thinking outside the bunn

big news!

2008-07-24T11:14:00.005-04:00

Danny and I are having our weekly creative/brainstorming meeting at Wallhouse Coffee right now...and the big news is...

COFFEE REFILLS ARE NOW FREE!

Life is good.

miranda's story

2008-07-23T14:11:00.002-04:00

This is the video of Miranda Creachbaum shown at NewPointe on July 13, 2008.

Her faith strengthens my faith. She's one of my heroes.

josh wilson pics

2008-07-23T09:45:00.003-04:00

Sunday was an amazingly great day at NewPointe. We continued the UnTypical series by looking at what we can learn about untypical courage from Benaiah...but not before Josh Wilson took the stage to do some of his music (including the 3 Minute Song). He's amazing.

Here's a pic I took of him during the pre-service run-through:

After the services we headed to our favorite place to hang out with Christian recording artists like Josh Wilson and Worth Dying For...Daryl and Lee Ann Miller's. Per usual, Lee Ann put out a ridiculous spread. Here's Josh enjoying some of Teddy's famous nachos.

And this is becoming a tradition: Guitar Hero with our guest artists. Here's Josh checking out Natalie vs. Joey.

And here's Josh whoopin' on Big Dan (this, of course, will prompt Dan to leave a comment on my blog)

Later in the day we had an awesome tailgate party (before Josh's concert). And Josh jumped right in, mixing it up with everyone who came. Here's Josh playing catch with the Monkey Boy:

And the highlight of Natalie's day may have been getting to play "pickle" with Josh.

The concert was off-the-hook. Amazing. Afterwards Josh stuck around to meet everyone and sign autographs. He's just a great guy.

And after all that...we headed back to the parking lot for more tailgating...wings, ribs, you name it. Dwight indulged...

As did Josh...and Danny...and Dan...and...

Great day. Great fun. Great ministry. I love NewPointe.

help! i'm going to jail!

2008-07-22T10:34:00.002-04:00

The police are coming to arrest me this Thursday. They're sending me to "jail" until I raise enough bail money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Will you help me raise bail money? It's for a great cause.

Here's how you can help:

Follow this link: John's MDA bail page.

What you'll find there is a secure web site that makes it easy to donate. Every little bit helps. So if you can give $5, $10, or $50...it all adds up to help a great cause.

I'm not going to beg...but PLEASE! HELP! :)

this sunday: josh wilson

2008-07-17T14:43:00.003-04:00

We've been looking forward to this Sunday for a long time Josh will be here Sunday, doing worship in both services. And then Sunday night he'll be giving a FREE concert at 7 p.m.

Here's a rundown of what's planned:

9 a.m. First Service (featuring Josh Wilson)

11 a.m. Second Service (featuring Josh Wilson)

5 p.m. tailgate party in the NewPointe parking lot (everyone invited...everyone welcome to try to beat me at corn hole--but it's not likely that you will)

7 p.m. Josh Wilson in concert (and yes, he'll be signing autographs afterwards)

Now, if you don't know who Josh Wilson is, you need to get with it. He's amazing. You can find his new single, 3 Minute Song, at the top of the Christian music charts. You can also get a big honkin' dose of JW at YouTube by clicking here.

By the way, this is cool, it's Josh taking a minute to explain what the 3 Minute Song is all about. Have a look:

And in case you're wondering, I received confirmation from Josh's people today...he WILL be doing the 3 Minute Song in both services.

It's going to be a big day at NewPointe. Don't miss any of it.

whose toes are those?

2008-07-16T09:17:00.016-04:00

A recent revision to the NPCC dress code now makes a provision for the wearing of flip-flops. I noticed a lot of 'exposed toes' yesterday so I got my camera phone out and decided to have a little fun. Here you'll see 13 sets of toes. Can you match the toes to the NPCC staffer?

1.

Whose toes are those?

