These kids make me laugh!

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Parents Hang UP!

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I was leaving our church 4th of July family celebration on Friday night when I noticed something very disturbing on the playground. There were four children on the playground (little kids all under 5 or 6 years old) swinging and on the slides...alone. Yes, their parents were out there...but not really. Mom and Dad were too busy talking on their cell phones to play with their children. A family event with no connection of family. Very sad!

My son, who is 5, gave me a reality check several weeks back after I got finished with a very lengthy cell phone conversation with my mom in the car. After I hung up he said, "mom, why are you always on the phone and don't talk to me?". I was so ashamed and felt horrible. Now we sing and talk about what we have planned for the week or what he did at school. I want him to feel like he is my center of attention and the most important person in the world...because he is!


Jesus wears crocs!

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I am reading this incredible book that came highly recommended (thanks Ken) called "Pop Goes the Church" by Tim Stevens. In the Introduction it talks about how Jesus came to the world in first century Palestine and met the people where they were. He didn't wear "God-clothes, speak God-words, and expect the culture to connect."
I am one of those that believe that if Jesus physically entered America today, he would "be where the people are". He would hang out with normal people, go to the movies, own an ipod, wear crocs, and surf the internet so that he could better understand our culture. Don't you think that he would do anything (short of sin) to reach and connect with the non-believers! (That's why a mega church like Newspring have sets of music that aren't just written by Hillsong or Chris Tomlin)
What we have to do as a church is help the believers grow AND be attractive to the non-believers. And that is the challenge, how do we attract the non-believers? Make it appealing and relevant today...Churches are going to have to bring elements of pop culture into their services.


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Colton and Spencer Thomas at staff family outing to Braves game last night. For more pics of candid moments, click HERE.


Book Preview

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Today I picked up an interesting looking book at the bookstore. The title itself "I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" made me open the cover and read the first two chapters while standing in the aisle. I couldn't put it down and even laughed out loud several times at the authors (Vince Antonucci) stories on how he was introduced to Christianity. I am not an avid reader so I put the book down and left the store. I have thought about the book the rest of the day and just ordered it off Amazon.com. I found a link to the book online for those interested.... http://www.lousytshirtbook.com/book.htm


Atlanta Fest

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Last night at Atlanta Fest was the best! I have been wanting to see Casting Crowns LIVE for awhile!


NewSpring Church

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Due to the fact that we didn't have church the evening of Father's Day, Mike and I visited NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC.
A little disappointed that Pastor Perry was on vacation, we still heard an incredible "One Prayer" message from Pastor Ed Young. After service, Director Ken Wilson gave us a backstage tour of the campus and spent over an hour letting us ask him a million questions about NewSpring vision, services and media production. When people say, "I listen to Pastor Mike every week online", I always find that strange...however, I said the exact same thing to Ken about NewSpring's podcasts.
If you have never heard Pastor Noble's "in your face" preaching...check them out online at www.newspring.cc


Today at The Torch

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As I entered the back of the church this am, I was met with "you missed all the excitement this morning". What? It was only 8:00am! Apparently while moving in some of our set design into the building, our Worship & Arts Pastor, Eric, cut his hand WIDE OPEN! So after a trip to the ER and 7 stitches, he comes back 3 songs into worship. I have never been to the ER and even left the waiting room in less than 30 minutes. (Eric, if you are reading this...they must have recognize you from tv.) Paul did a wonderful job this morning stepping up and leading worship! For the tv broadcast this week, I am going to superimpose glitter on Eric's bandages and it look like a Michael Jackson glove. :)


Great movies

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My gripe with motion picture companies is that too much money is being thrown into special effects and not enough money is put toward paying quality writers for original compelling content. Now, to be fair, I haven't seen Transformers but if the movie trailer is representative to what the movie is all about...I'm not interested.

My son's new favorite movie is ET. Now that is a classic! He thinks its a new release at the movies and wants to know when we can go and see it. He does a killer ET impression, I'm going to record it and post it soon.

"Chick flicks" like Steel Magnolias, Beaches, Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping...now those are great movies! Ok, maybe these aren't packed full of compelling content...but they make me cry! :)


Hospital Visit

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Today Breelyn had surgery Tympanostomy Tubes (tubes in ears) and Adenoids removed. She freaked out for a good 40 minutes after surgery but, once she fell asleep, she was down most of the day. She is doing great. Thanks to those who prayed for her.


Media Nightmare

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Yesterday wasn't a very good day in the area of Media here at The Torch. We had some sort of strange power failure or surge in the middle of worship that killed everything media including all our stuff in the control room, as well as, lighting and audio in the sanctuary. Something happened between services and our master control computer decided it didn't want to do church at all Sunday PM. I did everything that I thought I knew what to do to get it up and going but the default settings made everyone look strange psychedelic colors (which I'm sure Eric would have liked cause it was keeping it new and different).
God hit me with a thought in the car this morning and I headed straight to the church to work on the computer. I spent about an hour with the computer and finally "life"! I was able to get it up and running and even learned a new trick while I was at it!
If it had been a MAC this wouldn't have happened! :)


Mommy, what is that?

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Growing up in the 80s & 90s, I never thought that some of the things that we used everyday would create a "mommy what is that?" response from my 5 year old. I purchased an antique typewriter at a yard sale with the thought that "wow, my kids will never have seen one of these". It's strange that time flies so fast that the things that we grew up will be "antique" in our children's eyes. Bag cell phones, cassette tapes, vhs tapes, rotary phones, walkmans, Space Invaders, Member's Only Jackets and (my favorite) Cabbage Patch Kids are all things that are only a memory.


iFast

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In January of every year, our church participates in intense fasting and prayer. We tried to think of how this year could be different than just the Daniel Fast we have done for years. We came up with the "iFast". An iFast is a week long fast of everything related to electronic media including ipods, cell phones, internet, television, movies, radio and video games. It was the hardest fast that I have ever done. Driving 25 minutes to work without radio and not being able to check email was the hardest!
Trying to figure out a way to market the fast to our congregation and let them know that this may not be a sacrifice for everyone, I came up with this iFast video idea using my mom (TiVo) and her friends.


 
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