This was the first week in about 5 weeks we had all of our staff in the office (minus Carol, our financial chick) and it was one of the most awesome weeks! GREAT reminder this week of why I love that God allows me to lead Revolution Church!

• Monday we had a ROCKING Lead Team meeting where God started stretching us like never before. If you think the last 3 years have been insane, you ain’t seen nothing yet! We are putting ourselves in position to literally change the way church is done in the North Georgia Mountain Region.
• We are about to get very strategic about WHAT we do around here. I’ll admit we’ve never been a real strategic church. We’ve flown by the seat of our pants and God has done awesome things, but imagine what He could do if we actually get strategic???
• Pumped about Michael starting on Monday. I honestly think what we are about to do for students in Cherokee County is going to explode! There is such a HUGE, I mean HUGE need in this area for a rocking student ministry that it is crazy!
• Can you believe we started construction on a second campus and that the campus is going to be permanent?  It still amazes me what God is putting us in position to do in Holly Springs. There is such a huge need for a church that is focused on the unchurched in that area and I truly expect that campus to blow up overnight?
• Tim and Swift laid down vocals last night on the first two songs from our first worship CD. All original music and I am pumped about it. I had a certain vision about Revolution’s music before we ever had our first service and God is starting to put the pieces together to make that vision a reality.
• God began the turning in my soul this week about a Jasper campus. We’ve looked everywhere BUT the desire and burden I have for that area has NOT went away. As soon as the Holly Springs campus gets launched, we are going to hit Jasper again HARD!
• Had a great talk with Tony Morgan this week! We’re looking at bringing him in to help us get to the next level later this year.
• Had a conversation last week with a dude in our church who is praying about starting a church inside the perimeter. Honestly, I didn’t think much about it at first but I can’t get our conversation out of my head.  If God is leading, I can’t wait to partner with what would be our 2nd church plant since we’ve started.
• Tim started a coaching network today for Executive Pastors. Love the initiative he is taking to be the best executive pastor he can be.
• We’ve been financially supporting Haiti Cheri since about a year in, but this December we start taking that to whole different level! Stay tuned for the 411 on this.
• Tomorrow I am spending the entire day with the family! Yeah…come on!

• It’s summer and we are growing! Every week this summer we have had a ton of first time guests! Look at this fall!
• We have only 8 more Sundays of doing church in ONE location! The first week in September we launch our Holly Springs campus!!!!!
• Speaking of Holly Springs, we started construction today! It was awesome seeing a group of guys at the building knocking down walls!!!!
• God has been ROCKING my world about the long term vision of Revolution Church! I’ll admit, we have never been very strategic church. We have focused on reaching lost people and God has rocked our world but I’ve never really thought long term about Revolution, until lately. I spent the month of June focusing on what God wants to do at Revolution over the next 10 years and he has been rocking my world.
• Today we had one of the best Lead Team meetings we’ve ever had!!!! We spent a ton of time on the core values of Revolution and did some major tweaking. Values don’t mean anything if you don’t actually do them. Instead of listing what we wanted our values to be, we talked about what our actions actually show them to be. Good discussion.
• VERY excited about Thad 100% taking over worship. We are still looking for the RIGHT worship leader for Holly Springs, but I am excited about God using Thad to take worship to the next level.
• Jacked up about Revolution recording our first worship CD.
• Loving the photos David Johnson has been taking lately. The dude is GOOD! Check out the pictures from Sunday here.
• Can’t believe in September we will be at 4 services and by October we will probably be at 5.
• Revamping our addiction ministry. BIG changes coming by some awesome people and I couldn’t be more excited.
• Tweaked Preston’s job today to TOTALLY fit his skill set and exactly what we need here at Revolution.
• Excited about Give A Kid A Chance. Love that we are making a difference in our community!
• I can’t wait until Sunday to teach. I am going to be sharing with you the fact that what God wants to do at Revolution makes me UNCOMFORTABLE.

