Sunday Nite Speak

* Tonight was a good nite... a very apropo message on temptation. Very CONVICTING message (for me), and seemed to really touch several people.

* Why do so many of us take paths we KNOW are wrong... get to the destination we KNEW we'd get to... and WONDER HOW WE GOT THERE? But we should've seen it coming from a mile away!

* Proverbs 27:12 has totally rocked my world!!!

*One of the most important things to understand about temptation is that it's much more than what we just see in front of us!

* BIG UPS to Brian and Christina... two UMD students who've been coming regularly to Mosaic DC for the last month. Christina became a Christ-follower last year, and Brian just started following Jesus last month! They both were baptized this morning at Christina's home church in Belair, MD!! YAY, GOD!!! :-) Keep rockin' it guys... I'm proud of you!

* Speaking of BIG UPS: a MAJOR SHOUT-OUT to my man Darrius Heyward-Bey, wide receiver from UMD who got drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round (7TH PICK!!) of the NFL Draft! That's HUGE!! Proud of you, D!! Just remember us little people (especially Pastor D, lol!) :-D

* Got to see my good friend Savannah tonight... who bought out a friend she recently met while working out. Said she thought Mosaic would be a great fit for her... her friend seems to think so, too... Now, that is TOTALLY awesome when people who aren't even members or attenders of your church are pointing people to your church! YAY, GOD!!!!

* My Cowboys didn't make a huge splash in the draft, at least not in the first two rounds. But, holy moley!! They ended up with 12 picks, which is the MOST in the NFL since 1994, when the draft expanded to seven rounds. Dallas stockpiled on picks who could make an immediate impact on the special teams. Most fans aren't excited... but I think this was an excellent draft for them!!

* Okay... so next Sunday marks MOSAIC DC's 2-yr Anniversary!!!! YAY, GOD!!!!!! Wow... this time has gone by really fast! My good friend Professor/Pastor Steve Layne will be our guest preacher... I am SO LOOKING FORWARD to that!!!! We're not having a major celebration this year... but would love to see you if you're not doing anything at 5:30 this coming Sunday, May 3.

* OMG(osh), I will be 41 next week... I'm getting ancient!

Monday Mind Dump...

* Great time at the Gathering last night!
* One of the most exciting things, for me, is to see newer attenders bringing their friends! That is just freaking amazing to me!
* We continued our EXTREME series with EXTREME DEVOTION: Profile of the Obsessed. I stole the sub-title from a chapter of Francis Chan's book... and we looked at one of the most "Jesus-obsessed" people we see in the Scripts: Mary of Bethany. She's my mentor when it comes to devotion to Christ... I learn alot from her (she really is a beast... see also this passage)
* One of the things I like most about Mary's example is that she teaches us to choose WHAT'S BEST over WHAT'S LESS. That's not just a "catchy phrase"... some of us tend to make a habit of settling for less than God's best in our lives, and end up wondering why we're always in crisis mode! Mary demonstrated in reality what this guy did in one of Jesus' stories... I love it!!!!
* One of our college students gave her life to Christ at last week's gathering... and she came back out last night, all the way from Baltimore... even though she's on Spring Break! She's becoming obsessed with Jesus... and I love it!!!
* Worship was good last night, too... here's the set:

- Your Grace is Enough (Tomlin)
- Let God Arise (Tomlin)
- God You Reign (Brewster)
- Amazed (Brewster)

* Yes... I'm a Chris Tomlin and Lincoln Brewster junkie. :)
* The band continues to do an amazing job with limited rehearsal time... you guys make me proud week in & week out!!
* Over the last month or so, we've had a number of deaths of family members of our Mosaic crew... remember those who are still hurting from the loss of loved ones.
* Even in the midst of sadness, though, God tends to bring about joy... in the midst of death, God brings life... and we're excited for Malcolm and Crystal Ceasar, who brought Myles Xavier into the world on yesterday!! YAY, GOD!!! Keep MC and Crystal in your prayers, as they adjust to their new addition! :)
* Yesterday was time for another celebration, as my mom celebrated her 65th birthday! Yay, God!!
* Be praying for Kelly Woody, our Mosaic staffer who is over in Malawi, Africa until next month, working with True Love Waits, Intl. Pray for her success in ministering to the people there, as well as helping out with leadership development.
* We'll be gearing up for another baptism next month... if you're interested, please contact Pastor D soon! Or let your Connection Group leader know, and they'll get the information to the right place...
* Next Sunday night: EXTREME KINDNESS - YOU DON'T WANNA MISS THIS!! If the first two messages have rocked your socks at all, this will leave you shoeless!! (I'm not really sure at all why I just wrote that, but it sounded good, lol!) But seriously...don't miss this and don't come alone! Take a friend out to an early dinner, and then bring them to the Gathering!
* Challenge for the day: practice choosing WHAT'S BEST over WHAT'S LESS... don't settle for less than God's best in your life today!

Sunday Nite Speak!

