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Bill Hybels -- Session 1 -- “5 Critical Questions for Leaders”

2011-08-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

When a leader gets better, everyone wins.
QUESTION 1: What is your current leadership challenge level? Are you under-challenged? appropriately challenged? dangerously over-challenged?

Where do you do your absolutely best work as a leader on this spectrum?
Leadership is like a muscle. You have to stress it to grow it.
First Application

If you’re under-challenged, step it up. If you don’t challenge yourself enough, you’re in danger of atrophy.
If you’re dangerously over-challenged, you’re in danger of a melt down. You need to find a way to delegate and scale back. You set a bad example for those you lead if you live in this area.
When you are stressed, you get a lift. When you stay stressed, you’ll flatten out. If you stay in this level, you’ll crash and bottom out in the cellar.

Second Application

How do we get a handle on who is being overworked in an organization?
What do under-challenged people in a department do? They leave.

Third Application

Do you think it possible for organizations to be under-challenged, appropriately challenged, or dangerously over-challenged?

QUESTION 2: What is your plan on dealing with challenging people in your organization?

If there was a 50% revenue drop, who would you get rid of?
Line Exercise: Put all your people in order from the ones you would most hate to lose.
Are the people at the end of the line, off-mission? under-performing? Am I just avoiding tough conversations because we are fully funded?
Willow’s mission is totally dependent on the people we can attract and develop.
Our future is also tied to dealing with people who are no longer fantastic.
How much time are you going to give Fantastic Fred to spread his radioactive poison? I get answers from minutes to years. At Willow, this is 30 days.
Your staff needs to know how long people can have a bad attitude.
How do you handle under-performers? Or as the Bible says, no worthy their hire?
Under-performers need our attention just as soon as it is identified. At Willow, this is 3 months.
The single toughest challenging people issue I’ve had to deal with is when the growth of an organization requires somebody with a greater capacity to fill that role.
Takeaway #1: If you don’t deal with challenging people in your organization, you discourage and de-motivate your best people. Fantastic people do not want to be dragged down by whiners and complainers.
Takeaway #2: Challenging people are not happy people.

QUESTION 3: Are you naming, facing and resolving the problems in your organization?

Example: The problem of the feeding of the widows in Acts 6
Nothing rocks forever. Everything has a season.
Life-cycle of an idea: Accelerating, Booming, Decelerating, Tanking
By identifying, we can solve these problems.

QUESTION 4: When was the last time, you re-examined the core of what your organization is all about?

Can you put the vision and mission of your organization on the front of a t-shirt?
We all get fuzzy on what we do over time.
Exercise: In five words, explain the central message of your product or service. In five words, what best describes the good news of Jesus Christ?

Hybels answer for himself: Love, Evil, Rescue, Choice, Restoration
God loved you the moment you started sucking air.

When you’re clear about the core, there is no end to what God can do.

QUESTION 5: Have you had your leadership bell rung lately? Has any leadership book or talk or crisis rocked your world lately?

Most of us are hard-headed leadership types; we need our bells rung occasionally.
If you’re sick enough of being stuck, you’d get on the solution-side of this problem and you’d take action.
Quit making excuses and start making bold, new solutions.
There is too much at stake in this world for leaders to walk around with a defeated mindset.
Why couldn’t the next five years be your best five years?
How you finish is how you will be remembered.

Upcoming One Life West Training Dates

2011-06-14T21:02:00.005-05:00

June 26 -- One Life West will join the One Life East group

July 6 -- Training at Lighthouse @ 6 PM. Food served at 5:30.

July 17 -- Training at Lighthouse @ 4:30 PM. Food served following.

August 3 -- Training at Lighthouse @ 6 PM. Food served at 5:30.

Sunday Set List

2011-06-14T20:37:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday's set list:

Friend of God by Phillips, Craig & Dean

Glorious Day by Casting Crowns

God with Us by Mercy Me

Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp

A Living Prayer by Alison Krauss

Sunday Set List

2011-06-06T22:25:00.003-05:00

The set list from this past Sunday's worship service at Discovery:

Prelude: I Will Survive by Cake
Break Free by Hillsong United
My Soul Longs for You by Misty Edwards
Desert Song by Hillsong United
How He Loves by John Mark McMillan

Why I Didn't Preach Last Weekend

2011-05-31T21:25:00.003-05:00

I didn't preach at DIscovery Church last weekend. I was at the theater (and no, I wasn't just skipping to watch a movie) but others led in worship and teaching. I've been asked a few times why and here's the reason:

Reason #1: We have talented teachers who need to be given the opportunity to grow and use their gifts.
At Discovery, we've been blessed with some incredibly talented teachers. Yesterday, one of those talented individuals, Janet Oberholtzer, got the opportunity to share about the purpose of and her passion for ministry to college-students. Each time she has preached, she has done a good job...and she's grown in that gifting. Later this summer, you'll have the opportunity to learn from Matt Breivogel, another young, gifted teacher in our midst. I look forward to teaching more at Discovery (and One Life) in the days ahead. However, some times it is good for me and for the body of Christ for others to have the opportunity to share what God is teaching them.

Reason #2: I was serving in KIDS ministry.
Our KIDS ministry rocks! The team does a great job each week in preparing quality lessons that teach and grow our kids. And our KIDS ministry is growing. Sunday, I got the opportunity to pour myself into the life of the kids for one morning. They got to know that their pastor loves them, cares about them, can be goofy, and wants them to love Jesus. All very important lessons in my book. Another exciting part of leading in our KIDS ministry was the chance to teach my incredible 7 year old. Dads, it is so cool to get to lead and love your kids and set great examples for other kids at church.

How to Think Missionally

2011-05-26T21:26:00.004-05:00

The following post has been ripped almost word-for-word from the One Life playbook in preparation for the launch of One Life West. Thankful for the hard work and great teaching of Bret Nicholson.

What would you do if God spoke to you this weekend and told you to move to Yemen by this time next year? What steps would you take? What would you do once you arrived? When this question was asked in a recent training session, the lists were formed quickly.

Prior to leaving, many of us would study the culture. Yemen is really different than Evansville. We would study the language. We would learn how to connect with the Yemenis. We would pray. We would begin to arrange our financial situation to prepare for this new reality. The next 12 months would be filled with excitement and anticipation.

Once we arrived, we would begin to identify the

needs in the area. We would look for quick wins that would give some credibility to the more important messages and work that we would be sharing. We would look for individuals to partner with. We would begin to engage the Yemeni population in their cultural water

ing holes.

