I have been married to my best friend Casey for 10 years. We have two beautiful girls Charli and Chloe, and I love being a dad. We started Foundations Church Sept. 7, 2008, I love our church, I love our people, and am blessed to be the lead pastor. Believe, Belong, Become.
Man this weekend was so much fun and was incredible too. I love spending time with my family and being a part of a church that is seeing lives changed!
1. Had a campout with my daughters in our house. We had a tent, watched Aladdin, and went for ice cream, does it get any better than that. Also they slept in the tent as well, tons of fun.
2. Incredible service this Sunday at Foundations Church. If you weren't there you missed it. 9 people gave their hearts to the Lord, and just an amazing day.
3. Sorry, sorry, sorry to all our people trying to watch our live feed. We had some technical difficulties, it won't happen again, but so sorry. Stuff likes this makes me go insane! But we'll be back baby!
4. Went to the circus with my family. Very fun, but my daughters are scared to death of clowns! Haha funny stuff.
5. Carie Carter is our volunteer of the week. Carie is always, always so nice and helpful in our children's department. She thought our 2 year olds needed more toys, so she went out and bought some herself! You are the best Carie!
6. We had 50 people recommit or make a first time decision for Christ in the month of February! What!
7. Be a Sandwich Making Who!
8. We had our community group this Sunday Night also. Ton's of fun, if you aren't involved in a community group get in one!
9. I really love the series we are in The Big Mo, it has been an awesome series.
10. Exciting days and times are ahead for Foundations Church, make sure you bring someone with you this Sunday! Get out there and invite someone to come with you, and have an amazing week.
If there is one thing I enjoy to the fullest it is not just being a husband and pastor, but being a Dad. Most of you know I have two girls one is 5 and the other is 2. I realize right now how crucial it is for me to not just be in my girl's lives, but be an active and positive presence in their life. This weekend we are going to have an amazing weekend, here is the plan:
Friday:
1. Go the gym
2. Have lunch
3. Go to the Aquarium
4. Make dinner together
5. Go get Frozen Yogurt
6. Watch some sort of Princess Movie I am sure
7. Set up our tent for our camp out in the living room
8. Camp out
Saturday:
1. Go eat breakfast at my favorite breakfast place.
2. Go to the circus
We are having a great time, Casey is having some time off from being a mom today. I love being a dad and realize it is one of the most crucial roles that I fulfill. For all you parents out there, put all you can into parenting it is hard and draining at times, but it pays off big time.
I can't wait for Sunday's Service, my title is Sandwich Making Who's. It is going to be awesome, and I can't wait to speak. Also make sure you text, facebook, or call someone to come with you to Foundations, let's pack it out. We are starting our live streaming video this week as well, I love that we are reaching people. Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday.
If there is one thing that drives me crazy one thing that makes me made, hacks me off, whatever you want to call it is this...Under Achieving. It drives me crazy. As 2009 ended the team at Foundations Church and myself made a list of expectations for 2010. We didn't make goals because goals are something you set and if you come up short you are okay with because it was just a goal. However, an expectation is something you are totally counting on happening. So we have some pretty major expectations for 2010.
Yet today as I had my prayer time I really felt God talk to me about what are you doing to see that these expectations come about? Oh man! I love having expectations and dreams, but if we don't take steps towards them if we don't plan for them, they are going to turn into disappointments. Many of you have set New Year Resolutions, we are now at the end of February and a lot of you have lost your drive for them. Whether it was to improve your finances, go to church more, kick a habit, improve your marriage, be a better parent, etc., I want to encourage you to not let this be another year of Under Achieving. Take steps to fulfill those goals those expectations, you got have faith, but you also have to plan for the big things to happen.
I hope you have a great rest of the week and you make it count, you make a difference. Make sure you text, call, facebook, or actually face to face invite someone to Foundations this week. Let's blow this thing up and see God change lives! 10 people raised their hands this past week, let's see God do bigger and greater this week. I am expecting it!
1. Sunday's service was awesome! Great day seeing lives changed for eternity. Had 10 people raise their hand for salvation- that never gets old. It was a day of just being excited to get to worship Jesus...amazing day.
2. I hate snow and rain on Sundays. I hate it!
3. We are so blessed to have such a great worship team! Shannon and the band are doing a phenomenal job leading us in worship.