* I'd been recovering from pneumonia since Thursday, so I was unable to either speak or lead worship tonight...
* ..but I got by with a little help from my friends! Pastor Vic Simpson of Emmanuel Church in Huntingtown, MD filled in for me tonight, and did an AWESOME JOB (once again) with the message! Vic's no stranger to Mosaic... he's been out a few times now, and is always very encouraging and leaves a big impact!
* Also, my friend Matt Morgan, who pastors Reston Community Church, came out and led the worship... dude is LIKE THAT!! I'd only heard Matt once before, at the Whiteboard Sessions, and I knew I had to have him out. Glad he was able to lead for us tonight! He brought along his worship leader and a bass player, too... great worship tonight!
* Then, finally... my good friend William Brew, quite arguably the BADDEST DRUMMER AROUND THESE PARTS... well, at least, he's got MY vote! Brew and I think alot alike when it comes to ministry (he turned me on to Delirious, too), and I'm glad he was finally able to make it out to Mosaic. Brew serves as the Worship Pastor (how many drummers can do that??) at Zion Church.
* So, Vic closed out our INFLUENCE series with a message entitled, One Adventure Leads to Another... and he was ON it! God definitely spoke to me thru Vic, about letting go of my comfort zone... and trusting Him to provide. "There's no such thing as a 'comfort zone' when you're on an adventure with God!"
* Great experience tonight... thanks to all my Mosaic peeps, for stepping up to the plate today - what a crazy weekend! It's good to know that I can count on things getting done, even when things are outside the norm... even when it calls for sacrifice... love you guys!
* Feel like I'm turning the corner with the pneumonia thingy... gonna rest all day tomorrow, and then I should be alot better!
* Can't wait to fly out to Tampa on Wednesday, to meet with my Pastors Coaching Network led by Nelson Searcy! This has been a tremendous learning environment for me... I'd encourage any church planter or pastor to look into this network!
* Received a really encouraging email from this guy... his wisdom utterly astounds me at times. One only need listen to him for a few minutes to know with certainty that he spends alot of time with God. He reminds me somewhat (as far as wisdom) of THIS DUDE, who I had the privilege of having lunch with almost 10 years ago in Atlanta.
* Dr. Blackaby offered to mentor me every week as long as he could, but I couldn't fit it in my schedule. WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING BACK THEN???? As one author says, that one would fall under the theological category of "Don't be stupid!" (I still can't believe I turned down that offer...")
* I absolutely hate the transition between football and baseball seasons...
* Looking for ways to bless our community this month... we have absolutely dropped the ball in this area, but we're gonna make up for that!!
* Looking forward to our next couple of series... you'll be hearing in a couple of days about the next one!
* My good friend, Dave Anderson, was just in town this past week... and we weren't able to hook up. That sucks (you did try, though, D...sorry I couldn't make it happen). I really love that guy... we met at Elevation Church almost 2 years ago, and just bonded. Don't you love when that happens???
* We've got two baptisms coming up within three weeks... THAT is what I'm talking about! I'm SO AMPED about that, I don't know what to do! Can't wait!
* It will be 80 degrees in Tampa this week... and, yes, I will call Keda and rub it in. :-)
* Our youngest son, Seth, reminds me of Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs... he's not really mischievous, but he's full of energy and smiles and laughs all the time!!
* Is it okay to eat gummy worms when you have pneumonia?? :-)
*Well, off to bed... nothing but reading and studying tomorrow... YEAH, BABY!

Sunday Nite Speak!

* Good nite, tonight... first official weekend without Chuy and Karla... felt WEIRD! But so happy for those two... they'll do well in VA Beach!
* Thought the worship was okay... as much as love leading, don't know how long I can do double duty... PRAY FOR ME!
* I LOVE my musicians, though! William, glad to have you back bangin' tonight, man! ;-)
* Thought the message was on point... Let the Bible Change Your Life! Funny how the simplest messages can have the biggest impact!
* Many times, God speaks to us from His Word... not just to change us, but to change others though us! D on't hold onto it! Let Him influence people through your life change!
* One of the MD football players was out tonight... love it!!
* Man, we had some glitches tonight! But guess what? We get another shot next week!! (gotta get those transitions clean, though)
* Watched the Super Bowl... what a game!!!!! Looks like the Steelers just pulled it off... wow.
* Right now, I am ROTFL at The Office... that show is hysterical!
* What does Dwight on that show remind you of? Haha!
* I love our church... and not just because I get to pastor it! We've really got a great group of people, who love their church and love seeing it grow. As a pastor, you've gotta love that!
* We had a family leave the church recently (good family, though), because of our emphasis on being outward... specifically, inviting people to church... and I think that's a GREAT THING! Not that they've left, of course; but that they get it. They know beyond the shadow of a doubt what our mission is... it's crystal clear. They don't mesh with it... and feel the need to move on... but it's crystal clear. If your mission isn't clear, you may add people to your ministry, but they won't even know what to be excited about... GET CLARITY!
* Okay, now The Office is grossin' me out... Jack Black and Cloris Leachman...ugh.
* Our Connection Groups start this week... AMPED!!
* Three totally new groups... and one group, Starting Point, is the first group for new believers we've had!
* One of our newest attenders came and asked me why we didn't do Communion today... I thought it was cool that she even noticed!
* Btw, Communion has been pushed to next week. :-)
* Should find out this week whether or not this new elementary school in College Park will let us use their facility on Sunday mornings... PRAY!!!
* Gonna be a busy week this week...
* I speak this coming Saturday at a Worship Music Institute called CanZion... the environment should be off the chizzain!! Before I was called to preach, I thought I would be training worship leaders... so I am absolutely looking forward to this!
* God is absolutely amazing... I love what I do! :-)

