**

Blessed are the...

2011-01-11T20:18:00.009-05:00

Began a series on the Beatitudes last Sunday. In the message I made a reference to the Sermon on the Mount scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian. I decided to go ahead and post the clip here, in case you were there Sunday and haven't seen the movie. Enjoy...

AT THE MOVIES!

2010-08-06T07:49:00.005-04:00

It's back! The most anticipated series of the year. And this year we've got an amazing line up of films to show and teach around.

This week our crew traveled to Gatlinburg and began shooting scenes for weeks 1 & 2. Of course ALL our shots were outside in the blistering 104 heat indexed day! If you notice my face a little redder than usual this Sunday... that would be why!

Looking forward to August 15th! Hope to see you there!!

Whatchu talkin' 'bout?

2010-05-29T12:13:00.014-04:00

Gary Coleman passed away this week. Though his life was filled with some not-so-great moments over the years, I'll always remember him for the roll he tried so desperately to get out from under: Arnold Jackson!

In fact, 2 months ago I preached a message, using his popular catch phrase from the show Diff'rent Strokes as the spring board for the talk. It was a message about how God's ways don't always make sense. I think its a message that might have helped Gary Coleman. Maybe it could help you, too...

Update on Sam May (03.18.10)

2010-03-21T14:00:00.000-04:00

Been 10 days since my last full update on dad. A lot of you have been asking for one... sorry for the delay. I'll tell you what the doctors and nurses told us: No news is good news!

But, I know you're still wondering... so, here it goes:

Until today dad has been pretty unresponsive. Since coming thru the surgeries, he's mostly been tired and seemingly out of it. Honestly, that was hard to take. When all you have to connect with someone are blinking eyes, it's killer when they stop. Thankfully, today was a different story. He's bright-eyed once again and attempting to spell words... "attempt" means we got TROOP, LWC, CLATH TOWEL and LENTR out of him. We're working with the Pentagon to break the code! :)

Selina helped some with deciphering things, suggesting that maybe the LEN in LENTR could stand for G-LEN BECK. So, I asked dad if he wanted us to just shut up and turn up the volume on Fox News to which he blinked a definitive "YES"! We took the hint and considered it a break through...

As for his medical condition... he's on blood thinners now for the clotting that formed yesterday, is relying less and less on the wall C-PAP, and seems to be overcoming a second bout with pneumonia. He is opening and closing his mouth on command and "attempts" to smile when asked (although it more closely resembles an Elvis impersonation than any smile I've ever seen).

The hospital plans to keep him for a few more days to monitor his clots before discharging him to a longer term hospital nearby, still in Chattanooga. As we know more, we'll let you know more.

As always, thanks for the prayers, comments, and concern. We love you all and are ever-grateful for your support! God bless!! For those of you in Chattanooga, FYI... I'll be back in the pulpit on Sunday. Looking forward to it!

A Sigh of Relief

2010-03-06T12:25:00.000-05:00

The day we've all been avoiding finally came: We brought dad into the discussion on how he would like to proceed. As a family we always hope our loved one will choose to fight no matter what may come, but you never fully know until you ask.

We knew we had to ask dad what he wanted to do, as we are facing the need to trache him today at 2pm and looking at two separate surgeries this coming week. So, this morning mom, Scott, and I approached him. Scott eloquently laid out what was going on to him and then asked dad if he was wanting to fight no matter what. Before Scott could finish the question dad was strongly responding "yes"! We confirmed his response and all breathed a sigh of relief.

Dad admitted he was scared, but is believing for a miracle. As for progress... today he had both eyes opened and was able to follow left to right to see us on both sides of his bed (this is a first and the latest miracle in a string of unbelievable moments as we begin Week 2).

If you do not live in the Chattanooga area and unable to attend the Prayer Meeting scheduled for 4pm today at Oakwood Baptist, please take time during that hour to lift dad up in prayer. We love you all and are looking forward to the future!!

The lastest on Sam May...

2010-03-02T06:32:00.001-05:00

Hello my beloved family and friends. So many of you are asking for the latest on my dad's condition... Here it is: Our initial conclusion was that the accident was a result of falling asleep at the wheel. It appears my dad had a stroke and that caused the accident. The stroke left irreparable damage to the main arteries going from his brain stem to his body. This means all information the brain is sending out is not being received. This is permanent and will affect his quality of life, ultimately resulting in his death. The term they gave us is "locked in"... this means he has full cognitive ability and can think, hear, and respond with blinks. But, that's the extent. His brain is "locked in" his body.

As you can imagine, this is shocking and terrible news. We ask you to pray for a miracle. That my dad’s body will be restored in the land of the living... We are believing for such. Yet, we also pray the words of Christ: "Not my will, but yours Father." As followers of Christ we know there is only one way... the way of the cross. As I said in my sermon on Sunday, if His will lines up with our way, praise God! If it does not... we must still go the way of the cross! For we are not merely called to live as disciples of Christ... we are also called to die along side Him. May God get the glory in whatever He chooses to do! Pray for all you are worth and together let us release this to the Lord. Thank you for your ongoing love and support!

Closing Out "It Starts With One"

2010-02-15T14:34:00.006-05:00

This coming weekend we will be finishing up our first mini-series on the book of Acts. It's been a great ride attempting to cover everything from speaking in tongues to a husband and wife who were struck dead for skimping on their offering to the church (see video below)! Safe to say, we've avoided some landmines...

One of my favorite moments of the series though was the weekend of our Net Group Kickoff. Great to see people (some for the very first time) connecting beyond the weekend. Can't wait to see the growth that comes as our groups move forward in the coming months.

As we close the series this Sunday, I encourage you to attend. It's a message about growing pains! And as always with this series, it speaks to where we are as a church.

Look forward to every week! And I love this church!!

A Weekend to Remember

2010-01-31T20:47:00.008-05:00

On Friday afternoon, I tucked away into my office to put the final touches on my weekend message. Two hours later when I emerged from my cave, the ground outside was covered in snow. As much as I love the snow... this isn't what you want to see going into the weekend when your pastoring a young church!

Throughout Saturday we watched the news closely and gave up keeping count of all the churches canceling their Sunday services. We also fielded many calls, texts, and emails from members of our church wondering when we would follow suit.

Early on we decided to reschedule our NetGroup Kickoff, knowing we'd be facing a small crowd even if we did proceed with caution. But, to cancel service was something I couldn't bring myself to do. I'm a Yankee - born and raised. And I knew if we canceled services up north for weekend's like this, the church doors would have been closed four months out of the year!

I understand things are different here. There are mountains. There are inexperienced drivers. There's not near enough equipment to clear the roads. I get all that. And so, I kept telling the team, "Come if you can, but if you're not comfortable making the trek, stay at home." Some came, some didn't. No big deal.

We assessed who we had to work with once we arrived and as always, God provided. I can honestly say, the experience didn't miss a beat. The crowd was strong. God's presence was felt. And the weather wasn't so bad after all.

To those who came out, it was great spending the morning with you. To those who didn't, we look forward to seeing you next week. To all... we love you! We love this city and we love this church! I can't imagine doing anything else.

This coming weekend, we'll continue our series on the book of Acts. And I'll deliver what I've been calling: The Most Important Message of the Year! See you there!

The Most Important Message of the Year

2010-01-25T09:44:00.007-05:00

I'm loving our series on the book of Acts. We've gotten great feedback from the church and God is doing some amazing things. This weekend we are covering Acts 4. And I truly believe this message is the most important one of the year.

It's part visionary, part explanatory. It's all about why we do things the way we do things at The Net. At it's core - it's all about the church. My hope and prayer is that people get it... that this weekend moves us to the next phase of growth God has for us. That we become closer to the image He has destined for us. That Acts 4:32 would become more real to us than ever before: "All the believers were of one heart and one mind..."

For those who have missed any of the 3 weeks leading up this Sunday, below you'll find video clips from Acts 1-3. To watch any of our messages in their entirety, click here.

A Change of Pace

2009-11-29T13:14:00.006-05:00

Well, we mixed it up a little at The Net this weekend. A lot more music, a little less talk, and one powerful response time!