4. We did our trial run with live video this Sunday and it went well. We have some improvements we are making and are launching it this week. Get on our website at 10:25 am on Sunday and be a part of Foundations Church.
5. Don't stay home in your pj's if you live in Tulsa, get up and come to church!
6. Had a great time meeting some new guests this Sunday. I love that our church keeps bringing people to experience Foundations Church.
7. Took my girls out in the rain on Sunday afternoon to splash in puddles, we had a great time but it was cold.
8. Glad to be back in the gym after last week. I ate bad, bad, bad, got to go work off all those calories and cheese fries! Yeah, I said cheese fries. I told you I was bad, but they were good.
9. Going to our Guys Night tonight at Dave and Busters at 7pm. It should be an awesome time.
This is going to be a great week. I have a lot going on, but I am excited about this week. Make sure you retext your friend you invited yesterday to service to come back again. We are going to have an amazing experience. I hope you have a great week.
1. Sunday's service was awesome! Great day seeing lives changed for eternity. Had 10 people raise their hand for salvation- that never gets old. It was a day of just being excited to get to worship Jesus...amazing day.
2. I hate snow and rain on Sundays. I hate it!
3. We are so blessed to have such a great worship team! Shannon and the band are doing a phenomenal job leading us in worship.
4. We did our trial run with live video this Sunday and it went well. We have some improvements we are making and are launching it this week. Get on our website at 10:25 am on Sunday and be a part of Foundations Church.
5. Don't stay home in your pj's if you live in Tulsa, get up and come to church!
6. Had a great time meeting some new guests this Sunday. I love that our church keeps bringing people to experience Foundations Church.
7. Took my girls out in the rain on Sunday afternoon to splash in puddles, we had a great time but it was cold.
8. Glad to be back in the gym after last week. I ate bad, bad, bad, got to go work off all those calories and cheese fries! Yeah, I said cheese fries. I told you I was bad, but they were good.
9. Going to our Guys Night tonight at Dave and Busters at 7pm. It should be an awesome time.
This is going to be a great week. I have a lot going on, but I am excited about this week. Make sure you retext your friend you invited yesterday to service to come back again. We are going to have an amazing experience. I hope you have a great week.
I don't know how much I will get to blog this week. It is going to be a really fast and busy week, so I will try to post again this week, keyword being try.
1. Had a great Sunday again this weekend. I love our people and love that we are constantly having new people walk through the doors each week. Another great Sunday!
2. Went swimming with my kids on Saturday. Had a great time with my family. My youngest daughter has started to swim (with floaties) on her own. Laughed a lot and even better our girls had a great time.
3. Casey and I had a great time going out with our Community Group on Sunday Night. If you aren't in one you are missing out! Get involved and plugged in and attend a community group this week, they are stinking awesome.
4. Love the Olympics but the opening ceremonies stunk! Oh and I can't stand watching figure skating, in fact I refuse to do so. No figure skating in the Graves House.
5. Casey and I celebrated Valentines Day last night. We went to PF Changs, I love that place, and then went shopping. I love my wife, she is my best friend, my best supporter, my best critic, the love of my life, and this church couldn't make it with out her. Thanks babe I love you.
6. Tried some new pizza on friday night called Prime Time Pizza in Jenks. There supreme hand tossed is awesome, and will change your life. Not as good as Cheezies though Dustin!
7. I am ready for Spring. I am tired of the snow, no more snow, no more snow.
I hope all of you have a great week. We are in week 2 of The Big Mo, don't miss it. This is going to be an awesome series, so be there and invite and bring someone with you too. Have a great one!
1. I am very excited about my sermon for this week! We start our new series called The Big Mo, a study about Moses. It's going to be a great series. We are talking about how to get the Big Mo going in your love life, don't miss it!
2. Heading to speak in Enid tonight, but will be back home tonight too. Looking forward to it.
3. Had a blast on my 2 Valentines dates with my two daughters. They are so completely different and I love it.
4. May go swimming with my kids this weekend. Yeah that's right swimming!
5. We have our community group this Sunday Night! Looking forward to it, Casey and I are celebrating Valentine's Day on Monday Night. Can't wait.
6. Had a great response from all the first time guests we had this week at Foundations. Praying for them and hope to see most of them back this week.
7. I really really love what I do. I love our church, our staff, and the week in and week out duties. Love being a part of a church that is seeing lives constantly changed.
