Timing

10 08 2007

God’s timing in things sometimes (even though it shouldn’t) blows me away. There is a magazine here in Cheyenne called “Around Cheyenne” that is published monthly and gets sent out to all Cheyenne residents. In each magazine is an article “Where to Worship”. We’ve been getting this magazine since we moved here and I always thought how cool it was going to be when the chose us. I had thought in my head “Man, what if they would do ours right before we launched?”. I never thought they would. I never contacted the mag or told them anything about us. 2 weeks ago I got a call from the writer of the “Where to Worship” section. She wanted to know if I could be interviewed for that section about Element Church to be released in the September issue, the month before we launch! She heard about our church from one of the ladies who is attending Element and talked about us. She checked out our web-site and the rest is history. So we will be featured in the September issue and will hopefully help us out in launch. God’s timing, never early, never late.

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Marketing

Blog Link

9 08 2007

Grant NAILED it today on his blog! Good job bro!


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Categories : Link

My Awesome Wife!

8 08 2007

Sabrina is amazing. AMAZING! Again, I don’t tell her that enough. What she is able to accomplish in 24 hours is remarkable. My hat goes off to all moms. A few things she’s done lately and I’m proud of.

— Once again Sabrina was #2 in sales on her team for tastefully simple (her small business). She is trying to win a cruise for us! How cool would that be. If any of you know my wife, you know how WAAAAY out of her comfort zone this is. Check out her web-site. You can order food from there. If you need any incredible recipes she’ll hook you up.

— We have at least 2 families who are coming to Element as a direct result of Sabrina doing Tastefully Simple.

— Sabrina and 3 of her friends were able to go to Elitch Gardens (amusement park) in Denver last week. It was Christian music day so they got to see 4 – 5 GREAT bands. Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, Falling Up, etc. (Of course this meant I had the circus to run for a day. See comment at the top)

— Sabrina led our Elevate program on Sunday. This is our 1st – 5th grade program. However, she has really felt like the Lord has been leading her to be “the pastors wife” and not really be in charge of anything. She battled where her role was and really feels like she should be in our worship service, meeting people, mingling, and of course supporting her UNBELIEVABLE husband.

— She bought me tickets to Daughtry LIVE in concert for my birthday. Surprised me yesterday with them. She made me a PHENOMENAL coconut cake, and each of the kids picked out something for me to eat for supper. We had enchiladas, macaroni and cheese and hamburgers. It was the best birthday meal I ever had. And MAN can she make a cake.

Happy to have my wife,

Jeff


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Categories : Family, Personal

Blog Links

7 08 2007

These guys are doing an awesome job and I want you to hear from their hearts as well. Check out Adams and Grants latest blogs.


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Categories : Link

Building altars!

6 08 2007

We have to be careful! I say it again WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL! There is a danger out there in the church world and I think it can become an altar. Something comes along and BOOM “We should do that. Look how everyone loves it.” People get excited over something done in church and we think “That’s it, that’s the ticket.” And we sometimes don’t ask if it should be in the church. I’m not pointing to anything specific or some “technique” in church but in this whole chase to be relevant and reach the culture there is SUCH a danger. I’m all for being relevant and reaching the culture. I’m all for pushing the envelope and CRUSHING the box. HOWEVER, where do I draw the line. I read this in my devotions this morning, check it out.

Exodus 32:3-5 “All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!”

Aaron saw how excited the people were so he offered them what they wanted. BUT IT WASN’T RIGHT. NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY LIKED IT! Anyway, I just think we need to be creative, relevant and reach the culture without JUST offering what makes the people excited. There needs to be a filter in which we run everything through. “If we do this, can and will it bring glory to God and draw people into HIS presence.” It’s such a fine line. I want to be careful as I try to be relevant. I have one person to please and that’s it.

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Discipleship, Personal

Weekend Wrapup Additions

6 08 2007

WOW! A couple of additions to the weekend wrapup. The office staff met today to evaluate our preview service. That’s always fun yet challenging. Asking the questions “What can we do better?” “What needs to be fixed?” “What did we do well?” Hard questions to ask sometimes but I think when we are offering the GREATEST news imaginable we want to package it in the BEST package possible. Anyway, couple things totally not about what we did wrong or right that I wanted to add.

— Our offering was $2118.61. Again, GO GOD! That is awesome! Several first time givers which we celebrate! Thanks God!

— We had 24 volunteers. Yeah TWENTY FOUR. And they aren’t just warm bodies to plug in, they are qualified, love the Lord, serve people, volunteers. We didn’t beg, plead, or have 47 sign up sheets. We said “You have an OPPORTUNITY to serve your church and to serve your God.” They took the opportunity. I hope we teach that well. Serving is NOT an obligation. It is NOT a duty. It is ABSOLUTELY one of the GREATEST opportunities we have as followers of Christ. To serve our God and serve other people.

Anyway, couple of extras for ya. CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Element Church, Preview Service, Updates

Weekend Wrapup

6 08 2007

Had another GREAT Sunday at Element Church. Didn’t see the increase in attendance as I would have liked but we had a BUNCH of first time guests. Here are some thoughts and results from preview.

