Thursday, December 16, 2010

Why I'm Excited...by Janet Oberholtzer

Over the next six weeks, members of the Discovery Church leadership team (the elders and the staff) will be sharing some of what has them so excited about partnering with One Life. Our third installment has been written by Janet Oberholtzer. Janet serves as the Small Groups Director and Other Titles as Assigned when she has the microphone.

I think one of the things I’m most excited about is the change I’ve seen in my heart as I’ve entered into this process. When Trey first suggested the idea to me, I was hesitant. I wasn’t sure about what One Life was all about or who their leaders were. I wasn’t excited about leaving the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. God has brought me past my initial hesitancies to willingly and whole heartedly say “Yes!” Here’s a little bit about how that happened,

My first introduction to One Life was at a preview service in October. I saw there that God had done incredible things to bring the church body together and provide the venue. From what I saw and heard that night, I sensed a church with a heart and vision similar to that of Discovery. I then learned that God blessed their first Sunday morning service with nearly a thousand people. I was excited to keep my eye on this congregation and what God was doing in her midst. Later that week, we met with a leadership team that was blown away by what God had done, grappling with what that meant in their personal and professional life and wondering what God would do next outside of the four walls of their facility in Henderson. At that point enthusiasm was high, but how Discovery could be involved was yet to be discerned.

As leaders from both sides continued to pray about this, we continued to ponder “What if?” My hesitancies about leaving the EPC began to fade as I saw the strength, wisdom and humilty of the leadership of One Life. I saw men with a heart to build God’s kingdom, not their own, men who have a track record of being faithful leaders and servants. While being with a denomination ties a church to a rich tradition and offers accountability, serving under a group of leaders who have walked with God for years and hold each other accountable is also a gift.

I’d kind of felt like Discovery was “at capacity” with our current infrastructure and resources, I think we all have great dreams for the future; however the future seems a bit far and distant as we look at our current reality. Linking arms with One Life feels like tapping into synergy (a force created by two entities that is stronger than each one could do individually). Instead of developing our own small group, teaching and mission strategies, we could plug into an existing plan and focus our energies uniquely on the West Side of Evansville.

What draws my heart most about the Westside is USI. I was thrilled when I learned of the heart that One Life leadership has for reaching out to students at USI and excited when I realized that my ten years of working in collegiate ministry could be utilized in helping us reach out to university students if only I had time and resources to focus.

In short, (perhaps too late to say?), as I thought about where we want to go as Discovery and I thought about where God is leading One Life, I saw a common vision and direction. There may be some logistical and technical differences, but the heart is the same. As I think about the thousands of students that will come and go from USI every four years, wondering if they will have the opportunity to hear the gospel, I thought how could we not link arms with One Life and give this a shot? Sure, we may lose some things in the transition, but when I think about what we can do for the kingdom of God together, I can’t imagine not taking the risk. I think our unification honors Christ and his church, his church for which he endured birth, suffering and death. His Church for which He rose again. His church which He will be coming again to claim as His own. May God be glorified and honored above all else as we contemplate this decision.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Why I'm Excited...by Jack Young

Over the next six weeks, members of the Discovery Church leadership team (the elders and the staff) will be sharing some of what has them so excited about partnering with One Life. Our second installment has been written by one of our elders, Jack Young. Jack was among the first people to commit to being a part of Discovery Church.


“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

I'm excited because of the vision that these two churches share. From its beginning Discovery has had a focus on the unchurched or those who do not like church. The main focus of One Life is on those that are far from God. We each have the same goal for reaching people for God. Similarly, both groups are dedicated to church planting or new church starts.

Another reason I'm excited is a bit more personal. I have a 12 year-old daughter. I know that the

teenage years are a great time to impact their faith-journey

I believe that there are a large number of youth on the Westside that are not a part of a church. I am excited about the possibilities of reaching my daughter's friends, classmates, and others like them. I'm excited about making an impact on the future of the Westside of Evansville.