8. Looking forward to sleeping in sometime this weekend! Oh it's going to happen.
Hope all of you have a great weekend, and invite someone to come with you this week. It is going to be great!
Do you remember the song, "Groove is in the Heart?" A lot of you will remember the song, but do you remember the band? The band's name is Deee-Lite! Yeah, don't act like you knew that, because you didn't. Here is the deal, it is really sad to me to see some band's song become so popular and then never hear of them and never remember their name. This has happened to hundreds of bands!
As a church I don't want to be a one hit wonder. I don't want us to have one big Sunday and never see anything great happen after that. We are called to reach people every week in every way we can. And I challenge us, Foundations Church, to go back and call the people that came last week and invite them back this week. Keep inviting, keep bringing! I have a new couple coming this week that hasnn't been to church yet. Why? Because Foundations is going to be about more than just having one big week. It's about keeping the passion up, and creating a "hit"(if you want to say) every week. We are doing our best to provide a memorable and incredible experience this week. So get out there and invite, and let's keep making an impact in this community. I love Foundations Church, and love what all of us are seeing happen. Have a great week.
What a busy and awesome weekend we had, here are some of the highlights:
1. Sunday we had our biggest attendance ever, and had 28 people raise their hands for salvation! It was awesome to see and experience!
2. I have to say I was not pulling for the Saints, but they did look really good last night. I love football and hate when the season is over.
3. Had Cory Spurlock and his son Andrew come and stay with us Saturday Night. Had a great time hanging out together, very glad to see my friend be a dad. He is great at it too!
4. We had a great service yesterday, just a ton of excitement. You could really feel God's presence in that place.
5. Our children had the most they have ever had. Sammy had 24 kids and all of them raised their hand for salvation! Thankful for Sammy and Alyssa.
6. We have a great team and staff. Thankful for each of them and their families, we are a very blessed church!
7. So proud of Foundations Church for inviting so many people yesterday! You are awesome church way to go.
8. I have a busy but good week scheduled.
9. We start our new series The Big Mo, a study about Moses, this Sunday! It's going to be really good, so don't miss it.
I want to really encourage, urge, and challenge you to follow up with the guests that came with you this week and get them back to Foundations this week! Let's not just have one big day, let's grow and keep touching and effecting lives. Have a great week.
Up early this Saturday! Woke up around 5 this morning, and my thoughts are immediately going to service on Sunday. What a great opportunity we have to really impact and reach people this Sunday! I hope that this isn't just another weekend for me, you, or Foundations Church. But that this is a different weekend for all of us. That we see a chance to invest in someone's eternity. We see a chance to invite someone to church where they can find community and Belong. We see a chance to bring someone with us to Foundations, and see them get involved in ministry, serve in ministry, and grow as a person and Christian, and they are Becoming a passionate follower of Christ. Please join me in prayer for service tomorrow, and bring someone with you!
A few side notes:
1. Cory Spurlock is coming in town to stay with us and I am always excited to have a chance to hang out with him.
2. Casey is making my favorite meal tonight, brisket, mashed potatoes, and salad. (have to have something healthy and this is the part of the meal I ignore anyways) Then going to chase it down with some homemade chocolate chip cookies, woo hoo!
3. I am totally pulling for the Colts.
4. Just realized I have no Pro Football clothes so I am wearing my true number 1 team tomorrow, THE University of Oklahoma! Have a great weekend, see you tomorrow.
All of us have times in life and areas in life that we are anxious about. In fact a couple of weeks ago I preached on being anxious. Since talking about this topic, I realize just how many people are stressed, restless, and anxious about so much. The other morning I woke up again with too many things on my mind to sleep. So I got up read my bible and prayed for about 3 solid hours. In the midst of it I just felt God speak to me...
"Learn to be still, and know I am God"
How many times are you still long enough, to know that God is still God, Lord, and Author of your Life? I am running around all the time, but more than that my mind is running and thinking and questioning and what ifing (I know not a word) so much that it is never still. Until I become still, until I stop I will not know that God is still God and in control. Why? Because only when I am still does God have the chance to speak to me, only when I am still am I ready to listen, and only when I am still do I have time to reflect on all God has already done. If you are struggling with stress, with anxiety, or restlessness. Be still because then you can know He is still God!
