Super Dave

I had the great pleasure tonight of having dinner with one of my heroes.

Dave Edwards continues today to be one of those extra special communicators that only come around once every decade or so. His messages have been part of most of the major spiritual landmarks of my life.

Tonight Jason and I got to spend a few minutes with him.

Here are some of the highlights that I hope I don't forget:

When communicating:

Don't be Cute
Don't be Clever
Be more than Creative
Always be Clear

When writing a sermon:

1.) Evaluate the scripture in light of the night (Give me a reason why I should care about this passage)
2.) Apply the scripture to the audience (Not just general age, but sections of the audience as well)
3.) Illustrate your point (This is where you can make it fun and easy to take away)

When Reading:

Digest even the hard stuff. Make an outline at the end of each chapter. Put everything that you have just read through the filter of the lowest level of understanding. (What does it take for a 6th grader to understand?)

**Dave was extremely humble, hilarious, and gracious in his time and truly genuine. I think what sets him apart is that his Biblical content is at the highest level no matter what the topic, his take aways for every audience are unforgettable (Jason and I both were reciting talks that we had not heard in nearly a decade), and his heart for connecting with people goes beyond wanting to be liked, but to put every person in a position to experience the true and living Christ.

Book Review

Just got this book in the mail to read and review for Catalyst labs...

"I became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" by Vince Antonucci

It looks pretty funny, but now I have a longer list of required reading for review including:

Vintage Jesus - Mark Driscoll

Organic God - Margeret Fineberg

Last Night

Some stuff from last night

Changed our service flow at 10 min. til to push worship to the front of the service...it actually turned out alright!

50% of our leaders (who are parents) were out at the parent seminar so that was a little interesting

We need some more work on our board of destiny

Great crowd- second largest of the year so far!

Talked about MS relationships - Who is in your inner circle?

John Lewis and Tony Trainer as Hans & Frans the announcement guys...enough said!

Message - recorded for the first time, pretty blunt, great response

Parents' seminar - Matt Brinkley brought the funk

Choose your own adventure video - funniest so far, seriously good stuff Shaver!

Met a lot of new students last night - where are all these guys coming from? It's awesome!

manana noche

tomorrow night at ReMix we answer the age old question...

If a middle schooler could go on a date without his/her parents driving, chaperoning, picking up, and waiting in the car while the girl was walked to the door...in the woods, would it still happen?

not exactly, but i'm psyched anyway.

For Real?

Read this today...

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/survey-finds-religious-landscape-in-flux/20080225170509990001

Some of the statistics are shocking. Here are a few that jumped out at me.

More than one-quarter of American adults have left the faith of their childhood for another religion or no religion at all, the survey found. Factoring in moves from one stream or denomination of Protestantism to another, the number rises to 44 percent.

The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey estimates the United States is 78 percent Christian and about to lose its status as a majority Protestant nation, at 51 percent and slipping

The Roman Catholic Church has lost more members than any faith tradition because of affiliation swapping, the survey found. While nearly one in three Americans were raised Catholic, fewer than one in four say they're Catholic today. That means roughly 10 percent of all Americans are ex-Catholics.

Hindus claimed the highest retention of childhood members, at 84 percent. The group with the worst retention is one of the fastest growing -- Jehovah's Witnesses. Only 37 percent of those raised in the sect known for door-to-door proselytizing said they remain members.

With that said, I guess I should get to work...

Retraction

Not really sure that I am totally 100% committed to this post but here goes:

Yesterday in my post ,"Things from the weekend," I mistakenly claimed to have whipped booty on the Wii. This has set of quite a fusillade in the office between those who believe they have greater or at least equal Wii talent as yours' truly.

So this is to set the record straight:

Jason Britt beat me in Wii tennis.

Let's hope this issue is finally put to rest.

**And yes, tongue is planted firmly in cheek!!!**

Great Lesson

Tonight Lane and I went to an FCA fundraising dinner for the Buford City Schools FCA clubs. It was such a great time to hang out with new and good friends Steve and Jill Colsson. Stuart Hall, 7 Checkpoints author and Big Stuff speaker, gave a great talk but it was an early part of an illustration that caught my attention. What do you think?

