For those of you who came to Green Hills Church this Sunday you know that Josh played an amazing song after the Sermon.  Josh is a really talented song writer as well as being a stud worship leader.  Anyway, the song is called wake up.  If you like Howie Day, or Ben Folds Five, you will love this song.  Check it out here at  http://www.myspace.com/joshbronleewe  Let me know if you like the tune!

If you are interested in what we talked about on Sunday, Brad Dunlap, taught a great message about living a life in God’s light.  I think it is the best message I have heard him teach.  You can check out the podcast here.  

Just click the link to listen: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=274809927

Yesterday was a historic day at our church plant.  We have been meeting for about a year and were able to see our first baptisms.  On Sunday we were able to baptize 7 people at Percy Priest Lake.  It was an incredible experience.    We were praying that the weather would hold because it had been raining for 3 solid days and it was forecasted to be thunderstorms all afternoon.  Brad, my copastor, and I prayed about it and decided that we needed to go ahead with our original plan of a cookout and baptisms at the lake.  Surprisingly, although it rained mildly, we didn’t have any torrential downpour or thunderstorms.  We had a large turnout for the baptisms.  It was awesome.

I will try to post some pictures tonight, but for now, here are 2 videos from Mike and Mandy: 2 of the 7 people who got baptized.

Mandy’s Video

Mike’s Video

Sunday  morning at church was a great day for us too.  We dedicated 3 families who had just recently had new born children.  The message I taught was on Going Public, based out of Acts 8:26-39.  If you want to hear the podcast, just click the link to listen: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=274809927

So we are in an exciting time at Green Hills Church.  About 6 people are going to be baptized on May 3rd.  We have been showing their faith stories on Sunday mornings and I am putting their stories on here because they are so inspirational.  This is Sarah’s story.  You got to watch it, she is really funny.

One of the cool things we are able to see at the Church I am a pastor at is life change.  We are going to be baptizing several people on May 3rd.  Baptism for us is going public with your faith.  Baptism doesn’t save you, but it has a powerful role in the life of a Christ-follower.   Its a powerful experience that shows the world that you love Jesus and are not afraid to let people know.  As a pastor, it’s really interesting to see people really have to wrestle with their faith before they get baptized.  Going through the process of getting baptized seems to make people take their faith more seriously.  We have been posting the people’s stories who are getting baptized on the web and showing them at church.  Their stories are unscripted and pretty raw, but Its amazing to see what God has done in their lives and how they love Jesus.  

Here are Dawn and Charity’s stories. 

Ok its been a while I know but I am back in the blogosphere.  No crazy excuses just been crazy busy.

Church planting has been going great.  Just moved locations from John Overton High School to one of the coolest locations in Nashville, Cabana Restaurant.  Yes, our church is meeting in a bar.  You can see the place at www.cabananashville.com

We also had an article in the Paper about us.  You can check it out at the Tennessean webpage or clicking here:  http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902180326  

Its been amazing to have a place like this fall in our laps.  It really helps us as we live out our vision of calling people back to God here in Nashville.  I love how it screams louder than any words we might say that we love people who are far from God and we accept people just as they are.

By the way if you want to hear the message I taught our first week at Cabana just click here:  http://greenhillschurch.org/podcast.html or Go to Itunes and type in Green Hills Church

I had a chance to speak at the Connect Conference in Orlando FL last week.  It was a great experience to go and speak to leaders who are working on making a difference in the lives of young adults.  

I left the conference with an idea for this blog.  I am going to start delivering on Mondays content on ministry best practices.  Its going to be called the Monday Ministry Tip.  

This week I am going to be talking about Community and Small groups.  I believe that small groups are the best way to do Discipleship.  Matt 28:19-20 says go into all nations making disciples.  That is very daunting if you take it seriously.  How can I  have a major impact for the kingdom if I am just a normal person?  I think the best answer is to be like Jesus who chose 12 men to build into and make a difference through.  

I encourage you to create a place (system or a group) that people can find relationships that will enable them to be like Christ.  You can do this by simply starting a small group that intentionally walks with people to make them like Christ.  The impact is pretty remarkable.  If you start with just 10 people and walk with them for a year and a half, then multiplying your group by dividing it and adding new members you will disciple 320 people in 7 years. 

Here are some good ideas when you look at small groups.

1.  Always have an apprentice.  

2.  Don’t host your group at your own home.  Find someone in the group who will be able to host you.  It will give your group buy in and they may someday become an apprentice.  This will also keep you from wearing down from both leading the group and cleaning your house before group.

3. Study the Bible.  Choose a book study that focuses on the Bible or just go through a book of the Bible together.  Threads www.threadsmedia.com has great group studies.  Northpoint Church has a great site to check out studies too at www.groupcurriculum.org

4. Provide a place for relationships.  People are starving for friendships.  My spin class at the YMCA even goes out to dinner together.  How odd.  Learn to help people become friends by finding commonality for them.  Create new shared experiences that will bind them as friends.