Monday Nite Mind Dump

* Doing my "Sunday Nite Speak" today, because I couldn't get to it last night...
* Good service last nite, numbers are coming back up...
* Karla and the band did one of my favorite songs, "Everyday"... LOVE that song!
* One more week with Chuy and Karla leading our worship... man, I'm gonna miss them!!
* Continued our INFLUENCE series last night with Leading Myself... God has called us to impact the lives of others... period. But we can't do that effectively if we're jacked up in our own lives. If our heart doesn't beat white hot for God, we can't expect to have much of a Kingdom influence. Makes sense, doesn't it?
* A friend and old pastor showed up at Mosaic last nite... always thought I'd be nervous if that happened to me... but I think it made me more confident, for some reason.
* Our two youngest boys have been sick with a virus... not fun. I don't know how Keda does it, but she's a trooper!
* Funny how God balances us with our spouses, right? I have a weak stomach and would be sick with the kids if I had to clean up after they threw up. Of course, she doesn't like it, but I'm glad it doesn't affect her like it does me. YAY, GOD!!! :-D
* Started feeling a little queasy yesterday evening before our Gathering... but so far, so good. I have developed a cold, though... ugh. And yes, I'm taking in a lot of fluids. :)
* Looks like we'll be kicking off 8 Connection groups in just a couple of weeks! That is WAY COOL!
* We launched our group ministry not quite a year ago with just 2 groups... I'm pumped!
* This go round, we have our first Fresh Start group for new believers and those who've been away from church awhile... YAY GOD!!!
* Still praying for a place to meet in the a.m! Put this at the top of your prayer list!!
* We're unapologetic about why we put such an emphasis on reaching the unchurched, and inviting them to church, as well.
*Scripturally, Jesus is crystal clear about our mission: Go and make disciples (Matt. 28:19). We don't even argue about it at Mosaic... it is what it is.
*Personally, I don't know where I'd be today if a guy (who didn't know me from Adam) hadn't reached out to me when I was a student at Univ. of MD. I was a "Christian" in name only... but my life was a mess. And I'm so glad that this dude wasn't so hung up on his own growth that he couldn't make time to reach out to me...
* Btw, I just reconnected with this guy over the holidays last month... hadn't seen or talked to him in almost 20 years!
* The longer I pastor, the more I realize how much I don't know. It's frustrating at times, but I'm thankful that God is patient... and so are the people at Mosaic! :)
* One of the things I like most about our church is seeing people so excited about what they're learning that they're inviting their friends and family to church! I'm always humbled, but yet always excited at God's greatness and His great mercy!
* On to football... no matter who your favorite team is, you've gotta be excited about the Arizona Cardinals!! Wow... first playoff appearance in 60 years, and they make it to the Super Bowl!
* Speaking of Super Bowl, our Feb. 1 gathering will be moved up an hour early to 4:30p... PLEASE MAKE A NOTE!!! If you arrive after 5:30 that day, you can help us break down equipment... :)
* It's late... but Shawn just woke up after sleeping for over 6 1/2 hours! Glad he's feeling better... eating a piece of toast and drinking Gatorade. What a life. :)

Sunday Nite Speak!!

* Great gathering tonight! I love going to Mosaic!
* Led worship again... Karla was sick... good to have Chuy back tonight, though!
* Great to have our Mosaic band! Makes it a whole lot easier to lead worship when I don't have to play!
* We don't have a Service Coordinator, but I'm feeling the need for one... especially when I have to lead worship AND speak!
* Started our INFLUENCE series tonight... went really well! Look forward to some GREAT THINGS! Tonight's message was from here... on, "The Power of Influence." God's wired us to make a difference in this world... we're to embrace our influence, and leverage it wisely.
* Next week's message: "Leading Myself" - this should be GOOD!!!!
* Our metaphor image for the series is a domino... stacked side by side and given a little push, they create a beautiful, ripple effect - that's how our lives should be!
* Had a great video, featuring a group in Asia... building a very large, very creative design, using... instead of just dominoes... soap, cereal boxes, DVD cases, VHS videotapes, bic lighters... it was AWESOME!
* But I made the biggest blunder you can make in a multicultural church!! I made a comment at the beginning of the clip, about how one of our guys, Chris (who's Chinese), could've been our interpreter for the video. Everybody said, "Ooooooooooooohhh!" I was like, "What? Chris really could be our interepreter for this!" They said, "Noooo, Pastor D... the guys in the video are JAPANESE!!!" (talk about egg on your face)
* Students are starting to trickle back in from vacation break...
* Made a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT tonight: our worship leader and our band director are both leaving (they're married). They're moving to Virginia Beach... we hate to see 'em go, but we love them and wish them the best!!! :-)
* Which means, that yours truly will be leading the worship until God sends us a worship leader... hopefully, this will be sooner than later!
* Okay, I'm tired... time to hit the sack!

Sunday Nite Speak!