In the early part of his college career Stuart transferred from Alabama to another smaller school. There, the chaplain of the basketball team had chapel every week. The only attender of chapel every Wednesday? Stuart Hall. What do you think the chaplain thought about his realm of influence during those years? Do you think he thought that one day, this young guy he was discipling would someday write some of the most important stuff for a generation of youth workers? Who has had more influence? The chaplain or Stuart Hall?

I would argue that their influence, despite the disparity in numbers, is equal.

So, who are you influencing???

things from this weekend

- we had a houseguest this weekend- lilly, one of our volunteers' dogs stayed over at our house. it was pretty cool. this is her------->

- tennessee is the new #1 men's basketball team in the country. TENNESSEE!!! I can't believe it, but I know its true. I am so proud to be from Knoxville.

- Margaret Feinberg sent me her new book, "The Organic God." I will let you know what I thought along with some highlights later.

- The Oscars were lame.

- John Stewart was funnier on Larry King Live than at the Academy Awards.

- Getting ready for Wednesday starts earlier and earlier.

- Had an interesting morning on Saturday even before I got to Band of Brothers.

- Listened to Tom Pettite talk about balancing work, life, riches, and family and was inspired to hear a guy break it down like only a sage 78 year old man can. My favorite quote: "Decide what you want to do, dedicate yourself to the Lord, then do it: your life can't be filled with lists explaining why you can't do something...it must have a singular focus: what you want to do and how you plan on getting there.

- Whipped some booty on the Wii. (that's right Jason, I mean you!!)

CHOOSE your own ADVENTURE

a few highlights from yesterday...

- leg presses at 7:00 a.m.

- got dogged out by P.K. because i am weak and he is strong...very strong

- we had our first REAL camp planning meeting (INTERMISSION 08 will be amazing!!)

- Tracy's mock ups for the logo are looking SCHWEET!!!

- shot the first series video (thanks John, Berry and Stacy)

- i almost passed out when Jason Berry delivered his first pick up line:
"Hey Stacy, should we go to dinner or do you just wanna make out?" She slapped him hard...really hard.
(This is definitely what not to do when asking a girl out on a date)

- favorite line from the shoot: Jason is about to serenade his way to a date- "Hey Stacy...have you ever seen a guitar?"

* I am writing this in my office at home in our garage and am shivering because it is freakishly cold in here!!!

Current Playlist

This is what I am currently rocking out to on my ipod right now...

i think it is a clear representation that i am a little multi-personalitied when it comes to my musical taste.

clair de lune - claude de bussy

no one gets left behind - devotchka

what a day for a daydream - the lovin' spoonful

the winner is - devotchka

just give it time - john mclaughlin (if you aren't listening to this guy, you are missing out!)

show you love - jars of clay (OLD SCHOOL)

how it ends - devotchka

the tale of victor navorski - john williams

jazz autographs - john williams

choose wisely

today we begin to film our first "choose your own adventure," video for the upcoming series at ReMix. I'm pretty excited...today we shoot- HOW TO ASK A GIRL OUT ON A DATE- for the first week of the series- DATING.

hello?

ever have one of those days when you just don't think that you're going to have it? that's today for me...i think it's a combination of going 90 mph for the last few weeks, a new work out time, and that fact that it's thursday morning. I hate thursday mornings...i always feel hungover from the adrenaline rush/mad dash that is wednesday nights.

i snapped this picture in the bathroom on my way out this morning.

anyone know a good remedy for dark circles???

For tonight

Here's what tonight will look like in only a few hours...

Walk in light show to Blur's SONG #2

John John the Magic One - magic show (background music- Europe's THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Bear Hunt- Digging for gummy bears in bowls of whipped cream using only your face

3 Piece band- We did huge music sets last week and the week before, tonight we use only two guitars, a single drum, and a loop processor

Video- the great Copperfony magician

Message: Jesus the Magician - Genesis 12:1-4

Choose your own adventure Cards - Enrique Inglesias - Do You Know?

What Goes Around...

