Archive - April, 2008
Inspiration
What inspires you? Different things inspire me – I look for inspiration from other churches, American Idol, The Grammys, concerts, conferences, things like Blue Man Group and KA in Vegas, etc. My friend, Pace, from Fellowship Church sent me THIS link to something they did this past Christmas. I was inspired. I was encouraged and I was proud that The Church is using it’s gifts and creativity again. Check it out!
EXTRA:
Each Friday I check out the “Video of the Week” from my friend, Bill Seaver’s blog: MicroExplosion. This week’s video was on giving a presentation. I thought it was great and would love for all preachers/presenters to watch it.
PresenTired: “The Voicemail” from Scott Schwertly on Vimeo.
One Of The Greatest Days Of My Life
Yesterday at church, one of our stage managers offered me 2 free tickets to the Texas Rangers baseball game. I gladly accepted and took my 5 year old son, Tommy. This was my son’s first baseball game.
I can not the describe the feeling of when we walked into the stadium. We arrived during the first inning. Just as we walked through the chute and out into the open, Milton Bradley hit a homerun and the crowd went crazy. They started playing the song from the movie “The Natural” (I’m not lying) – just as we were walking out of the chute. It was like a Hollywood moment. I’ll never forget it as long as I live.
For the next few hours we watched the worst team in baseball (they really are) play like they were on fire. We got to see 2 more homeruns (experiencing the roar of the crowd, fireworks and the song from “The Natural” each time) and to everyone’s amazement, the Rangers won 10-0. Maybe Tommy brings good luck?
And to top it ALL off – we sat on the 4th row, right behind Nolan Ryan and the Rangers’ owner, Tom Hicks, gave Tommy a game ball. Then after the game, Tommy got to get on the actual field and run around the bases. What a day! What a day!
EXTRA:
Thank God the tickets and parking were free. What a blessing. 2 Cracker Jacks = $7.50, 2 sodas = $9.50, 1 hotdog and chips =$8.25 – the look on Tommy’s face = Priceless.
Check out the pics (forgive the quality – they’re from my cell phone):
Rangers’ star Michael Young on deck — Nolan Ryan in front of us
Tommy running to home plate —— Tommy in his Rangers’ outfit
Facebook For Pastors
Today’s blog is simple: I’d like for you to get your FREE copy of “Facebook for Pastors” and read it. I wrote the Foreward for this book and think it’s a good read. Check it out HERE.
Church 2.0 Local Forum – LA
Yesterday I announced the beginning of the Church 2.0 Local Forum. I’m excited about the first 2 of these in May (one in LA and one in Chicago). For now, I’d like to give you more info on the first one in LA. This is for all Church leaders in the Southern California area. If you’re involved in ministry and would like to meet, network and share with others in ministry – this FREE event is for you.
DETAILS: We will gather on Friday, May 2nd from 11:30am to 3:30pm in Grant Hall at Hollywood UMC. I’d appreciate you signing up so we know how much lunch to provide. To RSVP go HERE.
Sponsors that have taken care of the facility rental, free give-aways/swag and free food for all are: eight20eight, iStockphoto, RevoStock and SermonSpice. I’m extremely grateful for their support.
Here’s a special note from sponsor iStockphoto: Enter the coupon code FAITH and you will receive a 20% first purchase discount on any order over 55 credits and you can also choose 20 FREE images out of a group of 50. Go HERE to check it out.
WHAT’S SO COOL ABOUT MEETING AT HOLLYWOOD UMC?
Due to the unique beauty of the buildings and the history emmanating from their individual spaces, the church facilities are often used as a film and television location and have been featured in several major motion pictures.
FILMS SHOT AT HUMC include…
• Jarhead
• Domino
• Anger Management
• Big Mama’s House
• Beautiful
• A Civil Action
• That Thing You Do!
• Super Mario Bros.