* We had a really good service tonight... attendance picked up a little... not what it usually is, but better than last week!
* Good number of guests tonight, too!
* Led worship again in Karla's place, for the second week in a row... really enjoyed it! Funny, because I really had thought the music aspect of my ministry was pretty much done. :-)
* I did WAY too much in the service tonight, though... it was like the "Pastor D Show"! Gotta tweak... can't have that happen again.
* I love the fact that Chuy has incorporated a violinist in our band... Robert, you never cease to amaze me... you bring such an incredible richness to our sound. Glad you're part of the team, bro!
* Jeff, good to see you on the board tonight... sound was great!
* Justin, loved the motion graphics!!
* One person indicated they are renewing their commitment to Christ! YAY, GOD!!!
* Here was the line-up for tonight:

Worship Set:

*Majestic (Lincoln Brewster)
*Here is Our King (Crowder)
*Grace Flows Down (Passion Band)

Communion

*Beautiful One (By the Tree)
*He Knows My Name (Tommy Walker)

Video: "What About Resolutions?"

Message: "Real Change", Lk. 5:33-39

* Thought the message went well... had one point:"Real change is when my will changes." Clear, concise... hopefully, compelling! ;-)
* I know some theologues will take issue with that point, and say "But doesn't change happen when your heart changes?" Yes! But as the heart is our "seat of emotions", I'm simply using the term interchangeably. Besides, "real" and "will" kinda rhyme. ;-)
* Change is the only thing in our lives that is constant... but one of the hardest things for us to do personally. And like Extreme Makeover, Home Edition... God doesn't just want to change "the plumbing" or the "roof" of our lives.. He wants to totally renovate us, from the inside out.
* Too many of us settle for "pseudo-transformation": we're not really interested in changing; we just want to "get a little bit better." We don't want "new wine"... we've gotten used to the old, and convince ourselves that it's better (read here).
* Next week... our new message series, INFLUENCE: Making a Difference in Your World... don't miss it!
* NFL Playoffs started this weekend! Even with my Cowboys out, I still love this time of year!
* Going out on a limb here: my Super Bowl teams pick is Giants vs. Steelers... with the Steelers as the 2008 NFL CHAMPIONS!

Sunday Nite Speak!

* We had a good gathering tonight... not great, but pretty good. But I tell you what: our people work hard, and they put forth their best effort every week. We've definitely got some things to tweak, but I love working with every single one... they're just totally awesome! :-)

* Worship was awesome! I love our band and worship leader!!

* A good number of new faces tonight in the crowd! That's kinda funny... cuz somebody with a huge church is reading this and is probably saying, "D PLUM, I couldn't tell you from Sunday to Sunday who's new and who's not!" But we're not hatin'! The Bible says to "not despise... small beginnings" (read it HERE), and we're thankful for what we have... but we KNOW that the harvest is soon to come!

* Message went okay tonight... a little long, but that happens. ;-) Next week, part 3 of the Just Walk Across the Room series... "When Stories Collide." You don't want to miss next week! Do whatever you've gotta do... but be there! ;-)

* Had a good Connection Group with my guys this morning... we met at IHOP for breakfast. It's great to see that bonds are developing tighter each week, and these guys have huge hearts for God... love you, my brothers!

* Tonight was a little strange... seemed as though I could sense people praying for us during our gathering. And the reality is that there are dozens, probably hundreds, of people praying for our church every week. Tonight I felt your prayers. Thank you. :-)

* It's really amazing that I get to do what I do... church planting is definitely not for the weak at heart; it's tough work. But I love it... and I love our people... and it's good to see the Mosaic community growing. People are excited about what's happening... and we haven't even cracked the tip of the iceburg yet... gotta love it!

* I received an email the other day from a good friend... one of our partners at the church... and he stated that he and his wife are praying for me. He went on to say that he "probably doesn't say it enough," but they really want me [and Mosaic] to succeed. Just gotta say that emails like that mean the world to a pastor... we can never get enough of them. That email came at the end of one of my toughest weeks in ministry... and it meant a lot. Thank you very much, my friend. ;-)

* Gotta send shout outs to my main man Malcolm, the sound guy! Tonight... no, every week... he busts his tail in making sure we've got good sound and that things are set up properly. Thanks, man, for working so hard behind the scenes... you rock, baby!

* You can always tell how valuable a person is when they're absent. My "right hand guy" (he does so many things, it's been hard to give him one title!) Bernard is vacationing with his bride, and - even though we had a good gathering and really didn't let anything fall through the cracks - it was just the little things that he always brings to my attention that we missed tonight. That speaks volumes about consistency and dependability. I appreciate you, man... hurry up back! :-)

* Last two shout-outs: I'd be remissed if I didn't mention MY bride... who also helps keep me together on Sundays, and helps me in so many ways. Thanks, babe! Also, Chuy and Karla... your musicianship never ceases to amaze me. ;-) SO thankful for you guys!

* The Cowboys pulled off a HUMONGOUS win tonight... even though there were some very questionable calls made against them, they overcame some hurdles and pounded out a much-needed win. Up next, Ravens! ;-)

Sunday Nite Speak!

