Stuff

It's time to start doing this again. I actually like having an online journal so to speak, because it takes up less space on the book shelf. Also I don't have 6 journals with one entry in each. Most of my adult life has been a pattern of me getting excited about the latest and greatest, then quiting when things got tough. I'm sure has some medical term for this kind of behavior, I call it "Chicken". During my formative years, I developed some kind of twisted though process, and concluded that life should be easy. Relationships should never have to be burdens. People should always like you. If something went wrong, it meant I didn't do something right. I missed a step somewhere and blew it. Or worse, I blamed it on other people or circumstances. Change those people and/or circumstances and "Ta-da", everything would be okay again.

As a Christ follower of 10 years now, I still have that little bent to feel that way about life. What I have learned as a Christian, is that no one gets an easy out. Life is tough and we can't control the stuff that happens to us, we can only control our roll in life. I can remember running out on my first wife and blaming her for all the problems we were having , while I was preparing to move on to wife number two. What kinda crap was that? Looking back, all I needed was to look at myself and realize, "hey dummy life is tough, relationships have problems, work on it!" I didn't have a support system of people I trusted to give me good counsel. I know that the first time I knew God had put a call on my life to be a Worship Leader I thought ministry was cake. I thought you just got in front of people and sang to Jesus. How hard can that be. I guess I liked the "worship" part and not the "leader" part of the ministry. I almost quit. Then God kinda let me know that I was His, not my own anymore. I really felt like I was in the Holy Ghost Maffia. Ya know, I "knew too much", to just be let go. I learned that you can't quit God. He never quits on us, and once you have tasted His goodness, dude, you just have no other options but grab that plow and keep going.

It's hard to believe sometimes that I've been used in ministry this long. I'm not educated in the halls of higher learning. There are no initials following my name other than Sr. A shout out my son, Big Woj, who has Jr. after his name!! I have stayed on the journey and done what my master has asked. I have enjoyed blessings and hardships along the way. I am glad to say that I have not quit. I have wanted to, but in the end, I always remember my life patterns before Christ. My mentor and dear friend Mike Richardson, used to and still does, tell me "Finish strong.". We used to talk about Paul and Joshua who finished strong. Then we would look at those that didn't finish strong, but made some choices that haunted them until the died.

I guess I'm just saying that quiting because things look bad, or maybe because the grass is greener is mentally challenged...okay retarded thinking. I have some close friends who are blowing it with their wives for stupid reasons. It reminds me of me back in the day. I just won't let them screw it up without a fight from me. That's what I needed back then, someone to kick me in the teeth. Bam!

Okay, I've been out for awhile

I'm back. I have missed talking to cyberspace, but I've had to redirect my focus some. As some of you know we at Grace Point have been in a series called "Lifeboat". This storyline is very video driven, so I've spent most of my energies working with Trevor, Devin and Karen, on making sure we are good to go each Sunday. The series was a huge success.

The other reason is I started a Dave Matthews Band tribute band call Dangerous Hours. If you know anything about Dave Matthews, you know that this is a huge challenge. The fans of DMB deserve the best, so we are really busting our butts to deliver to those fans a quality show.

So I'll be in and out of here now and then. Small groups are starting up next week...I'm very excited about that. Nothing better that people getting together and learning about what it means to be a Christ follower.

Peace.

Whatever it takes

This was on my mind today, and has been a topic that I am very passionate about. Do whatever it takes to get it done. I am talking in the context of leading and serving in the local church. I will probably get some flak for my thoughts, but oh well, they are mine.

I rescued from myself in 98, ten years ago, it seems like yesterday. The first thing I felt was freedom. Freedom for guilt, pain, sin, you name it, I was free. I was new, fresh, clean and forgiven. From that point on I abandoned the notion of self and went into service mode. Of course my flesh was still in it's old habits of selfishness and has continued to this very day to thwart my mission. How do I keep killing it? I do what ever it takes to make the kingdom grow. I do what ever it takes to find ways to serve. I do what ever it takes to put first things first. I have let down my family, taken pay cuts, ventured away from the "norm", all in the name of doing whatever it takes.

I will never be, or at least can't imagine it, a person who stands on the sideline and watches things going on. I want to be smack dab in the middle of it. This is why I don't get into watching sports, I want to play not watch. I don't like going to concerts and watch bands. I would rather play music than watch it. Of course I do enjoy seeing live shows, but mostly I get DVD's so I can watch a band over and over, and maybe even steal some licks.

I will always be on the crew at Grace Point, I will always be setting up and tearing down audio and video equipment. I feel a bond with those folks in the trenches. I know that I can't do everything, but I train up people and then try like crazy to serve them. When I'm 75, I will still be doing something with the crew (No wise cracks on how that is only a few years away). My wife thinks I'm crazy, I am for the most part, but I'm crazy for Jesus. I'm crazy to the point of ridiculous.

The negative side in my craziness is that I have a tendency to judge people who don't have the same "whatever it takes" mentality. When you are going at 100 miles and hour, you see others who are traveling at the same speed as you. When you get behind a slow person, not literally, you tend to judge them as not as committed as you. Maybe they aren't. Maybe they are committed in a different way.

At the end of the day, you do whatever it takes until you find the right person to do what you have been doing. Maybe you have to do whatever it takes to find that person. How about that?