We took the weekend to reflect on Thanksgiving and talked about how sometimes the holidays aren't "the most wonderful time of the year!" I shared my personal experience from this past week and hope if nothing else - it helped a few people get re-focused.

In addition, Selina and I decided to serve everyone communion this weekend. The response was overwhelming... We nearly ran out of bread and had only a few drops of juice left. As for the worship - amazing. Thanks to MJ and the band for leading us into God's presence today!

It was a honor spending the morning with all who made it out. I love this church and enjoy being your pastor! Thanks for coming along for the ride!

If you've got 20 minutes and would like to catch the brief message from today, click here or watch below... hope it blesses you.

One Prayer Update

2009-11-23T12:35:00.005-05:00

This weekend we gave an update on One Prayer - a movement started 2 years ago by lifechurch.tv combining the efforts of over 2K churches in giving, outreach, and the teaching of God's word.

If you were a part of One Prayer or a part of The Net and you missed this past weekend's experience - check out the clip below and hear a brief update on the difference you are making around the world!

Trick #6... Kiss the Devil Goodbye!

2009-11-22T14:02:00.003-05:00

Today we closed out the series 6 Tricks - shifting gears away from taking action and looking at the Devil's last and most dangerous trick - Just keep going! The big idea: If he can't stop you, he'll push you... to the brink of destruction!

If you're up for learning more about the Sabbath, check out the message. And when you get to the 24:07 mark, what you can't hear that we did live is the music kicking on prior to the 11:20 showing of My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure! Ah, the joys of having church in a movie complex!! :)

Enjoy the trick and take yourself a Sabbath this week!

Trick #6 (Just Keep Going!) from The Net Church on Vimeo.

Trick #5

2009-11-15T13:34:00.005-05:00

Our series is quickly coming to a close. But, not before we squeeze in a couple more tricks from our downtown devil. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Trick #5! Enjoy...

A Hint of Things to Come

2009-11-14T14:04:00.004-05:00

Today I was catching up on some blogs I like to follow. Came across a post by Craig Groeschel of lifechurch.tv entitled Letting Go of What Other People Think. I liked it. And it fits somewhat with this weekend's message, so I'm sharing his post below. Hope you enjoy it and will be with us Sunday!

Becoming obsessed with what people think about you is the fastest way to forget what God thinks about you.

My mom taught me the common truth, “You can’t please everyone.”

From my observation, ministers seem to be more vulnerable to people-pleasing than most professions.

In reality, we should be the most resolved of all not to live for the applause of men but the approval of God.

Don’t let anyone talk you out of following God’s voice.

Don’t let anyone’s criticism distract you from your passion.

Don’t long for affirmation before you move forward.

Say what God prompts you to say. Go where God leads you to go. Do what God puts on your heart. Let go of living for people. Become obsessed with living for God.

100 Words Or Less...

2009-11-09T11:19:00.006-05:00

This weekend we talked about sharing your faith. During the message, I discussed a book I'd read years ago by Bill Hybels (pastor of Willowcreek Church) called Walk Across the Room. In it, he challenges the reader to write out their before-and-after story of how Christ changed their life in 100 words or less. I did. You can hear my story by clicking here.

But, more importantly, we want to hear YOUR story. How did Christ change YOUR life? Can you tell us in 100 words or less? If so, click here and join the ranks!

Trick #4: BONUS WEEK!

2009-11-08T13:43:00.004-05:00

This weekend we got another delightful visit via video from our downtown devil. But, in addition - as we discussed the idea of sharing your faith - we got another treat! Have you ever experienced evangelism... door-to-door? Then, you might identify with the video below!

Note: The first video is Trick #4. The second, property of Seacoast Church - on loan to The Net - to show you how NOT to evangelize!

Enjoy!

Trick #3

2009-11-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

Last Sunday was week 3 in our latest series: 6 Tricks! Below is the video of our downtown devil having fun with a kid who just wanted to be on TV! To watch the entire 30-minute message on When NOT to Pray, click here!

Thanks!

2009-10-25T14:16:00.002-04:00

Took a moment this morning to say thanks to everyone who calls The Net their home and faithfully serve God along side us. Included is a brief mention of an outreach project some of our ladies were a part of yesterday at a battered women's shelter.

We're grateful for your service!

Trick #2

2009-10-25T14:05:00.003-04:00

Continued our series today called 6 Tricks! Which means our next installment of downtown devil tricks hit the street. Enjoy!

"Now, I'm gonna have to go get baptized!"

2009-10-18T13:48:00.006-04:00

Last Sunday we followed a devil around downtown Chattanooga to capture him performing tricks for the teeming masses of humanity. After stares, threats, and a few good laughs we came away with 6 videos we will be sharing over 6 weeks as we discuss 6 tricks the Devil uses to render God's church ineffective for the Kingdom! (Yes, for those who were counting - that was three 6's... what can I say, the Devil made me do it)

In this first of six videos, we happened upon a fellow-believer, who after being "tricked by the devil" and coerced by him to verbally admit it, walked away saying, "Now, I'm gonna have to go get baptized!" Priceless!

Hope you enjoy it and will tune in for more tricks of the Devil over the coming weeks!

Downtown Devil!

2009-10-16T10:10:00.005-04:00

A new series at The Net begins this Sunday entitled 6 Tricks! We're exposing the Devil's tricks against the church. In preparation for the series we dressed up our own resident devil and headed to downtown Chattanooga this past Sunday. Our goal: to capture our devil performing 6 magic tricks on the general public. Apparently, dressing a guy up as a devil on a Sunday afternoon in the bible belt isn't such a hot idea... no matter how close to Halloween!

In the end, though - we got our 6 tricks. Trick #1 will be shown this Sunday, as we discuss what it really means to be a Christian! I'll see you there with horns on... just kidding!

Does Anyone Else Have This Problem?

2009-10-04T14:51:00.005-04:00

This weekend we continued to explore my backyard experiences from earlier this year... more mistakes exposed... more spiritual principles gleaned... more laughs at my expense! But, alas - I doubt I'm the only one who's failed at something and that was the topic of our talk today.

Below are 2 videos... to double your pleasure this week! Both played as part of our weekend experience. If you'd like to catch the spiritual application pertaining to failed attempts at change in our lives, you're welcome to link over to the entire 30-minute message on netchurch.cc, netgroups.cc, or by visiting our vimeo page.

And don't miss next Sunday, as we conclude the series with a finished yard!

Now You Know...

2009-09-27T13:11:00.016-04:00

Kicked off a brand spankin' new series today at The Net called Now You Know What I Did This Summer. Over the next 3 weeks I will make myself vulnerable for the Glory of God as we examine a few "botanical blunders" I made this summer in my backyard.

The spiritual lessons? We'll address areas in our lives that need changed, learn what to do when our attempts at change fail, and discover how to achieve lasting results. Yippie.

Below is a video from this Sunday that lays the groundwork (no pun intended) for the rest of the series. It's worth the watch, even if only to see me receive a verbal tongue-lashing from my wife!

As always, you can catch the entire 30-minute message on netchurch.cc, netgroups.cc, or by visiting our vimeo page.

Crabtree Congregants!

2009-09-25T15:13:00.005-04:00

So, this weekend will be my first time speaking live at The Net in 6 weeks. We just finished an amazing series called At The Movies in which the teaching was 100% by video. During that time our church saw a 33% jump in attendance. This means there are a lot of attenders who have yet to hear the pastor preach!

One such attender (who will remain nameless... he knows who he is) came to me last weekend and said his family loves the church! But, they're holding out on making a decision to call it home until they've heard me speak live (jesting, in part). So, as a return JEST-ure... I've decided to dub him the Crabtree Congregant!

That's right. You see I'm a San Francisco 49ers fan and my team selected Michael Crabtree in the 10th round of the draft. They offered him $20 million over 5 years... and 3 weeks into the season, he's still holding out for a better offer.

Hence the name Crabtree Congregant... Over the past 6 weeks we've had some amazing weekend experiences at The Net... valued at way more than $20 million, if you ask me! :). But my new buddy's holding out to see what's next! And if that's not bad enough... one of my close friend's told him that he shouldn't expect as much from me live as me on video... what's up with that!? Give a brother some love!

