Books that I'm Currently Reading

Someone once said that "leaders are readers..." These are books that I'm currently reading:

Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer and David Putman
Highly recommend this book for all church leaders to read!

It by Craig Groeschel
Just started reading this book - like it so far.

Church Unique by Will Mancini
This guy can come to your church and do a consultation for $100,000 for your church or you can read the book and save $99,981.00!

Now, Discover your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton
Leadership book that focus on your strengths and not your weaknesses and how to understand the strengths of those around you. I'm teaching a 6-8 week class starting on Wednesday, March 11 at Marcus Pointe Church. For more info, click here.

The Creative Leader by Ed Young
Interesting read about Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX.

C3 Conference Highlights

Short video to highlight the C3 Conference in Dallas (see previous post).

C3 - Creative Church Conference 2009

Last week, my pastor and our youth pastor attended the annual C3 Conference at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, just north of Dallas. We were able to hear some of the best speakers around and to take a peek behind the scene behind this great church. Fellowship Church is led by Ed Young, Jr. and they average around 20,000-24,000 in attendance every weekend.

Personally, I was able to speak to several pastors about potential partnership for the church plant in Detroit. About 3 churches have committed to financially support Lakepointe Church. I have some others pastors that are interested, so I'm praying that God will open up some doors through the connection that I have made.

I was also able to visit with one of my best friends, Tim Payne who is on staff at Lifepoint Church in Tampa (left picture). We went to one of the best BBQ pit with him and his staff (the main highlight of the trip)! Thanks, Tim, for buying my $25 lunch!

It was also good to see my cousin Jason who regularly attends Fellowship Church. It was good to see him involved even during the conference, in which he and hundreds of other volunteers took vacation days off from their regular job to greet and host during this conference.

My Life Experience - Part 2

Previously, I shared that I really cannot hear people really well. I was born with 80% loss of hearing. People sometimes feel bad for me, but the good news is that I can wear hearing aids and to me, it is the greatest invention ever. It's not perfect and it doesn't solve all of my hearing problems, but I'm not complaining!

However, my hearing loss also gave me another problem - my speech. Sure, my voice sounds good to me, but when I hear myself on a tape or DVD, my stomach cringes. When little children ask me "why I speak funny", I usually tell them that I'm British! This is something that I have always struggled with - my frustration to speak clearly and normal like everyone else.

Shortly after I became a Christ-follower, I felt the nudging of God in my life to the preaching ministry. When I was in middle school, I was told that it was a bad idea to go into ministry because of my speech and hearing. Deep inside me, I knew the calling of God in my life, but I just denied it. I was afraid that people would make fun of me because of my speech. However, God never gave up on me.

One day, I was having my quiet time with God and was reading Exodus 4 about Moses at the burning bush. Moses told God that he too spoke in a "funny" voice and that nobody would listen to him. God told Moses that He can still use him in spite of his weakness. After reading that story, I was challenged by God, and I surrendered to His will for my life. God can use a "funny" speaking person to spread His good news!

God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 (NLT)

Everyday, God has helped me and has given me the strength to not be concerned about my speech impediment. I have learned that my "deficiency has become his efficiency." I have seen God use my handicap to reach people. I don't know how He does it, but I just trust God to speak through me and to help me not to worry about my speech.

Anyway, I hope this post was a blessing to you.

C3 Conference in Dallas

Tomorrow, my pastor, youth pastor, and I will be leaving for Dallas, Texas to attend the C3 Conference at Fellowship Church. This amazing church averages about 20,000 in attendance every week and is led by Pastor Ed Young.

The event kicksoff tomorrow night with speakers Jentezen Franklin and Christine Caine. On Thursday night, Ed Young and Craig Groeschel will be speaking. Throughout the day on Thursday and Friday, we will have the opportunities to hear from Steven Furtick, Bil Cornelius, as well as others church leaders from around the country.

I will also be meeting with several pastors for potential partnership of Lakepointe Church. At the same time, I will be reunited with some old friends (Tim Payne, Denny Smith, Michael Ames) and my cousin Jason Strom who lives in Dallas and is involved at Fellowship Church.

I can't wait to be a part of this conference! Thanks, Pastor Godfrey, for taking me with you! You're the best!

My Life Experience - Part 1

I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan on December 6, 1974. I was also born with hearing loss in both ears. When I was 2 1/2 years old, they diagnosed 80% loss of hearing in the high frequency range. This is why I cannot hear the ladies, especially when they nag! So ladies, if you like to speak to me, you must speak to me in a low "manly" voice. (For those who don't really know me, I'm just kidding - my hearing is NOT that bad.)

Since then, I've been wearing hearing aids which really help my hearing, but it doesn't quite solve all my problems. For example:

• Hard to hear in group conversation (hard to read a lot of lips all at once)
• Phone conversations are somewhat difficult (especially when they are talking too fast)
• People praying (can't read lips with eyes close - but I sometimes peak to look)
• Television (need closed caption)
• Songs (need closed caption)
• Radio (again, need closed caption)
• And did I mention nagging women (of course, I'm not talking about my wife. Karen never nags).
  

My hearing loss also gave me another problem - my speech. Soon, I will share with you in another post about how God has used my weakness to turn into His strength for His glory.

Quote of the Day

From time to time, when I see a good quote, I'll put it up on the blog. I saw one this afternoon and it's my prayers that I will stay focus on the journey ahead of me, my family, and start of a new church.

“The enemy of the church planter is distraction”
– Nelson Searcy

Paul Erwin - a testimony of Outflow

This past Tuesday afternoon, Paul Erwin went home to be with Jesus at the age 39.  His wife is a faithful worker on our staff, assisting our youth pastor, Craig Hindsman, and myself.  

I was talking to Paul on Tuesday morning to discuss an outreach plan for March 15, "Feeding the Hungry" Sunday, in which Paul was in charge of cooking the meal to feed 1500 plus people.  This week, he was in the middle of preparing meals for 250 people on Thursday (yesterday) that cost $5 plate, in which the profits were going toward missions and where Paul was not making a dime! Paul was outwardly focused on MISSIONS!

One hour after our conversation, He was shopping at Sam's Club (for missions) when he met Jesus, face-to-face.  He will be missed around the Marcus Pointe family.  His wife Jennifer and their 3 children are in our prayers.

The funeral arrangements are as follow:

Sunday, February 15

2:30-3:30 Viewing

3:30 Memorial Service

Wednesday, February 18

9:30 Interment at Barrancas Cemetery

Our church is in a middle of a series call Outflow: an Outward-Focused in a Self-focused World.  Thank you, Paul, for living an "outflow" life where you affected many lives around you for Christ.

To blog or not to blog... that is the question!

Recently, I have joined the Facebook mayhem and the Twitter rage. After much deliberation, I have decided to become official and join the blog universe!

To be honest with you, I was hesitant to start a blogsite. One of my pet peeves are so-called bloggers who never blog but once every full moon. With that being said, I am committed to blog at least once a week, but if you're lucky, I just might blog more frequently. 

My goal is to share my journey with you, as my family and I make the move from Pensacola, Florida to the Detroit metro area this year to start a church from scratch.  I'll be posting current news of what is happening in our lives and the life of the new church.  I will also mention items for you to pray about.

So, wish me luck and I hope that you'll enjoy the stuff that I will blog about.