Seven Pounds....

So Laur and I went on a wonderful date last night... 

We went to BW's.. (Thank you Breana!!) Our server was late, so the hostess actually ended up getting us our drinks... taking our orders... getting us refills... she pretty much did as much as our server, who ended up not even being the server we were supposed to have... so we gave the hostess a tip almost equal to what we gave our server, since she did as much! It was fun :-) 

Then we went to see Seven Pounds... Will Smith's new movie... This was super fun because Laur and I hadn't been to the movie theater in FOREVER!!!!!!! I figured out what exactly was going on in this movie about 30 minutes into the movie... cause it's supposed to be a "secret" until the end what the gifts are that he is giving... but i realized it... It was a good movie except for one thing... It was produced by the same person that produced "Pursuit of Happyness"... that movie is super sad all the way through, until like the last 10 minutes! So by the time the movie is over you WANT to be happy... but all your energy is spent being sad the entire movie, so you can't be happy!  Well in Seven Pounds you love the movie and are so happy (unless you know how it's going to end, like I did, in which case I was pretty bummed for most of the movie) until the end and you are like shocked stupid and just want to cry your eyes out... So, i'm convinced this producer just wants everyone to be sad... he must be a sad person himself... angry at the world for some reason... good movie none-the-less....it's a very touching movie... seriously... i came closer to crying in that movie than I have in just about any other...  

So... my words of wisdom from last night... Tip your hostess well, she may be your server some day... Seven Pounds= good movie, be ready to cry... 

I LOVE DATES WITH MY WIFE!!

Greater things.......................................

Been toooooo long....

So, it's been a LONG time since I posted anything here... I really don't know where to start because there is SO much that I could say... so, quick update, I'll hit the high points and just leave it be until my next post....

We completely remodeled our facility... we took out the ceiling in our lobby, so it was raised up about 10ft to the actually roof of the building... built a new wall, took out two walls and created a new children's room.... in one week... it was wicked crazy...

The Sunday after our remodel I found the following guitar on my stand..

it's pretty stinking amazing!! Merry Christmas from the church! :-) 

We had 50 at our Christmas Eve service... we were hoping for 20... following the service we went and delivered presents to the kids that we bought gifts for. That was loads of fun!! 

Laur and I had a crazy busy Christmas... drove a lot between J-town and T-town... but it was fun! Annnnd I guess that's about all I got for now!! 

Greater Things are Yet to Come!

What a ride...

Well... it's started to slow down now... we have slowly gone from 140 to 80... That's ok though... It would be amazing if we stayed at 140, or continued from that number to grow. 80 is still a great number to have for a brand spankin new church...

Our past few Sunday's haven't gone very smooth... part of me wonders if that's the reason for the drop... i don't know... it just seems like we go over stuff over and over... and it just won't come out the way that it was supposed to...

Last Sunday was a roller coaster of emotions for me... it was an extremly frustrating Sunday due to people committing, then backing out... then deciding they had committed to be there so they are going to stick around... this all from one person... had a text come in at 8 am from one of the band members backing out on THAT Sunday... then later (after practice that Sunday) we find out he IS coming... if it hadn't been for Heath he probably wouldn't have played...

The electric guitarist and bassist for this Sunday are two guys that have never played with us before... that should be interesting... I'm so ready to get musicians that are committed to being there each and every Sunday... and I don't have to hope and pray that they don't text me 2 hrs before the service to tell me they aren't going to be there...

We had a guy come in from what could be considered our "mentor church." He was amazed at where we were... He said, out of the new church plants that he has been to, out of those that had not been sponsored by another church, we were the farthest along that he had seen. That's pretty awesome... He gave some good suggestions for the church overall... and some for the band... he did say that the band (and myself) are doing a great job! So that's pretty sweet...

We go to two services this coming Sunday! That should be interesting, fun, draining... and a whole host of other emotions that come to mind when I remember my two service days at Victory... Hopefully... because I enjoy what I'm doing more it won't have the same drain on my system as it did back then...

Wow... long post! Sorry!! Thanks for not just turning me off! :-)

Greater things are yet to come!

Change is Here!

Yep... change... it's a crazy thing... some people like it... others dread the thought... Obviously those at Ignite are all about change! That's kind of exciting... i kind of like change myself... depending on what it is of course... I'm not incredibly stoked about the change our nation is about to go through... but oh well... "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free..." That's what being an American is all about any way, right? Freeeeedddoooooommmmmm!!! (To quote a great movie!) 

