purpose driven cafe
i thought this was interesting... i found it on monday morning insight today.
even as starbucks coffee chain prepares to release a mug featuring a quote from purpose driven life author, rev. rick warren, that well known pastor of saddleback church in orange county, california, is launching a project of his own, a new online "coffeehouse" community called the purpose driven cafe. starbucks' new cup is part of a product series coordinated with the company's "the way i see it" campaign and featuring quotes from prominent cultural figures, including scientists, musicians, writers, athletes, and others. after starting the series last year, starbucks began soliciting customer contributed quotations, and warren submitted one of his own, drawn from the purpose driven life, after he read someone else's quote on evolutionary theory. the pastor's submission was a passage that begins "you are not an accident," and which goes on to assert, "only in god do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny." john fischer, senior writer for the purpose driven life website, says the new coffeehouse community site is being created as one "that would welcome someone who sees the quote and is interested in finding out a little more" about warren and his writings. "we want it to be a place where seekers can come and feel comfortable," fischer adds. the site will offer answers to readers' questions, book reviews, recommended resources, and a daily "on purpose" column by fischer, and it will encourage visitors to start or join "life groups" -- fellowships that meet in coffee shops, homes, or other locations to discuss some of life's toughest questions.
Labels: christianity
credentials
i had lunch yesterday with a few of the district officials from arkansas. i and a few others were able to begin the credentialing process with the assemblies of god.
i had no idea that the meeting was to lightning start the process. i expected it to be about starting the process in the fall, but it will be a good thing to go ahead and have this taken care of. they gave us applications and let us know the interviews and testing will be in june.this is a picture of tommy carpenter.... the ar district secretary-treasurer. he's the one i spent most of the time time talking to.
Labels: personal
my mission
i want to effectively share christ, serve and embrace my community and offer faith, hope, and love to people who have none.
Labels: christianity
night out in dallas
lacey and i don't go to dallas a whole lot because of the drive and there really isn't that much to do besides eat. but we are going out with some friends from school to a restaurant that we've never eaten at, but i've heard it's really really good.
bahama breeze... all i know is that is sounds good and the menu online looked great.
should be fun!
Labels: personal
church strategy
every church is different. you're thinking, "tell me something i don't know." but it's true. and the closer i get to graduating college, the more i think about the future. "what am i going to do... where am i going to go... where will god have me plant a church... what will the church even look like?"
it's like all these possibilities are in my head, but the one i choose will most likely determine a lot of where my life goes.
as i think about the type of church i want to plant, here are a couple of thoughts i have had over the past few days.
1. i want to lead a missional church (see this article) 2. i want to focus on a small number of effective areas and do them with excellence
3. i want to work closely with a team around me
4. i want to be a church that engages culture, advances christ, produces leaders, and inpsires creativity
Labels: christianity
chasing divine moments
i just finished reading chasing daylight by erwin mcmanus. it may quite possibly be the best book i have ever read--either that or it just really resonated with me right now.
i was struck by how many outlandish stories he has of god using him in different situations, and i believe it's simply because he is close to god and available at any moment for god to use. i came to this conclusion last night after finishing. i want my life to be one that replicates the life of christ and is continually available for god to use in "divine moments." i say this not wanting to have a lot of stories to tell, but because i want god to use me to reach people. people need to know christ, and i want to be courageous in my approach to life.
i'm on this journey, and i want to be as close to my guide as possible. god is everything i need. Labels: christianity
4 months
so as of yesterday lacey and i have been married for 4 months. yeah i know it's not like 40 years but in your first year of marriage you celebrate it every month. i told her a few minutes ago "it's weird that it's almost a year since i was driving to oklahoma to propose to you."
the past 4 months have been the greatest of my life. lacey is the most amazing thing that could ever happen to me. and today, 4 months later, my love for her is greater than ever. our lifetime is only beginning, but the beginning is phenomenal. it's hard to imagine it getting better, but i know it will. (lace, i love you so much)
Labels: personal
More 24
this post comes from jonathan herron.best quote of the night from 24:
bad guy: "i'm protecting the integrity of the government!"
jack bauer: "the government has no integrity!"
great write-up on this season's clever story arc and twists here.Labels: personal
24
24 is so intense every week. i think there has been like one week this season that has been just "blah." i love it. and the previews for next week... ohh my goodness!
i started watching it two seasons ago and have been hooked. jack bauer is a beast... there is no other way to describe him. it's too late to start this season if you've never watched it. but just so you know, you're missing it.
Labels: personal
washington dc
nathan and i actually bought our tickets to go to dc this summer on saturday. we've talked about the possibility for a while, but it's so crazy for it to be happening. needless to say i can't wait. i honestly don't know what i'm doing, but it's something i feel i must do. i'm trying to find clarity for my life and god's plan for me and lacey, and i hope this trip will help to do that. i'm going to be meeting with a pastor there that i admire a lot. he inspires me to dream and create and invent mediums for sharing the message of christ. it will be a real short meeting, but this may be the most exciting thing i have ever done.
dc will be really cool too just to travel (since i've had very limited experience doing), see a lot of cool places, and hang out with my best friend before he leaves to be a missionary associate in jordan for two years. it will be really weird without him around once he leaves. nathan, you're incredible and someone i respect greatly.
Labels: personal
no more hg
last sunday night was my last homegroup as a hg pastor. i officially am a zone pastor now. it’s pretty cool too because i have hgpastored in every hg in my zone. it just worked out like that. i have some great leaders to work with and i’m excited to get rockin’ and rollin’.
Labels: seven
change in plans
instead of going to oneighty in tulsa last week, i went to arkansas for my grandma’s funeral. yeah it was real gross. granny died unexpectly on thursday. the funeral was on sunday afternoon, and i actually performed it and the graveside service. i felt so much weight on me… i didn’t even want to eat because it felt like i would just throw it back up.
one good thing was i got to see my entire family and spend time with all of them. we managed to have fun and laugh a lot throughout the weekend. i’m so thankful for my family and i love to get to be with them.
Labels: personal
elevate
tomorrow i am headed to tulsa, ok to go to oneighty’s student conference. we are staying until saturday and then coming back to dallas. it should be a lot of fun hanging out with everyone that is going (seven staff and the zone pastors). i am really excited about the conference but probably more than that the break from the busyness of life and getting to hang out.
i can really use a break… but the semester is pretty much over and i only have like two more things to turn in and i’m done plus finals. one more semester until i graduate.
Labels: seven
i thought this was interesting... i found it on monday morning insight today.