* Good attendance again!
* Good service, too... really enjoying the One Month to Live series! Tonight's message was on Loving Completely...
* Met with my connection group this morning for the first time... love groups! We've tripled the number of groups we have since the Spring/Summer... YAY, GOD!!
* We announced some bittersweet news tonight: our worship leader, Brian Jackson and his family will be moving on from Mosaic after next Sunday. Brian's been with us from our inception, and we hate to see him go... but God's will prevails. He will be truly missed, but we're confident that God will keep us moving forward!
* God always provides when we need it: Jesus and Karla Rodriguez will be stepping up to lead our worship ministry... they bring tons of experience with them (they've been running a worship music school for the last few years) and an incredible heart for worship! YAY, GOD!!
* Love to see leaders multiply themselves... Malcolm, it was good to see you sitting out in the congregation with your wife, dude! Big props on handing off ministry! ;-)
* One of my key dudes said tonight that he think's we'll break 100 by year's end... IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE!! Keep investing and inviting, peeps! ;-)
* Spoke on humility and patience in relationships tonight... good stuf! More on that later! ;-)
* WHAT IN THE WORLD IS UP WITH THE COWBOYS????????? They're imploding fast. All Redskin fans are gloating. They need humility. :-)
* My Red Sox clawed their way back to Game 7 in the ALCS... only to lose. Ugh. Not a good day in sports for me.
* I have a feeling that things are getting ready to start poppin' off at Mosaic! Just have a feelin'... ;-)
* Ok... I am dead tired. More later. Cya.

**EDIT**
The earlier version of this post said (about Brian's leaving Mosaic), "...we have to see him go," which was most definitely a misprint. ;-) I meant to write (and it's corrected now) that we HATE to see him go! ;-)

Sunday Nite Speak!

* Long day today, so this will be a "short speak"... ;-)

* AWESOME NITE TONIGHT, BABY!!! Numbers are continuing to grow... people are really excited... which is evident, because 1) they're bringing their friends... and 2) their friends are returning... with friends!

* We are just about ready to break the "first growth barrier" (65 in attendance)... YAY, GOD!!

* People see that number, and they say (usually with a smirk), "Why aren't you guys growing faster?" So, let me peep you on what's been happening: 1) We're an intentionally multiracial church. That's not an easy thing to grow... yet it's growing that way. 2) The "experts" say that churches like ours grow usually in three ways in the early days of church planting - one, unbelievers come to faith thru our ministry; two, interracial couples find our ministry; and three, people (no matter the race) who have been already thinking through "the race issue" find there way to our ministry. We've seen all three... and we've come to find out that it's true what the experts say! 3) Our growth hasn't been explosive, but it's been consistent! As many of you know, we started out with 13... so, we've more than tripled in attendance. ;-)

* The pastor of one of the most racially-balanced churches in the country, in the most racially diverse city in the country, told me they were averaging only between 50-60 people by the end of their second year (24 mos). We're in month 17, and are already passing those numbers... YAY, GOD!!

* Amidst the growth, there are also some transitions... but it's amazing how God is already answering prayer! More later on that...

* One Month to Live had an AWESOME KICKOFF tonight!! YAY, GOD! If you weren't there, you missed it... so, come on out next weekend!

* I think we're gonna connect quite a few people in our Connection Groups with the OMTL small group study... don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'm thinking they're pretty good!

* The Cowboys won tonight.. YAY, GOD! :-D

* Hey, don't forget to check us out on Facebook! If you haven't already, join our Mosaic Community Church group, so you can keep up with what's going on with us! ;-)

Sunday Night Speak!

* Another great nite at our gathering! Karla and the band did another TIGHT JOB! Great worship set, too:

- I Know Who I Am - Houghton
- O Praise Him - Crowder
- Indescribable - Tomlin
- At the Cross - Hillsong

* Kicked Part 1 of the Dark Knight message, The Great Exchange: it was Communion Sunday, so we wanted the message to center around the cross. So, we rolled with a "substitution theme" from the movie, highlighting the end of the movie where Batman "took on the sins" of Harvey Dent. Of course, that's a good illustration of what Jesus did for us... however, the BIG DIFFERENCE being that Dent's died while being venerated a hero... and his crimes were unpunished (Batman took the blame... he also took flight). But Jesus didn't run... he was "crushed for our sins" (Isaiah 53). Dent died and for all intents and purposes was pardoned, but the crimes weren't punished. Jesus was punished for us AND pardoned us! He took our death, and gave us His life! What an exchange!! :-)
* Next week, DARK KNIGHT, Pt. 2: "True Faced" - Being a Person of Integrity. Whoo-hoo! Can't wait!! :-)
* 9 first-time guests out tonight... and more RETURN GUESTS from the last few weeks... major!
* This Saturday (and again on Aug 23), we're giving away free Rita's giftcards between 1-3pm to the first 150 customers! Rita's is an "ice water/slushy/smoothie" place that does MAJOR BUSINESS in the warmer months. The lady who runs the store in College Park is a believer, and is excited to participate in this with us! We'll also be raffling off a free iPod on both Saturdays... should be fun!
* Trying to get my messages done earlier in the week... I'll be at the Willowcreek Leadership Summit (satellite) this Thurs & Fri, so hopefully I can be done by Wednesday!
* Loving our Media Team... these guys are puttin' it down every week! They're learning... but they're learning quickly and without murmuring or complaining. Love you guys!
* I'm watching Run's House reruns as I type... LOVE that show! I honestly don't know about Rev's theology... but I love the way he interacts with his kids!
* My oldest son starts middle school in just a few weeks... on the same day that my youngest starts Kindergarten! I'm stressing... don't know if I'm gonna make it.
* We usually don't keep movie channels on cable, but I've GOT to order HBO for the Hard Knocks series that starts this Wednesday! The show will be covering my Cowboys while they're in training camp. NFL, baby! It's here! :-)
* I talked a little about the OT sacrificial system tonight... and I freaked myself out, likening it to the slaughter of roadkill. UGH! I hate that stuff!! I'm getting shivers, thinking of dead possums and gophers... can't imagine having to slaughter a goat or rip apart a bird! AUGGGGHHHHHH!
* Started following another blogger this past week... for any speaker or communicator out there, you've got to start hitting Jason Curlee's blog! Jay is one of the lead campus pastors for Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Cristi, TX. He's a BAD BOY!! :-)
* Just finished up a pre-release copy of Mark Driscoll's latest book... review coming this week!