At any rate, here's my advice: Join the team! We're an up-and-coming franchise... take the $20 million! And don't forget to tithe on it! :)

See you Sunday... LIVE!

MOVIE MANIA: What More Is In Store?

2009-09-01T15:04:00.004-04:00

We're halfway through our At The Movies series and the buzz couldn't be better! The Net is growing and I'm hearing story after story of lives being touched and God's presence moving through the silver screen. And the 2nd half of our series promises to be filled with just as many challenging messages of hope.

Week 4 is a must see for couples. Week 5 will change the way you see the world. And our final installment, Week 6, will move you to tears - yes, bring the Kleenex!

It has been an honor to be a part of this series and a part of the lives of those who call The Net their home. I love this church and the God we earnestly proclaim!

The Bucket List

2009-08-21T07:17:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday was Week 1 of our series At The Movies. The movie of choice: The Bucket List. My bad for not supplying Kleenex! :)

During the teaching segments of the video, we encouraged people to think about their "God List" - those things they would like to accomplish for God or see him do in their lives. Then, we took it a step further. We asked everyone to "text in" their items to us, so we could post them on the screen during the closing music set... powerful!

If you'd like to see what people wrote in, you can get to the list by clicking here. If you couldn't make it Sunday or live out of town - feel free to add your own items at the bottom of the page!

At The Movies Promo

2009-08-12T09:01:00.007-04:00

This Sunday we begin our At The Movies series - and you won't want to miss it, as this is a LIVE-ONLY event! Due to the extensive film content, we will be unable to make the messages available on the internet.

If you come, we promise to make it worth your while. We'll be serving popcorn and drinks, as well as providing some movie soundtrack cover songs and giving away free movie passes to 1st-time guests who bring in the coupon we have available on our website or featured on the front page of this Saturday's edition of the Times Free Press.

Below is our video promo for the series - special thanks to Lil' John and Andy for taking time out of their super busy "feed, wake, sleep cycles" to perform for us!

Hope you enjoy it... and we look forward to seeing you THIS SUNDAY - 10AM at RAVE MOTION PICTURES!

Closing Out the Q Series and Saying Goodbye to Summer!

2009-08-09T14:20:00.005-04:00

Enjoyed answering everyone's questions over the past 4 weeks... may do it again sometime. And I am happy to say The Net has survived its first summer. This can be one of the hardest humps to get over for a new church - thanks to all of you who stayed with us for the past few months. As for the rest of those who call The Net their home... we look forward to welcoming you back with open arms next weekend, as we begin our new series: At The Movies. More on that as the week progresses.

As for now, I leave you with a clip from this weekend's message. If you would like to see the 26-minute message in its entirety, you can click here.

Have a great week!

Message Follow Up: Archaeological Finds

2009-08-03T09:36:00.003-04:00

As promised in yesterday's message on historical proof of the bible, here are a few links for you to study, if you so choose:

Top 10 Biblical Discoveries

Top 10 New Testament Discoveries

Archaeology and the Bible

Did Jesus Exist?

In addition, I stumbled across an interesting article in the Times Free Press this morning. It's about a group of students and faculty from Southern Adventist University who are on the archaeological hunt to give greater proof to King David's dynasty.

Is It All True?

2009-08-02T16:53:00.007-04:00

This weekend in our Q Series we answered questions surrounding the authenticity of the bible and the historical proof of Jesus Christ. I had a blast delivering the message. Here's a video we showed near the end of it - highlighting some of the prophecies fulfilled by Christ.

Note: This video was a recreation of a video produced by lifechurch.tv.

To watch the message, click here.

Times Free Press Article (07.02.09)

2009-08-02T16:42:00.002-04:00

A couple quotes on The Net by me and Keith Riddle appeared in an article on "Alternative Churches" in the Times today. Click here to read the story.

The MONEY Talk

2009-07-26T14:25:00.001-04:00

Last weekend The Net celebrated it's 6-Month Anniversary. In that time we've never passed an offering plate or mentioned money - other than to tell people if they want to give they can drop their gift in an offering box on their way out. And in that same time - we've never lacked for anything.

But, we're in a series called Q. And we're answering questions people have about the church, so we spent today talking about money and the church.

And yet, our approach was unusual - as most things at The Net are. And when it was all said and done, we did pass our first offering plate... but, we didn't collect anything - rather, we gave money away.

Our text for the message was from Matthew 25. It's a story Jesus tells about 3 servants who are called upon to invest wisely their master's money. And so, we put it out to the attenders of The Net today to reinvest and multiply the funds they were given to reach out into the community. Over the next couple of weeks, we hope their stories will come in for you to follow at 10BuckChallenge.com.

If you would like to hear the message on money from this weekend, you can do so by clicking here. We promise its painless and guilt-free... and you might just be a little surprised at how we are managing our funds at the church.

Enjoy and thanks for checking us out!

Bigger Than Seacoast!

2009-07-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

Had a little fun during a money talk at The Net this weekend by showing the fallacy of counting heads at church! To listen to the entire 28-minute message, go to http://vimeo.com/5771703.

IS IT SUNDAY, YET?

2009-07-23T15:17:00.004-04:00

Remember the old family vacation line every kid repeated incessantly from the back seat... "Are we there, yet?" We couldn't help it - we were just so stinking excited about what was to come.

That pretty much sums up my life this week. I find myself saying over and over again... "Is it Sunday, yet?"

You see, we're taking a few weeks as summer winds down to answer questions people have about the church... the series is called "Q" and this weekend 4 questions await us. And with them... 1 memorable challenge!

Is it Sunday, yet?

Skyping with a Soldier in Iraq

2009-07-21T09:05:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday we began our Q Series - answering questions people have about the church. The gist of our talk this weekend centered around the idea that when bad things happen, God relies on us to be His Goodness!

To reinforce this point we used the wonderful world of technology to video chat with a member of our church, Sean Bulow, who is currently serving our country in Iraq. As a church, we have decided to be God's goodness by sending some much needed supplies to Sean and his fellow troop mates. If you would like to contribute to this effort, you can get more info by clicking here.

Below is the message excerpt of the call to Iraq (or you can watch it directly from youtube). You can click here if you would like to watch the weekend message in its entirety.

GAMBLING IN CHURCH?

2009-07-12T13:28:00.007-04:00

Yes, we did. This weekend we stuffed 10 scratch-off lottery tickets in random weekend guides as people were walking into Theater 11. And to our surprise, we had a couple winners - albeit, merely $3 and $5 winners - but, winners nonetheless. I'm told the $3 ticket actually found its way into the offering box. Can't blame someone for not wanting to walk out of church with tainted money! :)

And for those of you who are already on your knees praying for the souls of all the gambling sinners who attended The Net this weekend - know it was all in good fun and simply part of a greater illustration. It segued us into a video from 1999 - where I had received a $10,000 winning lottery ticket as a gift from my uncle.

There's a chance you've seen the video before... on America's Funniest Home Videos. Below is the clip. If you like to watch the weekend message - God is My Contentment - in its entirety, you can click here.

Back in the Saddle Again...

2009-07-09T13:33:00.005-04:00

One Prayer comes to a close this weekend - and well worth the ride! Some of the best speakers of our time graced our silver screen at The Net. We were able to contribute over $1000 toward needs oversees. And we joined with other area churches to do a couple outreach projects that have now spurred an ongoing outreach group called NetReach. I've heard nothing but good feedback from our attenders and I'm looking forward to next year!

And now... it's time for me to settle back into my role as teaching pastor once again. I'm looking forward to delivering this coming Sunday's message and excited about the prospects of giving away $10,000 in cold, hard cash.

That's right... $10,000... talk about ONE PRAYER! If I were you, I wouldn't miss it... after all, you've got just as much shot at the cash as anyone else, right?

See you Sunday!

The 4th of July

2009-07-06T08:41:00.002-04:00

A brief recap of my family's first 4th of July in Tennessee, as told at The Net Church this past Sunday. And the telling of a curious little move my son has started making...