So, 135... we changed our total at the church from 125 the first week to 135 last Sunday... Wk. 2... 7 people changed their lives wk 1 by accepting Christ... 11 changed lives wk 2... I like God... :-)

Tonight's practice... well... let's just say there were a LOT of things that I would have liked to have change about tonight's practice.. that's why we are practicing again... Saturday... 8 am... blah... As Heath said earlier tonight "I can't wait until you are done with school!" My goodness I can't either! Be able to focus so much more on the church! That's gonna be amazing!! 

As we talk about in Field Experience so often.. and as Tim Mahn (my mentor) and I have talked about before... I severely dislike where I am with my life... I'm stuck in the middle of the man I was and the man I want to be... 

the man I was = full time student just trying to make it by... 

the man I want to be = full time husband to my wife and full time worship minister at a church

the man I am = full time student trying to work as much as possible at The Home Depot to support his full time wife, while at the same time working a ministry that he so wants to throw his entire life into but can't because of his full time studentship and part time Home Depot-ship.

See what I mean? It's a very awkward and rough position to be in... i'm SO beyond ready for this stage to end (change to come) and for me to finally get to where I am working full time as the man i want to be.

One more semester... I will be done with 5 years of college in one more semester.. THAT will be a change! And it could not have come at a better time!!

ANYWAY enough rambling!!

Change... in 3 weeks we are going to 2 services at the church!! Our Children's area is just getting to crowded... and our Children's area is one of the HUGE focuses of our church... that will be a change... it will make for very long Sunday's... but i think it'll be fun! Anywho... i guess that's all I have now! I'm gonna go change my clothes and get to bed! Adios!

Greater things are yet to come!

Will they kick me out if I wear my ear rings?

There is one guy at work... we will call him Bill for now... that it seems like every time I talk to him he ask me if I have any single friends... or if Lauren has any single friends... and no matter how many times I seem to tell him no he always asks... At least once every week or so...

you see, said guy is relatively recently divorced and he is looking for companionship... his wife took the hole in his heart that she filled and tore it apart from the inside out... granted, i've only heard one side of the story, but either way, he's hurting. He searching for SOMETHING.

Heath and I stood talking to him for a few minutes the other day, so he knows about the church. And for some WEIRD reason.. the first thing he asked me when i saw him yesterday was "How did services go?" I had no idea what he was talking about! Simply because I never expected him to actually care that I was starting a church. Bill is far from religious. He's a semi-bad biker dude. I think deep down he wants to be "badder" than he is, but in the end can't be because of his personality. (Kind of like my wanting to be a rock star!)

"How did the services go?"
"What services?"
"Don't 'what services?' me! How did it go on Sunday?"
"Oh! It went great!"

Rough idea of the conversation we had... i never expected him to ask about the church again, unless I brought it up... but no.. he brought it up... So we got to talkin... he said he wanted to come, but ended up chickening out, cause he was on his bike that weekend and decided it was too cold to come.

And then he asked it... "Will they kick me out if I wear my ear rings?"

My heart sunk. Each time I hear him ask it in my mind my heart sinks further. What has the church become? His concern is so correct it tears me to shreds. There are churches in this town that truly would kick Bill out simply because of his ear rings.

Todd Agnew... what an amazing lyricist...

"Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud"

So, I ask again, what has the church become? I hate to say it, but Todd is so close to the truth that it hurts... and yet... there is hope... a glimmer of light in the distance...

I loved being able to tell him that he had better leave them in, cause that's who he is! "Heck no! Heath has like, 6 tattoos! Why would we not let you wear ear rings?!"

Todd Agnew again...

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Accosted= confronted... challenged...
Do we challenge that comfortable?

"Oh yeah! I took a mission trip to mexico last summer! I broke way out of my comfort zone!!"

I looked the other way as I left Walmart, because I know she always stands there with her sign... When that person yelled my name I pretended I didn't hear...
I slept just five minutes longer, instead of praying or reading my Bible for those five extra minutes...
I moved to a different row last Sunday because a first time visitor was in the seat next to where I always sit...
Sure, I love the poor... when they live a thousand miles away from where I live...
The second I saw them coming into the church I thought "Why are they here? I know what they are [fill in the blank]" an alcoholic, a drugee, recently divorced, porn addict, chain smoker, an adulterer, cheater, lier, thief....