• Sister Act
• Back to the Future
• Star 80
• Imitation of Life
TV SHOWS SHOT AT HUMC include…
• CSI
• Days of Our Lives
• General Hospital
• Murder, She Wrote
• The Golden Girls
• Jake and the Fatman
• The A-Team
• Hardcastle and McCormick
• Riptide
• Hotel
• Dr. Phil – Special
• Bette Midler – Special
• The Temptations – Special
SPECIAL FOOTNOTES FOR FILM FANS -
In Back to the Future, the church gymnasium was the location for the high school prom/dance scene where Michael J. Fox reunites his parents and takes the stage to perform a wicked guitar version of “Johnny Be Good.”
In Sister Act, virtually the entire church served as an on-location set for the story of Whoopi Goldberg posing as a nun. The scenes where the nuns ate at a long table and where Whoopi was scrubbing floors were filmed in Grant Hall. The scene where the nuns were gossiping in the kitchen over ice cream was in the Main Kitchen. The choir room in the movie was shot in the church’s actual choir room at the time.
In Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do!, the gym stage was the setting for a college talent show where the movie’s fictitious pop-rock group, “The Wonders,” first sang their hit song “That Thing You Do!” in public. In the scene, the group’s drummer surprises them by speeding up the tempo of the song, with very positive results.
May Travel
I have 2 conferences in May that I’ll be at (PLEASE let me know if you’ll be at either). One is a rare opportunity that I don’t usually get – I’ll be just attending and hanging out at the Biola Media Conference. This is a great conference that I’ve followed for years and always wanted to go to. This year I was invited to come and just attend and blog about my thoughts on it.
I look forward to seeing Phil Cooke and Craig Detweiler (both of whom I’m interviewing for my book) and getting to hear them speak. Usually I’m teaching at the same time as them and miss getting to sit in on their class. This will be a much-needed opportunity to not have the pressure of speaking and just soak up, network and learn. I can’t wait! Plus I’ll get to see several friends that I have in LA and spend some time with each of them.
***Speaking of my LA trip. I’m organizing a gathering in LA like we did in Las Vegas. This is a little different though – this will be the first of, hopefully many, Church 2.0 Local Forums. The Church 2.0 Local Forum- LA will take place from 11:30am to 3:30pm on Friday, May 2nd (location TBD). If you’re in the LA area and want to come (this is for all Church leaders) please stayed tuned to my blog and my Facebook group. ***
The 2nd conference that I’ll be at in May and teaching 5 classes for is the Moody Bible Pastors’ Conference. This will be my 5th year speaking there. I look forward to this conference each year as 1500 pastors from around the world gather to worship, fellowship and learn. I absolutely love speaking to senior pastors. This year will be cool because I’m taking my intern, Jonathan, with me.
***There will probably be a Church 2.0 Local Forum – Chicago on either Wednesday, May 21st or Friday, May 23rd. Again, stay tuned for more info. ***
If you will be at either of these conferences, please let me know and we’ll meet up! I would like to mention and thank EasyWorship for sponsoring my classes at Moody this year.
EXTRA:
Here’s more info on the Biola Media Conference…
BIOLA MEDIA CONFERENCE – MAY 3, 2008
Make plans to attend the largest gathering for Christians in the Entertainment Industry – the Biola Media Conference! Held on May 3 at CBS Studio Center in LA, this year’s conference theme explores the new
blueprints required in “Designing for the Digital Age”. Top professionals in film, television, and digital media will be addressing the challenges for Hollywood at the dawn of the online entertainment revolution as well as the innovative options in production, content, distribution and marketing that this digital age presents. New blueprints are needed as an era of social media and digital technology make entertainment and information more personal and customized than ever. Change isn’t coming. It’s here. NOW is the time to strategize a new design for the future of entertainment. Register online at www.biolamedia.com
How I Did It
In my “Church 2.0” class at NAB, I did a live text poll where people in the class texted in their vote and it updated in real time on the screen (via PowerPoint). Many asked how I did it. I did it using a website called Poll Everywhere.
I’d like to encourage you all, my blog readers, to participate, too. Please go HERE and select your answer to the poll. I tried posting the poll on my blog, but the text was too small to read. If you go to the link above you’ll be able to read all the options well and vote online. Tomorrow I’ll post the results.
EXTRA:
Here are some places to check out free videos (that’s right: FREE) – actually they’re all types of media resources.