Declaration of Dependence (Re-post)

2009-07-03T13:17:00.009-04:00

Last year I posted a blog entry on the 4th of July. Since that was prior to our launching of The Net, and our readership has grown substantially in the interim, I figured I'd re-post it this weekend. Hope you enjoy it!

From July 4th, 2008: Independence is overrated. Is anyone REALLY independent? And even if it is attainable, should that be our highest goal?

Relax. I'm still an All-American Guy. But, the older I get, the more I realize that true strength and true freedom is found in Dependence, not Independence. I used to be a "Free Man" - single and able to do whatever I wanted to do. Then, six-and-a-half years ago, I got married to a beautiful girl. Things changed. Someone else was relying on my ability to make wise choices. A certain dependency was created. Now, last week my son was born. Talk about dependence! This little guy can hardly do anything without us... I'm reminded of it every time I smell a dirty diaper.

The funny thing is... I like dependence. I'm happier now than I was when I was single. I like the accountability of it. I like that, when I allow it to, I become more responsible and mature. As a pastor, I've counseled couples who get this and couples who don't. And the ones who embrace dependence survive.

On a spiritual level, God wants this same dependence present in our relationship with Him. Because when we are seeking "spiritual Independence", trying to acquire and obtain our "unalienable rights" away from Him, we fall short. We miss the mark. But, when dependence is present we become more responsible and mature. In essence, we become more like Him.

And so, today on July 4th, our nation's Day of Independence, I ask you to join me in a prayer I pray almost every morning. It was born out of my studies one day in James 4. Verse 10 says, "When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor." (NLT)

Today, call out to God and admit your dependence on Him. Let Him know that without Him nothing of consequence gets done in your life. But, with Him all things are possible and freedom from the weights of this world can be reached!

The Well-Documented Life of the Firstborn

2009-06-29T09:47:00.004-04:00

My son turned one this weekend. We documented every moment - from 2 and 3 angles, at times. That's what you do for the firstborn... but, what if you are not the firstborn? This weekend's opening at The Net tells a brief story from the life of a second born child... me.

Breakfast for the Homeless

2009-06-27T12:23:00.003-04:00

Just got off the phone with Keith and Jenifer Riddle - they oversaw our portion of the breakfast. As part of our One Prayer series, we were able to partner with two other area churches to feed over 100 homeless people today. I'm told we had a combined volunteer pool of about 40 people lending a hand for the two-hour event.

Kudos to everyone who helped pull off the breakfast this morning! Glad to be a part of a church that puts hands and feet to the gospel.

Father's Day

2009-06-22T19:23:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was The Net's 1st Father's Day... as well as, my own! My son turns 1 on Saturday. I opened the service this weekend with a couple pictures and a brief story of my own father when I was a wee little lad. You can listen to the clip below... Enjoy!

Habitat for Humanity

2009-06-21T13:24:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, 17 brave souls from The Net weathered the heat to raise the walls on a Habitat Home in Chattanooga. The blistering sun made the day long and hard, but each one of our volunteers spoke of how much they enjoyed being a part of the process. The morning crew got the added blessing of meeting the homeowner and her grandson. And I was personally blessed to have the opportunity to pray over the home and it's future inhabitants. You can get their full story by clicking here.

We were also joined by a group from Christ United Methodist Church off East Brainerd Road. It was great to invest in such a worthy cause with another incredible group of believers!

And next weekend, we get to do it all over again - on a new project with 2 other churches for a Homeless Breakfast at Miller Park. Looking forward to hearing a good report from that event, as well.

Thanks to Linda Sneary and her team at Habitat for the opportunity to serve along side you. And thanks to Craig Groeschel and lifechurch.tv for developing One Prayer. We've enjoyed every minute of it!

Follow Up to Adoption Interview

2009-06-14T14:16:00.002-04:00

During our LIFE series we interviewed a couple from our church - Jarrod and Anita Roussel. They were in the process of adopting a boy from Taiwan. If you missed the interview, you can catch it by clicking here.

After many grueling months their patience finally paid off this past weekend, as they returned to the states with little Andrew in hand! Congrats to the Roussel family on your new edition. We are grateful to be a part of the process with you and look forward to watching Andrew grow along side our own son!

WORSE THAN WE THINK OR NOT AS BAD AS WE THOUGHT?

2009-06-11T08:51:00.009-04:00

This week Brown-Forman Corp. (one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business and parent-company for Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey) announced fourth quarter earnings. Although they beat analyst expectations and experienced a favorable response from the market - their report showed a 19% drop in profit and a 12% drop in sales.

Translation: A drop in sales and profit for a liquor company means people are drinking less. Now, logic would tell us that if life is getting harder for people (i.e. foreclosures, job loss, etc.) then more people would be prone to hit the bottle. But, according to these numbers, fewer people are doing so. Which means one of two things: Either (1) the economy is so bad that people can't afford to drink their problems away or (2) things aren't as bad as we thought and people don't need a Jack Daniel to make it through the day!

Here's to hoping the latter is true... that wasn't a toast! :) Just thought I'd add my predictor to the never-ending supply of market indicators people are looking at to see when the bleeding will stop!

ONE PRAYER

2009-06-08T08:55:00.006-04:00

This weekend we joined over 1600 other churches from 36 countries in beginning a new series: One Prayer. Three main components make up our One Prayer series:

Over the next few Sundays we will be exploring various attributes of God with some of the best speakers of our time.

We are also working with The Springs Church in Fort Oglethorpe, GA to schedule a local outreach project closer to the end of June.

In addition, over the course of this series, we will be giving financially to help new church starts around the world and assist target areas with clean water supply, health education, literacy instruction, and financial training.

This past Sunday, we kicked off the series with a message: God is... Patient. I used a personal story to relay God's patience in my life - the story of meeting my wife and the dramatic turn of events that transpired prior to our finally getting married.

You can watch the message, by clicking here.

And... as promised: here are links to the engagement and the wedding itself (with all it's theatrical magic)!

12 DUNKS and a whole lotta food!

2009-06-04T19:38:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday The Net Church hosted its first baptism/picnic combo. The event started at City Church where we baptized 4 indoor... Then, we traveled up Hwy 153 to Chickamauga Lake for 8 more baptisms and a feast to end all feasts!

With nearly 100 in attendance, I'm still wondering how we fit everyone around the single picnic table we were able to secure. And I'm still unsure how our attenders managed to find us among the masses of humanity that decided to make use of the park the same day of our baptism!

On that note, a few thank you's are in order...

Thanks Nick and Keith for putting up signs to guide everyone in.

Thanks to Heather for securing the inflatables, so our kids could bounce and slide for 3 straight hours!

Thanks to Andrea for organizing the group being baptized.

Thanks to Bryan for setting up our sound system.

Thanks to Travis Talley for heading home to get two more tables, so we could spread out the pile of food that covered every square inch of our lone bench!

Thanks to TJ, Kenny, and Ryan for documenting the day through the lens of a camera!

Thanks to City Church for allowing us to baptize 4 of 12 in your heated pool.

Thanks to everyone who brought food and seating.

Thanks to everyone who allowed us to baptize them... it was truly an honor.

And a special thanks to the Chattanooga Police Department who allowed us to utilize our 2 inflatables without a permit... note to self: next time secure permit before meeting on federal property!

Oh and lest I forget... thanks to the couple kissing in the lake, who upon seeing we were in the middle of a baptism, slowly and inconspicuously moved away from where we were dunking our people. The added distance likely helped our guys keep their eyes on the baptizees instead of the two-piece!

Looking forward to our next gathering! And in case you are interested... More pics and video will follow over the coming days at www.netgroups.cc!

PLAYBOY DISCREPANCY

2009-06-01T10:39:00.006-04:00

An interesting weekend at The Net! The highlight clearly being our baptisms and picnic - more to come on that in a blog post to follow.

For now though... I'd like to look at a troubling issue that has the potential of causing a church split! You see, this past Sunday morning while the congregation was intently listening to our guest speaker, Jim Miles, bring his sermon to a dramatic close... movie trivia began playing on the screen behind him. Later he commented how he noticed a point in the message where all eyes slowly moved from him to something over his head.

