For those of you that don’t know – I like to use the term “straight rockin’ it!”. I enjoy the breeze of reading many blogs at once via my Google Reader on my iGoogle page, which I check daily.
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about some blogs that I read daily now. I have 2 more blogs added to my blogroll that I’d like to share with you:
My new friends – Eric Michael Bryant and Randy Elrod. Both are great Church leaders, bloggers and all around great guys. I encourage you to add them to your Google reader and check ‘em out!
Eric is the Navigator (Executive Pastor) at Mosaic in LA and attended the Church 2.0 Local Forum – Orange County. I got to meet him after Mosaic’s Sunday night service, which was a great experience.
Randy is a good friend of my worship pastor, Scott Dyer, and heads up the re:create conference – which I hope to one day attend. It’s rare for me to just attend a conference, but that is one on “my list”.
* SO… what are the must-read blogs that you check daily?
The wait is over. As the web is buzzing with reports of the new iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 update, we’re adding to the excitement with the debut of a Bible App for the iPhone, powered by YouVersion.com.
The ease of use you’ve come to expect from YouVersion.com now fits in the palm of your hand. We’re thrilled to launch this new application that iPhone and iPod Touch users will be able to download for free. It’s called the Bible App and it’s available now from Apple’s built-in App Store.
* Now that’s cool. Well done LifeChurch.tv! You can sign up on iTunes HERE or read more about it HERE.
Each week I get phone calls and emails from church members and visiting Church leaders asking where we get our backgrounds that we used during worship. Obviously, I have access to a ton of media and we use a number of products from companies that I’ve blogged about before, but one company we keep using again and again and again is SermonVideos.com.
One note about Bent Tree is that we are in HD, so our background selection is smaller and pickier. With that being said, there are a growing number of resources out there. I absolutely LOVE Igniter Backs and have raved about them before. I’m looking forward to them re-releasing volumes 1 and 2 in HD and am anxiously awaiting Backs 4.
What I don’t like is that you have to wait every one or two years for another volume to come out. I wish they’d release backgrounds as they create them and when they have enough, create a volume. What I LOVE about SermonVideos.com is that they add/upload brand new backgrounds weekly. As soon as they get them or create them, they’re up and ready to download. We have a subscription, so I just log on and in a matter of minutes have them loaded into my EasyWorship resource folder.
In my own church life, from week to week, we’ve worn out Igniter Backs Vol. 3. I have to take a break from them because our people were seeing them so much (they are the only thing they have in HD). I even went back and took a select few from Igniter Backs 1 and 2 and stretched them, which seemed to work okay (thanks Igniter for suggesting that).
I use a few from FortyOneTwenty and a few from BlueFish.tv. I’m truly grateful for the never-ending fresh supply from SermonVideos.com and am thrilled to add new backgrounds in the mix each week. My hats off to my friend Craig Lillard and his team of artists at SV. Thanks for a job well done!
EXTRA:
2 weeks ago we kicked off our service with a Call to Worship video from Restoration Videos: “Worship“. They didn’t have it in HD, but thankfully created it widescreen. This video was a powerful start to our service. Thanks to Restoration Videos!
The other day I blogged about my summer schedule. Today I wanted to tell you about my very important sponsors that are a huge support of my ministry and for that I am ever grateful.
I am extremely honored and humbled to partner with these companies and thankful for their support of my ministry. I encourage you to check them out.
PERSONAL:
For the record: Tiger Woods is THE MAN! I don’t care if you call it a man-crush – maybe it is. I just know that if he’s playing and I turn to that channel – I can’t turn it off. I don’t care if they ever show the other golfers. I actually wish they wouldn’t – just keep the camera on Tiger, even when he’s walking to his next shot. All Tiger, all the time. I don’t need to see any other golfer on the screen. Take that, Phil M.!
Sorry for disappearing for a few days. My internet was down at my house. Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. We had a fun time eating out last night – very casually, taking our time and then going for a walk after dinner – with the kids, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Fun night.
Today I fly out early to consult with First Baptist Odessa, TX. I’ll be with them all day and fly back late tonight. Saturday will be a total family day.