- Free Countdown from SermonSpice
- Free loop or motion background from WorshipHouse
- Free iPod film from Modern Parables
- Free stock footage from RevoStock
- Free download from SermonVideos.com
- Free Mother’s Day Countdown from WorshipFilms
- Free Mother’s Day Backgrounds from Midnight Oil
- Free media resources from WORDsearch Media
- Free video from eleven72
- Free download from Floodgate Productions
- Free media resources from Organic Videos
- Free media resources from Sermonade
- Free media resources from Muddy River Media
- Free graphics from WorshipGraphics
- Free SD or HD clip from 12 Inch Design
Vegas Pics
Me with my intern, Jonathan, on the top of our hotel (108th floor).
Jonathan and I on the world’s tallest thrill ride
Eating at the “Top of the World” restaurant with Jonathan and Brian Davis
Me with the band from Blue Man Group
Me with some locals on the street
Me with the “number companies”: From left to right – Lee from eleven72, Tom from eight20eight, me in the middle, Storme from eleven72 and Matt from Forty One Twenty.
* More info coming soon on my first “Church 2.0” class and the SMS tool I used for class participation.
A Sinner Flying to SinCity
OUR HOTEL:
Today I fly to Las Vegas to speak at NAB. I bring with me a crew of friends: my Video Intern – Jonathan, Brian Davis (Tech Director at Fellowship Dallas – who’s sharing a hotel room with me and my intern) and the volunteer leader of our Video Team – who’s going with his company. His company, Splash Media, just finished a huge project that you may have heard about – Adobe TV. I’m proud to say that our Video Team leader just headed up this project and oversaw the production of the videos you see on Adobe TV HERE.
My friend and member of our local tech director group, Kip Kendrick, arrived this past weekend and so we’ll catch up with him today, too. You know I’m a networker and love hanging out with peers, so I’m pumped about this trip. I have several tech director friends from around the country that I’m meeting up with and hanging out with.
Here’s a brief overview of my schedule for the next 3 days:
- Today – Arrive this morning in Vegas. Go to NAB and walk the exhibit floor. Check into our hotel, walk around the strip a bit and go see the Blue Man Group at night.
- Tuesday – We have a tech director lunch at 11:30am, where tech folks from around the country will meet and greet and eat! At 3pm, I lead a class on worship presentation software, where EasyWorship, MediaShout and ProPresenter will go head-to-head. Tuesday night, I bring 5 friends with me to see KA.
- Wednesday – At 9am, I teach my first “Church 2.0” class. I’ll be teaching this a few more times this year, but this will be the first time. I’m excited about this. I believe we’re going to try to video it and put it up on YouTube and GodTube for those of you that can’t make it to watch. Wednesday evening I fly back home and reunite with my family.
- Thursday – Meetings and playing catch-up at the church.
EXTRA:
Sometime this week, we plan on experiencing the following: The fountain show at the Bellagio. The Lady of the Lake show at the Wynn and the restaurant and rides atop our hotel, which you can see HERE. For more technical info on what it takes to do the Lady of the Lake show at the Wynn read THIS (scroll to the bottom).
EXTRA, EXTRA:
Yesterday’s service was great. Our pastor’s dad, Stuart Briscoe, preached and was a blessing to us all. Our pastor, Pete, and his parents have a radio show called “Telling the Truth“. You can listen to them daily online or via your local radio station. For more info go HERE.
BONUS:
I put some bigger (easier to see) pictures up of our Good Friday service. You can go back to the post to see them HERE. I’ll have a few Easter pics soon.
Paying My Respect
I have been blessed and encouraged many times over the last 6 years to be led in worship by Vanessa Whitwell at Fellowship Church. I also learned from her in several workshops over the years at the C3 Conference.
I was stunned and saddened this week to learn that she died at the age of 34 from a brain hemorrhage. I had just recently met with the creative planning team at Fellowship Church and had lunch with their worship pastor, Pace. I had mentioned to Pace how much I love hearing Vanessa sing and what a blessing she was. She will be greatly missed. I ask that you pray for her family.
Keep praising Him, Vanessa!