As he preached away one particular piece of movie trivia blazed across the screen... something about Playboy and a certain playmate... this is where the discrepancy comes in. Some of our members told me the playmate in question was Pamela Anderson. Others claimed it was the late Anna Nicole Smith. Having not been in the room at the time, I cannot say who's face graced the screen.

Now, at The Net we do our best to not dabble in non-essentials, but I fear if we do not settle this issue, it could divide our congregation. If anyone out there saw the ad and has insight into who the infamous actress was, please feel free to weigh in.

And know that going forward we are working with Rave management to ensure such divisive issues are kept at bay and that playgirls and scripture verses don't share the same screen space at the same time during our weekend experiences... Not that we would want playgirls sharing our screen space at any time during our weekend experiences!

Interview with Little John - Part 4

2009-05-24T15:21:00.007-04:00

Today we closed out our series of the book of Revelation. On one hand, I'm going to miss it! On the other hand, I'm glad to see it go (mainly, because of all the extra prep work that had to go into it)!

One small part I am going to miss is Little John! After last week's episode - I managed to offend our "beloved" guest... so, if an effort to make things right, we contacted him one last time before ending our series.

Ladies and gentlemen... Little John! Enjoy!!

Interview with Little John - Part 3

2009-05-17T20:13:00.004-04:00

We are swiftly moving toward the close of our series on the book of Revelation. This week Little John graced us with another interview... Taking most of our time together to aggressively defended his description of Jesus in Revelation 19, which includes Jesus sporting a tattoo on his thigh. In the end, John was cornered into giving us a little more "insight" into how he apparently spent Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Video

2009-05-11T19:28:00.004-04:00

Per our congregants' request, we are posting the Mother's Day video from this weekend. The video was produced at Seacoast Church in 2007 - we decided to pull it out of the archives for The Net this weekend. My Disclaimer: This piece is not an original - we flat out stole it from some very talented Christian comedians. Hope this doesn't taint your ability to enjoy it! Happy Mother's Day!!

Mother's Day and Revelation...

2009-05-10T18:45:00.004-04:00

An interesting combination, to say the least. A few weeks ago we realized Mother's Day was going to hit on Week 4 of our Revelation series... the same day we would be talking about the Mark of the Beast, the Bowls of Wrath (not to be confused with the Bowels of Wrath, which is what you get when you eat too much Taco Bell) and the most startling of all topics... the Great Whore of Babylon!

We considered breaking from the series for the weekend, but then opted to go for it. And I think we survived. I promised the crowd that they would be getting a message this week that no other church in America would be offering! I'm almost sure of it!

Below is our latest 1-minute video installment on Revelation. As always, you can visit netchurch.cc for the entire message. Enjoy!

Interview with Little John - Part 2

2009-05-03T19:21:00.004-04:00

John - the author of the book of Revelation - was with us again this week to help us unpack the mysteries of the 7 Seals and why he ate the little scroll?

I'm not sure cloning him's turning out to give as much insight as we had originally hoped. Though, I guess there's not much we can do about that now...

Enjoy.

Interview with Little John - Part 1

2009-04-26T13:19:00.007-04:00

Week 2 of our series on Revelation. This week, in an ongoing effort to unlock the mysteries of the book of Revelation, we secured the DNA remains of John, the author of the book. After working with scientists, we successful cloned John... one drawback - he's 9 months old. But, fear not - he is talking and has much to say. This week's video featured a discussion on the Anti-Christ... among other things...

Enjoy! To watch this weekend's message, click here.

GET YOUR RAPTURE PASS HERE!

2009-04-19T15:08:00.003-04:00

Just finished week 1 of our Revelation Series: The End. You can view the message by clicking here. Or if 2 minutes is all you have, check out the intro video below. It seemed to play well with the crowd and set the stage for just how different our look at Revelation will be!

Enjoy and we hope to see you next weekend!

GET ON AND VOTE!

2009-04-15T16:41:00.005-04:00

Okay, so you're online right now! Why not go ahead and jump over to our site: www.predicttheend.com and vote for your favorite End Times Prediction! They're pretty good, actually...

The winner will be awarded a $400 Target Gift Card at our weekend experience this coming Sunday as we kick off our new series: The End. A study on the Book of Revelation, as you've never heard it before!

What are you waiting for? Go vote! And we'll see you Sunday for the results!

A Resurrection Story

2009-04-12T14:53:00.003-04:00

God is good. The Net's first Easter service put us over 200 attenders for the first time since mid-February. The bigger win for me though was watching people wait in line to respond at the end of service. Funny how the message of Christ's death and resurrection has that effect on people!

Here's a video I helped produce last year at Seacoast that we used this past Sunday at The Net. Thanks, Seacoast for allowing us to show it! Thanks, Nate for sharing your story!

Community Service?

2009-04-11T19:17:00.005-04:00

Not quite... just doing my duty as a good son. The storm that ripped through Tennessee on Good Friday managed to drop a very large tree into my parents newly purchased, newly renovated home. We spent the evening last night and most of today getting the tree off the house... Which now only leaves them to figure out what to do with the 10 foot x 12 inch hole it left behind!

I'm still sorting everything out... was this a reminder from God of the tree Jesus hung on during Good Friday some 2,000 years ago? Hmmm. There's a sermon in there somewhere...

At any rate... I'm ready to preach on Easter... sore body and all!

NOW SHOWING!!!

2009-04-06T09:36:00.004-04:00

Over the past few months we've been meeting at Rave Motion Pictures, the team has had some pretty good laughs at what movies have been showing in the screen we are occupying. For example, the week we launched the church, the movie that was playing in our auditorium was Defiance... fitting, considering our If You Hate Church campaign.

This weekend's showing caught us all off guard - not so much for the movie that was playing, but for the way it was listed on the marquee. We took a picture and I've decided to periodically post on my blog movie titles that catch our eye.

Here's this weekend's title:

Suspenseful Moments

2009-04-05T19:22:00.008-04:00

This past Sunday in our LIFE series we looked at the story of Lazarus. We compared the story to a suspense thriller with a surprise ending. The following video is an interview we did with a couple from our church who recently experienced a suspenseful moment and a surprise ending related to a recent adoption. Hope you enjoy it. To hear the related message, click here.

Life Giving Values

2009-04-05T14:53:00.002-04:00

Recently I read a blog post from Billy Hornsby, who heads up the Association of Related Churches. He listed out 6 values present at a "life-giving" church. I'm providing the list below. I'd love to hear some specifics on how you feel The Net has represented these values over the past few months:

Life-giving Church Values:

1. Relational. Life-giving churches prioritize authentic friendships.

2. Generous. Life-giving churches strive to “go the extra mile,” equally sacrificing together.

3. Risk-taking. Life-giving churches and pastors are willing to do something new. They are not unwilling to fail.

4. Inclusive. Life-giving churches believe that every believer can be in ministry and they encourage God’s gifts in each individual.

5. Contemporary. Life-giving churches believe in engaging with our culture, embracing media & technology.

6. Fun. Pastors of life-giving churches understand that experiencing joy in the journey and laughing together is a key ingredient to a healthy, life-giving church.

Virtual Roller Coaster

2009-04-02T19:54:00.007-04:00

This past weekend in our Life series we looked at the ups and downs in the story of Jairus and his dying daughter. To get everyone geared up for the message, we all took a ride of a roller coaster - hands were high and screams abound. You can catch the message at the following link: A Ruler's Daughter. Or, if time eludes you... enjoy the one-minute coaster ride below:

A Moment I Wish I had on Camera!

2009-03-22T19:32:00.002-04:00

This weekend we kicked off our LIFE series - A look at the 4 times in the gospels that someone was raised from the dead. The video below played prior to my message. I'd give almost anything to have had a camera pointed at the audience to show you what I witnessed during the "viewing". Take a peak and I'm sure you'll get an idea of what I saw Sunday morning.

LIFE Preview

2009-03-16T12:22:00.007-04:00

This coming Sunday we are beginning a new series. We will be taking 4 weeks to explore the 4 times in the gospels someone is resurrected from the dead. What can these miracles teach us? And does Jesus still bring dead things to life?