“A person standing alone can be attached and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Few thoughts from a snow-filled, action-packed day:
  • Still amazed that God has allowed us at Discovery Church to partner with Uncharted International. They are doing some amazing things around the globe.
  • Thankful for Brian Kerney sharing how the PEACE plan plays a part in all that Uncharted is doing.
  • Wonder if Kerney will ever use the Twitter account I just referenced. Hm...?
  • Spent the weekend sick and on the couch. Gave me plenty of time to do research on the new head ball coach at Florida. Welcome to Gator Nation, Coach Will Muschamp.
  • Thankful for Darrin Carnahan & the rest of the worship team. Amazed by musicians who can hear a song one day and play it the next.
  • By the way, welcome Darrin to the world of Twitter. Follow him!
  • Excited for our friends at One Life. Sounds like God did some amazing things that were celebrated in baptism this week. Somewhere around 49 people baptized in two services today. Read some incredible descriptions on Facebook here.
  • Big Idea from the Sermon: God uses ordinary people to accomplish His purposes. Mary risked her whole life for the One who gave her her whole life.
  • Our family is sponsoring a child. Is yours? If not, make that one of the gifts you give this Christmas season. More info here.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

FAQs re: One Life

Since the elders of Discovery Church announced their recommendation to join the One Life Network, there have been several questions asked. Over the next few weeks, we hope to address those questions here. As always, if you have another question, feel free to let us know and we'll either answer you personally or in an upcoming FAQ.

1) Is there really a network of churches or is it just one church?
Yes, Virginia, there really is a network. On the surface, it might seem that there is only one church that is a part of this network. However, the One Life Network was designed from the very beginning to be a network the plants churches to reach unchurched, secular-minded people. The Henderson campus was the first plant of the One Life Network.

2) Are there going to be other campuses besides Henderson and Westside?
Yes. The One Life Network elders are working with a launch team that will start a new campus in Warrick County in the fall of 2011. With the launching of this new campus and the re-launch of Discovery Church, the One Life Network will grow to three sites. As God continues to lead, other sites may be added in the Tri-state area and around the world. To hear more about One Life's heart and plans for other sites, click here.

3) Why did they choose the name "One Life?"
The name comes from the idea that we all have one life, and one life only. No one knows exactly when that one life will come to an end. We should be asking the question: What matters most? What should we be doing with that one and only life? The founders of the One Life Network believe that they have the answer to that question: a true, vital, day-by-day relationship and experience with Jesus. The passion and desire of the One Life Network is to create an environment where people far from God can experience Jesus.

4) Who provides the leadership for this network?
Each local campus will have their own leadership or management team. This team will deal with the day-to-day operations of that local campus. These local teams will be led by a Campus Pastor and be accountable to the One Life Network board of elders. These mature, believing leaders are given charge to direct the affairs of the church. Among this board of elders is the Senior Pastor of One Life, Bret Nicholson.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Here's a quick look back at yesterday:
  • Some mornings it is just hard to get going. Yesterday seemed to be that way for a lot of people. The number of alarms ignored yesterday may have set some type of record.
  • So thankful for a corporate partner who is providing us with the use of a printer.
  • Our band took the week off for a variety of reasons. Dan did an awesome job covering for the rest of the gang by doing an unplugged worship set.
  • Thanks to Jordan for stepping up and filling in on Media Shout yesterday.
  • Big idea from the sermon: Reach out in faith to Jesus. Let His presence resurrect your dead and broken life.
  • Had a blast working on Project Man Cave in the afternoon. It's amazing to see the love that the Zarazee girls have for their dad. Also cool to see others chip in to make this amazing transformation happen. Hope Todd is able to enjoy many Colts victories down there.
  • Exciting time of planning and prayer last night in Warrick County. Can't wait to see what God is going to do through those who are willing to sacrifice for and serve others.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Why I'm Excited...by Kitten McClain

Over the next six weeks, members of the Discovery Church leadership team (the elders and the staff) will be sharing some of what has them so excited about partnering with One Life. Our first installment has been written by the sweet, compassionate and talented (not to mention beautiful) Kitten McClain. Kitten serves as the Director of Children's Ministries at Discovery.

