I just read Shawn Wood’s first book, 200 Pomegranates and an Audience of One, and found it to be an encouraging read. Shawn is one of the teaching pastors at Seacoast Church. I’ll admit, I think that the book starts slow and I even thought his main premise was a bit of a stretch. But, as I got into it more, I think he explains his point well and leaves you thinking of your life in a new way. This…

I’m reading the book, A Tale of Three Kings, in preparation for speaking at Central’s high school winter retreat in January. It’s a story about Saul, David, and Absalom. He talks about the prep time that David had after being annointed the next king but before actually becoming king. The frustration and testing that David experienced is something all of us can relate to at times. “He [Saul] breathes in the lungs and beats in the breast of all of…

That is the number of how many people were baptized at our 8 weekend services the last two days. I’ve never seen anything remotely like it in my life. I am so humbled just to be a part of it. We have been in our “Carried Away” series and have been looking at what it means to follow after Jesus Christ. What is truly amazing is that we have especially focused on the cost of following Jesus. And 427 people…

So I’m about to write one of the most vulnerable posts ever. I have been watching a lot of the Olympics lately. Including women’s gymnastics. (Insert your laughter here…unless of course, you have been watching it too). And there have been a few unsettling things. How can China make up ages for girls who are like 9 years old? Seriously, we are supposed to believe that they are all 16? The jacked-up scoring system. Anybody watch Nastia get silver even…

This weekend we brought in Jamie Tworkowski from “To Write Love On Her Arms.” I interviewed him in our Third Format services and it was a very powerful weekend. We about doubled in our attendance and we showed a lot of people that the Church isn’t afraid of talking about issues like depression and suicide. In addition, it was great to hang out with him and get to know him and his heart for people. You can tell he isn’t…