06 Thursday May 2010
Here is a video from Pete Wilson that really…well…tells the story.
We have friends in this area whose lives will never be the same.
It is hard for me to believe that most of this video is shot where my daughter played soccer just a week earlier.
Thanks Pete for this video…..
15 Wednesday Oct 2008
Tags
Bellevue Community Church, church, community church, Crosspoint Church, David Perez, Joe Case, pastors, Pete Wilson, sales, salespeople, Uprising Church
disclaimer: before you read please note that in no way am I criticising the operation of a church or the way a pastor runs a church…this is a positive outlook on the success of churches and at no time was a pastor harmed while writing this piece.
A good friend of mine, Ernie, and I often talk about churches and why some succeed and some, well, fail.
It always baffles us why certain concepts of churches bring in the masses while the traditional churches are starting to stumble a little.
We also often talk about how the Community Church is thriving.
I think it has finally dawned on me why this is. Simply put: SOLD.
The new pastors of today know how to “sell” their church.
From the time you step in the entrance of a church like Bellevue Community Church, Crosspoint Church, Uprising Church or a church of this nature there is something different. A church designed for YOU. A customized product that reaches those of us who did not feel comfortable in a traditional environment. Kids areas that reach out and invite kids, letting them know church is a cool place to be. In a probably crude example, but the church is becoming a product we want to buy, or, buy into.
Pastors like Pete Wilson, David Perez and Joe Case leading the sales charge (in a good way). These are salespeople at their finest. Putting a product out there that is not only what we want but being able to tell us why we will love it.
The reason this all finally dawned on me is because I am a salesperson. A neighbor was asking me to visit their church (traditional) but with little enthusiasm. Not a good salesperson. A few hours later, I was at a trade show and someone invited me to Crosspoint. This person was completely enthusiastic about what was happening and telling me over and over about all the cool stuff Pete and his staff was doing. What a difference. I thought back to all of the conversations I have had about my church, Bellevue Community. Always sold with enthusiasm.
So, my question for you: Are the successful churches you attend or see a direct result of a Pastor that can sell? How do you think they would fare selling goods in a marketplace and not church?
10 Sunday Aug 2008
Tags
Blogs, Bring The Rain, David Foster, Faith, Hockey, HockeyBuzz, Joe Case, leadership, Pete Wilson
OK. I have to admit it.
I love blogs and blogging. In fact, I am addicted.
I have been known at times to get lost in it and look up to realize it is no longer 15 minutes to 9pm but pushing 10:30pm and I am screaming at the rumors being posted on Hockey Buzz.
So is this a healthy addiction? Should I get help or just enjoy the fact I have some good reading ahead of me? Am I going to wake up one morning with the shakes and a bunch of family members standing around me ready for an intervention?
I think these are healthy and not just dribble from the Internet. You decide.
Here are my favorites:
Pete Wilson’s Blog withoutwax.tv, Hockeybuzz.com, Joecase.com, Davidfoster.tv, Boredagainchristian.com and Angie Smiths Bring the Rain at audreycaroline.blogspot.com
It is a good mix of laughter, faith, friendship, leadership, music and of course…hockey.
Now, my question to you….are you a Blogaholic? What are your absolute favorites? Am I looking at an intervention in the foreseeable future?
21 Monday Jul 2008
Well.
It has been a few months since I began writing on this blog and reality is, it has not been as rewarding as I thought it should be.
Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to post. But I also feel that there could be more to this than me just babbling about, well, junk.
So, I am changing the direction of the site……I am going to focus on life from a “Normal” Christian’s perspective.
I say “Normal” in quotes because everyone thinks they are normal. What I am trying to get across however is that I am normal because I live in the Real World, do Stupid Things and make Real Mistakes.
If you are curious as to why I am doing this….here is the answer.
Last week I sent a small donation to an amazing mission heartsinhispaniola.blogspot.com which began to make me take a closer look at myself. This along with reading one of my favorite blogs www.withoutwax.tv and seeing some amazing work that Pete is doing in the Dominican Republic.
I realized from this that I am missing something in my life right now from the faith side. I am not doubting my beliefs, but feel I need to do more. No offense to my amazing church, but I am bored. Completely from my own doing.
My second realization is that I need to get out and volunteer more and get involved. There are a ton of people out there that can use a hand and I need to be one of the ones to help.
Next I realized I need to be more of a positive influence on people. I try and do this consistently, but it now needs to shift on being a focus.
I finally realized that too many people view Christians as the extreme and do not know what “Normal” Christians are all about. That is where the blog comes in. I want to simply share with anyone who will take some time to read, what it is all about.
Christians are not about protesting funerals, judging personal choice, looking down on others or condemning people for their actions. Christians are about living life, helping others and loving all, plain and simple.
My goal, to show you, my “Normal” perspective on anything and everything….and for those of you who know me, it will include Hockey. I really do think Hockey was God’s personal gift to me! OK, and 17K other fans that go to the games with me….but psst…still think it was just to me 
Lets see how it goes and please let me know what you think as we go along.
Enjoy.
06 Friday Jun 2008
Posted in Religion
I heard something distrurbing today that just, well, drives me crazy.
A local church had a teen member who decided to attend a concert at another church and invited some friends. The pastor of the church (non concert) confronted the teen and told her she had to choose and that if she went to church B for the concert to not come back.
I vaildated this story and I think the reason it drives me crazy is because for non believers it provides fuel that churches are exclusionary. Exclusionary? In this case it might appear so. But people who think this is the norm have never stepped into a “Cool Church”.
What is a Cool Church? A Cool Church is a place of worship that all ages come and celebrate with rockin music, lively worship, coffee bars and community festivities. They don’t exclude and are inviting to everyone even non believers. Non believers are not treated as outcasts, but guests, that are allowed to explore faith on their terms and come to their own decisions without pressure. Freinds from other churches are always welcome, in fact invited. The community is the focus and improving the community is the goal. Real People and Real World are the underscore of the church.
If, like me, you live in the West Nashville Area, these Cool Churches are Bellevue Community Church and Crosspoint Church. I am sure there are others but these are the two I have visited and find “Cool”. Both Pastors Pete Wilson from Crosspoint and David Perez from Bellevue, GET IT. They understand what community and church is all about. You want to see what a welcoming environment and safe place to worship is all about….well here you go.
Check out a Cool Church and see for yourself……you might be surprised.
Pete has a cool blog as well….it is under Blogs I Read.
Thanks for David and Pete….you got Cool Churches.