As I look at joining together with One Life, I am excited about many different things. First and foremost, I am excited to see what God will do! Discovery and One Life share a common heart to reach those outside the church. One Life states they are about “helping people far from God experience Jesus.” At the heart of all we do, I pray, we are helping people experience Jesus for the first time and then in deeper and new ways!

Second, I am excited to see One Life's commitment to children. When you go to the One Life children's page, the first statement is “kids are a big deal here.” That is awesome! Kids are a big deal; in fact, they are a huge deal! I am excited to see that One Life knows this! If we can reach children and teach them about God's love at a young age, imagine the impact they can have on Evansville and the surrounding area! One Life sees children's minstry not just as a babysitting service, but as a ministry in and of itself.

Third, I am excited about the security system in the children's area. The safety and security of our children is so important. When I visit other churches, I am hesitant to leave my children with people I do not know. God has given us two beautiful little girls that I want to make sure are safe. I hope this security system would help alleviate fears as parents leave their children with us for the first time.

Finally, I am simply excited to join with this team who is passionate about reaching the greater Evansville area. There are so many people in this community who are searching for something else. I get so excited when I think about the church coming together, across the area, to reach the Tri-state and beyond. I look forward to seeing all Christ has in store!

Monday, November 29, 2010

FAQs re: Discovery Church & the EPC

1) Why did Discovery Church join the denomination in the first place?
When Discovery Church was forming, we decided very early on that we wanted to be connected to a larger network of churches. As we began evaluating potential networks to partner with, we chose to align ourselves with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). We chose the EPC because of agreement in core doctrinal teaching, how they handled essential issues vs. non-essentials, and church government.

The EPC is a Reformed denomination tracing its roots back to John Calvin and the Reformation. It looks to Scripture as a primary source of wisdom and knowledge in theological matters. It also draws on one of the great theological statements in church history, The Westminster Confession. These roots united us with church history and served as an anchor as we established our identity as a particular church.

The EPC is an evangelical denomination as well, which was equally important to our board. The core beliefs of an evangelical church center on the person and work of Jesus Christ, a high view of Scripture, and a strong belief in the gospel (euangelion in the Greek). The EPC expresses these core beliefs in its’ Essentials. In the Essentials, the denomination has complete unity. In non-essential issues (like women in ministry, spiritual gifts, etc.), the church shows a great amount of grace.

Finally, EPC churches reflect a presbyterian form of church government. They are led by elders who seek the will of God on behalf of the congregation. We did not want to place too much control in one individual (as episcopal polity might). We did not want too much control placed within the masses either (as congregational polity might). We wanted godly leaders to wrestle with the issues on behalf of the congregation.

In addition to these reasons, we loved what we saw in the Midwest Presbytery. We enjoyed the fellowship of churches working together in an area to advance the gospel. We delighted in seeing them address missions in a way that led to people going to serve others around the world. We loved that they took important issues like church discipline and ordination very seriously.

2) Is there a problem with the Presbytery or denomination that caused this?
To quote our southern friends: “Heavens no.” By no means is this recommendation rooted in a sense of failure by the Midwest Presbytery or the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in any manner.

3) If not, why are the elders recommending we seek dismissal to independence now?
The recommendation has more to do with the idea of merging into the One Life Network than as a reaction to anything EPC-related.

Several months ago, Trey met with one of the One Life elders to discuss what the Network would look like. There are several different models of networks or associations in the church-world. Some are very loosely tied together churches (like the Willow Creek Association or Life Church.tv -- Open). In these types of networks, churches come together for leadership training or might share creative elements, but maintain their own teaching, leadership, church identity. Another model would be a tighter network where churches actually joined together (or merged) and began to share the same identity (an example of this would be LifeChurch.tv -- United). In between these two ends of the spectrum are a variety of other network or associational connections. As the vision for the One Life Network was shared with Trey, the question was raised of whether Discovery Church would be interested in partnering at that level. Trey referred that question to the Discovery Church Session.

