innovate '08 recap (day one)

Danny, Mike, Todd, and myself attended Granger Community Church's Innovate '08 conference in Granger, IN.

I left a day early for a pre-conference workshop on First Impressions (one of the areas I lead at NewPointe is First Impressions--parking, ushers, host teams, info, etc.).

I honestly felt like the First Impressions workshop alone was worth the trip. Here are a few of the "nuggets" I'm bringing back with me:

• One of the Granger First Impressions team's most repeated quotes is, "We don't care why they come, we just want them to come back."
• We must define the experience before the experience. In other words, what do we want guests at NewPointe to experience? What do we want them talking about at the water cooler on Monday morning?
• The Granger team's mission statement: "Creating an atmosphere of warmth and personal acceptance in a safe environment where people can know and follow Christ."
• We must identify the distractions before our guests are distracted. In other words, we need to identify them so we can remove them in order for people to fully experience the love of God at NewPointe.
• Our church has competition. It's not other churches. It's any place our guests have been and experienced high value as a guest.
• We don't recruit. We invite.
• The message we want conveyed to our guests? Because you matter to God, you matter to us.

And that, my friends, is just the tip of the iceberg. I came back with a whole bunch of helpful material that I'm excited to share with the awesome people involved with First Impressions at NewPointe.

first impressions training at granger community church

I've spent the entire day so far sitting in a workshop at Granger Community Church, learning about church First Impressions and how to increase the "WOW!" factor. Very helpful. Very informative.

Midway through the morning session, Granger's senior pastor, Mark Beeson, stepped into the room and snapped some photos. And then he posted the photos on his blog.

I figure if Mark can blog during the workshop, so can I. :)

Here's a link to Mark's blog with some of the photos.

I'll share more about the workshop (and tomorrow's Innovate conference) in future posts.

service programming...the tech notes

In my role as service programming director at NewPointe, I'm basically responsible for what happens in the big room on Sundays: everything from music to graphics...all creative elements. There's a lot of prayer and planning that goes into each service.

Prior to each service, we publish what's known as the "tech notes." Every volunteer in the SP department has online access to the tech notes. Hard copies are also printed and distributed to musicians, audio personnel, control room volunteers, basically anyone involved in making the Sunday services happen.

In case you're interested in seeing what typical tech notes look like, clicking on the picture above will give you a sneak preview of this Sunday's plan.

As you can see, things are planned very precisely (down to the minute) on Sundays (yes, I know, we don't always end right on time). This version is also the "without notes" version. The copies staff and volunteers receive have many more details such as rehearsal times, lyrics, and notes.

A producer tracks the elements live online to how we're doing time-wise. We use an online service called Planning Center to help us plan, schedule volunteers, track the service live, and much more.

Planning Center rocks. And so the SP volunteers!

win a wild goose chase!

Okay, so the publisher sent me two copies of Mark Batterson's new book: Wild Goose Chase. I've been reviewing one copy (which I'm keeping for myself...it's a GREAT book). And I'm giving the second copy to one of my blog readers. For free. No strings attached.

If you'd like to receive Wild Goose Chase for free, compliments of THINKING OUTSIDE THE BUNN, then all you have to do is leave a comment, telling me you'd like to have the book. I'll randomly select one "commenter" as the winner of the book.

I'll select a winner on Saturday...so make sure you leave a comment by Friday night. The contest is open to anyone at all who leaves a comment (even my wife...but really, she can just borrow my copy).

http://www.chasethegoose.com/

chase the goose

I started reading a new book last week: Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson (he's guy who also wrote In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day).

This new book actually releases today. I was fortunate enough to get a pre-release copy from the publisher.

Want my quick take? Unbelievable book. A must-read.

Here's a brief synopsis: Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something…

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure. —Introduction to Wild Goose Chase.

Here's one of my favorite paragraphs from the book (chapter 2):

Pray about everything, then pray some more. But at some point you need to stop praying and start acting. One of the great mistakes we make is asking God to do for us what God wants us to do for Him. We confuse portfolios. For example, we try to convict the people around us of sin. But that is the Holy Spirit's responsibility, not ours. And when we play God, we not only do a poor job at it, but it is always counterproductive. In the same sense, God won't do for us what we can do for ourselves. And that is where so many of us get stuck spiritually.

If you want to learn more about the Holy Spirit and his role in your Christian walk, you need this book. My copy is getting marked up with highlighters and underlining very quickly.

Again, the book gets released today. You can read more here: www.chasethegoose.com.

online theology quiz (what's your theological worldview?)

I took this online quiz this evening: What's your theological worldview?

Here is the summary paragraph from my quiz results:

You scored as a Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan
You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists.

I'd say it's fairly accurate.

What's the quiz say about your theology?

the new newpointe starting pointe

Does that title make any sense? Let me see if I can clear things up. Some of our staff along with a volunteer writing team have spent the past year writing a brand spankin' new Starting Pointe curriculum for NewPointe. It's been a long and sometimes challenging process. But it's also been fun. The most fun part, however, is seeing it come together. A couple days ago Dave D called me into the team meeting room to take a look at the full color proofs that just arrived from the printer. The project looks awesome.