What has the church become?


God, do greater things in OUR lives so we can do greater things in theirs!

p.s. If you have the last thought on Sunday as you see someone come into your church... feel free to send them to ours! 7th and Virginia, 10 am... We'll take 'em!!

Yes you can wear your ear rings!!!!!!!

Launching 101

What I learned from launching a church...

1. Spending 5 hrs at school and 10 hrs at church two days in a row is not the most amazing thing on a new marriage.
2. Being able to celebrate the very first service of a new church with your wife is an amazing thing!
3. Find committed musicians, so they can be there every week, not one week on, one week off.
4. I get crazy nervous, to the point I can't even talk because I feel like I am about to explode, when this happens, find a time to be alone.
5. Practice makes perfect, but nerves can take that perfection and make it look like nectefroip. It's all there, but it doesn't look anything like it should.
6. I love hearing the voices of God's people sing to him, and I can't believe God has allowed me to be a lead worshipper.
   
7. Lauren being right next to me helps calm "post-nervous feeling" nerves.
8. I want to be a rock star.
9. There is a hurting side of Joplin that no one sees. Recovering addicts... people burned by the church... ministers burned by the church... people who are shunned because they look funny... People just looking for something different. I met all of these today. My heart went out for them in a way I never knew before.
10. Life-on-life with people is an amazing thing. I love hearing people stories about how they are "looking for the right church." And I love it even more when after the service they have found it.
11. There are numerous churches in Joplin that don't ask a visitors name. We were the first church to ask Teneza's. She's been church searching since moving here in June. We were the first to ask her name........!!!!!!!!!!!
12. Aaron Payne and Joanna Gardner (soon to be Payne) are awesome.
13. Even though ^they^ hound me about doing things I know I shouldn't, but still do.
14. Full time ministry is the life for me.

I'm sure there is so much more that I have learned, these are just the things that have gone through my mind since this morning. There is so much more to digest though!!

All in all... an amazing day! Music went pretty well... 80ish in the main room + 31 kids + kids workers = 125. First Sunday... Brand stinkin new church and we are already averaging what just about every church I have attended over the last 5 years is averaging. Granted one Sunday isn't an "average" but with all the people that said they'd be back.... plus the people they are going to drag with them next Sunday, i'd say we are looking pretty good!

Number one lesson--- God is freaking amazing for doing everything he does as only he can. Thank you, Father! Continue to work in and through me to reach the hurting in Joplin!
Number two lesson--- Lauren is freaking amazing for allowing me to be 100% focused on just about everything except her these last 3-4 days. Thank you, Princess! I will love you forever!

Greater things have begun...

Lights... Sound... ACTION!

So, this coming Sunday is our BIG launch!! 30,000 postcards have been mailed out... Heath (lead pastor) said he's been getting calls about being coming to the service on Sunday!! I can't believe that we are finally here!! Wed night and Thursday all day we are going to be getting all the lights and sound stuff plugged in... it'll probably be..... scratch that... it will be the most amazing sound system i've ever plugged into... and the most amazing lighting system I've ever played under!! (exception is possibly OCC Chapel, but this stuff even rivals theirs!!) I'm REALLY looking forward to being up there all day the next two days!! I just love putting my time in at the church!! I always have, since I was in high school even... I loved getting to run lights, powerpoint, and sometimes some sound in the youth group @ First Baptist, BA... and I loved doing the same at Riverveiw... There's just something about the church atmosphere that I love!! Any who... I'm gonna go check on laundry before I have to go to home depot work... blah... I can't wait till I'm full time!!

Pray for us!! Sunday @ 10:30!!

Greater Things!!

Greater Things--- just as a reminder

So, Sunday... we actually dropped by a few, but it's ok... it's not all about the numbers... no big... it was still a very good service! Had one weird happening... but i don't want to bore you with that... We started getting all of our tech stuff in a few weeks ago... welllllll most of it has now arrived!! We have subs set up... a couple of speakers... the projector is ready to go so that will be in use this Sunday!! We don't have a soundboard yet... but that will come!! Super exciting part is that by a week from Thursday we will be completely set up and ready to rock!! It's going to be AMAZING!! I'm so stoked!!