This is amazing...not that I didn't see it coming though. I really didn't want to believe that our country was going through a recession until I read this:

http://wcco.com/local/living.word.finances.2.656813.html

I know it is wrong....kind of.

we're live!!!

today i spent about 4 hours in front of the camera working on a new project for our main service at 12stone. i got to be the host of our video news magazine, ITK, which stands for "in the know"

i am so tired of memorizing and talking after all afternoon.

I think it will turn out to be pretty cool.

It's all up to Mike Martin to make it look all pretty now.

do you believe in magic?

tomorrow night at ReMix we will host our first ever magic show...I'm pretty pumped.

do you believe in magic?

Lent...or is is lint??

to quote the great Dwight Schrute..."Question"

"What are you giving up for Lent?"

While I'm at it, I'm interested to know why we protestants and non churchers alike enjoy this time of the year so much. Why do we only like this part of it?

What about...

- memorizing creeds
- books of prayers
- ash Wednesday
- other days of importance

why Lent but no others...

just wondering...

Sunday Stuff

things on my radar for today

- structure

- finding the perfect movie

- lane's parents at church

- timothy keller's "reason for God"

- income taxes

- my new autographed copy of mark driscoll's book, "vintage jesus"

- dealing with self importance

- structure

Shocking?

Just read this story. Result- never underestimate a middle schooler.

Parents say their 13-year-old daughter stole her mother's car and took off with her 12-year-old boyfriend because the parents had not allowed the middle-schoolers to see each other.

Summer Wood's father, Billy Wood, said the relationship between his daughter and Bryce Garrison was getting out of hand.

"It's just a little crush, and we both realize they are too young for that and I think they didn't want to accept that," Wood said.


Tuesday, in front of her parents, Summer Wood told sheriff's deputies that she felt she just needed to get away. So she and Bryce Garrison took off and drove hundreds of miles, from Oconee County to Greenwood, to Augusta, Ga. and farther in Georgia.

Oconee County sheriff's Sgt. Casey Bowling said, "(We were) dealing with the parents all day yesterday, thinking the worst, hoping for the best."

Verizon Wireless helped deputies track cell phone calls that eventually led them to the car.

The parents said they are happy that the kids are back home, but there are confused by what happened.

Speaking to her daughter, Summer, Leslie Russell, said, "Why would you put all of us through this -- you know, not knowing where you are at. Are you cold? Are you hungry? It's awful."

The parents said that they were shocked by what the children did.

Summer's father, Billy Wood, said, "It never crossed my mind that they would try something like this - especially Summer."

The parents said that they had no idea that either of the kids could drive, but apparently they shared the driving duties during their trip.

When WYFF's Nigel Robertson asked Summer what she had to say to her parents, in a shy, soft-spoken voice, Summer said, "That I'm sorry."

As for punishment, the parents said they will have to talk about what's going to happen next.

CAUGHT!!!

let me say it here...this guy is so guilty that it is sad to have to waste my tax money on finding this out. what a waste.

missionobility

i have been following carlos whittaker's journey to Uganda over at his blog and i must say that i am loving what i am reading. i like what he says, and how i can see straight through to his heart while he is there.

isn't it weird how hearing about someone else's mission experience can recreate memories of one of your own?

also- to all of you haters out there, carlos works at northpoint-buckhead. so much for only church planters and missional whiners being the only ones doing some good.

Don't tell me!

Don't tell me anything about the baseball hearings that happened today, I tivoed it.

psalm 97

these words never cease to move me...

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, 
 before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and rejoices 
and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD.
9 For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

Sad Day

I have been reading a lot and anxiously awaiting tomorrow's testimonies in the latest of baseball's steroid scandal, issue #2 volume 1. i think back to 2005, when the first round of senate testimonies took place. we had three tv's set up in the living room (i was single at the time) to watch opening round coverage of championship week NCAA basketball, the golf tournament, and the steroid hearings. that day, a little part of me died when i heard mark mcguire "not talk about the past." and i lost a little bit of that child-like awe of what baseball had been in my life up to that point. what a sad day for all of us.

Question

What is the best Valentine's Day gift you have either given or recieved?