I took this pic of Kris McVaney (the project designer) as she reviewed the final proof.


The study guide, titled The Journey, goes to press sometime within the next week. If you've been through Starting Pointe, you already know how helpful, informative, and faith-building it is. With the new version, the idea is the same but there are some major changes. Here are a few:

• The first, and most obvious, is that it's all original NewPointe material. For the past few years we've been using study guides and message CDs from North Point Community Church. Beginning this fall, we'll be using the new material that includes message cd's with messages from Dwight, Dave D, and yours truly.
• The new SP course is 10 weeks long (formerly it as 13).
• The new SP "kit" will contain a sweet full-color study guide, a CD case with 10 supporting messages, a SP bookmark, and a brand new NIV Bible.

Stuff that hasn't changed:

• It's still a small group environment that meets on campus on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.
• Group size is limited to 12.
• It's one of the very best ways to inform your faith.
• At least one new SP group starts each month (all you have to do is come to the orientation--it's always held on the first Sunday of each month in between Sunday services in the auditorium).

We're already talking about getting this new material translated into Arabic and Spanish. How cool would that be?

john alan turner

John Turner was the communicator at last Saturday's Married Life Live. He knocked it out of the park. I've had multiple people ask me about how they can get ahold of John's books. So...here's some information that you may find useful:

Amazon.com link to John's books

John's blog, Faith 2.o

John on Facebook

John also reads my blog. So John, once again bro, Thanks! There still a buzz about your talk around NewPointe.

to tattoo or not to tattoo...that is the question

Scott left a comment on my last post about secular music. And he asked me about tattoos. We did a First Wednesday a couple years back called "Marked By the Cross" and we talked a little about tattoos.

Since the tattoo thing is so huge right now, I thought I'd go ahead and post a couple of interesting links that address the subject of tattoos and Christians. Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo? What does the Bible have to say about it?

Check out these sites for some insight on the subject:

Sacred Ink

Got Questions: What does the Bible have to say about tattoos/body piercings?

What do YOU think?

going all the way

If you read my blog much at all, you know that I'm a big Craig Groeschel guy. This guy, who is about my age, pastors one of the fastest growing, most creative and dynamic churches in America (lifechurch.tv).

I've been influenced by Craig and Lifechurch.tv quite a bit over the past year. I've listened to his messages, read his blog, and read his books.

His newest book is titled Going All the Way. Strong. I read most of it to my wife, Jenny while travelling to Kentucky a few weeks ago. Know what it did for us? It made us want to strengthen our marriage. It created a renewed desire to be more alive to what God wants in our marriage. It caused us to talk about what it means to have a deeper level of intimacy. It made me want to be a better, more godly husband.

And here's the thing: While it's primary target is the singles crowd, it spoke profoundly into my marriage. I'd recommend it for any married couple that's interested in seeing their marriage develop into what God wants it to be.

And if you're single, whether you're in a relationship or not, I'd call this one a MUST READ. I've been pimping it at Aqua over the past couple weeks. I'm not kidding. I wish I would have read this book when I was single.

The NewPointe bookstore has copies available. It'd make a great Christmas gift for the single adult that you care about.

Read it and find out how you can have a marriage that "Goes All the Way."

scrub it

I'm not sure how to describe it...but I am on a serious quest for integrity. I want so desperately to be a man of integrity. The truth is...I'm not there yet. I fall short waaaaay too often. I sense God working in my life, calling me to higher standards. Currently up for scrutiny in my life:

• Stuff I watch on TV
• Movie choices
• The way I spend money
• The stuff that comes out of my mouth
• Stuff that comes across my computer screen (let's camp here for a moment)

At NewPointe, we have an Internet filter. I'm glad for that. I don't want stuff appearing on my screen, even accidentally, that is inappropriate (well, the problem is, maybe sometimes I DO, so that's why I'm glad there's a filter).

At home, I just installed ScrubIT. ScrubIT is a free recursive DNS server that regulates what comes into my home. Check it out...it's amazingly simple to install...and it's the only public recursive DNS server to actively filter pornography.

It's just one of many safeguards I'm putting in place in my quest for integrity.

What safeguards do you have in place--in any area of your life? I'm always looking for good ideas in my quest for clean hands and a pure heart.

deadly viper

I read this book over the weekend. Strong. It's called Deadly Viper: Character Assassins. It's a fun, insightful, easy read. Guys, if you're looking for a book that's relevant and easy to get into, this is it. Ladies, you can read it too, but it's got a Kung Fu theme...so the bent is toward guys (makes a great stocking-stuffer, ladies). I'm going to see that the bookstore gets stocked with plenty of copies.

Here's my deal: I need help with how to live life. I want to be full of good character and integrity. This book nailed me on a few areas that I know I need to improve in. And it gave me good, solid, practical steps I can begin taking toward getting there.

