Lines I want to use...

"You don't have to eat every Big Mac to know it's a delicious hamburger sandwich."
Kenny, from the TV show Frasier.

I thought it was funny at least.

Peace.

Wow!!

The screens are in and we rocked with them this last weekend! You almost can't really feel the impact they had on our room unless you were there.

It was incredible!

So our side screens and center screen are all wide screen format. We had a little trouble with the install and getting everything going the way we want it to be but this weekend they worked well. The sidescreens are 12 feet wide and 7 feet high, the center screen is 24.6 feet high and almost 14 feet high.

Everyone on our teams really put a lot of time and focus on getting everything to pop. We ALWAYS have room to improve and to tweak so that it's better, but I am very, very excited!

These are still just tools. I can remember a year ago talking with Scott about this idea and dreaming with him back then... it's still hard to believe that this part of it is finally in the mix. It's like having a whole new canvas to paint with! I can imagine some pretty creative things we could do with these screens, not to mention what others on my team can dream up.

It's going to be great! Just one more way to remove barriers and allow the life-changing message of Jesus to impact people.

Lights are next. We have them, just waiting to install after we do some electrical upgrades.

Hope you get a chance to stop by sometime and check them out - and then stay to be impacted by what God is doing in the hearts and lives of this community!

A few more pics for you to check out (click on them to see the big picture :)
Peace.

He's My Son

The first of my two sons turned 7 this week. My wife had some great posts about Seth. He's a great kid and I am very proud of him. I thank God every night for him and can't believe I get to be this guy's dad.

He's not perfect, any more than I am. He's full of energy and eats like there is no tomorrow. He's also very creative and fun to be around.

He's one of the most generous people I know and I pray that God continues to use that in him as he grows. Sure he has his selfish times like most people (including adults) but he shares almost everything he gets, even if it means he gives away the last of what he has. I love that.

I have to say, it's pretty cool to have this guy running out to my car every evening when I get home to tell me about his day (or what he's eating/ate... it's a toss up). He also reserves his gaming time on many occasions so that I can play a game or two with him.

I think he had a good birthday, but I am thankful for the reminder of how fast time flies and how important he is to me.

Thank you God for Seth!
Peace.

There HERE Too!!!

So, some of you are wondering,

"what happened?"

"did the big screen get installed yet?"

"where's the picture of the massive center screen?"

... OR maybe that's just me and a few of you who have emailed me :)

The screens are all up! I thought the side screens were huge, ha! The center screen is like being at a movie theater! Ok maybe not quite that big, but it feels like it.

The projector for the center one is going up today, though we're having a few difficulties. Rest assured it will be up for this weekend and it's going to be spectacular!

Pictures?
You'll have to see it in person first or wait until after services on Sunday!
Peace.

There HERE!!

I can't believe it! Today is the day when we install our new screens!

We are getting two new, widescreen format, sidescreens that are about 7 Feet tall and 12 feet wide. These have already been installed and they look killer just by themselves!!

You wouldn't think that just changing the size of the side screens and going to widescreen format would make that big of a difference but, let me tell you... huge difference!

Here's a few more pics (taken with the my laptop) for you to check out. More to come as the day progresses.

Can't wait for the center screen to go up - they are working on the framing for it now. It's going to be sweet!































Peace.

Pudding Diet

So I think I've stumbled on to the most perfect diet.

After hearing a commercial for pudding cups that have only 60 calories each, I figured out the best diet I could ever go on.

I happen to love pudding - yes it's a weakness. But there is almost nothing like homemade chocolate pudding! In fact, when Kristen and I first got married, she use to make me my own bowl of homemade chocolate pudding for my birthday instead of a cake! No joke.

At any rate, with each cup only 60 calories each, you could have 20 of them a day and still only have about 1200 of your calories for the day!

That's it!
Who's with me?

Peace.

Sunday Setlist

10.07.07 Setlist

Let the Praises Ring - Lincoln Brewster
Mighty To Save - Hillsong United
Talk - Coldplay
Lean On Me - Club Nouveau

Today went pretty well considering I think I'm getting sick. My throat is killing me and my sinuses are a mess.

Luckily I don't have a very busy week this week... that's a joke of course.

Screens go up this week, along with new projector and switcher. We also have a couple of other events to schedule around so it will be interesting. Saturday night services start the 20th, and my arts teams are ready! Should be great.

Hope your week goes great!
Peace.

12 Months Ago...

Hard to believe that it was only 12 months ago I joined the Orchard team. So much has happened in the last year it seems almost unreal.

I am proud to be part of a healthy, growing staff that strives to hear God's voice and then obey Him. I don't think I have grown more in my life than in the last year on this team.

It has also been awesome to be part of a healthy, growing, and loving church family! You guys are great and I never tire of telling others about you. God continues to do amazing things in your lives and the stories you've shared with me over this last year have been incredible! Never give up your boldness. Never stop being excited about being a part of this community. Allow the passion you have for leading others to Jesus to keep burning within you - may that fire never be quenched!

Thank you for sharing your lives and this past 12 months with my family and me!
Here's to the next 12!
Peace.

Baptism Video

Just saw an article someone sent me that was written up in a 'Christian' magazine. The article ridiculed us for our Baptism Instructional video we posted earlier this summer. They never said our name (at least in the snippet of the article I saw), but they had a picture in the article of the ending shot of the video.

Hilarious.

We've taken the heat over it and yet it continues to be checked out. We've had the video watched on google video almost 13 thousand times!! Who's watching it?

Amazing how things can be taken out of context in such an.... wait what was the word that was used.... egregious (yeah that's it) way.

The video was funny.
We had fun making it.
I think people were put at ease about what to expect when being baptized.
100 people committed their lives to Christ in baptism just a few weeks later.

Great how God moves.

OK... I'm done with it. Just had to get it out of my system and this is my blog, after all.
Peace.

Psalm 119

Been thinking about this verse that I was led to this morning:

Psalm 119: 89-96 (from the Message)
What you say goes, God,
and stays, as permanent as the heavens.
Your truth never goes out of fashion;
it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.
Your Word and truth are dependable as ever;
that's what you ordered—you set the earth going.
If your revelation hadn't delighted me so,
I would have given up when the hard times came.
But I'll never forget the advice you gave me;
you saved my life with those wise words.
Save me! I'm all yours.
I look high and low for your words of wisdom.
The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me,
but I'm only concerned with your plans for me.
I see the limits to everything human,
but the horizons can't contain your commands!

God has saved me. My focus is on His plans for my life. I am limited as human being but God has no limits!

Peace.