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.
I knew this before but as we are doing the New thru 30, I am reminded how important time is. There are many of us that are going through life stressed out because their doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done. If I am not careful this can happen to me very easily and my life and schedule can become way too busy. So here are some things I do that help me with my time:
1. Learn to say no to things. You have to say no to people and events.
2. Don't waste time. (Examples: facebook, myspace, video games, TV these aren't things you must do and if you don't watch it, they will take up to 3 hours of your day without you even knowing it.)
3. Prioritize your schedule. Do your must first, your needs seconds, and your wants last.
4. Prioritize people. People can take a ton of time up, make sure you are spending time with people you need to. If you don't watch it one person can try to monopolize your time! Make sure you put your spouse and kids at the top of this list.
5. Have a to do list. Many times our schedules are hectic, because there is no order to them, organize your weeks and days.
Hope this helps. I am not blogging very much because of the New thru 30 challenge, it is awesome but challenging at the same time. This Sunday I am speaking about Learning to Cast... I promise you will want to be there and it is a sermon that is very applicable to every person and every age. Don't you miss it and bring someone with you. Text them, facebook them, call them, but get them to Foundations on Sunday. It is going to be uhmazing! Have a great rest of the week!
1. Went to OKC to see my parents and spend some time with some great friends! We had a blast and our girls loved seeing their Nanna and Papaw!
2. Got to eat at one of my favorite restaurants in OKC called Saturn Grill. It is awesome, you should go try if you have never been.
3. Had a really great service on Sunday. I love our team and I love what God is doing in our services too!
4. Having our projector down irritated the mess out of me and Shannon. Oh man I hate when we have technical problems; however it will be fixed and won't happen again anytime soon! (I hope)
5. The Cowboys lost! The Vikings kicked their face in. So now I am a total Vikings Bandwagon Fan, go Peterson and Farve.
6. Thank you to all our children's workers. Everyone of you are the volunteers of the week. All of you are doing an amazing job with our children week in and week out. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put in, and for loving on our kids.
7. Felt really sick after service this week. Nothing too bad, just glad it is over with!
8. We have a lot of needs in our congregation, glad we serve a God who is way bigger than our situations.
9. This new thru 30 reading is tough. I gotta stop blogging and get to reading.
I hope all of you have a great week this week. I am preaching on being anxious this week. This is going to be a very transparent and personal sermon for me. I hope you are inviting people to come with you this week, it is going to be a great service. Love you all, love being the pastor of Foundations Church, and can't wait for Sunday! Bring somebody with you.
Many times we miss out on things and experiences simply because we are afraid to try. Like getting a new hair style, many of us won't do a new hair style because we don't know what it will look like on us, so we keep the old one but wish for something different. And there are many of us that 2010 will come and go and we will be the same person with the same financial problems, relationship problems, marriage problems, job problems, health problems, and spiritual problems because we are most of the time not afraid but unwilling to try new things. Let me encourage you to try something new this year. Some of us need to quit old habits and start new ones. Others of us just need to get outside of our comfort zones and push ourselves further. Here are some new things I am going to try that I haven't yet:
1. Try sushi (looks gross, but everyone raves about it)
2. Get out of town without the kids just me and Casey (this is no small feat)
3. Try to read the whole bible through In 6 months. (you try reading through Leviticus, Numbers, and Duet.)
4. Bring one person a month to church with me. I want to lead the way in this area for our church and not just preach it. I am working on this now.
5. Go deep sea fishing
6. Go on a mission's trip and see the little girl we adopted from Haiti. (we support her financially every month)
7. Try to find a piece of cheesecake I can tolerate. (This is going to be the hardest one)
8. Spend more time with my friends.
9. Have a guy's road trip. (This is a must)
10. Help our church grow to 500 this year!
Can't wait to see all these things happen, except maybe for the Cheesecake! Have a great rest of the week. And really invite someone to come to church with you this week, go change somebody's life!
Had a great weekend this past week! Very busy and very tiring but very fun. So here's the run down:
1. Had a great friend Nicole Pierce come in town and stay with us on Friday Night. She brought some puppy chow made with butterscotch, peanut butter, and chocolate chips! Oh man it is sooooo good it was worth the 2 extra pounds I put on!
2. Woke up for no reason at all at 2:30 in the morning on Saturday!
3. Birthday Party at the Crisp House! A lot of people and a lot of toys.
4. Had an amazing service on Sunday. God is doing some great huge things at Foundations Church! Love what is happening and seeing people's lives changed.
5. God can't bless what he doesn't posses.
6. The worship team did an incredible job on Sunday! Great job Shannon and the worship team, loved your hearts for worship.
