Category: Church

our blog is not our God

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I am broken.
I care entirely too much about what you think of me.
And you care entirely too much about what I think of you.
The truth is we both suck.
So we admit things that suck about ourselves on our blogs and so that we get praised for admitting that we suck.
See how broken that is?

So in this brokenness of inward focused admittance of suckiness so that we don’t feel so sucky…
Remember…
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:5

Just a reminder to confess before the Lord before we confess to one another.
Because in spite of what we may accidentally believe…
Our Blog is not our God.

Goin’ All The Way – week one

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Sunday, February 8, 2009 – Velocity Service || 6p

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Series:  Goin’ all the way (a title we borrowed from lifechurch.tv)

Talk: Lust

Description: Lust, in it’s simplest form, is “unrestrained (sexual) desire.”  In 2 Samuel 13, a story is told of Amnon and Tamar.  Amnon was infatuated with Tamar (understatement!).  However, Tamar was a virgin…and also Amnon’s sister (yuck).  He did everything to get with her…she obviously didn’t like the idea.  She was open to the idea of marriage, but Amnon wanted her right then. Because of Amnon’s unrestrained desire, he raped Tamar…ironically enough, afterwards Amnon hated Tamar…even more than he had loved her.

Bottom Line: Lust will always promise what it cannot deliver(true intimacy and love)

Application: What area of life do we have “unrestrained desire”?  1 Thess 4 teaches to “control our body…” in ways that are holy and honorable.

Creative Elements: We opened the service with this video.  I also showed this video during my talk; to illustrate what “lack of self-control” looks like.

Song List: You Deserve, All because of Jesus, Break Free (note – mostly student led worship!)

Weekend Update

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friday: After a long of work I was able to snag some much needed “thinking” time.   I settled in at my favorite coffee establishment…read, blogged, thought, researched.  It was a great evening.

saturdays are great because I can sleep in a bit (9a).  I got a decent run in at the gym, worked on my message for Velocity, ate some lunch with some friends…then went to Huron Valley Hospital to celebrate the birth of Emery Daniella Collesano.  Check out Josh Collesano’s blog for pics and updates.

sunday:  Spent the morning putting final touches on my message.  Saw my parents for all of 5 minutes.  Went to church to start preparing for Velocity.

where I’m at:  plymouth…that rarely changes.

books I’m reading: Tribes, The Blessed Life, (soon to be) Crazy Love

this week: i need to finalize our spring retreat cost…this is becoming more stressful than i originally anticipated

looking forward to: researching and creating a talk about Love.

a movie i just recently saw was “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.”  I enjoy the comedy of Kevin James…from that perspective it was a good movie.  The overall storyline was definitely predictable … but it’s hard to find a movie that isn’t.

basic algebra (as told by our sound engineer)

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Sound sucks + God showing up = greatness
Sound working great + God showing up = more greatness
Sound working great + God not showing up = terrible
Sound sucks + God not showing up = even more terrible

Summation:  Take “Sound” out of the equation and the constant remains.  Namely … God.

How true is that?  This conversation started with me (and my limited thinking) saying, “man I gotta get ready for my talk, it’s gotta be good!”  My friend and co-worker gently reminded me of this basic algebraic equation.  If God doesn’t show up when I’m speaking; if the Holy Spirit doesn’t move in the hearts of the teens I’m speaking to…it doesn’t matter how great my talk is.

now, this doesn’t give us youth pastors an excuse not to prep.  My statement still stands that “I need to prepare.” But my goodness, all too often I forget to get on my face and beg God to show up through my words.

Proverbs 21:31 – The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

I Need You

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There are those songs that, when heard, bring goose-bumps and right perspective.  This is one of those songs.  It defines Christianity so well.  It is called “I need You” and can be found on Kristian Stanfill’s new EP.

i am frail, broken easily

without fail, my strength keeps failing me

all alone, i’m powerless

to lift myself from the pit that i am in


I need you Jesus (2x)


so from your throne in heavens light

descended down into my broken life

to right the wrong, to make a way

to bear the load that i deserve to bear alone


I need you Jesus (2x)

I need clean hands, I can’t…You can

I need you Jesus


on the cross for my behalf

the son of God bore the fathers wrath

by his blood, the scars and pain,

the perfect son took the fall and took our place


i need you Jesus (2x)

I need clean hands, I can’t…You can

I need you Jesus


it is Grace, and unfailing Love

the risen King gave his hand to us

to lift us up from the pit

and set our feet upon a rock that ever stands

a break from routine

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On Tuesday of this week I am heading up to Lake City, MI.  Velocity’s “spring retreat” is at Timber Wolf Lake Camp this year.

our objective:  confirm final details with camp; film 2 or 3 promo videos

I am looking forward to spending time with Kevin…a volunteer at NorthRidge.  He has been through some rough times, but at the end of the day he trusts the God he serves.  so cool.

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