I wanted you all to know how much I think you ROCK! I am amazed that you guys created such a buzz over the Christmas Eve invite video that it has literally gone national. This week it has been on the front cover of the AJC, it has been covered by WSBTV.com, it was one of the top viewed videos on YouTube, and last night it was on the Fox News show Hannity and Colmes.

When we created that video we created it as a funny way for you to remember our Christmas Eve services times and as a way for you to send it to friends to invite them to our Christmas Eve services. That was it.

I know a ton of you have been surprised by the reactions both good and bad. The stories we have heard of you showing it to your unchurched friends, co-workers and family and them laughing and saying they would attend a church like RSC has been AWESOME! One of the coolest stories I have heard is of a shock jock in Tampa talking about the video and commenting that he would like to check out The Stone. That was the goal!!!! We wanted to create a buzz with your friends where they would come and hear about how awesome God is and how He loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. I can’t wait to hear about those who have come into a relationship with Christ after the Christmas Eve service.

I also know a lot of you have seen the negative press as well. We at the office have seen it as well and we simply laugh. It was a video geared towards being funny. I am surprised that our staff shaking our butts as cause such a uproar.

In regards to the criticism, let me remind you of a few things:

1.) When you are attempting big things for God, you will be criticized - It happened to a dude in the Bible named Jesus as well!
2.) Don’t give ear to the critics - Stay focused on getting the word out to your unchurched friends. Time you are listening to critics is time you could be investing in your unchurched friends.
3.) RSC is not for everyone - We know that and that is totally cool. There are some great Christians out there who don’t understand why we do things like we do and will never understand it. That is fine. We’ll hang out with them in Heaven one day and laugh about this. Until then we are going to continue thinking outside the box in reaching unchurched people.
4.) Consider the source – Some people are offended by everything. When people are getting upset, ask yourself if they were the intended target of the video. Again, other Christians getting upset is not the end of the world and it is nothing new.
5.) Keep it up! – I am praying Christmas Eve is packed out and we run out of seats. You do what we can’t do – spread the word to those you know, and we’ll make sure the message of Jesus Christ is communicated in a biblical, creative, and relevant way to those you bring. Keep sending the video and invites to everyone you know.
6.) Pray - God has given us a huge platform and with that comes a huge responsibility. We didn’t make the video because we were bored. We made it to get your friends and family in church so they could hear the life changing message of Jesus. Pray our staff can stay focused on the task at hand.

I know I am a broken record but let me say again how proud I am of all of you! You guys never cease to amaze me with your zeal and excitement for the vision of RSC and what God is doing here. What God has done here in the last two years has been amazing. Trust me when I say it is only the tip of the iceberg in regards to what God has planned.

See all of you Sunday!

Yep, the buzz machine keeps rolling. Tonight Hannity and Colmes showed half the video and our mad rapping skills.
I can’t believe the buzz that has been generated from a bunch of pitiful whiteboys from Georgia rapping about their Christmas Eve Services.

HA! It is to stinking funny!!!

The great thing is they both said they thought our services would be entertaining. It took the Stone to bring Hannity and Colmes together.
Yeah boy-ee!

WSBTV has now posted a little more buzz about the rap video. I’m not the Santa but everything else is accurate.
Check it out here.

Believe it or not, that AJC not only ran the story about our rap, they actually put us on the FRONT page of the paper. I figured we would make the local section but they put three pictures from the video and a blurb connecting to the article on the FRONT page.

Simply Crazy.

The buzz is off the hook right now!!!

GREAT job, Ridge Stone in getting the word out!

The AJC picked up on our mad rapping skills and the buzz the video has created and called today to write an article on about us doing the video.

You can read the article here.

I love it when God starts creating a buzz!!!!

AWESOME day today. Our Superheroes series has been a blast and today started pumping up Christmas Eve In Canton, our annual Christmas Eve Service. The buzz was off the hook and of course my fly rapping skills and ability to do the worm like no other didn’t hurt.
So now for your viewing pleasure, I present to you the Christmas Eve In Canton rap.
For those who don’t know our staff, allow me to introduce them:
I’m the fly guy in the old school white jump suit. Preston is the big tall goof and also our Family Pastor.
Malcolm is Pimping Santa and also our Connections Pastor.
At the turn table is our Creative Arts Pastor Tim.
And last but not least the angry elf is our Administrative Pastor, John Ventry

Enjoy!!!!!

Tomorrow is the day! Trust me when I say you do NOT want to miss church tomorrow. The sermon is going to be good (if I do say so myself), the worship will be rocking and we will be showing you the world premiere of Christmas Eve In Canton, a rap that we wrote.

It might be the scariest thing you have ever seen in your life. It could scar you for life but I promise it will be funny.

If you can’t make it, I will be posting it here after church tomorrow, so check in and see how fly I am for a white guy.

I grew up in Dacula, Ga. My graduating class was 141 and then it was country as country could be. Over the last 10 years the area has BOOMED with growth, actually being one of the fastest growing areas in America for a few years. It is crazy with growth.

Anyway, when I was growing up there was a little section that was called Hog Mountain. I can remember skipping school to go get biscuits at the Hog Mountain Store before going off to do other things that I can’t mention (remember, my mom reads now).

Anyway, NOTHING in the area is called Hog Mountain anymore EXCEPT Hog Mountain Baptist Church. I literally drove by this church every day growing up and still drive by it going to my parents. It is in as good of a location as ANY church I have ever seen yet it has never grown. They have a nice little building and I have always laughed at the name especially since the area has changed so much.

I just logged onto the AJC and found out after being about 10 years behind (typical of the church) they have decided to change the name and it has hit the fan. The church runs 50 people and they are making asses of themselves over changing the name!!!! Are you serious????

As I sit here tonight, it is reason #1,000,000 I love pastoring The Stone.
You can read the article here.

I like the guy who hasn’t went to church there since 1994 and now attends the church my mom works out, yet he is complaining about this church changing their name! Christians, kill me.

Got an early Christmas present from this dude in the way of a new blog in the works. I’m pumped up and excited. Don’t know when exactly you will see it but it should be in the next few weeks.

Man, it was awesome to be back at church yesterday and teach the first message in our Super Heroes series. It was probably one the more in your face sermons I have done in a while, but that is the way it is.

We have to much to do and the time is short for people who want to play church. I thank God for all the people who serve and make RSC happen. Yesterday around 36% of the people in attendance were serving. Over the course of a month, over 50% of our people are serving and making things happen. I think that is awesome and I love all that you guys do to make the vision happen every week. But the fact is there is a large amount of people who need to take that leap and I won’t quit until they realize the awesomeness of contributing to the Kingdom of God!

We have so much planned in the next few weeks that if feels crazy. Awesome but crazy!

Christmas Eve is going to be off the hook. If you have friends or family who you have been praying about entering into a relationship with Christ, then get them to church on this Sunday. Even the person most anti church are open to coming on Christmas, they are simply waiting for someone to invite them. Don’t let the holidays go by without inviting someone you know to The Stone on Christmas Eve.

Then on January 7th we start playing two!!!!!! Yep, we are going to two services. This is going to allow us another opportunity to reach out to those who don’t attend church in Canton. Along with another time for you to invite your friends, it is also going to provide another service for all of our volunteers to attend service every week. Now, you can attend one service and serve in the other. I can’t wait!!!!