Voicemail Greeting

I Intentionally Deleted My Last VLOG™

After talking with Steph and thinking more about my VLOG™ asking about fundraising, I decided to remove the video, PayPal button, and polls. I appreciate those of you who offered feedback and voted. Upon further thought I realized that it would be best to keep this blog as a personal place to share, etc. There will be more VLOGs™ to come. Peace.

I've Been Tagged

I'm taking a brief break from Vlogging™ as my dear wife has tagged me in one of those blog-tagging games... Since she was the one who tagged me, I will participate:

The tagging rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. I'm a closet computer nerd. When I was in Middle School I used to be a part of two different international 'clubs' that helped 'transport' certain software from one place to another via 2400 BPS and then 14.4kbs using 'free' long distance services... Needless to say my curiosity and greed had the best of me for a while.

2. In the 8th grade I was the Vice President of the Student Council at Holub Middle School. I gave a speech at the end of my 7th grade year to several hundred students (my first large crowd for public speaking) and won the election by a landslide.

3. I was extremely shy as a child and one time I had an opportunity to kiss a Dallas Cowboy's cheerleader (when I was 4) at the Killeen Mall (Killeen, TX) on camera (local TV news) and instead I hid behind my mother. I was scared of the cameras, honest!!!

4. I am missing a permanent tooth on the top right of my mouth (incisor, I think), so when I had braces they moved all my teeth forward and bonded the front ones to make them pretty.

5. I've struggled with anxiety most of my life and still do not like to be in large crowds. It's weird, I can preach to thousands on a stage (still nervous), but I hate being in crowds. Perhaps that's why I have never fully enjoyed a concert.

6. I was the 'Cowardly Lion' in the Wizard of Oz my senior year of High School. I graduated as an honor Thespian, but most of you all know that part. AND when I was 14-15 years old I wanted to be a dancer for a gangster rap concert/music video.

Well, that's my six. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts... Or make fun of me, or whatever.

I tag:
1. Blake Q. - I can't wait...
2. Justin H. - Giving some good-sportsman-like love...
3. Dr. Brandi H. - Another thing to distract you from studying...
4. James L. - For foiling my Vlog™ discovery...
5. Wayne B. - Because I know you are interesting...
6. Robin B. - Jealous of your 75 degree weather year round...

Braelyn Sings - Out-take

Braelyn Sings - Part 2

Braelyn Sings - Part 1

Roller Coaster

Sunday School or Small Groups?

I (accidentally) Stole a Bank Thingie

The World's First Vlog™ - Sort of...

100th Blog Post!!!

The winner can comment and let me know the book he or she wants or send me an e-mail!

Congrats!

Here's to 100 more blog posts!

100th Post Contest!!!

Well, it has snuck up on me, but I'm about to celebrate my 100th post! So, keeping in step with my dear wife, I too am going to have a contest!

Here is a list of books that my winner can choose (1) from:







It is easy to enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and you are entered in. If you happen to own all of these books and you win, or you want something else, I'll work it out with you!

I will announce the winner on Wednesday night, August 13th. Enjoy!

Heads Up: Gutensite.com

Have you ever had a great idea for a website, but lacked the know-how or resources to make it happen? Well, our good friends at Crate Media are now offering a new product called Gutensite. This service allows you to create your own customizable website either for free, or for an affordable monthly rate. They have great templates available and excellent resources to help you learn their complex, but simple to use Content Management System (CMS).

Go check it out! OH and I have a present for you! Below is a promo code that will get you one month free if you choose to go PRO!

Click Here to Get Started!

Promo Code: BFF93

Pics from Braelyn and My Birthday Party in July

Tired of Toiling

“Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.”
(Proverbs 23:4 ESV)

I'm a busy guy. I like to do a lot of things. But lately, it has become more of a 'have to' with many things and less of a 'get to'. I run a ministry (paid), am one of the pastors of a church (jewels in my crown), and started a pressure washing business (paid, most of the time). I enjoy each one very much, but as of the last 6 months or so we have had a heck of a time making ends meet.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the struggle and value it's importance in our sanctification. Also, I understand that being the head of my family sometimes requires me to have to say 'no' or a 'not right now,' but I never thought it would become so frequent. I am not opposed to working hard and I don't want to point the finger, blame the economy, or gas prices. However, I am pretty tired and a bit discouraged. My good friend Kempton one time warned me not to grab Hagar to make an Ishmael when God had been promising Isaac (See Genesis 16). So, I don't want to run after or invent one business/job/ministry opportunity or another, especially just for money, however I don't want to miss the 'life raft' and call it waiting on God, when I'm just being complacent.

Please do not read this and feel sorry for me. I believe James 1:2-4. Please just pray for us that God would meet some specific needs and give us some rest.

Sermon Series Branding

Here is a response I gave to the following blog entry on 22 Words:

Sermon series branding: If your church does it, does it help? If they don’t, why not?

August 2, 2008 at 8:30 am ·

It seems like there’s an increasing trend of churches creating complete designs—logos, websites, previews, commercials, hype—around each new sermon series.

Here was my response:

Good question. Perhaps it is a question of why, how, and who. Why are you doing it? How does this fit with the vision/mission that God has given your community? Who are you hoping to appeal to?

As we can see above, many have indicated that they are beyond the flash and the advertisement. Others find it helpful to use multimedia as a means to connect with their people. If your community is in the middle of a highly affluent, tech savvy culture, then that might be an influencing factor.

Where do I stand? Well, on the one-hand I don’t really care. A good friend of mine pastors a church and they have banners, signs, theme videos, etc. However, he spends way more time preparing the message than worrying about the aesthetics. However, there are many folks who buy the whole package from a larger, more ‘influential’ church and then hopes that will be what is necessary to honor God and make disciples. That seems a bit lazy and I would argue that there are deeper issues at hand than whether or not they are ‘branding’ their sermon series.

Lastly, it would be prudent to understand the answers to the questions listed above before passing judgment on whether that practice is appropriate or not. It’s easy for me to forget what it was like being lost, what it was like being a young Christian, and be a lot more critical than I have the right to be. As a young preacher, I have to point myself back to John 13 and ask myself the question, “Does this honor God, teach the people, and convey humility?” I believe that in some contexts we must humble ourselves, even if that means a brochure/theme/web design in order to best serve our people. Even if we’re too mature in our faith to worry about silly things like that…

Thoughts?