No matter where a missionary would go, they would go through a similar process. This process defines what it means to think missionally. Missional thinking approaches the environment with a mindset that God has placed you there to make a difference.

Here's the catch: God might not be calling to Yemen. He might not call you to Afghanistan, China, or Egypt. However, if he has not called you to someplace else, it means He has called you to where you are today. How can you begin to think missionally about how you reach your neighbors, your co-workers, and others that God has put within your sphere of influence.

Side note: David Platt noted this morning that North Yemen has 8 million people and only 20-30 are Christians. Maybe God is calling you to Yemen.

Second Look @ Sunday

2011-05-23T20:55:00.003-05:00

Some quick take-aways from yesterday:

Our set-up team is so dedicated. I wish there was a better way to celebrate them but here you go: Thanks Marty, Chet, Chase, Kirk & Jack! I appreciate all you do.
Speaking of Chase: He did an awesome job on the lights yesterday.
The band did a great job of leading us in worship. Love the hard work that they put in each week.
Highlight of the day: Getting text messages all day long that said, "I'm in." At the end of the message yesterday, I challenged those who wanted to commit to following Jesus for the first time to text me that message. Literally all day I was getting messages. So sweet.
Thankful for the team that God is bringing together at One Life West (Discovery). Awesome stuff.

Sunday Set List

2011-05-22T18:14:00.003-05:00

What did Ascended play this morning at Discovery Church? Here's the Sunday Set List for May 22, 2011.

Prelude: The World I Know by Collective Soul

Worship Set:
Grace Like Rain by Todd Agnew
Mighty to Save by Hillsong United
We Will Worship You by Carlos Whittaker
Revelation Song by Kari Jobe

What's Next?

2011-04-20T21:41:00.001-05:00

It is an exciting time in my life. For the past years, I have served as the pastor for Discovery Church. When we planted Discovery Church, we desired to be a church for people who did not like church. Further, we wanted to be a church that planted churches. In voting to merge into the One Life Network, we believe that we are going to be able to see the vision that God has given us fulfilled in new and exciting ways.

The big question I’ve been getting is: What’s next?

One step is to connect. As the automotive great Henry Ford said, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” As we become One Life West, we need to get to know each. Build relationships across the church. We’ll be giving you some specific ways that you can connect with others and creating some opportunities for this to happen.

Another beginning step we will be taking is train. We want to make sure that everybody is on the same page. Doing life together in Christian community is sort of like running a three-legged race; progress only happens when we work together striving for the same goal. We will be having opportunities to sit down together and learn some important lessons. Further, as people get integrated into the areas that they feel called to serve, we will need to learn some processes so that there is consistency and excellence in all that we do.
Finally, I want to invite you to pray. It’s been said, “One should never initiate something that he cannot saturate with prayer.” Our heart from the beginning has been to see God move in a fresh and new way through the Tri-State area and specifically on the Westside. We are going to be encouraging you to pray. Starting next Monday, we will be re-launching the email blasts with specific ways to pray for the Westside. If you are interested in receiving those blasts, let us know so we can add you to the distribution list.

These are exciting times. I cannot wait to see what God has in store as we spend our one life in service to Him.

Discovery Church Votes to Merge into One Life Network

2011-04-20T21:38:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday, April 17th, Discovery Church voted in a congregational meeting to merge into the One Life Network. Believing that we really can be better together, Discovery voted nearly unanimously (with 2 abstentions) to partner in the One Life Network.

Seeing the Future

2011-02-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

I remember the first time I saw Rob Zemeckis' film "Back to the Future Part II." I was amazed by the vision of the future he painted. Honestly, what is not to love about hoverboards and flying cars. As I look back on the film there is one pressing problem: I don't have a hoverboard! In fact, I cannot even go to the store and buy a hoverboard. Zemeckis cast a vision for the future, but it did not happen.

So how can you know what the future looks like? Over the next few weeks, we're going to look to the future. We're going to start by looking at who God is and how He has worked in the past and we're going to talk about how we can hear God's direction. Join me on a journey, a journey of faith with an eye to the future.

Sunday Set List

2011-02-13T21:13:00.003-06:00

Want to hear more of the music from this morning's service? Here you go.

Beautiful Sound by Newsboys

You are Worthy of My Praise by Passion

It is You by Newsboys

Thief by Third Day

Grace Like Rain by Todd Agnew

When Faith Becomes Sight

2011-01-27T22:19:00.004-06:00

The past week has been a blur. Not just a little blurry, but really hazy (sort of like this). This past weekend I had the chance to spend Saturday afternoon with several friends from my youth. Unfortunately the circumstances that led us to reunite were not good: we gathered to spend time with a friend before he passed.

I remember being this relatively timid middle school student when my family visited the church for the first time. The youth group had just returned from a trip to Ohio to lead a VBS. They were fired up and filled with stories. As our family settled into the church, I slowly began to get involved with that youth group. From the very beginning, I looked up to the Harper boys. J.D. was a clear leader within the group. He could make anyone feel important, valued, included.

Along with his brother Chuck (who I still claim was influential in my survival of high school), J.D. was always in the center of the excitement.

As we gathered on Saturday, the stories flowed. The pictures came out and were shared (what were we thinking back then...and why did I not destroy all these photos?). We reminisced and reflected on the skits we learned, the trips we shared, the practical jokes that were pulled, and the scars that some of these left with us. It was such a great time of community and

friendship.

Sunday night I received a phone call telling me that J.D. had passed away that morning. I was floored, bewildered, in disbelief. How could things fall apart so quickly?

As I sat in the funeral home today listening to the minister share about J.D.'s life and faith, I was encouraged. J.D. never lost sight of the fact that this whole life is but a part of the greater story. I am thankful that in the midst of his battle with leukemia J.D. did not lose heart. His faith never wavered and now his faith has become his reality. As St. Augustine said, "Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." I'm confident that J.D. is now experiencing the very things that he longed for.

I'll miss J.D. but am thankful for how he helped shape me. May my life have a similar impact on those around me.

Second Look @ Sunday

2011-01-24T23:28:00.002-06:00

Some quick take-aways for me from yesterday:

You have to get to AMC Stadium 16 pretty early to beat Marty Smith there. When I got there, he had already worked up enough of a sweat that he needed to take off his jacket (his hat).
Thankful for Ascended. They worked hard and it clearly paid off.
By the way guys, if you have a Twitter account, use it.
Was surprised to see Lindy Weatherly join us. Anxious to hear her notes from the service.
Big idea: God is always faithful and He is still in the redemption business.
In what part of your life do you need to experience redemption?
So sweet to see some of our people serving the residents of Riverwalk Communities. Here's the proof that I even participated.
Had a great time at lunch hearing one of my high school friends share her heart for missions. It is amazing what God is doing in her life. Abso-freakin-lutely Amazing.
Sad news came to me on Sunday night: another friend from the youth group I grew up (quite literally) in passed away Sunday morning. I got a chance to spend a few moments with him on Saturday evening. Not enough time in hindsight. He truly was semper fi (always faithful).
Finally: looking forward to a great Super Bowl with two legendary teams. Now just have to determine the perfect venue to watch it at.