A. Mike Conn

B. Barbara Knecht

C. Kayleigh Delk

D. Dave Mast

2.
Whose toes are those?
A. Cindy Colucy
B. Sherry Schie
C. Miriam Beachy
D. Faye Stingel

3.
Whose toes are those?
A. Steve Conn
B. Brandon Bunnelle
C. Kevin West
D. Chad Stutzman

4.
Whose toes are those?
A. Miriam Beachy
B. Jessica Rilke
C. Kayleigh Delk
D. Teresa Raber

5.
Whose toes are those?
A. Jane Miller
B. Cindy Colucy
C. Barb Knecht
D. Dwight Mason

6.
Whose toes are those?
A. Jane Miller
B. Faye Stingel
C. Scott Bell
D. Sherry Schie

7.
Whose toes are those?
A. Mike Conn
B. Danny Bunnelle
C. Dan Liebman
D. John Bunn

8.
Whose toes are those?
A. Miriam Beachy
B. Jean Vacha
C. Sherry Schie
D. Cindy Colucy

9.
Whose toes are those?
A. Teresa Raber
B. Kayleigh Delk
C. Barbara Knecht
D. Sherry Schie

10.
Whose toes are those?
A. Matt Beres
B. Scott Bell
C. Blake Wood
D. Dave D'Angelo

11.
Whose toes are those?
A. Matt Beres
B. Kevin West
C. Chad Stutzman
D. Danny Bunnelle

12.
Whose toes are those?
A. Jean Vacha
B. Jane Miller
C. Miriam Beachy
D. Anita Ballentine

13.
Whose toes are those?
A. John Bunn
B. Chad Stutzman
C. Danny Bunnelle
D. Dwight Mason

Go for it...Toe Identification Championship bragging rights are on the line. Answers will be posted this weekend.

gettting to know the lions

2008-07-15T10:03:00.004-04:00

This Sunday I'm going to be sharing about a guy in the Bible named Benaiah. Here's the skinny on him: he chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it.

In my never-ending quest for knowledge and well-roundedness, I thought it would be good if I learned as much as I could about lions. So...I visited the Akron Zoo and sat down with the zoo's education manager, Patty Villers, to see what I could learn.

Here's the interview.

Oh yes, there'll be more on Sunday. See you there!

andrew wants to know...

2008-07-15T09:00:00.003-04:00

Andrew (age 6) spends most of his daily word count asking questions. It's unbelievable how many questions the dude can come up with throughout the course of the day. The questions range from the ridiculous to the thoughtful, hard-to-answer.

I thought I'd give you a sampling of the stuff he asks me...ALL THE TIME. These questions all came up within the span of about 30 minutes last evening:

Daddy, have you been 94 yet (as in age)?
Daddy, when I'm bigger, how am I going to remember your cell phone number?
Daddy, are there creeks in Sugarcreek?
Daddy, when I get big, what football team am I going to play for?

quotable (untypical uncertainty)

2008-07-13T18:21:00.001-04:00

"To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness; it should rather be an expression of breathless expectation." --Oswald Chambers

Yep, I'm working on next Sunday's message right now.

sunday's scuds (july 13, 2008)

2008-07-13T09:23:00.003-04:00

The UnTypical series continued with Dave D giving the message today. The theme: UnTypical Faith. Here are the scuds:

We all have an "I told you so" story. Most of us, if we're honest, when we look back to "I told you so's," we wish we would have listened.
What if it all comes down to one simple question? Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15-16)
It is impossible to please God without faith. (Hebrews 11:6)
In every single circumstance we face, is an opportunity to respond to who we really think God is.
God has a way of putting you and I in situations where we can either advance in faith, or retreat in fear.
Faith that's untypical will always involve risk.
Every single circumstance involves the unknown. The key isn't avoiding the "perhaps" it's where you place the "perhaps." (1 Samuel 14:6-7)
We all face a "perhaps." You can place it on your outcome, or you can place it on your God.
Some of us will never complete our faith because we'll never act on what we believe about our God.
Faith is never simply a confession of our lips. It's an expression of our life.
Faith always requires more than a commitment. It requires surrender.
What's happening TO you in life is never as important as what God is doing IN you.

Next week: UnTypical Courage.

new blog look...

2008-07-12T21:55:00.002-04:00

...just because ya gotta keep things fresh. New header...new background...new color scheme. Let me know your thoughts (really, I want your feedback--the good, the bad, and the ugly).

erwin on action

2008-07-12T09:32:00.004-04:00

I dig Erwin McManus. He speaks my language. Check out this video short called Just Do Something.

"Sometimes we use prayer as an excuse not to act." Strong.

zoo visit

2008-07-11T13:01:00.006-04:00

Jeff Conn and I visted the Akron Zoo on Wednesday...with a video camera...specifically to see the lions. Why?

You'll have to come to church on Sunday, July 20 to find out.

P.S. was it wrong for me to ask the lion keeper, "What kind of operation are you running here? This place is like a zoo!"

can you identify the animal that left this print?

2008-07-08T18:26:00.006-04:00

Took the fam to Mohican on Saturday for a picnic and hiking. Andrew, Natalie, Naomi, and I took a three-mile hike through the forest. Along the way, Andrew asked if I thought there might be pumas in these woods. (Pumas?!) I assured him that we wouldn't have to worry about pumas and he was cool with that until Naomi found this paw print in the mud...

