The Weekend Update...

Crazy weekend. Enough said. But I'll share some details anyway. Check it out.

• This weekend was our annual Staff Advance at The Connection Church. At TCC, we never retreat! Our team spent all of Friday evening and all day Saturday dreaming about the INCREDIBLE things that God has in store for us in the upcoming year.
• Our Staff Advance just confirmed once again what I already knew - Our Lead Pastor, Cole Phillips, in an absolutely amazing leader. I was challenged and stretched all weekend!
• Our team spent Saturday afternoon playing paintball together. We called it "teambuilding" to justify it and it was an absolute blast!
• Saturday night Johanna and I went and watched the Lockhart playoff game against Beaumont Central. We got to hang with our peeps Jmob, Clay, and Meg which is always awesome. We also got to see a lot of friends that we hadn't seen in a while. Good times.
• Today at TCC was C-R-A-Z-Y! With less than 10 minutes before our first service we lost all power. It was INSANE. But it didn't even faze our team. They just jumped into action, set up a "sanctuary" in the lobby which had light from several big windows, and we had an incredible service. I will say this again: Our team is AMAZING!
• The TCC band was fantastic today. Not only did they pull off an incredible unplugged service with no power or electricity, but then turned around in our second service (with power back on) and ROCKED OUT the song Satisfy Me by Decemberradio. It was by far my favorite song they've ever done! Great job band!

Like I said...crazy weekend. I'm exhausted and now pumped about getting to see family and take a breath with Thanksgiving this week. And with Thanksgiving in mind, I'll be posting each day this week about things I'm thankful for, so check it out throughout the week.

The Start of Something Big...

Tonight marked the official start of something big - my brother's basketball coaching career. My brother has had several jobs in life. And he's done really well at the vast majority of them. In fact, he could sell a ketchup popsicle to woman in a white Versace dress on a hot summer day. He's that good. But he was meant to coach. A love for the game of basketball runs through his veins like something I've rarely seen. It's his passion. It's his obsession. And now passing that love and passion for the game on is what he does for a living. His first official game was tonight as a coach for Magnolia High School. He's the freshman A-team coach and the assistant coach to the varsity. His team won 54 to 16. I'd say he's off to a good start. Congrats bro! I know it's just the start of something big.

Elevate Weekend...

This past weekend we had our first ever Elevate Weekend as part of The Connection Church's student ministry. Basically, Elevate is our version of a fall retreat where our students are immersed with fun, friends, and faith. We worshipped together, laughed together, and played together and it was a BLAST! Thank you to everyone who served and gave to make the weekend possible! I think this weekend was just a small glimpse of things to come and of what God is going to do to use TCC to reach the students of the Hays area. Our Lead Pastor Cole Phillips came and hung out for a while this weekend and captured a little of the weekend on video. Check it out below.

Reflections on Today...

Usually, on this date every year the same thing happens. My mom or dad call me early in the morning to remind me it's my grandmother's birthday. In turn, I would call my brother and we'd figure out which florist to call and order flowers so that it would look like we knew it was today all along. Then Johanna and I would call Mea, that's what we call my grandmother, and wish her a happy birthday. She'd thank us for the flowers, and being her always gracious self she'd go on about how beautiful they were. But the highlight for her wouldn't be the flowers. It would be getting to talk to the grandkids she loved so much...the grandsons she took pride in and the granddaughter-in-laws she adored. For her, that would have been her real birthday present.

But like I said...that's what I would usually do today. But not this time. My grandmother passed away suddenly back in April. What started out as a stomach ache ended up being a major health issue that took her life before any of us were ready for her to go. And to be really honest, I miss my Mea. Some days it's better than others...and then there are days like today when I'd give just about anything in the world to have to make that emergency phone call to the florist to order flowers for her birthday. On days like today, I'd love the chance to be able to call her and promise that we were coming home to visit soon...And that when we did, we'd go out to eat to celebrate her birthday and make my dad buy dinner for everyone!

But the reality is that isn't possible. So what do I do? Well, I had the great honor of preaching my grandmother's funeral. During that service I talked about the legacy of love and life and faith that my grandmother had invested in those of us she loved. I have no doubt she's in heaven now in the presence of Christ because of her devout faith in his love and forgiveness. So today I do my best to live in a way that honors and continues that legacy. What I can do is treat people graciously because that's what she taught me. I can laugh at life because I saw her do it time and again. And I can love my family and friends because in my grandmother's life I saw her pour out love day after day after day to the people in her life. I can't order flowers today or call Mea up on the phone. I'd really love to. Somedays I think it would just make everything better if I could. But what I can do is seek to live out the legacy of love and faith she poured into her family. So today that's what I did. It doesn't take the place of that phone call I'd love to make...but I know it'd make her smile just the same.

Anybody Else Tired?...

You know what we need? We all need one day a week to just rest and get renewed and refreshed. Right? You feelin' me on this thing? Well, whether you're with me on this or not, that is exactly what we need. In the Bible, God called it a Sabbath. One day a week for us to rest and be refreshed and renewed. To say that is tough in today's society would be like saying that an apple is a bit healthier than a Big Mac, Super-size fries, and a large milkshake. (For those of you who don't get the analogy, that would be a huge understatement.)

While I have several of my own thoughts about this subject, this post is to let you know that my buddy Zak White and Clayton Bell have a blogging crossover going on about this exact topic. It's a pretty interesting discussion and I thought you might be interested in checking it out. So check out their blogs and get in on the discussion.

Wow Wednesday...

This video has been floating around from blog to blog lately and our lead pastor, Cole Phillips, pointed it out to me. Thanks for sharing Cole! This is definitely worthy of a WOW. And let me just add this: in 12 years of ministry at churches where choirs sang every Sunday, I had never heard any of these songs done by a church choir before!

Veteran's Day...

Today our nation get’s the opportunity and privilege to repay one of it’s greatest debts in the form of a simple Thank You. Today is Veteran’s Day. It is a day for us as a nation to honor and thank those who sacrificed more than we’ll ever know in order for us to live in peace, freedom, and prosperity. And it is a day to thank those who are currently making those sacrifices as they serve and defend our great nation.

This is one National Holiday that I never forget. President’s day may slip by me. Columbus Day may come and go without a notice. But not today. Today is not only special because of the many men and women we get to honor. But today is even more special for the one man that I get to honor.

Lieutenant Colonel Bobby R. Burleson is a career military man. He served the majority of his adult working life in the United States Army. He served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He spent time stationed abroad in Germany as well. He served his country with pride, dignity, and honor for over 20 years. His sacrifices have been many – time away from his family, serving his country during wartime, and most recently his ongoing battles with cancer resulting from Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. When I was younger I asked Lt. Col. Burleson about some medals he had received and why they were just in a cigar box in the cedar chest in a spare bedroom. He told me he didn’t serve his country for medals. He did it because it was the right thing to do. That conversation and that moment forever shaped me. For my entire life, I have known Lt. Col. Burleson by another name – Papa. He’s my grandfather. He’s one of my very best friends. He is my hero. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God for the life lessons and legacy I’ve received from Papa. And today I’m so thankful that I have the PRIVILEGE to pay him the respect, thanks, and honor he deserves. Papa, I thank you for your willingness and sacrifice to serve. And today, our nation thanks you as well. And more than that, I thank you for living a life that taught me the importance of doing the right thing and serving others.