Discovery’s elders met and decided that they wanted to learn more about One Life and what the network would really look like before they made any decisions. The elders attended a preview service intended for the One Life -- Henderson Children’s ministry volunteers prior to its launch. They met a few days later with several members of the One Life board to discuss vision, mission, and strategy questions. Following that meeting, the Discovery elders each completed a SWOT analysis on the issue of merging with One Life. They determined that there were no “red flags” and would enter into a more dedicated season of prayer. At the end of that time, they met again and determined that they felt God’s leading to continue the discussion of what this merger might look like. Following another meeting with the One Life board, the Discovery elders met together, prayed, and voted unanimously to recommend that Discovery Church seek release from the Midwest Presbytery to independence so that we could merge into the One Life Network.

Again, let us reiterate: this has more to do with the sense of God leading us to partner with One Life than anything else. There is no condemnation or judgement of the Midwest Presbytery or the EPC in this recommendation.

4) What is the process for dealing with this recommendation?
One of the beauty’s of the EPC is that they have a very defined Book of Order that lays out clearly the process that guides us in the steps ahead. The first step is to notify the Presbytery about the recommendation. Trey did this on Friday, November 26th by sending an email to the stated clerk of the Presbytery. John Manon, the clerk, responded with a gracious note that the Presbytery will walk through this process with us and wishing us the Lord’s blessing and guidance.

The next step is to have a congregational meeting in which the recommendation is discussed. The Discovery Church elders have called a congregational meeting for Sunday, January 9th at 11:30 AM. The meeting will be held at Bob’s Gym West with a lunch and childcare provided. There will be no vote at this meeting. At that meeting, a second congregational meeting will be scheduled where a vote will be held. Presbytery will have the chance to have representatives at each of those meetings.

In the interim period, we hope to introduce you to the One Life leadership, give you a chance to hear their vision for ministry in the Tri-State area, and ask them your questions as well. We will also be letting you hear why our leadership team (the staff & elders) are excited about the possibilities that merging with the One Life Network would afford us. Finally, we will also be answering some frequently asked questions (FAQs) online. If you have specific questions, we encourage you to contact one of our elders.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

What a great day today at Discovery Church. Some of the highlights for me:
  • I'm always blown away by the faithfulness of our set-up team. Even though it was in the 30s this AM, they were there unloading the trailer and working hard.
  • Got to see one of my favorite persons in the world this morning. Always awesome to see Ellen, my favorite Connecticuter.
  • Our musicians are so flexible. It is always interesting to see what instruments that Dan Wilson & Nick Smith will be playing.
  • Wonder what the response to the programs formerly known as the "World's Tiniest Church Programs" was?
  • Our Childrens Ministry team does such a great job. And the leader is smokin' hot.
  • Big idea from the sermon: What is your perception of Jesus? Because how you perceive Him effects how you respond to Him.
  • Big announcement: The elders of Discovery Church have recommended that the church seeks release to independence from the EPC and then to merge into the One Life Network. We'll be answering questions about this over the next several months both in congregational meetings and via FAQs here on the blog.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

From the Mouth of Babes

This past Saturday Kitten and I were driving around town with Alyssa, our amazing 6 year-old. We were talking about getting ready for Discovery Church the next morning. She said, "You guys are teachers. I am not. I cannot teach anybody about God."

Kitten quickly responded, "You teach people about God. You can tell your friends about Him. You can teach your sister."

Alyssa rebutted, "I don't know enough about Him. All I know is that He is powerful. He knows everything and everyone. He is perfect. And He loves us."

Kitten response was perfect. "Honey, you already know more about God than a lot of adults."