We have no idea what animal this could be. The kids put their feet next to it to offer some size perspective. Too big to be a dog. Big claw marks, too. What do YOU think? Bear? In Ohio? Puma? :) Feel free to share your opinion.

untypical kids video

2008-07-06T18:35:00.003-04:00

Brandon Bunnelle and Cindy Colucy (and others) did a fantastic job planning, shooting, and editing this video to help us kick off the UnTypical series. Check it out (by the way, these are all NewPointe kids):

Isn't it true...nobody ever aspires to be "typical" but somehow we tend to end up there. Look for more "untypical kids" in the coming weeks at NewPointe.

untypical

2008-07-04T17:38:00.004-04:00

Sunday we kick off a new series at NewPointe: UnTypical. Honestly, I'm as excited about this series as I have been for any series we've ever done. I think what excites me the most is the idea of you and me living lives that are anything but typical. God doesn't call us to live typical lives. He calls us to the extraordinary.

It's interesting to me that so many people think that if you "become a Christian" that you're automatically forfeiting fun and and excitement, trading them in for the dull and lifeless. I've found just the opposite to be true. So over the next 30 days we're going to explore the idea of living an untypical life--the REAL Christian life. Untypical courage, untypical faith, untypical ambition, untypical generosity.

This Sunday we're going to discover an amazing dimension to living the Christian life--an untypical dimension. In this untypical dimension, he who would be first will be last. He who would be last will be first. In this untypical dimension God’s power is perfected in weakness…and real life, really living, comes through dying. How's that for untypical?

Don't forget, the Go '08 food drive starts this Sunday. You can start brining in non-perishables now!

Oh, one more thing... Don't be late to church. I'm not kidding. If you miss the opener this week...well, just don't be late!

See you Sunday!

quotable (on risk)

2008-07-03T15:58:00.002-04:00

I'm preparing for the message I'm giving on July 20. It's on untypical courage. As I've been preparing, I've been reading this book: In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. And yes, it's a book I highly recommend.

As I was reading, I came across this quote:

The circumstances vary, but the law of risk is universal and eternal: The more you’re willing to risk, the more God can use you. And if you’re willing to risk everything, then there is nothing God can’t do in you and through you.

Put that in your pipe...

the untypical weekend design team

2008-07-02T14:23:00.006-04:00

The weekend design team meets weekly to brainstorm creative ideas for Sundays at NewPointe. Sometimes we're brainstorming music. Sometimes it's video ideas, dramas, illustrations to help Dwight...and nothing is off limits or out of bounds. All ideas are welcome in every meeting. The crazy, unrealistic ideas are often the best fodder for ideas we actually do on stage on Sundays. And when I say nothing is off limits when it comes to ideas, I mean it (you'll see what I mean during the UnTypical series...expect to see stuff you thought could/would never happen in church).

The weekend design team consists of several staff members and several creative volunteers. We sit around and bark out ideas, watch videos, listen to music, surf the 'net, and pray for guidance. Our goal is to create an environment in the big room on Sundays that is going to connect with those who are there. Relevant, dynamic, inspiriting, life-changing. That's the goal.

Of course, when you get creative people together in the same room, crazy stuff is bound to happen. Recently we had a huge, friendly debate about as series title (actually it was for the What Lies Beneath series). We had a couple dozen title ideas on the board and everyone in the room took turns voting until we landed on one. Each person took a turn voting for the title they liked best. Lee Ann decided to go with the secret ballot. Here's a pic of her casting her vote on the conference room whiteboard.

Yep, we're a pretty untypical bunch.

hangin' with worth dying for

2008-06-30T11:02:00.004-04:00

Sunday was one of the weirdest days. After much anticipation, we were all set to have Worth Dying For lead worship for us at NewPointe. I showed up at the church at 7 a.m. Sunday...and found...that there was no electricity in the building. And the power company was telling us that we wouldn't get it back anytime soon. So we made the call at about 7:30 to cancel both services. The band was rolling in right about them...so we broke the news to them. Major bummer.

We did, however, head over the Daryl and Lee Ann Miller's house with the band for the most amazing breakfast experience ever.

Here's a shot (thank you Danny) of me with the band.

Here's a pic of Micah and Nathan going at it (playing Guitar Hero).

And here's how Sean Loche decided to spend a portion of his morning...

It was a blast just hangin' with the band. They told us it was great to have some time off to just chill. Before they left, we gathered together to pray with them...and then we got a brief (but good) acoustic worship set out of them (including the soon-to-be-famous Deodorant Song...written by Josh O'Haire).

