Goodbye for now!

When I began this blog a couple of years ago, it was for one main purpose. I wanted to begin sharing with you the journey I was on in seeking God, leading ministry and life.

I think we have had some good times together. However, as I have been truly chasing God and what He would have for me, I have come full circle to what He had already given me.

I have a wonderful family, who loves me and whom I love dearly. I have a spectacular job that I come to appreciate more and more every day. Those are things I need to focus my energy on.

As I step away from ministry to focus on my family and my job, I think it would be best to step away from my blog. At least for a season. I will leave it up for "archival purposes", but aside from that, it will go dormant for a bit.

Until then, thanks for going on the journey with me and I will see ya on the other side!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you for being our Savior! This one is for You!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Fusion to Fussing

A "new adventure" would probably be an understatement if I try and describe what it is like to be a part of a church plant. There is so many things going on and so much to be accomplished with so few resources. It is an adventure...and so much more!

One of the visions that God has called Equip to do, is to be a church that plants churches. Where you might ask? Where ever! It may be local, nationally, internationally. If God directs we will follow.

One of the most important steps (after hearing and following God, of course) is to develop a church planting program that includes the steps/processes we want to take in working with a new pastor in planting a church. This is where I come in.

I am extremely passionate about this. I am excited about being able to come along side of someone and help them prepare to plant a church as they follow God's calling. I also realize, that I have no knowledge or training, outside of the gifts God has given me. Therefore, I am on a mission. I am looking for books, websites, conferences, webinars, etc. that provide great information about establishing a spiritual successful church plant.

I am beginning to read books like, Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels, Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch by Nelson Searcy and Thomas Kerrick, Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaged Members of Your Church by Nelson Searcy.

I can fuss all day long about which books I should or shouldn't read, as we begin to focus on developing a program for planting churches. I am willing to beg, borrow and steal (with permission) from those who have done it right before me.

I am curious... what do you recommend? Any good books, websites, conferences, etc? Remember, we are a church plant, so money is no object...because we have none!

Speedy Twitter Summary

I was reviewing my twitter traffic from the last month and was wondering how I could share it with you. I didn't want to list out every twitter I have done. I didn't want to try and summarize 14o character messages.

In the end, I found the best solution. Enjoy my twitter summary of the tweets from the last month:

Thanks to Tweet Cloud for this cool tool!

Church Building

One of the tasks that has been laid at my feet has been the task of looking for a building. It is a very interesting process looking for a church building.

I have done my fair share of residential home shopping with a realtor, and I must say that looking for a church building is different.

I guess I wasn't really sure what to expect. Much like everything else about church business, it just works differently.

I hear great stories all the time of churches being given properties, or offering prices much less than market value, as low as $1, and seeing how God provides them the structure they need.

Of course, that hasn't happened yet for us. Although I am looking and praying, we still don't have a permanent facility. When will it happen? How will it happen? What miracles will God perform? I don't know...and frankly I don't care. I am excited to be in the process and look forward to what God is going to do!

By the Way, if you happen to own a large commercial building or church on the West side of Turlock, and are looking for a large write-off, give me a call!

Until then, God bless and be on the look at for a church building!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a few things I am thankful for:

• My God, for accepting me and all my imperfections!
• My wife, yeah pretty much for the same reason!
• My wife, because I am lucky to have her!
• My son Jordan, he challenges me everyday to stay focused on my family.
• My son Austin, for having the same crazy personality I had at his age!
• My daughter Stormi, for trying to be the best daughter a Dad could ever have.
• My parents, for all they did for me growing up.
• My job, not only do I have one, but I am blessed to have a great one!
• My church, for challenging me and what I think 'church' should look like.
• My friends, this world just wouldn't be the same without them!
• My life, making the most of it, one day at a time!

What are you thankful for?

Holiday Wednesday

Since I am going to be gone for the Holidays I thought I would line up some fun stuff for the rest of the week. So, without further delay.... Enjoy!

Just in case you want to!

I experimented with my iphone this weekend. I recorded my message. It is not the greatest recording, as it was a room mic, however it was a fun project.

So if you are interested in listening to the message, you have a few options:

• Visit sermon.net/hickssound and listen online or download the message.
• Use the audio player below and listen online or download the message.

Enjoy!

Preacher man

Well, my day finally came. Yesterday, was my turn to preach at Equip. It had been some time since I last preached a sermon, probably 5 years, not sure.

I had forgotten just how much I enjoy preaching a sermon. I enjoy the preparation of the sermon the most. It is like a huge jump closer to God. I am studying in a way that is very different than my daily time with God, so it usually reveals something significant during the studying. Of course, I only preach every now and again, so I don't have any of the stress or burdens that our Pastor has, as he prepares a message for each week. I have the luxury of taking my time, weeks if I so choose, and really dig in deep.

It is for this reason that I am grateful for the times I get to preach, but also am content only doing it on occasion. There are some great men that God has blessed with the passion and commitment to preach weekly. I am not that person, right now anyways.

However, I do grow in appreciation for what they have to do, and each and every week I am very appreciative of what a Pastor goes through when he is delivering his message to us on a Sunday morning. So with that I say....

Thank you to all the Pastors that preach messages week in and week out. God has clearly given you a passion, and I am grateful that you are being obedient to your calling. I certainly appreciate you.

As for me, I think the message went well. Of course if you want to hear it for yourself, well you should have been there! Ha!...if you really want it, I can give you a CD of it. Just ask!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Thursday Thinkback

It has been a long time since I have done a good Thursday Thinkback. I thought with the impending preaching Sunday it would be a good time to do some thinking. So, enjoy my random thoughts:

• My friend Josh did a great job preaching on Sunday. I enjoyed hearing him speak.
• I had a blast working the Jeremy Camp concert on Sunday.
  