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 18:2-4)

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Here's a quick glimpse at some of the highlights from today:
  • Our set-up team is amazing. They did a great job unloading the trailer today, even if I had booby-trapped it by switching everything around over the weekend.
  • Our phenomenal drummer, Chet, found some great lights on a killer deal that we got to install on our light tree today.
  • Our band has been really gelling over the last few weeks. Thanks for all your hard work.
  • Saw a high-school classmate today. She and her husband came to Discovery with her sister & brother-in-law. She had no clue that I was the pastor (probably why she was willing to come).
  • Alex Tindle stepped up as the host for this morning's service. It was his first time in that capacity. Excellent work friend.
  • Janet Oberholtzer, our small groups guru, experienced a first as well. She taught in our Childrens' Ministry area. Thanks for filling in the gap Janet!
  • Since I forgot to say it in the service this morning: Happy Birthday Zayden Harper! You're an incredible little four year old. Now keep away from my daughters.
  • Got a chance to see some great friends who God is doing amazing things through also today.
  • Spent the afternoon with the girls. The only downside was that Alyssa still had a smokin' hot fever.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Time flies when you're having fun (and really busy). Here's some take-aways from yesterday for me:
  • The Discovery band is really starting to jell. I love watching people serve out of giftedness and passion.
  • We celebrated the sacrament of communion. It is incredible to join with the Church throughout the ages in experiencing the grace of God.
  • Had a bit of a scare when someone passed out/fainted in the parking lot while leaving. Our volunteers did an outstanding job of being on top of the situation and immediately got emergency responders there. Not something that we ever wanted to test, but great knowing that our volunteers are paying attention.
  • Speaking of volunteers: so thankful for our Childrens Ministry team. Week after week we have individuals who are willing to sacrifice their own time in worship to serve God and others. Thanks for all the hard work.
  • While we were worshiping at AMC Stadium 16, Jack Young (one of our elders) was wrapping up a weekend serving with Kairos at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. Despite my testimony, they allowed him to return home.
  • Talked finances during a pre-marital counseling session. Honor God by being a good steward of what He has entrusted to you (applies in so many areas of your life).
  • My girls are amazing. Morgan had us cracking up after failing to get the lights turned on. "I can't. I have short arms." Too cute. She then repeated the "short arms" line a dozen times.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Some quick thoughts on Sunday:
  • The worship team did a fantastic job. Bummed that so many people enjoyed the free coffee and missed the first song though.
  • It was neat to wrap up the book of Philippians. I always enjoy teaching straight through a book of Bible. It's great to come across powerful verses in the context that they were originally written.
  • At the same time, I'm getting excited about the new sermon sermon series. We launch "At the Movies 2010" this Sunday.
  • It's always awesome and inspiring to celebrate communion together as a community.
  • Thanks to our Children's Ministry volunteers. You guys bring fresh excitement to kids each week.
  • From what I hear, Brandi Hollen did a fantastic job of speaking on the USI campus.
  • Had a lot of fun working the Discovery Church booth with Janet Oberholtzer, Martha Duckworth, Brandi, and my family following the service.
  • I might have overwhelmed a student from Minnesota when I gave him a full-bag of peanut-butter cookies. Not sure he knew what to think.
  • Thanks to all the cookie-makers. You're much more talented than me. I burned the chocolate.

Monday, August 30, 2010

The Big News


So for the last few days, I've been promising BIG news regarding Discovery Church. Yesterday morning, we made the announcement during our worship service. So what's the big news?

This past week, I had the opportunity to sit down with an incredibly gifted friend, Christa Shore. Last spring she was named Evansville Woman's Woman of Influence. You can read her official bio here.

Christa and I sat outside of Starbucks and talked about the amazing things that we had seen God doing around us in the past few months. We celebrated God's provision for two new lungs for her husband, Mike. We shared about the joys and struggles in church planting. Before we left, I had asked Christa to pray about joining the Discovery team as our worship leader. The next day, she called and informed me that she felt God opening an incredible opportunity and was excited to be a part of that team.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