You can read more about it and see more pics at Danny's blog. And you can see the rest of the Guitar Hero pics at my Facebook page.

the monkey boy's birthday

2008-06-29T21:03:00.003-04:00

Saturday was Andrew's sixth birthday. His big gift: a trip to Cleveland for the Reds/Indians game. If you don't already know, we're Reds fans (Jenny and I grew up in Cincy). So Andrew, by default, is also a Reds fan.

We got to the game early in hopes of catching some BP and perhaps an autograph or two.

Andrew took this sign with him. I bet he had 100 people wish him happy birthday at the ballpark...including Reds first baseman, Joey Votto. Joey saw Andrew's sign, came over to the railing, wished him happy birthday, chatted for a moment and then signed a mini-helmet and his ball cap. And get this, Andrew was the only dude in the ballpark that got an autograph that night. There was no BP due to rain...and NOBODY was signing...except one guy...for Andrew.

I couldn't get my camera phone out in time to catch Joey Votto with Andrew...figures. But here's proof of the encounter:

Mommy and Monkey Boy enjoying the game:
In the third inning Andrew was bugging me to use my phone to take a picture. So what does he take a picture of? Me. Here's his handiwork:

A great time, as they say, was had by all. And the icing on the cake? The Reds won 5-0. Happy birthday AJ!

okay...so i had to add this one too...

2008-06-28T09:23:00.002-04:00

Here's another photo from Harry and Liz's wedding. Liz tells me that this was taken right after the cremony began and I "cracked the first joke." Classic.

you may kiss the bride

2008-06-27T11:31:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago I blogged about Harry and Liz's wedding. Today Liz sent me a photo that was taken right after I uttered the phrase, "You may kiss the bride."

Like I said, they know how to have fun. Priceless.

uncovering the truth

2008-06-27T08:01:00.003-04:00

I hear things from time to time that people are convinced is absolute truth (because they heard it from a "reliable" source). I like to check things out. Here are a few things I've heard recently that I thought I'd give you, my blog readers, the low-down on:

1. It's illegal to drive without shoes on. Not true. I've heard this literally dozens of times. A quick Google search is all you need to dispel this myth. Currently, according to my research, there are no U.S. states that require footwear while driving a car.

2. The average person eats eight spiders a year while sleeping. Not true. Experts tell us that spiders are smart enough to avoid a humid hole which is breathing. They are trying to get their food, they tend to go to the light at night, where insects gather, not to dark wet breathing places such as a mouth. You can all sleep more comfortably now.

3. It's impossible to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon. From what I have seen online (and from my kids experimenting with it themselves), this one seems to be TRUE. Try it for yourself sometime.

4. If you stare at the sun, you could go blind. How many times did you hear that one from your mother? Well, she was right. Direct sunlight can damage the retina--light-sensitive nerve endings in the back of the eye, causing impaired vision or blindness.

5. If you go swimming less than an hour after eating, you could get cramps and drown. Not true. Not once has a drowning death been attributed to "swimming with a full stomach."

6. Eating turkey will make you sleepy. This one is popular around Thanksgiving. It's said that because of the amino acid, tryptophan, you'll likely become very sleepy after a big Thanksgiving meal. It's not true. See, turkey also contains protein, which negates the effects of tryptophan, but we generally don't ingest enough at one sitting to feel it.

Just trying to keep you informed!

tuesday's aqua...simply amazing

2008-06-26T16:29:00.003-04:00

We had an absolutely amazing time of worship at Aqua on Tuesday. I mean AMAZING. As I told the Aqua crowd Tuesday night, to see them worship so freely and intensly like that fuels my faith. What an excellent time of just loving on God. I stood toward the back of the room, and "snuck" a few photos with my camera phone.
Props to Dave D, Benjamin and the band, and all the volunteers who make Aqua great. Unbelievable night. Can't wait for the next one (July 8, 7 p.m., The Warehouse).

we did it!

2008-06-25T08:57:00.004-04:00

Jenny and I enrolled in Financial Peace University a little over three years ago. The 13-week course helped to forever change our finances. One of the goals established during FPU was to get out of debt as quickly as we could.

Well, it's taken three and a half years. And it's meant saying "no" to some things we would have really liked to have purchased. And it's meant getting rid of some stuff, too. But the good news is...as of yesterday with the exception of our mortgage, WE ARE DEBT FREE!

We paid off our last car loan...and IT FEELS GREAT!

You can do it too. Follow this link to find out more about NewPointe's FPU classes.