A Week Off...

2009-03-16T12:14:00.004-04:00

This past weekend Greg Surratt - my former boss and pastor - from Seacoast Church came to speak at The Net. It was great to sit back and soak in a message, even if for one weekend!

We had lunch at Sugar's Ribs and Greg got a glimpse at how we do BBQ in Tennessee (see pic).

After lunch, the wife, the baby, and I headed out of town for a few days. Love being so close to the mountains for the much needed short getaways!

TACKLING A TABOO!

2009-03-02T18:24:00.003-05:00

Easter is still 6 weeks away - but, we're already looking beyond toward what will follow. Beginning April 19th - we are starting a series at The Net on the book of Revelation. You know the one... the End of World, Armageddon, 666... We may be the first 4-month-old church to ever teach on this. I don't know... What I do know is that you won't want to miss a single week of it!

And to help us kick it off in true End Times fashion, we've developed yet another website - this one is called PredicttheEnd.com. And we are looking for the most creative and comical prediction of when the world will end... and we're willing to pay $500 to get it! Seriously.

Go to the site and hear some samples, then give us your best guess. On April 19th, we'll start the series and award the winners. Any other details can be found on the site. The only question left... is who will get it right?

www.predicttheend.com

THE BIG PICTURE

2009-02-26T16:16:00.004-05:00

If you are interested in knowing more about The Net and gaining insight into the hundreds of other churches like us that are springing up around the globe, here's a link to Billy Hornsby's latest blog entry.

Billy heads up the ARC (Association of Related Churches) - an organization all about starting new life-giving churches to reach the un-churched... or as we call them in the bible-belt, the de-churched!

Enjoy the read: Click here to read the entry.

THAT'S A WRAP!

2009-02-16T18:50:00.005-05:00

The If You Hate Church series is officially behind us. For those who called, emailed, or took the survey telling us "you can't hate the church" this day could not have come soon enough! For the rest of us who enjoyed engaging the segment of our population who were hurting, skeptical, or otherwise disinterested in the church this closes one of the most exciting chapters in the brief history of The Net... Of course, be assured - more good stuff is to come... In fact, at this very moment we are cooking up an after Easter series to end all series (there's a hint in there somewhere)!

As for IYHC - I must say I was pleased. The responses, both in number and content, went beyond my expectation. And I've enjoyed the conversations and friendships it allowed us to begin. Thanks to everyone who took the survey. Thanks to our team - who rallied around it, not knowing where it would lead.

And now the work begins... I'm looking forward to a long and faithful journey at The Net and in the city of Chattanooga - the city I love.

Week 4 - Cruising Altitude

2009-02-09T08:26:00.005-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We seemed to have reached a comfortable cruising altitude of 226 attenders this past weekend. In fact, since take off, we have yet to drop below an altitude of 200. We are quite pleased with our take off and ascent to this point - however, we would also like to inform you that our final destination is far above the clouds, which will require us to continue ascending further and further in order to reach our goal of seeing as many people join our journey as possible.

We are asking each passenger to make the seat next to you available to passersby. Please let them know we have plenty of room for seating as well as overhead compartments for small children between the ages of birth to 5th grade... and that we are one of the few remaining airlines that still offer free in-flight beverages and snacks!

Next week we will be concluding our first in-flight series: If You Hate Church. We look forward to seeing you - and hope this week's turbulence will be kept to a minimum for you!

Signing off for now...

IF YOU HATE CHURCH: THE SERIES CONTINUES

2009-02-02T19:15:00.004-05:00

We're 2 weeks into the If You Hate Church series and I'm loving every minute of it. I think I could stay with this for years. I love addressing the issues that plague Christianity and I revel in unpacking the reasons people do not attend church.

This weekend we will be talking about judgmentalism - the top complaint against the church according to our survey. Over 2/3 of the people who took the survey agreed or strongly agreed that people who go to church are quick to judge others. What does this mean for the church? How do we hold to the standards of the Bible and still heed Christ's call to "judge not, lest you be judged"?

Hope to see you Sunday as we wrestle with this issue together.

Week 2 - No Signs of Slowing...

2009-01-27T15:54:00.002-05:00

Sunday morning as I was heading to the Rave, I didn't know what to expect. Everyone had been telling us that we would see half the crowd we had our first week. Minus all the out-of-towners that came to our Grand Opening that would have put us at around 100 people.

But, that's not what happened. People poured in - you could feel the excitement. And at the end of day, 240 people walked through the doors of The Net. We somehow managed not only to avoid a big dip, but see an increase. In part - I'm sure - due to last week's weather. In part due to the added press we received from another news article about the survey results and a radio interview with local host, Jeff Styles. But, I would say the biggest part came as a result of how touched people were by the whole experience.

Here's an excerpt from an email I received from one family in attendance:

"What an amazing encounter with God we had - a truly worshipful experience. There were so many things that happened this week that told us we need to make The Net Church our home. We have had the feeling all week that God has been speaking to us about making a decision to leave our comfort zone and follow where He is leading. Today sealed it for us. It has been a long time since I have been excited about going to church and I have never felt this kind of excitement. We brought two families of friends with us this week and they all loved it, as well. Can't wait till next week!"

Thanks to every volunteer! Thanks to all who came and came back! Thanks to God for allowing us to be a part of something so special!

THE RESULTS!

2009-01-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

Yesterday The Net officially launched. The night before left Chattanooga with a layer a freezing rain on the highways. I prayed that God would allow the sun to come out that night and warm things up! Apparently, he did. Sunday morning brought us 40+ degree temps and a turn out of 234 people. The experience was flawless thanks to 30+ volunteers who made it look like they'd been pulling off a church service for years and a God that can't stop loving us! I was overcome with gratitude for all who made it happen and all who came to visit with us.

Today the Times Free Press posted the results to our survey in the paper. The online version is available by clicking the following link: Results to the If You Hate Church survey!

Over the next four weekends, we will be tackling some of the tougher responses we received from the survey. We hope you'll join us this coming Sunday at 10AM at Rave Motion Pictures!

ANOTHER PRESS RELEASE...

2009-01-15T11:04:00.004-05:00

The news has been so good to us. Last week we were interviewed by the Weekly. The writer did a great job of capturing what we are all about. I hope you'll take the time to read it. And I REALLY hope you'll take the time to come out to our Grand Opening this Sunday at 10AM at Rave Motion Pictures.

Click here to view the article.

A PASTOR EXPOSED...

2009-01-12T09:53:00.009-05:00

In today's society, pastors are highly scrutinized. Today I have become the latest pastor to be exposed. We are a less than a week away from launching our church - The Net. The timing could not be worse. My past is catching up with me.

The attached photo was never meant to see the light of day. It was just one night! It was just one photograph!! And it was taken during college... and you know the old saying, "What happens in college...". Unfortunately, this one got out, thanks to the magic of facebook! Yes... I am Fester. And that doll of a girl is my wife, Wednesday.

God help us all for what embarrassment will come to each of us through the technology that has been created in the last few years! Is anyone safe?

CLOSING OUT 2008

2008-12-31T20:37:00.007-05:00

Well, the year is almost over. I never thought it would end - not that it's been bad, by any means. 2008 gave my wife and I our first child and has allowed us to step into a new dream. But, I am ready for 2009. A lot has gone into preparing for this coming year and it's time to get on with it!

Selina and I decided to spend our last day of 2008 at Rock City with Gannon, taking in the Enchanted Lights. It was cold, but a great little getaway... and yes, I'm wearing a Georgia Bulldogs toboggan in the picture - NOT because I'm a fan, merely because it was a gift from my father-in-law and is my son's monogram... although, I did have some guy at Rock City tell me I would be going to heaven for wearing that hat - an interesting theology.

At any rate, having now returning from Rock City, we are settling in for the night with a hot chocolate and old reruns of the Twilight Zone. To be honest, we may end up sleeping in the new year - parenting will do that to you.

But, tomorrow brings a new day and a new year - and oh, what a year it shall be!

