…they make me laugh. I have ALWAYS welcomed feedback about our services. Matter of fact, I normally seek it out if someone I know is in ministry or someone I know has visited us. However I came across a webpage from a guy who visited our church and though he actually had some semi-decent things to say about us, he then visited a friends church and though he said he enjoyed the service you would have never known it from the review.

I talked to the pastor on the phone today and I loved his quote, “I like what we are doing even if it isn’t good compared to his doing nothing.”

That made me laugh.

I think it is very easy to walk into a church as a planter and evaluate the service but until you are actually DOING it, your opinion really doesn’t hold much water.

Just my 2 cents on the matter….

I finally ate some food today and the results are mixed so far. Nothing bad has happened…yet. But, man I am hurting.

So don’t quit praying yet.
Sunday is fast approaching and I can’t wait!!!!!

When you are as hard hearted as me that is hard to do. I go through phases and since starting RSC I have been on an anti-book kick. I have read three books in the last two years (two by Tony Morgan because they are good, practical, and they are laid out PERFECT to read in the bathroom) and one by Bob Franquiz (because I gave him my word that I would and I loved it and just finished a teaching series on it).

Then about a month ago Perry talked about reading and how much he got out of it (that started the conviction but I pushed it down), then today Mark Batterson wrote about that fact that he reads about a 100 books a year. Crude, I was convicted.

I actually read a lot in the past to the tune of a book a week but honestly I got so busy that I replaced my down time with TV instead. Not a good trade.

So I’m ordering some books today. So if you got any “must reads” shoot them to me.

The last book I read before these I listed were:
Why Men Hate Going to Church by Murrows - GREAT book. Must Read!
Radical Reformission by Driscoll - GREAT read.
Visioneering by Andy Stanley - GREAT read.

Got any thoughts…send away.

iPod arrived today.
Large Format Printer/Plotter, not yet.

If you ever doubted the power of a blog, look no further then the Buzz Conference. Mark has done a great j0b of getting bloggers pumped about this thing. I’ll admit, I’m looking forward to the conference BUT I am more looking forward to hanging out with all the bloggers who are going.

Man, it seems like every one is heading to this thing….

We believe evangelism is a team sport at RSC. I tell our people if they invest in the lives of their unchurched friends and get them to church, we promise to make sure they are made to feel welcome, their kids have a blast, and they hear that God loves them.

THAT is why we as a staff put so much work into Sundays. We have a saying inside the office that we stole from Fellowship and that is that “IT IS ALL ABOUT SUNDAY.”

Sleepless nights, overtime work, and all that goes into making a Sunday are worth it when I know our people are inviting people. I love to see the faces of unchurched people when they walk in to church on a Sunday and see The Stone. It isn’t like anything the expected. I dig that. I read on a blog where someone thought our set-up might be a little overboard for a church our size. I understand what that person was saying and appreciate the way in which they said it, but we know how important it is to our target.

So far this week I have gotten 8 e-mails from people telling me about people they were inviting and were coming to church with them this weekend. Everyone from fathers to co-workers, our people are counting on us to do church the way we do it and tell the message of Jesus in a way in which their friends will understand. That is a huge responsibility. I never want to take it lightly.

Then of course there is Tadd and he is taking it to a whole different level in the invite department. Check out what God is doing in his life here.

9 years ago today, I married DeAnna. Besides accepting Christ as my saviour, this is the best decision I have ever made. She has followed and supported me all around the country as I have done ministry. She has struggled financially as we have planted churches and never complained. She has put up with me cheating on her with the ministry and she stayed. To be married to me is not an easy thing, yet she has done it.

I thank God every day that I married my best friend.

9 years….man, that is a long time.

Thanks for the prayers. I am semi-alive. I feel a lot better but very weak. I’ve got to put the finishing touches on Sunday so I’m off to the office…

Hey guys, I could really use your prayers. Last night about 2:00 a.m. I started vomiting like crazy. By the morning the entire house was. I’m not trying to be gross but this is the sickest I have ever been. I can’t even hold down a sip of Gatorade.

This is not a good week to be sick, so please if you remember, throw up a prayer for me.

BTW, to all the people at The Stone who are stepping up to help due to me being gone: You guys rock!!!!

Just found out that Haiti Cheri is semi-moving into the frat house known as the the Ridge Stone office. I am actually pretty excited that we have the space for them. I can’t wait until Dan brings a person to the pad. The look on their faces should be priceless as they see that this is a church office.

I am telling you, if you are looking for an exciting mission opportunity, hook up with these dudes. They are doing an awesome work and I am glad we get to be part of it.