After a hard, long weekend at the gym doing renovations, I was dragging headed into the two services this weekend. Here's a few of my observations now that recovery has begun to happen.
  • Christa Shore and the team at Beyond the Veil Fellowship are so great to work with.
  • Was exciting to be a part of the record-setting service at BTVF. I'm sure it was because the word leaked out that I was teaching.
  • After the band had led worship on Saturday night, I was done. I had been to church and spoke with God. Alas, I still taught.
  • I found out that there is something worse than fish sticks. It would be burnt fish sticks.
  • I was so worn out by the end of Saturday that I completely forgot to print the "World's Tiniest Church Programs." I think we made do at Discovery Church without them.
  • Despite being beat, I think the message was communicated clearly.
  • I've started a problem at a local middle school. Apparently a group of girls that were visiting Discovery this weekend took literally my phrase, "Jesus loves you; I hope you go to hell." Ooops!
  • Had someone tell me that a friend came to Discovery Church this weekend. She felt like the message spoke right to her. She says it was the first time that she felt a sermon connect with her life.
  • Excited to be wrapping up Philippians this weekend. Don't miss it!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Great Church Planter Event

At Discovery Church, we believe strongly in church planting. As Christians, we are called to reproduce. For churches, the same would hold true. From nearly the beginning of Discovery, we have been partnering with an awesome church planter: Vince Antonucci.

Vince and his family moved from Virginia Beach, VA to Las Vegas to plant a new church, Verve. The design was to reach those who were being overlooked in the status quo. It has been exciting to watch God work through Vince and the team at Verve.

This October, Vince will be hosting a (relatively cheap) conference in Las Vegas for church planters. He'll be opening up the Vault to share the DNA of why they have done things the way they do and how to reach people who do not like church. If you want more information about the event, you can find it here.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Shh Mom. I'm Reading My Bible


Got a text message following our first week of Children's Programming at Discovery. Here's what it said:

"She (5 year-old girl) did all the homework in her Bible she was supposed to yesterday. I read it to her and she did it. She came home today from (her aunt's) and got her Bible out and sat on the couch. She told her sister and me to be quiet. She is studying and has to get it done before church next week. :-)"

What an awesome story. Love it when little ones fall in love with the great story of the Scriptures. Love the work that our Childrens Ministry team is doing.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

People are People

Why is it always easier to look down on someone with disgust than it is to begin to relate to who they are? I know...deep question to start thinking about this early in the morning. Here's why I am thinking about it:

I happened to talk with a friend yesterday who was being berated by a collections agency over a medical bill. It was a classic example of the lack of communication between insurance companies and health care providers. The person lost in the middle was the patient. The collector was
speaking with disdain and disgust to my friend because the payment had not been made. There was no real concern about the issue; it was a mere matter of finances. The person did not matter; the check did.

I feel like too often we (including me) get lost in
our own personal agendas and completely forget that there are multiple sides to any one story. The bankruptcy courts are not just filled with over-spenders, but with people who were down-sized, divorced and otherwise broken. The collection reports are sometimes those who were overzealous in their purchase agreements; they are just as likely those who are encountering situations they never dreamed would exist. They've just discovered a horrific disease. The other car seemingly came out from nowhere. The company has relocated their job far, far away.

In the early to mid-80s, electronic music was it. One band stood above all others in this particular genre, Depeche Mode. The British band hit it big in 1984/5 with their single, "People are People." Their message resonated in an era of proliferation and posturing. People matter. They might have a different hue to their pigment than you but they are still people. Their 401(K) might have less commas and zeros than yours but they are still people. Their lives might be messier and more confused than yours, however their lives still matter.

One of the core beliefs at Discovery Church is that there are no perfect people. In fact the sign outside of our worship environment says: "No Perfect People Allowed." This does not mean that we do not address our sin or shortcomings. We just enter that discussion with grace. The church needs to be leading the way to acknowledge brokenness, identify the systemic problems that have contributed and begin to address it in meaningful way. After all, people are people. All made to reflect and bear the image of the God.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Old School Connections

Shocking truth from my past: I was in the North High School Concert Choir. Even more shocking: we were good. It wasn't because of me; it was in spite of me. The Concert Choir gave me some great memories. In the midst of one choir solo, I went through the whole puberty experience...all in one song. I moved all the way from the Tenor I section to the Bass section in one song.

Here's the weird part. I would have never imagined that I would
one day lead a community in the study of God's word and worship with one of my Concert Choir friends. This past Sunday that opportunity presented itself. Katy (Branham) Olson came to Discovery and helped lead us in worship. Katy has an incredible voice and a dynamic personality. Her sense of humor is great...and she likes my jokes.

