Okay, I am a HUGE believer in hiring from within, but sometimes you can’t. This time to my knowledge there is no one internally that can fill the job we are need filled. John and Cheri pulled up what we have paid in having video and graphics done on contract from the outside and for just a little more we could bring a younger guy or girl on full-time.

If you know of a someone who can do video and graphics and wants to come work in the greatest church that I know of, have them contact me. We are looking…….

Erk Russell passed away today. He was as much UGA football as Vince Dooley and Herschel Walker. He went on to make Georgia Southern THE football team in I-AA during the 90’s. I thought he would get the UGA job after Vince Dooley stepped down but they hired Ray Goff instead. That was a bad move.

He was what you pictured when you picture a football coach.

He’ll be missed here in Georgia.

The Dawgs against the Gamecocks. I don’t care what anyone says, there is NOTHING like SEC Football. The Gamecocks always play us tough and it is one of those games I am scared of every year. To me this is the game that determines if we are going to do anything this year or not.

I think we’ll go into the half either tied or down and Joe T will get benched. They will bring in Stafford and we will win a nail biter and Stafford will never see the sideline again.

Go DAWGS!

I’m at the office working late tonight to wrap up some things and the band is in the warehouse jamming and it is awesome. I know everyone says they have a great band, but one of the areas God has blessed us in is the area of musicians.

This week we are starting a new series called TOGETHER and the stage is sort of done in earth tones and just a real chilled vibe with the worship for this week being a Jack Johnson kind of feel. So Tim has 11 people on stage this week and it will be a scaled back, unplugged type of service. We are giving the feel of a jam session instead of a concert. We are going to have leather couches on stage, stools, and just a chilled mood.

They are out there doing their thing right now and it sounds AWESOME!

As with most Sundays, we had some planters in the service this last week and a few of them had some awesome words to say about Ridge Stone.

Let me say this upfront: I agree 100% with what both of them said. The PEOPLE who volunteer at RSC make this place what it is. I have NEVER seen a team of volunteers who do what our people do and get there as early to do it. I mean this with all honesty: I have NEVER heard one person complain about all the work we do. Yes, we have had some quit serving for various reasons but NONE ever complain. Our people TOTALLY buy into the vision that we have and that make pastoring this place so easy. I get way to much credit leading this place.

If you are a Ridge Stoner, I want you to know that you guys ROCK!!!!! DeAnna and I thank God every day that we get to do this with you. Our staff thanks God every day that we get to do this with you. There is no place ANY of us would rather be.

Greg Rohlinger’s Thoughts (Greg’s permalink doesn’t work so you have to scroll down three or four posts to read his thoughts on Ridge Stone).

Chris Elrod’s Thoughts here and here.

Dilana has done the biggest dive I have ever seen in my life. In literally two weeks she went from the favorite to probably being gone this week. Man, I have never seen anyone dive so quickly.

Toby is your winner. In the last three weeks he has moved into the party lead man role and is a perfect fit for Supernova. The final is next week and he is going to win it.

Lukas, what was that??????? I can’t believe they liked that. It was awful.

Storm would have been gone tonight but saved herself with a great original song.

Magni, good but same thing every week gets old and gets old quick.

I know I say this every week but if you aren’t watching Prison Break you are CRAZY!!!!!!!!

They are putting some of the best TV out right now.

I will get up in the morning and take my baby girl to her first day of Kindergarten. It seems weird and it seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. I can remember when she was a baby and I pastored the church from hell that rocking her to sleep was the only thing that kept me from killing someone, literally. She is hog wild now and just like her daddy. I can’t believe she is starting school.

Then to top it off my little boy starts preschool in the morning as well. He is so the opposite of me. He is just like his mom and I can’t believe that he is going to be going to preschool.

Time flies when you are having fun.

I have been to three different church services in the last two days and I preached at none of them. I’ll be real honest, I’m preached out and counting down until Sunday when I get to teach to our crowd.

Saturday we went to Mountain Lake and it was solid. Shawn Lovejoy, the lead pastor wasn’t there so that stunk. I love MLC and what they are doing. I also love their building!!!!!

Sunday morning Greg Rohlinger taught at The Stone and did a very good job. This is the first time we have ever had an outside speaker here and I’ll be honest, it was much more stressful to me then a normal Sunday. It was just odd to see someone else on our stage but our people loved him and he did a GREAT job. We were down in attendance due to Labor Day but there was a good spirit there. This week we are launching a new series entitled Together that I think is going to be off the hook. I am very excited about this series as it will have a lot of elements and style that are not the norm for us. Oh yeah, Chris Elrod was in the service as well yesterday and it was very cool getting to met him.

Then last night we Greg and Lori and DeAnna and I headed to Anderson, S.C. to New Spring. What can you say? EVERY time I go there I feel my vision for Ridge Stone GROW! Perry taught a GREAT message last night and they did the most incredible version of “The Noise We Make” that I have ever seen. I’ve never seen a church with the Big Mo like New Spring and the thing is they have had it ever since I have known them. It truly is an amazing church.

This morning I got up and DeAnna took Ashlyn off for a girls day and I got up and took Avery to breakfast at his favorite place, The Waffle House and we spent the morning together. He is napping now and I am about to join him.

Yes, it was a high school team, but the Dawgs looked good today getting the W. We played three QB’s and I was surprised to see the threw Matthew Stafford in there and lost his redshirt for the year.

That let’s me know that Richt thinks the freshman has the goods and I think he will take over sometime during the game next week against South Carolina and will be the quarterback for the next 4 years.

UT looked good too.
The Gators, pretty weak in my opinion
Yeah, Clemson beat the crap out of their high school team too.
I’m about to go to bed but Georgia Tech is beating Notre Dame. I called a Tech win so we will see if they can hold it out. I’m not so sure they can. As Georgia fan I am supposed to hate Tech but we beat them so bad every year that there is really no point to hate them. I actually feel sorry for them.
Hung out with Greg tonight and he is a Southern Cal fan. Do they even play ball on the west coast?