EXTRA:
My church just launched a new website for our live worship CD. If you’d like to get a feel for our worship at Bent Tree, maybe find a few new songs (some Bent Tree “originals”) and download the sheet music to them – go HERE.
I’m back in Dallas – got back late and am exhausted, but had a great time. Where do I start? So much was packed into my 3 days there. Today will be a little long, but I’ll just cover Thursday. I’ll blog about Friday and Saturday tomorrow. Here goes…
Day 1 (Thursday): Thursday I arrived at LAX around mid-morning and drove straight from the airport to the Dream Center. I have heard a ton about them, got to catch one of their services once on TV and heard Dr. Phil talk about them last week when I was home sick. After hearing how boldly Dr. Phil endorsed their ministry last week on national TV, I determined I was going to work them into my trip.
Dr. Phil talked about the difference they are making in their community – about how many homeless and hungry they feed EVERY day (hundreds). He went on to talk about how they give people a place to stay, clothes and many other opportunities (medical, physical and spiritual). As I drove up to the church, this was confirmed by the huge line of homeless people I saw stretched around the building and down the street. Each person was waiting to receive a meal and receive from the clothes and hygiene products they give out.
The Dream Center was founded by Tommy Barnett (who I have a great respect for) and his son, Matthew. You may remember Tommy Barnett’s name as the one who is ministering to and leading the restoration process of fallen pastor, Ted Haggard. Tommy also ministered to Jim Bakker.
I met Pastor Matthew Barnett’s personal assistant in the parking lot and she waited for me to park, welcomed me and guided me upstairs to Matthew’s office. He was on a flight and returning that evening for their worship service. She went on to tell me a little of her story – how God had used the Dream Center to change her life and how after graduating from their one year discipleship program she came on staff.
FYI – Everyone I met there was as friendly and hospitable as could be. We found out that one of their daily tours was just beginning so I quickly joined the tour (with a couple from Switzerland). For the next hour, the tour guide took us around their campus, told us stories, would point out different ministries going on and where people (of all ages) were living and introduce us to various staff and people that were in their discipleship program and living there.
After the tour, I went to go take a closer look at their recording studio. On the tour, our tour guide mentioned that they have recording studios where youth can come in off the street and record their music for free. What an outreach! I found my way in and stumbled upon their worship band, which work in the studio and played some of their original music for me. Their worship band, Press Play, just signed a deal with Universal and will be coming to a store near you soon.
As I was hanging out with some of the band, the lead singer of Press Play and head Creative Arts/Worship Pastor, Dave Hanley, walked in and introduced himself. I got to talk with him for a while, catch a little of his heart and vision (I believe he’s been at the Dream Center for 12 years) and hear one of his newest songs.
They invited me to come hang out at their rehearsal for that night’s service, but I had to leave and go meet a friend for college that I hadn’t seen in 11 years. Many people also invited me to their Thursday night worship service, but I had already committed to hang out with some LA friends.
I drove away thanking and praising God for what I had seen with my own eyes – such an amazing ministry. I’ll be mentioning them for sure in my “Church 2.0″ book. If you EVER get to LA, please go and visit the Dream Center. I think all Church leaders should go and spend some time there. I’m looking into going back for a week of ministry with them. To find out more about what God is doing through this amazing ministry watch the promo video below.
Day 1 continued: Thursday went on to include catching up and eating dinner with a friend from college and then meeting Tom Rice ( media producer, writer, filmmaker and Founder of eight20eight) who had invited me to an improv comedy show at the Groundling Theater in Hollywood.
What a night! I had a blast and could honestly go watch them every night. The theater is a cozy and intimate setting and you feel very close to the stage and involved as an audience member. It was kind of like “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, where they would call various actors forward and ask the audience to give them scene ideas.
That was a full and fun day topped off with a stop at In-N-Out Burger (you know I had to hit it once). It gets better – more details about Friday and Saturday on tomorrow’s blog.
PERSONAL:
To my friends, family and anyone interested – below is a video of yesterday (me baptizing my daughter). Grace was the first person ever to be baptized in our new baptismal pool. Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions, as we also had a baby dedication and surrounded a couple in prayer who are 7 months pregnant with their son, who is expected to die at birth or shortly after.