Sunday Set List

2011-01-23T20:33:00.002-06:00

Here's the set list that Ascended rocked this AM:

Prelude -- Shine by Collective Soul

I Am Free by Newsboys

Always by Generation Unleashed

Grace Like Rain by Todd Agnew

We Will Worship You by Carlos Whittaker

How He Loves by John Mark McMillan

Why I'm Excited (part 4)

2011-01-20T23:45:00.001-06:00

I have already confessed to you that I am not a scientist. Here is another confession for you: I am not an economist (and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night either). I did take a basic macro economics course during my freshman year at the University of Evansville. One of the principles I learned in Dr. Blalock's classroom was economy of scale. The basic concept is that at a certain point it is easier and cheaper to produce a great quantity of a product.

As I think about the proposed merger between Discovery Church into the One Life Network, I am excited by this economic principle again. The One Life Network has been able to assemble a team of individuals that are really talented. To be able to free those individuals to use their gifts to bless individuals at more than one location or site is really exciting to me. To this point in Discovery's life, our media department has consisted of primarily two college student volunteers (thanks Eric and Ben). To think that we could partner these two gifted individuals with other incredible talents like the team at Fat Head Media or Rocket Plant Studios is so exciting. To think that we could partner our talented worship teams with other talented musicians is exciting. To think of being able to offer small groups around the region.

The beauty to me in this is that it reflects what the body of Christ should look like. There is nothing as beautiful as the body of Christ coming together, bringing their gifts, talents and abilities, to offer life, hope and truth to others.

To read the first three parts, click here: part 1, part 2, or part 3.

Why I'm Excited (part 3)

2011-01-19T22:46:00.003-06:00

I got the opportunity to spend today in Nashville visiting with the Crosspoint Church team. First, it is an amazing team that God has assembled there. Second, the staff could not have been more generous in their time. Even though our appointment was just a lunch meeting with Pete Wilson, there were several staff members who spent time answering questions and offering us tours of their facilities (thanks to: Evie, Jarrod, Matt, Wendy, & Justin). As we were driving back from a great time of learning, we began to process all these new insights.

And then it hit me...

I am so thankful that I do not have to walk down the road of ministry by myself. I have been surrounded by great minds from the very beginning. One of the things that excites me about partnering with the One Life Network is the opportunity to learn from other like-minded and passion-driven individuals, some of who have been doing ministry for much longer than me.

John Maxwell has said, "Everything rises and falls on leadership." There is so much truth in that statement. To see the passion, the excitement, the insights that God has blessed these men with is encouraging and challenging. Let me share an example:

Mark just returned from spending three weeks overseas in a southeast Asian country where Christianity is far from the religion of choice. He shared with us the story of Elijah, a church planter, who serves a church of roughly 50. He sleeps in a bamboo car-port so that his lifestyle would not be a stumbling block for those outside the church. His church has taken in a half-dozen widows and cares for them. His passion and commitment to the church is inspiring and convicting.

The chance to partner together with these leaders on a regular basis, sharpening each other, is very exciting to me.

Thrown Under the Bus

2011-01-18T22:01:00.003-06:00

Lindy Weatherly threw me under the bus on Sunday morning. Following the (rocking) prelude, there was awkward silence. It lasted just a few seconds, unless you knew that something was suppose to fill it. She said, "We're looking for Trey...." beep, beep.... Bus coming through. I quickly corrected the situation by throwing John Miles under the bus. "It's not me. It's video."

This morning as I was thinking through the service again, the Holy Spirit smoked me. Not just a gentle wrist slap; it was more of a full-on slap across the face (could have inspired a song like this). In the quiet of the morning, God clearly said to me, "The issue is not who was right. You do not have to always be right." (I hate it when God says things that my wife has already told me before.) He continued, "The issue is not being right; the issue is your pride. Your pride will not allow you to be wrong." (Now you see where the bright red marks across my face were there.)

As I sat and thought, I immediately thought of some of the verses from the Bible that speaks to the issue of pride:

"Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall." (Prov. 16:18)

"Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Prov. 11:2)

"Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor." (Prov 29:23)

So many of the nations that the prophets of the Old Testament speak out against are condemned for their pride. And I am no better. My pride can drive me to make decisions that glorify myself, my thinking, my knowledge or skill set...and it's not about me. I wasn't there when the earth was set on its axis. I was not there when the sun burst forth into light. I was not in the beginning. I was not before the beginning. I am not God.

So I confess and ask for forgiveness to God, to Lindy, to John. It's not about me and my desire to be right or proved correct. I should have not thrown you under the bus in an unintentional attempt to preserve my pride. And now the really hard part: making this a lifestyle change and not just a blog post.

Trusting God's Sovereignty

2011-01-18T01:32:00.004-06:00

Kitten and I have been blessed with remarkable children. Each of our kids has helped remind me about certain elements of God's character. Alyssa (the 6 yr. old) taught me about trusting God's timing. We struggled under our own efforts to grow our family; God provided in his own time, in his own way. Morgan, our youngest, reminded me of God's faithfulness. He never leaves us, nor does he forget us.

Yesterday was our son's birthday. Addison Jay (AJ) would have turned 5. Unfortunately, AJ was not with us long. On Easter Sunday 2006, AJ went to the Father. His passing was unexpected and honestly sent us into a period of questions and pain.

God used AJ to teach me about His sovereignty. Sovereignty is a big, theological term used to describe the fact that God is in control and nothing happens apart from Him. On the surface, this leads to many more questions: Why would God allow something like this to happen? Why did God not intervene? What good could come from this?

The fact is that God did use, and continues to use, AJ's life to impact individuals. As Kitten and I learned to trust God, we found peace and comfort. God has used AJ's story to draw men and women to Him. God has used our son's passing to bring others to eternal life. God used my son to teach me to trust the Father who loves passionately. God used my first born son to teach me about His passion. If I, as flawed and screwed up as I am, could feel such pain, what did He feel when He willingly gave His only son for people like me?