Thanks Katy for serving this weekend. You and Shari were fan-flippin'-tastic!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Some of the highlights from Sunday:
  • Our set-up team does a fantastic job of unloading and getting everything ready to go each Sunday. Thanks for all you do.
  • Shari Devine and Katy Olson sounded great together. You guys should do that more often.
  • Missed Bobby G and the rest of the band though. Looking forward to seeing them next month.
  • Loved the passage from Sunday. Philippians 3 kicks series tail.
  • The Connection Lunch was awesome. Over 30 people gathered around the biggest table in Los Bravos history to share chips, salsa and lots of great conversations.
  • Told our waiter that Marty Smith was my dad. Marty's face was priceless.
  • Had a great time seeing an old friend and her precious little (almost) 3 year old boy.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Follow a Planter: Kevin Wilson

One of my favorite parts about what God is doing through Discovery Church is our partnership with church planters across the country (and city). One of the church planters that we are currently supporting is Kevin Wilson.

Kevin & Esther Wilson are two of the most
talented and incredible individuals that I have had the privilege of meeting in the past five years. I've learned so much from them. They are great communicators. Esther is a fantastic administrator: making sure every "i" is dotted and "t" is crossed. They have an inspiring passion for dialogging with those exploring the claims of Christ.

They have recently moved their family from Evansville, Indiana to the Champaign/Urbana, Illinois area to plant Confluence Church. He's blogging his thoughts through the process. You need to be reading it. You can find it here: http://lifeconfluence.blogspot.com/. Check him out.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Awestruck by My Kids (Part Two)

So I told you the Morgan story yesterday. Incredible. Now for Alyssa's story.

The other day Kitten, my wife with really bad taste
in guys, and the girls were driving around town. Alyssa, the incredibly brilliant 6-year old, tells her mom:

"Mom, I love you but I can't love you the most. I love God the most. You'll have to be second."

My first thought: Wow! How did we manage to have such an awesome little girl who can so succinctly express the concept of Lordship? We are so blessed.

My second thought: Hey....wait a minute. What about dad?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Awestruck by My Kids (Part One)


My kids have left me awestruck a few times over the past week. Here's the first story.

We were headed up to the lake on Saturday to spend some time with my dad (aka Pops). On the way up, Morgan (the 2-year old) is chilling in her car seat reading from her Bible. Here is her interpretation of what the Bible says:

"Baby Jesus loves me all day, all day, all day.
Baby Jesus loves me all day."

"God loves me all day, all day, all day.
God loves me all day."

My first thought: I am so blessed. I pray that God will continue to fan into flame these first sparks of faith.

My second thought: I wonder if Morgan has ever seen this clip from Talladega Nights.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Back to School, Back to School


Most of the E-VSC starts back to school today including our first grader, Alyssa. Praying for the teachers, staff and students to have a terrific year. Praying that God would use Mrs. Allgood to teach Alyssa and help her grow "in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and all the people" (Luke 2:52).

To the right is the obligatory "first day of school" picture that we took this morning. I better head to Gander Mountain and buy a large firearm to keep on hand.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

Maybe the best I can say is: "whew!" It seemed like something/someone was throwing everything in our general direction this week with fists of fury. A brief recap:
  • I tried to put the finishing touches on the sermon on Friday night. One small problem: my computer contracted the antivir pro virus. Basically it is a virus that acts like an anti-virus. It completely locked up my computer for hours. If you find yourself fighting this beast, check out the great help that I found here.
  • I woke up with a wicked stomach ailment. Kicked my tail until the early afternoon.
  • Dan & Stephanie did a great job of trying to teach some new music this weekend. If you liked what you heard, you can find more from their inspiration, Shawn McDonald, on his website.
  • Our new Childrens (K-5) theater kicked off weekly this weekend. Kitten and her team did a great job but were caught by surprise when our attendance for that theater doubled any of the preview services that we ran this summer.
  • Did a dedication for an awesome young family. Love the Harpers.
  • Lots of guests: that has been the theme for the past month. Really excited to see so many keep coming back.
  • My softball team took another beating but at least we hit the ball this week. The next two weeks should get easier as the pros start playing each other again and we can play equally talented (or lack thereof) teams.
  • Prayer request: Lots of meetings this week that I can definitely use wisdom and discernment for. Exciting things in the works at Bob's Gym and Discovery Church.