Monday Musings

Easter has come and gone. Wow what a day at Grace Point Church! We saw 1300 people come and hear he good news of Jesus Christ yesterday at our weekend gatherings. Bam!

I love working under pressure.

Had the day off, but came into the office anyway to veg and do emails and some reading. When you get to work with a cool staff and do the thing you love the most, work fills your cup, not drains it.

Our creative team is off the chain. Everything from the GP kidz set, Transparent, to the Adult worship environments, was most excellent.

The band came through like gangbusters yesterday. We pour out ourselves on the alter before God for sure. The musical aspect of worship is a powerful weapon against strongholds in peoples lives. We could just feel the freedom in the room yesterday. Awesome!

Got connected with some friends from my days at ICLV yesterday at Five20. I feel Five20 is on the brink of huge growth. The word is getting out.

Our lifeboat series is amazing. Trevor Little has helped take a major load off my plate by filming and editing for this series. Thanks dude.

The actors from Grace Point who gave many, many hours of their free time to make this happen, are "da bomb". Love you guys.

Had some friends come over last night after everything was over. It was good to just chill and praise God for all He had done for and through us.

It is humbling to realize that God has chosen my to be used in His kingdom. There is no greater honor than to serve Jesus Christ.

Well, Sunday is coming again, so I better get on with it. Later,

Monday Musings

Had a great weekend, lots of work and lots of fun.


- I have a wonderful and talented group of musicians I get to play with each week. God is good.

-My wife is a great cook. She made her famous chicken enchiladas this week. If you haven't had them, it's kinda hard to explain.

-March madness has kicked off and the buzz is all over the office. I don't care one way or another. I guess it's the same for everyone else, when I get real excited about guitars.

-I am a part of a Dave Matthews tribute band named Dangerous Hours. We have had two rehearsals so far and man let me tell you, it's gonna be off the hook. We are currently working on getting booked at the House of Blues Courtyard. Bam!

-Vegas is really the entertainment capital of the world. I am always running into some great musicians. I wish I could get them plugged into Grace Point or Five20 and on the journey as Christ followers.

-Small group this week was exciting and challenging. I will miss getting together during the April break. We have been talking about heaven and hell. This week we will discuss hell...can't wait.

-I was reading in Leviticus chapter 14 about mildew. Thank you Lord for the gift of grace. Could you imagine living in a would where if you had some mildew in your house? "Hey pastor, can you come over and look at my mildew". "Sure, on my way." "Yep, that could be mildew, you need to move out for a week and I'll come back to check on it". Could you imagine? Sorry I freaked out for a minute...whew!

-Got to spend some time with my dearest friends Ty and Angie Neal on Friday night. Angie made me a special pan of meatloaf (no onions, yessssss) for Sunday lunch as well. These are the friends that come directly from God. Love you guys.

-Jean got a clean bill of health from the doctor after the miscarriage. Bam!

-Trevor Little is a friend of mine who has stepped up to help Grace Point in our video department. He is a breath of fresh air in an area that I have done well but is not my gifting. He has totally made our next series, Lifeboat, a reality.

-Easter weekend this week. Get ready for three awesome services. This is the weekend to bring your friends and family. The Gospel will be presented in a way that you can't even imagine...Bring it Devin!

Later peeps.

Heaven

Wow...we have been in a series at Grace Point called "Pushing Daisies". It is about what happens when we die. I have been surprised to find out how little Christ followers really know about heaven. I never gave it much thought. Jesus died so I could receive forgiveness and live in heaven for eternity. I never really cared what I would be doing, or not doing, eat and not eating, or whatever. My buddy Ryan, wondered if there would be pizza trees in heaven. I love the idea of walking up to a tree and the fruit if produced was pizza. How cool is that. But maybe there is a bakery that just makes pizza in heaven like on earth.

I'm of the mindset that no matter what heaven was/is , I was not going to hell. If hell is this hot fiery lake of eternal torment, then heaven was the opposite of that. I guess what puzzles me is how many people want to keep earthly relationships in heaven. Marriage, families, even having sex in heaven. I don't know about all that. Jesus taught that when the dead are raised they would not be married. Would there need to be kids in heaven if we are going to live forever? Is God's design of sex only for reproduction, or does it have another purpose beyond our earthly bounds?

I feel a lot of these type of questions come from our fallen perspective. We want to have all the things we have on earth because we are selfish. I want, I want, I want seems to be our view of heaven. I want a house, a family, sex, pizza trees or whatever because those things fulfill us in this life. I feel we won't give a rip about any of that stuff in the presence of Christ.

I guess this is my deep theological conclusion. I am a child that believes my daddy loves me and has a home for me. I don't care how big it is, how much the rent is, what color the tile is or how many brothers and sisters I have. I just know I'm adopted into His family and I'm cool with that.

Thank You Jesus!

Golf

Got to go golfing today for the first time in about 8 months. I went with a friend of mine from our small group. He shot well...I shot, well let's just say it was over 100. Actually I shot a 109, and only lost 2 balls. We played Los Prados for super cheap and had a blast. I never ended up in the water and didn't hit any houses. I loved being outside and enjoying the sunshine and blues skies of Vegas. Filled my cup for sure.