That’s the place!

Just over a year ago the church where I am connected found a home. We had been a “portable church” for 5 years (I’ve been there for 3.5 years now…). Being a portable church was a challenge. There was a small group of people who showed up to church very early on Sunday morning to help unpack 30,000 pounds of our environments from a truck and trailer to set up for our services. Because we had a solid group of people contributing to the effort it was accomplished in just a few hours before and after the service.

After we moved into a facility our lives changed a little and became much easier.

No longer were people showing up for church at 6 am. Now, we could sleep in on Production Team and show up at 7:15. Many other people who used to come in at 7:00 could now show up to volunteer for activities as late as 9:00. This was more dramatic than it may appear as our service time was moved up one hour, and we now have two services instead of just one. Before, many volunteers didn’t even have an opportunity to sit in worship service. A few would show up for the early rehearsal to sing to God.

Here are the two apparent changes that I noticed when our portable church landed:

• We lost some level of connection that we had experienced before. I was having breakfast with one of the elders from church not too long ago and we were talking about how we both missed connecting with other people at the church in the same was we used to when the church was portable. I couldn’t put my finger on why and he zeroed in on the reason… we no longer spent time with the folks we had come to enjoy volunteering along side. Now, if we saw them at church it was a very brief smile and hello. We still have the camaraderie within the service teams, but it doesn’t feel as we’re as connected as before. I miss that.
• Our church grew. Once we moved into a facility that seemed to be more permanent we instantly blossomed. Part of that seems to have been the location, an existing church property in an established residential neighborhood. Maybe the most exciting part of this growth is in the children’s ministries. Lots of new faces everywhere. That is exciting to be a part of.

Our pastor Rich Barrett always emphasizes trying to make an impact on our city. I see that happening at Access Church in so many ways. Praise God. This place is diverse.

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. Henri Bergson

Sometimes being responsive to change is a healthy sign of maturity. Change usually involves uncertainty. We often get comfortable in our setting, and change can be scary. We never know what new possibility that change may bring about. Think of change as a new opportunity to see the world differently…

It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Charles Darwin (Click To Tweet)

I don’t know what God has in store through the changes occurring at my church, but it is pretty exciting to watch it unfold!

The Q: Do you find yourself wanting to go back in time due to change? How do you see God at work in your world through the opportunity created by change?

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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?

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At church we hang our hat on “Making Myself Replaceable.” We’re a growing organization where thinking on your feet and change are the norm.

Making Myself Replaceable… in the corporate world, we used to call this delegating… now it’s all about empowering your team…

Teaching the people on the team everything there is to know so that anyone who follows in my footsteps can pick up where I left off and keep moving forward… then all the people grow right along with the organization.

Making Myself Replaceable… Kevin has done it at our church… we made out just fine in his absence… ONLY because he displays true leadership skills.

Is this an emphasis in your organization?

Will the people walking in your footsteps be able to pick up where you left off?

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the midweek circle is THE most important church activity!

If you’re like me, you rally around the flag when you go to church on Sunday. I feel good just hopping into the car when I’m heading to church… and I’m full of good puffy pride when I leave the parking lot. That’s awesome if you feel that way too! But that’s not really “getting your Jesus on” … or what I’m Thinkin’ Jesus is all about.

Is THAT what this post is all about?

Yep yep yep… well, sort of…

church IS really all about Jesus, right on!

But getting your Jesus on doesn’t really happen on Sunday.

Hopefully you’ll remember that I wrote about the churches of my past before… that flag flew at full mast on the internet for 6 months last year. I said some other really nice things about them too. I’m sticking with sharing the love for the churches of my past.

While this post is about every church other than mine I will say that there is no one church for everyone. My mom isn’t really hip on my church . She thinks the music is a bit too loud, and she feels like the oldest one there… I’ve assured her that there may be other people there close to her age… but she’s not budging. She’ll go but I think only to appease me sometimes.

I know, I’m beating around the burning bush now…

so on to the subject at hand…

I Love Your Church When…

it inspires you to live throughout the week so that you’re growing in your relationship with Jesus.

I love it whenever I cross paths with another believer on a Wednesday and they’re filled with the Holy Spirit…

when they’re glowing with the love…

when they’re eager to read the Bible to learn more about Him during a break or in the evening…

when they’re engaged in life activities that are not only good for the kids but good for them too…

when they’re still inspired on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday… by the message the pastor gave on Sunday…

To me, that is what our faith is really all about.

This is difficult to do without some sort of…

mid-week circling of the tribe…

accountability…

encouragement…

love…

that all starts with Jesus.

If your church is leading you in that direction it’s going to be a majestic Wednesday!!

“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

Please share your comments and the love here today, whatever it is that you really love about your church, or another church too, or your thoughts on “I Love Your Church When…” !!

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I ran across the following verse and when I started to think about it I felt it speaks directly to what I think Unity is all about…

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8

the verse begins by calling all of us to live…

life comes from God, right?

Living how?

I think of harmony as heavenly music… when all the instruments produce a beautiful work that none could accomplish on their own, or even two by two… it is, again, an all of us effort… “… united in thought and purpose.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

with one another?

yep, yep yep…

We can sum up all of our actions as either building up or tearing down when it comes to Unity. Whenever we face a decision or choice consider how your actions could impact Unity… am I really doing the right thing to bring Unity to my community? Is this all about me… or am I humbly considering the bigger picture?

Sympathy, love and compassion are next up…

This thought takes me back to an Andy moment…

Andy Stanley explains the power, beauty and majesty of the gospel like I’ve never heard before (can you hear the symphony too?)

click on Andy to listen to his message "everybody's invited"

Right before my recent blog-cation I wrote about our teaching pastor Andy Stanley and provided a link to a message he shared that I believe can be life changing to anyone who would listen to it… I’m providing the link here again for a different reason… “Unity Begins With…”

I wanted to share with you today a real story of Unity that exists within our community… it’s at Access Church. Our congregation is composed of a diverse group of people who come together with a passion to “lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.” That sounds good on the surface, but we all know that actions speak louder than words. Access is a place where peace, love and unity are alive… and it’s a place where I can be me. That’s important, since Unity begins with… ?

I hope that you too have found a church home where you see Unity and God’s love alive, growing and healthy… if not please pray for God to lead you to the right place!

Access is a place where…

I am accepted but my sin is not (and neither is it supported!)…

and where I am loved but not coddled.

Access is a place where church and life are fun and meaningful…

it’s why i can forgive…

why i can love…

why i can accept…

(sounds like sympathy, love and compassion, right?)

I believe when we have this moment when we “get it” our life begins to change…

and since Unity begins with U… or me… or each and every one of us…

that’s why I wrote this exciting news about Peace Love & Unity here today 🙂

It’s why and what we want everyone to know!

How could you improve on Capital U today to help bring Unity to your community?

The post Unity begins with… first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Dress code: black shirt and blue jeans. Lots of wires and gadgets.

One really cool part of this is that it goes from sleepy-quiet to a 3-alarm fire in a snap… best be on your toes back there!!

I especially enjoyed spending time with the band! I think they helped me yesterday more than I helped them. A fun group of people to serve with.

This was completely new to me, I’ve been serving on the host committee and helping with the setup/breakdown of the kids environments since arriving at Access Church last fall. I’m sticking with this on the third Sunday of each month. I love both of these too, the host committee is all about welcoming the regulars, newcomers and guests. Setup/breakdown is even fun here… we have an awesome group of people at Church – Fully Involved and Passionate about Serving the Lord!!

Serving… just do it!! I love it, front to back.

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