We have named our band MSC (inside joke) and I have been demoted to bass player.  I can’t sing, I can’t play drums, and I am only semi-decent on guitar.  I have always said the worst job in the band is the bass player (no offense to any bass players who read this) but really all you get to do is stand there and hit a string every now and again.  It is easy.  However, it is better to be the bass player and be in the band then not be in the band at all.

So at least I am in the band…..barely.

Several people I know are launching their churches this weekend!!!  I remember like it was yesterday when we were getting ready for the first service.  Pray for these guys if you get a chance.

• Patrick Gillen - Summit Church - Excited to see what God does through Patrick.  I am a big fan and look forward to hearing what God has planned in Cumming, Ga.
• JR Lee - Freedom Church - I have had several opportunities to hang out with JR and got to talk to him a lot through email before he ever moved back to Georgia.  He is from Canton and I have picked his brain on the city a couple of times.  They are launching in Acworth.
• Dee Lauderdale - Capstone Church - I met Dee online and we have been friends a couple fo years.  This is their second campus and I am excited to see what God is going to do through their multi-site efforts.

Launch Sunday is better than any drug I ever did.  It is the ultimate rush.  Can’t wait to hear what God is going to do through these churches.

Tomorrow night at The Warehouse we are having an informational meeting about our Jasper campus.  If you are interested in hearing what God is doing as we get ready to launch our second campus, you will want to attend this meeting.  It starts at 7:00 p.m.

Email Mitchell at mitchell@therevolution.tv if you have any questions.

It has been two weeks since we had church and I am READY!!!!!  Seriously, I thought the service we had planned for last week was going to be THE service of this series.  Now, we have had another week to get it ready and we are bringing IT on Sunday.

I can’t wait to see everyone, hear the music that Tim has planned, and I can’t wait to bring the message God has given me.  When I say I am holding nothing back this Sunday, I mean it more than you can imagine.  It is going to be a fun and tense Sunday.

There is still plenty of times to invite some friends to church this Sunday.  Trust me, they will see Revolution at it’s best.

Found out U2 is coming to Canton….in 3D.

Yes, we will be there with the entire staff!

Check it out here.

Today we added a new member of to the Revolution family.  No, we didn’t hire a new staff person.  We added to our ever expanding fleet of stuff to store all the equipment we have.  We currently have 3 trailers, 2 storage sheds, and a HUGE pod at the theater for storage.  Today, we added a 26 ft box truck.

We actually HOPE this is going to allow us to get rid of the pod and and rearrange some of the other stuff we have.

We got a GREAT deal on the truck and she should be in action by next weekend.  We are also getting rid of our two storage sheds.  Shane and April, who attend Revolution and have the the office space next to us are giving us a HUGE amount of warehouse space.  We are going to move all of our creative elements there and for once they are going to be organized and we are going to know where stuff is.   It will be nice to have everything in one place.

I love the fact that we are always trying to improve what we do.

Rock Band has made it’s way the office. Yeah baby!!! Tim, Preston, Adam, and I are getting ready to rock some faces off with the greatest ROCK BAND ever!!!!

EDIT:  I am the weak link.  I tried singing vocals and because my voice is fried, I was hitting nothing close to the right notes.  I think they are about to kick me out of the band.

Craig Groeschel had a great post today about how different he is today than when he started in ministry.  I can connect with that thought big time.  I look back to just when we started Revolution Church 3 years ago and I don’t even recognize the person who was the pastor then.  I actually was thinking about this a month ago and it is amazing to see how much God has changed me since we started the church.

Some of the ways I am a different Pastor today then when we started:

• I think I am much more kingdom minded.  When we started Revolution I was anti every church in town.  Now, I have several relationships with local pastors, I pray for the area churches and pastors on a constant basis, and I get excited when I hear great things coming from what they are doing.  Sadly, I couldn’t have said that when we started.
• I don’t get mad at people when they leave.  At one time I took it very personal when people left our church.  Not anymore.  When people leave, I want them to know I appreciate what they have done to make church happen and I have actually helped some people find their next church.  If they don’t want to be here, I sure ain’t begging them to stay.  I realize God brings people in and God moves people out.
• I know who I am as a teacher.  Early on, I didn’t.  I basically tried to be whoever I listened to last.  Now, I am very confident in who I am as a teacher and the style in which I teach.  I have found my voice.
• I enjoy the ride a lot more.  Early on, I was so consumed with growing and breaking the next growth barrier that I couldn’t enjoy the ride.  We would have a large number of people and I would be made that it wasn’t more.  I would let others bring me down with their attitudes.  Not anymore.  The last part of 2007, I turned this corner.  I am enjoying everything about the ride.  I am stopping to sight see, I am smelling the roses, and I am having a blast.
• I like Christians a lot more. Tadd can tell you that early on, I had big time issues with Christians.  3 years in to this thing, I love and appreciate the Christ-followers that Jesus has sent our way.  Those that get IT are near and dear to my heart.  We are 100% focused on those far from God, but if it weren’t for the Christians God has sent us, we couldn’t reach those far from God.  I thank God for the good people that have come our way.
• I’ve let go of A LOT.  I have been labeled a control freak and rightfully so.  As the leader of the church, I push the vision and I will always know the overview of what is going on in the different areas.  However, I don’t know every detail like I did at one time.  I trust my staff, our volunteers, and those doing the ministry and I let them do it.  The key here is to make sure they understand the vision and let them go at it.  I can still improve in this area, but I have come a long way.
• I don’t know everything.  I know everything about starting a church BEFORE starting one. 3 years in, I know nothing about it.  What I think will work, doesn’t.  What I know won’t work, does.  I am still learning, still growing, and still figuring this thing out.  I listen a whole lot more than I did at one time.  I observe, I read, I ask questions, and whatever else it takes to be the best leader I can and reach as many people as possible.

If you are a pastor, planter, or church leader, you got to check out this podcast where Brian Houston interviews TD Jakes.  It is off the freaking hook!!!  GREAT GREAT GREAT stuff.  You can check it out here.

I am in a big time worship music mode right now.  Here is the playlist I have been listening to all day.

• My Savior Lives - Desperation Band  - Hands down, my favorite song right now.  Really like their new CD
• Happy Day - Tim Hughes
• My Glorious - Revolution Band- OLD CD we made the first year we started the church.  It isn’t very good actually, but I love this jam.
• I stand amazed - Chris Tomlin
• Revolutionary Love - David Crowder Band
• I’ll Be OK - Desperation Band
• Mighty To Save - Hillsong
• Revolution - Hillsong United
• Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfill
• Rescue Me - Planet Shakers
• Burn For You - Steve Fee
• Broadcast - Steve Fee
• Holding Nothing Back - Tim Hughes