IF YOU HATE CHURCH: SERIES PREVIEW

2008-12-20T16:10:00.005-05:00

The first 5 weeks of The Net Church will be devoted to unpacking some of the issues raised through the survey responses we received at ifyouhatechurch.com. The following is a 2-minute preview of the series. This preview will also be playing at Rave Motion Pictures before each movie for the first two weeks in January.

40 Days

2008-12-08T16:04:00.004-05:00

Forty Days is a significant period of time in scripture…

Moses spent 40 Days on Mount Sinai.
When Noah was on the ark, it rained for 40 Days.
It took 40 Days to embalm a body in ancient Egypt.
Caleb explored the Promised Land for 40 Days.
For 40 Days Jesus fasted and was tempted.

In 40 Days The Net Church begins…
and I am believing that this 40 Days will be significant, as well.

JOB

2008-12-05T20:14:00.005-05:00

Last night, I thought I was dying. A few days ago, I began noticing what appeared to be bug bites all over my body. They were small and a mere nuisance. Then yesterday, my hands began to swell and itch. But, last night is when it came to a head. My arms were itching while I laid in bed. It finally reached a feverish point, so I jumped out of bed and went to the mirror. That's when I noticed that both arms were covered in hives.

I went to our faithful 24-hour Wal-Mart to retrieve some meds - but, I couldn't apply them fast enough. By the time I returned the hives had spread to my back and legs. I was completely covered. I was a modern day Job and began to wonder if there was a discussion going on between God and Satan over just how faithful of a servant I was. While I wasn't ready to curse God, I gotta admit, I wanted to curse everything else!

Thankfully by morning the hives had subsided. Today my skin has been tender, but nothing like it was. I pray tonight I get a good night's sleep.

If this is a test, rest assured, I'm not going anywhere. In 44 days we launch The Net - and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

7 YEARS

2008-12-01T15:22:00.003-05:00

Today the wife and I are in North Georgia - tucked away in a cozy cabin watching the first snow fall. The occasion - 7 years of marriage.

They say something happens at 7 years... you're supposed to get some kind of an itch... wanting more, something different, someone different. Can't say 7 years has had that effect on me. Sorry world.

In fact, to be perfectly honest - every year has gotten better. We are becoming more understanding and more gracious, which goes a long way. My tip for the day.

Now, I must turn off the computer, heat up the jacuzzi, and stoke the fire... my lady awaits.

ONE WAY OR THE OTHER

2008-11-30T09:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was an interesting day. As I was relaxing, enjoying my Thanksgiving weekend with family - I received a voice mail. It was from a man in Chattanooga who had taken the ifyouhatechurch.com survey and wanted to let me know that "we are like every other traditional church out there." His message was 5 minutes long... at least. And full of explanation as to why we were no different and the problems with us because of it.

A few short hours later, I received an email. This time from a pastor in the area who wanted to let me know that "after looking at our marketing techniques, websites, and blog it was clear that we are following the emerging church model" (a model that is counter to the traditional church). His email took me more than 5 minutes to read and included explanation of our apparent heresies and doctrinal error.

That was my Saturday. In one day, I was being labeled as too traditional and too emerging. That's like being too fat and too skinny. Or too funny and too serious. Or too democrat and too republican. In truth, we probably fall somewhere in the middle - as most churches do.

I do find it interesting though that others seem to know me better than I know myself... despite having never met me, nor even talking with me. And they seem to think they have a clear understanding of The Net, even though we haven't held a service yet. My suggestion to everyone reading this: Come out on January 18th and draw your own conclusions. My guess is - it'll fall somewhere in the middle.

TAKING IT ALL IN...

2008-11-23T09:01:00.008-05:00

My son usually gets up before me most mornings. This morning was no different. When I strolled out into the sun room, I found him there - catching up on yesterday's news about the church. Man, do I wish he could talk! I'd love to get his thoughts on the article...

PRESS RELEASE

2008-11-22T07:40:00.006-05:00

This past week I was interviewed by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The reporter had seen our billboard for ifyouhatechurch.com and wanted to cover the story. The article turned out well - although, I think the last line kinda makes me sound like Joel Osteen.

Below is a link to the online version of the article, as well as an audio excerpt of the interview:

Click here to read the article.

TWO MONTHS AND AN INTERVIEW

2008-11-18T16:38:00.004-05:00

Two months.

In two months The Net officially opens its doors to the public. It's been a long time in the making and a wild ride so far. With the launch of the ifyouhatechurch.com website, we've seen great interest in what we are doing. Hopefully, come January 18th, that will translate into "souls in seats" at Rave Motion Pictures!

This should help - Today I did a phone interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press. They are interested in covering our story and plan to run an article on us this coming Saturday. I'll post the link when it runs.

IF YOU HATE CHURCH UPDATE

2008-11-13T12:04:00.004-05:00

The ifyouhatechurch.com site has been running for a few months now. The data is pouring in. Roughly 300 people have completely the survey. More astounding is the fact that since the survey's inception, our church site hits have grown by 600% and are quickly closing in on 1,000 per week! No idea how this will affect our Grand Opening on January 18th.

In addition, we are currently working on a message series that will be based on the data we are receiving. Today I actually met with a guy who took the survey and will be sitting down with me for a video interview that will be shown during one of the weekends. You do not want to miss this!

ZEKE

2008-11-13T08:58:00.008-05:00

Have you ever read the book of Ezekiel? It's the writings of a prophet in the Old Testament - one of the strangest characters in the Bible. He was known for unbelievable visions and the use of odd illustrations to make his point.

Zeke, as I like to call him, is perhaps best known for his vision in Ezekiel, chapter 37 - The Valley of Dry Bones. During his lifetime Israel was not following after God as they should (hence the vision of dry bones), but then God gave Zeke a message of hope - "Oh my people... I will cause you to rise again!"

In the margin of my bible, beside this passage is a date: November 3rd, 2007.

It was on that date, when the vision to start The Net was still a mere concept, that God used these words to encourage me. They gave me hope that in the near future those in Chattanooga who knew him at one time - whether by choice or only at the point of being created by God - would know him again. The bible says that when Ezekiel spoke the words of God the valley of dry bones came to life and stood up on their feet.

These are crazy times... spiritually, people are confused and frustrated; economically, people are afraid and uncertain. But, I believe The Net will be among the many things God uses to bring life and certainty back to the people of Chattanooga. For those of you who have joined us on this journey - thank you. For those who are still considering it - great things are on the horizon and we look forward to having you with us!

UNDECIDED

2008-11-04T17:18:00.005-05:00

I've often wondered how a voter can get all the way to election day before making their decision. And yet, here's my son deep in contemplation. To his credit, he did only get in on the last four months of the campaign!

A PERFECT DAY!

2008-11-03T13:27:00.005-05:00

Yesterday it was sunny and in the 70's, the trees were turning every color imaginable, and I was thanking God He called me to Tennessee! To top it all off, The Net launch team gathered at Chickamauga Park for a cook out.

Thanks to Kristina and Judy for lining everything up and to Keith for the use of his boat!

Click on the image for a closer view...

CHURCH HOPPING 6

2008-10-26T09:14:00.002-04:00

After a couple Sunday mornings focused on what our church will look like on the weekend, we are back to Church Hopping! This week: Mountain View Church. We first heard about Mountain View when they sponsored a local "gas buy down" on a Saturday morning near our home. We've also heard they are working to raise money to purchase a vehicle for a single mom... gotta love it!

Looks like another great church in Chattanooga!

FINISHING STRONG!

2008-10-22T12:53:00.008-04:00

A few years ago, at the prompting of my mentor, I read a book entitled: Finishing Strong by Steve Farrar. In it, he makes the claim that only 1 in 10 who start out in full-time service to the Lord at twenty-one are still in by age sixty-five. Fortunately, I've tipped the odds in my favor by getting such a late start, but the statistic is quite startling. 1 in 10.

The advice that comes out of the book can be summarized in its first chapter: "Stay true to Jesus! Make sure that you keep your heart close to Jesus every day. It's a long way from here to where you are going to go, and Satan's in no hurry to get you." To my team, to my spouse, to my son, to my Lord - I make this commitment: I will seek each day to abandon myself to His will, recognizing that I am on a marathon, not a sprint.