• Home Alone.  Got a ton of offers to hang out with people BUT I’m enjoying a quiet day.
• Cut the grass this morning. I hate grass.
• Mapped out my week so I would receive the last disk of Season 2 Sopranos on Saturday from NetFlix but forgot they are closed today so that won’t be happening. Not cool.
• Still working on my message. I have changed it twice this week but I think I got the right direction now.
• Listening to the new Journey CD. Borrowed it from some friends. The new guy can sing.
• I’m so freaking ready for church that I can’t stand it!
• Probably going to grill a steak tonight. Sounds good.

I honestly appreciate everyones emails telling me to calm down and not be angry, blah, blah about our trailer getting stolen. Here’s the deal, I am not angry or mad. Haven’t been one time today. I do stand by the fact that I would love to punch these people in mouth but I am not mad.

Getting mad does nothing for the situation and doesn’t change it so why get mad?

I’m sure most of you pastors have already seen this, so I am posting this more for the people of Revolution.  This post from Wade Joye, the worship pastor at Elevation Church got me pretty choked up today, which doesn’t happen very often.  Go check it out here and pray for the Joye family.  AWESOME faith!

Also this song by Hillsong is rocking my world right now!  Check out the song here and the story behind the song right here. The backstory is POWERFUL.

I had the honor of talking to the staff at Oak Leaf Church yesterday at their staff retreat in Chattanooga. Had a fun time and was impressed with those guys. I have said this a million times but it always strikes me when I leave Michael how different we are. We couldn’t be any more different, yet I think our respect and friendship for each other has really grown over the last couple of years. I consider him a friend, peer AND a mentor in many areas. Michael is a sharp guy and I have only been around Anthony, his executive pastor a couple of times but I am impressed with him as well. OLC is going to do great things in Cartersville.

One thing that strikes me when I am around other church staffs is how close knit our staff is. It wasn’t that the OLC staff wasn’t close, but today I was reminded that I do life with my best friends.  I am learning there is a vast difference between having a staff and a team.  Here at Revolution we have a team of people who are passionate about Jesus, our city, reaching lost people and are passionate about each other.

We actually love being around each other, we love hanging out, we love that we get to do this thing called Revolution together. I consider the guys and gals on our team to be my best friends.

I have had a lot of people tell me that we will eventually stall out in our growth if we don’t change the frat house culture at our office and the closeness of our staff.  I see their points and I understand what they are saying, but the day I have to stop being close with the people I lead is the day I will stop leading this place.

Trust me, I can put the boss hat when necessary.  Being so close with our staff does create moments where things are awkward and difficult but I would take those moments anytime in order to keep the closeness of our team.

I think my friend Perry Noble and the staff at New Spring keeps this balance as well as any staff.  When others tell us we need to change, I just point to New Spring.  I love coming into an office where I am happy to see everyone, I love that I can go hang out in others offices, and I love that I actually enjoy being around our staff.