As I sat in chapel today I was thinking about how I was going to head up to the church after my last class... I just started getting so excited!! I love being there... I love working at the church... even if I am having a frustrating time because I can't figure out why a program that has worked for me a million times in the past is not working for me now! But, I'm ok with that! I just love being there! I'm really looking forward to being able to go back up there and keep working!! I'm realizing more and more how deep my passion to lead worship through music (and eventually worship many other ways) truly goes... I get so excited about upcoming Sundays... they are nothing special... it's just the excitement of being able to aid others in singing praises to our God... it's such an awesome experience... anyway...

we sang "God of This City" today in chapel... and I think it's time that I re-post the lyrics because they are so stinking good... if you have just skimmed over them in the past really read through them this time... let the words soak in... let your mind think of people you know, in YOUR city... God is the God of all cities, of all peoples....

God, may we become more passionate about seeing the lost, that you love more than we can comprehend, come to see you... BE THE GOD OF THIS CITY!!

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here

You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You Are

You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here



GOD! WE CRY OUT FOR YOU TO BRING GREATER THINGS!!!!!!!

A Foreign Concept in a Familiar Place

Have you ever done something that should come SO natural and yet yourself and everyone around you can't seem to grasp what exactly is supposed to be going on? 

So yesterday for chapel we prayer walked the campus.  I have decided that prayer walking is something completely foreign to Americans while not on a mission trip.  I remember when I was living in Argentina and we would have groups come down from Bellevue in Memphis.  One of the first things we would do when arriving in a new town we were to minister to was prayer walk.  So this "(spiritual) exercise" was nothing new to me.  However, it seemed that once the leader dismissed us to our different stations around campush, each time in between was a catch up time... a hang out time... a "lets finish the conversation we were having before the start of chapel so rudly interrupted us." (Maybe not that extreme, but you get my point...) And it was SO frustrating... a Christian College campus- supposed to be taking these few minutes to prayer walk for our school, nation and so much more, and yet we can't wait 30 minutes to talk to our friends? I mean, come on! It's a Prayer Walk.  Emphasis on the prayer part!! 

So as we are walking between stations I am thinking about this- how it's so frustrating that people don't grasp this concept and it reminded me of a story in the bible... Found in Luke 18.... 

"The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'"

God, I thank you that I am not like these other Christians- they talk, joke, can't focus for 30 minutes- or even like this freshman.  I can pray for thirty minutes... while i'm walking! 

Ha! What a realization that was!! I spent most of the time between the first two stations thinking about how we don't really know how to prayer walk in the U.S. and how it was frustrating on a Christian campus (full of leaders) that we couldn't focus on God for 30 minutes and how I was going to vent about it on my blog... Yeah... I felt stupid, so I corrected my attitude.

Lessons learned- I still think that it's sad that a campus at a college for Christian minister's can't focus and prayer walk for 30-45 minutes.  I need to learn to focus better.

In other news---- We had 52 on Sunday morning!! That's a jump of ten!! Already! in two services!!! We have a drummer playing with us on Sunday!! That's way exciting! Annnd I'm hopefully going to meet with someone who can play bass to find out if we can get him over here!! If we can then that will be the "base band" that I wanted to launch with on October 26th! So that would be WAY sweet if it happens!! Otherwise, we will make due!! We have started getting in all of our lights and sound stuff! THAT is way exciting!! God is already moving!! It's awesome!! I cannot WAIT for this Sunday to see what He's going to do!!

So, I'm riding my bike to class today- so I need to go!! Adios!!

Greater things!

3....2.....1.... BLAST OFF!!!!!

Annnd they're off like a herd of turtles!!!!!!

First service today!! I feel like it went REALLY well!! It was short and sweet and lots of fun! We had about 25-30 people there (depends on if you count the little ones or not!).  I'd say that's pretty good considering we haven't advertised at all (YET!).  There were about 10ish people there who were not part of the launch team- just some people that had been invited and showed up, so that's cool!  

I met with the guy who will be playing elec guitar for us (most likely, he plays bass as well... so we may use him there some...).  He seems like a pretty cool kid, he's gonna play next Sunday! So that's all that's on my mind! Adios!

Greater things are here!!
and yet...
Greater things are yet to come!  STILL!

Getting Closer!!

Ahh the smell of paint, carpet glue, drills running at full speed, oil from the nail gun and so much more! And the sound? A "violent wind" rushing into that place at God comes!  He is already doing so much in providing for us!! It's amazing!! TOMORROW we have our first service!! I am getting so anxious and excited!! We have a sign now by the way! That's pretty sweet! :-p Anyway... homework to be done and breakfasts to be made!! I better go!!