7. Had a great time at our community group on Sunday Night! We all gave away junk we got for Christmas, it was halarious.
8. Cowboys won a playoff game! Watch out now.
9. Went to lunch with the Hull family, had a blast and ate way too much food.
I hope you have a great week this week. Just started our New thru 30 today, it is going to be awesome! Invite someone to come with you this week.
We just came out of Christmas and all of you I hope had an incredible Christmas. As I watched my kids go to bed Christmas Eve, there was so much anticipation and excitement on their part about Santa, that they could hardly sleep. They knew something great was going to happen the next day, they knew something incredible was going to occur the next morning when they woke up. And sure enough something truly incredible and remarkable happened they got a pony! Okay so there was no pony but there were a ton of presents for them and it was a day they will always remember.
For me every Sunday that comes, I feel like a kid who is trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. I can't wait for it to come, because I know something truly incredible is going to happen, something unforgettable! Yet what would happen if all of us felt this way, and had this kind of expectation and anticipation? Can you imagine the excitement that would be in the air, the buzz that would be stirring, the experience that people would have? Oh I can and I do, I want to encourage you to expect, anticipate, and get excited because Sunday is only 4 days away! Wooo Hooo I can't wait! I am already inviting, already expecting, already having a hard time sleeping! Why? Because I know somebody's life is going to be changed, somebody's eternity is going to be totally altered. So get on your phone, facebook, walk to somebody's office, or to your neighbors house and invite them to come. I am so excited about 2010 that it is really hard for me to sit still, and no it's not the coffee! Have a great rest of the week.
So much happened this past weekend, but it was an amazing weekend though so here are some thoughts:
1. Remember we are an In n Out Burger Church, not a Golden Corral!
2. So excited that we are doing the New thru 30 as a church. If you haven't signed up do it. Get ready to grow and become who God intended you to be.
3. We had 2 staff out this week. Fish was sick and Jonathan was in a car wreck. Glad they are both okay, but man I missed them both big time!
4. Glad to see OU win in their bowl game, they looked really good. I won't say anything about OSU, my momma told me if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. So...
5. Had a great attendance this week at service. Can't wait to see all that 2010 holds for Foundations Church.
6. Tim Schneidau was the big time volunteer of the week. Thank you Tim for all that you did this Sunday, you did a ton of things and didn't mind doing them, so thank you very very much. I love the heart that Tim and his wife Ashley have for Foundations Church and for reaching people.
7. Very excited about starting our internet campuses up and doing the live streaming video. Can't wait to see who is going to be impacted through us using the internet.
I truly hope all of you have a great week. Make sure you invite someone to come with you this week to church. We are starting a new series called Overflow. Ahhhhh I can't wait to see what happens this year, how God uses Foundations Church, and to see all the lives changed. Let's go out and make a difference now! Have a great week.
There are quite a few New Year Resolutions that I have for myself and the church and I thought I would share some of them:
1. To see more than 200 people give their life to the Lord in 2010!
2. To enjoy the journey more and not focus so much on the destination.
3. To go on more dates and getaways with my beautiful bride. I am stupid for not spending as much time as I can with such an amazing and beautiful wife.
4. To read the Bible more than I did this year.
5. To reach more people and our church double in attendance.
6. To get out and relax more with my friends and family.
7. To eat healthier (I haven't been eating as well as I should be)
8. To run in 3 15K races. Half marathons were too rough on my body.
9. To play more with my little girls.
10. To be as close to God as I can be, to be simply a Man of God. Don't care if people know my name, if I get am ever a famous pastor or speaker, I just want to be a Man of God and see a move of God happen in Tulsa.
Seriously invite your friends to church this Sunday! People are looking for a church to belong to, and are very likely to come at the beginning of the year. So invite, invite, invite, and let's see God change lives. I can't wait for Sunday and hope you have a great New Year.
I just got home from all our Christmas travels. We had a great time, enjoyed our family and friends, but I am very happy to be back home.
So I don't know if you have seen the I am second videos on youtube or not, but I love watching them. They talk all about how their life is not about them, and how they are second. It reminds me of our church and I have to say that I am very glad that we are building a church that isn't about the pastor. Our church can and did run without me being there this past Sunday. Mostly because of two reasons: 1) I don't want to make church all about me 2) I have a great staff and capable team serving with me.
Being gone this past weekend reminded me that this church can never be about me or about anyone else, but has to be all about pursing what Christ wants us (the church) to do. I truly believe this and I am not about building my kingdom up and making myself look important, but I am always trying to be about building up God's Kingdom. Foundations Church can never become about me, you, or reaching a specific person, it simply has to be about reaching people.