• I am still recovering from the Jeremy Camp concert on Sunday.
• I love the fact that there are so many leaders in our church who can preach a great message!
• I wonder how Sunday's message will go?
• Oh yeah, I forgot what I wrote here... it will be perfect!
• Little Sam Cotton will be leading worship Sunday. I love it when she leads worship!
• I love it when Marshawn leads worship.
• Oh wait, I just love worship, regardless of who is leading.
• I want to record my sermon on Sunday...oh wait there is an App for that!
• I am going to try out a new app Sunday to record my message. We will see!
• Oh did you here, the world is ending in 2012! Are you ready?
• Why is it that the Mayan's know stuff that God doesn't? Just saying....
• See ya Sunday!
  

Rusty Preacher

This Sunday I will be preaching a sermon for the first time in....well, let's just say it has been a while. I have had a few months to prepare, which has been really helpful. I have been able to do research and planning well before I needed to sit down and prepare the actual message.

This week, I have spent the last 2 nights working on my message. I have completed a first draft, and now can focus on revisions, tweaks, etc. However, no matter how much planning, I never go into Sunday feeling like it is perfect...or even close for that matter.

Yet, something unique happens come Sunday morning. I preach the perfect message for every person who comes to hear it. Of course, I am referring to the fact that it isn't me, but rather the Holy Spirit speaking through me. The truth is, and every one of you readers who is a speaker know, you can plan as much as you want but in the end it is the Holy Spirit who does the preaching, we just become the vessel He uses.

So, if you aren't doing anything on Sunday, come check it out. Regardless of what I do, you will here a perfect message!

Visit our website here to get times/directions. See ya Sunday!

Monday Recovery

Last night was a fun night.

I lead another great crew of people to help with the load-in/load-out of a concert in Modesto. I do this as a ministry for my friends at Celebration Concerts. I consider it a real honor to be able to serve them in this way.

Last night we had the Jeremy Camp tour come through town. The tour was Bebo Norman, Natalie Grant and Jeremy Camp.

This could have been a very stressful load-in. Since it was a Sunday, we could not get into the church until 1:30 PM. Thankfully, God provided an overwhelming number of people. We were able to get them loaded in, and sound checked right on time. We had a great concert, and had a fast load-out. I was able to release people about 40 minutes early! Yeah!

Unfortunately, it was still 1AM before I got home...and 7AM work day came way to early. I am exhausted and tired, worn out, and a little stressed. Yet, it was well worth it, and I would do it all over again!

If you would love to join my crew, let me know, and I will add you to my mailing list!

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Listening for the Spirit

One of the things I didn't mention yesterday was a couple of great conversations I had this weekend. I wanted to take a moment and share this experience with you.

We had a new neighbor move in a few months back. "Bob" and his wife and kids had lost their business, house, have a ton of debt from that and with the economy he is struggling to find regular steady work.

He has been asking questions lately about God, Bible, and Jesus and general religious questions. However, we have not been able to have a good deep conversation about the topic. On Saturday night, things changed. My friend Josh and his family was over, as well as, "Bob" and his family.

While the wives went to get dinner, we began talking. I felt like it was a good opportunity to take the conversation a bit deeper, and we began discussing God. That led to a great 1 hour conversation about every aspect of a relationship with God. The fears, the unknowns, the doubts, etc. In the end, Josh and I had a chance to pray over him in the driveway, although he wasn't quite ready to make a commitment.

The next afternoon, while I was outside with the boys, "Bob" came over to thank me for the night before, for the conversation, the prayer and just being a friend. For the next conversation, I got to be a friend to my neighbor, we talked about life, religion, family, fears, etc. He still was not ready to make a decision, although I believe he is close, but the opportunity that Josh and I had to speak into his life was amazing.

This opportunity wouldn't have came about, if we weren't sensitive to listening for the Holy Spirit's prompting. The timing, topic, and discussion were the result of God's timing and the Spirit's prompting. I am grateful for being a part of that.

Are you listening for the Spirit's prompting?

Weekend Recovery

Well, I am sitting here this morning reflecting back over the weekend. I thought I would share with you a bit about our weekend and why it is so significant.

I woke up Saturday in a panic. I realized at 7:40 AM that I FORGOT to pick up the keys for the building that we rent to hold our church plant church services. I quickly realized that we are probably going to have a shortened service outside. I quickly began enlisting people to pray for a solution. By 12:00PM that day the issue had resolved. I remembered I knew some Lion's Club officers. They use the same building and have permanently issued keys. They loaned us the keys.

Second, after chasing around looking for keys, I cleaned the front yard (Autumn did a great job doing the back yard) and we got ready for Jordan's Birthday Party. What an amazing party. He had so many friends and family there to honor him. He felt VERY special. Fun was had by all.

That night we continued with some friends and got to play some games while the kids continued to play.

Sunday morning, we were up early and I was at the building (with keys) to open up by 7:30. We had a wonderful service, with our Children's Education Pastor preaching a great message. We were locked up, cleaned up and home by 11:30.

I spent a couple of hours doing personal finances and recovering from the cost of a birthday party. I then watched Fireproof with Autumn. That is an emotional movie...and I HAD seen it before.

I then took the boys outside for some bike riding and chalk writing. We had a fun afternoon. A great dinner from Autumn, and then finally some quiet computer time for me.

What a memorable and enjoyable weekend. How was yours?

Funny Friday Fun

Every Friday I post a video that is funny or fun or just plain enjoyable to watch. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is meant to be something enjoyable, if you don't find it funny or enjoyable, then please turn it off.

I didn't make them, I simply shared them. Chill out a bit will ya!

Elijah Offering Video from Elevation Church.