Top Five

Just so you know...

1.) Memphis (Conference USA - plays nobody)
2.) DUKE (ACC - true champions)
3.) Kansas (Big 12 - choke artists)
4.) Tennessee (SEC - football conference)
5.) UNC (ACC - steady #2 to another North Carolina team)

Pumped

Sitting in the middle of our creative team meeting right now. I am already pumped for wednesday night. It should be legendary. More details to come.

Bret

Maunday Morning

No matter what stage of life, I think I will always hate Monday mornings for the rest of my days.

Here's what's on my radar for this week...

- Looking for extra-creative stuff for ReMix on Wednesday night

- Speaking of (above) I need to find a really creative person to add to our team

- Ready to read Timothy Keller's book soon!

- Valentine's day is on Thursday...I really am excited. Last year I gave Lane a house, so this year I am going to have to work extra hard to top that.

- My goal is to have all of my tax stuff done BEFORE March 1 this year.

- Please pray that this is the week that I get back to 100% physically. ( I feel like it's been a while)

- Great CD...IN A VALLEY, BY THE SEA by Hillsong United. Their new EP that you need to download directly from their website TODAY.

- Also- I'm not wearing socks today...it's my way of petitioning Spring to get here early this year.

Random Sunday Stuff

- Great Sunday today...We continue to have more and more new people show up on Sundays

- Every time I see Pebble Beach on t.v. it makes me want to go and live in carmel, ca

- Saw my first roller hockey game last night. All i can say is, "ducks fly together in the flying v!!"

- Check out Newsweek's article on Dr. Timothy Keller called, "the smart shepherd," in this week's magazine. wow. Also- his book comes out this week and I am totally excited.

- The past week has me wondering...Where does snot come from?

- Already excited about our Wednesday night service this week. It is going to be SICK!!!

- Praying for my friend and his wife this weekend.

- I really really want the writer's strike to be over

Oswald is still the man

Read today's Oswald Chambers devotional. I think this was written for me to hear today but it might be for you too.

Enjoy:

Exhaustion means that the vital forces are worn right out. Spiritual
exhaustion never comes through sin but only through service, and whether
or not you are exhausted will depend upon where you get your supplies.
Jesus said to Peter - "Feed My sheep," but He gave him nothing to feed
them with. The process of being made broken bread and poured out wine
means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn
to feed on God. They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get
your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted. Before other
souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to
draw on it through you; you have to be literally "sucked," until they
learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best
for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.

Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into
exhaustion? If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the
service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption
of Jesus Christ? Continually go back to the foundation of your affections
and recollect where the source of power is. You have no right to say - "O
Lord, I am so exhausted." He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust
you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him.
"All my fresh springs shall be in Thee."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taken from 'My Utmost for His Highest', by Oswald Chambers. © l935 by Dodd
Mead & Co., renewed © 1963 by the Oswald Chambers Publications Assn.,
Ltd., and is used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Uhrichsville, Ohio.

Link Love

I stole that saying from Carlos Whittaker...just to make myself feel cooler.

Just wanted to give a shout out to Keith Watson.

Thanks for the linkage man!!!

Papi.....wow. It is just perfeck.

Coolest

This is Ande, one of our 7th graders...and pretty much the coolest person in our ministry.

Her brother led worship for us on Wednesday night and she was there early while they were tuning up.

Just a shout out to a cool person.

sickness update

* ZPacs are amazing...they could cure people of being ambidextrious.

* I have gone from sniffeling, to coughing, to aching, to hearing my pulse in my head, and now I'm wheezing.

* I can't wait to taste again...the thing I miss most is the taste of my morning espresso

Mystery Reader

Today I was the MYSTERY READER at Lane's school. It was awesome. Her kids are really cool, down to Earth, and her classroom is totally awesome and creative. I love how she is going about inspiring kids to love learning instead of just making them regurgitate material. (like most of my classroom experience in seminary)

Being at her school today also made me think more about the BIG picture. The big picture is...