— We had 63 in attendance yesterday. At our last preview we had 75, that was with 18 out of town guests. I didn’t know what to expect.

— Our offering was over $1500. Largest yet. Go God!

— We had 4 families/individuals fill out connection cards as FTG’s (first time guests). At least two others were FTG but didn’t fill out a card.

— We had a HORRIBLE time setting up and specifically in the technical audio/visual area. It REALLY set us back time wise for the morning. It all came together and the service went great but MAN it was a frustrating morning.

— We have, already, an AMAZING group of volunteers. People helping at 6:30 AM loading up a stage. 7 AM had 8 people setting up (we need more). We had 6 or 7 volunteers on our first impressions team. We had several in the e:kidz department. We are off to a great start with volunteers.

— We added two stage pieces which were priceless. It enabled us to set up one whole corner for a drama that Keenan did. Keenan did a great job on a little monologue to set up my message.

— The theme for the day was “What will your story be?” Showed the video “The Martyrs Prayer” as part of my message. Adam and the band closed the service with an AWESOME version of Blessed Assurance. It wasn’t your mom and dads hymn that’s for sure.

— The band sounded great. WE HAVE A DRUMMER! One of the guy’s new to our church is playing drums for us. We added a drum shield which helped us control sound TREMENDOUSLY.

— Got a list of new things to work on. I’m glad we’re doing previews. Helps us tweak things that need to be tweaked. Learn from our mistakes. Get ready for our public launch.

— Can’t wait for Unplugged on Sunday. Hoping to see some of these new faces back. We have not had ONE week yet without a new face. That’s all we’re praying for. “Lord, bring us new faces.” At this point we just want to see and connect new people.

— Sept. 9th marks our next preview service. Starting that Sunday we will be in the theater every week. Please join us in praying that we outgrow the theater quickly. I WANT a space problem.

— On a side note…Can’t share a whole lot of detail but please also pray for the theater situation. Slight possibility that we won’t be able to stay there. Long story and lots of details but the future at this time is uncertain. Please pray!

That’s it. Thanks for following along. I probably forgot stuff that I’ll have to add later.

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Preview Service, Updates

Preview Premonition

4 08 2007

HA! Couldn’t think of a different title.

— We felt ready for preview this week. It felt weird. Last month the week before preview was frantic so this week it was like “Are we ready? Shouldn’t this be a crazy week?” It was a very busy week but felt controlled.

— Projector at the theater looks fantastic. Got that figured out. Got the correct cable, the presentation software is working, etc.

— We are organizing the trailer today and getting it ready to go.

— Praise practice at 10 AM this morning. One of the new guy’s in the church is playing drums so that’s cool.

— Doing our first drama this week. Keenan has something good worked up that will compliment and set up my message well.

— We have a GREAT group of volunteers this week. Katrina held her e:kidz meeting Tuesday while Grant and I held our First Impressions meeting Thursday. Beginning to see those spots fill up well.

— We are getting to the theater at 7:00 AM tomorrow to set up. The first movie doesn’t play until 12:30 so we have extra time this Sunday to tear down.

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Preview Service, Updates

Through The Wilderness

2 08 2007

MAN, the wilderness was a horrible place to take the Israelites when they left Egypt wasn’t it? I mean, there had to be a better way, shorter way, easier path than that? What was God thinking? Actually, God WAS thinking. (He’s smart that way) He took the Israelites through the wilderness for a reason. BEYOND “So they would learn a lesson…”. Exodus 13:17 “God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promise Land.” Why? They weren’t ready for the battle with those GIANTS yet. God said “They might turn around and go back to Egypt.” The wilderness wasn’t the fastest, easiest, shortest, or most convenient way, but it was THE WAY. It was the best way God could have taken them. They didn’t see that. We don’t sometimes either do we? We’re just like the Israelites. “Why did you bring me into this wilderness to die of thirst?” Maybe, JUST MAYBE the other way(s) weren’t the best BUT this one is! Another place the Israelites came to some water at Marah but it was bitter, so they complained against God. “Why bring us here to die. We were better off in Egypt.” A few verses later, you know what they found? “After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.” God ALWAYS takes us the best way. If we’ll wait, and walk with Him we’ll eventually find the oasis. I am still learning this!

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Discipleship, Personal

Website Growth

2 08 2007

Cool to see our website grow in usage. It’s turned out to be a great tool for us. We’ve had MANY connections to our church through visits to our web. In July we went over 1000 hits to our web-site. I have no idea what normal usage is for a church but that is the most we’ve had. We hope to really utilize our web as a tool to reach more people. We’re planning on offering video of our entire service each week through the web-site. That totally changes our connecting points with people. When inviting someone to church you can actually direct them to SEE what church is like. So many churches (even here in Cheyenne) that seem to have the finances and people to do it have VERY ineffective web-sites. Not everyone, but LOTS of peoples first impression of your church is your web page. It needs to represent who you are, the feel, and personality of your church. Anyway, I put a picture below of our web statistics since we started. Very cool to see the growth. (Of course I go to our web page 50 times a day. HA just kidding)

Following Christ,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting

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