Here are the chapter titles (to whet your appetite):

1. The Assassin of Character Creep


2. The Assassin of Zi Qi Qi Ren


3. The Assassin of Amped Emotions


4. The Assassin of the Headless Sprinting Chicken


5. The Assassin of Boom Chicka Wah Wah


6. The Bling Bling Assassin


7. The High and Mighty Assassin

"jim and casper are full of crap"

That's the way it was put to me recently as I got into a conversation with a friend about this book:
I read this book a few weeks ago because I was interested in the premise: Jim, a pastor, takes his atheist friend, Matt Casper, to visit a bunch of churches and critique them (Matt Casper, by the way has visited my blog and commented). The book offered food for thought but the further I got in to it, the less interested I became. At times the two come off as the grumpy old guys from the Muppet Show...

They visit a church one time and then draw a bunch of conclusions based on a small sample size--a one-time experience. The interesting thing that my friend pointed out is that few churches, if any, operate under the premise that atheists are visiting our churches unaccompanied by a friend. That's the lens through which they seem to want to view these churches. The reality is that most of the churches they visited, along with NewPointe, aren't catering to or programming for a lone atheist that wanders into their buildings on Sunday. Most of us subscribe to the invest and invite strategy. Meaning, if you're visiting a church, you're likely coming with someone who's investing in you (because they care about you) and then they've invited you to come with them to church. The investor/inviter is the one who's responsible to help their guest navigate the experience. Yes, the church has some responsibility but it's mainly the one who's invited the friend that's going to be able to help that person (even if they're an atheist) feel welcome and comfortable at your church.

Casper writes about how, for instance, at Saddleback, he gained more insight and understanding from his conversation with Jim following the church service than anything that happened at church that day. EXACTLY! That's how it's supposed to work. It's called invest and invite.

Now, I won't go so far as to say that Jim and Casper are full of crap. They do offer some helpful insights and food for thought. I just think they need to remember that their approach and the lens through which they view our churches is very atypical. And obviously my friend does too.

Have you read the book? Your thougths? Am I full of crap?

raising a teenager? how far is too far (sexually) for them to go?

When I read something helpful, I want to pass it along. Several weeks ago, I mentioned in this blog a book that Jenny and I began reading together: Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry by Lisa Bevere. The subtitle is Why women lose when they give in.

If you're parenting girls, or you're a single young lady...read this book!

Jenny and I are reading because we're always seeking wisdom and godly counsel on parenting--particularly now that we have a daughter in junior high. We've read the first few chapters and here are a couple of the "scuds" I thought were worth sharing:

• After praying for insight for what she should share about dating, boys, and sex with teenage girls at her church, she said this is what she received from the Holy Spirit: "You are looking for rules to restrict their behavior. Rules will not keep them. The empowerment they need must be born out of relationship. Change their focus from what they can't do to what they can do."


• What can they do? Here's what she had to say about dressing suggestively: She said, "I think [dressing suggestively] is a great idea. Go right ahead and dress like a whore if you want to attract a whoremonger. It's like fishing--the bait you use will determine what you'll catch. So if you want to hook a sleazy guy, by all means dress sleazy."


• When asked the big question: How far is too far? Here was her reply: "You can go as far with your boyfriend as you are comfortable doing in front of your father. For your father is the protector and guardian of the virtue for daughters." Wow.

She said that the whispering and giggling stopped and you could hear a pin drop. Each girl was visiting that scenario in her mind. In front of my dad? What would that look like? Come on, we don't do things like that in front of our fathers.

She continues in the book: This is true, for most everything we would do sexually we'd do behind closed doors, in darkened corners, under the cover of night, in a car, or in a drug or alcohol haze. If we were brazen enough, perhaps we'd mess around in a dark room of our homes while our parents slept elsewhere, but never in the light, sober, right in front of our dads.

She said she'd knew she'd given the right answer to the wrong question from a generation of confused and vulnerable girls.

Jenny and I, as we read this book, we cry together. We long to be the kind of parents God wants us to be. We want to raise God-loving, God-honoring kids. And we need help. 'Cause parenting ain't easy. So I'm just passing along some of the stuff that's rocking our world right now.

stuff worth checking out...

I read the first chapter of Jim and Casper Go To Church...and I ordered the book. I'm completely intrigued by the idea of this book. In it, the authors visit a bunch of megachurches and write about their experiences...what they learned, what they liked, didn't like, etc. And, oh, yeah, one of the authors is an atheist. Very interesting. You can read the first chapter by clicking here.

Last week I read a phenomenal essay by Dallas Willard. Every pastor, ministry leader, and key volunteer needs to read this essay on sustaining vision. Powerful. Here's the link.

A guy named Gary Lamb pastors Revolution Church in Canton, GA. He recently blogged about 10 things he wishes he would have known when he started the church. Good stuff. Check out this post titled 10 Things I Wish I would have known...

Jenny and I started reading a book together: Kissed The Girls and Made Them Cry. Jenny and I are entering a new chapter in the life of our family. It's called having a daughter in the 7th grade. Everything is changing...and challenging. All I can say is that if you have a pre-teen or teenage daughter, this book is a must read. Jenny and I read the first two chapters together Sunday night and just cried together. Why did we cry? Mainly because we so desperately don't want our kids to make the same mistakes we made growing up.