25 THINGS ABOUT ME

I have seen a ton of people doing this lately so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring…

1. I met my wife Kristin in high school on Operation Barnabas.
2. In school I made a list of churches I would want to work at and Grace Church in Powell, Ohio was at the top of that list.
3. I decided to name my first son Malachi 9 years ago.
4. In college I majored in Biblical Studies and Youth Ministry.
5. I have two brothers.  I am the middle one. I never wanted a sister.
6. My first car was a 1986 “rusting” that I rolled 3 times on the way home from soccer practice.
7. A couple of weeks ago I got my son some new toys from the curb out front of my neighbor’s house.
8. I named my wireless internet signal “free just ask” but no one has ever asked.
9. I went to my first DC Talk concert in 1991, I have since seen them and/or TobyMac around 30 times.
10. Someday soon I hope to restore my dad’s Cushman scooter.
11. I have seen Pink, Busta Rhymes, N’Sync, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in concert.
12. My dad bought me my Taylor guitar in 2001 and I hope to give it to my son someday.
13. My favorite topic to teach on is love, dating, and relationships.
14. I own 2 Ford Taurus’
15. I first grew my goatee because I lost a bet with Kristin and now I can’t shave it because I feel fat and naked without it.
16. I used to own turntables.
17. I owned a second-generation ipod so I like to think I am not a bandwagon Mac guy.
18. I already know what Kary Oberbrunner’s new book will be about.
19. I always have to have 2 packs of Extra Polar Ice gum in my pocket.
20. The stations saved on my radio are 92.3 (country), 97.9 (top 40), 107.5 (ghetto), 104.9 (AC Christian), 94.7 (AC pop), and 88.7 (hardcore Christian).
21. My dream job would be to have my own talk show like Jay Leno. I could also get into radio hosting.
22. I have a frame that holds 35 pictures. I put couples in it that I like so I can pray for them.
23. I don’t drink coffee. I would much rather go to Planet Smoothie.
24. I love to try and play matchmaker but because I am so eager I usually suck at it.
25. I am a sucker for good Hip-Hop pop music.

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What are 5 new/cool worship songs that you think my church should do?

YOUTH MODULE UPDATE

            The National Institute for the Development of Ministries to Youth held its spring semester module class last week January 15^th-19^th at Grace Church in Powell, Ohio.  The class “Counseling and Communicating with Contemporary Youth” is one of the courses for Youth Ministry majors and minors at Grace College. The group was comprised of 25 students as well as Professor Mark Artrip and Teacher’s Assistant Nick Deck.

            Various instructors who touched on counseling were Bob Rubinow M.A., LPCC-S ( http://www.fathersplace.org/default.html),  Glen McElhinney and Josh Hartzler (GBC Columbus), Rick Nuzum (Grace Church, Powell), Dave Muschott (Worthington Christian Schools).  Also teaching Communication were Kary Oberbrunner (karyoberbrunner.com), Danny Wright and Matt Strader (Greenville Grace), and Steve Keyes (Walk thru the Bible ministries).

            The class also visited many various ministries including Xenos Christian Fellowship’s College Central Teaching, Grove City Church of the Nazarene’s Saturday night service, Vineyard of Columbus’ Young Adult gathering Joshua House, and Sunday morning services at Grace Church in Powell, and Heritage Christian Church.

            The National Institute for the Development of Ministries to Youth is a partnership between CE National and Grace College to offer the Youth Ministry major and minor.

For more information check out www.theNationalInstitute.net

BROKENVOICES.ORG

I recently became aquainted with the guys at brokenvoices.org.  If you have never heard of it I urge you to check out their site. 

Here is a ittle about them in their own words…

Does my life matter? What is my purpose? Is it really possible that my life was meant for something bigger? – Something Greater?

Six friends travel the United States in search of answers to these questions. Living on the road for a month in a borrowed (and crowded) RV, they encounter seven stories of normal people doing extraordinary things with their lives. This morning Broken Voices releases their first full length documentary film entitled “Anthem”. To pick up your copy today click here.

MOMENTUM IS COMING

The new Momentum 2009 website went live today. I hadn’t seen this picture yet, but I had heard about it.  Anything that puts me with Fee and Danielle Kimmey is OK with me. 

QUESTIONS FROM THE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT-PART 1

My friends over at CE National are sponsoring a Leadership Summit.  The event is March 23-24 at their campus in Winona Lake, IN.  They are using the time to gather youth workers and answer some questions facing those in student ministry.  You can check out more about the event and the questions here.

In honor of the Leadership Summit, I am going to use my next 11 entries and give some quick thoughts on these questions.

Question 1-Open question to youth workers…

1. What are we Learning about Today’s Changing Youth Culture…

One thing I continue to learn is that the next generation is driven by a culture of immediacy.  This is obviously nothing new, but it cannot be ignored for several reasons.