While I still miss AJ, I am thankful for him too. Thankful for all he has taught me and how God has used, and will continue to use, his life.

Second Look @ Sunday

2011-01-17T07:30:00.001-06:00

Another amazing week at Discovery Church. Here are a few of the highlights:

Thanks to all the Discovery volunteers who came early to help make sure things went smoothly. Your consistent service is inspiring.
Thanks to the One Life tech team that came to inspire our production team. Thanks to all the sound, light, and CG volunteers.
Thanks to Second. Can't wait for you guys to come back. ;-)
Thanks to Bret Nicholson for challenging us via video. If you missed the video, you can watch it here.
Bret taught from John 4. Great story.
"Jesus did not just want her as a convert; He wanted her to be a worshiper."
So exciting to see new faces and familiar faces back at Discovery.
Blessed beyond belief by a great family. Unfortunately, Morgan had to miss the big day due to a stomach bug. My mom stepped up big for us and watched her.
Can't believe the Patriots lost (and the state of Indiana rejoices)!

Sunday Set List

2011-01-16T19:01:00.002-06:00

Want to know what songs the band used in worship Sunday? You can find them (along with iTunes links) below.

Hero by Skillet

My Future Decided by Hillsong United

King of All Days by Hillsong United

Revelation Song by Kari Jobe

Came to My Rescue by Hillsong Live

Why I'm Excited (part 2)

2011-01-13T00:30:00.000-06:00

Confession: I am not Bill Nye, the Science Guy. In fact, if I were forced to pick one subject area which was my particular weakness, it would be science. I chose to take the SAT instead of the ACT because of the science component. However, I did enjoy one science class: physics. I convinced myself that physics was more mathematics than science.

One of the equations that I remember from physics was the equation for momentum. The equation reads: p=mv. This fancy equation simply means that momentum can be determined by understanding it as the result of mass multiplied by velocity. Simply put, to increase momentum you must either increase mass (size) or velocity (speed). If you either of those components decrease (without an increase in the other area), you'll see decreased momentum.

This basic understanding is one of the reasons that I am excited by the possibility of merging into the One Life Network. I believe the merger will increase the momentum of both movements in the Evansville metropolitan area. The velocity that One Life has been moving with over the last four months has been exciting. The combined mass of the overall network would aid the people of Discovery as we strive to make an impact on the Westside of Evansville. It's exciting to think of the momentum that God might bring when two unique and exciting groups partner together to make Him known throughout the Tri-State area.

Today's prayer: Lord, do what only you can do. Increase the passion and speed with which we pursue you. Prepare the hearts of those who have not yet heard. As we lift your name up, draw men and women to you.

Why I'm Excited (part 1)

2011-01-11T22:52:00.002-06:00

Do you remember the day or weeks before a major event in your life? Do you remember the way your stomach felt funny, like you just tangled with some bad sushi but you had not even had any? Or your mind was racing with a million different ideas and you were so excited that you couldn't sleep? Got those moments in your mind. Great. Now you know where I've been over the last several weeks.

I remember where I was when Discovery really began taking shape in my heart and mind. I knew we were called to plant a church on the Westside. I knew that God was going to go before us. I didn't know where we were actually going or more importantly (or least it seemed that way to me) how we were going to get there. I felt like I might puke from the excitement and nervousness. I was excited by one thing: VISION.

I did not know the details of meeting space, worship teams, production quality, or even things like board members or denominational affiliation. But I knew what we were being called to be. We were being called to be a church that reached out to those that were not in the church in a compelling and authentic way. We were not to ignore the culture or be lost in the culture, but wade through the culture to make the case for absolute truth and more importantly for the Way, the Truth and the Life.

As the elders have met and prayed about this recommendation to merge within the One Life Network, I keep being drawn back to the vision: to be a church for those who do not like church; to help people far from God experience Jesus. As we sat in meeting rooms and living rooms, I kept being drawn back to why we exist...and amazed that God was leading us to partner with another group that had same pressing desire.

Today's prayer: Lord, give us eyes to see as you see. Remove our blinders so that we can see (a) all that you are up to and (b) all the ways that you desire to include us in your awesome work. Let us be driven by our desire to see you glorified and made much of.

Second Look @ Sunday

2011-01-10T22:14:00.004-06:00

So much to process from this past weekend, but I'll give it a try anyway.

Had a great time visiting with Kitten's siblings this weekend. I've been blessed with some fantastic in-laws.
Speaking of blessings: the nephews came too! Love those guys.
Alyssa did an incredible job as a cheerleader at the Reitz game on Saturday night. So stinking cute I'm going to have to hire a militia in a few years to keep the boys away.
Our set-up team is pretty much the most amazing thing since Bacon Bandages. By the way, if we had those in my house, I'd get paper cuts all the time.
We had a worship team emergency when the drummer went down on Saturday night. God blessed us with an amazing last minute fill-in. Thanks Chris Clark!
Had a great time looking John 4 on Sunday morning. Pretty amazing how Jesus meets us right where we are and takes us where we could not go on our own.
He truly is all we need.
Congregational meeting after service went really well. We talked about the elders' recommendation to transition to the One Life Network. Exciting times.
Coming this week: why I'm excited about the One Life Network. Can't wait to share some of what excites me about this possibility.

Sunday Set List

2011-01-10T21:33:00.002-06:00

Want to know what songs the band used in worship Sunday? You can find them (along with iTunes links) below.

I Am Free by Newsboys

Majesty by Delirious?

King of Glory by Third Day

Faceless Man by Creed

All I Need by Shawn McDonald

Insights from "It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get it and Keep it"

2011-01-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

One of my goals for 2011 is to be more intentional in my reading. Over the next year, I hope to read 50 books (not overly ambitious by my previous standards). I'll try and share some of the insights I learn along the way.

The first book that I read in 2011 was "It" by Craig Groeschel. Craig is the senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, which has campuses around the country. Craig and LifeChurch.tv have done an incredible job of maintaining a "kingdom-minded" focus. They have developed numerous resources that they give freely to others to grow the kingdom. One great example is YouVersion.

In "It," Craig shares his heart on how the church can get it. Here are some of my favorite insights from what truly is a great book.

"...it is what God does through a rare combination of these qualities found in his people: passion for his presence, a deep craving to reach the lost, sincere integrity, Spirit-filled faith, down-to-earth humility, and brokenness."
"It tends to follow big vision." Cast crazy big vision that is rooted in what God has called and gifted you uniquely to do.
"Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." I could write for days on this one thought. I am so thankful for the team that God has surrounded me with, the team that He has assembled at Discovery. They make life (and ministry) so much fun.
Push past the local max. Groeschel draws on Seth Godin's work to say that we need to be willing to fail (and sometimes fail big) in order to see the very best innovations come to life. We need to be willing to push through the failure to experience it.
"Let him stretch you. Attempt what others says can't be done. You have more in you than you realize. God has put more in you than anyone else sees."