God On Film: Dark Knight, Part 1

So, we've decided to split up the Dark Knight God On Film message into TWO messages. There was just so much in the film, it was difficult to choose one theme. This makes it really exciting! We'll also be celebrating Communion this Sunday... so, come on out... experience an evening with us at Mosaic! ;-)

This Sunday... 5:30pm: God On Film, Week 5...
DARK KNIGHT, PT. 1 - "The Great Exchange"

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Sunday Nite Speak - HANCOCK: "The Power of Purpose"

* GREAT worship gathering tonight! Was very impressed with Karla and the band! They did a really AWESOME job! Worship set:

- Here is Our King (David Crowder)

- I Know Your Are Mine (Israel Houghton)

- Famous One (Chris Tomlin)

- Indescribable

They really nailed it with "Indescribable"! I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to preach after that!

* Well, we're halfway through our God On Film series, and it's really going great! Seems to get better each week... and attendance isn't going down at all! Great for the summertime!

* We had clips for Hancock today... went well, although the second one needed an edit! (I'm not tellin', though! LOL!) But, overall... it went great.

* We need to work on our "staging"... I think fixing up the stage thematically to go along with the messages would add VOLUMES to our gathering environments!

* We handed out little cards (smaller than business card-size) that challenged people to commit to living out their God-given purpose (on the back of the card was written this: "What would you do... if you could do ONE thing, money wasn't an issue, and you knew you couldn't fail?" and then a few lines for them to write out their purpose). They were to sign it and date it, and then share it with someone else to help keep them accountable to pursuing their purpose. Worked great! Looking forward to the follow up with that!

* Good number of guests out tonight! And I'm lovin' seeing people RETURN for the 2nd and 3rd time!

*Well, I'm looking forward to this week! I have a baptism, the Creative team and I (and some Mosaic "tagalongs") will be seeing Dark Knight together tomorrow evening, and I have a couple of books to finish. Saw the Dark Knight movie already, but 1) it's worth seeing again... and 2) there's so much, you're bound to miss something! Not sure yet what theme I'll be lifting from the movie to speak on next week... so, if you have something, shoot it my way! ;-)

*CLOUD NINE: NFL football is right around the corner!!!! :-)

Purposing Again!

Last week at our worship gathering, we highlighted the Wanted movie and talked about purpose... specifically, The Pathway to Our Purpose. This Sunday, we'll be highlighting Hancock... and looking at The POWER of Purpose. As they say down South, it's "fittin' ta be" a great Sunday evening! Also, Brian is taking a couple of weeks off... so, Karla Rodriguez will be leading us in worship... along with her hubby, Chuy, and their band. Can't wait! :-)

So, don't forget... this Sunday evening, 5:30pm... as we continue our summer-long GOD ON FILM message series at Mosaic!

See you there! :-)

Monday Reflections!

* The Gathering last night was GREAT! WANTED went really well... you never lack an audience when you preach on purpose! ;-)
* We didn't have any clips from the movie, but we did have an awesome trailer... and we downloaded some nice pics from the movie website. As I preached, we did "intro's" of different characters from the movie, highlighting them according to a particular point in the message that correlated with the actors... it was great!
* I wore a shoulder holster throughout the message, too... really tried to look the part of a gunman. Not sure people were convinced... until I brought out my short-barreled shotgun! "Come and meet my little friend!!!" Oh... wrong movie! Don't worry, though... it was a BB gun. :-)
* About 6 first-time guests last night!
* I was pleasantly surprised by one of our guests tonight: she's a long-time family friend, who I've known since she was a little girl. She's all grown up now (finished grad school)... someone told her about my blog, so she's been following the Mosaic Journey... and decided to pay us a visit (plus, she wanted to surprise my mom and I). It was great seeing you, Nicole... don't be a stranger! ;-)
* My oldest son, DJ, paid me a tremendous compliment tonight... as only he can! He normally doesn't stay in "big church", but he sat in the sanctuary tonight, and got to hear Dad preach. When we got home, he said to me, "Dad, I think God really wanted you to preach, and you do it so well that He made certain movies come out just so you could talk about them!" Bad theology... but great compliment! My sons rock, man! Love you, D! ;-)
* Always great to see first-timers return, isn't it?
* Amelia, our newly-appointed Creative Coordinator, created some "Wanted" posters (like, the kind for CRIMINALS) that read, "Wanted: People of Purpose"... and had the little silhouette like the ones on Facebook, when people don't include their profile photo. They were posted all over the church... great touch! I love it when people get creative! :-)
* Next week: HANCOCK! Should be an awesome time! I'm thinking of doing a "Pt. 2" on purpose... but I haven't seen the movie yet, so I'm not sure. What do YOU think would be a good theme from HANCOCK to speak on?
* Saw Dark Knight tonight... really good. But I didn't trip over it like some did. I thought it was a really good movie... that's it. :-/ That joker was definitely NO JOKE , though (no pun intended)! DANG!!! Posthumous oscar for my man Ledger, that's for sure!
* I thought Batman's voice was really irritating... anyone agree??
* Hope to kick out two book reviews this week! Gotta crank! ;-)

**Edited at 2:14pm**

Sunday Nite Speak!

