Thoughts from Tony Morgan: Church Math

One of the blogs I follow is Tonymorganlive.com.  Here is some cool stuff from his blog.

more staff = fewer volunteers
lack of planning = financial challenges
more meetings = less ministry
unclear vision = packed ministry calendar
packed ministry calendar = volunteer burnout
more announcements = less ministry engagement
more ministries = more announcements
fewer people inviting friends = smaller crowds
lack of added value = fewer people inviting friends
fewer constraints = less creativity
same methods = same results

Thankful...

I am giving thanks this year for so much that, it will be hard to get it all on here. 

First I am thankful for a loving God who allows me through grace to be his kid.  I love my Pappa.

Second, my wife Jean, for being an amazing partner in life.  I don't want to do anything or go anywhere with out her with me.  She loves adventure and we have definitely have that going on.  Love you baby!

Thankful for:

• Epicchurch.tv Decatur, Alabama.  You are an inspiration to me on what a church can be to the broken and lost in a city.  I know God is opening the heavens over Decatur, and you are pouring out all so he can fill it up.  
• IV and Bene' Marsh, Garrett, Josh and Ella.  There are no words to explain your love or express the gratitude for all you have done for Jean and I.  What started out as a desire to do some consulting work for you guys has turned into the dream that started back in Las Vegas.  Never thought we would serve in the Kingdom together and yet here we are.  IV, I know our hearts were knitted together for the sake of the Gospel and it is a honor to call you friend
• Marlin and Elaine.  I am inspired by your steadfast love for Christ's bride.  Thank you for following the voice of God and making the way for us to come along side you in the work.  You both Rock!
• Mark Thomason, you are my hero and don't even realize it yet.  Thanks for helping me stay sane and showing me true musicianship and professionalism.  We have only yet to see what sonic awesomeness is coming.  Stay focused on what is good in life and you will find the peace you are looking for.
• Jeremy, Jane and Jackson Strawn.  I miss you guys terribly.  I cannot listen to DMB without thinking of you guys and all the support you brought.  You supported me through some tough stuff and I thank you guys.  I know we will see each other soon, but you need to get your butts to Decatur.
• My Family in Michigan.  Can't wait to see you all tomorrow.  All that comes to mind is, Good Times!  I am glad I no longer live 3 days drive from you.  
• Kenny, Jodi and Colton Gonz.  Bring on the "Gringos"!  I hope I make it through the holidays without you guys.  Wow....is all I can say.  Kenny, when you are ready, we have a place for you guys!  Love, Love, Love, is all we have for you three.
• My two dogs, Joy and Muffin.  
• Music
• Justin, Amy, Tina, Kenny (and the 8 kids), Jason, Linda, Melody, Grant, Houston, Wes, Andrea R, Mike, Andrea H, Latrice, Doug, Charles, Barbara, Landon, Sam, Summer, and all the other Epic folks who have welcomed us with open arms.  I know I've forgot some, Terry, Tasha, Dallas, Keisha, Brilley...okay don't everyone else get butt hurt.  I still love you all.
• My Crosspoint Peeps, Wendy, Jack, Kevin, Stacey, Jason...you guys rock.  Love being a part of the Decatur God story with you all.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

This week so far...

Only Tuesday and man I am deep into the business of getting things ready for Sunday morning.  I'll be traveling out of state this week for Thanksgiving so got to get everything set up in advance.  Maybe I should pretend that I am off Thursday-Saturday every week?  Hum, makes me wonder if my production value would go through the roof?  Well I'm videoing tomorrow over at the church we are supporting for Thanksgiving by cooking and helping serve meals.  I love that fact that we are able to partner with other churches who have bigger facilities to handle stuff like meals, and we give them volunteers.  Very Kingdom minded.  I think Jesus instructed us to love each other and that's how people will know we are His disciples.  Programing lights next and then EQing the monitors, followed by uploading a video to Vimeo and adding a link to our Epic video blog.  Yay!!  I also have two guitar students this afternoon and band rehearsal at 6:30.  Told ya, busy bee I am.
I everyone has a great time with family and friends this Thursday.  Share some love with those who are going through tough times too.  Peace.

Monday Monday

Oh yes, how time flies when you are having fun.  Seems like a blur this past week.  A good blur, but a blur none the less.  Let me see if I can re-cap.

• My Mom turned 68 this past week.  She is doing real well, and can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with her and my family this week.  Love you Mom!
• Cooked a Turkey and made gravy for Jeans Thanksgiving party at work.  Turned out real well.
• Spent a majority of the week watching and learning at www.ownthemix.com.
• Edited a new video that shows the churches and ministries that Epicchurch.tv partners with in Decatur.
• Picked up another guitar student.  Grand total of 2 now.  Gotta start out small ya know.
• My wife is killing it with the production team.  They are making weekend services jam!
• Tackled some tough songs this week.  "If Everyone Cared", "Broken" were some awesome radio hits that we did.  Mark Thomason on keys really took us to a new level.  Everyone in the band is growing and getting better each week.
• I still think church musicians have the toughest jobs.  Learning different songs each week is challenging for sure.  Glad to have some great people on the team.
• Leaders are not the most popular people sometime, especially when they have to make a tough decisions.  
• Got to watch the Lawrence County Pee Wee football team play in the championship game Saturday night.  The got beat pretty bad.  But it was the championship game.
• Unveiled our "Decatur Dave and Decatur Danielle" profiles at the Dream Team meeting yesterday.  Very aggressive move I would say.  My favorite quote from IV, "We will do anything short of sinning to reach people."
• Actually watched an Alabama football game on Saturday.  Well, it kinda played in the background while we worked on vocals for Sunday.  
• Did a tattoo on Friday night.  Love pushing ink.
• Enjoyed some wonderful quality time with my wife Saturday morning.  Advice to husbands, DATE YOUR WIFE!!

