I'm Just Thinkin' | Tag Archive

Tag Archive - Andy Stanley

giving away North Point Christmas CD and “Fields Of Gold” by Andy Stanley today

November 11, 2011 in Odds & Ends with 3 Comments

I’m giving away a copy of the North Point Christmas CD and the book “Fields Of Gold” by Andy Stanley in appreciation of your support for I’m Just Thinkin’. These were provided by Access Church (Rockin’ it!!)

Here’s how you get in on the action…

- Go to YESTERDAY’s pos t and submit a comment. If you’ve already commented yesterday you’re in the drawing… how easy was that

- I will randomly select the two winners on Tuesday and announce via Twitter.

… I’ll e-mail the winners to firm up a mailing address and ship you the goods.

pop culture goodness in the church today

November 3, 2011 in Peace Love & Unity with 4 Comments

Casey Darnell at Buckhead Church

So much of what I write about popular culture is basically ripping on it in general, and me extensively, as I have my fair share of pop culture indulgences.

I don’t think the world today is all bad. Since I’m a total optimist I wanted to share a thought on how popular culture is being successfully used in churches today to create an inviting environment that tends to draw people, including non-believers, into the church and helps them feel comfortable while they are there.

My first experience with secular music at church was at Buckhead Church in Atlanta several years ago. I was invited by a girl I was dating who lived there at the time. I think Steve Fee played a Bon Jovi song (Sorry Andy , I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Bryan Adams ). I did a double take to see if anyone else was kind of freaked out by this. I mean, I was thinking they surely must have an escape tunnel like in Hogan’s Heroes, because if too many people found out about this there is going to be trouble… like this is crazier than mentioning sex on a God blog… thankfully, everyone seemed to be on-board so I was at ease.

Soon enough, I found other churches that were following the lead by the evangelical movement.

Very cool.

You’ll hear some non-churchy songs when you come to my church ( Access Church, a strategic partner with Buckhead, and North Point Community Church). The music is a little loud for some people. Generally, our worship music includes 3 contemporary christian tunes. We will also occasionally have an opener or closer that may be mainstream, and sometimes non-christian background music is playing during entrance/exit times. Some of the band is even hired from within the community, we mix it up a lot! I believe this is another excellent opportunity to draw more and more people in that otherwise would not attend.

I think pop culture goodness in the church today is huge!

It shows that christians are real people.

We need that.

We need to connect with mainstream society more.

Our God is working in wonderful ways!!

Where do you see God’s goodness in popular culture today?

How do you feel about secular music being played in church?

What exactly does “A Win” look like?

May 20, 2011 in Breathing Deep with 0 Comments

Snoop Dogg reading Andy Stanley... for A Win!!

Earlier this week I posted “Looking Up.” It was about giving God the glory for the good things that are happening every day, all around us.

I wasn’t really thinkin’ but the day I wrote this there was a lot of ~~drama~~ news centered on the Mayoral election, a close race that wasn’t decided until later that day, and a full day after the polls closed. I don’t really cover the news or current events here at I’m Just Thinkin’… sometimes I will write about popular culture, and, as a Geologist, I also enjoy writing about volcanoes, sinkholes and the like. So far as the Mayor goes, I believe it’s important that we as a commUNITY rally around, pray for and support our elected officials.

So what does “A Win” look like? I would say finding Snoop Dogg soaking him up some Andy Stanley would be a good example. Anytime we can see God at work I would say there’s A Good Fire burning, and that’s A Win (please help me out here North Point peeps if you can expound on this one). The Good Fire is warm, authentic and real… like God… and is burning more brightly in our community than ever before!

Please share your comments here on “A Win” that you see in the world today.

How’s It Going?? A Double-Fist Pump Kind Of Day

April 5, 2011 in Soul Food with 4 Comments

cowabunga-lujah Saddington and Hyatt Rock!!

It was just over a year ago that I won a free copy of Standard Theme, responding to a prompt on a guest post written by John Saddington at Michael Hyatt’s blog. I’m very thankful to John and Michael. That was a double-fist pump kind of day!! I guess I must have said something right (that time )… and followed their advice to focus on writing writing writing content, not getting too hung up on the minor details of glitz and glamor (call my blog frumpy, go ahead!!).

So how’s it going at the one-year milestone? Well, I’ve thought many times I’ll surely run out of material to write about… it seems that’s what happens to many blogs. Amazingly, I have more ideas that I have time to write! And I feel like an old yard-bird chicken, having only scratched the surface with my skinny legs.

I am picking up on a few things along the way…

Walking With The Daddy

March 8, 2011 in Odds & Ends with 0 Comments

As I started reading “In Step With God,” by Dr. Charles Stanley, it quickly set the tone for my 2011: My resolution for the year, found alone occupying the page facing the table of contents is Moses speaking to God in Exodus 33:13: “Let me know Your ways so I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.”

God’s call to us is to accept His invitation, opening and stepping through the doorway to an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, to our true source of pleasure, peace and security. Dr. Stanley points out how most of us only surficially know God, that God wants intimacy, a concept that our “morally out-of-step society” often misinterprets. Dr. Stanley writes “true intimacy is involved in fellowship with others… you can become intimately involved in his or her life, but this does not mean that you are involved in a sexual relationship. Two friends can enjoy knowing each other on a very deep level. In fact, having close friends – intimates – is very reflective of God’s nature because this is exactly what He desires from you and me – a close, personal and especially intimate relationship. Many people are satisfied with just knowing a few things about God but not knowing Him deeply. True, unbridled intimacy touches the soul and the hidden places of our hearts like nothing else can. It goes much deeper than physical expression.”

Dr. Stanley’s bio includes being pastor of the 16,000-member First Baptist Church in Atlanta, head of the International InTouch Ministries, twice elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and, most notably, the daddy of (that’s right!!) our beloved Andy (Stanley), the Teaching Pastor of North Point Community Church and locally in Jacksonville at our Access Church.

“Why is it important to know the One who knows all about you? The answer is simple: when you come to a point where you understand His ways, your life takes on new meaning. You stop looking at old problems and feeling defeat, fear and anxiety. Suddenly, you realize that the Person who gave you life has set an amazing course for you to follow.”

I enjoyed Walking With The Daddy, and am continuing on my journey to get to know our Heavenly Father more intimately every day!

Is there something that you have learned about Jesus, God or the Holy Spirit recently that you didn’t know before?

Change in the Weather

August 1, 2010 in Soul Food with 0 Comments

When we truly believe someone has our best interest in mind, we’re wide open to their influence… and that’s the basis of Christianity.

The foundation of our entire life experience is the key. Not just Follow and Believe. Or simply Obey. First Follow, then Believe, and THEN Obey. All the time.

At the end of the day in this life we’ll be glad we did, because He loves us!

Matthew 7:24-25:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock.

… and then here comes the storm…

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

For those who obey.

Organize our life around what He teaches, we’ll be glad we did!!

What we do with what we have has everything to do with the outcome… great words for Happy Monday!!

Thanks for this message Andy Stanley.