One question for you: Have you ever experienced it? Where are you seeing it right now?

Why I'm Excited...by Tammy Sutton

2011-01-06T07:30:00.003-06:00

Over the last several weeks members of the Discovery Church leadership team (the elders and staff) have been sharing some of what has them excited about partnering with One Life. Our fifth installment has been written by Tammy Sutton. Tammy is one of Discovery's elders, in addition to serving as the chief financial person (CFP?).

Most people that know me know I have a passion for projects that involve serving others. One of the most exciting things for me about One Life is the expanded opportunities that it will give us as a church to be a servant. To steal a quote from the One Life Church website, “Jesus lived compassion. We want to follow His lead and share his compassion both locally and globally.” Compassion is the word One Life uses to address these service projects. It involves opportunities for us to serve others ranging from our local neighborhood to those living on the other side of the world.

I like the approach that One Life takes on serving others. They not only look at the immediate needs for food, clothing and shelter, but at the issues that are causing the underlying poverty. They encourage economic growth of the community through micro financing and industry development. Part of the systemic change involves providing clean water for the area. The local residents are trained in various methods to treat and purify the water, resulting in a reduction of diseases and illnesses. Tools such as job training and furthering education enable those in poverty more opportunities to make a sustainable living. The local culture remains intact when implementing these methods that allow for a higher standard of living, and leadership of the community develops from within the native people.

FAQs re:Staffing and Leadership

2011-01-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

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) The elders have made this recommendation to the congregation, but are the staff members at Discovery Church on board with this?

Yes. Janet, Kitten and I were engaged in the discussion with the elders throughout the process. As you read in Marty's post yesterday, Janet and Kitten offered valuable insight throughout the process. As the elders voted to make the recommendation, the staff stated their support at the same time. Click these links to see why Kitten and Janet are excited about partnering with the One Life network.

2) What will happen to the Discovery Church staff?

They will be drug out into the streets and shot. Not really! This is actually one of the questions that our elders asked as we investigated the process. Trey will serve as the campus pastor for the Westside campus of One Life. Kitten and Janet will still be intimately involved with our ministry. We will probably take a step back and evaluate where people are, who is on board, and then allow people to serve in roles where they are passionate and gifted. At the same time, others might join us who bring experience and passion in areas that we have not begun to fully explore yet.

3) Will there be an elder board for the westside campus of One Life?

The One Life Network is governed by a board of elders that oversee the ministry throughout the network. It is reasonable to assume that each campus will have some representation on that board. The elders are concerned with the vision and direction of the network. Each local campus will have its own leadership team that will direct the day-to-day operations of the campuses.

4) You're not leaving, right?

No. I'm not going anywhere. I am excited about serving alongside you for years to come still. As long as God continues to lead us together, I'm here. You've read why many of the staff and elders are excited about the possibilities. Next week, I'll share with you some of the reasons that I personally am excited.

Why I'm Excited...by Marty Smith

2011-01-04T07:30:00.003-06:00

Over the last several weeks members of the Discovery Church leadership team (the elders and staff) have been sharing some of what has them excited about partnering with One Life. Our fourth installment has been written by Marty Smith. Marty is one of Discovery's elders and helps lead our set-up and First Impressions teams.

The thing that is most exciting to me about our partnership with One Life is seeing God at work through His people. I am talking about the other elders and staff of Discovery. In every meeting we have had, it has been awesome to feel the presence of God. It is amazing to see how God uses the strength of every person to accomplish what I think is the shared goal of One Life and Discovery. I love seeing Tammy light up when an opportunity for missions arises. I'm encouraged by how Jack shows genuine care and concern about the feelings of others and how we can demonstrate God's love to them. I appreciate the insightful input that Janet and Kitten have offered. I'm thankful for Trey's direction to look at the big picture. I am very thankful that God has placed me here, to add what I can and enjoy the ride. I truly believe what my favorite passage from scripture says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart leaning not on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will keep your path straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).

I am so excited because Discovery and One Life share the same vision. Discovery has always focused on those who do not like church and church planting. The main focus of One Life perfectly aligns with Discovery in that regard. It is so exciting to see God coordinating our efforts.

Personally I am excited because this new partnership could expand the influence and ministry we have. One of my big passions is student ministry; my prayer is that we could make a significant impact in the lives of the next generation.

In closing, I would like to encourage each of you to pray about and or ask questions about this partnership. Let’s all enjoy the ride!!

Note: Hey, Chase and Nick, I made it through this entire post without a cheesy joke…. Until now…What do you call a big white animal shaped like a tooth? A molar bear! LOL

Second Look @ Sunday

2011-01-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

Thankful for another incredible (and busy) weekend. Before we jump into the highlights from yesterday, I would be remiss to not share some highlights from the past two weeks:

Christmas Eve was incredible! Where to start....thanks to our set-up team for showing up in the midst of the first round of snow storms to unload the trailer at Bob's.
Thanks to the band who came together to lead us in worship.
Thankful for those who helped tear down and load up so that everyone could enjoy Christmas.
Got a chance to worship with my sister-in-law's family last week. Got to see my oldest nephew profess his faith in Christ and follow Him in baptism. Awesome.
It was really cool to be able to sit with Alyssa (the 6-year old) and join her in worship. She's learned to read which makes it much easier for her to sing corporately. So cool to hear her sing praises to God with me.
Many people are ashamed or embarrassed by their in-laws. Mine are pretty incredible. Had a great time with them.
The gym is getting busy. We closed out the month on a great note. Thankful for a great team there too.

And now yesterday's highlights:

Loved the job the worship team did leading. If you're not worshiping, it's a you issue. Really cool to see people like Chet and Chance set free to use all their gifts and abilities to the fullest.
Can't imagine what life would be without our Children's Ministry volunteers. Thanks for all you do!
Guess which movie was showing in the same theater as we set up our nursery? Yep...this one.
"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision." -- Helen Keller
Thankful that Jesus does not go for the Dream Team, but chooses the dropout and flunkies, the less-desirables, me.
Got a chance to talk with someone tonight about what it means to be a Jesus-follower. Praying for her as she studies Jesus, His life and ministry, and His call on her life.
Already getting excited about next week. I've got people in mind to invite; do you?