1.) More than just kids whose parents make 7 figures

2.) More than about competing with ipods and wii's for the attention of students

3.) All about letting people know you care

4.) More real life than ministry life

- I loved it and hope I get to do it again soon.

Blog Questions

Let me answer a couple of bloggers questions that have come up as of late...don't worry, these are good things!

1.) Yes! I am a Duke basketball fan. As all cool guys are. Like Alden Ellis for example.

2.) You can purchase a Moleskine journal at any major bookstore like Barnes & Noble or Borders. This is particularly amazing to me considering that when I purchased my first one four years ago, I had to buy it from Brentano's of New York online. Times certainly are progressing and I love it.

3.) If you aren't currently or have not read William P. Young's THE SHACK then you are definitely missing out. Go get a copy today!

Light Blue Makes Me Sick

I can't stand North Carolina. That's why last night was so extra sweet.

Big win for the dukies.

So, this is for all you Carolina fans....
Duke is better than North Carolina at basketball.

What A Difference

Went to bed at 10:00 last night.
Woke up at 8:00 this morning...drenched with sweat, but feeling better.

That's how weird a body can be sometimes.

Now it's time to find out all the crazy things I said and did last night.

Couple things

1.) i feel worse today than i have all week. the cool thing is that i get to teach tonight. someone should make sure that i don't start teaching heresy or anything.

2.) it's been a weird two days. sometimes people surprise you by their abundance of or lack of servant attitude. it's been interestng to watch.

3.) that's all for now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bret

Laws of Attractional

This is just a quick note to the world of ministry folks who, I think have gotten a little bit out of hand lately.

1.) Mark Driscoll, is really pretty cool. I like his preaching, I think what he is doing in the Seattle and church planting community is really something special. I like most of his views on scripture and his worldview is pretty much straight down the line Biblical. That being said, he is not a diety...so take down the golden image.

2.) I don't really like people who whine. This is specifically aimed towards all of the guys who like to whine about all the attractional churches who have more people than they do coming to their church. If you don't like it, or are jealous, then just say so, but don't blame it on other pastors/churches.

3.) While we are on the subject...I want to know who made it cool to be a church analyzer. I think the only person who is both capable and qualified to analyze other churches and how they are doing is he/she who has reached EVERY single person in their community and within hearing distance.

Whew!!! That feels much better. If that doesn't apply to you, then just read on.

Peace.

Tuesday Morning

Staff meeting this morning today was amazing!! It is so cool to have a pastor who is serious about leading the staff in the hard direction and is passionate about taking new territory on a daily basis. I have to say that it seriously pushes me to work here. Also- we have some big stuff going on here at 12Stone, more to come on that later.

Bigger Picture

This Wednesday we are talking about being part of the bigger picture in our Acts of Random Kindness series. This video puts it in great perspective. Love the music too!

Note Taking

This is pretty random but I think it does serve a purpose.

I started a new philosophy in 2008, to never have a meeting in my office that does not involve my taking notes in my journal. Nothing over the top, just jotting down thinking points as I go along. It has proved to be invaluable!

I am able to look back and actually remember details of the conversation and know what was talked about and can approach things with a much clearer sense of what's going on instead of the general idea that I gained from having 4 or 5 previous meetings information on my mind.

For those interested, I like to rock the moleskin lined journal notebook. It has a folder for keeping little things and is lined to where I don't feel as bad for writing in the small script that has become my trademark.

Do Work Son...

so i've been working out fairly consistently (FAIRLY...) since around Thanksgiving and I really enjoy it. today though, i went and did it in the morning before coming in to the office. Jason Berry came with because he wanted to flaunt his guns. It really does make a difference. I do have more energy and yes, i wore flip flops in the shower.

sick leave

took a couple of days off from blogging on friday and saturday. i was hacking up stuff that was chewable. it was pretty gross. feeling better today, and ready for the Superbowl tonight. who am i rooting for?

the commercials of course.

super sunday

had a great day today on superbowl sunday. you expect to have a pretty significant dip in attendance the week after the grand opening. in middle school, we were down only two!!! now our only problem is finding leaders to lead all these groups!!! anyone interested?

this shot is from the second service today. amazing day.