Tomorrow!!!!!!!!

Great things!!!!!

T - 4 and counting!!

Oh man!! We are SO close to launching this thing!! It's getting pretty exciting!! I haven't been able to swing by the church for the last couple of days because of stinking work, but I'm hoping to get to today just to check on things, see how they are coming! It looks like I'm going to be flying solo the for a few weeks, which is ok... I really wish I had more time so I could focus on getting the band together... It just makes me desire more and more the days that I will be in ministry full time and won't have to worry about school or my other job... We have chairs now!! That's exciting! Annnnd, I'm not sure what all else has gone down since I was last there on Sunday, but hopefully the others have been productive!! Anyway... I gotta get! Things to do before I head to class!!

Greater things are still to be done in this city!!!!

"Mini-service"

So today i got a text from Heath at like 9 a.m. Lauren and I were getting ready to go to Cornerstone and i get this text saying that they are going to be at the church today at 10:30 just to have a small service and lunch and all that jazz! So Lauren and I went!! The "service" went well I think... It was pretty much the four main families that are starting the church so it was a small group, but that didn't matter... I played a couple songs and Heath gave a "message"... more of a "here is why we are here" message, just to get everyone on the same page and it was really cool... The more I am with these people and the more I hear Heath's heart the more I am SO glad Lauren and I decided to take this giant leap of faith and take part in this!!

The stage is almost done being expanded and part of the sound booth is built! It's all coming together and the excitement level rises a little more each time I step foot into the building! I'm out of words....

Greater things are yet to come
Greater things are still to be done in this city!!

A few random comments...

Ya know how right after Facebook started (and I guess even still) you would hear something and be like "oh! That is TOTALLY a Facebook quote!!" well... I have come to the point where I am like... "Oh! That is TOTALLY going on the blog!" So here we go...

Tonight I was handed a tract... this bothers me for two reasons... first off, it makes me critical of myself... i get to thinking about why they are handing the the tract... it's because obviously the person thinks I am lost. Why do they think this? Am I not outpouring Christ enough? Do I really just appear to be happy simply because I enjoy life? So maybe I need to work on Christ being seen in my life more... I don't know... the second reason it bothers me is this... I am always handed a tract when I am the nicest it seems... Does the person just think "Hey, they are nice, they will be receptive" or as Robert put it "They are nice! They'll fit in well." WHY do they hand me a tract when I am nice?!?! I don't get it! Shouldn't the assumption if I am being overly nice be "Wow, they must be a Christian because they are being so nice." I don't understand!!!

I was listening to the radio tonight and apparently according to real estate agents if you live near a Starbucks it raises the value of your house... What have we become?

I saw a opossum running across the road just before I pulled into my apt complex, made me think of the days when I saw them in my 'hood in B.A. Ah... Part of me misses those days... Then the other part of me slaps that part and says, "What are you thinking?! You are married!!"


Greater things!

What I Just Learned

Senate Bill 991 establishes the ice cream cone as the official state dessert....

Ahh the joys of living in Missouri!!!! :-)



----------------
Now playing: Barney - Do Your Ears Hang Low?
via FoxyTunes

Coming along nicely...

Well... I really feel like we are finally getting the building up and ready to go!! The foyer is completely painted!! That''s exciting!! Heath (the lead pastor) and I tore up the carpet in the foyer today... we are just gonna put down an epoxy for the floor... we are going to have a little coffee shop, so the epoxy will make it easy to clean up in case of spills and such... the auditorium is completely painted as well!! The stage is currently being torn apart so that we can make it larger! Annnd I have one worship set ready to go for the most part. And I have another being formed to which I need to add one or two more songs<--- this one I'm WAY excited about because so far each of the songs just roll right into eachother!! It's gonna be great! Not sharing what it is just yet though! Gotta wait until my idea has fully marinated and is ready to be used! So anyway... I believe that is just about it for now!!

Greater Things!!!!!!!

The rest of the tour!

Here we go! This is the "Foyer" greeting area! Just to the right you can barely see a door that leads into the main room....






"Behind us" is the door to the main room, you are seeing the main entry door, facing Virginia street, for those of you that know JoMo. The open door on the left leads to the children's church room...