Johanna and I both have the honor of having many more family members serve in the armed forces – brothers, friends, cousins – the list goes on and on. My brother-in-law Jerry, my cousin Thomas, and my good friend Gibby currently serve. To all my family members and friends, to all those veterans and current military personnel that I don’t even know: Thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for MY FREEDOM. I do not take it for granted. Today is your day. May we, as a nation, pay you the respect and thanks you so greatly deserve.

50,000 Shoes...

Several blogs that I read regularly have posted today about an incredible opportunity called 50,000 Shoes. It's an incredible undertaking that I'd like to challenge you, my readers, to be a part of. Soles 4 Souls is a charity that has donated over 3.5 millions pairs of shoes to those in need in over 61 countries. Their vision is simple: get shoes to the people who need them. There are over 300 million people in our world who don't have shoes. The 50,000 Shoes in 50 Days Challenge is all about using social media, like this blog, to rally people around this cause. It means that you and I have a chance to do something about it.

It's this simple: Step up and take the 50,000 Shoes in 50 Days Challenge. For only $5 you can buy two pairs of shoes. For just 5 bucks, you can make a difference in people's lives. You can put shoes on a person's feet for the very first time.

Think about it folks. Most of us spend close to $5 at Starbucks on the way to the office in the mornings or ordering a movie off of our cable's pay per view. $5 is nothing to the vast majority of us. It is easy. It is simple. So go HERE and do it now. Plus, your $5 donation gives you the opportunity to win a chance to hand deliver your shoes on a Soles 4 Souls trip to Mexico.

So skip the Starbucks in the morning. Watch an old movie on TBS instead of ordering that new release. Use your money to make a difference. Do it now.

I think this is such a good thing that I'm willing to anty-up and put my money where my blog is, so to speak. Here is what I want you to do. Leave a comment on this blog and let me know when you've paid for your pairs of shoes. If my readers get 10 donations, then Johanna and I will match it. Let's make a difference together!

The Week That Was...

My blog has been silent this week and I apologize. But I do have a good excuse (I think). I had one of my wisdom teeth surgically removed on Monday. That meant that last week was filled with a bit of pain and a lot of pain-killers…And just trust me when I say that it probably isn’t best for me to share my thoughts with the world in that state! So instead of my normal Weekend Update, here’s a look at the whole week that was…quick, fast, and in-a-hurry.

• Monday I had one of my wisdom teeth taken out. It ended up being a lot bigger thing than originally thought because of how impacted the tooth was. Needless to say, it’s not been one of the funnest moments of my life!
• I bach-ed it (as in “bachelor”) most of the week. Johanna spent Tuesday through Friday with family in D.C. I miss my wife TREMENDOUSLY when we’re apart for that long!
• Friday night we had our first BIG student ministry event. We hosted a Post Game Bash for students following the Hays and Lehman football game. We had free food, games, and a rockin’ concert by SOUNDWAVE. We got to make contact with a ton of students and it was a GREAT NIGHT.
• This weekend I got to spend time with some of my former youth and now great friends Jordan, Kaylen, and Daniel. Jo & I absolutely love getting to spend time with them and cherish every chance we get to share life together.
• Sunday was a great day at TCC. The band was ROCKIN’ and pulled off an awesome version of Toby Mac’s Lose My Soul. Cole knocked it out of the park with the message. Honestly, a couple of his illustrations communicated why we should honor God with our finances better than any I have ever heard! You can watch the entire service here so go and check it out!

I’ve got some posts that have been brewing in the brain so be sure to check back this week for a more regular routine of bloggage. But for now, I’m out.

The Weekend Update...

If you took the Longhorn game out of my weekend, it was great. Here's a recap...including the terrible performance of UT...

• Friday I spent most of the day prepping for the TCC Trunk or Treat. It was an incredible event! The estimated attendance was 3,000+. Thank you Connectors for making this event a HUGE SUCCESS! You rock!
• Saturday Johanna and I spent the late morning and afternoon running errands in Austin. That included a stop at Matt's El Rancho to curb Jo's craving for the Bob Armstrong Queso Dip. Amazing stuff!
• Saturday evening myself and a couple other guys went over to a friend's house to watch the Longhorn and Red Raider game. Great friends. Great food. Crappy game. I'm still ticked off at how the Longhorns played.
• Today the TCC band ROCKED IT OUT. Good stuff!
• We had a scavenger hunt with out middle school students at SURGE tonight. It was off the chain! Everyone had a blast.

That about sums it up. Great weekend and now off to a busy week.

It's All About The Team...

I probably shouldn't let this out, but here it goes: Before the NFL was all about the benjamins, I used to be a HUGE fan of the San Francisco 49ers. Most of my favorite NFL players have worn the 49er logo. Montana, Rice, Lott, Norton, the list goes on and on. Knowing I was a big fan back in the day, a friend sent me this via email today. It's a rant by Mike Singletary, the interim head coach of the 49ers.



Singletary nails some big truths in this clip. And here is the most important thing: It's all about the team. I am fortunate to serve on an incredible team at The Connection Church. We have a team of people who are willing to do whatever it takes to reach people with God's love.

And if we're playing to win, then we have to work as a team. Here's the truth: Lone-rangers rarely do anything significant for the kingdom of God. And I'm with Singletary. You cannot win with people who don't put the team first. You cannot coach with them. You cannot play with them. You cannot win with them. And we're playing for something a lot more important than winning football games. So what are YOU doing to help the team?

The Weekend Update...

We had a great weekend. The only bad thing is how fast it flew by. Here's some highlights:

• Friday I spent the day hanging out with my lovely wife Johanna. It was cool not to have a ton of stuff on the agenda and to get to just hang out together.
• Friday night I went and watched to Wimberley, TX to watch the Liberty Hill and Wimberley football game with a good friend. I also saw an old friend from college at the game. Too bad the football wasn't as great as the friendships!
• Saturday Johanna and I spent the afternoon with my boy Jmob. His birthday was Sunday and he turned the big 2-1 so we celebrated Saturday with him and his parents with some incredible Mexican food at Chuy's and delicious desert at Mozart's on Lake Travis.
• Sunday was a great day at TCC. Cole and the band rocked it out leading worship and Zak did a great job preaching. Combine that with a great night at SURGE with our middle school students and it made for a super Sunday.
• On Sunday we also had a meeting at Cabela's for THIS. If you live in the Kyle/Buda/South Austin area come and CHECK IT OUT this Friday, October 31st at Cabela's.

It's Enough...

I've been enthralled by a story in the Bible found in John 6 for the past few days. You can click here to read it. Basically, it's the story of Jesus feeding thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a couple pieces of fish that some boy had because his mom packed him a sack lunch. Jesus had been doing his thing - healing people, raising the dead, teaching life-changing truth - and an enormous crowd had begun to follow him. The next thing his disciples know, it's supper time and there are literally thousands of people that have wandered out of town onto the mountainside following Jesus.

The Bible says that Jesus looks at the crowd and poses this question to the disciples: "Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?" It also tells us that Jesus was just testing his disciples because he already had it all figured out. So how do the disciples respond? They've followed Jesus and seen him do absolutely incredible things. They've watched people be healed. They've watched the dead be raised. Supper should be no problem, right? Well, the disciples immediately focus on the size of the crowd. They freak out and figure that there's nothing they can do to make the situation work.

