late (for a good reason), Daniel broke a string, and we were already playing catch-up with our drummer, Jim, who could not practice the night before. The great thing about the band is they have enjoyed making better and better music... however it's up to me to say, "Guys, people are starting to show up... we're done."

After we finished, I went into my office to get away from everyone. I knew we had about 10 minutes before the service started, but I didn't care. I closed the door, got on my knees, and simply said, "God, there is no way this service will run smooth without you taking control... so please do something great." Now I pray before practice, after practice, and throughout the week about our worship music, but this felt different. It was more a prayer of surrender.

To make a long story short, I was pleasantly surprised at every point of the service yesterday how God pieced things together. Then I noticed how many people were there. I knew it was a lot, but I didn't realize it was the most people we've ever had on a non-special event day (Easter, VBS Sunday, etc.). Funny how things come together when God wants them to.

We are moving forward at a rapid pace at our church, and it's awesome.

Sweet Summer Memory

I awoke this morning to hitting the snooze bar twice... After the second time I started thinking about how I spent my summers in college. Honestly, my heart warmed when I thought about the routine I had and I couldn't help but get out of bed. When I turned on the TV to "Sunrise Earth", which I do most mornings, it showed summers in New England on the water. Talk about Irony.

For all I complain about the cold of Connecticut and New England, the months of June/July/August are simply the most beautiful anywhere. It takes awhile to get permanently warm, but when it is, it is amazing for like 10-12 weeks.

Most of my summers I taught tennis at a local country club. I loved working with the kids, and the staff made me laugh. I would start at 8am and I would end around 4pm. The whole day smelled of salt in the air, because the country club was on the water.

It was after work I would enjoy spending time with some friends. Those friends varied over the years, but in my final two years in college my friend Chris, who had become a Pastor, started a young adult / college group. It started with about 15 of us meeting at his house, grilling food on a Wednesday night, and worshiping/praying while we talked about relevant topics in our walk with Christ. My sister was a part of this group as well, which made it more fun, because it was around that time we became close.

And this is what I was thinking about this morning. I remember what it was like to be at a point in life where the possibilities were endless. The road was wide open to decide what each of us wanted to do or where we could go. In that group we have people who are now all over the country (California, Florida, Georgia, New York, more New York, Mexico, Arizona, and of course South Carolina). What I love most is that almost all of us ended up serving in ministry in one way or another, which was a sign for the quality of what we were a part of.

I look at that and want to create that culture at our church. I think about kids who are already in college and my youth who will one day enter college, and I want them to have a community that challenges them and allows them to grow in the midst of what is often the deepest time of searching in ones life. After all, what's the point of doing youth ministry? If it's to establish a real adult relationship with Jesus Christ, then when my youth are adults, they need a culture to enter that challenges them like they are adult followers of Christ.

My wife and I are buying a home next month, and some people may not believe me when I say this, but we're not getting it for us. Not really... We're getting it for our kids (one we have and for the one that we hope one day is to come). We're also getting it so we have a place to create further community with people. This is like our biggest dream. If it was just the two of us, and we didn't enjoy the joy of being in ministry, we'd live in a little two-room bungalow on the water. Well, that's what I'd do at least.

Stalling...

I remember the first time I stalled a car at a light. People behind me honked at me (that's what rude people up north do) while I turned the car back on and used the old "emergency brake" trick to keep from rolling backwards.

Some weeks feel like that and this is one of those weeks. It's as if every time I have the energy to work hard on a new idea something out of my control happens to keep me from moving forward. Every other week things will be fine. This week it was my daughter, Charlotte, getting sick. God knows I love her, but if I don't think I've eaten much food this week due to the constant smell of diarrhea diapers being changed throughout the day (and night). She's feeling better today, but it's Thursday... THURSDAY!!!

Life has a funny way of testing patience.

The difficulty always remains keeping the energy for what I'm trying to due, even when life stalls. It's hard, no doubt, but my constant prayer to God is to keep me moving forward all the time.

Worship Music

I'm not sure when it happened, but I know it was after I graduated college...

Worship music has shifted and changed. I remember the Passion movement back in the mid 90's, which carried for over 10 years. Artists like Charlie Hall, David Crowder, and Chris Tomlin began making hit worship song after hit worship song. The style of the music these worship artists put out was acoustic driven, somewhat singer/song-writer music influenced by the new alternative rock movement of the early 90's. Other worship artists followed their lead. At the same time, there were small factions of worship music out there that attempted to be bluesy or "rock an' roll". They didn't get very far, but there were a few artists.

As worship music has progressed I've noticed an undeniable shift in where the center of worship is now located. It used to be the California (the home of the Passion movement). Now, it's in Australia. Who would have predicted that 10 years ago?

I remember the first time I saw a Hillsong video. I was honestly confused. I didn't understand how there were so many young, normal-looking people at a worship service (not that anyone is normal, but you catch my drift). I was even more confused when I didn't know any of the music. That was probably 2004.

When I took a job in Connecticut (a place void of all new worship music), I missed being on the front of the change that took place from probably 2004-Today. Hillsong and Hillsong United quickly became the center of Worship Music in the world. In other words, I believe if there was a giant worship service for all the Christians in the world, they would be the ones leading music. Now, I still believe Chris Tomlin is a close second, but after attending conferences and churches that are leading a next-generation movement, it is clear that the common worship language is being scripted by this Australian "Worship School".

This forces me to ask the question... what's next? Yes, I love this movement... but it will end eventually. So... what's next?

Whatever it is, older people won't like it. They never do. I pray I'm not one of those "older people" when it happens.

Overload...

I realized I haven't blogged lately because there is so much going on.

For one, I hit a 45 on 9 holes today. More important, I didn't lose my ball. This is a giant accomplishment for me.

Golf has become a regular part of my Thursday routine. I am often reluctant to enjoy something in life that brings such an enormous amount of pleasure, but it honestly sets the tone for the next three days (my biggest work days). I feel even better about playing golf after a speaker at the conference I went to last week commanded (yes, commanded) pastors to have more open time with their week. He uses golf to relax each week, so I think I'll continue with my routine. Besides, it's a great time for me to spend time with a couple of the young adult guys from the church.

Speaking of the conference, I attended Catalyst at North Point in Atlanta. There's waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much stuff to put in this blog about what I experienced, but in a single word... AWESOME.

Now... Back to American Idol. Sad, but I'm addicted. Every year this happens.