• Great message from Perry Noble!
• Let me say it again, video teaching is NOT an issue!
• Perry had our people hooked the moment his personal greeting started.
• I’m not really sure our people want to go back to my preaching. I have heard a lot of comments about how awesome church has been without me. Not cool.
• Loved One Prayer but I am glad it is over. I am so freaking ready to preach that I could bust.
• DeAnna and the kids are in Florida with my family this week. I’m home alone all week and that sucks.
• Taylor who is my assistant is also on vacation.
• That means the two women who run my life are gone for the entire week. I will be a mess by the end of the week.
• Great thought by Nelson Searcy here. I am glad to say before even finishing the article, I could say no amount would make me leave.
• Dinner with Hal Mayer on his way back home today. Love that dude but love his wife more! She is a saint.
• Tadd and Becki had their baby. Tadd was on out staff when he first started and Revolution helped him start Pine Ridge Church in N.C. Check out the baby here.
• Next week we are doing something that I would venture to say you have never seen in church before. Trust me, you will remember the sermon.
• I am so ready to preach I was actually preaching to myself in the empty house last night. My dog got saved!
• Heading to Chattanooga EARLY to talk about reaching unchurched people at the Oak Leaf Church staff retreat. Taking our guys to hang out for the day after I’m done so that should be fun.
• I hope the OLC staff is ready because Micheal has asked me to speak on the thing I am the most passionate about.
• The new guy leading worship today was Phillip May. Yes, I know he looks like Ronnie Van Zant.
• Bayne is leading worship next week and I can’t wait to meet him. Heard a lot of great things.
• We hired a new student pastor this week. He starts July 15th. You already know him and he is going to be awesome. He built a GREAT student ministry in Paulding County. Who is it? You’ll see…
• Thad is moving to lead our worship area full-time. With Tim moving to Executive Pastor a few months ago, we refuse to allow worship to slip. Thad will do great in this role!
• We got our permits and are ready to roll with the build out at our Holly Springs campus!!!
• I am so freaking pumped about Holly Springs!
• Had one of the biggest Florida Gator fans in the world buy me a Georgia T-shirt from the college world series.  If that isn’t love for your pastor NOTHING is!
• Also got two Cuban cigars from a family in the church today! They smuggled them in the country. :)  People breaking the law for their pastor is love too.
• One of my great friends, Roger Blackmore showed our One Prayer video this morning in church and I love his comments about it! Check them out here.
• Thought it was funny that the Cherokee Tribune wrote an entire article up about World Harvest being for sale based solely on rumors. Loved also how we got included in those rumors. I appreciated them calling and letting us clear that up.
• Loved more the comment section of the article where the Revolution people got a little redneck because someone called me out. Loved also how they let Bishop Lance and his family know we are praying for them. You can check out the article and comments here.
• I love church planters BUT I can’t help but laugh when I get their emails and letters telling me how much money they MUST raise to start their church. It doesn’t take big money to start a church, it just takes God showing up.
• The band got in the studio this past week to start recording our first worship CD. Yeah…come on!
• I miss my family.
• DeAnna’s van broke down this past week. The starter went out and it is broke down at my moms. UGH! Chris Garcia is going to help me fix it on Tuesday so that rocks!
• Have I mentioned I am ready to preach?
• Not only am I keeping my dumb dog, I am somehow keeping Tim’s two dogs as well. Sucks.
• God of this City is my song right now! Love it!
• I refuse to let outside worship leaders do it at Revolution because you have to have a heart for our city to sing that song and mean it!
• I’m hungry
• It is storming like crazy!
• Going to watch Sopranos season 2.

Today has been a good day for reading blogs. Lot’s of good stuff out there and I thought you might want to check them out.

• Ben Arment fired me up with these two posts. I love Ben and I have loved the conversation that has taken off in the comment section. The two posts are here and here.
• Vince Antonucci’s creative arts dude has a GREAT post here on the questions they ask in creative planning. The jpeg with the questions is GREAT! Must read post. You can check it out here.
• This one is just shameless self-promotion but I appreciated Greg’s thoughts on his weekend with us. You can check them out here.