Enter the kid with the happy meal. Andrew, one of the younger disciples, notices that this kid has a couple pieces of fish and a few pieces of bread. He let's Jesus know and Jesus says "give it to me." Then Jesus does the incredible: He takes the small offering the boy had and he feeds thousands of people with it. The Bible says that every single person ate their fill and there were still leftovers. In fact, Jesus had the disciples take baskets and pick up all the leftovers for later. Maybe he thought they needed a reminder at lunch the next day about the power of the one they followed.

Here's why this has been brewing in my mind and heart lately: No matter how small or insignificant you think what you have to offer is, in the hands of Jesus it is enough. You may think that your gift or ability or talent or offering can't possibly make an impact. After all, the crowd is too big right? That's what the disciples thought. They lost sight of who they were following because they were overwhelmed by the size of what they were facing. But not the kid in the story. He gave all he had and Jesus made it into enough.

I don't know what crowd you might be facing in life right now. I don't know what problem or issue seems too overwhelming for you to conquer. But I know this: whatever God has given you - whatever talents, gifts, resources, and abilities - in the right hands, it is enough. So give it all to him and let him multiply it to the point where there are leftovers.

Wow Wednesday...

Each Wednesday I post a video that leaves you saying one word: wow. In the past, that "wow" has meant "I am so shocked at how terrible this is that I can only come up with this one word of response." (See examples here and here.) But today Wow Wednesday takes a twist. Today, I wanted to share a couple videos that make me say "wow" and mean "that's stinkin' impressive." Check out these two videos. The first has been a favorite of mine for a long time. The second is a video of a song that Zak pointed me to this week. Enjoy the good side of wow.

Link Love...

It's time for some link love! Check out the following links to be challenged, stretched, informed, and entertained. There's a little something for everyone.

• Our Lead Pastor Cole Phillips proved he could "take one for the team" at the Catalyst Conference. Read his account of this life-risking event here and check out Zak's blog here to see a video of the event.


• My friend David Brown posted this fantastic blog of what rap music should be. Trust me, it's dope. It even includes some old school, phat Youtube videos. You've gotta' check this out!


• Ben Arment posted this blog about "stepping away from the photoshop" - seeking help and forming a team.


• Steven Furtick shared this thought from his wife Holly. It's a good reminder to all of us as pastors about how much is on the line with our character.


• Brad Ruggles posted 3 Ways To Become A Generous Giver. If you are a pastor or leader in ministry and you want to lead generous people, do you know what the key is? Be generous yourself.


• Tony Morgan posted this video clip of his pastor, Perry Noble, asking the question, "Are you settling for crumbs?" It is a great illustration and if you are a lady, especially a single lady, you need to check it out. Now.


• And finally...you've got to check out this blog by one of the coolest 6th graders I know. Keep blogging Kenzie!

Catalyst Recap - Part Three...

Here is the third and final post in the recap of my experience at the Catalyst Conference. You can read the first post here and the second post here. Here's a recap of the final few sessions and some thoughts I took away from Catalyst:

Andy Crouch: Culture Making

• We need to move from condemning, critiquing, copying, and consuming culture and begin cultivating and creating culture. This is what God originally asked us to do.
• We need to take what is already good and help keep it good.
• Ask 3 questions: What are you cultivating? What are you creating? Who is in your creative circle?

Matt Chandler

• Our churches are filled with people who come to church, have been baptized, and know all ABOUT Jesus, but don't know Him.
• If you are using Jesus to grow a big church, have a great marriage, or become wealthy, then you are an idolater.
• The gospel is that you get Jesus and Jesus is enough.
• You can't teach what you're not doing. As a leader, your church will be weak where you are weak.
• There is a way to teach and live that allows men to see what the gospel is and what the gospel is not.

Andy Stanley: Recent Random Thoughts On Leadership

• Andy shared the following quotes and then his take away from each quote. We had to leave this session early because the conference was running late and we had to catch our flight. Some of these notes have been copied from other sites.
• "To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing." - Craig Groeschel. Andy's Take Away: Become preoccupied with those you haven't reached as opposed to those you are trying to keep.
• "The Next Generation product almost never comes from the previous generation." - Al Reis. Andy's Take Away: Be a student, not a critic.
• "What do I believe is impossible in my field...but if it could be done would fundamentally change my business?" - Joel Barker. Andy's Take Away: Pay attention to the people who are breaking the rules.
• "If we got kicked out and the board brought in a new CEO, what would he do? Why shouldn't we walk out the door, come back in, and do it ourselves?" - Andy Grove. Andy's Take Away: Acknowledge what's not working and own up to why you are unable to do anything about it.
• "When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near." - Michael Hammer. Andy's Take Away: Don't let the past overshadow your future.

That concludes the recap of speakers throughout the conference. As far as my closing thoughts on Catalyst here they are:

• Catalyst does it right. Absolutely incredible experience. I was challenged, inspired, stretched, and all for the better.
• Aaron Keyes might be the most passion-filled worship leader I have ever seen. This guy is not simply a singer or musician. He is a worshipper. Of all the incredible talent on the Catalyst stage, Aaron Keyes stole the show in my opinion. Amazing talent and heart for God. You need to check him out right now.
• I had a great time hanging out at the Blogger's Dinner hosted by Brad Ruggles. It was great to meet some new peeps and hang out. Thanks Brad!
• Catalyst doesn't simply focus on great speakers. It's all about the experience. From the moment you exit the interstate to head to the arena, they begin to create an experience for the particpants. Most churches could learn a lot from this.
• There were some awesome ministries represented at Catalyst. Of course, one of my favorite organizations, Compassion was there. But you should also check out Trade As One, the new rockumentary Call and Response about human trafficking, Hoops of Hope, and Samaritan's Purse to name a few.
• Billy Graham was given the Catalyst Lifetime Achievement Award. Due to his age and health issues, he couldn't be there to accept in person so his son, Franklin, accepted the award on his behalf. There will be thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people in heaven because of Billy Graham. This was one well-deserved award.
• Overall, Catalyst was a fantastic experience. If you are a leader, especially in ministry or the church, it is a definite must-attend conference. You need to be there. Do whatever it takes to make it happen. I know I'll be back next year.

Catalyst Recap - Part Two...

Here is my continued summary of the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. You can check out my first thoughts and part one of the Catalyst Recap by clicking here. Here are some more brief highlights from some of the event's speakers:

Seth Godin: Tribes

• In today's society, people ask two questions: Whose going to be there? Whose going to lead us?
• A tribe is a group of people, self-selected, usually with a leader, who come together with a purpose. A crowd does not equal a tribe.
• The more powerful the connection, the more people will buy in.
• Do something you might get criticized for.
• We need to become heretics. A heretic is someone whose faith is so deep that they are willing to take on the status quo.
• Leading is not choice. It is an obligation. It's using the leverage that's been given to you.

Craig Groeschel: Finding It When You've Lost It

• This session was another one of my favorites. Some very stretching stuff!
• The "It" is the something special of God that He does in and through someone or something.
• We lose "it" when we focus on building "my" church, instead of His church.
• If you lose "it" you have to do something drastic to get it back.
• We ought to pray 3 prayers: God stretch me. God heal me. God ruin me.
• Our heart should break for the things that break the heart of God.