Peace out!

Good times

So yesterday I cooked my first turkey of the season.  Yes me.  Jean works for a company called Drs4Drs, and they had their pot luck thanksgiving lunch yesterday.  So, Jean informs me that I am on turkey duty.
Actually, I love to cook turkey.  I want to get a deep fryer one day and fry one.  Maybe Christmas.  Anyway, I did what Grandma used to do, I got a turkey bag!  I love those things.  Cover Turkey with olive oil (the real stuff not Popeye's girl), flour the inside of the bag, put in the oven and bang zoom...turkey awesomeness.  Now the real trick is the gravy.  I like to use all the juices from the turkey plus the giblets.  This part is scary for me though, thickening the gravy.  Now Jean trusts me with the turkey, but here words to me as I dropped here of at work stuck to me like a sweaty t-shirt on a hot Alabama day.  "Don't make the gravy runny!"  I was paralyzed with fear.  I was confident until those words were spoken.  So the whole time I'm prepping the gravy, all I could think about was getting it thick enough.  So with a mixture of flour and water ( I mix the flour up with some cold water so when I add it to the hot broth I don't get lumps), I started the thickening process.  Of course I wasn't sure how much I would need, so I made a bunch.  Two cups of my flour/water mixture and still not thick enough.  So one more shot, except I added more flour than water.  So you know what happens next.  Lumps in my gravy!! Aaarrrggggh.  If only there was no pressure to have thick gravy! Only kidding.
Jean didn't like it though.  She was ruined by Angela Neal, our good friend from Kentucky, who makes awesome gravy.  Everyone else in the office loved it, or at least told me they did.  I think I got props only because I was a man making turkey and gravy.  I'll that that.  I did get to enjoy the pot luck too. 
Good Times...

I still need to get a grill so I can make my own BBQ... Peace.

Big God

Wow, I thought I posted this on Friday!  Maybe I was so upset, I forgot to hit send?  Here it is from Friday morning at Starbucks.

I am reading "Starting HD Chuches" by Ron Sylvia, and God just decided to speak to me.  I am really toast right now.  Tears are flowing from my eyes.  I had to stop to write down what I am feeling.  I was reading Chapter 4 and on pages 46-47, Ron is telling a story of needing finances to keep the church going.  Needed $18000.00 for the year to keep going.  So he has a special offering and explained the situation to the people.  Took the offering and brought in $50000.00!!  When I read that God sort of whispered to me "Why don't you believe I can do miracles like that?"  And so here I am weeping because He is right.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped believing He can do anything!  IV just walked in and I'm sitting here in a mess of tears...he is puzzled for sure.  We are shooting a video today, so I'll give him the 411 in a minute.  I just want to get back to the way I used to believe in God.  Powerful, able and wanting to do miracles for His children.  Now time to ask Daddy for forgiveness for my lack of faith.

Monday on Tuesday

Wow, the holy hangover was kicking yesterday.  We had our creative team meeting as well.  Thank God for coffee and diet Mt. Dew.  Here is the download or scoop if you will.

• Over 400 at Epic yesterday.  The third service is really rockin'.  There is something to be said about sleeping in Sunday morning, then coming to church to get your praise on.  I want to call the 12:30 service "The Brick" service, since people who were out at The Brick on Saturday, can still come!
• The band, did Money by Pink Floyd and did a really great job.  If you are not a musician, you wouldn't understand how challenging that song is.
• We had our first Jam session Sunday at Epic.  It was amazing.  Our keyboard player Mark, is the most amazing keys/piano player I have had the chance to work with.
• Jean made here first batch of cornbread...it was amazing!!  She got the recipe from Benny Perrin who owns BB Perrin's here in Decatur.  Thanks Benny!
• Got messed up by the book "Starting High Definition Churches" by Ron Sylvia.  Really made me realize I don't trust God.  Almost afraid to pick it up again.
• Great hang time with IV Marsh and Justin Potter on Thursday.  It's great when leaders can get together and sharpen each other.  
• Shot a Video with IV on Friday about all the things Epicchurch.tv are involved in.  Funny thing, we never set foot in our building.
• If you haven't been to the NCC on Bank St here in Decatur, you need to stop in and see how they do ministry to the poor.  
• Love the new direction with the music at Epic.
• Got to tour Athens, AL with IV and Bene.  
• Ate at Dub's Burgers in Athens.  I'm told it's been around since after the great flood.  Moses loved the place....I did too!
• Trying to get into college football here.  Never really been into sports that I am not currently playing in, so it is a challenge.  But Auburn needs to stop giving the games away!  
• Got to admit Alabama is tearing it up this year.  
• Our Tech team is setting new standards in creativity...Love you guys!!
• Starbucks is the greatest office you could ever have.  I love it.

• Got to hang with Kevin Burns from Crosspoint Community this week.  Love hearing God stories about other churches.  

I know that is not all, but it is a lot.  Overall it was a great week filled with God, friends, and music.
Peace.