I would ask you to do the same. Whether or not we are in "full-time" service via a paycheck, we are all called to His unending purposes which transcend a mere salary. And we choose to finish strong over being among the 9 in 10 who don't by making room for Jesus each day and keeping Him at the center of all we do!

As we begin The Net, may we never become arrogant and believe we are doing anything special outside of His grace. May we never become so confident in our plans that we dismiss our ongoing need of His presence. We are headed into an exciting time - so take a deep breath and allow His spirit to fill your lungs, because the road ahead is long and full of adventure and without Him we will certainly fail!

THE GOD MACHINE

2008-10-07T20:04:00.003-04:00

In 1964, physicist Peter Higgs theorized that an invisible field of bosons (particles that can occupy the same space) existed in a form that allowed it to make planets and people. The problem is, it's only showed its existence once... moments after the Big Bang!

This brings us to today - introducing the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - an $8 billion partical accelerator. It's purpose: to smash subatomic particles together at speeds of 99.9999991% of the speed of light. While scientists hope to make numerous discoveries from it, one main goal is to find the Higgs boson and simulate the Big Bang!

For creationists, this would be the equivalent of building an $8 billion megaphone and voice modulator to simulate God's command in Genesis 1:3, "Let there be light!" in hopes of actually making it happen.

Higgs said in a recent interview that if his boson is not found he will no longer understand what he thinks he understands. I wonder, if at that time, he'll begin to understand what we all understand - that God created life!

CHATTANOOGA DREAM CENTER

2008-10-06T10:07:00.004-04:00

When we were with Seacoast Church in South Carolina, they started a Dream Center - a place to meet the needs of the low-to-no income in the area. Today I came across an article about a couple in Chattanooga with a similar vision for the city. The couple's ministry (Grace in Action) is hoping to purchase a hotel to help house the homeless and become a "one-stop shopping center" for those in need.

In light of my recent post entitled: Homeless Party, I've decided to include a link to the article from the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Click here to read more...

CHURCH HOPPING 5

2008-10-03T09:49:00.002-04:00

This weekend we are headed to another theater church in the area: Hamilton Life Church. Their pastor actually sent me an email a few weeks ago, welcoming us to Chattanooga. I'm eager to meet him and visit the church.

For all our launch members - feel free to join us there at 10am. No soliciting, please! :)

PR

2008-10-02T17:30:00.008-04:00

On a tip from one of our launch members, I came across a blog by a guy named Ty. In it, Ty made reference to our billboard: IfYouHateChurch.com

The review was moderately critical - though not too harsh. We've seen and heard worse. And while I do appreciate the free publicity, I wouldn't want someone reading his response without offering a short riposte of my own.

Three notes:

1. Ty references statements from two of the videos on the website that deal with the church being relaxed and refreshing. He rebuts by saying that church isn't about you and I, it's about Jesus. He then goes on to say that at church we are to join in fellowship, exalt God above our struggles, and submit our lives to Him. I agree with all of that - and you know what I feel when I've had that experience in a church... you guessed it! Relaxed and Refreshed!

2. Next he voices concern over a line in one of the videos where a guy is seeking a church that is relevant to today. Ty calls this line of reasoning "a product of the modern Gospel". He defends that the gospel is relevant to all people at all times because we all sin. Again, I agree. However, unless we can explain the gospel to them in a way they understand and in concert with the Holy Spirit, they will not see their sinfulness and need for a Savior. Paul did this while in Athens (see Acts 17). He prayed for it in Ephesians 3:18. And Christ, Himself exemplified this model by using parables "relevant" to the people who listened to his teaching. Relevance is merely the modern day version of apologetics!

3. Ty concludes his blog entry by saying; "I hope that I am wrong. I so do. But this sounds like another attempt at a 'Seeker Sensitive' man-centered Gospel." Ty... if you are reading this, please know... we ARE sensitive to seekers and the only thing man-centered about our gospel is that Jesus Christ became one to save all!

To read Ty's blog, click here.

HOMELESS PARTY

2008-10-02T09:48:00.004-04:00

One of the blogs I follow is from a pastor in the Chicago area, Dave Ferguson. He posted an entry this week about a girl in his church who used her birthday as an opportunity to throw a party for the homeless.

I guess I'm posting this because Chattanooga seems to have many homeless individuals and it has been a topic of late at some of our meetings. At any rate, the story is touching.

Click here to read it.

CHURCH HOPPING 4

2008-09-27T09:27:00.016-04:00

This week we are headed to Chattanooga Christian Assembly with some friends of ours. To our understanding the church service is in both the English and Indian languages...

Fortunately, I speak both, so I can monitor that everything is being translated properly... seriously, I once ate at an Indian restaurant. It's amazing what you can pick up in a couple of hours.

Also, for those of you who only followed the top few counties during the Olympics, you may be interested to know that India finished the Beijing games with 1 gold and 2 bronze medals. Landing them a 50th place finish, just above Iran. Incidently, the gold medal was won by Abhinav Bindra for Men's 10m Air Rifle. It was the first time that an Indian has won an individual gold since the modern Olympics started in 1896.

WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR!

2008-09-13T12:30:00.003-04:00

The Net Church is on the hunt for a worship band for when we launch in January. There's been some discussion concerning what style we are looking for. I wish to begin by saying the following is an example of what we are NOT looking for. Enjoy...

CHURCH HOPPING 3

2008-09-12T17:32:00.004-04:00

This week we are headed to Mountain Meadows Church of God. Selina's sister, Kimberly, is singing there this Sunday with Campus Choir from Lee University.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

2008-09-09T16:39:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday afternoon we had our first launch meeting as we head toward our January start date. In the meeting, I shared a bit of the vision of The Net. But, we had a number of people who were unable to attend for various reasons, so...

This week we are going to do something different by pre-producing the teaching segment of the meeting on video, so members who are unable to attend can still be informed on the content - a request that out-of-towners have been making for a while... I'm just know getting around to seeing the value of it. Go figure, I guy with a video background having to be told the importance of video in getting his message out!

Oh, and as for the picture... that's our new camera man! :)

BOOK PREVIEW

2008-09-07T08:27:00.007-04:00

Technically, since I haven't fully read this book I can't call this a review... so this is a book preview.

Yesterday I started my latest read: The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. After the first chapter, I love it. I'm trying not to get too excited though... I've had books in the past grab me, only to later disappoint. But, this seems to hold some promise.

The book is written by church planters who are taking their version of church in a completely different direction than the status quo (now you see why I like it). They are less about the weekend and more about the home and community - the whole missional thing, which is very popular these days. I'm not ready to ditch the weekend thing... already crossed that bridge in my mind a year ago. But, I do believe there will be some great insight in this read.

Here's an excerpt:

"When I walk into Starbucks, I don't think about coffee. That's predetermined... tall black Americano. I ponder the lives of everyone I see. I wonder about their spiritual journeys, their highs and lows... and where they look for direction in their search. My initial assumption is that in any room full of people, very few know Christ. I ask myself how I could get into their lives or how a conversation might begin. I don't see them as projects - that wouldn't go very far. I see them as souls the Lord loves who simply haven't seen or heard an accurate message about the Kingdom. I always feel confident that I may one day be talking with them about life and God. Oddly enough, this seems to happen all the time.

I've accepted that God has gifted me this way, and I don't expect that everyone will understand or feel the depth of my passion for the spiritually disoriented, nor that my habits of life and engagment will fit everyone. However, I do believe that since you're reading this, you may share something I rarely say out loud: I can't picture any of these people, or my friends, or your friends, going to church... any church... ever!"

I've been wrestling with a slogan for The Net. I think I like: "The Net - Church for those who don't go!"

CHURCH HOPPING 2

2008-09-06T20:36:00.005-04:00

Week two of our church hopping experience will be taking us to Journey Church in Hixson, TN. Read some of the pastor's blog and it looks to be a pretty happening place. Looking forward to it!

I can't believe I'm posting this stuff... these guys are getting some great free advertisement!