Sunday Set List

2011-01-02T22:20:00.002-06:00

If you enjoyed the worship set this morning, here is the set list along with iTunes links so that you can listen throughout the week.

Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath

Everlasting God by Brenton Brown

Revelation Song by Gateway Worship

You Are More by Tenth Avenue North

I Am Not Ashamed by Jeremy Camp

Why I'm Excited...by Janet Oberholtzer

2010-12-16T06:00:00.001-06:00

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.

Why I'm Excited...by Jack Young

2010-12-13T20:30:00.002-06:00

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

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-12-12T21:42:00.003-06:00

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.

FAQs re: One Life

2010-12-07T19:00:00.001-06:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-12-06T21:17:00.002-06:00

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.

Why I'm Excited...by Kitten McClain

2010-12-01T00:50:00.003-06:00

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!

FAQs re: Discovery Church & the EPC

2010-11-29T20:30:00.000-06:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-11-28T15:42:00.003-06:00

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.

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part six)

2010-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part five)

2010-11-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part four)

2010-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part three)

2010-11-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part two)

2010-11-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

If Discovery Church had a sign.... (Part one)

2010-11-15T21:35:00.001-06:00

From the Mouth of Babes

2010-11-02T07:30:00.000-05:00

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)

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-10-31T20:52:00.002-05:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-10-25T20:36:00.004-05:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-09-01T21:00:00.003-05:00

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.

The Big News

2010-08-30T20:39:00.006-05:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-08-25T20:47:00.005-05:00

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!

Great Church Planter Event

2010-08-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

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.

Shh Mom. I'm Reading My Bible

2010-08-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

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.

People are People

2010-08-19T07:30:00.002-05:00

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.

Old School Connections

2010-08-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

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!

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-08-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

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.

Follow a Planter: Kevin Wilson

2010-08-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

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.

Awestruck by My Kids (Part Two)

2010-08-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

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?

Awestruck by My Kids (Part One)

2010-08-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

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.

Back to School, Back to School

2010-08-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-08-10T20:51:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-10T20:43:00.003-05:00

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?

Website Redesigned

2010-03-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

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

No Tie Required

2010-03-14T19:23:00.001-05:00

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-03-14T19:05:00.004-05:00

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-03-07T20:41:00.002-06:00

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.

A Trip to the Evansville Public Library

2010-02-27T14:42:00.004-06:00

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:

Seth Godin, Linchpin: View Seth's blog.

Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christianity.

Tony Jones, The Teaching of the 12. View Tony's blog.

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.

Second Look @ Sunday

2010-02-21T19:15:00.002-06:00

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.

John Calvin Quote of the Day

2009-08-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

"For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that naught is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; no, unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity." -- Institutes, Book First, Chapter 2

John Calvin Quote of the Day

2009-08-12T21:32:00.003-05:00

"Our wisdom, insofar as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves." -- Institues, Book First, Chapter 1

Through him and for his name's sake

2009-08-12T21:25:00.003-05:00

I've been reading in Romans 1 this week and one verse in particular has caught my attention this week. I've read the book of Romans numerous times, but can't remember being rocked by this verse before. Look at verse 5:

"Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith."

What did we do to receive grace? Nothing. It is through him. Why do we receive grace? For his name's sake, for his glory.

To often, I approach my Christian walk like it is about me, who I am, what I've done. Not this week. This week I am remembering that it is THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE.

One Prayer: Scott Hodge

2009-06-28T12:21:00.002-05:00

Scott Hodge, pastor at The Orchard Community in Aurora, IL, laid it down this morning at Discovery. Here is the link to the video. Enjoy!

One Prayer: Craig Groeschel

2009-06-22T23:41:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to the Father's Day message. Enjoy.

One Prayer: Perry Noble

2009-06-21T21:25:00.002-05:00

Want to hear the message that Perry Noble shared with Discovery a couple of weeks ago? Click here to listen from Elevation Church's website. Enjoy!

What Would Jesus Say to President Obama? (parts 3 & 4)

2009-04-26T22:41:00.002-05:00

Consolidating the posts because I got wrapped up in other items last week.

"Lead diligently."

Warren Bennis, renowned leadership expert, states, "Leadership is the ability to translate vision into reality." I believe campaign politics is largely about the ability to sell a vision for a preferable future. Senator Obama's campaign did an excellent job of selling hope and the belief that "Yes, We Can." The tough part begins now, turning that compelling vision into reality.

Scripture speaks pretty clearly on the idea of leadership. In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul uses the exact words quoted above in instructing leaders: "lead diligently." The term "diligence" has lost much of its meaning in our fast-paced, ADD-culture; it speaks to conscience attention to detail and precise action. After all, to whom much is given, much is expected (a rough paraphrase of Luke 12:48). Clearly, our President has been afforded much, including the votes of 53% of the voting public. Now, he must lead diligently.

"Seek wisdom."

Shortly after his father passed away, Solomon assumed the throne of Israel. In a vision, God appeared to Solomon and offered to bless Solomon however Solomon chose. In a moment of inspiration, Solomon chose wisdom. (I would have definitely been tempted to make everyday Thursday. Why? Cheap boneless wings and Survivor.)

If given the same option, I would plead with our President to choose wisdom as well. Clearly there are issues of economics, diplomacy, and social issues in which he is lacking knowledge and wisdom. Obama should surround himself with men and women who can provide him with the necessary wisdom. Most importantly, he should seek wisdom from God. In James 1:5, Jesus' brother writes that if we lack wisdom we should ask God who gives generously to all.

What Would Jesus Say to President Obama? (part two)

2009-04-22T07:32:00.004-05:00

President Barack Obama is one of the most gifted communicators that I have ever witnessed. He has an amazing command of the English language (unlike our former President who once created the word: misunderestimated). One of the elements that makes Obama sucha gifted orator is his use of self-depricating humor. Some of my favorite Obama quips include:"Contrary to the rumors that you've heard, I was not born in a manger ... I was actually born on Krypton, and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the planet Earth.”

“I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn't think I'd ever run for President."
"If I had to name my greatest strength, I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness? It's possible that I'm a little too awesome.”

Unfortunately, when every word that you say is immediately

transcribed and broadcast across the planet, you need to be extremely cautious about what you say. Last month, our President appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

During that appearance he made an off-handed remark about his bowling that was very hurtful to many individuals. In light of that moment, I think Jesus might remind Mr. Obama, "Watch your words."

Pearl Strachan once wrote, "Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." Centuries before she would pen these words, the Apostle James said that the whole world is set on fire by our tongues. He was reminding us of the destructive nature of an undisciplined tongue. (To read all of what James has to say about the tongue, click here.) I believe Jesus would encourage Barack Obama to watch his words, to be intentional about what he says.