Tim Sanders: Saving The World at Work

• You create abundance by giving. Scarcity is solved by love.
• That which you learn on Sunday makes you a rockstar on Monday. You have to take your values to work.
• We need each other in order to be successful.
• When you show someone love, even the people who only observe that act are changed.
• Leaders guage reality and they give hope.
• If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

Dave Ramsey: The Enemies of Unity

• There are five enemies of unity: poor communication, gossip, unresolved disagreements, lack of a shared purpose, and sanctioned incompetence.
• You have to create communication.
• Gossip is when a negative is discussed with anyone who can't help solve the problem.
• Leaders must have a backbone!
• An indecisive leader is by definition not a leader.
• If you're gonna' put a fish on the back of this thing, you better drive it right! If it's "Christian" then it better have an extreme level of excellence!

I'll have one more post recapping Catalyst. It includes some thoughts from the final few speakers and a brief recap of my first Catalyst experience. Stay tuned...

Wow Wednesday...

I have to admit when Ace of Base crashed onto the music scene in the mid-90s I was all about their tunes. You might even could say that I saw "the sign." (You'll only get that if you've listend to Ace of Base before...) But when I saw this version of "All That She Wants" my only response was...wow. So it becomes my latest installment in the Wow Wednesday series - a video that can only leave you with one response - wow. Check it out.

Visit DrK's MyStage

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Catalyst Recap - Part One...

I spent a couple days last week at the Catalyst Conference. It was absolutely incredible. 12,000 "next generation" leaders all in one place, at one time. It was challenging. It was stretching. It was good stuff. I thought I'd share a few highlights of what some of the speakers shared throughout the two day event. Catalyst was like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant, so understand that this is just a small portion of what was shared. I'm planning on posting a few blogs to at least cover a main thought or two that each speaker shared. Here are the first couple:

Andy Stanley: Louder Than Words

• We must lead from moral authority. Moral authority comes from a balance between our creed and our deeds.
• We must show moral authority in the areas of forgiveness, family, and finances.
• In talking about balancing family and ministry: "Prioritize the role that no one else can play over the role that many others can play." Anybody can be a church's pastor. You're the only husband and father your family has!
• In regards to finances: "It's simple. Give. Save. Live on the rest."
• If you want to lead generous people, be a generous person.

William Paul Young, Author of The Shack

• God has an affection that is relentless in our direction.
• God heals us not so that he can use us, but because He loves us. And then He invites us to play.

Jim Collins: Good To Great

• Good is the enemy of great. Good is what keeps us from being great.
• Greatness is not a function of the cards we're dealt. It's a function of choice and discipline.
• We are more likely to die from indigestion of too much opportunity than from starvation of it.
• You have to prepare for what you cannot predict.
• Shared this quote his mentor told him: "You spend way too much time trying to be interesting. Try spending more time being interested."
• If you have a "to-do" list, you should also have a "stop doing" list.

Steven Furtick: From the Promise to the Payoff

• This was by far one of my favorite sessions at Catalyst. Furtick exudes passion and authority. The brother can straight up bring it too - old school style!
• Hold on to what you hear from God even when you can't see it.
• First comes the promise. Then there is a process before the payoff.
• Be faithful in the process!
• God is preparing you for what He's preparing for you.
• Don't forfeit the payoff by being unfaithful in the process.

I know this blog post is longer than normal, but there was just so much good stuff at Catalyst. I'll be posting at least one more Catalyst Recap post, if not two more. So check back here for more Catalyst goodness.

The Weekend Update...

Here's the weekend update...Comin' at ya' like a blitz!

• I got home from Catalyst around 1 AM on Friday night/Saturday morning. Needless to say, I did not want to get up on Saturday.
• Once I did get up, I headed to Gonzales, TX to do some painting. I've been working on a job at a friend's office building and had gotten behind on getting it done. I paint on the side to try and earn some extra money and I pride myself on doing quality work quickly. Since Jo's been sick the quickly has gotten left off of this job and I was trying to get as much done as possible on Saturday.
• I listend to the Red River Shootout while I painted Saturday. The Longhorns put it to the Sooners and now UT is rated #1 in both national polls! HOOK 'EM HORNS!
• Sunday was TCC all day. We had problems galore on Sunday morning. You name it, it went wrong. From mic problems, tech issues, volunteers gone...It was crazy. But what was even crazier is that God showed up in the midst of the chaos. Every time a day like this happens, God shows how He is so much bigger!
• I spent Sunday afternoon planning for this. If you live in the Kyle/Buda area, you need to make plans now to be at Trunk or Treat on Halloween! It's gonna' be awesome!
• Sunday night was spent hangin' with some great students at our SURGE middle school meeting.

That about wraps it up. The weekend flew by and now it's off to another busy week!

Leaving On A Jetplane...

Tomorrow morning I'm headed to Atlanta, GA for the Catalyst Conference. This will be my first time to go to Catalyst and I am pumped! I'm looking forward to being stretched and challenged in my growth as a leader, pastor, and Christ-follower. I say it all the time, but let me repeat it here: I'm on a journey and by no means do I have it all figured out. That's why I love opportunities like Catalyst where I know that I will have such an opportunity to learn.

If you follow me on twitter, I'm sure I'll be updating like crazy from the conference. If you don't follow me, check it out here or watch for updates on the side-bar on the right of this blog.

I've also got a couple of blogs set to post while I'm gone and I'll be recapping all the Catalyst goodness as soon as I return.

The HUGE Announcement...

So last week I said I'd be posting BIG NEWS on the blog here within a week. I know you've been waiting in anticipation, checking the blog multiple times a day, just dying to know, right? Well, here it is:

Johanna and I are expecting! We've got a baby on the way! That's right folks, I'm gonna' be a DAD! Johanna is 12 weeks pregnant and to say that we are beyond excited would be the understatement of the year. We cannot wait and are so pumped about being parents. And the fact that God would allow us to be entrusted with another life is absolutely humbling, amazing, and even a little scary! Even as I type this it's still all a little overwhelming. God is so rich in his mercy and grace to us and is so good to us.

So now you're in the know. You've got the scoop. Feel free to share it with those we know who might not read this blog. And pray for us. If you follow me on twitter, you know that Johanna has already had a couple hospital stays. You can read about that on her blog here. Every day, several times throughout the day, I pray and ask God for a healthy mom and a healthy baby. I'd sure appreciate you joining me in that prayer. And while you're praying, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to pray for the kid that will have me for a dad...there's no telling what adventures await him or her!

A Supermarket Rant...

Dear HEB (or any other supermarket),

I'd like to use my blog let you know exactly what I want and don't want. For starters, I want you store to be laid out in some semblance of logic. Please quit putting half of the cold stuff three feet inside the door so that by the time I check out it's completely thawed. Also, if we could at least get food groups on adjoing rows, that would help greatly. Second, no I do not want any of your basket specials or wow items at the checkout, no matter how great of a buy it may be. I'll pass on the jumbo box of Nerds for 99 cents, the overstocked toothbrushes you haven't been able to sell for months, and the Coconut-Strawberry-Fusia hair conditioner. If I had wanted any of this I would have picked it up at the display you had at the front door...or in any of the other 7 aisles you placed this junk in the middle of througout the store. Thirdly, I also do not want to sign up for any special discount card. No, I do not want to give you every last ounce of my personal information in order to get a keychain card that allows me to save 2.8% on Tuesday mornings from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Thanks for your incredible generosity, but I'll pass. Finally, I also do not want to have to press eighteen buttons just to complete my transaction with my debit card. I slid the card. I typed in my pin number. Do you really have to ask me if the total is ok and if I am sure I want to make this transaction four more times? You've got to be kidding me! It has taken you supermarkets years to screw up the simple process that Mom & Pop grocery stores invented decades ago: I give you my money and you give me your products. Here's what I want: I want you to check out the stuff I've chosen and placed on the check out stand. I want you to do it quickly. And I want you to give me my stuff, my receipt, and my change (if necessary). It really is that simple.

Sincerely,

A Customer Who Hopes To One Day Get In & Out of Your Supermarket In Less Than 1 Hour

Wow Wednesday...

A friend sent me this as soon as I started the Wow Wednesday weekly post. I thought I'd in turn share it with you. The message of God's love is definitely true and solid. There is a God who loves each and every one of us. But the eyes and the "ooooh" noise...wow.

The Weekend Update...

Here's the weekend update. 'Cause I know you're just dying to know...

• Friday was spent just chilling at the house with my wife and my mom. Mom came down to help us unpack and get some stuff done around the house after the hectic craziness that has been life since we moved to Kyle.
• Saturday morning we had a training for our Konnection Kidz ministries. It was awesome to hear our volunteers and our team sit around and brainstorm creative ways to reach families and show kids God's love. We refuse to allow being portable and having limited resources to be an excuse for less than excellent programming!
• Saturday afternoon Johanna, my mom, and myself headed to San Marcos for Jo to get a haircut and to grab some grub at Texas Roadhouse. Good stuff, especially when my mom buys!
• Today was all things TCC. Zak did a fantastic job teaching this morning about how we can learn humbly. This afternoon I officially became a member of The Connection Church by attending Connection 101. Tonight was our weekly gathering of middle school students called SURGE. It was an extremely long day, but it was also a GREAT day.

I've got lots to do this week. But be sure and check back here for a HUGE announcement this week!

Wow Wednesday...

A friend sent me a link to this video. Not sure I'd respond with a wow or an ouch. Check it out.

WOW Wednesday Follow Up...

A couple weeks ago I started a weekly post called WOW Wednesday. Each week I've posted a video that can leave you only one response: Wow. The first video was by a group called Sonseed and was a song called "Jesus is My Friend." You can see it here. This weekend at UBC in Waco they used the clip from YouTube as part of the announcements. Read all about it here. The David Crowder Band, which leads worship at UBC, decided to play the song as the benediction. The video below is the result. Check it out:

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is a special day in the history of the world. It's my mom's birthday. And without my mom, there'd be no me, so I consider it a special day. My mom has taught me alot over the years. She taught me not to curse by smacking me across the mouth when she heard me swear for the first time. She taught me what "cajun food" tastes like by cooking so many things "blackened." She taught me what discipline was by using a ping-pong paddle on my backside when I needed it growing up. And she's been an absolute unending supply of hilarious sermon illustrations over the years.

In all seriousness, so much of who I am today can be traced back to my mother. My love of serving others, especially those less fortunate, comes from watching my mom constantly seek to serve those whom others overlooked. Any sense of humility and compassion I have comes from watching my mom put others before herself again, and again, and again. My belief in the power of prayer, my belief that all people matter and have value to God, and so many other core values of my faith have their roots in my mom and what she's modeled to me time and time again over the years.

Mom, thanks for helping make me who I am today. I'm honored to call you my mom. The world would be such a better place if their were more mothers like you. Love ya' mom. Happy Birthday!

What Megachurches Really Produce...

Baylor University recently released a survey as part of their Institute for Studies of Religion. The survey is a summary of Americans' attitudes about God, churches, and spiritual issues. My boy Jmob talked about it briefly on his blog. He shared the following excerpt that I found intriguing:

“The survey spoke highly of the American megachurch, congregations of more than 1,000 that are often criticized for their impersonal nature. People who attend megachurches are far more conservative in their theology than are attendees of smaller churches, it said. Their members are also younger, they share their faith more with strangers, and they perform more volunteer work than do members of small churches.

“There are many critics who think the megachurches thrive on people who enjoy dramatic Sunday services with fine music but don’t wish to become very ‘religious’ on a day-to-day basis - that the megachurch appeal is a mile wide and an inch deep,” said “What Americans Really Believe,” a companion book to the survey.

“But it is not true. Those who belong to megachurches display as high a level of personal commitment as do those who attend small congregations.” Mr. Stark added, “Apparently they are preaching Jesus and that’s why they get so big.”

You can read the full article from the Washington times here and the Ft. Worth Star Telegram here. Check it out.

Do Something...

In my short time at The Connection Church I've quickly come to love our church and our team. I love serving on a team that is constantly looking for ways to do something to make a difference for our community and for others. Check out this post on Cole's blog, our Lead Pastor, to see what I'm talking about.

Our local Hays Area Food Bank is eager to help hurricane evacuees in the area but their shelves are bare. Cole's challenged all of us at TCC to pack the PAC on Sunday morning with food for Hurricane Ike Evacuees in our area. Read his blog post to get more details. Here's a list of what foods are needed:

Canned meats, canned fruits & veggies, mac & cheese, pastas, peanut butter, granola bars, bottled water, cereal, rice & beans, dried milk, baby & infant formula, & soups

So here we go TCC: I'll see ya' at the PAC tomorrow with grocery bags in hand...unless I see you today shopping for stuff at HEB!

7 Years Ago Today...

September 19th is a special day in my life. It's an anniversary of sorts. Seven years ago today I showed up at Scott & White hospital before the sun was even up. I had a date with a neurosurgeon at 7:00 AM to remove a pituitary tumor from my head. Just a week before, on Sept. 11th (Yes, THE Sept. 11th) I had spent all day at the hospital making the rounds and getting prepped for surgery. The morning of the 19th my ENT, my endocrinologist, and my neurosurgeon were all teamed up and ready to go. Needless to say, the surgery was successful. God guided hands and minds in ways that only he can and he used the miracle of modern medicine to heal me.

My life changed that day. There was a good chance that I could've seen my family for the last time as they wheeled me in that operating room. There was a chance that I would never have met my incredible wife, seen age 25 (or now 30), or done so much of what's happened in the last seven years. But in His goodness and rich mercy to me, God worked things out. And so today for me is a celebration. Every year, no matter what is going on in my life, I celebrate this day. Whatever situation or place life finds me at on September 19th, one thing is true. It is a good day. It is a day to celebrate life. It is a day to take inventory of what is really important and to take a long hard look at what I am investing my life in, because obviously God let me hang around this planet for a reason. I don't want to waste His time or mine.

So if you feel like celebrating today, join me. We might not be at the same place, or even in the same state or time zone. But we can celebrate together regardless.

Wow Wednesday...

I know this is one day late. Our lives have been kinda' crazy this week and Wednesday flew by without the weekly video post. Wow Wednesday is a weekly post dedicated to a video that leaves you saying just one word...wow. And usually, it's not an impressive wow. Check out this week's edition. It starts off slow, but when the voice change kicks in...wow.

A New Addiction...

I just read on Yahoo news that social networking sites have surpassed pornography as the number one attraction on the web. Porn has been dethroned. You can read the full article from Yahoo news here. It's a basic summary of Bill Tancer's new book "Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why It Matters." This got me to thinking that maybe we have a new addiction. I love the access and ability to stay in touch that social networks, like Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook provide. But a person can waste a lot of time on these sites. In fact, many employers ban these sites from work. So maybe this article is announcing our newest addiction. I'm not sure...

What do you think? How much time do you spend online on social networking sites? Do you think it can be addicting? Comment away...

The Weekend Update...

Here's a recap of a weekend in the life of Nic. Check it out:

• Friday we got to hang out with some GREAT friends. Jmob, Clay, and Megan all evacuated from College Station to their parents' in Lockhart. That meant they got to sneak away on Friday and come hang with us in Kyle.
• Friday night the five of us went and hung out in Austin. We went to Chuy's, the best mexican food place in town, and had some phenomenal mexican food. I had the hottest shrimp taquitos I've ever tasted.
• Saturday I had planned on spending the day doing some things around the house and hanging out with my wife. Ike changed my plans. My brother and his in-laws live in Kingwood and they lost power from the hurricane. Cabela's here in Kyle had some generators and so we worked up a plan where I bought two generators and headed toward Houston with generators, gas, and window a/c units in tow. They were able to cut their way out (literally had to cut and move trees out of the road) and met me in Brenham.
• Sunday was another incredible day at The Connection Church. Micah and the band absolutely rocked! Cole's message was super-challenging. We had a puppet team do some awesome stuff for our Konnection Kidz. And our SURGE middle school ministry had another great night. I love my calling and my job!

That about wraps it up. Between the hatch green chile shrimp taquitos from Chuy's and the excitement of a supply run brought on by Hurricane Ike I'd say the weekend got spiced up a bit.

How about you? How was your weekend?

More Than Planning...

In my short, couple week tenure as Family Pastor at The Connection Church I've tried to hit the ground running. I've spent a lot of time looking toward the future for the various ministries which I now have the privilege to lead. I'm pumped to be a part of the TCC team because the team is willing to do whatever it takes to reach people with the life-altering love of Jesus.

Thursday evening I spent some time thinking about all I've done to anticipate and dream of growth. I want to see our age-based ministries grow to the most excellent level possible. In the midst of that, I've done a lot of planning. I've done tons of preparing. We've even done some practicing for some ministry events. But the one thing that will make our ministries, our church, and, ultimately, the kingdom of God grow is not simply planning, prepping, and practicing. It's prayer. I'm all about working hard to reach people. I believe far too few churches and leaders do it. There are way too many lazy people in the church. But all the hard work in the world can't grow anything without spending time with God praying for growth and life-change. I've been reminded today of this passage in the Bible that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)

I don't know about you, but at times I need to be reminded that all the planning, prepping, and practice is useless unless I've spent some time praying to the God of growth.

Let Us Not Forget...

Today we remember. Too many times we allow time past to soften our memory of things past. May we not forget those fallen fellow Americans lost on this day 7 years ago. May we not forget the sacrifice of those who gave all in attempts to save others. May we not forget the heroes who ran in while logic said run out.

"This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way, and at an hour, of our choosing." - President George W. Bush

"These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong." - President George W. Bush

"Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer, apparently as a signal to other passengers to attack the hijackers, Sept. 11.

"The hero is commonly the simplest and obscurest of men." - Henry David Thoreau

"Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we are the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining."

- President Bush

Wow Wednesday...

Last week I posted this video with the simple response of "wow." I think I'm going to make this a weekly post called Wow Wednesday. Each week it will feature a video where the response can only be simply "Wow." What do ya' think? Well, check this one out and be sure to watch it all because toward the end the male in the group does a semi-robot dance move and an attempted moonwalk. Like I said: wow.

Praise & Worship Hero...

The latest Christian knock-off version of a hit cultural phenomenon came out last week. It's called Guitar Praise and it's a Christian version of the popular game Guitar Hero. For only $99.95 you can soon be "rockin' with the best while praising the Lord!" It has been interesting to see the reaction from those outside the Christian sub-culture on this. One reaction was over at GameSetWatch that you can read here. The author is a British games journalist and producer. One thing I found intriguing is that the article quoted contemporary theologian and pastor Rob Bell. I think the article gives an enlightening take on what someone outside the Christian sub-culture might think about this type of thing. Below are a couple of quotes I really liked from the article, but you should definitely check out the whole thing for yourself.

"The word Christian is, in the strict sense, a noun. It literally means somebody who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. People get themselves in all manner of trouble when they turn the noun into an adjective to describe their work, community, bookshop, painting, tee shirt, video game or song. A book or song cannot ‘follow Christ’. As an adjective the word is, in essence, a term of marketing targeting a product specifically at Christian people." - Simon Parkin

"Something can be labeled ‘Christian’ and not be true or good… It is possible for music to be labeled ‘Christian’ and be terrible music. It could lack creativity and inspiration. The lyrics could be recycled clichés. That ‘Christian’ band could actually be giving Jesus a bad name because they aren’t a great band. It is possible for a movie to be a ‘Christian’ movie and to be a terrible movie. It may actually desecrate the art form in its quality and storytelling and craft." - Rob Bell

A Good Time To Be Jewish...

The opening sentence of the article reads, "Larry Blumberg is looking for a few good Jews to move to his corner of the Bible Belt." Apparently, Blumberg is the chairman of an organization in Dothan, Alabama who is offering as much as $50,000 for Jewish families willing to relocate to the predominantly Christian town of 58,000 in the South. You can read the entire article featured on Yahoo news here. And if you have any family members or friends who are Jewish and looking for "warm and friendly people, little traffic, and no snow," then maybe they can make some extra cash in the move!

The Weekend Update...

Here's a recap of the weekend...coming at ya' like a blitz!

• Friday night Jo and I got to hang out with Zak and Amber and their little boy Couper. I love serving on the TCC team and the White's are one of the many reasons why! It was a blast!
• I spent Saturday painting at the Farm Bureau office in Gonzales earning a little extra cash. Plus, that way I didn't have to do MORE unpacking. Johanna knocked some of that out though...
• Yesterday at The Connection Church was absolutely INCREDIBLE. We made the transition to two services without any major hitches...and, we had 646 people in church yesterday!!! Way to go TCC!!! Thanks for taking seriously the opportunity you have to invite your friends and neighbors to be a part of what God is doing here in this area! You are making a difference for eternity!
• We kicked off a new series "One Month To Live" yesterday. Click here for more info.
• I spent yesterday afternoon at the kickoff of FUSION, our college ministry here at TCC. Joe Barnes is leading that and I know God is going to use him to do great things. Lots of fun with volleyball and "do whatever you want" football in the pool.
• Last night I hung out with our Middle School students at SURGE. We talked about the end times. Needless to say there are a ton of jacked up views out there. But the bottom line is this: It doesn't matter how it all happens in the end as long as you are READY. And the only way to be ready is to be right with God through a relationship with Jesus.

That wraps it up. Hope you're weekend was as good as mine.

Youth Worker Appreciation Day...

Youth Specialties has declared tomorrow, September 6th National Youth Worker Appreciation Day. I love that. I've been involved in Student Ministry my entire adult life. I got my first youth ministry job at the age of 18 and have breathed that as a lifestyle ever since. I'm glad there are folks like Youth Specialties that recognize the hard work, sacrifice, commitment, and all out effort that youth workers pour into ministering to students. Don't get me wrong...I know there are some lazy Youth Pastors and volunteers. That goes with every profession. And that infuriates me because they give those of us who are doing everything we can to storm the gates of hell for the lives of students a bad name. But I have had the privilege of knowing, befriending, and working with some incredible youth pastors and youth workers. My last team was simply amazing. The team I have now at TCC is fantastic. So tomorrow if you have any youth pastors or youth workers in your circle of influence be sure and tell them thanks. I know it will mean a lot.

On a slightly related note, my friend and fellow blogger Terrace Crawford has been having some awesome give-a-ways on his blog in honor of National Youth Worker Day and I was yesterday's winner! He hooked me up and you can read about it here. Thanks for all you do to support and encourage your fellow youth workers Terrace!

Jesus Is My Friend...

Our Lead Pastor Cole Phillips showed us this video today at the office. I'm not sure where or how he found it. I'm not even sure what to say. It left me pretty much speechless...

The Weekend Update...

Here's a recap of the weekend. Let me just forewarn you that it mostly involves moving. If you're hatred for moving is as big as mine, you might want to skip this post...

• Thursday night the moving began. My friend Brett Scott and I moved a couple of small loads to get started.


• Friday Johanna and I spent most of the day packing. My brother drove in from Houston Friday night and he and I packed all of our junk that would fit into a 26 ft. Uhaul. We had a good time hanging out, but both of us would've preferred different circumstances for our chats.


• Saturday we moved the Uhaul stuff and a few other loads to Kyle. We had some GREAT folks from The Connection Church help us out. We even had some friends from TCC mow our lawn while we were picking up more stuff. Gotta' love that! Thanks to all who helped out!


• Sunday was an incredible day at TCC. Cole knocked it out of the park on Sunday morning.


• Sunday night we had Surge, our middle school ministry. It turned into an all-out water war, with water balloons flying everywhere.


• Monday we spent just relaxing and running a few errands after the move. Monday evening we went to The Salt Lick with some friends to celebrate Joe's birthday. It was a blast!

Like I said, our weekend revolved around moving. Labor day weekend really was filled with labor. And my back is sore to prove it...

The Weekend Update...

Sorry for the blogging silence folks. Between speaking at a retreat this past weekend, getting stuff packed, and trying to get ready to move it has been beyond crazy this past week. This week holds more craziness as we make our actual move to Kyle, so the blogging may be spotty this week too, but I know it will pick up after that. With that said, here's a recap of the weekend.

• Friday Johanna, myself, and a couple of our students from Lockhart spent the morning and early afternoon getting stuff ready for our garage sale that Johanna held on Saturday.
• Friday afternoon I headed out to Camp Travis outside of Austin, TX on Lake Travis. I spent the weekend speaking at FUEL weekend for Randy Moore and the students of Millwood Baptist Church. Even though Randy had to leave early for some family stuff, it was a really good weekend. Pray for Randy and his family and pray for the students of Millwood as they start school this week.
• Sunday was spent gettilng acclimated some more with all things The Connection Church. I absolutely love this place and am honored to be able to serve on the TCC team!
• Speaking of Sunday, Cole knocked it out of the park with his sermon. At TCC we use hell as a motivation because we don't want people to spend eternity there. And in his words, "If that means we charge the gates with water guns, that's what we'll do!"

I'm hoping to blog a little more consistently this week, but the packing and moving craziness is in full swing. If I'm not back on my regular blogging schedule this week, it'll hit back up next week for sure. Thanks for your patience...

Link "Love"...

My friend David Stippick recently started blogging. From time to time I throw out link love and he's been giving me a pretty hard time about leaving him out. In turn, I've been holding off showing him any link love simply in spite.

Well, the ban is over. Today I read Stippick's blog and he wrote one of the most incredible blogs I've ever read in the form of a letter to his future wife. It is a MUST READ. Click here now to read it.

I absolutely love my wife. I am a pretty romantic guy. I love making her feel like the most incredible woman on this planet. And in light of all these things, I wish I had written this blog. It's good. Really good. (Except for the part about watching chick flicks and reading romantic novels...that's scary.)

So Stippick, here's your link love bro. Enjoy.

The Weekend Update...

INCREDIBLE weekend. Here's the recap, bulletin style:

• Friday night, Johanna, myself, and a few students from our ministry in Lockhart headed to Kyle to the Chris Sligh concert. It was a great night. Good food at Chilis. Great concert at the PAC. Some of the best company on the planet.
• Saturday we headed back to Kyle for a Current meeting. That's the quarterly leadership meeting at The Connection Church for any and all volunteers and ministry leaders.
• Saturday afternoon Jo and I met with a lady about leasing her house...And we signed a lease! We actually have a place to move into at the end of this month...and it has a hot tub!
• Sunday was spent being involved at TCC...ALL DAY. We spent the morning at the worship service at the PAC, the afternoon golfing with some guys from one of the small groups, and the evening getting a taste of what the Surge Jr. High ministry is all about...FANTASTIC DAY!

As you can see, the weekend was packed. But it was a blast! Now, it's time to follow it up with a great week!

What It's All About...

Over the last two weekends Elevation Church, led by Steven Furtick, had a goal to baptize 1,000 people in their two weekend Awakening series. They didn't hit that goal. They passed it. In the past two weekends 1,044 people were baptized during the services at Elevation. Life-change. People taking the plunge to follow Jesus. That's what it is all about.

I just watched this video and read about Leo's story on Steven Furtick's blog. INCREDIBLE. You need to click here and watch it now. Seriously. Right now.

An Office Jewel...

I spent a lot of time this week packing and cleaning out my office. Just so you know, I despise both packing and cleaning. I'm just not sure which one I hate the most. But in the midst of the cleaning, sorting, and discarding I came across several random pages of old notes. One of them had to do with "Why Stillness Is Important." This morning I met with a great friend for breakfast and one of the first things he asked me was how my walk with God was going. Straight up and to the point. We all need those kind of friends. Then this afternoon I found these notes so I thought I'd share. I don't have a clue where I got them. For all I know, I may have made them up. But I doubt it. They may be notes of someone else's teaching. I honestly don't know. They were written on some notes that I recognize to be around 3 years old. In any case, I hope this encourages you, as it has me, to seek times of stillness with God.

Why Is Stillness Important? - Psalm 23:1-3

1. God orders it. - Psalm 46:10 - What God has to say to us is worth waiting to hear.
2. Wisdom prescribes it. - Ps. 51:6
3. Survival depends on it. - Psalm 1:1-3 - Just as we need physical rest, we must have spiritual stillness.
4. Success requires it. - Jeremiah 9:23-24 & Matthew 11:28-29

If you're like me, your life is busy. The temptation is to fool ourselves into always thinking that busyness = godliness. But it's a dangerous thing to get so busy that we forget to be still with God. I pray that this weekend we'll all be able to spend some still time with God.

The End of an Era and The Start of Something New...

We just got home from our last night at The Attic, our student ministry building. Our staff and students have called this old upstairs building home for the past year and a half. For a year before that, we were in the wilderness - bouncing from Sunday School rooms, to fellowship halls, to random homes. I couldn't help but hear the tune to Green Day's Closing Time as I walked out tonight...Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Over the past year and a half we have seen GOD do some absolutely amazing things in our ministry in this place. We've met in an old, musty, hot, old, ugly, hot building (did I mention old and hot?). And in that place, God showed up, week after week, and changed lives. And it's been amazing. So tonight, as Johanna and I close this chapter of our lives and step into the next chapter, I am overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions.

We've seen God move incredibly and we are grateful. And we will miss our relationships in this ministry. We've made lifetime friends and ministry partners that we'll charge the gates of hell with for a long time to come. But even in the midst of those feelings, we are looking forward to this next step with great anticipation. We are beyond excited about what God has in store for our future at The Connection Church. I am pumped about being a part of the TCC team and doing whatever it takes to reach people with the love and hope of Jesus. So tonight has become both a celebration of things done and a celebration of things to come...and I can definitely handle that.

Creators or Connoisseurs?

Over the past couple years in ministry I have noticed a growing trend: most churches and ministries are simply copying innovation and creativity. If you look at churches that are considered "cutting edge" the vast majority of them are simply copying their "creativity" from a very limited, few sources. Whether it's teaching series ideas, outreach events, or overall programming, it seems that there is a lot of copycat ministry that exists in the church today.

And here's my take on it. Innovation and creativity are hard work. Even for those who are naturally creative, innovation doesn't happen without work, time, and vision. That's why it's so easy to simply copy what someone else has done. And if all of our innovation and creativy are "borrowed" then it's not really innovative at all. After all, by definition, innovation is the creation of something new.

For the church, this ought to be alarming. After all, God is the ultimate Creator. He is the author and beginning of all things innovative and creative. It is from His being that all creativity flows. Unfortunatley, far too many times we settle for being connoisseurs of innovation, rather than creators of something new. It's a whole lot easier to copy someone else's new idea than to work hard enough and pray hard enough for God to give us something new.

In short, we've settled for being consumers of innovation instead of creators. I think that the author of creativity demands more from us than that.

The Weekend Update...

So here's a little recap of this past weekend in the life of Nic:

• I spent most of Friday doing absolutely nothing. Seriously, it may have been the laziest day I've had in months!
• Friday night Jo and I went to eat at Blake's in Luling. However, we made sure that we were back in time to catch the majority of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies...That stuff was KILLER. I feel for the nation that has to follow up that act. Wow.
• Saturday was spent working on my sermon, cleaning out the Blazer, and working around the house...and more Olympics.
• Today was by far the highlight of the weekend. I preached this morning and our student worship leader, Michael Pittman, led worship. Our 2nd service was ROCKIN! Absolutely incredible stuff.
• I got to baptize two students today. One was a sophomore in our ministry and the other was his 9 year old little sister. AMAZING. The symbolism of the life-change that baptism represents gets me pumped up every time.
• Tonight was our "going away" reception at the church. We had some worship time, some cookies and punch, and some sharing of memories. Good stuff.
• After church we got to spend some time with some students and youth workers at Taco Bell just hanging out...had a great time.
• I just finished up the weekend watching more Olympics, with the USA men's swim team coming back at the last second to stick it to France. Yeah baby!

That's the wrap up. I'm out.

Pray For Clara...

I'm not sure why I haven't posted this on here yet, but I have a friend who could definitely use our prayers. Clara was our children's minister at FLBC when I came on board and I absolutely loved serving alongside her. Over the past couple years that I've known her, and even longer than that, she's suffered from some incredibly painful headaches/migraines. A few months back they found out it was all caused by something called Chiari. To make a long story short, she and her husband Tim traveled to New York this past weekend for Clara to have major surgery. You can read all about it on their blog here. Clara's surgery is done but she's still recovering in the hospital and she, Tim, and the family are defnitely still in need of prayers. Thanks in advance!

Link Love...

Here some's links you definitely need to check out:

• This (click here) might be the funniest blog I've read in months. My college roomate David Brown is a great writer and his post yesterday combined his mad creative writing skills and his almost scary love of music. If you're a Vanilla Ice fan, you've gotta' check it out.
• My student worship leader Michael Pittman is now blogging. He is hands down the most talented worship leader, as a high school student, that I have ever served with. And he's hilarious. Click here to check out his blog.
• Terrace Crawford posted this blog a few days back about 10 Ways A Church Can Show Students Love. It's really good stuff. If you work with students or attend a church and care about the students who go there too, you should check it out and pass it on.
• I'm not a Packers fan, but you cannot go anywhere without hearing the Brett Favre/Packer drama. Even though Brett is now a Jet, I loved this post by Mark Batterson about the whole situation. I mean, c'mon...Favre is a legend.

Quotable...

Tony Morgan posted an interview (click here) with Seth Godin over on his blog. In the interview Seth makes this statement, and I thought it was definitely worth sharing:

Faith is never going to go out of style, and community is more important than ever. It’s just got to be relevant.

Good stuff. Seth Godin is speaking at Catalyst and I am pumped that I get to hear it. It should be really challenging stuff.

More Thoughts on Vision...

I had a great conversation with Phil Hamblin, pastor of Rhea's Mill Baptist Church a few weekends ago. Phil is a new friend and someone who I think is an incredible leader in the church today. We talked a lot about vision over that weekend and Phil said some things that I've been processing ever since. He said that churches, or any organization for that matter, are full of three types of people:

• Those who can see the vision before it happens.
• Those who can see the vision when it happens.
• Those who will never see the vision, even when it is happening.

I think for far too long churches and pastors have allowed vision-stealers, those who refuse to understand or see the vision, to rob the church of God-sized visions. I get jazzed when I am around people who can see the vision before it happens. I can even go with people who need to be aided along to see things as they happen. But I quickly lose patience with those who refuse to see God's vision, even as it is becoming reality.

When it comes to God's vision for my ministry and for the church I lead and serve, I want to dream so big that people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them my dream of God's vision for the church. Because it is in those God-sized visions that God shows up and gets the most glory. And lives are changed!

**UPDATE** - After I posted this blog and my wife read it she pointed me toward a blog that Steven Furtick wrote last week about vision. Check it out here. Here's a quote about vision that Furtick made in the blog: "I’ve heard it said that if people have stopped laughing at your vision, you’ve stopped leading." Love it.

Redneck Stonehenge...

What do you do if your neighbors complain about the look and smell of living next to your farm? Well, if your Rhett Davis of Hooper, Utah you offer to split the cost of a fence between properties and even say that you'll build it yourself. But if that doesn't work? Then you build a fence by planting cars in the ground. That's exactly what Davis did in creating what he calls his "redneck Stonehenge." While he says it's just in fun and not to spite anyone, I doubt his neighbors are laughing. Check out the full article by clicking here.

Big Changes Ahead...

For some of you who are involved in the ins and outs of our daily life this is old news. But to some of ya' who keep up with Johanna and my life through this blog, we've got some BIG, EXCITING news to share.

This past weekend we shared with our church that we feel God has called us to make a move in our ministry. We've spent a ton of time praying about God's direction for us as we seek to follow Him and we feel confident that God is leading us to be a part of the team at The Connection Church in Kyle, TX. TCC is a church plant a litte over 3 years old that is rocking the Kyle area and beyond with the message and hope of Jesus. And we are stoked that God has opened the door for us to be a part of the team.

It has been a hard decision for us and one that's taken a lot of prayer. We love our students here in Lockhart and we will miss them greatly. Our team of youth workers here is incredible and I can't imagine a better team. We've got tons of memories and life invested in this place. But even though it's hard to say goodbye we are pumped about the next step that God has called us to.

I will be serving with Cole Phillips and Zak White, two incredible leaders and men of God, as well as with a ton of other great people on the TCC team. My official title will be Families Pastor and Johanna and I are excited about our role in helping TCC reach those who are far from God.

I'll be posting more details as they come about, but for right now we'd just ask that you pray for us as we make this move. And you can check out this video that Zak put together to show at TCC yesterday and check out his blog announcement here.