Because everything is immediate, the only constant is constant change.  Bands are cool for a month on youtube and before their CD can get to stores no one cares. 

Immediacy creates entitlement and selfishness.  When someone wants to play a video game they don’t have to go home or get out the system, they just play on their phone. When someone wants to watch a video, they don’t rent it, they just find it on youtube.  If you want a song, you don’t have to save up your money or drive to the story, you just illegally download it online in seconds.  People always have their desires gratified immediately. I saw a store advertise the other day with a tagline that read “Instant gratification is not soon enough”.  That is what people are being fed, “you are so important, you instantly deserve whatever you want”.  You are too wait for a website to load, you need to see your facebook at lunch on your phone.  This is changing the way, selfishness, and sin manifest themselves. Just my thoughts, what would your answer be?

 

REASON #321 WHY I LOVE BEING A DAD

They don’t have it in my size…

SUNDAY RECAP

Today was a growing experience. I moonlight as a worship leader about once a month. I have led worship several times since I have been at Grace Church, not to mention many other times in many other settings since I was 14. I am no Tomlin but I can lead worship comfortably inside of my gifts and experiences. This week however was just craziness, I have never felt as attacked as I did this last week.
I can’t even pin it on one thing but it was crazy last couple of days. I was tired, busy, practice went terrible, sound was off, I wasn’t crazy about the song order, selection (even though I picked em), not too mention other things, and it all just compounded.
First service was the pinnacle. As usual everyone said it went well, but I just felt attacked and kept thinking that it sucked and things had to be better. I was basically psyching myself out. In hindsight nothing was that bad, it was just little stuff that we as a band notice, but I was so upset. Its funny how once I get worked up about something I just dwell on it. The more I thought about it the worse it was.
I decided that I would be mature and go into my office and spend some time thinking and praying to get my heart ready for second service. I thought this was a good plan and I was really on the patch to calming down and putting it in God’s hands. Apparently God had other plans to teach me that same lesson. I still had a little too much of me in the equation. As I was praying I got a couple texts that I was supposed to be on stage for the closing song. I had forgotten I still had one more song to sing!!! My friend Adam just sang the song (since he was already playing it) and it was no big deal but at the time it was the final nail in the coffin of Satan’s attack to make my day suck.
Just one of those weeks where I saw the clouds forming and just couldn’t avoid the storm or stop the rain. Funny thing is I learned so much so quickly when I “got it”. Guess what my church still isn’t about me. I like to think I am in control and today’s events brushed my ego aside. Ironically enough our series we are in is called faith walk and today sure made me relearn to be comfortable trusting God when I think I know what will happen and even when I don’t.
In the end it was no big deal and I calmed down and all went well. Second service was better (although we had a broken string that forced me to improvise amazing grace for the offertory, but that is another story).
My lessons for the day……..
1. No matter how much I try I can’t change God’s plan and what he wanted to happen did.
2. I haven’t arrived yet, I’ve got a long way to go
3. We can usually see train wrecks coming and often they can be avoided through preparation and troubleshooting.
So how was your day?

I NEVER KNOW WHAT THE DATE IS-SORRY BRANDON

I NEVER KNOW WHAT THE DATE IS.
Two days ago I forgot Brandon’s birthday. That is one of the birthdays I consider unforgettable. You know the family, inner circle, friends, type people. I let myself down. I feel like crap when I forget birthdays. Here is my thing I have to tell the world. I never forget birthdays. I usually am not aware of the date.
I always know that my mom’s birthday is November 3rd, but a couple years ago I didn’t call her on her birthday because I didn’t even know it was November until one day I realized it was November 6th. Not a good excuse but nonetheless that is how my brain works. So far this year I forgot Dan, Shannon, and Brandon’s birthdays. Sorry guys, I suck.

MIND DUMP

• HSM had our annual karaoke night tonight. That is what we do for our first night back from the holidays. The night can be a weird night so we want to have some hype and momentum.
• I tried to sing U Remind Me by Usher….Usher would have cried.
• I have to be at a soccer meeting tomorrow morning at 7am. It’s good to have something that makes me get up and be an adult every once in a while, other than Malachi.
• I have a personal mission to get everyone is HSM wearing scarves all the time indoors and not even knowing why….and it is working.
• In the coming weeks I am DJing a dance, speaking at some events, going to Kalahari, going to an ordination, thinking about trying to get to the CE National leadership summit, Teaching a youth ministry module, and celebrating Malachi’s 1st birthday. There is more, but it seems like a bunch of stuff outside of my own church.
• I have a beard right now. I don’t think it is too good, because it has some weird connection pieces and a shady mustache but oh well.
• Leading worship at church this Sunday. We are in a series called faith walk right now so we are opening the service with Walk the Line by Johnny Cash.
• My feet are so cold I want to cry. Better get to bed.