Award Winning Morgan


One of the talented students at Discovery Church snapped a photo of Morgan while we serving at Riverwalk Communities on the 4th of July. She edited the photo and then submitted it for the Vanderburgh County 4H Fair. Her great photography and God's beautiful design combined to earn her a blue ribbon and the title of Reserve Champion. Personally, I think she was robbed. She should have won. What do you think?

Monday, March 15, 2010

Website Redesigned

Have you checked out the new Discovery Church website redesign? If not, go check it out at http://www.mydiscoverychurch.org.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

No Tie Required

Second Look @ Sunday

Another great week with Discovery Church. Here's a few thoughts from today:
  • Thanks to Nick Smith. He played at Little Cheers all night and then came to lead God's people in worship. That is some hard work. Especially grateful since the rest of the vocalists either had no voice or were puking.
  • Another thank you to Bill Rasch, Kevin Wilson, Carol Fehr, and Cheryl Kuchna for doing the work of the Presbytery this morning. Discovery was officially constituted as a particular church this morning.
  • I was also installed as Discovery's pastor this morning.
  • By the way, Kevin has a new blog. Good stuff coming. Check it out here.
  • I continue to be amazed at how the authors of the Old Testament prophesied so much about the Passion of Christ. Psalm 22 blew me away.
  • God has a heart that is very much concerned with the injustices of this world. God paid the penalty for our injustices.
  • Luckily one of those injustices was not the Florida Gators getting left out of the NCAA tournament. The committee got at least that one right.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday

What a great day. I love worshiping and serving with the people of Discovery Church. A few highlights from the weekend:
  • Kitten and I got to see my cousin, Jim, last night. His band, Dangerous Jim & the Slims, were playing Casino Aztar this weekend. He's great at fronting the band.
  • Alyssa had her first sleepover this weekend. She spent the night (with Kitten) at a friend's house. She had a great night.
  • I'm continually amazed by our set-up team. They are so good at what they do.
  • We're making some major upgrades at Discovery over the next few weeks.
  • The new website goes online this week. Eric Gustafson has done an incredible job with it. Check out some of his other work here.
  • Taught on forgiveness this weekend. Easier to talk about than it is to do. This week several people have committed to seeking out people that they need to forgive. Tough work that can change their lives.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

A Trip to the Evansville Public Library


Kitten and I headed downtown to Central Library yesterday with the girls. They had a great time. They enjoyed playing around in the boat, watching the pets, and putting together puzzles. I also was able to score a few books to read. Here's what I picked up:


While I don't always agree with these guys, they push my thinking. Processing where they have arrived always makes me a better reader, writer, and thinker.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Second Look @ Sunday


  • I believe the city of Evansville has invested too much money on stop lights. Let's save some electricity and unplug a few.

  • Why is it that you only get stopped at said stop lights, when you are already running late (or really close to being late)?

  • Our set-up team at Discovery Church is incredible. Thanks for all your hard work!

  • Won a quarter on a bet. Gambling tip: Don't bet on content with someone who wrote the content.

  • Nice to get to sit and learn this morning. Janet did a great job.

  • Had no idea that Ruth followed Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible, thus showing Ruth as the quintessential example of Proverbs 31. Did you know that?

  • God can use your past to bring beauty in the present.

  • Is God wanting to use you to answer your own prayers?

  • Sunday naps are so awesome. Thankful for a great wife who allowed it to happen.

  • Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is pretty tolerable is you are cuddling with two really cute girls.

  • Proud of my coach, Bob Franquiz, whose church, Calvary Fellowship, launched a new campus today. Sounds like it went great.