I can't wait till this Sunday, I got to rest and had my Shabbath. Yes I meant to spell it that way. Shabbath in the Hebrew means to cause to cease, to stop. So I took my Shabbath, but I am ready to go this week. I hope you have a great New Years, and make sure you invite someone to come with you on Sunday. One of people's top New Years Resolutions is to start going to church. So make sure you invite someone to come with you this week. Let's start making a difference at the beginning of this year in people's lives. Have a great week, and I will see you Sunday.
Let me say we had a great service this past weekend! This has been one of the best months for Foundations Church since we have started. From attendance to life change happening, it has been awesome! Our children did a fantastic job performing this past Sunday. I am so thankful for all of our children's workers and all they do week in and week out with our kids. We are seeing some incredible growth in our children's area and are volunteers are simply doing a fantastic job. I enjoyed taking communion with our church family too. Something very special about taking communion and singing Christmas songs. It was just a great all around weekend experience and I love where our church is headed.
So I am in McKinney, Texas spending Christmas with Casey's family. I love that I really enjoy my in-laws, I am very lucky to have great and loving in-laws. Our girls love being at Nanna and Bob Bob's house, it is going to be a very fun and enjoyable Christmas. I will take a break from blogging the rest of this week, but make sure you don't forget Jesus! With all the events and family, don't forget, or as my daughter says you will be crazy crazy! Love you all and wish you the Merriest Christmas!
For some reason my blog entry for being Generous part 2 didn't work. Got it fixed so check it out below. Before you leave though. Really all you reading this invite someone to come to church with you this week. We are the light of the world and what better time to shine than this. People are looking for a place to belong, I can think of no better place than Foundations. It is true, there are going to be a ton of people that will come to church with you (especially this Sunday) if you just invite them. So get out of your comfort zone and invite someone and shine!
Have a great week and service is going to be great this week, don't you dare miss it!
1. We are having great services at Foundations Church right now! Had our 2nd largest service, and seeing God touch hearts every week. I love seeing what God is doing through Foundations Church.
2. I don't know what went wrong with my last blog entry. I will try and post it again this week.
3. Congrads to everyone who won a 1 hour massage at Face and Body Salon! I hope you guys can take time to rest and cease!
4. Don't forget to take a Shabath! The spelling is right, if you weren't there for the sermon make sure you download the podcast.
5. Thank you Chris Cummings. Chris has been running and setting up the sound the last 2 weeks and doing an outstanding job. Thanks for all your time, hard work, and you heart to serve Chris.
6. Eugene Fields Elementary is having their Christmas Party this week. There is a classroom our church adopted that these kids are going to have Christmas Presents now. Thank you Foundations Church for being generous.
7. Our Christmas Shindig was great. Thanks to Steve and Cindy for opening up your house to the church. We had a great turnout and I love getting to sit down and getting to know people more. Glad all of you came out.
8. I am trying to maintain my weight right now, but man it is hard this time of year! Getting back on the treadmill and trying to stay healthy. Good luck to all of you!
9. Our children's area is exploding! We are seeing some phenomenal growth happen in our children's area! Thank you to all of you that are serving and helping out in this area and for investing in our kids.
I hope you all have a great week! I know this is a busy time, and that we are all trying to get everything done before the end of the year. But take time to enjoy the season too. Make sure you invite someone to come with you next week to Foundations Church. Make a difference this week!
This past week at Foundations Church I talked about Proverbs 11:25 – The generous man shall prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Many people said this to me after service “I don’t know if I can pay my bills if I I tithe.” Many people want to be generous which isn’t tithing (that is what is asked and required) but they want to give above their tithe. But here is the deal for tithing and being generous… it is simply scary when you first start.
First of all let me say it is scary to take this step. Please know I understand if you are scared and unsure, because it doesn’t make sense. On paper the principal of tithing doesn’t make sense, a generous man prospers doesn’t make sense on paper. But you have to realize one big thing this is a Spiritual Principal and not an Earthly Principal. Sounds too spiritual, this is a God thing not a man thing. And my advice to you that have said these remarks and have these worries, let me give you a scripture that has helped me…
Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
When you break it down you simply have to trust in God’s way and here is the key with ALL your heart. Do that and the bible says He will make your paths straight. You may not understand, but God doesn’t ask you understand His ways just that you trust them. I am praying for all of you thinking about taking this step. Let me finish by saying this, I have seen God bless me so much when I started seeing how much I could give instead of how much I had to give. You simply cannot out give God. If you sow much you reap much, if you sow sparingly you reap sparingly. I pray that you jump into this principal simply because it works. Hope all of you are having a great week, invite someone to come with you this week, it is going to be uhmazing!