• GREAT, I mean GREAT day today!
• Without a doubt this was the most insane morning we’ve ever had in our worship area. They had a TON of issues but NO ONE lost their cool and they got it working! VERY proud of those guys!
• This week Adam went from a guy who is learning how to be a creative arts pastor to a guy who knows what it takes to be one. He did a great job this week pulling everything together!
• We came as close as we have EVER come this morning to scrapping the band and going with Tim and Thad on stools with acoustic guitars. It was last second on getting things together.
• BLOWN away with Matt Moody leading worship today. After one of the worst practices and craziest mornings every, Matt and the band hit a grand slam. They were GREAT!
• Video teaching is NOT an issue. I know that makes a lot of pastors angry, but it is a non-issue at all. Pastor Furtick knocked it out of the park!
• I was so nervous this morning that we were showing video teaching. The devil was battling me big time, but the minute Pastor called me a redneck and our people laughed, I knew we were good.
• Our people were clapping when the people from Elevation weren’t. Another good sign.
• I am more pumped up about our second site today after seeing video work that I can’t stand it. We are going to blow the doors off of Holly Springs/Hickory Flat. Every time I say that it makes some pastor mad, but I could care less. There are people dying and going to hell in that area and I can’t wait until we get our campus up and running to partner with the churches in the area to see people come to know Christ.
• God stretched my vision for Revolution campuses today in a BIG way.
• I actually think the video teaching was to good. All of our people want to move to North Carolina now.
• GREAT crowds this morning.
• Excited about partnering with tons of area churches for “Give Kids A Chance.”
• LOVE that we are serving all the volunteers at the event.
• Love that we are partnering with Embassy Metro to do all we can to provide the needed book bags for the event.
• Thought it was awesome watching the video that showed the names of all the churches who are partnering together for One Prayer.
• Loved praying for area churches by name this morning from stage. I can’t lie, some of the churches I prayed for was hard. I know how they feel about Revolution and it was hard naming a few of the churches and their pastors, but I meant it when I said I want us to be cheerleaders not critics other other churches.
• I honestly think Pastor Furtick’s message was preached for our crowd today. We are getting ready to go to 5 services by the end of the year and I needed the reminder of God’s promises being bigger than our Perhaps.
• Can’t wait to have my great friend, Greg Rohlinger live with us next week. Greg was my friend when no one knew me and I was pastoring in the middle of a corn field in Iowa. He pastors one of the great churches in America and that He and Lori would come down here just to preach to our people blows me away.
• Very excited about Michael’s announcement for Oak Leaf Church. You can read about it here. They are going to rock Cartersville in big ways!
• It is sad, but a year ago I couldn’t or maybe I just wouldn’t celebrate what was happening in other churches. Today I can honestly say I love that God is bigger then Revolution Church and I love that I get to be good friends with people who are changing the world.
• Went to Kung Fu Panda today. Good movie but the best part was just being with my family.
• Steaks on the grill tonight. Yeah….come on!
• I found a motorcycle that the guy wants to trade for a mini-van. I’m trying to talk DeAnna into it but she ain’t biting.
• Thad is on vacation this week. Love that dude and love that he is on our team!
• I’ve been enjoying my sabbatical from blogging, but I am ready to get back to sharing my life with everyone.
• Until I start blogging regularly again, you can check me out on Twitter.
• I twittered all morning from church since I was teaching!
• Not only is Greg in town next Sunday, but Hal Mayer is coming to hang out for the day too.
• Happy Fathers Day to my pops. I have the greatest dad in the world!
• I’ve been reading about the life of David in the bible all week and God is rocking my world! What a great leader but you learn as much from his mistakes as you do this success.
• It is hot!
• Kids are making me brownies. Nice.
• I’ve been transitioning my leadership lately and while it has me out of my comfort zone, it is needed for us to go the next level. I am called to pastor Revolution, not be everyone’s friend. I love it when I can be both but some people can’t handle it. I’ve had to wear my “pastor” hat a lot more and I think for the first time ever, I am comfortable with that.
• I love the way our people make Revolution happen every week.
• Have a GREAT week!

I’ve noticed as a pastor that people hear what they want to hear and not what is actually said. This personally is a pet peeve of mine. If you are going to be angry about something, at least be angry by what was really said.

For example:

• I will preach the vision of Revolution is to reach those who are far from God. I will say we didn’t start this church for other Christians. What people hear is we hate Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth
• I will preach on giving and talk about how men should step up and lead their families financially in tithing. What people hear is if you aren’t going to give, you aren’t welcome at Revolution. If that was the case we would have about 100 people showing up every week because that is about all that understand the biblical principle of giving back to God.
• A pastor will approach me about something God has laid on HIS heart for OUR church. I say thanks, but no thanks. While that might be a great idea it doesn’t fit our vision. What they hear is I put our vision over God (never stop to think the vision might be from God?) and that we are not kingdom minded.
• I will say that I don’t met with people one on one and that I don’t visit hospitals. What people hear is that I hate people. Ever stop to think that we around 1500 different people who come in and out of our doors over the course of a month and it would be impossible for me to meet with everyone.

I could go on, but you get the point. People are going to get angry if you are leading. That is part of leading and I accept that. Matter of fact, I lose very little sleep over people getting angry, but if you are going to get angry, send an email, run us down to others on your blog, at least make sure you heard what was said and not what you wanted to hear.

Just a thought for the day.