* Great way to kick off our GOD ON FILM series tonight!! The Gathering was awesome! Great way to end a really tough week!
* The Hulk: Dealing With Anger turned out to be a really good message, I think... although, I could've used more "scene illustrations" from the movie. Got rolling... felt good... and forgot to use my notes! :-)
* Once you truly understand why God gets angry (only at sin), you begin to be more intentional with separating anger from things like irritations, disappointments, hurt feelings, ect. Most of us get angry for any- and everything that bothers us!
* Looking forward to doing Get Smart next Sunday, as we deal with the topic of "wisdom!"
* Looking forward to getting together with our design team tomorrow evening!
* Received this message from one a member of our team tonight... encouraging notes like this make pastors feel like they'd charge hell with a water pistol for their team:

"My parents enjoyed [the message] tremendously, and they like that you are so hands-on and relational, you made a great impression on them. Thanks, man, for being you."

* You've gotta see this video that Amelia, one of our team members, did... freakin' hilarious, man! Btw, that's me, and two other guys from Mosaic, Justin and Chris!

http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/share_view/yRNtzb7YGcHNeimSZcjXENUb

* Big community servant evangelism outing planned for July 26... STAY TUNED!!!! DON'T MISS IT!!!
* Saw Wanted this past week... good movie! Looking forward to preaching about that!
* Keda rode on a motorcyle with my good friend, Shawn, yesterday... she loved it!! She had been looking forward to that ride for about 2 months... she finally got it! I'll post pics soon...
* And I rode a 4-wheeler for the first time yesterday... right into a ditch! DOH!!!! No pictures for that, fortunately! ;-)
* Got a chance to talk to my good buddy this past week... LOVE this dude, cuz he's so encouraging! Thanks for the phone call, man! (btw, I'd be jealous of you getting an iPhone... but I have an iPod Touch, which isn't too bad, lol!)
* Getting pretty antsy waiting for the football season!
* Found out recently that one of my best friends' son, Andre "Mann" Dawkins, made a verbal commitment to play at Duke, beginning in 2010... wow! Mann will be a junior in high school this next year... and is already 6'5", and almost 200 lbs... sheesh! Great to see him doing so well. Proud of you, Mann! And I promise to only root against you when you guys play the Terps!!!! ;-)

Sunday Nite Speak!

* Awesome worship gathering tonight! We bounced back well with a handful of 1st time guests, after not having any last week!
* One of our guests heard about us through our website... and, ironically, she went to college (NC State) with two of our partners! Look at Jesus! ;-)
* We finished on time for the first time in WEEKS!
* Communion Service tonight... the message was on "Brokenness" - very pertinent for our church right now.
* We ended up pulling a solo from our worship set tonight, because of a couple of lines in the song: it was quite possible the words could've had a negative effect on someone there, who is going through some personal issues. The song had been planned before we knew of the situation... but it was better to exercise grace than to be viewed as "pouring salt" on a still-very-fresh wound. Holy Spirit, thank You for giving us wisdom on that one...
* Jason, it was good to have you back in the house... glad you're knee is almost healed up!
* My nephew, Nix, was back at church tonight for the first time after his open-heart surgery in April... YAY, GOD!!! Thank ALL OF YOU for your prayers... God is AWESOME!!
* Had some technical issues (sound) tonight... not sure why, but I'm confident those guys will get it straight... they're the bomb!
* Our GOD ON FILM series starts next Sunday... YAY, GOD!!! Gonna be an awesome series... just wait and see. ;-)
* The Design Team saw The Incredible Hulk last week... I think we're going to see Get Smart or Wanted tomorrow night... whoo-hoo!!
* So much murder & intrigue on TV... and I'm watching the Sunday Night News!
* Will be at the College Park Metro a few days this week, handing out breakfast bars in the morning... I love seeing the smiles of those who take the bars and impact cards!
* Missed this conference last week (and it was here in DC... augh!!), but going to THIS ONE in August... and going with our team to THIS ONE in September!!
* I think it's crazy that this guy just joined Facebook and already has over 800 friends! I'm not hatin' on him, though. :-)
* QUESTION: WHAT'S THE BEST MOVIE YOU'VE SEEN IN 2008 SO FAR?