"Behind us" is the main entry door! The double doors lead to the main room... Behind the pole is one of the kids rooms, the next opening leads to an open room and the bathroom... the open door on the far right is the children's church room!




This is the children's church room. At the end to the left is a door to the nursery... I'm standing in the foyer.




Children's Church room from the opposite side... the open door leads to the foyer....



This is the Nursery (Which my wonderful wife Primed ALLL by herself and did an AMAZING job!)... Door in front leads to main room, door on left to the pre-school room (a.k.a. the Rainbow room)




Hence the name! The preschool/Rainbow room! Open door is the foyer... (This is the doorway I was standing in in the first pic... also the doorway hidden by the pole in the third pic...)




Pic from the same doorway, turned around... this is the nursery... as far as the curtain goes... this building is actually in between two office buildings... there is a door that leads into the offices next to us... kinda weird, but will be good whenever we start to grow!! :-) ;-)



Rainbow room from the doorway that leads into the foyer...




This is the "open room" and bathroom mentioned in the third pic... yes... ONE bathroom! We are eventually going to turn this open room into another bathroom!



And lastly... this is from the opposite corner of the open room facing into the foyer!!


Ok! SO! Now that you are completely confused as to how this church looks you should come by and visit!! :-) 7th and Virginia... Septempber 28th... 10.30-11.30!

Greater Things are yet to come!

More Painting... and Pictures!

So, today I went and painted for about 2 more hours... I have plans of going and painting more tomorrow... Yeaaa!! I took some pictures of the main room w/ my phone today... It's not the greatest quality but it'll give you at least some idea of what this place looks like and how it has evolved since we first moved in... imagine the walls completely white when we first came in... and it has now changed to this over the last three days... and will change even more drastically as time goes on!! I'll get some pics of the other rooms tomorrow when I'm up there!


This is the front left (stage right) of the room... there are what could be two little offices just to the left of the stage... one has a funky padded room... i tried to take pics but the bulbs were out and the flash on my camera wasn't good enough. I'll show you once we get some light back there... it's pretty wierd.





This is from the stage... the door you see is the main door into the room. Out this door is the lobby and the main entrance into the building...





Once again, from the stage, this time to the left. The main door is on the right hand side. The door on the left leads into what will be the nursery (Lauren and I think, if we remember correctly!).






Another shot from the back of the room, about where the tech booth will be. The open door on the left leads to the "offices." The closed door just to the left of the stage leads to backstage... it's pretty trashed right now, but I have dreams of cleaning it up one day!



The green-ish color you see is the color we are painting it... it's actually called "Cannon Grey," it's a pretty sweet color... anywho! That's about it for now! Adios!

Greater things are yet to come!

3...2...1... PAINT OFF!!!

So you may be asking yourself, "What is the reason for this blog?"  Well good question! First off, I wanted to start one because of the new adventure my wife and I are taking in our life! Secondly, it fulfills the requirements for one of my classes in school this semester!! Thirdly, I want to keep a bunch of people up to date w/out telling the story half-a-zillion times!! So here we go!

The new adventure? Helping start a church! About 2 weeks ago my wife and I were approached about helping start a church, obviously we decided it was the direction God wanted us to take. Name of the church? IgniteChurch (www.IgniteChurch.tv).  Our purpose is to reach out to the people who wouldn't normally enter a church... In everything we do we will try to relate to the people around us... We ditch the traditions (except the important ones, communion and such) and make our services relevant to the world around us... Seeker-Oriented is the term that I like (stolen from Annie Ruble). 

Today was our first day in the building and what did we do? Painted!! Yeaaaa painting!! Lauren and I met a lot of new people, all who will be involved at Ignite C. We are all REALLY excited to get this thing rolling just to see what God is going to do. I already have a feeling that it is going to be great... One song keeps on coming up in services that I have been attending and I am going to close this first post with the lyrics from that... If you can, please remember us in prayer! We will take all the help we can get!! 

God of This City- BlueTree

You're the God of this city

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation

You Are

For there is no one like our God

There is no one like our God

Great things have yet to come

Greater things are still to be done

In this city

You're the Lord of Creation

The Creator of all things

You're the King above all Kings

You are

You're the strength in our weakness

You're the love to the broken

You're the joy in the sadness

You are

Greater things have yet to come

Greater things are still to be done

In this city

Where glory shines from hearts alive

With praise for you and love for you

In this city

Greater things have yet to come

Greater things are still to be done here