1. What a great service this week! We had the most we have ever had in attendance, the biggest offering we have ever had given, and many lives changed. So thankful to God for what He has done!
2. Had 7 people raise their hand for salvation. Lives being changed forever never gets old. Glad we have a church that is focused on loving and seeing people's lives changed.
3. It was fun giving out Fortune Cookies this week. Remember fish, chips, and fortune cookies! The more you give the more you have!
4. Can't believe Texas beat Nebraska. I have never rooted for Nebraska before, and plan to never do it again!
5. Sammy and Alyssa had the most kids in Base Camp they have ever had! When they first came, there were weeks we didn't have any! They and their team are doing an outstanding job, way to go.
6. Volunteer of the Week: Harlan Fisher- Harlan brings our coffee and donuts every week. He also greets everyone and hands them their bulletin, and stuffs the bulletins every week. Thank you Harlan for your time, energy, and your heart.
7. It is crazy crazy cold out! I wish it was summer right after New Years Eve.
8. Have a busy week this week. OKC day trip tomorrow to visit with some people about some exciting things happening in our church. Hope to share more about this in the future.
9. All the kids from Eugene Fields Elementary got adopted for Christmas this week. Way to go Foundations Church! So glad we are raising up a church that is determined to be generous.
10. A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. - Proverbs 11:25
I hope all you have a great week this week. God is doing great things and I am so excited about the lives that are being changed. Don't forget about the massages that are being given away this week as we talk about learning to rest this coming Sunday. Start inviting your friends to come now!
I am reading a great book right now called the Principal of the Path by Andy Stanley. In it he talks about something he calls the Principal of the Path and it is this:
Direction- not intention- determines our destination.
Wow! Let that sink in. Here is the deal this principal is true for every area of our lives. Financially, spiritually, relationally, etc... what ever direction we are going in leads us to where we are. We may want to be financially free, but if we keep putting things on credit cards, if we keep saying well its just too good of a deal not to invest in, if we keep putting ourselves in debt that is where we find ourselves. Because direction not intention determines our destination.
You may want to have a great family life, how much time are you spending at home. You may want to have a great marriage, but if you keep putting the kids, money, work, friends, in front of your spouse, you aren't going to have a great marriage. Why? Because intentions don't really matter, direction does though.
Tiger Woods this week is in a huge mess. He never I'm sure "intended" to be here but He took a path a direction that lead him to his present destination. So look at what path you are on in all the different areas. If you don't like the direction you are heading in, stop and change direction not just intentions.
Hope you have a great rest of the week! Invite people to come to church with you this week. People are more likely to come with you to church during the Christmas Holidays than any other time. So go ahead ask your coworker, your neighbor, your friend, service is going to be awesome!
1. Had a great service Sunday. It was one of the best we have had, 6 people gave their heart to the Lord, people got baptized in water, people were encouraged to be thankful this Christmas. Just a great day.
2. 5th Sunday- Every month there is a 5th Sunday, we take time as a church to come together and do worship and communion from 6 to 7. We had a great night, I love getting together as a church and doing this, it is a very intimate time, and everyone that comes love it.
3. Bedlam- I had the chance to go to the OU/osu game. Thanks to Dustin and Ashley Jones for the tickets! It was awesome to watch the Sooners kick OSU's rear. (Sorry to all you OSU fans) Loved getting to go with my dad, bother-in-law, and friends. It was a great day.
4. I ate way entirely too much this week. Too much turkey, way too much dressing and mashed potatoes, and I think I was at one time drinking gravy! And of course there was homemade pie, whoo hoo. All this food was great, now its back to eating healthy.
5. Had a great time with my family this past week. I don't get to see my sister, her kids, and my brother in law very much. They live in Houston and are in ministry, so they are kind of busy on the weekends! But they are simply awesome and I love them a way too much.
6. Did I mention OU won?
7. We as the setup team and worship team, took time from 9:15 to 9:30 to pray in the auditorium. It was a really great time, we need God more than ever, if we are going to see more accomplished for His kingdom. If you can come join us this week.
8. I love our church. Love the people, love the staff, love the culture we are creating. God is doing some awesome things and I love it.
9. Due to some technical problems the sermon did not get recorded! Not happy about this, but the video will be on the podcast site, if you didn't get to see it check it out it will really minister to you.
I hope all of you have a great week. I am going to get back into blogging on a regular basis. Bring someone with you this Sunday, it going to be great. Hope you all have a fantastic week.