Monday Reflections

* Friday night, Keda went to see The Happening with some ladies from the church... scared the CRAPPOLAS outta her! :-) I had to meet her at the door... needless to say, she doesn't like scary movies, but she tries to "brave it out" from time to time. Always good face your fears! ;-)
* I spoke at a Men's Breakfast for a church about 30 min. away from us. A couple of our guys went with me... it made them really thankful for Mosaic! Before I spoke, they had a time of singing... and the first song was I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord Forever. That was one of the very first "church choruses" I learned as a little kid... and that's about how long it's been since I'd sung that song! The median age of the men there seemed to be around 45 or so... but the music was led by two gentlemen who were at least 70. So, I was very thankful for Mosaic, too! ;-)
* Saturday afternoon, our Connection Group had a cookout... really cool and alot of fun! A couple of people were AWOL, but we had a great time... even my dad hung out with us for a couple of hours, and rarely comes to church! :-)
* It was funny listening to my dad talk theology with one of our guys, who is a seminary student. He's been reading Driscoll's Vintage Jesus, so I guess he had something to work with!
* I love our group... the ages range from 21 to mid/upper 40's, but we have a great time and people have really connected. Not everybody, and not perfectly... but it's happening!
* Yesterday's worship gathering was good. Karla, it was great having you back onstage!) DIdn't do a Father's Day-specific message, but one for everybody on Understanding Temptation. Good feedback from people...
* I'm at Starbucks, drinking a Strawberry Lemonade frappucino... don't hate! ;-)
* We had a first-time guest at church yesterday, who heard about Mosaic thru Facebook! We've got almost 240 members in our Mosaic Facebook Group, and this is about the 2nd or 3rd person to come out having heard of the church through Facebook! She loved it... and said she plans to be out weekly. YAY, GOD!
* Message went a little long yesterday... gotta trim those bad boys down1
* The Lakers pulled out Game 5 yesterday, but I'm wondering if they're just holding off the inevitable...
* Over the next two weeks, I'll be preaching on the vision of the church... so, INVITE EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO DOESN'T HAVE A CHURCH HOME!! If they need a church, they'll get to hear very clearly what Mosaic is all about. After that...
* ... begins our GOD ON FILM message series! THIS, you definitely don't wanna miss! We should have something on the website next week, so keep posted! ;)

Monday's Musings

* Good service yesterday evening... good attendance!
* Had a good number of first-time guests, and several were students... who said they can't wait to come back next semester.
* Lovin' this Ruth study! We were in chapter 2 yesterday, and I only got halfway through. We'll deal with the rest of the chapter next week, and emphasize the role of Boaz as "kinsman-redeemer." It's Communion Sunday, so that should fit in perfectly! ;-)
* The band introduced a new song (forgot the title) yesterday, and I liked it so much I just had to have them sing it again! Great job, guys!
* One of our newest attenders at Mosaic is an Int'l Missions Board (IMB) missionary, working at the university with Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) students... it's been great having Kelly with us for this short time and hearing about her passion to help people learn to live missional lives. She's headed to Oklahoma for the summer to work at a youth camp, and we had the awesome privilege of praying over her during the service. Any way we can push missional living, we'll do it!
* Next semester, I'll be speaking for InterVarsity, BCM, and Campus Crusade at the university (and maybe for a couple other campus groups)... LOVE speaking to college students!
* One of our attenders has been tweaking our website... it's looking better and better! Alonso, you're doing an awesome job, my man!
* Whiteboard is this week! Can't wait... should be a great conference; Ben Arment has done an awesome job with pulling it together. I'm taking along two from Mosaic... I love getting people plugged into and exposed to new and innovative Kingdom venues!
* Looking forward to seeing this guy and this guy at the conference! And looking forward to meeting this guy... future church planter and (from what I hear) great preacher!
* Almost forgot one! Met her at the '06 Buzz Conference, and am looking forward to connecting Mosaic to what she does...
* Had a first time guest at Mosaic yesterday who is a fellow Boston Red Sox fan! Unfortunately, he roots for the Patriots, too... ugh! :-)
* Communion this Sunday... don't miss it!

Sunday Nite Speak!!

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!!!!!! That's all I can say... WHAT A NIGHT!!!!!! Incredible time... here are some highlights of the weekend:

* 120 people in attendance tonight!!
* Eric Bryant did a GREAT job! His message, "Party Theology", was right on point with what I've been speaking on the last several weeks! Thanks, E... first of all for coming - and for doing such a great job! Our people loved you, and were fired up from the message! :-)
* One thing is certain: My people at Mosaic really care for their pastor! Thanks, guys! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
* The band did some serious crankin' tonight! The church we worship in wasn't made for loud music, but we tear it up anyway!! Band, you did your thing! ;-)
* Chuy and Karla and their crew have really brought a great flavor and bigger sound to our band... wow!!
* Several people who've been praying for Mosaic showed up tonight to celebrate with us... it was awesome seeing some old, familiar faces!
* Our ministry teams are the bomb!!
* I would be remissed if I didn't honor two very special people: Bernard & Linda Greene. They are Mosaic's "Monsters of the Week!!" They work tirelessly EVERY week, and today was no exception! They are monsters when it comes to getting things done... guys, you know how I feel - I couldn't do what I do effectively if it weren't for the two of you busting your tails on a regular!! I love you... Mosaic loves you... YOU ROCK!!!!! ;-)
* Also need to recognize the contribution of the SBC of VA! Without their encouragement, funding, and insight, we'd be further behind than we are! They've been a great support, and they believe in what God has called us to do!
* My sons, Darren and Shawn, were telling one of the people who lives next door to the church about Mosaic... so they called me over to "give him some more information!" Haha! ALL IN THE FAMILY!!! ;-)
* Spoke at The Bridge this morning... went great! Love Pastor Ju and the Bridge peeps!
* Tired as all get out now...gotta get some rest!!!
* Oh... one more thing: this might be the week that I get my earring! We'll see... stay tuned!