What Would Jesus Say to President Obama?

2009-04-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

As we head into this portion of the series, I want do put out a couple of disclaimers. Too many people enter into the discussion of politics with the view that God has a particular allegience. I found a bumper sticker a couple of months ago that had a very imporant truth:

Disclaimer: God is not a Republican or a Democrat. I believe that there are elements to each of the major parties platforms that God would celebrate. I also believe that there are elements to each of the major parties platforms that would grieve the heart of God. Political parties, like every other group, is filled with broken and screwed up people. Of course, they would occasionally act in a way apart from what might be God's perfect will.

Disclaimer: I think Jesus would find plenty of things to say. Over the next few days, I am only going to highlight a few of them. Do not pretend to take this as the full-meal deal, but rather perhaps an appetizer.

Dad, I Got Great News

2009-04-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was getting ready to head back to work yesterday when Alyssa burst into the room. "Dad, I got great news." She ran off with the same level of enthusiasm. What had got her so excited? She came dashing back in. "I asked Jesus into my heart." When I asked her why she had done this, her response was simple: "Because I didn't think He was in there. Now He's in my heart."

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15)

Sunday Set List

2009-04-19T20:08:00.004-05:00

"Our Love is Loud" by David Crowder

"Song of Hope" by Robbie Seay, Taylor Johnson, Ryan Owens, Chase Jenkins, Dan Hamilton & Tedd Tjornhorm

"Majesty" by Martin Smith & Stuart Garrard

"Nothin' At All" by Third Day

"All I Need" by Shawn McDonald

"Always" by Jeremy Scott

Adventures in U6 Soccer

2009-04-17T07:44:00.003-05:00

So Thursday night was our first soccer game of the year for my little pink team. We have seven girls on the team and one was sick, so we played with 6 (only two of which are currently in school). Here's how the game turned out:

We got crushed. You know you lost bad when you place your opponents score in scientific notation and you still lose. That is the category we fell into. We lost 0 - 2.1 x 10. We did move the ball well at times (generally toward our own goal, but hey...we'll take what we can).

Saturday morning was the second game. Much more competitive. We lost only 7-3.

What Would Jesus Say to Bono (part three)

2009-04-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

What would Jesus say to the self-described "Imelda Marcos of Sunglasses"? What would he say to the 2005 Time Magazine person of the year (along with Bill & Melinda Gates)? His music has earned him legends of fans. His humaniatarian work has earned him the respect of world leaders and other dignitaries. The most pressing question though is what would Jesus say to him?

I suppose Jesus might say...

"Keep searching for me."

Bono grew up thoroughly confused by his religious experiences. As

the son of Catholic father and Protestant mother in Ireland where that division is not merely a religious issue, but also very much political, he felt confused. "I never had a problem with Christ, but Christians were a different story." Late in his teen years, he began an honest search that would lead him to trusting in grace. He continues to seek grace on a daily basis, relying on the work of Christ on the cross.

At the heart of the Easter story that we celebrated last weekend is the story of people seeking God. After watching their teacher be crucified on a wooden cross on Friday, his disciples went to continue their mourning on Sunday. They brought ointments and oils much like we might bring flowers to a graveside. When they got to the tomb, the stone had been rolled away. Their rabbi, their loved one, was missing.

Mary stumbled upon a man she assumed was the gardener and she asked him, "What have you done with him? If you've done something with him, just let me know where you put him and I'll take care of him." In the midst of her desperate search for Jesus, the man replies to her: "Mary."

Jesus was there. He called her by name. In hearing her name called, she responds, "Rabboni" (which means Teacher). It's as if Jesus looks at her and says, "Mary. Boo...it's me, Jesus."

Today, some of you are still searching, looking for something. In the midst of your doubts, questions, confusion, Jesus wants to meet you right where you are. He wants you to know that He is not dead; He is right there with you...and He is calling you by name. He wants to meet you where you are.

To Bono, to you, to me, Jesus says, "Keep searching." If you have never really trusted him, keep asking questions. Keep looking for answers. If you are a Jesus-follower, keep working out your faith with fear and trembling. Keep seeking Him who sought you.

What Would Jesus Say to Bono (Part Two)

2009-04-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

I suppose Jesus might say...

"Great job putting your faith into practice."

In James 2, the brother of Jesus argues that we can tell genuine faith by how it impacts our life and how we demonstrate that faith on a daily basis. He gives the example of seeing a hungry, naked person and telling them: "Praying for you." What good does that do? Did that solve their hunger pains? Did that warm them up? No. Real faith would not merely utter words, but live it out in a "let's go to Cicis and get you some pizza buffet and stop at Target before we do that (you know: no shoes, no shirt, no service might be a problem).

Faith is not merely coming to church for a service on Sunday. If the only evidence of your faith is your attendance on Sunday morning that is not faith; it is a hobby (thanks Ryan for the help with that line). As Bono has said, "Love thy neighbor is not advise. It is a commandment."

After a 1985 trip to Ethopia sponsored by WorldVision, Bono's world changed. He could no longer ignore the cries of hunger from Africa. He could no longer drown out the cries of the orphaned children grieving the loss of their mother to a virus that also infected them. He had to do something. He had to put his faith into practice. He helped launch a variety of NGOs to address the issues of the forgotten continent: DATA, One Campaign, and Make Poverty History. I think Jesus would commend these efforts.

What Would Jesus Say to Bono (part one)

2009-04-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

I suppose Jesus might say...

"Your music rocks."

While Bono was just 16 years of age, he answered the ad of a 14-year old

boy named Larry looking to start a band. After watching adoring teenage girls flock to the house for practice, Bono was convinced: his future was in music. The band would become known as U2. They have gone on to sell over 145 million (wonder what Dr. Evil would think of that?) albums. They have received 22 Grammy awards. They have been inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.

I believe that Jesus would appreciate their music. He would definitely like the passion and effort they bring to their performances and their studio work. Remember the Apostle Paul wrote:

"Work from the heart for your real Master, for God" (Colossians 3:23, The Message).

Bono's music usually is real. It usually describes an individuals journey toward God or their running from Him. Whether they are describing a place "Where Streets Have No Name" or the struggle which has left them feeling like they "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," U2 embraces the search for God like few other mainstream bands.

By the way...

2009-04-13T05:56:00.002-05:00

In case you haven't realized....

I'm back. Blogs going up everyday this week. Don't miss out.