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.
The Swerve blog announced a summer message series entitled “One Prayer“, which is very intriguing. It’s many churches coming together and participating. Check out the explanation video from Pastor Craig. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Is this something you’d do at your church?
EXTRA:
I am thrilled to announce that SermonSpice has opened a Spanish media store. I have been begging producers for years to produce content in Spanish or at least with Spanish sub-titles. I applaud….cheer… and herald SermonSpice for their vision and commitment to equip this HUGE part of our Church. Well done!
Sorry for disappearing. This week has flown by – let me catch you up. Wednesday, I worked a long day with the highlight being taking my Visual Arts Coordinator and my Audio Coordinator over to another local church to meet with their tech team and see what they do that’s unique.
We went to my friends, Russ and Camron Ware’s church: Irving Bible Church. Russ wasn’t there, but we had gone to meet with Camron and let him show us what he’s been up to lately. I had been hearing a buzz from many people about what they were doing with lighting and effect projectors. Camron has a side ministry now, where he helps other churches do what he did at IBC (see picture above). I highly recommend you check him out – they’re doing some very cool stuff that inspired us and gave us some great ideas.
The rest of the day was full of meetings and new building stuff. After work, I wanted to get away from it all for a much needed break. To have fun and spend time with a friend, I took my video intern to a Dallas Mavericks game. They were playing the Detroit Pistons and it was just what the doctor ordered. The Mavs spanked the Pistons and a great time was had by all – plus I got a coupon for a free taco since they won – Woo Hoo! We stopped to eat and get coffee after the game, had a good talk and didn’t get in until very late and I went straight to sleep (so there was no blog on Thursday).
Thursday was a day of a hundred projects (literally). I had teams of people working on different things all over the building. The highlight of Thursday was our weekly rehearsal where we were training people on our new monitor console and also hosting 2 tech guys from another local church: Lovers Lane UMC. They are looking at purchasing the Yamaha LS9, which we’ve been using until we get into our new building. I invited them to come out and see it in action. It was great to see my audio team interacting with them and trying to be of help to them. It was a beautiful sight.
After rehearsal, it was back to finishing projects. I got home from the church at 2am and hit the sack. That’s why this blog is coming late today. Okay – we should be all caught up now. I’m off today and plan on having fun and not thinking about church.
Tomorrow evening, I’m taking my tech team to Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, TX. They are a great church and do things very well technically. We’ll hang out with my new friend, Jason Cole – AV Director there, who will give my team a tour of the behind-the-scenes. I’m looking forward to the fellowship and just hanging out with my tech team (we’re going together in the church bus).
In closing, I just want to reiterate what I often live and preach: GET TO KNOW CHURCHES IN YOUR AREA. It’s all about the Kingdom. We have so much we can learn from each other. From us visiting Irving Bible and Lake Pointe to hosting Lovers Lane to us gathering together on Sunday morning to watch LifeChurch.tv and Seacoast via the internet – there is so much we can offer to and gain from other churches. That’s “Church 2.0” – sharing and being a resource to other churches. Learning from one another. More of that to come in my book. I’ll step down off my soapbox now.
By the way, HELLO to all of you who took me up on my offer in my last blog post to connect with me on Facebook. I’m glad we’re Facebook friends now!
EXTRA:
Don’t forget, as a reader of this blog, you have until January 31st to take 30% off at Crossroads Creative.
As I mentioned before, in preparation for our new worship center and moving from 2 cameras to 3, I’ve been visiting other churches to get ideas and inspiration. The last 2 Sundays I’ve visited churches via the internet. I’ve attended both LifeChurch.tv’s and Seacoast’s Internet Campuses. It’s been fascinating to watch and worship via the web. If you get a chance one Sunday and can sneak away into your office, log on and check ‘em out.
EXTRA:
I’ve got to give another shout out to my friend, Shawn Wood (Experiences Pastor at Seacoast), for linking to this video. I can’t imagine Burger King without the whopper. If you want to see what it would be like, check it out HERE.
ADDITION:
I accidentally forgot to mention this year’s Christmas product from Radiate Films in yesterday’s post. It has been added now and I encourage you to check it out below.