I am believing that this Sunday is going to be the biggest Sunday in the history of our church. So invite your friends, co-workers, and family, and let's reach and impact people. Everybody bring someone with you!
Man I am stinking tired of snow! Ready for spring and summer to get here and get here fast:
1. Went and had a snowball fight with Casey and the girls! 3 against one and the giant still won!
2. Had a great service on Sunday, we were down in attendance but still had people give their hearts to the Lord and even had a few visitors! Great Sunday and glad we still had service.
3. Volunteers of the week- Daryl and John Watkins...thank you guys for shoveling off the sidewalks so everyone could walk safely into church. They went up Saturday, along with Greg Fisher (Fish), and shoveled the snow. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
4. Went to Copeland's Saturday Night with the Weber's. Shane and Heidi are great people and they are funny too. We had a great time hanging out together.
5. Still went to the gym and store on Saturday. Had to get out and move around, too much energy inside of me, or coffee, which ever you want to choose.
6. Remember God has called Foundations church to be a Mission not a Museum! Let's stay focused on reaching people, no excuses.
7. I had some hilarious comments about my sermon after service! You know who all you are.
8. This week's service is going to be awesome! Can't wait for our Big Super Bowl Giveaway Day. Invite someone to Foundations Church this week. Better yet, just bring someone with you.
9. Went sledding with the Kunkel family this weekend as well. Our girls had never been sledding before and had a blast. We have so many great families and people coming to our church.
10. Just in case you didn't know this weekend's service really is going to be phenomenal! Can't wait to see what God does. Have a great week.
So I am sure you are asking yourself, are they going to cancel service or still going to have it? Well as of right now we are going to try to still have service! I hate canceling service, but to decide that on Friday is a little to early for me. So for right now we are still planning on having church. However, we aren't going to be crazy and ridiculous about it. So if we can have service and think people will get out and come we will do service. We will let you know tomorrow, check the website out and watch the news. If we cancel we will let you know otherwise we will plan on having church. Enjoy the snow!
As we have been doing this New thru 30 challenge, one thing I am learning is that there is such power in consistency! Every day I and a lot of you have been reading the bible, and reading a lot of it, and the thing that has been the hardest has been to stay consistent. To consistently read the bible everyday for 30 days! And even though it is the hardest part is the the most effective part. Many times I think our Christian walk has so many problems because we aren't consistent. We are consistently reading the bible, we aren't consistently praying, we are consistently going to church, and the result is their is there is a lot of uncertainty and inconsistency in our spiritual life.
Yet being consistent isn't just true of our walk with Christ. It is true in our relationships too! If I am happy one day and just a hot tempered jerk the next who would want to be married to that? Not me! Yet this is how many of us are and we don't know why our marriage and our relationships are in trouble. Learn to be a consistent person, in your spiritual walk, in your relationships, at your job, in the areas of your finances!
By the way we are planning on having church on Sunday, so plan on being there. It will be worth driving in the snow for!
We had such a busy weekend, but it was great! Here are the highlights:
1. Casey's parents Bob and Debbie came into town on Friday. Had a lot of fun, and Bob and I killed I mean killed the girls in card games. It was sad...
2. Had a great Sunday service, great attendance, just a great day over all. A lot of life change happening every week.
3. Talked about being anxious this week. God is really working on me in this area, if you weren't there make sure you download the podcast.
4. Sammy and Alissa Floyd are doing a great job back with our children in Base Camp! All the children back their raised their hand for salvation! Not that is awesome!
5. Had a great time with our community group on Sunday Night. If you aren't in one, get in one and connect with others.
6. Can't believe the Vikings lost. I was totally a bandwagon Vikings fan after they beat the Cowboys. Man I can't believe they lost! Ahhhhhh
7. Kyle, Tyler, and Cassie are our volunteers of the week! You all are doing a phenomenal job with the video. Greater things are still to come, I can't wait.
8. WE have an amazing staff at Foundations Church. Shannon, Fish, Sammy, and Johnny you guys are awesome I love you guys, love your hearts, and appreciate your sacrifice! You are being used in a huge way to change lives.
This week's service is going to be great! I can't wait, I am telling you it is going to be different and awesome, don't miss it. I'm serious the next two weeks are going to be phenomenal so be there and bring someone with you. Going to be awesome. Have a great week!