Monday Mind Dump

2009-04-13T05:32:00.002-05:00

What happens when you take an ADD person and give them sleep deprivation? Thoughts along these lines:

I love Discovery Church. Volunteers yesterday...you rocked. Thanks for the serious hard work.
Who sits in a dark parking lot at 4:45 AM waiting for some poor sap to come open a gym. Seriously people. Sleep is not such a bad thing.
Highlight #1 from Easter: After overhearing me tell a little girl how beautiful her dress was, one of our volunteers said, "You can say that. You're a dad. If I said that, I look like a pedophile."
"Mary...Boo...It's me, Jesus."
Watching the Hannah Montana movie wasn't so bad, especially with Morgan sleeping in my arms. Doesn't get much better than holding your little girl in your arms.
Praying that Ridge Church finds a place to meet soon. Even though meeting places aren't that important to being a church.
Mowing sucks. Anyone who likes the outdoors and would enjoy walking in God's creation for 2.5 hours is more than welcome to come mow my yard anytime they want.
Speaking of mowing: Broke the mower yesterday. Tree roots suck!
Excited about what God is doing in Vegas. Viva la Verve!
Highlight #2 from Easter: Easter lunch. Mom rocked the steak with melting sauce and the aspargus & sun-dried tomato concoction. Awesome.
Can't wait for this week at Discovery: What Would Jesus Say to President Obama?

Sunday Set List

2009-04-13T05:19:00.003-05:00

Here's the set list from Easter at Discovery Church:

"Where the Streets Have No Name" -- U2

VIDEO: Easter Welcome to our Church

"You are So Good to Me" -- Pasley/Pasley/Chaffer

"Mighty to Save" -- Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan

"I Am Free"-- Jon Egan

"Jesus Messiah" -- Tomlin/Carson/Reeves/Cash

"Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" -- U2

SERMON: What Would Jesus Say to Bono

"My Savior, My God" -- Aaron Schust

"Beautiful Day" -- U2

Today in Review

2009-02-22T21:09:00.003-06:00

Worship team did well while making adjustments. Darrin, you have some serious pipes.
Ryan, wishing your guitar well. May it rest in peace. Here's hoping you have another next week.
"27 + 39 = 66. If you're Catholic, there's even more."
It's amazing the devotion and sacrifice that so many people made so that we could read God's Word in our own language.
How am I neglecting God's Word?
Who's in for making a difference at Tekoppel?

This Sunday @ Discovery

2008-12-26T07:30:00.000-06:00

The building is not the church. The worship service is not the church. The people, the followers of Jesus, are the church. This week, Discovery Church will be finding a variety of ways to be the church. We will not have a weekly worship service, but the church will still be meeting. What will the church be doing? They will be: loving family in towns far, far away; serving other churches; loving their neighbors (in completely legal & moral ways). So don't come to the movie theater on Sunday expecting church. The church won't be there this week (unless they happen to show up with a friend for a flick).

News of the Strange & Stupid

2008-12-22T18:30:00.000-06:00

Criminals tend to be disproportionately stupid. Not just silly or ignorant, but stupid. However cops can be tricky too. Take this story from coming out of Chicago. Here's a hint for future criminals: if you have a warrant for your arrest outstanding, do not go to a free giveaway.

Quote of the Day

2008-12-20T12:00:00.001-06:00

"When God chooses man, He invests him with full responsibility for total obedience to an absolute demand." -- Paul S. Minear, Eyes of Faith

Quote of the Day

2008-12-19T12:00:00.000-06:00

"A friend is one to whom you can pour out the contents of your heart, chaff and grain alike. Knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away." -- Anonymous

This Sunday @ Discovery

2008-12-19T07:30:00.000-06:00

Very excited about this Sunday at Discovery. It will be the last Sunday of the year as we take a break and encourage the church to reach out and be creative about being community for a week. We're wrapping up our Christmas series, "Christmas Classics." We'll watch a clip from one of my favorite childhood Christmas movies (hint: stars My Cousin Vinny). Also, the band might have something special for us. Check it out Sunday @ 9:30 AM (free Starbucks @ 9) at Kerasotes Stadium 16 (yes, the movie theater).

Overcoming the "Religious" Mindset

2008-12-18T22:51:00.003-06:00

While reading today, I came across this quote:

"While in the Western spiritual tradition we have tended to see the "religious" as one category of life among many (we even call nuns and monks the "religious"), the Hebrew mind has no such distinction about a purely "religious" existence but is concerned with all of life...All of life is sacred when it is placed in relationship to the living God." -- Frost & Hirsch, Shaping of Things to Come

It rocked me. Why do we try to compartmentalize our lives and keep God in the "religious" quadrant? If He truly is God (and that perhaps is the primary question of life), then doesn't He deserve so much more than our Sunday morning box? If He truly is the author and sustainer of all, doesn't He deserve our everything?

I know for me that this is not always easy. I like boxes. It is easy to pull down the Bob's box or the debate box or the Discovery box or the family box. Boxes are okay...if there is a place for God in each box. How am I allowing God to work and move in and through me at Bob's? In the speech & debate community? At Discovery?

What about you? Do you have boxes? Do you have God in the boxes or is He simply on the shelf of your life, waiting on you to acknowledge His presence, His existence?

Quote of the Day

2008-12-18T12:00:00.002-06:00

"In giving advice, seek to help, not please, your friend." -- Solon

One of the Best 5 Minutes of My Day

2008-12-17T18:00:00.000-06:00

Saw this early this morning and it was one of the best 5 minute blocks of my day.

Check it out: http://vimeo.com/2535351. Trust me it's worth it.

Quote of the Day

2008-12-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

"A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution." -- J. Oswald Sanders

Matthew 11:12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it."

Today's Big Plans

2008-12-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

More HR. Making all the Group Ex instructors as official Bob's Gym employees sure does add to my workload. It'll be great for the gym though.

Also today, lunch with Jeremy to begin thinking about music for the worship services in January ("Chasing the Lion").

Irony (Definition of)

2008-12-16T20:58:00.002-06:00

Sitting on the couch eating pizza from Papa John's while watching "The Biggest Loser" finale. That's my life.

The Reason for...

2008-12-16T18:30:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, Perry Noble laid down a line that shook me. Here's what he said:

"Jesus is not the reason for the season;

He's the reason for life!"

Wow... Nothing new, but if it became a part of your life it would change everything.

Quote of the Day

2008-12-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

"If you want to build a ship, don't summon people to buy wood, prepare tools, distribute jobs, and organize the work, rather teach people the yearning for the wide, boundless ocean." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery