We Are Moving...

Today on the blog I am sharing some BIG NEWS about our family. It's really bittersweet news too...some of that news that's both happy and sad at the same time. We talked about it in church at The Connection Church last Sunday. In fact, you can watch the service here, with our news at the end of the service.


So here we go: We are moving. That's right...Johanna, Hayden, and myself are moving to Stephenville, TX to start a brand new church. I will be the founding pastor and church planter of Timber Ridge Church in Stephenville.

I want to be sure I say something right from the start with this announcement: Johanna and I LOVE The Connection Church. We love the people that make up TCC, we love our friends and ministry partners at TCC, and we love the vision of TCC. In fact, it is that very vision - seeing God change lives one life at a time - that has brought us to this place in our lives. And without the leadership and mentoring of Pastor Cole and other incredible people at The Connection Church I would never be able to step out and follow God in faith to make this bold move! In fact, I feel very strongly that we're not simply moving, but that The Connection Church is sending us out to continue the vision of seeing lifes changed!

So after a ton of praying and seeking God's direction and leadership in this area, we feel confident that He has called us and prepared us to plant our lives in Erath County and Stephenville, TX to plant a church that helps people move from where they are to where God wants them to be. Our new church will be all about reaching those far from God and planting more churches that will continue to the vision of seeing God change lives one life at a time.


While it is beyond difficult to think about moving away from so many incredible friends that have become family to us and such an amazing church, we are excited about what the future holds. We know that we are being obedient and following God's leadership in our lives. And we are excited to see where this next step in our lives leads.


There will be a lot more to come about our upcoming move and where we're heading in life, so be sure and stay tuned. In the meantime, please pray for us and for this new church that God is going to birth to reach people who don't know Him.

Change Your World...

Wow. It's been two months since I've last blogged. To say life has been busy since the summer got here would be a huge understatement I guess...But I'm going to try to get back into this blogging groove and wanted to share something we talked about at our Connexion Students worship gathering last night.

Last night at our SHOCKWAVE worship service, we talked about how God has given every one of us the ability and call to change our world. But it starts by changing one life at a time. Too many times we feel like we don't have something to offer that can make a difference in the world. But that's just not the case. Here are three things that all of us have that can impact the lives of others in our world.

1. MY STORY - For those of us who are Christ followers, God has given us each a unique story of how he has worked in our lives and how he has brought us into a relationship with him and changed our lives in the process. When we share our story with others, we can help them see how God is working in their own life story as well.

2. MY LIFE - Our world is full of fakes and knock-offs. You can get a fake Coach purse or Oakley shades at any little flea market. You can get knock-off brands of name brand sodas by the hundreds. And, sadly, even the church has become a place known for fakes. But when you and I take our faith seriously and actually live out what we claim to believe, then we can impact our world. People are drawn to God when they see authenticity in us. When we make sure the talk and the walk of our life matches up, then we can impact our world!

3. MY LOVE - Jesus said that the world would know his followers by the love they showed for others. The way that we love and treat others gives our faith credibility. Jesus' love forever changed the world. And when we model his love to others, we can change the world too!

You can change the world...But it starts one life at a time! Go be a world changer!

Parenting Tip of the Week: The Do's & Dont's of Discipline...

At The Connection Church we're talking about raising indesctructible kids this month in our series Kidstruction. This Sunday, our lead pastor, Cole Phillips, talked about Making Kids Mind Without Losing Yours. You can check out the sermon here.

With that in mind, this week's parenting tip is all about discipline. Here are 5 Do's & Don't of Discipline for kids of any age:

The Do's

1. DO Be consistent. Consistency is the key to discipline. If your kid isn't getting a consistent message , they're clueless about how to behave, and may be feeling confused, insecure, and perhaps unloved.
2. DO Clearly Communicate Expectations. As a parent, we must overly communicate our expectations for our kids. Children can't follow rules or live up to standards that they don't understand or know about.
3. DO Enforce the rules you set. Don't make a rule that you don't intend to enforce. It only creates mixed messages for your kids and creates confusion within your family.
4. DO Present a united front. As parents, if you undermine your partner (or another consistent authority figure) you are not making your kids love you more (Admit it; that's why we do it!). You are actually confusing them and undermining their respect for both of you. If you present a united front, you create an atmosphere where your children feel secure and respect authority.

The Don'ts

1. DON'T bribe. While rewarding your child for good behavior is a great discipline tool, bribing kids to avoid bad behavior only reinforces that negative behavior.
2. DON'T get personal. When you tell your child that they are naughty, rude, lazy, etc, you are labeling them. Instead, try to condemn the behavior, not the kid. Instead of saying, "You're so rude! Why can't you share?" try saying something like, "That was a selfish thing to do. It's very rude to take Joe's toy from him."
3. DON'T go overboard with punishment. Punishment is just one aspect of biblical discipline, so don't go overboard on that alone. Make sure you're following the old saying of "making the punishment fit the crime."
4. DON'T expect children to behave like adults. Newsflash: Your kids are not adults. That means that sometimes they'll do foolish or irresponsible things because...well, they're kids! Our children don't have the wisdom that we do from the life-experience we've gained so we need to remember that as we set proper rules and expectations.

Check back here on Thursday for the Parenting Resource of The Week!

Parenting Resource of The Week:

While kicking off our Kidstruction series this past Sunday, Pastor Cole talked about how our homes should be places where God is honored and where we are pointing out God's blessings and work in our lives. Having a family Bible study or family devotional time is one of the most important things we can do as parents for our familes. It's also one of the most intimidating! But it doesn't have to be that way. Below are this weeks Parenting Resources of the Week, which all offer some great insight and helpful tips on how to get comfortable leading your family through a weekly or nightly devotional time and becoming the spiritual leader that your children need. Check these resources out!

Free Online Resources:

• The Christian Parenting website offers 10 Tips For Fun Family Devotions here.
• Pastor Mark Driscoll offers Four Constants For Better Bible Study With Our Spouses and Children. You can read his blog here.
• Mark Driscoll also has written a book entitled PastorDad: Spiritual Insights on Fatherhood that would be a great read for all men who are trying to better lead their family's spiritually. While you can purchase the book at local Christian bookstores, Driscoll has also made it available for free online and in PDF form here.

Book Resources For Purchase:

• Wayne Rice has written the book Generation to Generation which is full of practical and creative ideas for raising kids to know and love God. It would be a great resource for any family to have and can be purchased at most Family Christian Stores or online here.
• Teenage counseling guru Josh McDowell's book The One Year Book of Family Devotions is another great resource for families. It can be purchased here.
• Mike and Amy Nappa provide another great resource for families in their book 52 Fun Family Devotions: Exploring & Discovering God's Word. This book provides a devotional for each week of the year & uses the ordinary things of life to demonstrate and experience spiritual truths. You can order the Nappa's book here.

Parenting Tip Of The Week: Effective Communication...

One of the best ways to ensure that your child or teen will communicate with you is to create a home environment where they feel safe and comfortable to share what's going on in their lives and where they feel that they are listened to and not simply heard. So how can parents go about creating an environment where communication takes place in the home? Here are some helpful tips.

7 Keys to Creating Communication Within Your Home

1. When your child or teen begins a conversation with you, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Your child wants, and needs, your undivided, complete attention. When talking with him or her, put down the laptop, turn off the television, or silence the cell phone. You'll be amazed at what you hear when you actually focus on listening.
2. Eye contact is key. It's hard to tell if someone is paying attention if they're reading the newspaper and responding with random "Uh-huh"s as you talk. Look your child in the eye to ensure that they have your complete attention when they're talking to you.
3. Comment on what you heard. So many times our children & teens are sharing something because they are looking for our advice. You don't always have to give them the easy answer, or even give them a "yes" or "no" but commenting on what you think you are hearing from them is a great way to foster communication. A good way to do this is to use a statement like this: "I hear you saying _____. Is that what you are saying/mean?"
4. Spend time together. There is nothing like simply doing life together that fosters relationships where good communication can grow.
5. Praise, praise, praise. Your child/teen receives criticism and judgement from so many sources. Be sure to give praise when praise is due!
6. Admit when you've blown it. If you mess up in your relationship with your kid, admit it! They know it already! And you being able to admit it will build trust in the relationship that will open up lines of communication in the future.
7. Be an askable parent. There are times when parenting requires that you take disciplinary action and make judgements. But you also want to make sure that your child or teen know that they can approach you when they need help and that you'll react in a non-judgemental way, helping them solve their problems.

Be sure to check this blog later in the week for the Parenting Resource of the week!

Kidstruction, Parenting Help, and Blogging...

Yesterday we started a new series at The Connection Church called Kidstruction: Raising Indestructible Kids. For the next few weeks, we'll be looking at some building blocks of parenting to help strengthen families.

As a Family Pastor, husband, and dad, this is a series that is close to my heart. I want to do all I can to equip our parents to create families where the love of God is modeled, where families are growing stronger, and where there is fertile spiritual ground. Too many times, often without any intention on either part, the church and the home are in conflict rather than working together. At The Connection Church, we want the church and families to be walking side by side to help kids of all ages learn what it means to love God and love others.

So over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing a Parenting Tip of The Week and a Parent Resource of The Week right here on my blog. Stay tuned each week to gain some challenging, encouraging, and inspiring material for the difficult job of parenting. And in the meantime, if you missed Sunday's kick-off message to Kidstruction, you can check it out here.

My Best Buddy Turns One...

Today my son and best little buddy Hayden turns one year old. Wow. It's impossible to even put into words the emotion contained in that first sentence alone. I could not even begin to put into words the love I have for the Hayden-Bear...and the hatred I have for time. Time is a cruel, evil, relentless son of a gun. That's why I cherish every single second I get to spend with my family. Each moment with my wife and son are literally a gift from God. I could write for an audience who might read this and try to express my feelings for my son and the emotion contained in this day. But today, it's Hayden's day. While I appreciate all of you (or both of you) who might read this blog regularly, this one's for my best little buddy.

Hayden,
I love you, son. I cannot believe how fast time has passed in your first year of life. It seems like just yesterday I was carrying you from the delivery operating room to the nursery, whispering the words of Romans 5:8 in your ear as we walked down the hall. (I wanted the very first human words you heard to express to you how much God loves you and what He did to prove it.) I can remember letting you nap on my chest in that hospital room. I even caught a few naps right along with you! And I remember how super tiny you looked in the little football sweater we brought you home from the hospital in. (But you started growing really quick!) I can remember your first dr.'s appointment (we dressed you in your Longhorn gear!), your first bath, and changing lots of diapers. I remember the first time you smiled and the first time your momma left us home alone together (that's a funny story that's turned out to be a great sermon illustration about how much God loves us regardless of what we've done!) It seems like just a few days ago that we were teaching you how to eat "real food." We learned together because it was my very first time to feed a baby and your very first bites of real food! Buddy, we've had a lot of good times this first year. We've had a tradition of spending a ton of Friday mornings together eating breakfast, killing time at Marshall's or Best Buy or Academy, and letting momma rest while we had a "Dada Day." We got to celebrate your first Thanksgiving and Christmas and you even had snow on your very first Christmas. That doesn't happen very often in Texas, Hayden-Bear. We've played trucks, and ba-ba-baw (basketball) and read a ton of books (You love reading!). We've had a lot of fun at the neighborhood swing in the past couple months too! You really love that swing! And you love to do what Dada does. You copy what I do. You copy what I say. I've really got to watch myself these days, because I have a mini-me always in my shadow! But it is AWESOME. Hayden, I want you to know that I have ABSOLUTELY LOVED every single moment that God's blessed me with in this first year of your life. And I want you to know that God has LITERALLY changed my life in so many incredible ways because of you. God's taught me a ton of lessons about his love through your first year and your little life too. Hayden-Bear, I consider it the highest calling in my life, other than following Jesus, to be your father, your dada, your spiritual leader, your mentor, and to love your mother and model for you what a man who loves God and loves his family looks like. I hope that as you grow you see the love of Jesus in how I love you and how I treat you and how I live my life. Your mom and I know you are a gift from God, given to us to care for. Ultimately, you are His and we want you to always know how much we love you so that you will know how much GOD LOVES YOU. Hayden, there's no way I could put into words how much I love you buddy. But I hope one day when you can read this it will help you get a picture of just how crazy your Dada is about you. Happy Birthday Hayden-Bear! I love you so much, son!

Eggs, Agua, and YOU...

This Saturday, April 3rd, The Connection Church is hosting our annual Easter egg hunt extravaganza, The Big Hunt! If you've never been a part of this incredible event, just imagine 30,000 eggs, live music, inflatables, puppet shows, and the Easter Bunny. (Get more details here.) It really is a great day of fun for the entire family and if you live in the Hays area, we would LOVE for you to be our guest.

And if you call TCC you're church home, we'd love to have your help to make this incredible event possible for our community. Here are three great ways for you to make a difference in people's lives through The Big Hunt:

• Donate Eggs. We're shooting for 30,000 eggs. (Yes, you read that right: 30 THOUSAND) Buy plastic eggs, fill them with non-chocolate candy or small prizes, and bring them with you on Saturday.
• Donate Water. We are expecting literally THOUSANDS of people from the community to show up to this event. We need lots and lots of bottled water to give away to all our thirsty guests. Our goal is to have at least 200 cases of H20.
• Serve. It takes a team effort to pull off an event like this. And we'd love to have you on the team. If you can serve at The Big Hunt email nic [at] theconnectionchurch [dot] org and I will get you in touch with Jennifer Williams, our Big Hunt coordinator.

To Belize via Duct Tape...

We have some remarkable students within our ministry here at The Connection Church. Some are creative, some compassionate, and some are just a little wacky [in a good way]. And then there are those are all three: creative, compassionate, and a little wacky...all rolled into one. Here's a story of two of those girls and how you can help them change the world...literally.

Makenzie Phillips & Mali Lewis are just two middle school girls who want to make a difference in their world. Makenzie's dad is the Lead Pastor of The Connection Church and Mali's parents lead an incredible puppet ministry called P.A.L.M.S. The puppet team traveled to Belize last summer on a mission trip and had an incredible experience sharing God's love with others. In fact, Mali's mom, Kamala, is a dentist who regularly goes on medical mission trips to Belize. Kamala was planning to go back to Belize this summer for one of those mission trips and Mali insisted that she go. After some discussion about the idea, Kamala told Mali no because she didn't want her exposed to the infectious diseases, such as HIV, that can occur on these trips. And Kamala thought that was the end of it. Here's what happened next in Kamala's own words:

A few months back Mali started asking to do extra stuff to earn money in addition to her chores. She wouldn't say why, and I just figured she was saving for something like someone's birthday present or something. But, she just kept on and on. Finally, I asked her why and she didn't want to tell me because I would say no. I promised her I wouldn't, and that is when she told me she was saving to pay her own way to Belize so I would have to let her go. What was I going to say then? So, needless to say I couldn't tell her no! Who am I to go against what God is speaking to her?

Fast forward to the past several weeks. Makenzie and Mali are close friends and Mackenzie decided she wanted to do something to help Mali follow God's call for her to go serve in Belize this summer. But what's a 7th grade girl got to offer to a fundraising project, right? Well, it's amazing the creativity that God gives you when you are willing to do whatever it takes to follow him.

These girls came up with the idea to take your everyday, regular notebooks and design custom covers on them to sell in order to raise money for Mali's mission trip to Belize. And what better way to design cool, creative, custom covers than to use DUCT TAPE! That's right. Mackenzie & Mali are designing the covers of these notebooks out of duct tape [some have ribbons, stickets, buttons, etc too] and selling them for just $3.99. I think the creativity & compassion that God has placed within these two young ladies is absolutely inspiring. I believe that they are living, breathing models of the fact that nothing is impossible with God.

You can see a few examples of the notebooks below. But the possibilities and designs are really endless. I think these two girls will even put together a custom design at your request for a few bucks more. So if you live in Kyle or go to The Connection Church, you can buy a $4 notebook and literally be involved in changing someone's life in Belize. Your 4 bucks can change the world. And if you live outside of the Hays County area, I've got a deal for you. If you want to support these young ladies and their efforts by getting a notebook [or several notebooks], then I will personally pay for the shipping cost to get the notebooks to you. Simply leave a comment on this blog or email me at nic [at] theconnectionchurch [dot] org with your name, address, and how many notebooks you want to purchase.

Notebooks that can change the world. Creativity out of compassion. Belize via Duct Tape. Get involved and do something.

Enormous Egg Throwdown...

Every year at The Connection Church we do it BIG at Easter with The Big Hunt. The Big Hunt is the biggest Easter Egg hunt in Texas, with thousands upon thousands of eggs, live music, puppet shows, giveaways, and fun for the whole family. [You can find our more details about The Big Hunt here.]

One of the coolest things about The Big Hunt is that it is a 100%, completely FREE event for our community! We want to show our community that God loves them and that we do to in a very practical way.

In order to do this, it means all of us at TCC have to step up BIG TIME to donate eggs filled with candy and to volunteer to serve at the event. Making The Big Hunt happen is no small task! So I wanted to let all of you know that this week Hobby Lobby has eggs on sale for 50% off (through March 20th). That means you can get a dozen eggs for only 33 cents!

That brings me to my ENORMOUS EGG THROWDOWN Challenge:

Beginning today, Johanna and I will MATCH your egg donations for The Big Hunt egg for egg.

UPDATE (3/16/08): Three other familes have joined Johanna & I in the Egg Challenge. Shep & Kristi West, Trey & Jennifer Williams, and Joe & Melanie Barnes have also agreed to MATCH any egg donations egg for egg with the following contest details! Thank you to these awesome families for jumping in & making this contest even better!

Here are the challenge details:

• The challenge begins immediately and runs through this Thursday, March 18th at NOON central time.
• Your donated eggs must be filled with something - either individually wrapped candy or a small prize for a child. (Please do not use chocolate candy because of the melting factor.)
• We will match every egg donated up to 100 dozen or 1,200 eggs.
• This challenge will be based on the honor system. For us to match your eggs, simply leave a comment here on my blog, send me a message on Twitter, or comment on my Facebook page. With each comment be sure to let me know how many eggs you are donating! [And you better believe I will be making sure we get those eggs!]

So there it is: My Enormous Egg Throwdown Challenge. Go buy some eggs. Fill 'em with candy or a prize. Let me know how many you're donating. We will match it. And you've just doubled your egg donation to The Big Hunt & made an ENORMOUS impact on our community!

Creative Bible Resource...

If you're a parent of a younger child, you have got to check out this new resource from Phil Vischer, the creator of the Veggie Tales. Phil has developed a really creative way to teach kids the Bible in a way that is fun and relevant to children. The first couple videos in this series are being released this month and can be purchased at Family Christian Stores - in stores and online. Check out the video below:

Five Ways To Talk To Your Teen About Sex...

For the past week, the topic here on this blog has been about parents having "the talk" with their pre-teens and teens. After 13 years of student ministry, I'm convinced that for parents, talking to their kids about sex is one of the toughest parts of parenting. And I'm also convinced it's one of the on-going conversations between a parent and teen that cannot be overlooked. In light of that, here's today's list:


Five Ways To Talk To Your Teen/Pre-Teen About Sex:

1. Seize the moment. As I've previously stated, we live in a sex-saturated culture. Sex is all around us - on tv, in the movies, in advertising, and in our music. When a tv show or song on the radio raises an issue about sex, use the everyday moment as an opportunity to bring up the subject with your teen. This seems to be far-and-away the best, informal opportunity to broach the subject with your kid.


2. Inquiring minds want to know. Many times, your pre-teen or teen will bring up the topic of sex before you as a parent do. That's why it's important to give thought to what you want to teach your child about sex and relationships far earlier than you actually plan on talking to them about it. Because if they've got questions and you aren't ready to talk, they'll find someone who is - and that someone may not share your values & wisdom.


3. Find a partner. Most student minstries in churches and many schools talk to teens about sex and relationships. Find out when and what your teen's church or school is teaching about sex and use this natural time to bring up the conversation at home.


4. Ask about their friends. One way to initiate "the talk" with your teen is to ask them what their friends or peers think about the topic of sex. Ask what they think they might know or questions their peers might have. This allows your teen or pre-teen to open up without feeling direct pressure on themselves as an individual.
5. Develop a culture of openness & listening within your home. If your teen feels that your home and your relationship with one another is safe and open, they're more likely to talk to you about tough topics like sex and dating. Be sure your child knows your door is always open to talk and that you're there just to listen if they need to talk things out.

10 Tips For Parents When Having "The Talk"...

Earlier this week, I encouraged parents of pre-teens and teenagers to be sure they are talking with their kids about sex, dating, and relationships. Because here's the truth: No matter how sheltered or protected you think your child is, they are being exposed to messages about sex. Our culture is sex-saturated and your son or daughter is hearing tons of messages about sex. Why not let them hear the truth from the people who should love them the most? So I thought I'd use my blog to help spur on those conversations and help those of you who are parents with some guidelines about having "the talk" with your teen. I'm kicking that off today with 10 things parents should remember when talking to their kid about sex. Here we go:

10 Tips For Parents When Having "The Talk":

1. Just because your child may ask questions about sex doesn't mean they are sexually active. - The teen years are full of confusion and chaos on this subject. If you're teen is initiating the conversation, don't freak out and assume it's because they're sexually active already. Be thankful they trust you enough to come to you with their questions instead of going somewhere else for answers.
2. In today's society, talking to your teen or pre-teen about sex, MUST include talking to them about pornography and the dangers of it. - If current statistics hold up, your middle school or high school child not only has a close friend who is involved in watching pornography, but they most likely have a close friend who is already considered addicted to pornography. Some statistics even show that the average age a child is exposed to pornography for the first time is 7 years old. You MUST address this topic parents!
3. Know that your kid wants to hear the truth about this from you...and not from their friends in the locker room. - Teen polls consistently show that the #1 influence on teens is their parents. And it's head-and-shoulders above any other influence in their life.
4. Be sure you cover the basics of sex with your teen or pre-teen, but also spend some time talking about body image & self-worth. - When a teen makes poor decisions in the area of sex & dating, the majority of the time it is out of a longing for love, value, & worth. Make sure they know they're loved and valued by you and by God.
5. Talk about consequences of pre-marital or casual sex. - Consequences are real and teens need to be aware of them.
6. Be ready to talk about difficult issues. - Most teens have more questions than simply "What is sexual intercourse?" Be sure you're teen knows that your door is always open no matter how difficult or uncomfortable their questions may be. And then don't act shocked when they come to you with those questions.
7. Be prepared. - Having "the talk" is difficult. No one argues that. But being prepared and having a game plan will do wonders in eliminating that uncomfortable feeling.
8. Be honest. - Teenagers can ALWAYS smell a fake. You don't have to share every single mistake you've ever made in this area, but be honest with your teen and don't be afraid to share what you've learned from experience.
9. Listen. - A big part of having "the talk" involves listening - to your child's questions, struggles, and concerns. The more you listen, the more likely they are to keep talking and come to you with their questions.
10. Don't be afraid to ask for help. - If you're struggling with how to engage in these conversations with your son or daughter, don't be afraid to ask for help. Talk to a parent of with older children who's been down this road, speak with your local pastor or youth pastor, or find a family friend who can offer some advice in this area.

Check back tomorrow for ways to bring up the topic of sex with your teen or pre-teen!

Sex, Teens, Parents, & The Talk...

This past Sunday at The Connection Church, we kicked off a new series called Red Hot. We're looking at the Song of Solomon and spending the next few weeks talking about heating up your love life. We're also talking about the topics of sex, dating, & relationships with our teenagers here at TCC. This past week we kicked off a series called I Heart U that challenges our students to choose God's plan for our relationships rather than simply blindly following our culture.

After spending 13 years in Student Ministry, I know it can be tough for parents of teens and pre-teens to talk with their kids about sex, dating, and relationships. For a lot of parents, the most dreaded part of parenting is having "the talk." If that's you as a parent, know that you're not alone. In fact, a lot of parents struggle with talking to their teenagers about sex. But even though it's difficult, it still needs to be done - because your son or daughter IS talking about sex. They are getting messages daily about sex & dating - from their peers, from things overheard in locker rooms and school hallways, from tv, movies, music, and billboards. Our culture is sex-saturated.

So parents here's a word of wisdom from someone who's spent their entire adult life working with students: Talk to your kids about sex & dating...because they need to hear God's plan & the truth from someone who loves them & cares about them. Who better for that job than YOU? And if that's a tough topic to talk about, it's ok. You're not alone in that. But talk about it anyway...And be sure to check back here throughout this week as I'll be posting some pointers for parents when it comes to having "the talk" that just might make it a little easier.

Gifts That Make A Difference - Part 3

Over the past couple weeks I've shared various alternative Christmas gifts that can really make a difference in changing the world in which we live. Today, I want to share one more way that you can use your Christmas gift-giving to make an impact in our world.

One way that you could make an incredible impact this Christmas season is to give to a church plant. Al around the world God is doing incredible things as men of God step out on faith to start new churches and reach people that no one else is reaching. These men and their families risk everything in order to share God's love and hope with people who are far from God. I am a huge fan of church planters because I believe Jesus is a huge fan of church planters. I believe he delights in their risks and is honored in their obedience. So what better gift to give at Christmas than the gift of hope and salvation to others by supporting a new church? Check out the churches below. See what they're doing to reach people in their community. Pray for the pastors and the churches they lead. And then give. Give a gift in honor of a friend or family member. Get your Bible study class or small group at your church to give one of these churches a financial gift for Christmas this year. Support these pastors and these churches and help them reach those who no one else is reaching...because by doing that, you're giving the gift of Jesus in a tangible way to those who've never experienced his love. Here are some great pastors and church plants I'd recommend you give to:

• You could help Launch The Revolution. Go here to help Pastor Zak White launch Revolution Church in Shertz, TX.
• You could become a Verve Venture Capitalist. Go here to help Pastor Vince Antonucci raise enough money to lease a building for his new church on the Vegas Strip.
• Email Pastor Caleb Southerland at caleb [at]urbanhills [dot] org to find out how you can help support Urban Hills and there 20/20 vision.
• Help Pastor Nick Carnes launch New Passion Church and reach those far from God in the Grovetown, GA area by going here.

When you give to support your local church and when you give to help plant churches, you are literally helping to give the presence of Jesus to a hurting world. I can't think of a better, more fitting gift at Christmas than that.

Gifts That Make A Difference - Part 2...

For the next few days I'm sharing Christmas gifts that really make a difference in our world. (You can read part 1 here.) 2,000 years ago, Christmas changed the world...and it still can. If we look beyond our own consumerism and look at our world with compassion, Christmas can really change the world.

Think about it: Will your Aunt Gloria really wear that butt-ugly sweater you're gonna' get her? Does your cousin really need another coffee cup warmer? What if you gave gives that impacted the world in their honor, instead of wasting money on something they didn't need?

What if you bought them a goat? Or maybe your more of a chicken-and-ducks-giver? What about some seeds to plant or an education? That's exactly the kind of gifts you can give through World Vision. If you've never heard of this organization, then check it out here RIGHT NOW. They have an amazing Christmas gift catalog that is full of gifts to give in someone's honor or memory that are literally changing the world. A goat to a hungry family in a third world country means an ongoing supply of milk, cheese, and yogurt. Chickens provide a sustainable source of food, while allowing the recipient to share newly hatched chickens with others in need. Or you could provide education for a child in need...for only $32. Whether you want to feed hungry kids, provide clean drinking water, further a needy child's education, or send medical aid to a village in need, World Vision is your place to find Christmas gifts that matter.

Let's be honest: You know that fruitcake that you give tastes terrible anyway. So head over to World Vision's website today and give a gift that helps Christmas change the world.

10 Ways To Teach Your Kids The Real Meaning of Christmas...

1. Start a family tradition of reading the Christmas story together. The story of Jesus birth can be found in Luke 2 and reading this story together as a family is a great way to make sure you’re focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

2. Involve the entire family in setting up the Nativity Scene. You could even do this while reading the Christmas story as a family. And if you’re worried that your children are too young to handle your antique Nativity set passed down from generation to generation, you can find kid friendly nativity sets at your local Christian bookstore and in many toy sections of department stores. Fisher Price even makes one that can be found here.

3. Attend a Christmas worship service together. Christmas is a time when we should focus our minds attention and our hearts affection on Jesus. Don’t let the busy-ness of the season rob your family of spending quality time worshipping together.

4. Play Christmas music in your home that focuses on the reason for the season. Sure, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is musical genius. But be sure to include Christmas music in your home that communicates God’s gift to us in his son Jesus.

5. Give to others. If you know a family or child in need this Christmas, adopt them and shop for them as a family for Christmas. If you don’t know anyone personally who might be in need this year, then check out your local Angel Tree, or something like it, and adopt a child for your family to provide for.

6. Give alternative Christmas gifts. Let’s face it: Uncle Johnny doesn’t want that ugly sweater you’ll buy at the last minute anyway. So check out ministries such as World Vision, Advent Conspiracy, or Charity: Water and give a meaningful gift in someone’s honor. Then use this opportunity to talk with your kids about the difference between compassion and consumption.

7. Adopt a new strategy for giving your kids gifts. Nothing sends more mixed signals to our kids than when we say Christmas is about Jesus, but then turn around and make it about how many presents they can get and how much we can go in debt doing it. Come up with a better plan as parents to use even your gift giving as a way to teach your kids the real reason for the season. A strategy I heard recently that I really liked was a couple who give their kids four gifts: “Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, and Something to read.” Love it.

8. Visit your local nursing home or an elderly neighbor who is shut-in or might not have family close by. Take some cookies or a basket of fruit and give the gift of your time and presence to someone who might be alone this season. Christmas is all about God making himself present among us through his son, Jesus. As a family, practice presence this holiday season by being present in the life of someone who may be overlooked by others.

9. Have a birthday party for Jesus. On Christmas day, before anyone opens gifts and begins to play with that new toy or video game, begin by focusing on the best gift of all: God’s gift to us in Jesus. You can even go all out with a cake, candles, and a family sing-along of “Happy Birthday to Jesus.”

10. As a family, make gifts and cards for friends and other family members. What better way to promote giving, family, and togetherness than to make gifts and cards for your friends and family. You’ll save money, your gifts will mean more because they’re from the heart, and your family will grow from the time spent together.

Regardless of how you choose to teach your children and teens about the true meaning of Christmas, be sure that you at least do it. Don't be reactive in teaching you're kids what Christmas is all about. Be intentional. Be proactive. Use this incredible opportunity to let your kids see God's message of hope: that He loved us so much, He sent his son Jesus. That's what Christmas is all about. And as parents, it's our responsibility to make sure our kids know the real reason for the season.

Gifts That Make A Difference - Gift 1...

For the next couple weeks I'm going to be sharing some Christmas gifts that can actually make a difference. Because let's face it...no one wants that ugly tie that you're going to buy at the last minute anyway. Last Christmas, through some friends, I discovered this movement called Advent Conspiracy.

Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption. It operates under one premis: Christmas can still change the world...just like it did a couple thousand years ago on the very first Christmas day.
So for the next couple weeks I'll be sharing some alternative Christmas gifts that really can make a difference in our world. Whether you're shopping for that person who has everything or the family member who's just so hard to buy for, consider checking out some of the charities and ministries you'll find on this blog in the next several days.

First up, check out Advent Conspiracy here and their charity Living Water International here. And after you check that out and consider providing a cup of clean drinking water to those who don't have access to it, check out this video from Advent Conspiracy:



So what about you're idea for an alternative Christmas gift? Are you doing something this Christmas that is making a difference and moving from consumption to compassion? If so, I'd love for you to share about it by leaving a comment and letting us all know how we can help.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - The Wrap-Up Edition...

In the days leading up to this past weekend and the Thanksgiving holiday, I've made a conscious effort to choose to be grateful each day. I want to be proactive in my thankfulness to God for all the blessings he's given me in life. And today, I'm concluding my Thankfulness Series of blog posts by expressing thanks for one of the people I'm most thankful for: my incredible wife.

My wife Johanna is absolutely amazing...and I don't say that just because she cooks the most incredible chocolate pie that man has ever tasted. When God brought Johanna into my life he blessed me with a phenomenal gift. She's encouraing and supportive in all I do. She is a great partner in ministry. She's a loving, caring wife. And she's a freakin' fantastic mother. On top of all that, she puts up with my messiness, my crazy, ADD-driven personality, and my constant joking with her. When I'm down, she knows just what to say to pick me up. When I'm unsure of myself, she knows just how to give me that extra boost of confidence. I really believe that when God created her and put her on this planet, he was thinking about exactly what I would need in a life-partner.

Johanna, I love you so very much. I want you to know that I thank God for the gift of you in my life every day. Thank you for loving and supporting me. I'm so happy that I get to spend forever with you.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 17

For the last several days, I'm making the daily choice to be thankful. Leading up through this Thanksgiving Weekend I am blogging about 20 different things I'm thankful for.

Today, I'm grateful for Youth Pastors. I've spent my entire adult life working with students as a Student Pastor. It's what I've dedicated my life to up to this point. My best friends: Youth Pastors. Most of my college buddies: Youth Pastors. The people I love doing life with: Youth Pastors. I can spot a Youth Pastor from 100 yards away. I don't know if it's because we have a certain look about us (the goatee, cap, and faded jeans) or that there really is something deep inside of us that just recognizes the heart of a student minister in each other. But I do know this: Good, hard-working, Jesus-loving Youth Pastors represent what's best about Jesus and what's best about our world.

There is so much I love about youth pastors. They believe that teenagers can not only do something of value, but they can change the world. They believe that God doesn't make junk. They believe that students are worthy of unconditional love. They believe the church is still a place where you can have fun. They're some of the most creative people I know. They believe following Jesus shouldn't be boring and should be full of life and risk. I love youth pastors. And I am so very thankful for the men and women who have dedicated their lives and callings to serving students and allowing students to know that they are loved by God.

If you're a youth pastor, THANK YOU. I want you to know that what you do is not only important, but it is one of the MOST significant jobs on this planet. I believe in you...and more importantly, God believes in you - and in your ministry.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 16...

Each day leading up to this weekend, I'm choosing to be grateful. Today, I thought I'd throw out a random list of several things that I'm thankful for. You could even call it a Thankfulness Blitz...

• I'm thankful for political debate...because it means I live in a country where I have the freedom to speak my mind and be involved in the political process.
• I'm thankful for my water bill...because it means I have clean water to drink. (That's not something everyone in the world has access to. In fact, almost 1 BILLION people in today's world don't have clean water to drink. You can find out more about this need and how you can make a difference here.)
• I'm thankful that we've only had to buy 3 packages of diapers in almost 7 months for Hayden because of the generosity of others.
• I'm thankful that the Texas Longhorns are undefeated and on their way to a National Championship. Hook 'Em!
• While we're on the subject of sports, I'm thankful college basketball season is here so my UNC Tarheels can begin defending that National Championship.
• I'm thankful I get to go to work everyday with people I love doing life with.
• I'm thankful that I'll get to spend time with family this week.
• I'm thankful that I get to preach at TCC this weekend!
• I'm thankful that I have the most amazing wife and son in the world and that I get a couple days off this week to spend with them.
• And I'm thankful that you spent a couple minutes reading this. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and are reminded off EVERYTHING that you have to be thankful for.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 12...

I'm in the middle of a blog series about choosing to be thankful. Each day leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, I'm acknowledging something I'm grateful for.

Today, I'm thankful for friends and community - specifically for my Connection Group. I believe very strongly that God created each and every one us for relationships and community. We're not meant to be alone and we all want some place where we belong. That's why I love my Connection Group! In group, we have friends who accept us right where we are, celebrate life's joys with us, and help us through the tougher times in life that come our way.

If you attend The Connection Church and aren't plugged in to a Connection Group, you're missing out on a place where you can connect with other people who care and can walk through life with you. If you'd like more info on becoming part of one of our groups, email me at nic[at]theconnectionchurch[dot]org.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 10...

This month I'm doing my best to choose to be grateful. Each day leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, I'm expressing thanks for someone or something in my life.

Today, I'm thankful for my electric bill. I know that may sound odd or strange, but I really am. The fact that I get an electric bill in the mail each month means several things. It means on cold mornings, like today, I have electricity to heat my home. It means I have light to turn on when it's dark. I have power to run a refrigerator to store the food I'm able to purchase. When I get a bill in the mail, it also means that I've had the money to pay my bills so far and my electricity hasn't been shut off!

There are millions of people in the world who would love to have the blessing of electricity and the resources and means to pay an electricity bill. The fact that I get a bill each month means I'm blessed. And I'm thankful today for that blessing.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 9...

Each day leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, I'm choosing to be grateful. Today I'm choosing to be thankful for our Family Ministries team here at The Connection Church. Our student minister, Bryan Moore, our children's minister, Trey Williams, and our preschool minister, Jennifer Martinez all serve within our family ministries area here at TCC helping people connect with God, connect with others, and connect others with God. They are committed to the vision and passionate about reaching kids and students with the love of God.

I'm so thankful for Bryan's enthusiam and energy. It is unmatched and it oozes out of him, just like his love for students. And it amazes me that someone who works the night shift still has as much energy to be involved in all the student activities he's leading at TCC.

I'm so thankful for Trey's commitment to excellence and growth. He just recently took over the leadership position within our kids ministries and I am so excited about what the future holds. Trey wants our kids ministries to be top tier and he's growing a great team to reach that goal.

I'm so thankful for Jennifer's positive attitude and spirit. No matter how bad a situation is, Jennifer can always find the positive in it. She always sees the glass as half-full and convinces others to see it that way too because she's so positive!

Bryan, Trey, and Jennifer - You guys rock! And I'm so thankful you're on the team!

20 Things I'm Thankful for - Day 5...

For the 20 days leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, I'm choosing gratitude. Each day I'm sharing something I'm thankful for - sometimes serious, sometimes lighthearted.

Today (Friday, Nov. 13th), I'm choosing to be thankful for football. This weekend marks the beginning of the state high school football playoffs and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not just a fan of football...I'm a fanatic. I love the game. I loved playing the game. I love watching high school football on Friday nights and college football on Saturdays. (But to be honest, I could go without the pro game for the most part. It's more about the money than the game in my opinion.)

Growing up, I learned so many life lessons from the game of football. I learned that you're only as good as you practice. I learned about hard work and determination. I learned that success means sacrifice. I learned that the TEAM is more important than the one. So much about life I learned from a game. And I'm thankful for that game...and for all the life-lessons it's taught me!

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 4...

Each day leading up to Thanksgiving I'm choosing to be grateful. I've challenged myself to blog about something I'm thankful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving weekend.

And if you've been keeping track, you realized I skipped the end of the week. Well, I've got a good reason. On Thursday, I was planning to write this blog about something goofy I was thankful for...You know - keep it lighthearted. And I planned to write that blog that evening. The only problem - my sister-in-law had an unexpected c-section to deliver my new niece into the world and we had to spend the evening at the hospital in Austin.

As you can imagine, that also changed what I'm thankful for. So on day four of my 20 Days of Thankfulness, I'm thankful for Luralie Kate Albright and for her parents Clay & Jackie Albright who welcomed this 7 lb. 8 oz. 2o.5 inch lovely baby girl into the world. Luralie, we're so thankful you are here! Jackie & Clay, we are so happy for you both!

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 3...

Each day leading up to Thanksgiving weekend I'm choosing to be grateful. I'm sharing one thing each day that I'm thankful for.

Today the choice is simple. Today, I'm thankful for our veterans. The character, strength, integrity, and dedication of our servicemen and women, both past and present, simply amazes me. I grew up with a great respect and awe of those who served in the military. My Papa, who passed away earlier this year, was my hero. He was a career military man, serving in multiple wars and being stationed all over the US and abroad. (You can read about my Papa in this post from last year's Veteran's day by clicking here.) So from an early age I understood the sacrifice and dedication our military personnel show in serving our country.

To all of you who have, and are currently, faithfully and bravely serving our country, preserving our freedom and ensuring me and my family the privileges of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, I say THANK YOU. You truly know that freedom is not free. And I am grateful that you were willing to pay the price for my freedom. Happy Veteran's Day.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 2...

For the twenty days leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, I'm choosing to be grateful. Each day I'm sharing something that I'm thankful for. You can read about the idea behind this blog series by clicking here.

Today is day two of things I'm thankful for and today I am expressing thanks for The Barnes' Kids. Joe & Melanie Barnes are two of the great people on the team here at The Connection Church. They do a ton to serve here at TCC and make a difference and impact on the lives of people in our church and community. And they have two incredibly awesome kids!

I'm thankful for Joe & Melanie's children, Britney & Aaron and here's why: Because of how much love and generosity they show my son Hayden. Outside of our family, there may not be anybody who loves our son more than Britney and Aaron. Everytime we go over to the Barnes' home they want to hold him and play with him, without ever getting tired of it. They've given him the sweetest gifts ever too. Britney is learning to sew and she made Hayden a little blankie. Aaron has given Hayden one of his own teddy bears. Britney just recently won a game at our Trunk or Treat event where she got to pick out any stuffed animal she wanted. She came up to me and told me about how she won the game and then said this: "I wanted to win so bad so that I could pick out something for Hayden. So win I won I tried to think to myself, which one of those things would Hayden like?" Is that not awesome?!?! She then gave Hayden a little Winnie The Pooh bear that also had baby rattles attached to it.

Over the past few months God has been teaching me a lot about generosity. He's been working in my heart to make me more generous. And he's been using people to do it. Two of the people God has used most just happen to still be in elementary school! Britney and Aaron, if you read this I hope you know that Johanna, Hayden, and myself are very thankful for both of you and so grateful for all the love you show to Hayden.

Today...and every day...I'm thankful that God uses little kids, just like Britney & Aaron, to make me more of who He wants me to be.

What about you? Who are you thankful for today? Feel free to comment away.

20 Things I'm Thankful For - Day 1...

I'm starting a new series of blog posts today that will continue through Thanksgiving weekend. Each day I'm choosing thankfulness and will be posting something or someone I'm thankful for. You can check out the thoughts behind the idea here.

Today to kick things off I'm choosing to be thankful for a healthy baby boy. My son, Hayden Russell Burleson, turned 6 months old last week. He has forever changed my life. He makes me want to be a better man, a better pastor, a better husband, and a better friend...all because I know he's watching every single move I make.

Several years ago I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and underwent surgery to remove the tumor. The damage done to my pituitary gland has several affects on my body. When my wife and I talked to my doctor about having a child and the affects of what that tumor did to my body, my doctor literally laughed at the idea that we even thought it was a possibility.

Fast forward less than a year and Johanna is pregnant with Hayden. Within 16 months of that doctor's laughter, we welcomed a healthy, strong, incredible baby boy into our lives. And after 6 months, we haven't done anything to screw him up yet! At his 6 month appointment last week we were told we have a strong, healthy, growing son. And I thank God EVERY DAY for the blessing of His gift to us.

What are you thankful for today? Being thankful can change your entire outlook on life!

20 Things Im Thankful For...

Today I'll be starting a series of blog posts that will run for the next twenty days - through Thanksgiving weekend. Each day I'll be giving thanks for someone or something...Some days will be deep and introspective. Some days will be random and light. But each day I will choose to be thankful.

In our "it's-all-about-me and I've-gotta-have-more" society, gratitude is a dying virtue. We live in a world where we feel entitled to everything and owed anything we could ever want or wish for. It's a sickness. And so often that sickness results in diminishing thankfulness.

So for the next 20 days, beginning with the first post later this afternoon, I'm choosing to be thankful - for God's provisions, for His blessings, and for things and relationships I don't deserve.

So what is it that you're thankful for? Comment away.

Habits of Great Group Leaders...

At The Connection Church we believe that our Connection Groups are the best place for people to experience authentic life-change, build healthy, biblical relationships, and find a place where they belong and can be cared for. That means that our Connection Group Leaders play a vital role in the health and growth of our church. So what makes a great Group Leader? I'm glad you asked.


8 Habits of Great Group Leaders:

1. A great group leader prays daily for their group and for the individual group members.


2. A great group leader is always looking for new people to invite to check out the group.


3. A great group leader makes sure that group members are contacted regularly and kept informed of group happenings, schedules, and needs within the group.


4. A great group leader spends time preparing for the group meeting so that it is the best it can possibly be.


5. A great group leader is always in the process of raising up new leadership by mentoring a person as a co-leader.


6. A great group leader plans activties to build community and connections within the group outside of the normal group meeting time.


7. A great group leader is committed to their own personal spiritual growth, understanding that you cannot lead people farther than you've been.


8. A great group leader consistently pushes the vision of seeing every person at the church connected in a group, which leads to adding healthy, growing groups each semester.

Developing Low-Bar Leaders...

Back in my middle school & high school days, I played football...and loved it. But what I didn't love were the off-season workouts that went along with playing football. One drill in particular that I hated were the hurdle drills. With the goal in mind of developing our movement and agility, our coaches would make us jump, flat footed, over track hurdles set at different heights. Now don't get me wrong: There were days when this was easy. When the hurdles were set to the lowest height, this drill was a piece of cake. Everyone on the team could do it and we could jump those things all day long. But when the bar was raised, that was another story. With the hurdles set on high, it was a lot more work, it was sometimes painful, and there was a bigger risk of failure. And it definitely wasn't something everyone could do with ease.

As I think about those days of jumping hurdles, it makes me ponder where we set the leadership bar in our churches today. I think far too many times, as pastors and leaders, we're guilty of lowering the bar. We think that this will give us more leaders, erase the roadblocks to becoming a leader, and somehow eventually result in maturity, growth, and positive change. Unfortunately, that just isn't the case. So how do we know if we've set the bar too low? Check this out below:

How To Develop Low Bar Leaders

1. Steer clear of accountability. If you want low bar leaders, then be sure you never hold people accountable. Make sure you don't have any standards that leaders are held to and, by all means, don't step in when there are problems with a leader's character or actions.
2. Refuse to develop clearly communicated requirements and standards. If it is one thing that low bar leaders hate, it is being held to a standard that is clearly expressed throughout your organization. In order to keep low bar leaders happy, be sure to water down your requirements for leadership and be unclear in your communication of these requirements.
3. Give everyone in your church or organization an equal amount of time. In ministry, more is caught than taught. It's a simple principle. Great leaders spend more time with less people, in order to invest in their leaders. If you want low bar leaders, be sure to spread your time evenly among everyone, never giving any extra attention to those who have the potential to make a major impact within your church.
4. Avoid dealing with people who knowingly and willfully fall short of the bar. Let's face it: When we set the bar low, it makes it a lot easier for everyone to jump over with very little commitment, effort, or dedication. When we set the leadership bar high in our organization or church, it means that we will have to confront those who continually fall short of the bar and that means dealing with conflict. And no one likes that, right? So let's keep the bar low. It's more comfortable that way.
5. Never ask people to step up or to take the next step. Churches and organizations that produce high level leaders are consistently challenging people to grow by taking the next step in their faith, in their leadership, and in their commitment to the cause. If we want to keep low bar leaders, then we need to keep ourselves from making the "big ask" and challenging people to step up to the next level. Let people get comfortable and complacent where they're at and they'll be content at the low bar level for life.

In our churches, when we set the leadership bar low, everyone clears the bar...but no one wins - especially the people we're trying to reach with the love and hope of Jesus Christ. Raising the bar may mean more hard work, the possibility of dealing with some pain, and a bigger risk of failure...but in the end, it produces change that the low bar never will.

Happy Birthday Mom!...

Today is my mom's birthday. From what I've heard, she's been showered with flowers, gifts, balloons, candy, and the whole works...And she deserves it. God has blessed me with an incredible family. My parents have always believed in me, pushed me to be the best I can be, and provided all the support in the world for me to accomplish anything I set out to do. I always say I won the parent lottery and on days like this, I am reminded of that even more. So Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!

Wow Wednesday (One Day Late!)...

Several months ago, I had a weekly post entitled Wow Wednesday. Every Wednesday I would post a video that would leave you saying only one thing: "Wow." That could mean, "Wow, that is incredible!" or (most likely) "Wow! Are they serious?!?!" It's been a while since Wow Wednesday has taken place here on the blog, but I saw this video yesterday and while I was showing it to some peeps today, someone said I should post it as a Wow Wednesday. So here you are: For your viewing pleasure, I present The Breakfast Song.

We Don't Freestyle Texas Fight...

My good friend (and unfortunately, Sooner fan) Steve Etheridge shared this over on his blog page at The River 102.3 Radio Station and I just had to pass it along...

The Weekend Update...

Here's a recap of Labor Day weekend in the Burleson household:

• Friday we spent most of the day in Round Rock & North Austin. Johanna had been wanting to take me on my first IKEA experience so we spent a few hours roaming that monstrosity. The bonus of the day: There is a Razzoo's right next to IKEA, which just happens to have one of the finest meals on the planet: The Jaws Platter!
• Saturday was dedicated to the greatness that is college football. I watched a lot of games this weekend and the highlight was watching the Longhorn game with Micah & Bryan. Hook 'em!
• Sunday was a great day at TCC. Zak White, our former executive pastor and now the pastor and founder of Revolution Church shared his vision about reaching people with us on Sunday morning. Good stuff!
• Monday was a Dadda Day for us. Johanna is a little under the weather so I took Hayden out and we spent the morning and most of the afternoon hanging out. I love spending time with Hayden! We came home mid-afternoon to hang out with Momma and spent the rest of the day lounging around the house and resting.

The ABCs of Why I Need A Connection Group...

I’ve been up to my elbows in Connection Group work this week! With Zak moving to plant a church in Schertz, our group’s ministry is a new area I’m leading. We had our fall training camp for group leaders last weekend. I’ve worked on other group stuff all week. Yesterday, Cole & I spent the afternoon recording leadership training sessions for our group leaders…Like I said, I’ve been up to my elbows in groups.

This Sunday, immediately following our morning celebration service at The Connection Church we’re hosting our Connection Group Expo. This is an opportunity for people within our church and community to find out information on our Connection Groups, as well as find a group that best fits them. If you’re a part of TCC and you aren’t connected to a group yet, let me encourage you to be there this weekend and find out how you can begin connecting with God and with others through our incredible Connection Groups. You may be asking yourself why you should even take the time to get plugged into a group. Well I’m glad you asked.

1. We all want to be ACCEPTED. – Let’s face it: We’re all looking for a lot of the same things in life…and one of those things is acceptance. We want to know that people will accept us and welcome us right where we are in life. We want people to accept us for who we are, without any masks or pretension. It is our desire that our Connection Groups reflect the love and acceptance of our God, who accepts us just as we are and loves us right where we’re at in life.

2. We all want a place to BELONG. – Being a part of a group gives you a place to belong. The theme song from the old TV show Cheers said it best: “You want to go where you can see your troubles are all the same. You want to go where everybody knows your name.” Our Connection Groups give you a place to belong – where you can share the ups and downs of life’s journey, where you can find friendships with people who care about you, and where you can find a group of people who are eager to share life with you.

3. We all want people to CARE. – If we’re all being honest, we want people to care about us. When life gets tough, it helps to know we’ve got a group of people who are there to fall back on, who are praying for us, who are eager to help, and who have our back in life’s tough times. Our Connection Groups allow us to build community with people who care – about us, about our lives, and about our future.

There you have it! The ABC’s of why you and I need to be in a Connection Group. If you’re not already connected, I hope this Sunday will be the day you step into a life-changing Connection Group!

Six Ways To Make An Impact at Your School...

Last night at SURGE, our middle school ministry, our students spent time praying for the school year that starts today for most of them. They prayed that God would use them and that he would guide them this school year. With that in mind, I thought I'd post a "top-ten" list (even though I only have six) of how to impact your school this year with the love of Jesus.

Six Ways To Make An Impact At Your School:

1. Pray. - Pray that God would let you see your friends, classmates, and teachers as He sees them.
2. Be A Friend. - For most of us, our biggest fear is to be the loner, the left-out-one, the kid who has to sit all alone in the cafeteria. One of the best ways to make friends is to focus on being a good friend yourself.
3. Be Intentional. - Use the friendships and relationships God has given you to point people toward Jesus and show them his love for them.
4. Be A Good Student. - One of the best ways that you can show your teachers respect is by being a good student. This doesn't mean that you have to make all A's. It just means that you turn in your work on time, do your best, and act respectfully toward your teachers and professors. If you have a teacher that is not a Christ-follower, being diligent about your work and respectful to those in authority shows your teacher the difference that God is making in your life.
5. Be Vocal About Your Faith. - Don't be afraid to talk about your belief in Jesus. Contrary to popular belief, there is no law that says you can't talk about God in your school. So be open about what you believe...and invite your friends to church or to your next youth group activity!
6. See Your Campus As Your Mission Field. - Yes, you are at school to learn. But if you allow God to work in you and through you this school year, then He can give you a much bigger purpose and mission for getting up early and going to school 5 days a week. Understand that every day you get to go to a place where you are surrounded by people who may not know the love and truth of Jesus. Live in such a way that your school is your mission field. By the way you act and talk, let others see the love of Jesus in real and practical ways.

Touching The Untouchable...

Last night I had the privilege to speak to our Middle School & High School students at our monthly joint ministries gathering that we call Shockwave. It was a blast hanging out with them and our student ministry team did a great job with the event. I spoke on the passage in Mark 1:40-45 where Jesus heals the leper and talked about how in the midst of the incredible pain, isolation, and loneliness that the leper felt, Jesus brought hope, healing, and restoration. Jesus was the only one who could clean the unclean. He was the only one who could cure the incurable. And Jesus was the only one who was willing to touch the untouchable.

The cool thing is this: Jesus treats us the same as the leper. When we've wandered far from God and realize we're dirty and sick in our sin, it's only the person of Jesus who can clean and cure. When we seem to be so isolated and lonely in the world, it's Jesus who offers a caring touch.

But it doesn't stop there. Jesus then calls us - commands us - to go and touch the untouchable in our world. We've been made clean. We've been given a cure. We've been touched by hope and love. And we're called to share that hope with even the very least of the people around us...the hurting, the helpless, and the hopeless...so that we might become the very hands of Jesus.

Who was the last "leper" that you touched? Whens the last time you showed love to someone simply because God loves them? How long has it been since you've served someone without expecting anything in return? When is the last time you've touched the untouchable?

And if you're currently involved in sharing the hope and love of the God of touch within your community, I'd love to hear your story. Feel free to comment away and share your ideas of bringing hope into our world.

Youth MiniStarZ...

I've devoted my entire adult life to student ministry. My closest friends are all youth ministers. So I know we all know that there's a lot of truth in this video I saw today over at MoreThanDodgeball.com. It cracked me up. Enjoy!

This Little Guy...

This little guy turns 3 months old today. Hayden came into our world on April 28th and our lives forever changed. You here people talk about how much they love their kids, but you really can't understand until you experience it...it is amazing. Happy 3 Month Birthday Little Man!

For a ton more pics of this little fella, check out his website.

A Little Link Love...

It's been a while since I've shared some link love here on the blog. Check out the following blogs and websites for some fantastic stuff!

• Tony McCullom has a message for men...and I couldn't agree more! Check it out here.
• Ben Arment has some ideas to help your improve your preaching. Seriously, if you preach or teach God's word, this is a MUST READ. Check it out by clicking here.
• I was completely honored and humbled by this blog from my wife, announcing a recent change in our lives. I get to serve God with the most amazing woman in the world as my partner. Wow.
• In case you missed it, my brother is now blogging. He is one of the funniest people I know, but instead of devoting his blog to humor, his site is focused on his life and lessons as a basketball coach. If you work with youth, coach sports, teach, or need some great life lessons, check it out.
• Tony Morgan consistently challenges me with his thoughts on leadership. He did it again with this post on the Four Stages of Leadership.
• Pastor Steven Furtick shares Elevation Church's church growth strategy here. I like the simplicity of it!
• Perry Noble shares 5 Questions Every Husband Should Ask His Wife. Great post for men looking to make the most out of their marriage relationship!

Making My Marriage Great Before It Even Starts...

Since I preached on how God can make marriages great this past Sunday at TCC, I thought it would be appropriate to share some marriage resources on my blog this week. While doing that, it hit me that many marriages seem doomed even before they begin. With that in mind, I thought I'd provide some links to great resources for those who are single and dating, single and waiting (for Mr. or Mrs. Right), or just not at a place in life where marriage is a now-thing, but hope it will be in the future. If you fall into one of those categories, then check out these resources:

• Devotions for Dating Couples by Ben Young & Samuel Adams
• 100 Answers to 100 Questions Before You Say "I Do" by Amy Hammond Hagberg
• Before You Plan Your Wedding, Plan Your Marriage by Dr. Greg & Erin Smalley
• Before You Get Engaged by David & Brent Gudgel
• The Ten Commandments of Dating by Ben Young & Dr. Samuel Adams
• When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy

Making The Most of My Marriage...

As some of you know, I spoke on God's Proposal for A Great Marriage at The Connection Church this past Sunday. I wanted to follow that up by providing some resources for couples who are wanting to take their marriage to a whole 'notha level. Check out these sites for some great tips on making your marriage the most it can be!

• Focus on The Family - This website has a ton of resources for married couples on everything from communication and challenges in marriage to dealing with conflict and sex and intimacy. While some of the resources are for sale, this Christian organization offers an enormous amount of marriage helps on there website for free.


• MarriagePartnership.com - Marriage Partnership is an arm of Christianity Today's publishing that is dedicated to helping couples grow their marriage through Biblical principles while living in the real world with real issues. This site is stocked full of marriage advice from some of the leading marriage counselors in America.

You also might want to check out the following books:

• His Needs, Her Needs: Building An Affair-Proof Marriage by Willard F. Harley Jr.
• Every Man's Marriage by Stephen Arterburn
• Every Woman's Marriage by Shannon Ethridge
• Love & Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
• Your Time-Starved Marriage: How To Stay Connected At The Speed of Life by Les & Leslie Parrott
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

God on Film - The Proposal...

At The Connection Church we're in the middle of our summer series God on Film. Our Lead Pastor, Cole Phillips, was out Sunday, which meant that I got to preach Sunday's message. We used the movie The Proposal to talk about God's Proposal For A Great Marriage. You can check it out below...And join us this Sunday as we conclude God on Film by looking at Transformers 2.



Be sure to check the blog again later in the week for some great marriage resources for couples!

Thanking Away The Blues...

Last week, through a series of crazy events, we put both our blue Chevy Blazer and our Nissan Sentra in the shop. In the past couple days I've found out the fuel pump is out on the Blazer, which is estimated between $350-$450 to fix, and the Sentra has a blown head gasket, which could end up costing around $1500. Needless to say, we hadn't expected to spend $2,000 on car repairs this week. And anytime I have to spend money fixing one of our cars, it always gets me down. So, in an attempt to fight off the blues, here's a list of things I am thankful for and things I am blessed with. It's a lot harder to be down and out when your giving thanks! Here's what I'm thankful for these days:

• I'm thankful for my incredible family. I have a loving, supportive wife and the most adorable baby boy on the planet. I'm also surrounded by the best parents, brother, and extended family that a guy could ask for. I am blessed.
• I'm thankful for the church I get to serve and the team I get to work with. The Connection Church and the TCC team are phenomenal and God allows me to be a part of it all. I am blessed.
• I'm thankful for the people who support my family financially so that we can serve in a place that is doing whatever it takes to reach those who are far from God. I am blessed.
• I'm thankful that I have a job in a time when the economy is bad and so many people who want to work can't. I am blessed.
• I'm thankful that my parents gave us their Trailblazer a few months ago so that we have at least one dependable, running vehicle! I am blessed.
• I'm thankful for the incredible friends God has placed in mine & Johanna's life. We have great friends who love us and support us. I am blessed.
• I'm thankful I live in a country where my biggest complaint can be, "I've got two cars in the shop, but I still have one to drive." I am blessed.
• And if you're reading this, I'm thankful for you...especially if you know of a great deal on a good used car! :)

Just One More Reason...

Tonight I was given yet another reason why Johanna is an incredible wife and an amazing mother. On the way home from running a few errands and grabbing some dinner, Hayden started to get fussy. I was driving and Johanna was in the back seat sitting by his carseat trying to calm him down. Here is the conversation that ensued:

Johanna: "Can you hit #5 on the programmed stations on the radio and turn it up?"

Me: "Yeah. (then hearing the music that was being played...) Wow. This is country music. Does Hayden like country?"

Johanna: "Yeah. This is what I listen to and sing to him when it's just us in the car."

Me: "Awesome."

And that, ladies and gentelmen, is a great mother. Some children get lullabies and my son gets to cut his teeth to greats such as George Strait, Willie Nelson, and David Alan Coe and new blood like Aaron Watson, Randy Rogers, The Zac Brown Band and Kevin Fowler. My wife rocks.